Page 42 of The Dare Before Christmas

“Did you accept?” the duke asked, rather too innocently, his eyes sparkling. “Was that an acceptance?”

“Drat you, Axton, don’t be a nuisance. You know very well it was,” Hester said, looking flustered but not displeased.

Barnaby could hardly believe his eyes.

“Well,” he said, shaking his head. “Well, I never did.”

He sat down heavily, hardly knowing what to say. Axton silently took his empty glass, refilled it and handed it back to him. Perhaps the duke wasn’t such a dreadful man.

“Now that’s out of the way, we shall return to the matter at hand. What were you thinking, Barnaby?” Aunt Hester demanded.

“I know what he was thinking,” the duke muttered, lips twitching.

“Mind your tongue, your grace.” Barnaby growled.

“Barnaby!” His aunt exclaimed.

“I’ll not have him speak ill of the lady,” he said hotly.

To his surprise, his aunt looked pleased with him. “No, indeed. You are quite right, my boy, only… well, I have never seen you so—”

“The boy is in love, Hester. Brings out the best in us,” the duke said. “Well, those who have a lick of sense anyway,” he added wryly.

“I’m not—” Barnaby began and then sighed. “Or perhaps I am. It’s all rather a muddle, to tell the truth. I’ve been avoiding her, avoiding thinking about her. Told myself it was pointless. Well, you know what happened with Lady Millicent, but then we found that blasted chapel and the underground tunnel, and getting trapped with the roof falling in makes a fellow think, and then she was so cold, and she couldn’t get her stockings off and… well, you see how it is.”

His aunt stared at him. “Indeed, I do not see! What are you prattling on about?”

To his surprise, the duke bent and patted his shoulder.

“I see,” he said with a confiding nod. “I see very clearly.”

“Don’t be an ass, Axton. You’ve no more clue what he’s on about than I have,” Hester exclaimed.

“I see very clearly,” Axton repeated, going all ducal and arrogant in the blink of an eye. “The poor fellow fell for Bedwin’s daughter, but thought it was hopeless, so he didn’t let himself think about her. Didn’t stop him from loving her, though. Then, this weekend, they’re thrown together, they’ve obviously had some kind of adventure and excitement, then the girl was out in the cold. A gentleman is duty bound to see his lady warm and dry. He took her to her room, tried to look after her, one thing led to another. Perfectly clear.”

“Oh,” Hester said, eyebrows raising. “Well, I never. I suppose I do see when you put it like that.”

The duke chuckled and pulled his chair up next to Aunt Hester’s so he could sit and hold her hand. Barnaby didn’t even object. “There, there, darling girl. You can’t be right all the time, but take heart. I’ll say something stupid shortly and order will be restored.”

“Foolish man,” Hester said, but with such affection it was obvious how happy she was.

The duke beamed at her. Barnaby sighed. Well, at least his aunt was content.

“Now, then, Barnaby. I understand how it happened, now Axton has explained,” his aunt went on. “And the truth is, as wickedly as you’ve behaved with that young woman, I’m pleased with you.”

“What?” Barnaby’s head shot up. “Why?”

“Why?” Hester repeated with a laugh. “Good heavens, Barnaby. She’s the catch of the season. Fortune hunters surround her on all sides, and you took the prize! You’re made, my boy, and I’m so proud of you. She’s a delightful girl and will suit you admirably. I think you’ll be very happy together.”

Barnaby could not help but stare, too incredulous for words. “Aunt Hester, when Bedwin comes home, he’s going to hang me up from the nearest tree by my tender parts. He’ll not let me wed his daughter. I’m so far beneath her I may as well have been buried in that blasted tunnel. If I’d done things properly, maybe—maybe—I’d have stood a chance, but to have ruined her?” He shook his head. “He’ll kill me, hush up any scandal, and I’ll never see her again.”

“Stuff and nonsense!” his aunt said, and with such force that Barnaby could not help but pay attention. “Now, you listen to me. In the first place, you are the finest young man—barring perhaps that pretty comte of yours—”

“Hester!” Axton protested.

Hester waved this away.

“You are the finest, most honourable young man I have had the pleasure of knowing, and I am proud of you.”