Page 45 of The Dare Before Christmas

“This came for you, Miss Emmeline.”

“Oh, thank you,” she said, taking the letter from the tray.

“Who is it from?” Evie asked, and Emmeline shook her head, not recognising the handwriting.

“I don’t know.”

As Emmeline turned the letter over, she noticed the seal and her heart gave an excited leap. Not wanting her sister or anyone else to notice how flustered she was, Emmeline slid away, hurrying to the library to get some privacy. Slipping inside, she closed the door behind her and turned, only to almost leap out of her skin.

“Oh, Torie!” she exclaimed, pressing a hand to her thudding heart. She stared in consternation at her friend, who was kneeling beside the door, peering at the floorboards. “Goodness, you startled me. Whatever are you doing down there?”

Torie clambered to her feet, giving Emmeline a rueful smile. “Looking for secret tunnels.”

Emmeline burst out laughing. “Well, of course you are. I ought to have known.”

“You really ought. What’s that?” Torie asked, gesturing to the letter she was clutching. “And why have you run to the library to open it in private?”

Emmeline sighed. That was the trouble with Torie, she noticed things.

“Oh, you won’t believe what happened to me yesterday,” she said, fighting the urge to squeal like a lunatic. It had not only been the noisy inn that had kept her awake, as the scene with Wrexham played over and over in her mind, especially the part where he’d kissed her.

Rather to Emmeline’s surprise, Torie snorted.

“Perhaps, but I rather suspect my day is going to trump yours,” she said darkly.

“Oh, well, let’s compare notes,” Emmeline said, taking Torie’s hand and dragging her to sit by the fire.

With growing surprise, Emmeline listened as Torie outlined what had happened in the hours since they’d been gone.

“Good heavens,” she said, staring at Torie. “You did have an adventure.”

Unable to help herself, Emmeline burst out laughing.

“It’s not funny!” Torie exclaimed.

“Oh, no. No, of course not.” Emmeline hurried to straighten her face. “Only, I keep imagining poor Mr Godwin’s expression when his aunt and the duke walked in on you.”

Torie gave a huff of laughter then, remembering. “Oh, it was the picture of horror, you may be certain, though not so bad as when he realised he must marry me,” she added glumly.

“Oh, come now, Torie, I don’t believe that. I’m certain it was just the shock of the moment. You know how funny men get about marriage. Once he’s used to the idea, I’m certain he’ll be delighted. He certainly ought to be,” Emmeline said staunchly.

Torie shrugged. “Perhaps. We’ll see. But now you’re back, that means Mama and Papa are here, and no doubt speaking to Lady Balderston right now. Oh, I want to die. It’s so embarrassing. Tell me what happened to you quickly. It might take my mind off it, and you’d best hurry because I’ll likely be locked in my room from now until doomsday, and… oh no!”

“What?” Emmeline said in alarm.

Torie put her head in her hands. “I was just thinking about poor, darling Octavia. She’s only five and I’ve already ruined her life. Papa has been impossible enough with me, never letting me out of his sight, and now look. He will have Octavia sent directly to a nunnery to avoid any further trouble.”

Emmeline sniggered, shaking her head. “Don’t be such a goose, Torie. It’s more than ten years until she comes out. I’m certain your father will have relented by then.”

“Hmph,” Torie said, unconvinced. “Anyway, the letter, who’s it from?”

Emmeline bit her lip, blushing. “Lord Wrexham.”

“Wrexham? The one you sat next to at the dinner party? Are you sure?”

“Yes, why?”

“Well, you said he’s blind, that’s all. How does he write letters?”