Page 17 of A Winter Scandal

“No, it’s fine.” Thea kept her voice low so as not to disturb the sleeping baby. “Go on. I have something to do. I’m just putting the little one to bed first.”

Thea squatted beside the basket and eased the baby down into it. No one moved or spoke as Matthew squirmed, then let out a tiny sigh and continued to sleep. Thea arranged the blanket over him and stood up.

“I shall return soon,” Thea promised the housekeeper, and Mrs. Brewster nodded as she picked up the tray of food. With a last glance back at Gabriel, she left the room.

Thea lit the candle, then turned and started toward the outside door, all without saying a word to Gabriel. Gabriel opened the door, grinning, and followed her outside.

“I didn’t recognize you earlier,” he said in an explanatory way.

“That was obvious,” Thea snapped. “Since you accused me of being a lightskirt!”

He let out a laugh. “I didn’t accuse you. I merely assumed. You did not, um, look like a vicar’s sister.”

“You are impossible.” Thea whirled to face him. “Any decent man would be embarrassed at making such a mistake. He would be appalled to have insulted a gentlewoman in that manner. All you can do is laugh.”

He grinned. “I suppose I am not a decent man. I have been told so before.”

“You needn’t seem so pleased about it.”

She whipped back around and started toward the church. Gabriel came up beside her, saying conversationally, “In my defense, you did not look like the woman I met the other night.”

Thea reached beneath her cloak and dug her spectacles out of her pocket. She put them on and once again turned to face him. “There. Is that better? Am I Miss ‘Falbridge’ now? Or perhaps Miss ‘Dandridge’?”

He studied her, his head a little to one side. She had meant to shame him, but, she realized, she herself was beginning to feel uncomfortable beneath his gaze. He reached out and smoothed his hand over her tumbled and wayward hair. He picked up a curl and twined it around his finger thoughtfully. Heat slithered through Thea, and her mind went blank for a moment. Gabriel placed his other hand on the opposite side of her head, shoving her hair back and holding it tightly behind her head. Thea tried to suppress her shiver. She had never had a man’s hands on her so. Strangely, she found it excited more than affronted her.

He nodded. “Yes, I can see it now, Miss Bainbridge.” He released her and executed a bow. “Pray accept my abject apologies.”

Thea grimaced, pulling away and once more walking toward the church, shielding the flickering candle with her hand. Gabriel strode along beside her. As they approached the bridge that led across to the church, he asked, “Exactly where are we going?”

Thea lifted her chin in the direction of the church. “Over there. I found him in the manger in St. Margaret’s.”

Her words were met with a moment of silence. Then Gabriel said, “You’re not serious.”

Thea glanced at him. “I am not the sort of woman who makes jests, Lord Morecombe.”

“No. I can see you are not.”

“We have a manger that we plan to use Christmas Eve. It was sitting in the vestibule. As I was decorating the sanctuary, I heard a noise, and when I went to investigate, there was Matthew, peeking over the edge.”

“Matthew?”

Thea shrugged, looking a little uncomfortable. “That is what I decided to call him. I had no idea what his name was, but I could hardly keep calling him the baby, now, could I?”

“I imagine many would.”

“Well, I did not.”

“And why did you choose Matthew?”

“I would have named him after the church, but it is St. Margaret’s, so that wouldn’t do. The name Matthew means ‘gift of God.’ So it seemed appropriate, given the circumstances.”

“It’s a very good name,” Gabriel said with a smile. “It suits him.”

“Oh. Well … thank you.”

Gabriel opened the door, and they stepped into the church. The candle’s flame cast a small circle of light, barely illuminating the vestibule. The sanctuary lay like a dark cave beyond the second set of doors. Thea moved over to the manger and held the candle over it.

“This is where he was. I’m afraid there’s little enough here to see.”