A Christmas Bride (12 page)

“Yes, that is right,” Serenity said as she folded the page again, drawing his attention back to her face and her smile that set it aglow. “Watch. Now I am going to fold it four more times.” She smiled at Theodora.

“When can I cut it?” Theodora asked, her voice buoyant with anticipation.

Timothy frowned. Was Serenity out of her mind? The child could not lift both hands. Serenity would be deranged to think the child would be able to manage the folded sheet and a pair of scissors.

“Just a minute.” Serenity chuckled. “There. That last fold is always the toughest.” Picking up a pair of scissors from the floor, she knelt beside Theodora's chair. She put the folded page beneath her knee to keep it from opening and reached for Theodora's left hand.

Timothy did not dare to breathe as Serenity curled Theodora's fingers around the handles of the scissors and then held them there with her own hand. Drawing the piece of paper out from beneath her knee, she held it between the open scissors.

“Where first?” Serenity asked, smiling at Theodora.

Although he could not see Theodora's face, he could hear her smile. “Top on your side.”

“Top right,” she replied. “Big cut or small one?”

Theodora laughed with more excitement than he had ever heard from the child. “Big one. Please, a big one, Serenity.”

“All right. Hold tight. I am going to need your help to cut through all of these layers.”

The sharp snip of the scissors was loud in the room. Theodora's giggle was followed by more orders of where she wanted Serenity's assistance to cut into the folded paper. When Serenity set the scissors on the floor, she looked toward the door.

“Are you going to lurk there or come in?” she asked.

“Who is it?” Theodora cried.

“Your Uncle Timothy.” Serenity motioned gracefully toward the door and smiled. “He has been watching you cut out your first snowflake.”

Timothy came into the room and sat cross-legged on the floor beside a stack of white paper. “Snowflakes?” He picked up a handful of white specks that had fallen from her scissors. “These?”

“No.” Serenity unfolded the piece of paper she held. “This.”

“It's beautiful!” cried Theodora, her eyes wide as she stared at the design that was echoed over and over. The small cuts had created the facets of the snowflake.

“Serenity, that is quite incredible,” echoed Timothy. “You did that simply by folding a page and making those snips out of it?”

Kneeling beside Timothy, Serenity sat back on her heels as she folded another slip of paper. “The best thing is, like real snowflakes, no two are alike. I thought we would make some to hang in the windows, so when the guests come for the earl's birthday party, they will see the house all decorated for Christmas.”

“You are going to hang them?”

“Actually I thought I would have one of the footmen do that.”

“Not me?”

Theodora laughed again when he twisted his face into a pout. “Do you want to be part of our snowflake decorating, Uncle Timothy?”

“I cannot imagine anything I would enjoy more than sitting and chatting with the two prettiest ladies in Cheyney Park while we make snowflakes that I can hang in the windows.” He glanced at the ceiling. “And a few here so you can pretend you are sleeping in a snow den.”

“A snow den?” Theodora's eyes widened again. “Like a bear hibernating?”

“You may hibernate if you want to miss your great-grandfather's party and all the fun of Christmas,” Serenity said with a smile. She glanced at Timothy and saw his smile waver. Sweet heavens, she could not believe that the family would leave this darling child here alone while the rest of them gathered together. Mayhap it would depend on how this evening's meal went. Now was not the time to speak of that, for she did not want to upset Theodora.

“Can he help, Aunt Serenity?” Theodora continued, clearly oblivious to Timothy's reaction. “Please?”

“Can I,
Aunt
Serenity?” Timothy asked with a chuckle.

Serenity handed him a piece of paper to hide her flush of pleasure at his teasing. Her own family was lost to her, and she loved being considered a part of this one, despite all its oddities. Mayhap she had misread his expression. After all, peculiar as it might seem, Theodora knew him better than she did.

“How could I say no?” She laughed, letting her dismay sift away. “It will be amusing to watch you hang what we cut.”

He picked up the single snowflake. “Shall I start with this one?”

“Yes!” Theodora clapped her hand against the arm of the chair, her face pink with excitement.

Serenity put her hand on Theodora's knee to calm the little girl. Now she was not mistaking Timothy's expression, for she shared his disquiet. “While Timothy has a ladder brought, you and I can make more snowflakes.”

“An excellent idea.” He stood. Putting his hand on Serenity's shoulder, he said, “I trust you will have several of these done by the time I return.”

“Enough to make a whole den,” Theodore replied.

“So many?” he asked, his fingers stroking Serenity's shoulder.

“You may be surprised,” Serenity said.

His finger curled up along her cheek. “I find that I always am.”

She gazed up at his smile. Nothing she did, no matter how much she avoided being with him, made any difference. Each time they were together, whether alone or with others, even the most chaste touch suffused her with pleasure. She wanted to stand as he pulled her into his arms and up against his strong chest.

When he walked out of the room, she stared down at her hands. They tingled with the longing to touch him, even as casually as he had touched her.

Serenity shook that beguiling thought from her mind when Theodora begged to make another snowflake. Keeping her hands busy would be the best way to prevent them from giving in to her yearning. As she laughed with Theodora, she concentrated on creating pretty designs to please the little girl.

“Will Miss Hayes be at dinner this evening?” Theodora asked suddenly.

“Yes, I believe so. She and your cousin Felix and Aunt Ilse all should be there, too.”

“Will you sit beside me?”

“Of course, and your great-grandfather will, too.”

“And Timothy will sit beside you.” She giggled when Serenity unfolded another snowflake. “Nurse tells me that you and Uncle Timothy like to kiss. That is why you want to get married.”

“Why did she tell you that?”

“I asked.” Theodora grinned. “I saw Felix and
her
out in the garden kissing, and I asked Nurse about it.”

Serenity kept her smile in place as she changed the subject. Making more snowflakes with Theodora's “help” required all her concentration, so again she could put her unsettling thoughts aside. She was no more successful than she had been at trying to put Timothy out of her mind. She had not guessed that Felix and Melanda were anything but friends, because they did not act as if they were in love. It was clear she was mistaken, and why not? How did she know how people in love acted? Mayhap she once had known, but she could not recall.

“Look out!” called Timothy, only a moment before the legs of a ladder came through the door.

Serenity gathered up the paper snowflakes and squeezed in beside Theodora's chair, so she was not struck. “Can you set that up alone?”

“I believe so.” He tried to maneuver it through the door.

“Let me help.” She guided the end of the ladder past Theodora's bed and toward the floor, so he could set the ladder in place. “Father always called for help with ladders.”

“Serenity!” He kicked the ladder open and grasped her arms even as the ladder rocked.

“Father …” she whispered.

“What is it, Serenity?” cried Theodora.

Timothy smiled at the little girl. “You know that Serenity lost some of her memories when her head was bumped in a carriage accident, don't you?”

Eyes wide, Theodora nodded.

“Do you remember anything else?” Timothy asked.

Serenity bit her lip as she shook her head. “For a moment I saw a face. My father? I don't know.”

“Don't look so distressed. This must be a good sign that you may eventually recall everything.”

“I hope so.”

“So do I.” He winked at Theodora. “What better gift could Serenity receive for the holidays than to remember everything?”

“I would rather have a new doll.” Theodora giggled. “One with bright blue hair ribbons.”

“Will you settle for a snow den now?”

“Oh, yes!”

Serenity was able to smile sincerely, as Timothy reached under his coat and plucked out some thread. “Where did you find this?” she asked.

“Where else? Madame DuLac was generous.”

“And she was busy elsewhere.”

“Now you understand.” He chuckled as a short man appeared in the doorway. “Ah, Henry, did you find the nails and the hammer we need?”

“I have them right here, my lord.” He held out a small wooden bucket. “Good afternoon, miss,” he added, tipping his head toward Serenity. “How are you, Miss Theodora?”

“I am going to have a snow den,” the little girl said, her eyes twinkling with excitement.

“Are you now?”

Timothy smiled. “Serenity, this is my valet Henry. Henry, Miss Adams.”

He dipped his head again. “I hope you are enjoying your call to Cheyney Park, Miss Adams.”

“Thank you.” Handing a snowflake to Timothy, Serenity said, “This is our prettiest one, so put this where Theodora can see it from anywhere in the room.”

Easily Timothy climbed the ladder. He took a nail from Henry and hammered it into the beam running along the center of the ceiling. Tying a thread to it that was as long as his arm, he slipped the other end through one of the cuts in the paper and tied it.

“Perfect!” Theodora craned her neck to try to see the snowflake from another angle. “Look! It sparkles in the sunlight just like real snow.

“You will be surrounded by snow.” Serenity knelt to fold another sheet so it could be cut. “We still have a lot more to make if we want to have them for all the front windows, so that all the callers can see them.”

She listened to Timothy and Henry discuss with Theodora where to hang the snowflakes. Varying the length of the threads gave the illusion of being in the midst of a gentle storm. She continued to work on the snowflakes, trying to stay ahead of Timothy, so he would not have to wait for the next one.

When Henry brushed some of the scraps of paper away from where she was sitting, she smiled. “Thank you.”

“Glad to help, miss.” He grinned before helping Timothy move the ladder closer to the door.

“Serenity?” Timothy asked.

“Yes?” She cut another piece out of the page.

“Serenity?”

When she looked up, she laughed as he tossed bits of paper in the air. Theodora crowed with joy as they wafted down around her.

Gathering up a handful as Henry must have, Serenity took Theodora's hand and closed her fingers around the paper. She rose and whispered in the little girl's ear. Theodora compressed the scraps into a wad. With a laugh, she let the paper fly at Timothy. It struck him in the arm.

“What was that?” he asked with a gasp.

“A paper snowball.” Serenity laughed while Theodora giggled. “A snowball aimed very well at you!” She squeezed the little girl's hand gently.

Glancing at Henry, he said, “I think we have been challenged to a snowball fight.” He jumped down from the ladder and grabbed another handful of scraps. He dumped the paper over Theodora's head. As Theodora shouted for Serenity to gather up more of the white pieces so she could make another snowball to throw at him, he scooped up more of the paper and dropped it on Serenity's hair.

He caught her arm as she was reaching for a piece of paper. She shook it off and crinkled the page into a wad. Throwing it at him, she laughed when it struck him on the chin.

“Now you are asking for it,” he said in a growl. Grasping her arm, he sprinkled scraps on top of her head.

She tried to collect more pieces of paper, but he halted her, clamping his arm around her waist and pulling her up against him. The sound of Theodora's gleeful laughter faded in the distance as she gazed up into his eyes. His fingers eased their grip on her arm as his other hand swept up her back, pressing her even closer.

“You are beautiful when you are covered with snowflakes,” he whispered. “Your cheeks are flushed, and your hair is soft around us. And your lips look hungry for a kiss to warm them.”

“It is not cold in here.”

“You are right.” His hand stroked her back. “It is very warm with you in my arms.”

“Theodora is here.” She wondered how she could talk him out of kissing her when she wanted him to so very much.

With a laugh, he looked over his shoulder. “Would you be bothered if I kiss Serenity?”

“Nurse says that is what people who want to get married do.” She grinned.

“As you don't mind, and Henry does not mind—”

“Only if Miss Adams does,” the valet said with a chuckle.

“Do you mind, Serenity?” Timothy asked quietly. “Do you mind if I savor a sample of your soft lips?”

“You should not—”

“Heed what you say, but what your eyes tell me.” His fingers sifted through her loosened hair, sending it cascading along her back.

When he tilted her mouth toward his, she raised her arm to curve around his shoulders. Why was she fighting what she wanted with all her being? His hair, like unrefined silk, brushed her fingers, and his sand-rough face grazed her as he placed a light kiss on her left cheek. When he moved to kiss her other cheek, she caught his face in her hands. His eyes burned like the dark wood at the very heat of the fire, sparks glinting through their ebony.

“I thought you wanted to kiss my lips,” she whispered so softly not even Henry or Theodora could hear.