UnexpectedChristmas (7 page)

“Abigail Halloway, is it really you? You can’t know how I’ve
tried to find you. Oh Abby, how could you disappear like that? All your friends
searched and searched for you. We all wanted to offer our support.”

Sebastian was speechless while he tried to put this
revelation together in his spinning brain.
Abby? Halloway? A friend of his
sister’s?

A close and cherished friend?

He watched as Caro first flushed with pleasure, returning
the hug, and then paled and withdrew. Her face changed back to its most
reserved expression.

“Marianne. I can’t tell you how pleased I am to see you.”

But the words were wooden and her eyes sought the floor.

“I go by Caroline Atterby now, my lady. Atterby was my
mother’s name before she married, so I feel no shame in doing so, and Caroline
is one of my names I didn’t use when you knew me. I’ve been a French teacher
for three years. I’m no longer the Abigail Halloway you knew.”

“What nonsense, Abby. Names don’t matter. I’ll call you by
any name you want. Friends support other friends. All of us wanted to help you.
Now stop this milady nonsense before I get angry. You’d probably outshine me if
you came back to society. You always did, you know.”

Marianne moved to hug her again but Caro stepped back.

“I am no longer in society to any degree, milady, so that
does not apply. But I thank you for your kind words.”

Sebastian saw the tears in her eyes behind her bravery. At
the same time his brain was busily putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

Halloway. Stratford. The disgraced earl who had gambled away
his lands and his fortune. When his bankruptcy was disclosed, he’d put a bullet
through his brain. His daughter had found the body. His wife, ill for months,
had died only days before. The daughter had disappeared after watching his
creditors descend to strip the Stratford estate and claim the land and property
in its entirety.

Caro. His Caro was the daughter of an earl. She’d already
suffered more loss than most people do in a lifetime. And she’d been treated as
a slave by that dreadful headmistress. For three years. Dear God in his heaven.

Seeing her begin to tremble, he surmised she was near the
breaking point.

“Marianne, I’ll show Caro to her room now. Would you help
Miss Becky get settled? We’ll talk later.”

He did not wait to see if she complied. He took Caro’s arm
firmly and led her to the huge curving staircase leading to the second floor.
He’d had Caro placed in the room next to his, with Becky at the end of the long
corridor. The housekeeper had raised questioning eyebrows at the arrangement,
but he’d looked his haughtiest and held fast.

His heart plunged as he looked at Caro’s bent head beside
him. Her bonnet had slipped during Marianne’s embrace, was hanging now by its
ribbons, and her golden head gleamed in the sun shining through the multitude
of windows. He could feel misery wafting in waves from her distraught mind.

He’d been planning on seducing her again, if necessary. His
main strategy was to propose to her one way or another, in her room or his. Now
she would never believe he’d planned to ask her when thinking her a lowly
French teacher. She might easily think it because she was a proven and
aristocratic lady.

He couldn’t think what he could do to convince he wanted her
no matter her rank or fortune, no matter the sins of her father. To add to her
burdens, a suicide was banned from decent burial. She must find that hard
indeed. And she’d been left destitute and alone.

How had she managed? How could she have survived such
sorrow?

His anger flared against the dead earl. To be so
irresponsible as to leave his family to face his own sins horrified him. What
man could such a despicable things to those he loved?

His normally intelligent mind seemed to have slipped its
moorings. He couldn’t think what to do. How could he best help his love find
any enjoyment at all in Christmas?

And to accept his suit and his love?

He had only one week. One week to convince her that his love
was sincere.

How in hell could he get her to come back his arms and stay
there where she belonged?

By god and his angels, he’d never, never let her go back to
that damn school. Whether she married him or not, he’d protect her to the end
of his days.

Pray all the angels she would let him do it as his husbandly
right.

He led her to her door and kissed her hand, his lips
lingering until she withdrew her fingers, then left. He intended to go find
Marianne, consult her and then send her up to comfort Caro. At this point his
love would accept nothing from him. He himself would see how Becky was faring,
and if he could help there.

* * * * *

For once his plans seemed to work a little better. He found
Marianne and Becky looking out the window at the stables, where several horses
were being walked for exercise.

“Oh, they are all so beautiful. I love horses.”

“Do you know how to ride, Becky? I’m sure we can find you a
suitable horse and teach you, if you do not.”

She drew herself up with a childish pride. “I’ve been riding
since I was three years old. My parents and I love to ride together.” Her voice
fell. “At least we did before they went on this last trip. They’ve been gone so
long.” Now her voice softened to a whisper. “I do worry about them.”

Marianne gave her a hug. “We’ll find a horse for you, won’t
we, Sebastian? We’ll all go riding together. Did you know your teacher is a
superb horsewoman, Becky?”

Another fact he hadn’t suspected about Caro. He’d not
thought to ask her to tell him about herself. He was one damn idiot.

“I’d like to take Miss Becky on a tour, maybe even to the
stables. Would you go see to Caro, Marianne? Make her comfortable so she will
enjoy being here? It would mean a lot to me if you would.”

Marianne’s eyes widened as confirmed her belief he was
serious about her friend.

“There’s nothing I’d like better,” she said. “Wait ‘til you
see her decently dressed.”

Flashing him a shining smile, she set off for Abby’s room.
By any name, her friend was a jewel that she’d longed to find for three years.

But those dreary clothes.

She thought furiously even as she walked. She wanted to
dress Abby as she should be dressed, but how to do it without triggering an
explosive rejection? Sebastian was already intrigued. She wanted to dress Abby
as the lady she was, not the prim schoolmistress she’d tried to become. But
Abby had already demonstrated her prideful concerns. Lordy, dressed as she
should be Sebastian would lose his heart on the spot.

But she thought he already had.

And how to get that proud lady to agree?

Marianne’s thoughts made her grin. She’d think of something.
She’d burn those dreary clothes if she had to.

* * * * *

Sebastian took Becky’s hand in his as they walked through
the stables. Extensive, immaculate and filled with prime horseflesh, they were
Sebastian’s pride. He resolved to bring Caro here as soon as possible. The
beautiful horses would please her and possibly help his cause. How beautiful
she’d look racing him across the fields of his country place, her hair flowing
down her back.

A loud whicker came from the stall to his right. King
Thunder, his favorite stallion. A handsome horse of impeccable lineage, Thunder
was the prize of the stables, but he had a wicked temper. Sebastian was the
only rider he allowed on his back. Sebastian grinned at the thought of the battles
he’d had with his horse. He’d rebelled every time the grooms put a saddle on
him, until the grooms were afraid to come near him. But Sebastian had triumphed
with patience and a stern affection that brooked no quarter. Now Thunder knew
his master was near and welcomed him.

“Oooh, he’s beautiful.”

Becky stood spellbound as Thunder stuck his nose from his
stall.

“Yes, he is, Becky, but he responds only to me. He can get
angry and be quite dangerous, so don’t try to even pet him. Not until I get him
to be more civilized.”

He took an apple out of his pocket and held his palm
outstretched while Thunder nipped it from him. He patted his horse’s nose and
murmured to him and then turned away.

“Come, Becky, let’s go find a mount for you.”

“Don’t forget I’m a ‘sperienced rider.”

Sebastian laughed and ruffled her hair. “Of course I’ll take
that into account.”

He was as good as his word, stopping before a bay mare of
smaller stature than the others.

“This is Dolly. She’s a sweetheart. She’s responsive and a
smooth ride. Would you like to try her?”

Becky’s face lit and then darkened. “I don’t have any riding
clothes with me. I never could use them at that stupid school.”

She started to say something else but then stopped.
Probably
something interesting about the stupid school,
Sebastian said to himself.

He grinned at her. “Nobody’s looking but me. Why don’t you
just go ahead and ride. Tuck your skirts in your waistband.”

Her little face lit like a shining star.

“Oh can I? Now?”

“Of course.”

He stood by, ready to grab the reins if she had any trouble,
but soon relaxed. For her age Becky was a creditable horsewoman and Dolly
responded to her like the little lady she was.

Summoning two grooms, he charged them with watching her and
bringing her to him after an hour. She’d be using muscles she hadn’t used for a
while and he didn’t want her too tired.

He hurried to Caro’s room. As he paused outside he thought
Caro’s voice sounded distressed and he knocked and then entered.

Marianne greeted him with a smile.

“Seb, will you help me here? You shouldn’t be in Abby’s room
but I want Abby to borrow one of my dresses and look her best when our guests
come tonight. Some of them will be old friends and will be thrilled to see her
again. So why not look beautiful at the same time?”

Sebastian shook his head at his sister.

“I will not try to persuade her, Marianne. Caro is always
beautiful to me. She needs no adornment.”

He fixed his eyes on his love and was pleased to see her
direct a small smile in his direction. She turned back to Marianne.

“Indeed, I am quite persuaded after all. I will wear
whatever you choose, Marianne. But I’m a little thinner than I was.”

Marianne beamed as if heaven had opened the pearly gates.

“I visit so often I keep a small wardrobe here. I have
several gowns that have for some reason grown too tight for me. And my maid
Rosie is a genius at sewing. I’ll be back in a minute with some gowns and
Rosie. Can I trust you for a minute or two, Seb?”

She flounced out of the room with a grin that plainly said
she’d be happy if they misbehaved. Sebastian took Caro’s hands in a tight grip.

“Do not do anything repugnant to you, my love. You are
perfect just as you are. I do not care what you wear.”

Caro looked directly into his eyes for the first time since
he’d spirited her away from that damnable girl’s school. By god, if the
headmistress were only a man he’d demand satisfaction from her for her
mistreatment of this lady. The thought of applying a whip to that sadistic body
was tempting.

Then Caro directed a full smile at him.

“Thank you, my lord. You offer sage advice. Your sister is
my dear friend and I would trust her to do what is best for me.”

He damn near grabbed her in his arms. She was looking at
him, if not with the love he wanted, still without the animosity so evident
before.

A small step forward. He’d make do with that for now. He
strode to her, holding her lightly in his arms and dropping a kiss on her hair.

“Caro, will you ever let me back in your heart? These last
weeks have shown me how much you mean to me. I am nothing without you.”

She looked directly into his eyes for a moment while he
prayed his contrite and loving soul was on display. Her face softened slightly
even as she moved away from him.

“We shall see, my lord. Right now I am bewildered, as well
as very tired.”

“Sebastian.” He ground out the word.

She looked at her toes and then raised her eyes to his.

“Sebastian,” she breathed. Her beautiful eyes were clear and
guileless.

Sebastian glowed.

“When you have rested perhaps you’d like to walk around the
property a little. There is a beautiful wood with quite old trees. We could
look for the Yule log and perhaps some mistletoe. And some holly. The woods
have them all and we bring them in at Christmastime. It’s the most festive time
of the year for both staff and the family.”

Her face lit. “Oh I’d like that above all things. I’ll rest
a little and then we’ll go searching. We always had a Yule log when I was
smaller.”

“And a kissing bough?” Sebastian wondered if he’d pushed too
far but she laughed, a genuine sound of pleasure.

“Do you truly have mistletoe? And red ribbons to tie around
it after you’ve made it into a kissing bough?”

“Mistletoe is scarce but there’s some if we search. We’ve
always found it and I refuse to believe we can’t find it again.”

“Oh I love the Christmas traditions.”

He grinned. “We all do here at Somerdale. We always make the
kissing bough out of mistletoe loaded with as many berries as we can find. The
maids find any excuse to be accidentally under a bough when a handsome footman
is passing by. Then of course he steals a kiss and one white berry from the
mistletoe. So after you rest, dress as warmly as you can. I’ll ask Marianne to
loan you boots and a warm coat, as well as heavy leather gloves.”

She looked a little doubtful and he took one of her hands in
his.

“You do remember how prickly picking holly can be, don’t
you? You wouldn’t want me to be accused of leading a guest to injury, would
you? Surely you can borrow the items needed to save me from such criticism?”