Chapter 51 #2
Warren stiffened, unused to being the center of attention. “It’s all just a lot of point and shoot,” he muttered.
“He was always such a charismatic young man,” Uncle Selby sighed, leaning back in his chair.
“Ah, Charles, and you must remember this delightful angel. Lady Madeline surprised the duke and duchess with a visit. Just in time for Christmas too. She’s been here half the afternoon preparing everything with Molly.
I made her pause for tea, and she obliged me to a sporting round of chess. ”
“And did you win, sir?” asked James.
“Stuff and nonsense, Norland,” Uncle Selby said with a wheezing laugh. “The lady is a shark. She bested me in under twenty moves.”
Charles glanced over his shoulder to see Madeline standing there, one hand on the back of his chair. “Good evening, Madeline,” he said on a breath, for she’d taken all of his air.
“Good evening, sir. Happy Christmas,” she replied with a soft smile.
“I may have made an unforgivable transgression, nephew,” said Uncle Selby.
Charles pulled his eyes from Madeline, looking back at his uncle. “Oh? How so, sir?”
“Lady Madeline distracted me whilst playing. She wanted to hear stories about you and David as boys,” he replied. “I may have told her the one about the box of bees.”
Charles groaned, as the others laughed, even Warren.
“He still doesn’t care much for honey,” Warren muttered, taking a sip of his wine.
“I believe somewhere in my repressed memories is a similar story,” teased the duke. “Only mine involves Tom Renley wielding a cricket bat.”
They all laughed again, Charles joining in, while Warren shifted out of his seat. “Here, my lady.” He gestured to the chair.
“Oh, no. I am happy to stand,” she replied with a wave of her gloved hand.
“Sit,” he urged, stepping in behind her.
She flushed, murmuring her thanks before taking his offered seat at Charles’s side.
“Can you believe this beauty is yet unmarried?” said Uncle Selby, stirring a lump of sugar into his tea with a shaky hand. “I asked some questions of my own whilst she beat the stuffing out of me with her roving rooks. She speaks Italian and German, Charles. And she plays violin.”
Charles cleared his throat, unable to meet her eye. Was his uncle really daring to play matchmaker with Warren and the duke watching?
“She’s a voracious reader too,” added the duke. “I’m told she’s borrowed all manner of books during her short stay with us. She burns through them faster than the candle waxes.”
“And she rides prodigiously well,” Warren muttered, his eyes on his drink.
Charles stilled, his mind flashing with images of her speared on Warren’s cock, his own mouth trying to devour them both as she bounced, those perfect tits glowing in the firelight—
Fucking hell. He sucked in a breath, knowing Madeline was thinking the same by the set of her shoulders and the red blooming in her apple cheeks. It was all Charles could do not to lean over and take a bite.
“You are too generous,” she murmured.
“No such thing,” the duke replied with a wave of his hand. “You are the height of accomplishment, Madeline. Accept the compliments.”
“Come you lot!” Mr. Burke called from the doorway. “James! Bray, come! It’s time to play Snapdragon!”
A few of the other guests cooed with delight. Charles stood, offering an arm to Madeline. She took it, flashing him a soft smile. Warren held his arm out to Uncle Selby, but the man buffeted him away with a wave and a laugh.
“You young people go and play your game. I’m perfectly happy here by my fire with Doctor Rivers for company.”
The doctor was already crossing over, a plate of mince meat pies in hand.
With a curt nod, Warren followed behind Charles and Madeline.
They crossed the narrow hall into the dark dining room.
All the candles had been removed and the hearth was little more than hot coals.
The feast was set up like a buffet, with the long table turned and pressed against the back wall beneath the windows.
In the middle of the room, the smaller table from the drawing room had been set with six chairs around it.
The duchess was already seated in one chair, her hands folded over her stomach.
Burke plopped into the chair next to her and the duke took the one on her right.
Charles pulled out the chair next to the duke, helping Madeline to sit.
Before he could claim the chair next to her, Warren was sitting.
That left one chair open next to Burke. Some of the other guests filtered in behind, standing around them.
“Here we are then,” called Molly, sweeping in with a tray.
“I haven’t played this in ages,” said the duchess with a laugh, helping Molly center the shallow bowl in the middle of the table.
“We used to play it every year, eh James?” said Burke, tossing the raisins into the bowl. “Though our games usually devolved into just drinking the brandy.”
James and a few of the other men laughed.
Molly poured a measure of warm brandy into the bowl and handed the duke a taper. “Do us the honors, Your Grace.”
James lit the taper’s end on the nearest candle while a very red-faced Jane Pilcock threw an arm around Lady Havens and the pair started singing a warbled version of Here We Come a Wassailing.
The group at the table drummed their fingers while the others cheered, and then James set the taper to the surface of the warm brandy. The room burst with an eerie light as the brandy burned bright blue.
The ladies all cooed, watching the flames. Across from Charles, James and Madeline’s faces were bathed in the curious blue light.
“You first then, Rosalie,” said Burke.
The duchess leaned over, eyes bright, and snatched for a raisin. “Oh—I missed—”
“Quick,” Burke laughed.
“Move fast, or you’ll singe your silk,” added James.
“Got it,” she crowed, popping the little morsel in her mouth to the cheers of the room.
“Well done, Your Grace!”
“Now Madeline,” said Burke. “Careful there.”
Madeline leaned forward, looking not at all like her usual, nervous self.
She looked happy, at peace. He could only pray he had something to do with it.
Too short to reach while seated, she stood, one hand on Warren’s shoulder as she bent over the table, snatching out a flaming raisin with nimble fingers.
She popped it in her mouth to the cheers of the room and Charles found himself wishing he was that raisin.
Burke was already on the move, snatching a raisin for himself. “Get in here, Bray. Lady Havens, you’re next!”
The crowd was shifting as those who had tasted a raisin moved back to make room for the others. Charles left his chair, gesturing a grinning Molly forward.
“Imagine my surprise,” called a deep voice. “Returning home after a twelve-month, only to find that my home is empty!”
Every head in the room turned with gasps of surprise. Standing in the doorway, looking as dashing as ever, was none other than Captain Tom Renley.