Chapter Eighteen
Christmas Eve night
Beckham House
Hanover Square
Mayfair, London
Caroline yawned as she and Felix entered her father’s townhouse. It had been quite the eventful week.
Last night, after Lady Withington had given birth to a daughter, the household had been thrown into disarray due to everything that had happened prior to that blessed event.
In the end, because the staff was in such a sad state, she had gone next door.
After explaining what had occurred, she’d borrowed two footmen.
One she’d sent to Bow Street for Principal Officer Mason regarding the Withington murder.
The other she’d sent for the midwife, and she gave him the address she remembered from when they’d called on the woman earlier.
After that, she’d sent Withington’s butler for a doctor he knew nearby.
By the time everyone returned with the people they needed to fetch, the house was once more thrown into upheaval.
In the interim, one of the remaining maids—one who’d hidden in a clothespress when Betsy and her husband had gone mad—had assisted Felix in gathering the needed supplies.
A clean knife had been secured. The cord between mother and baby had been severed and tied off, for then the infant had been placed in Lady Withington’s arms. Once the midwife had deemed her safely delivered of the babe and everything that had come afterward, the widow had been assisted upstairs to her bedchamber for rest and recovery.
And so she and her baby would be shielded from the would-be kidnappers.
Of course, there were many questions for every member of the household, and as well for Caroline and Felix from the members of Bow Street after they’d arrived.
Statements were taken, and when the doctor arrived, the Bow Street men assisted in putting the severely wounded members of the household into a carriage to be taken to a hospital.
Finally, Betsy and her husband had been collected and escorted to Newgate by the Bow Street men.
By the time Felix was able to bring her home, it had been after midnight.
She’d barely had the strength or wherewithal to tell him goodnight before she’d stumbled inside and had gone directly to her bed.
That was where she’d remained until well after two o’clock in the afternoon. Once she’d risen, she’d had a long, soaking bath wherein she’d had to explain to her aunt what had occurred the night before and how she’d procured the bruise on her cheek and the graze mark on the side of her neck.
Though Aunt Georgiana had ranted about the major’s failure to keep her safe, she’d expressed her pride that her great-niece had helped in solving a case and had assisted in bringing a pair of murderers to justice.
Then they’d made plans for Felix to come to dinner on Boxing Day since they’d missed dinner from last night.
She’d rested and read for the remainder of the afternoon, then finished her toilette just as Felix came by to pick her up, for they would share dinner with his sister, her children, and her husband, newly arrived to London. On Boxing Day, Felicity and her family would leave for the country.
“Tired?”
The sound of the major’s voice brought her out of her thoughts. “A bit.” After Christmas Eve dinner, Felix had escorted her home, for she merely wanted time alone to process what had happened. “That doesn’t mean I want you to go.”
“Oh?”
She nodded. “After all of that mayhem beneath the mistletoe last night, it’s been impressed upon me what’s important in life.”
“And what would that be?” he asked as he cupped her cheek as the stood in the entryway.
“You. Our coming life together. The work we do that keeps people safe and helps others.” Though she cherished his touch, Caroline broke away, moved to a narrow table beneath one of her father’s prized paintings of a seascape.
An ivory envelope rested next to a lit lantern. Her name had been scrawled on the front in her aunt’s handwriting.
With a frown, she took up the envelope, cracked the seal, and then slid a card out.
Caro,
I realize it will be late when you receive this, but I am at the home of a friend who lives a few houses down.
There will be dinner and parlor games. Undoubtedly there will also be cards later and rum punch.
I’d invite you and your young man to come down and join us, but you will probably want to do other…
things with him. The drawing room is quite cozy at night with only a fire and the few decorations I had my staff place.
Regardless, I won’t return home until well after midnight.
As for Andrew? He informed me that he was at his club until the wee hours. To be frank, he was in a mood so will probably spend the night with his latest fancy piece.
All of that to say, make certain you do everything that I would do at your age.
Much love and Happy Christmas,
Auntie
Heat filled Caroline’s cheeks as she tucked the card back into the envelope. “It seems my aunt and brother aren’t here tonight. And since it’s Christmas Eve, I’ll wager the bulk of the servants are with their own families at this hour.”
“An interesting development.” His eyes darkened with wicked intent.
Tingles shot down her spine. “Indeed, it is.” Then, after tucking the note into her reticule, she took Felix’s hand. “Come with me.”
“Where?”
“The drawing room. I want to see what my aunt did in the way of decorating.” She squeezed his fingers. “And I might want to hang a velvet ribbon on a certain major’s bough…” Would he understand her hint?
“Fuck me. Do you mean…?”
“I do. Exactly that.” She couldn’t help her grin as they ascended the stairs.
Knowing that she was afforded more freedom now that she was engaged, she couldn’t wait to start, especially since her attention wouldn’t be split by needing to solve a murder.
“Unless you aren’t of the same mind.” She took off her cloak and her gloves, threw them onto a low sofa.
“When have you ever know me not to be?”
Then they were in the drawing room, and true to her word, Aunt Georgiana had left a lovely fire burning in the hearth behind an ornamental metal screen.
Freshly cut greenery lay on the mantel with tin bells and glass balls in different colors hidden amidst the branches.
There was even a kissing ball suspended from the ceiling near one of the windows.
A blue enamel bowl on one of the tables had been filled with clove-studded oranges, which gave the room a sweet-spicy aroma that blended with the woody scent from the fire.
A few candles had been lit throughout the room, and the dim illumination gave the space a romantic, festive feel.
“How lovely.” She went further into the room and stood near to where the mistletoe hung. “This is everything I could have dreamed of, because I only wanted one thing for Christmas this year.”
“Oh?” As he followed her, he removed his gloves, greatcoat—a different one from last night—as well as his top hat. Both were tossed in the direction of a chair. “And what was that?”
“Ever since May, the only thing I’ve wanted was you—as my fiancé.
” Her voice had taken on a singsong quality, for she couldn’t breathe when in his company, couldn’t think clearly when presented with the handsome figure he made dressed in his dark evening clothes, even though she’d already seen him this evening.
“Oh, love, I’m sorry I’ve kept you waiting.
” With a wink, Felix went back to the door and gently closed it.
When the click of the key turning in the lock echoed in the silence, she shivered.
Then he came back toward her. “You have been the one constant in my life since the summer. I was a nodcock not to see it before, see how much I need you in all the ways that matter.” He shed his cuffs and collar with his jacket following soon after.
The garments fell indiscriminately to the Aubusson carpet, vanishing into the shadows clinging about the room.
“You do?” Her throat had suddenly gone dry, for there was something wicked about watching a man undress, especially this one. She hadn’t seen his body nearly enough. “You haven’t changed your mind and decided against marriage after the mess we witnessed yesterday?”
“No. In fact, that incident brought home exactly what I want from my life and how much I want you by my side.” He toed off his shoes and then shed the waistcoat of cranberry satin.
At long last, his gaze fell upon her, and his grin was every bit as transformative as she’d hoped.
Truly, he should do that more often. “I didn’t have a chance to say this earlier tonight, but you are amazing in that gown.
The red color with the gold ribbon in such a style suits you, but what I adore more is seeing you smiling at me with your eyes full of emotions despite your bruises and cuts. ”
“The injuries are healing.” As were his.
The cut on his cheek gave him a rakish, dashing air.
“I had hoped you might like the gown.” Though it was completely frivolous, Caroline gave him a bit of a twirl.
She giggled when the skirt flared, as if she were a young girl instead of a woman grown at nine and twenty. “I do love pretty clothes.”
“I’ll do everything in my power to buy them for you.” As he spoke, he came toward her, his steps measured and precise like a jungle cat stalking its prey, and she retreated until the window at her back stopped her flight. “However, I’ll like that gown even more when it’s in a puddle on the floor.”
“Oh?” Gooseflesh popped on her skin. There was a certain twinkle in his brown eyes that promised carnal delights, and she couldn’t wait.
“Since we became engaged, I haven’t had you in my bed nearly enough. It’s past time we enjoyed this progression of our relationship, don’t you think?”
“I absolutely do.” And if he didn’t hurry, she might just drag him over to one of the sofas and have her way with him.