Chapter 16 #2
Laughing, Matteo continued, “If only to give the ladies the amusement that you cannot.”
“That one, I think, will fit better. The height seems more appropriate.”
Dahlia directed two footmen as they chose the tree that was to be cut and placed in the sitting room.
“I think fir is a good choice,” Helena said. “It has a fuller shape than the spruce, so I think it can hold more decorations.”
“Yes, precisely,” Dahlia affirmed, an excited smile on her face. She could imagine the scene it would create, the fresh scent it would give off.
“This tree, Your Grace?” one of the footmen called out to confirm her choice.
“Yes, that one, thank you, Simmons.”
“We should gather the pinecones,” Dahlia said as the footmen went to work on the tree.
Baskets in hand, Dahlia and Helena walked to where a cluster of pine trees grew in profusion. A few pinecones littered the snow-covered ground. The two ladies looked at the pine tree’s offerings.
“There doesn’t seem to be that many of them,” Helena observed.
“Let’s gather what we can.”
Dahlia counted eleven pinecones in her basket.
“How many were you able to get?” she asked her friend.
“Nine.”
“Twenty is a very far number from what I had been hoping to gather; these will not even cover the tree! I had planned to use the pinecones on the staircase and mantle as well.”
“Are there any more pine trees nearby?” Helena asked looking around.
“I’m not sure; I have not ventured to walk this way before.”
Dahlia looked up at the pine trees; still attached to their branches were numerous cones.
“Perhaps we should climb it?”
“I cannot vouch for my climbing skills, especially not in these clothes.” Helena laughed. “Shall we try shaking one of the trees instead?”
Putting their baskets aside, Dahlia and Helena chose a pine tree that seemed to have the greatest number of cones hanging from it.
“Push!”
“What on earth can they be doing?”
Peter and Matteo, who had seen the solicitor out, stood just outside the castle door. The squeals that they heard initially alarmed them. Both gentlemen turned towards the sounds which seemed to be coming from the nearby park. But the feminine laughter that followed soon had them relaxing.
Dahlia and Helena.
“Come,” said Matteo with a grin, “let us see what the ladies are up to.
Peter hesitated, and his friend, seeing this, goaded him.
“One would think you were afraid of her, Duke.”
Peter knew that Matteo was baiting him as he knew that the best way to discourage him was to show himself unaffected.
He instructed a footman to gather their coats, and they proceeded to walk in the direction of the park.
On the way, they saw the two footmen felling a small fir.
“She certainly did not waste time.”
“For what?”
Peter pointed to the footmen and the tree.
“Dahlia has this notion of using a real tree to celebrate Christmas. She plans to decorate it with all manner of things.”
“That is quite a notion.”
“Quite.”
They reached the ladies’ location and upon seeing them, almost gaped at the scene they presented.
Dahlia and Helena were shaking a tree—or more accurately, attempting to shake a tree.
“Push harder!” Dahlia said, half laughing.
“I am pushing harder! Stop laughing, I cannot push when you make me laugh!”
Two pinecones, and then another, fell from the tree. Seemingly exhausted—whether from the actual pushing or from laughing—they stopped. Leaning against the tree to rest, they found that they had an audience.
Peter and Matteo, unaware that they diplayed the same stance, had their arms crossed over their chests; both were holding back laughter.
“Peter! Matteo!”
Dahlia and Helena straightened. Both unconsciously smoothed down their cloaks.
“What are you doing here?” Dahlia, who had not quite caught her breath, gasped.
“Why, we have come to help you, Your Grace.”
Matteo bowed. He looked over at Peter and indicated to the tree. Without another word, both men braced their arms on the thick trunk.
“Perhaps you would like to move back?” Peter suggested.
Quickly moving away, Dahlia and Helena watched as the two men shook the pine tree with enough force to loosen far more cones than they had.
Gasping with joy at the results, Dahlia and Helena clapped their hands and hopped in excitement.
When Peter and Matteo ceased their ministrations, the two ladies rushed to pick up the pinecones.
They repeated the process with two more trees until the ladies declared themselves satisfied with the number of cones lying on the ground.
Matteo went to Peter and whispered to his friend with a grin, “There, do you not feel the hero?”
Matteo went to help the ladies gather the remaining bounty.
Peter stood for a moment watching Dahlia.
Her face was flushedfrom the effort of shaking the tree or from her excitement; either way, Peter found himself staring.
He knew she would disagree with him, but he thought the color becoming on her.
Turning to look at him, Dahlia smiled her thanks, her green eyes bright with joy.
Indeed, Peter felt the hero.