The Joy of Christmas Present: Sweet Regency Romance (A Dickens of a Christmas Book 2)

by L G Rollins

  Uncle Scrooge spoke even with his eyes closed. “Mary’s turn to think up something for us to guess.”

  The little girl was only too delighted, and on the games continued.

  Fredrick argued with himself the entire time he was on horseback. Helena had left a message with his valet detailing where to find her uncle’s place of business. He only hoped she was truly there. If the old man was as hard-hearted as he’d been made out to be, he very well might have turned Helena and the two children away.

  It had been hours since he’d spoken to her last, far longer than he’d originally anticipated their separation to be. But Lord Ellis had been stubbornly determined to find Mary and Jim. Even well after Fredrick knew Helena had gathered the children and taken them away, Lord Ellis insisted they search. They found his horse—as Fredrick had planned—and still, Lord Ellis drove them all to continue the hunt for the missing children. The longer the night wore on, the more certain Fredrick felt that spiriting the children away had been the right thing to do.

  Finally, well after midnight, Lord Andrews persuaded Lord Ellis to be done for the night. Fredrick had silently thanked the heavens their host had said something. Fredrick had wanted to long before but worried it would have drawn too much attention to himself if he were the one to recommend they cry off. After that, of course, he had to see to a place to keep the children hidden for a few days. Lord Adley, whose ball had been quite fine a few weeks ago, was the only person Fredrick could think of who lived close enough and whose generous disposition could be counted on. Though the butler had protested waking Lord Adley at all, once Fredrick was able to explain to the man, he’d agreed to help immediately.

  Now, only a few minutes before two in the morning, Fredrick finally pulled his horse to a stop before a weather-beaten building. The door was atrocious, with enough light pouring through it to make him aware of two things at once: first, that the door could not possibly be keeping all the cold out, causing him to worry Helena, Mary, and Jim had been freezing these past several hours, and two, that so much light meant people were certainly up even at this late hour.

  He neared the door and the sound of hearty laughter greeted him. Well—that was not at all what he’d worried he would find. He knocked softly, but when the laughter continued and no one answered the door, he simply opened it himself.

  The sight off to his right was not at all what he’d imagined when Helena had first suggested she hide at her uncle’s place of business. Helena sat in a rickety old chair, but she was leaned forward, clearly engaged in whatever they were doing. The two children sat on a blanket on the floor, their faces alight with excitement. Even a wrinkled man, who he assumed must be Helena’s Uncle Scrooge, sat bundled up in blankets with something almost akin to a smile on his face.

  Fredrick moved quietly into the room. They were discussing amongst themselves what it could possibly be that Mary liked best with flowers on it, when the weather was fine, and whenever she went to church. They each held small glasses with some kind of drink inside and seemed quite cheerful.

  Helena called out several responses. “A hat? Fine shoes?”

  All the while Jim, too, was yelling, “A dog? A horse?”

  Even Uncle Scrooge seemed unable to resist. “A spencer jacket? A parasol? Really now, Helena, whoever heard of putting flowers on shoes?”

  Helena only huffed. “Well, one might embroider them on.” She finally caught sight of Fredrick and waved him over.

  He moved to stand behind her.

  Her whole face was lit up. “Thank you for helping tonight,” she said softly.

  He wrapped an arm about her shoulder and hugged her to him. “Are you ready to go?”

  “Not yet.” Her voice turned even lower. “We have to wait for Mr. Cratchit and his granddaughter to return.”

  “Who?”

  “I’ll explain later.”

  “I know,” Jim called out. “A dress!”

  “That’s it!” Mary giggled.

  On they played for several more minutes before the front door opened and two individuals hurried in, a white-haired man and a young woman probably close to Helena’s age with dark hair. The woman turned toward them, her eyes growing wide at the sight of Mr. Scrooge playing with two children.

  The white-haired man, however, only smiled more as he approached Fredrick and clapped him on the shoulder. “My granddaughter is here now. Thank you for staying with him.”

  “Happy to be of service,” Fredrick said, then turned to Helena and silently asked if she was ready to go.

  Helena nodded that she was and turned back to the children. “All right, Mary and Jim. It’s time for us to leave. Tell Mr. Scrooge thank you for a fine Christmas Eve.”

  Only adding shock to surprise, Uncle Scrooge called out, “One half-hour more. Only one. Come, we can play a new game. Yes and No.”

  “I am sorry,” Helena said, “but we truly should be leaving.”

  “Are Christmas Eve visits so short?” Mr. Scrooge seemed actually displeased by the notion.

  Helena gave Fredrick a look which clearly indicated she was as surprised as he at her uncle’s response.

  “I’m afraid tonight has been brief,” she said. “But Christmas Eve actually ended at midnight and it is already well after two in the morning.”

  Uncle Scrooge grumbled something to himself, but that transformed into a yawn almost immediately. “I suppose it is rather late.”

  Both Mary and Jim yawned in response; Fredrick had to stifle a yawn himself.

  “Ha!” Uncle Scrooge cried out suddenly, pointing at each of them who’d yawned. “I would have won at Forfeits, don’t claim that I wouldn’t have.”

  Helena laughed and moved up beside him. “Sharp as a needle, you are, Uncle Scrooge.” Bending down, she kissed him atop his head.

  Uncle Scrooge actually blushed a bit at the kiss, every bit as much as he squirmed under the show of affection.

  “Don’t forget,” Helena said, “Christmas dinner tomorrow.”

  A touch of surliness returned to Uncle Scrooge’s expression. “Bah.” He shrugged her away.

  Helena pursed her lips but eventually walked back over to Fredrick.

  “Give him time,” Fredrick whispered to her. “I rather believe this is the merriest he’s been in years, if not decades. A change like that does not usually happen all at once.”

  Helena nodded as she moved to the front door with Mary and Jim.

  Fredrick watched her pull back on an old greatcoat of his, one that the tailor had made rather too big, even for him. It enveloped her, and then, in turn, fully hid both the children. The way it dangled down over her hands was nothing short of charming.

  “Coming?” she asked.

  “Give me a minute with your uncle.”

  “We’ll just get situated in the buggy.”

  Once they’d slipped out into the night, Fredrick hurried back over to Uncle Scrooge. He didn’t want to keep Helena or the children out in the cold for very long, but he did have something he wanted to ask the man in private.

  “Sir,” Fredrick began, “I have a matter of some importance to discuss.”

  Uncle Scrooge’s head lolled a bit to the side, his scowl emphasizing the many wrinkles across his face. “Well? Out with it.”

  This was the Uncle Scrooge he’d expected to meet. All callous gruffness.

  “Sir, I wish to ask for your permission to marry Helena. I understand you are her nearest relation, and I felt it only proper for me to speak with you on the matter.”

  Uncle Scrooge only grunted in return.

  “Don’t be angry,” Fredrick pressed. “Say we have your blessing, and then you can spend every Christmas Eve in much a merry a way as this one for the rest of your days.”

  “Why should I?”

  “Why not? You’ve enjoyed tonight—don’t say you haven’t—and I should think you’d like to—”

  “Balderdash. I mean, why marry the girl in the first place?”

  There was o
nly one answer he could give to that. “Because I fell in love.”

  “Fell in love?” growled Scrooge. “Why, that’s the only thing in the world more ridiculous than a merry Christmas. Be off with you now.” He pulled the blanket about him even tighter, slouching down into the chair.

  If Fredrick wasn’t wrong, the man was ill and growing worse.

  Still, he didn’t feel he could leave without some kind of an answer. It would mean much to Helena to know Fredrick had gotten her grouchy uncle’s approval. “Please, say you will bless the marriage. A single word from you is all I’m asking, and then I’ll be on my way, and you will be reassured of having many more jolly Christmas Eves in the future.”

  “Very well,” Scrooge said. “Go and marry the girl already, but leave me in peace!”

  “Thank you, sir.” Fredrick bowed and then spun about to leave. Still, just before walking out the door, he motioned Mr. Cratchit over. “He seems in quite a bad way. I’d strongly recommend you send for the doctor straight away.”

  “My granddaughter will know what to do. She’s nursed many a fever. Don’t you worry; we’ll see to him.”

  “Very good.” Though Uncle Scrooge was a crotchety man, Fredrick would never forget that even he still had a spark of merriment in him—though how Helena had managed to draw it out, he would never know. That she, of all people, could do so was not surprising, and he loved her all the more for it.

  He stepped outside and found Helena and the children sitting very stiffly in the buggy.

  “Did you see him?” Jim asked the moment Fredrick brought his horse around.

  “Who?” Now that he was closer to them, he could see that both Helena and Mary looked a touch on edge.

  “Don’t worry.” Helena’s voice sounded strained as well. “I am sure he’s just a gentleman from round-abouts.”

  Jim, however, with wide eyes and a bit of a mischievous smile about his lips leaned out of the buggy and nearer Fredrick. “It’s the grim reaper. I swear it.” He pointed with a hand down the road.

  Fredrick followed the direction the boy indicated, turning fully around. Sure enough, down the road, just past Uncle Scrooge’s place of business, stood a man dressed fully in black. His large shoulders and tall form seemed to bespeak of a hapless fate.

  “We should go,” Helena said.

  Fredrick agreed. He didn’t know who the man was, he couldn’t see a bit of his face, but he was more than willing to leave if the man was headed their way.

  Securing his horse to the side of the buggy, he climbed inside. There wasn’t truly enough room, so Jim sat on Helena’s lap and Mary on his. Fredrick called to the horse pulling the buggy and they started forward.

  As they passed the strange man, Fredrick gave him one last look. The man seemed to be watching them drive by. Fredrick tipped his hat at the man. In return, the man slowly inclined his head. Still, Fredrick could not make out a single feature of his face.

  Turning, the man walked toward Uncle Scrooge’s place of business, the night’s blackness enveloping him almost immediately.

  The moment no one could see the unsettling man, they all relaxed a bit. Soon, due to the late hour and the rocking of the buggy, no doubt, both children were sleeping.

  “What a strange night,” Helena said, resting her head against Fredrick’s shoulder.

  “Nothing across this whole globe will ever strike me as being as unexpected as your uncle joining in those games. You’re a wonder, you are.”

  She laughed. “So long as I’m your wonder, it’s all right by me.”

  “You always will be.”

  She sighed a contented sigh.

  “I asked him for permission to marry you,” he said.

  “Oh?”

  “I think we have your cheerful optimism to thank, but he said yes.”

  She settled in closer to him. “How divine.”

  “And I told him he can expect many more jolly Christmas Eves in the future.”

  “I should like that.” She sounded nearly asleep.

  “I spoke with Lord Adley before coming to meet you. He’s agreed to hide the children for a time. I say we post the banns and get married as soon as possible. Then we can have Mary and Jim come stay with us.”

  “And Jim will have honey cake and Mary as many dresses as she could ever want.”

  Fredrick smiled. “You all three will have anything and everything your hearts desire.”

  “Thank you.” The words slurred together.

  “You will like my estate near Wilmslow. It won’t take long to get there. I think a person could take years to get to know the wild woods about it and never get bored. And we—”

  She snored softly.

  Fredrick chuckled. “But that can all wait for another time.” Leaning over, careful not to disrupt Mary still on his lap, Fredrick kissed the top of Helena’s head.

  “Merry Christmas, my love.”

  Epilogue

  Three Months Later

  Helena was back in the hedge maze. She turned first one way and then another, but no matter which turn she took, she seemed no closer to escape. There had to be a way out. There had to be some path she’d not yet taken.

  The dark shadow she knew was coming slipped over the path in front of her. Helena tried to stifle her scream but couldn’t. Suppose it heard her? Suppose something else equally as bad heard? She clamped both hands over her mouth.

  Warm, comforting arms wrapped around her, hugging her close.

  “It’s all right, Helena,” said a deep, familiar voice. “It’s only a nightmare.”

  Fredrick?

  “Wake up. You’re safe, my love.”

  The hedge maze faded around her, and she was in her bed once more. Her hands trembled, and she was breathing fast, but Fredrick’s arms around her calmed her racing heart.

  “Shh,” he said, pulling her still closer to him, his own voice drowsy from sleep. “You’re safe with me, dearest.”

  She held his arms close about her, and for several minutes did nothing but breathe in and out. After a few minutes, she relaxed.

  “The hedge maze again?” he asked.

  “Yes. I really wish the pointless nightmares would stop.” At least this one hadn’t included Mr. Chant.

  “So do I,” he said with a yawn. For weeks, Mr. Chant had been the shadow hiding among the hedges. Eventually, he’d been located but had escaped to America before being caught. She could not express how relieved she had been that she never had to fear him coming after the children.

  A small bit of a smile pulled at her lips, and she turned over, facing her husband. “At least I’m not alone anymore, not even in my nightmares.”

  “You’ve a family now—albeit one that doesn’t seem to understand when they need to take themselves off.”

  “Oh, come now, your mother and sisters are welcome to stay here with us for as long as they desire.”

  “I just wish they’d want to spend some time at another one of my holdings. What’s the point of being an earl and having more than one house if we can’t send my family to another one so you and I can be alone together for a bit?”

  “You wouldn’t dream of asking them to leave; admit it. Besides, I’ve been without family for a long time, and I’ve never had a mother or sisters. I’d be very sad if you sent them away already. I cannot tell you how much fun it’s been to help my sister plan her wedding.”

  He sighed, shifting about on the bed to get more comfortable. “Very well. They can stay. But only until Christina is wed. After that, I make no promises.”

  If she truly thought he would kick out his own mother and Eleanor once Christina was gone, she might be worried. But when it came to the women in his life, Fredrick was generous to a fault. Helena kissed his cheek. “You are a good son. Everything your father hoped you’d become and more.”

  “That’s because I have a bit of sunshine right beside me every step of the way.”

  “Who, Mary and Jim?” she asked innocently. Even several weeks l
ater, she could not believe he’d agreed when she’d asked him if they could raise the two children as their own. She had been very blessed the day Mr. Baker and Lord Shakerley had entwined hers and Fredrick’s lives together.

  “No. You, you troublemaker.”

  “I take offense at that. I haven’t put pepper in your tea once since the wedding.”

  “Don’t think I didn’t know it was you who stuck hothouse flowers all around and in my horse’s saddle and bridle.”

  “But you were so uptight—”

  “I was getting married.”

  “—I had to do something to get you to loosen up.”

  Fredrick laughed. “He did look ridiculous, didn’t he?”

  “Your mother laughed so hard, I think she almost cried.” It had been a wondrous day.

  “Do you know what else is ridiculous?” he asked, drawing her close. His nearness sent her nerves tingling.

  “What’s that?”

  “That pitiful little peck on the cheek you gave me a few minutes ago. I think something that unremarkable could hardly be called a kiss at all.”

  “Ooh, I think we should fix that.” She slipped her hands up his chest and around the back of his neck.

  “As do I.”

  And so they did.

  The End

  Afterword

  I hope you have enjoyed The Joy of Christmas Present. While I only took Charles Dickens’s story in essence, I have made many references to the original, particularly to the scenes which transpire during the visit of the second spirit; still, some inspiration also comes from the scene when Scrooge’s nephew comes to see him, before Jacob Marley appears and warns Scrooge of his fate.

  Characters:

  ~In Charles Dickens’s book, Scrooge’s only living family is his nephew, the son of his sister, Fanny. I’ve switched that so he has a niece instead, but other family members I’ve left the same. Dickens’s book does say that Scrooge and his father did not get along, which was why Scrooge spent so much of his childhood abandoned. Also, Fanny had only one child and died in childbirth.