Lady Cecilia Is Cordially Disinvited For Christmas

by Jeane, Sheridan

  She grinned at that memory.

  “And you dropped dead field mice on my head so I could feed them to my pet snake. No one knew me as well as you did. No one else noticed me the way you did. No one else read my every thought and desire. And no one else ever will.”

  She inhaled sharply, and a single tear slid down her cheek. “Devin…”

  “Cecilia, I ask you now, will you agree to be my wife?”

  Cecilia said nothing. She just stared at him blankly.

  Devin’s heart clenched. Had this been a mistake? Had he pushed her too hard, too fast? Had she expected him to wait longer, even after her father’s announcement?

  Devin took in his mother’s infuriated expression and quickly glanced away.

  “It’s about bloody time,” Cecilia’s father said from across the room.

  Devin had to agree with him on that point.

  Miss Glassford’s expression crumpled. She covered her mouth with her hand and scurried toward the door. Lady Judith rushed after her.

  “How dare you!” His mother whirled on him. “You father and I made our expectations regarding your marriage quite clear.”

  “Infinitely clear,” Devin snapped, his eyes still fixed on Cecilia.

  “You know what this means. We’re through with you,” his mother said.

  Cecilia let out a gasp. “Lady Vincent, no! You can’t mean that.”

  His mother stormed toward Cecilia. “This is all your fault. You and that dreadful family of yours. You’re like the story of the ant and the grasshoppers. You play all summer long while others toil away.”

  Cecilia met his mother toe-to-toe and pinned her with a furious glare. “Are you suggesting that you toil away while I play? You, the woman who sits here within the walls of her perfect estate? You, the woman who has refused to take part in our community other than to attend or host parties? You, the woman who has never lifted her hand to help those in need? Your accusation is laughable, Lady Vincent.”

  “You and your spendthrift ways. You’ve landed your father in the poorhouse with all your giving, giving, giving. You’re throwing away your future, and I refuse to let you throw away our money as well. You’re a disgrace.”

  “You have a warped idea of what constitutes giving. You have no idea what I do to help the widows and orphans. I assure you that I’ve never thrown away my father’s money, nor have my actions caused him any hardship.”

  “She’s right on that point,” Lord Babbage said. “She’s never been careless with my money.”

  His mother shot Cecilia’s father a glare laced with a deep-seated loathing that seemed out of proportion to his comment.

  Horace strode over to insert himself between Cecilia and his mother and encircled his mother’s waist with his arm. “Let’s retire to discuss this.”

  Mother pressed her lips together in a tight line and gave a sharp nod. “Now. This can’t wait.” She took Horace’s proffered arm, and they swept from the room.

  Devin held out his arm to Cecilia, and she took it. He then jerked his chin toward Lord Babbage, indicating that he should come as well. The man gave him a weary look of resignation, set his glass of punch on a sideboard, and followed them out the door.

  By the time Devin reached the library, Mother had already informed Father of his marriage proposal. The man looked unhappy, but not at all surprised.

  “Devin, I’m disappointed to hear you’ve behaved so rashly, but I suppose I should have expected this. You’ve always had a stubborn streak in you. I knew it would be your downfall one day.”

  “I couldn’t do as you asked,” Devin said. “I’m sorry, but it was simply too much. I refuse to win your approval by turning my back on Cecilia. Your price is too high.”

  “You refuse your family?” his mother asked in a sneering tone. “You’re selfish to the end.” She shot Cecilia a contemptuous glare.

  Cecilia huffed. He could tell she wanted to defend him, but when he squeezed her hand, she kept silent.

  “Although I understand your point of view,” Devin said, “I don’t agree with it. I have to live my life to my satisfaction, not yours. The strife between you and Cecilia’s family pains me, and I wish it didn’t exist, but it does. Sadly, if you persist in your opposition to my marriage, I’ll have no choice but to sever all contact with you. I love Cecilia and have done so for as long as I can remember.”

  Horace nodded approvingly and Cecilia gasped as she swayed slightly. A moment later she steadied herself and gazed up at him with an incandescent smile.

  “I don’t know why this tension exists between you and Lord Babbage’s family, but it has to end.” Devin took in the tableau before him, hoping to find some support. His father wouldn’t meet his gaze and instead stared down at his crossed hands. Horace looked as confused as he was, and Lord Babbage seemed unwilling to even glance at Mother, whose face flamed scarlet under Devin’s scrutiny.

  “It can’t end.” His mother seemed to force out the words. “Not ever.”

  Cecilia’s mouth fell open. Judging by her expression, she seemed to read something into his mother’s words that escaped him. Her gaze few to meet her father’s. “Papa?” she asked in a soft voice.

  “Not now,” he said sternly. His glance met hers and then slid away.

  Mother’s eyes suddenly filled with tears, and she ran from the room.

  “Secrets? Is that what this is about?” Horace caught Devin’s eye before he hurried after her. “I’ll get to the bottom of this.”

  Father rose from his chair, sent Lord Babbage a scathing glare, and followed them both out the door.

  That left Devin, Cecilia, and Lord Babbage staring blankly at one another— until Lord Babbage heaved a sigh and fixed his gaze on Devin. “Your mother and I have some history between us.”

  “What are you saying?” Devin asked, confused.

  “I’d once hoped we’d marry, but it didn’t happen. She chose your father. I was a younger son, and she believed she could do better.”

  Devin took a slight step back as he struggled to reorder his thoughts. “Were you in love with her?”

  Lord Babbage shrugged. “At one time, yes.” He sighed. “I left England shortly after your parents announced their engagement and took a grand tour of Europe. I was gone for nearly two years. It would have been longer, but my older brother died, and I inherited his title.” He shook his head regretfully. “Once I was back, I kept to London as much as possible to avoid seeing her. That was the best decision I’ve ever made, because that’s where I met Constance. Everything changed for me after that.” He shot Cecilia a smile. “Your mother is the light of my life. After we married, I brought her home with me. I was happy with her— am happy with her. Once I was safely and happily married, I thought all the tension between our families would disappear. I was wrong.”

  “What happened?” Devin asked.

  He shook his head. “After your mother married your father, I felt the constant strain in our acquaintanceship, but we eventually reached a state of equilibrium. My marriage changed all that. Your mother didn’t approve of Constance and made it clear that she thought her too soft and weak. As time has passed, I’ve come to surmise that she didn’t like being displaced in my affections. I was like a toy she’d lost interest in until she saw someone else wanted it.”

  Cecilia took a step back, then turned to face her father. “I don’t understand. Why did we come here every Christmas? Why all the garden parties? Why all the games of lawn tennis and croquet?”

  “Because we chose keep our private concerns just that— private. Don’t be naive. How would it have looked if we’d avoided socializing? This is a small community. Refusing to see one another would have made our problems public.”

  “Problems?” Devin pressed.

  Lord Babbage shrugged. “There was nothing specific. Just our general disapproval of one another’s choices. Your father knew of our prior courtship, and that caused some tension. Constance knows what Lady Vincent once was to me, and th
at knowledge has caused her pain as well. Perhaps I should have explained this to Cecilia before today, but I never dreamed that an abandoned love affair from thirty years ago could cause the two of you pain. It appears I was wrong. Forewarned would have been forearmed. My only defense is that I saw what the knowledge did to both Lady Babbage and Lord Vincent. I hoped to spare you that. Suspicion and jealousy are evil and insidious afflictions.”

  “Was there something to be jealous of?” Cecilia asked, her voice barely audible, as though she didn’t want to say the words but had to.

  He heaved a sigh. “Perhaps in the very beginning— but that’s why I went to Europe. I needed to purge her from my system.” He smiled slightly. “It worked. The trip changed me. Changed my outlook on the world. Broadened my understanding. When I look back now, I realize that she and I would have been miserable together. Constance and I are perfectly suited. I’d do anything for her— including moving to Nice.”

  He moved to the study’s entrance, rested his hand on the doorknob, and paused. He raised his eyes to give his daughter a pointed stare. “Cecilia, I think the gentleman asked you a question. I suggest you answer him.”

  When he left, he closed the door behind him.

  Devin turned to face her. “I’ll ask it again. Will you marry me?”

  “Will your parents cut you off if I say yes?”

  “Immediately. They’ve been hinting at it for years, but today is the first day they’ve openly threatened it. If they don’t cut me off for marrying you, they’ll do it for something else. That’s partly why I’ve pushed myself to become a barrister so quickly— so I can have my independence. Don’t let their threats sway you.”

  “I don’t want to be the reason you split from your family.”

  Devin shook his head. “You aren’t. It’s inevitable. You have to see that.”

  She hesitated and then nodded. A moment later she said, “Yes.”

  “Yes?”

  “Yes. I’ll marry you.”

  Devin grinned, and his heart soared as he pulled her into his arms.

  17

  When dawn broke on Christmas Day, most of the guests were still abed. Only the youngest among them woke early.

  Now, servants moved around the house tending to fires and emptying chamber pots, delivering water to bedrooms and setting up breakfast.

  Cecilia could hear the patter of small footsteps scurrying down the hallway outside her door, along with snatches of children’s whispered conversations, as well as the occasional, “Mama, is it time yet?”

  Cecilia stayed warm and cozy beneath the covers. She recalled being cold during the night, but now a warm body tucked against her. She rolled over to find Evangeline there, still asleep. It wasn’t unusual for her sister to creep into bed with her. She’d been doing it since they were little. After the stress of the day, Cecilia had fallen asleep early. Apparently, Evangeline had managed not to wake her when she came in.

  “Merry Christmas,” Cecilia whispered.

  Evangeline’s eyes popped open. “Christmas!” She sat up straight in bed, pulling the warm covers off Cecilia.

  “If I’d known you’d sit up like that, I would never would have woken you,” Cecilia grumbled, pulling the covers back up to her chin.

  “Get up,” Evangeline demanded, yanking the quilt down again. “Let’s go eat breakfast.”

  “So early?” Cecilia tried to cover herself one more time, but Evangeline wouldn’t let her. Cecilia heaved a sigh of exasperation. “Are you certain someone didn’t exchange my sister for some changeling during the night? You never want to wake up this early.”

  “Don’t be a goose. It’s Christmas. The best day of the year.”

  Cecilia chuckled. “It will still be Christmas in an hour.”

  Evangeline leaped out of bed and started searching through the wardrobe for her gown. “If you wait too long, you’ll miss out on the best part of the day. I love seeing the morning unfold. The groggy adults will try to calm their overexcited children as Lady Vincent glares at them disapprovingly. It’s fun to watch that old harridan transform during the day as everyone compliments her on her beautiful tree and her beautiful home and her perfect servants and her ideal gifts. I know she’ll go back to being her grumpy self by tomorrow, but at least this year we won’t be here for that part since we’re going home this afternoon.”

  Cecilia groaned as she pulled her sister’s pillow to her stomach for warmth. At least her feet were still warm under the blanket. Evangeline hadn’t quite managed to drag the covers away completely. “This will be our last Christmas here. You know how much Lady Vincent disapproves of me as a wife for Devin.”

  Evangeline stilled. “Did you accept his proposal?”

  A surge of pure joy flooded her, and an enormous grin curved her lips. “As a matter of fact, I did.”

  Evangeline whirled to face her and then darted across the room and jumped back onto the bed. “That’s wonderful news. Why didn’t you tell me sooner? It’s what you want, isn’t it?” She threw her arms around Cecilia and smacked her cheek with a kiss.

  “Of course it is. For as long as I can remember.”

  “Have you told Papa yet?”

  “Devin did. After I agreed, he went to speak with him, and I came upstairs.”

  “Do you think Lady Vincent will accept you?”

  “Never,” Cecilia said crisply.

  Evangeline sat back on her haunches. “All the more reason to savor today.” She yanked the pillow out of Cecilia’s arms and then pushed her toward the edge of the bed with her feet. “Get up, lazy. Let’s go.”

  With a yelp and a laugh, Cecilia finally conceded defeat.

  Twenty minutes later they were heading down to the breakfast room. Evangeline was right. All the children under the age of ten were already up and about and pestering their parents, the Marchcomb twins among them. As usual, Lady Marchcomb couldn’t seem to be bothered to pay attention to them. The twins barely managed to stay in their seats.

  Cecilia could only hope that Lord and Lady Vincent would make their entrance soon— before one of the children became overwrought.

  As Cecilia bit into a cold triangle of toast with orange marmalade, Devin appeared in the doorway. His eyes immediately met hers. He gave a wink and then headed to the sideboard to fill his plate.

  Devin claimed the seat next to her. “I have some good news. Your father and I finalized the details of our betrothal.”

  Cecilia sat up straight. “That’s wonderful. I knew he would.”

  He hesitated. “He mentioned his concerns about my mother, but I convinced him I’ll never let her come between us.”

  “You did?” She beamed at him.

  “I also spoke with my parents last night and persuaded them not to disown me. For now.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “That sounds ominous.” She took another bite of toast.

  “It’s bound to happen eventually. I give it two months.”

  The food seemed to stick in her throat, so she sipped her tea. “Because of our engagement?”

  Devin shook his head. “Because the frequency of their threats has been increasing. Nothing I do pleases them. I predict things will hit the tipping point by February.”

  “What will we do?”

  “What I’ve always planned to do. Live off my income as a barrister.” He took a bite of his eggs.

  “That means my dowry is all the more important.”

  He wiped his mouth with a napkin. “You know I’d marry you even if you were penniless.”

  “I know, but the dowry helps.”

  “Of course it helps. I hope to use it to purchase a home. Even if I can’t, we’ll manage on my income as a barrister. You need to know your dowry isn’t essential. You are.”

  A slow smile spread across her lips. “That’s one of the sweetest things you’ve ever said to me.”

  He cocked one eyebrow. “Then I need to make a marked improvement.”

  A moment later, Lord and Lady Vincent en
tered the breakfast room. Devin’s mother immediately spotted the pair of them sitting together, but she studiously looked away.

  Out of the corner of her eye, Cecilia spotted Douglas Marchcomb’s eyes go wide the moment he spotted Lady Vincent. He scampered behind a chair and ducked out of sight. Cecilia caught Devin’s eye and subtly drew his attention to the poor boy. The child must be terrified of having Christmas snatched from his grasp.

  “I’d nearly forgotten about him,” Devin murmured. “At least our scene in the drawing room last night managed to distract my mother from seeking retribution.” He caught the boy’s eye and gestured for him to crawl beneath the table by his feet.

  Douglas’s eyes widened, but then he scrambled over and dove for cover just an instant before Lady Vincent rounded the end of the table.

  Cecilia adjusted her skirts to help conceal the boy, but she hardly needed to have bothered since Lady Vincent assiduously avoided looking in their direction. Instead, she seemed to note the growing impatience of the younger set.

  Lady Vincent ate sparingly, and a short time later she led everyone to the drawing room. Cecilia and Devin did their best to keep the woman from spotting Douglas. It wasn’t difficult since she still refused to look at them.

  The children all waited somewhat impatiently for presents to be passed around. When Lady Vincent gave the signal, a frenzy of gift-opening commenced.

  Evangeline had been right. Watching the joy and excitement unfold was truly wonderful. Cecilia became so distracted by watching everyone else open gifts that when Devin handed her a small box, she simply stared at it in surprise for a moment.

  “For me?”

  “Who else?”

  “Wait.” She fumbled as she slid her hand into the pocket of her dress and extracted his gift. “For you,” she said, passing it to him.

  “Shall we open them together?”

  She nodded, but as he opened the small box, her fingers slowed. She wanted to watch his reaction.

  He paused. “Don’t look now, but I think Douglas opened his Christmas gift.”

  Cecilia followed his gaze. “Is that—” Cecilia craned her neck forward. “Did someone give that boy a wooden sword?” she asked incredulously.