A few of the older ladies stepped out of range, but called out enthusiastic instructions to the rest of them. Charlotte was pleased to note that she, Miss Dunaway, Lady Anne and Lady Haddon were holding their own against the men, and by unspoken agreement did not toss any snow at each other but saved the wet missives for their common male enemies.
After a few minutes, Charlotte realized that the earl was a prime target of nearly everyone. She wisely took herself out of his direct line of fire, enjoying the moment immensely when her snowball miraculously landed smack in the center of the back of his head. She could practically feel the icy drops trickling down his neck onto the collar of his shirt.
"Truce! Truce!" Edward shouted. He was mobbed with a final barrage of snowballs as they all unloaded the last of their ammunition at him.
Amid much laughter, foot stomping and hand clapping to keep warm, they organized into groups for the sledding. The earl had managed to locate four large sleds and it was decided they should go down in pairs.
The servants brought chairs for a few of the older guests who wanted to watch the sledding. They were also provided with blankets for their laps and warmed bricks for their feet. Harris had directed the footmen to clear an area of snow down to the frozen grass, yet Charlotte could not help but wonder what the countess would think about having her beautiful furniture taken out-of-doors in this weather.
Once she started, it seemed that Charlotte would never grow tired of speeding down the hill, then trekking up again and awaiting her turn to go back down on one of the sleds. Her partner for each run was Edward, which only increased her fun.
As she prepared to go down again, Charlotte set herself gingerly in the center of the sled, then wiggled herself backward until her shoulders and back were pressed snuggling against Edward's front. He groaned into her ear as she came in contact with his nether regions and she moved her bottom teasingly until he growled at her to cease at once or suffer the consequences.
When she finally stopped fidgeting, Edward's arms came around either side of her and he held tightly to the steering rope. Looking to her left, Charlotte noticed that Viscount Haddon had just taken command of another sled. Lady Anne was perched in front of him, though they were clearly not in as close physical contact.
"I say, Worthington. Care to wager on who can make it to the bottom first?" the viscount asked with a mischievous grin.
"You're on, Haddon," Edward replied, and before Charlotte could catch her breath, they were off, hurling down the slope at a speed that seemed ten times faster than any other run she had thus far taken.
They seemed to fly through the air, slightly in front of the viscount and Lady Anne and then suddenly they truly were flying as they hit a bump near the bottom of the hill. Charlotte shouted and threw up her hands, knocking into Edward's arms.
He lost control and the sled overturned, dumping Edward and Charlotte into the snow. Shrieking and laughing, Charlotte lay on her back like an upended turtle, waving her arms and struggling for breath. Edward was soon at her side, bringing her to her feet, vigorously brushing the snow from her face and hair.
"Have I mentioned lately that you are an exceptionally clever girl?"
"Clever? Do you not mean clumsy? I knocked into your arms, causing you to lose control of the sled and lose the race. And now I am covered in snow." She laughed. "As are you."
"Clever," he insisted, "for landing us beneath an ancient oak tree, which, if I am not mistaken, is sporting a beautiful cluster of mistletoe in the upper branches."
"Really?"
Tilting her head back, Charlotte caught his eyes and lifted her lips. Edward kissed her swiftly and warmly and openmouthed. The contrast between chilled flesh and hot mouths was glorious and more than a little arousing. Charlotte teased and licked his mouth open a little wider, then sucked gently on his tongue. To her regret, the kiss ended all too soon.
Edward lifted his head partially and she felt his lips tenderly brush her temples. Charlotte sighed and relaxed against him.
Her gaze drifted lazily to the top of the hill. Someone else had already retrieved their sled and brought it up so the next pair could take a turn. It was then that Charlotte noticed the normally vivacious Miss Dunaway was standing off to the side, a wistful expression on her face.
"You should offer to take Miss Dunaway down on your next ride," Charlotte mentioned. "I do not think she has had a turn yet and I am sure she would like one."
Raising his hand, Edward cradled her cheek. "I want all my rides to be with you."
She smiled. "But you cannot neglect your duties as host."
"Why is it that everyone likes to remind me of my duties and obligations all the time? Am I so negligent a man?" he asked, his mouth thin with distaste.
"No, but you are rather prickly."
"I'm sorry." Edward turned his face to the top of the hill and squinted. "You're right about Miss Dunaway. I'll ask her, and if she has not had a turn, I shall attend to it at once."
With a final hug, Edward left and trudged up the hill. Knowing it was ridiculous to feel any sort of jealousy when she herself had suggested it, Charlotte nevertheless experienced a pang of remorse when she imagined Miss Dunaway taking her place on the sled. Would she snuggle as closely to the earl as Charlotte had dared?
The sound of the hard blades rushing over the icy snow let Charlotte know she would soon find out. She looked up and saw Jonathan steering the sled, while Miss Dunaway clung to his back and shrieked with merriment for the entire ride.
As they reached the bottom, the sled tipped to one side, but Jonathan managed to balance it back on its blades and it slid safely to a halt.
Edward returned to Charlotte's side, looking very pleased with himself. "You were right about Miss Dunaway, but I managed to solve the problem and still keep you as my exclusive partner."
"An excellent solution," Charlotte remarked, giving him one of her very best smiles.
"I actually performed two good deeds and got my brother to have a little fun, too. He seemed unusually glum, standing away from the crowd as if he were frozen to the spot. Has he spoken to you about anything being wrong?"
"Ah, no."
It was then Charlotte realized that Miss Montgomery was not among the party. No doubt her services were required by the countess and she had been unable to escape and participate in the morning's frivolous activities. It was a stark, sharp reminder of her true place in the household.
It was on the tip of Charlotte's tongue to confide to Edward that Jonathan's current infatuation with Miss Montgomery was most likely the source of his down-hearted spirits, but she hesitated. It was not her secret to reveal. She had promised Jonathan to guard his privacy and she would stay true to her commitment.
Still, it felt strangely disloyal to withhold the truth from Edward. She had begun to trust him with her innermost thoughts, had slowly started to reveal a variety of her feelings. Under different circumstances she would have eagerly shared her knowledge, even asked for his opinion and advice on the matter.
"Shall we take on a new challenger and have another race?" Charlotte suggested. "We were clearly winning before we had the misfortune of tipping over. I'm sure if we keep our balance we shall be the victors in the next competition."
Edward gave her a puzzled frown, seeming to sense that she was trying to distract him. But he did not press her further. They continued to enjoy the sledding, making three more runs before everyone agreed they were cold, wet and famished.
They returned to the manor house at a far slower pace, exhaustion from the unfamiliar physical exercise taking its toll. Cheeks and noses red with cold, they had reached the great expanse of the south lawn when the viscount called out.
"Now see what I can do," Lord Haddon yelled. To the utter delight of his daughter and the shock of his wife, he hurled himself backward into a mound of snow, swished his arms and legs from side to side, then carefully got up. "A perfect angel, just like my Julia. And her mother, of course."
; "It is inspired,"Jonathan said thoughtfully as he examined the viscount's creation. "But I can do better."
Instead of falling on his back, Jonathan threw himself face forward into a fresh patch of snow. Several of the ladies screeched in astonishment, while the gentlemen chuckled and shook their heads. Jonathan imitated Lord Haddon's motions, then lifted himself without marring the pattern.
They all drew closer to examine Jonathan's angel, but no consensus could be reached as to which was the best. That prompted two of the other gentlemen to try, though they followed the viscount's more traditional example and landed on their backs.
Charlotte knew from experience that the earl could rarely resist a dare, yet even she was a bit surprised to see him also dive into the competition. Soon nearly everyone was participating and having a remarkably fun time while doing it.
When they had finished creating their army of angels, they slowly began the long walk back to the manor house, where the earl promised them a simple repast of hot tea, coffee, hot chocolate, hot cider, hot soup, sandwiches, buttered scones and freshly baked muffins awaited.
The food was like ambrosia and everyone agreed such simple fare never tasted so good. It became very quiet around the table after everyone had eaten. Charlotte noticed a few yawns and found herself fighting to keep her eyelids open.
One by one the guests began excusing themselves.
"I think I shall instruct Cook to serve dinner an hour later tonight," Edward said to Charlotte as they sat alone together in the salon. "Though it is barely noon, I have a feeling most of the guests will be sleeping the afternoon away."
"That sounds heavenly," Charlotte replied, resting her head against his shoulder and closing her eyes. It was highly inappropriate for her to be taking such liberties, but she was simply too tired to care.
"Naps are far more interesting when taken with a partner," Edward whispered wickedly in her ear.
Despite her exhaustion, Charlotte smiled. "You used to be such a proper, restrained, responsible gentleman. When did you turn into such a rogue?"
"After I got a taste of you." He touched her shoulder and let his fingers slide down to her elbows.
Charlotte felt her face heat with a blush. Her pulse began to stir, her stomach quiver. "You would attempt to seduce a woman on the verge of exhaustion? For shame, my lord."
He nuzzled the soft curve of her neck, inhaling her scent greedily. "You need not fear for your virtue, Miss Aldridge. I like my partners with a bit more life, a bit more spirit."
She turned her head and purred against his cheek. "I shall remember that in the future."
"Ah, dearest, I shall never let you forget."
CHAPTER 17
Charlotte awoke two hours later feeling refreshed and revitalized. The afternoon light had diminished, but a good amount of brightness remained, thanks to the reflection off the snow-covered ground. As she came to full wakefulness, she wondered what the rest of the household was doing, especially Edward. Had he also taken to his bed for an afternoon nap?
His indecent suggestion of them spending the afternoon in bed together made her tingle with sensual awareness and she could not help but think what it would be like to make love with him in the middle of the day, with the light of the sun spilling into their chamber.
Nothing would be hidden. It was a titillating, yet slightly wicked thought. She was still not entirely comfortable having her naked body viewed by him, though Edward always lavishly complimented her form, making silly remarks about the beauty of her toes and the delicate curves of her elbows to tease away her embarrassment.
It never failed to fascinate her how nonchalant the earl was about his own nudity, a trait he assured her most men shared. What she did not believe was that most men shared a similarly handsome physique. Edward was loner limbed, lean and toned, his back and shoulders well-developed with sleek, hard muscles, his front even more appealing with a broad chest lightly covered with hair.
It was the hair on his chest, and on the other interesting parts of his anatomy, that fascinated her the most, and she regretted that she had not spent nearly enough time exploring this obvious difference in their bodies.
"I brought hot chocolate, Miss Charlotte, and a few of those lovely cream cakes. Would you like anything else?"
Charlotte's vision blurred as the image of a beautifully naked Edward faded and the sight of her maid came into focus. She cleared her throat. "Some hot chocolate will be fine, Jones."
Accepting a cup of the steaming beverage from her maid, Charlotte relaxed against the pillows and stretched out a few of her sore muscles, deciding she should wait a few days until she tried ice skating or else she'd be walking around bent over like an old woman.
"The earl instructed me not to wake you, Miss Charlotte, but he did want to know once you were awake, if you'd be interested in accompanying him on his visits to a few of the tenant farms this afternoon."
Charlotte grinned. "Please inform the earl that I would be delighted. I shall be down within the hour."
Edward greeted her with a smile. She wondered again if he too had taken a short nap, for he looked refreshed and well-rested. Jones had said they were going to visit a few of the earl's tenants, but Edward was groomed as if he were ready to meet the queen.
He was immaculately shaven, his hair washed and combed, his body clad in dark trousers and a coat made of fine black cashmere. After confirming that she was wearing her warmest cloak, hat and scarf, Edward escorted her outside.
Charlotte let out a gasp of surprised pleasure when she saw he had instructed the carriage sleigh to be harnessed. Two sturdy black horses were stamping their hooves anxiously on the snow-covered drive, steam coming from their nostrils as they waited to begin the journey.
"We do not have too far to travel. Do you mind the open coach?" Edward asked.
"It's perfect," Charlotte exclaimed, eagerly climbing inside. She waited until the earl was seated beside her before arranging the large woolen lap blanket over their knees.
"I was planning on going alone this afternoon, but it is always nice to have company," he said as he picked up the leather reins.
"The countess was unavailable?" Charlotte asked sweetly.
"What a devilishly wicked girl you are, Miss Aldridge," he said with an affectionate grin. "Though I'll have you know that my mother and I have reached an understanding of sorts. She is trying to be more tolerant of me and I am pretending to be pleased with her efforts."
"Edward, you must try to have more forbearance or else things between you and your mother will never improve."
The earl sighed. "Forgive my sarcasm. I suppose I am overly cautious and do not wish to build false hopes."
"But you have made progress," Charlotte insisted.
"Yes."
"I'm glad, Edward, for your sake. And hers."
Impulsively, Charlotte pitched forward in her seat to kiss his cheek, which felt cold and smooth against her lips, then put her arm through his and snuggled closer. They traveled in comfortable silence, with only the noise of a lively pair of squirrels chasing each other from tree limb to tree limb to accompany them.
Thanks to the sharp blades of the carriage sleigh they did not have to stay on the roads, but instead glided over the miles of dormant farm land. Charlotte sighed with delight as she took in the pristine view of white-covered ground, the twinkling brilliance of the glistening ice-covered tree branches, the quiet calm of the wintery afternoon.
The wind kicked up, providing an excellent excuse for cuddling closer. Though as Charlotte pressed her legs against Edward's muscular thighs, it was not warmth that invaded her body, but a shivery burst of desire.
When they stopped at the first farm, Charlotte finally noticed the baskets packed into the back of the sleigh, lined up in a neat row, each covered with a bright-colored cloth and tied with a handsome bow. A broad-shouldered young man with a head of shockingly red hair and a cheerful grin came out to greet them.
"Good day to you, my lord. Miss
." He tipped his cap and gave a quick bow. "Had a fine bit of snowfall today, didn't we?"
"We did indeed, Jack," the earl replied. "The cold is a bit of a bother, but the snow is good for the soil and makes everything look pretty."
"Aye, that just what the missus says. Will you come inside and have a cup of something warm?"
"We'd be honored," the earl answered. He assisted Charlotte from the sleigh, then reached in and pulled out one of the baskets. He wisely lowered his head before crossing the threshold of the small house.
The cottage consisted of three rooms, the largest being the kitchen where a large oak table stood in the center, several mismatched chairs set around it. The roughly plastered walls reached up to a low ceiling, which was supported by thick age-blackened beams. The earl had to duck his head each time he moved, but he seemed aware of that fact and had no mishaps.
The rest of the cottage was sparsely furnished, yet spotlessly clean, the flagstone floor gleaming. Jack's wife, Glinda, was a tiny girl, half his size in height and width. She smiled shyly when introduced to the earl and Charlotte and insisted that Charlotte sit on her best chair, a sturdy armchair with faded upholstery.
With the pride of a duchess, she served them all mulled cider and freshly baked cookies. The men drifted off to a corner of the kitchen and began talking about the fall harvest and the upcoming spring planting. Charlotte tried to engage Glinda in conversation, but the poor girl was so tongue-tied she had difficulty stringing more than a few words together.
As they said their good-byes, Edward handed Jack the basket. "Happy Christmas to you both," he said. "Let's hope for a healthy year and a fruitful harvest."
"Amen to that, my lord. And a happy and blessed Christmas to you and your family."
With a final wave, Charlotte and the earl departed. They were greeted with similar good cheer and hospitality at the next farm. This time they were served ale and oatcakes drizzled with honey, on blue-and-white dishware bearing the cracks and chips of age.
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