‘About damn time, Captain Alexander.’
‘Thomas!’ Sarah jumped to her feet, knocking over her glass in the process. The deep red of the wine soaked to merge with the red wool of the Turkey rug and the glass rolled away unnoticed.
‘If you would be so kind as to grant Mrs Ellison and me a few minutes alone.’ Daniel was polite enough, but his expression brooked no refusal.
Bowden glared at him as if he wanted to run him through.
‘Thomas, please!’
Bowden’s eyes flicked to his sister, then with a curt nod he and his wife left the room.
The closing of the door echoed in the silence.
Sarah did not move, just stood where she was, with her head held high. ‘Daniel.’
‘Sarah,’ he said softly.
For all her face was a mask of composure he could sense her tension. From his pocket he produced a lump of coal and offered it to her.
She made no move to accept it, so he sat it down on the nearby table.
‘A lump of coal that your hearth shall ne’er be cold.’
From his other pocket he took a small oil-skin package, and unwrapped it before placing it beside the coal.
‘A black bun that your belly shall ne’er go hungry.’
And then the bottle of whisky that glowed amber in the firelight.
‘And a dram to toast the New Year...and more.’
Her eyes dropped to move over the items he had brought. ‘Daniel...’ He could hear the emotion she was trying to hide.
‘I’m tall and I’m handsome, and in the right light my hair might be construed as dark...’ he raised his eyebrows ‘...and I will bring you good fortune if you will have me as your husband, Sarah Ellison.’
He heard the breath that escaped her, saw the way her eyes clung to his. ‘I thought you were not coming.’ The tears spilled from her eyes.
‘Oh, lass!’ He crossed the room to take her in his arms and capture each precious tear. ‘I am sorry for the delay, but there was something in Glen Affric I had to fetch.’
He kissed her, with tenderness and passion and then looked into her eyes. ‘I brought a few other things with me, from Doctors’ Commons in London...’ He handed her the paper from his pocket.
Sarah opened the special marriage licence.
‘And from Glen Affric.’ He produced the small brown velvet box and opened it to reveal the ring inside. ‘It was my grandmother’s. The gold is from the Lowther Hills in south-west Scotland, the sapphire, from the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides.’ He looked into her eyes. ‘So, Sarah Ellison, will you have me?’
She nodded. ‘I’ll have you, Daniel Alexander.’
He slid the ring on to the third finger of her left hand and when she had kissed and hugged him she looked into his eyes. ‘I am glad that you came, for more reasons than my love for you.’
‘Oh?’ He looked at her teasingly.
‘There is something I have to tell you. The night I came to your cabin...’ She blushed and hesitated. ‘My monthly course is late. And it is never late...’ She bit her lip and looked at him with worried eyes.
‘I thought that your heart was the best gift a man might receive. Now you give me something to rival it.’
‘I thought that after...I thought you might not...’ She took his hands in her own and looked into his eyes. ‘You do not like Christmas,’ she said by way of quiet explanation.
‘An angel came and healed my heart. You won the challenge, after all, Sarah.’ The tears sprung fresh in her eyes, as he gathered her to him and kissed her. ‘I love you, lass.’
And up in the heavens of the clear winter night, the stars twinkled all the brighter.
* * *
In the quiet of the Bowden Parish Church, on the morning of the second day of 1808, Sarah married her handsome Scottish captain. Eight months later their son, Wee Alex, was born. Christmas and the New Year had brought her true love, a husband and the child she had always dreamt of.
Sometimes the magic of Christmas really did make miracles happen and a heart’s desire come true.
* * * * *
ISBN: 978-1-472-09710-1
A MAGICAL REGENCY CHRISTMAS
Christmas Cinderella © 2013 Elizabeth Rolls
Finding Forever at Christmas] © 2013 Bronwyn Scott
The Captain’s Christmas Angel © 2013 Margaret McPhee
Published in Great Britain 2014
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited
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