"Yes, Nigel, everything is settled. Are you sure you want to marry an aging bluestocking cit?" she asked softly, pressing her lithe body against him.
"Oh, yes. If you can somehow learn to live with the fact that you're eventually going to be a marchioness, and your children will have the tainted blood of a peer running through their veins," he replied, and kissed her lightly on the lips.
"I do love you," Emily whispered, almost afraid to say the words out loud.
"And I will love you to the end of our days, and I'll make sure you never regret our marriage," he said in a voice thick with emotion, then added lightly, "Of course, you really must marry me, for Duke's sake."
Emily smiled. "For Duke's sake?"
"Yes. She's quite an affectionate thing, but rather on the stubborn side. I think the only person who can possibly train her is Hughes, my valet. So to save her from a life in the kitchen, or worse yet, in the stables, you'd best marry me, Miss Winterhaven."
Emily giggled. "Yes, I suppose I can't just hire Hughes away from you, can I?"
Nigel shook his head. "Hughes has worked for the family for ages. You'll simply have to marry me so your puppy can be house-trained," he said in a somber voice.
"Yes, I suppose I'll have to, for Duke's sake," she said, and lightly kissed him on the lips.
"By the by, Duke isn't the only Christmas present you've given me," Emily said in a breathless voice.
"Well, there is that rather impressive ring you're wearing…" he said with a slight smile.
Emily smiled up at him. "Yes, there is that. But do you remember when you asked me what I wanted for Christmas, weeks ago?"
"Yes, you seemed hard-pressed to answer."
"More than anything else, I want a family of my own," she said in a soft voice.
Nigel was grinning ear to ear. "I believe I can help you with that, Miss Winterhaven. Would you like to get started on that right now?"
A rich giggle escaped Emily. "We should go back inside, shouldn't we? Before Harriet comes out looking for us."
"Your wish is my command," he announced, and the pair began to slowly walk toward the house.
"Do you think your family will be very upset that there is no Curse of the Manning Mermaid?" Emily asked curiously as they trampled through the snow.
Nigel put his arm around her waist as he led her toward the glass door. "I believe from now on it should be referred to as the Christmas Mermaid, and that the curse, if there ever was one, should be laid to rest. If anything, the mermaid is good luck, since it was what led me to you," Nigel replied, holding her close to him.
Emily smiled up at him. "The Christmas Mermaid. I think that has a nice ring to it," she replied, as they opened the door to Henry's house.
And the rest of their life together.
Emily's Christmas Wish Page 21
