A Regency Christmas Pact Collection

by Ava Stone

  No, his thoughts were on the most damnable of creatures. Women.

  David leaned towards him, his brows drawing together, deepening the crease there. “Is your mother unwell? Joanna never said anything. It was shortsighted of me to speak out.”

  “No, no. Mother is well, as is her husband, last I heard. My thoughts were on Arrington.”

  Both his companions blanched and gulped their drinks. David wiped the back of one hand across his mouth. “Messy business, that. When I got your letter, I didn’t sleep for two nights.”

  Stephen nodded, his good eye trained on Northcotte. The patch covering the other eye looked almost threatening in the dim light from the single lamp and the fire, giving a harsh appearance to the gentle young man. “What could have made his wife do that?”

  Northcotte downed the last of his brandy, hissing at the burn it left in his throat. “She’d had enough of his mistresses, I’m told. Caught him in flagrante delicto.”

  “But a fire poker to the noggin,” David said. He shook his head.

  “It reaffirms my decision to remain single.” Northcotte tugged at his cravat, the tightly-wound fine linen suddenly feeling too close to a parson’s noose. He didn’t go into details about the pact he and his surviving school chums had made on the subject. Being married, the Lumley men might not understand Northcotte’s position. “I’m lately pleased I ended things with my mistress two months ago. I doubt one of them would react so horribly to my being with another woman, but you never know.”

  Stephen lifted the crystal decanter and refreshed all three glasses. “I can’t imagine Jane smashing my head in with a fire poker.”

  David laughed. “You’ve imagined some other way she might kill you? How much longer must I be married before these nightmares begin?”

  They continued to banter good-naturedly, but Northcotte couldn’t drink away the image of his old friend lying in a casket, so young, and so needlessly. Nothing could entice Northcotte into marriage, so long as the very real possibility of finding another casual companion lay in his future.

  But now was not the time to dwell on murders or mistresses. He was there to celebrate Christmas with his sister and her family by marriage. Somehow he needed to set aside his maudlin musings and find a smile. His niece and nephew would expect their Uncle Rob to be cheerful and gay, and those were the two people he would never let down.

  David’s voice brought Northcotte out of his thoughts. “You can’t remain single forever.”

  “Why can’t I? My cousin would be grateful for the chance to assume the title and pass it to his son. Mother is remarried, so there’s no concern of her having a place to live. And as you seem to be doing a fair job of keeping my sister provided for, I have no need for an heir.”

  “I’m doing a damned sight better than fair taking care of Joanna,” David muttered, staring hard into the liquid in his glass.

  Stephen frowned. “There’s more to marriage than providing an heir. There’s the rest of your life to live out. Do you really plan to spend it alone?”

  “No, and that’s precisely why I don’t want a wife. What if she turns out to be a cold fish in bed? If she thinks she’s done her duty once we have a son, yet expects me to not look elsewhere for my needs? It’s not worth the risk, when there’s so little reward.”

  The other two chuckled. “Oh, the rewards would astound you,” David said.

  Stephen nodded, his grin spreading. “You continue to deceive yourself that you’ll never marry. And we’ll try not to say we told you differently when you find yourself in love.”

  Northcotte gulped down the last of the whiskey in his glass. When he looked to his future, love wasn’t even part of the picture.

  Lady Miriam Thornhill rocked the tiny baby in her arms, inhaling the fresh scent of soap mingled with the sweetness of mother’s milk on little Annie’s breath. “Joanna, she is such an angel. Sometimes I fear I will never have the privilege of experiencing motherhood.” She handed the infant back to her mother and took a seat beside her very pregnant friend, Jane Lumley.

  “You are only four-and-twenty, Miriam. Hardly on the shelf. You will find just the right man, do not fear.” Jane held the tiny gown she was sewing closer to the candle and inspected her seam. Suddenly, she peered at Miriam. “You are not still holding out hope for Lord Mystery, are you?”

  “Heavens, no! I haven’t thought of him in ages.” She laughed, rolling her eyes. “He was just a young girl’s dream. I now know I need a real husband. It won’t happen soon enough to please my grandfather. He sent me another summons to appear before him for Christmas. I was so disappointed to have to inform him you required my assistance as you were laying in.” The requests her grandfather, the Duke of Danby, issued always meant he had arranged another marriage prospect.

  Jane echoed her laughter. “That is the truth. My mother, Stephen’s aunt, and Joanna could never manage my household without your help.”

  “Goodness, will they all be here? I hadn’t realized you’d have so large a party for Christmas. I hate to intrude on your family. Perhaps I should have gone to Danby Castle.”

  “Don’t even think it! My mother and Lady Bridgethorpe won’t arrive until a day or two before Christmas, unless the baby comes early. David and Joanna plan to return to Newmarket shortly after Christmas, so I wouldn’t mind if you decided to stay for several months.” Jane rearranged her feet on the low stool in front of her chair and heaved a sigh. “I fear this one is envious of all the attention his cousin is receiving, and I won’t be able to delay him any longer.”

  “Are you hoping for another boy?”

  “I hope for a quiet angel, but I fear it will be another Lumley child in spirit. He hardly rests while I am awake, and wakens me often enough during the night. I say a prayer nightly for the nurse who keeps such a good eye on little Harry.”

  Jane stroked a hand up and down her belly, the most serene smile on her face. Motherhood must be the most joyous time of a woman’s life. And Miriam would never know for certain, as she was doomed to spinsterhood.

  Joanna Lumley, Jane’s cousin-in-law, passed her baby off to the nurse and joined Miriam and Jane before the fire. “I was informed a short time ago that my brother arrived today, but he has failed to present himself to me. I can’t believe he prefers David’s company to mine.”

  Jane shook her head. “Northcotte is a man. He’s not about to join us in our tea and gossip.” She turned to Miriam. “Joanna’s youngest brother, Sam, won’t enter a room here unless he’s certain another man is present. It’s as if he fears he will be enlisted to change Annie’s swaddling clothes.”

  Joanna and Jane laughed. As she drew in a breath, Jane’s eyes widened. “Ummm, Northcotte is single isn’t he, Joanna? And so is my dear friend here. Mayhap we need to work a little magic, cousin.”

  Miriam giggled with them, but quickly took the reins of the discussion. “You will do no such thing. If I wanted an arranged marriage I would have gone to Grandfather’s castle. I thought I’d be safe here.”

  “My brother is a fine catch, you won’t find a better one,” Joanna argued, laughter remaining in her voice. “He’s an earl, you’re an earl’s daughter. He’s tall, handsome, and once he set my father’s debts to rights, he returned to his old, charming self. I think you’d enjoy his company.”

  “I’m certain he’s a very pleasant man, but I hope you didn’t invite me here to play matchmaker.” Miriam pulled at a loose curl before folding her hands in her lap and forcing herself to leave it alone. She had a hard enough time keeping the curl in her hair; she didn’t need to be straightening it.

  “No, never fear. It hadn’t occurred to me until I said it.” Jane reached for the plate of biscuits and offered the treats to the other ladies. “I truly thought of nothing other than my own happiness when I invited you to visit. David’s sisters live close enough to come skate on the pond or go for sleigh rides with their brother and Stephen, but I see them only at meals unless it rains. I am always grateful for
a companion to play cards with. Unless we invite a friend or two from the village, you will be the only one here who isn’t family.”

  “Very well. I shall stay. Mama carted me to every assembly for which we received an invitation during the Little Season in London, so I’m quite looking forward to being able to relax and be myself.”

  That evening, after changing her gown, Miriam entered the dining room to join the others for supper. Her maid had tucked holly leaves among her curls, and had woven into the knot at the back a narrow velvet ribbon to match her deep green velvet dress. Her mother always said the color brightened her blue eyes, so Miriam felt beautiful, a blessing after two days in a carriage.

  While she had argued with her friends that she didn’t wish to be matched with any young men, that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to appear her best whenever she left her bedchamber. Catching a reflection of herself at any time and finding a less than pleasing image would send her fleeing for a dark corner. Not that she was vain… She blamed it on having a brother who was so much prettier than she was. Life could be so cruel sometimes. But since Leander had escaped grandfather’s edict with his wife and his—well, she couldn’t find a word to describe his male lover—and the three stayed away from London, people no longer compared her to Lee.

  Everyone was seated already at the long table, Stephen at the head and Jane at the near end. “Forgive me for making you wait,” Miriam apologized, and quickly sat in the only empty chair, where the footman stood ready to assist her.

  “We should have waited in the drawing room, but the footman said you were coming down,” Jane explained.

  “I noticed a spot on my glove and went back to change.” Miriam’s cheeks burned. She reached for her glass of wine and took a sip, trying to keep her expression nonchalant.

  As she set down her glass, she noticed the gentleman beside her. While his black coat and dark waistcoat were no finer than the clothing worn by any other gentleman present, there was an air about him that set him apart from the others. This must be Lord Northcotte, Joanna’s brother. A glance at the other gentlemen present, all of whom she’d already met, confirmed her suspicion. Miriam caught Jane’s eye and nodded subtly in his direction.

  “Oh, forgive me. Lord Northcotte, as I failed to wait for my friend to join us in the drawing room, I neglected introductions. Allow me to present my dearest friend, Lady Miriam Thornhill.”

  “How do you do?” Miriam responded.

  “It’s a pleasure,” he said, smiling politely.

  And oh, that smile. Not the flashy smile of an arrogant man, or the flirtatious grin of a rakehell. Just a simple expression of camaraderie that invaded her very body. His presence would tempt every ounce of her determination to treat him as any other man.

  His dark blonde hair swept back from a weathered face with a strong brow and aquiline nose. She preferred to think of the lines beneath his eyes as smile lines, rather than from squinting in the sun. It made him more romantic, and even though she’d told Jane not to try to match them up, Miriam loved to think of handsome men as being romantic heroes apt to run away with a beautiful young miss.

  Not that she was the young miss in her fantasies. She preferred the more grounded types, the ones likely to remain faithful until their dying days. Now that was romantic.

  Stephen, on her other side, chimed in. “Northcotte, Lady Miriam’s father, Lord Alderford, has a runner he enters in some of the race meetings further north. I believe he was at Newmarket last spring.”

  “That’s correct,” Northcotte replied. “I remember his bay. I believe he came in fourth behind my runner and David’s.”

  Oh, dear. The man enjoyed horse racing, too. How lucky for her that her parents weren’t there. They’d push for a match based on that fact alone.

  Stephen caught Miriam’s eye. “The Hursts are known for their runners.” At the sound of a cough from David, he added, “As are the Lumleys, of course.”

  The men bantered over whose horses were better, but Miriam couldn’t get past one word she heard. Hurst. She studied Northcotte from the corner of her eye. His features were familiar, but she might have seen him at any number of balls and card parties over the past six years. It didn’t signify he was her Mr. Hurst.

  The others laughed at something, and she smiled as if she knew what was said. Yet her stomach knotted. He didn’t act as though he recognized her. Or perhaps he was pretending not to remember her, to avoid having to explain his lack of contact two years ago.

  There was her answer. He knew exactly who she was but didn’t want to acknowledge her. That suited her purposes as well, as much as it hurt. It would save her much embarrassment. All she had to do was pretend for the next month that she and Lord Mystery were not under the same roof.

  For the next two days, Northcotte managed to avoid running into Lady Miriam except at dinner when they all ate together. He had an uneasy feeling about her presence at Hambleton Cottage, or to be more specific, the way her visit coincided with his. This was the first time he had stayed with Stephen and his wife, so he couldn’t confirm his suspicions, but he was reasonably certain there was a matchmaking scheme afoot.

  Little did Joanna and Jane know, but Northcotte considered himself permanently off the marriage mart. He would be polite to the innocent victim they’d chosen for him, but wouldn’t do anything to indicate any attachment forming. If necessary, he could always claim he’d received a message from London calling him back. A few coins to the butler should ensure his cooperation.

  Northcotte’s luck didn’t last. David’s sisters, Lady Patience and Lady Madeleine, arrived early one afternoon when everyone was relaxing in the drawing room. The girls were on the verge of womanhood in years, but clearly clinging to the pastimes of their youth.

  “We came to ride in the sleigh,” announced Lady Patience, a petite beauty with pale curls down her back.

  “Before the snow melts,” her twin, slightly taller with slightly darker curls, finished.

  “Mama said we may stay the night, if you will permit it.” Lady Patience crossed to the fireplace and held out her hands to the warmth. “I hope you’ll allow it. We want to play with Annie and William.”

  David shook his head. “I cannot believe Mother let you come that far with just your maid as a chaperone.”

  Lady Madeleine ducked her head. “It took us barely three hours. What could have happened to us in that time?”

  “We are grown now, David. Mama lets us shop in the village and pay calls to our friends, too.” Lady Patience was clearly the less docile of the two.

  Jane signaled to her husband. “Stephen, order the sleigh to be brought around. I can’t go for a ride, of course, but that doesn’t mean you all must stay inside.”

  “Northcotte, why don’t you take Lady Miriam for the first jaunt?” Joanna didn’t wait for an answer. “I’ll have her cloak and gloves brought down.”

  Lady Miriam had her head turned towards Joanna, so Northcotte had no clue how she felt about the suggestion, but she didn’t beg off. Which meant he couldn’t, either. A footman brought down their outer garments, and once they’d bundled up, they stepped out into the brisk sunshine.

  Northcotte handed Lady Miriam into the sleigh and as she tucked the lap robes around herself, he positioned the heated brick near her feet. The sleigh was small, the bench narrow. They sat so close he was grateful for the layers of their cloaks to keep the warmth of her nearness from assaulting him. As it was, her sweet rose fragrance stirred a hunger he could neither explain nor appease. A brisk breeze should take care of that, however. With the groom perched on the precarious seat behind them, Northcotte took the reins and the horse stepped out.

  The snow was already somewhat slushy, but the metal runners slid through the muck at a good pace. The speed was exhilarating after days spent indoors. Not the breakneck pace of his best racehorses, but as fast as one might wish to travel on a wet road.

  The silence stretched longer than he could bear, giving him time to contempl
ate being sent out alone with Lady Miriam and what his sister might hope to gain from it. He bristled at the idea of being anyone’s pawn. He could end their idea right from the start and make himself so undesirable Lady Miriam would want nothing to do with him. It should be easy enough to do.

  “I should warn you, your scheme will not work.”

  Miriam gasped. “My scheme? Whatever do you mean?”

  “Expecting me to escort you and partner with you in everything we do. This match you and my sister have planned is futile.”

  “I am not to blame. You are mistaken, sir.” Her laugh was thin, brittle. “In fact, quite the opposite is true. I came to Hambleton Cottage to avoid my grandfather’s scheme. He’s been trying to marry me off for the past two years. I thought I would be safe here.”

  Of course she would say so to his face. No woman ever admitted to trying to entrap a man.

  She continued to spout angry words, her eyes narrowed at him. “Two years ago he wrote to all his grandchildren and insisted they come to Danby Castle for Christmas. The duke had obtained special licenses for each of us, can you believe it? Of course, we all had different ideas. My sister married a man she met while traveling to the castle. My brother—uh, well, never mind about him.”

  Now Northcotte chuckled in recognition. She was one of those Thornhills? Now he wasn’t surprised she would use wiles to entrap him. “Leander Thornhill—he’s your brother?”

  “Why, yes. Do you know him?”

  “Only by reputation.” The word around London regarding Leander accused him of buggery, being an unnatural man.

  “Oh, dear. Well, he did get married, so Grandpapa was pleased.”

  Northcotte cleared his throat and looked askance at her. She showed not an ounce of embarrassment in discussing such a thing with him. The gossips had it that his marriage to the Earl of Keswick’s sister-in-law was in name only, and the couple was often in residence at the earl’s estate. Thornhill’s relationship with Keswick was the major point of the on dits. “I’d heard some rumors to that effect.”