Page 24 of A Season for Christmas

“Thank you for your hospitality,” Catherine said as Gregory led her inside. His staff swarmed around the carriage, easily unloading. “I apologize for the short notice on my attendance, especially during your period of mourning.”

“Oh, very happy to have you,” Gregory said cheerfully. “My mother is currently taking her afternoon rest, but she will be delighted to meet you when she emerges from her rooms.” His smile turned a little more brittle. “She is desperate for more feminine company in the house, as she keeps reminding me.”

“Oh, dear,” Catherine murmured, glancing over her shoulder at Samuel with some trepidation. He was happy to see it. “She will not think…”

“You should be safe, and since you are Samuel’s, I will not be offended that you do not intend to prostrate yourself at my feet,” Gregory replied with a laugh, patting her hand on his arm as they moved up the stairs.

Samuel chuckled, the last of his nerves falling away. Though Gregory and Catherine were clearly immediately taken with each other, it was not in a romantic sense at all. He appreciated being able to witness Catherine’s alarm at the very idea of the dowager duchess attempting to matchmake between them.

“My mother has very firm ideas about what constitutes a proper wife for a duke, and a widow does not meet her criteria. However, I appreciate that you will help distract her from her current focus.”

Though Samuel could not see Gregory’s expression, he could practically hear his friend rolling his eyes.

“You are going to need to marry eventually, you know,” Samuel pointed out with some amusement, which grew even greater at Gregory’s exaggerated shudder.

“As I keep telling my mother, there is plenty of time. I’m still young.” The defensiveness in Gregory’s tone had Samuel backing off, though he did wonder if Gregory had considered the notion that he might be in danger from whoever was behind his father’s death. Something else hewould bring up this visit, though it would hopefully not put a damper on the holiday spirit.

Catherine

Her room was directly beside Samuel’s.

Despite his rakish nature, the Duke of Clarence was doing his best to ensure that Samuel had easy access to her. Which was just as well. She was very glad not to have to fend off any advances when her heart was already secure in Samuel’s palm. Not that she had admitted as much to him.

She’d scarcely been able to admit it to herself. The young man he’d been had grown and changed, though he was still the same person at his core. His life experiences had seasoned him, maturing him and turning him into the kind of man she would want by her side. The kind of man who could make her break her vow never to marry again.

Because he was the kind of man who would be worth it. He even knew about her inability to provide the late Lord Cross with an heir and was unbothered by the notion. Perhaps it was because he was not part of theton, but she thought it more than that. He valued her more than he valued any progeny she could give him. Which was a heady feeling.

At least, she thought he did. That or he was unbothered because he did not see a future for them. But considering how he’d reacted to his introduction to her preferred perversions, she hoped he was of the same mind as her. She did not want this trip to be the end of them.

“There,” Anna said smiling as she finished pushing in the last pin to Catherine’s coiffure.

Since Clarence’s mother, the duchess, would bepartaking in the evening meal with them, she wanted to ensure she looked her best. Though she doubted that Gregory would be able to avoid his mother’s intentions for him forever, she would at least attempt to assist him.

Besides, it was very likely his mother would have knowledge of his father that he did not. She might know of someone who had wished the late duke ill, perhaps even kept the knowledge from her son. Or she might not. Catherine was going to do her best to find out.

She caught Anna’s eye in the mirror.

“While you are getting to know the duke’s staff, see if you can get their impressions of their new master,” she instructed. Anna immediately lit up, her eyes gleaming with interest. “If he’s the kind of man who might have wanted to speed up his inheritance.”

“Coo, do you think so?” Anna asked, her eyes widening in surprise.

“I do not,” Catherine admitted. “Samuel does not think so, and I do trust his judgment. Having met the man himself, he comes off as charming but blunt, not particularly apt at pretense… but one never knows.”

Mouth firming, Anna nodded.

“I will let you know anything I hear.”

“Thank you.”

The knock at the door ended the opportunity for any further conversation, but Catherine knew Anna would have plenty to report the next morning. Her maid was very good at listening, and her trustworthy face often had others divulging information they might not have otherwise. It did not hurt that Anna was happy to trade information as well, and Catherine had been very clear on what information she did not mind Anna trading.

Giving tit for tat was often the best way to learn something one might not otherwise.

Opening the door, Anna stepped back to reveal Samuel standing there in his evening wear. His black jacket and trousers were set off by the emerald green waistcoat beneath them, his freshly starched collar points accentuating his strong jawline, and the complicated knot on his cravat begged to be untied. Perhaps not everyone would agree with her on that last point, but her fingers itched to strip him of all that finery so she could touch the hard body beneath.

Sadly, duty called.

His gaze ate her up the same way she had him, and she smiled as she brushed her hands over her jonquil skirt. Taking a deep breath, she moved to him, placing her hand on his offered one.

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