Page 84 of The Duke's Wicked Widow
Estella grinned and nudged Merida. “If we can keep them distracted, dearie, we can keep ye here until Hogmanay.”
At Merida’s gasp, Fawkes placed his fork down and turned to Ellie.
“Ellie, we’re no’ mourning, but wearein a bit of a delicate situation, until my sire’s heir shows up. If ye and Merida would consent to staying, I ken ye’ll be just the distraction Mother needs.”
“Aye,” Estella cut in. “Ye’d be doing it for me, the puir lonely auld lady who just needs a friend.”
Ellie managed not to roll her eyes, but it was close.
“Please, Ellie?” Merida chimed. “For Mimi? Look how sad she is? Weneedto help her.”
“Yer sister is in nae position to care for houseguests,” murmured Fawkes.
When Ellie met his eyes, there was a twinkle there, as if he appreciated his mother’s melodrama. But there was something else…aheat, perhaps?
If you stay here at Hangcok Hill, in the room next door to his, perhaps there would be the chance to learn more of pleasure from him.
No, no, of course not. She couldn’t ask him that again, not after what happened last time.
Could she?
As she watched, Fawkes lowered his chin, his gaze becoming more…smokey. One corner of his lips curled and a hint of the dimple appeared.
It looked… Well, it looked rather like apromise.
“Yes,” she sighed in defeat while her heart pattered in excitement. “If you are willing to host us, we would be delighted to stay.”
The dimple appeared as Fawkes grinned.
Estella clapped and blurted, “Huzzah! Christmas will be so lovely!”
And Merida asked, “Did I tell you I have a loose tooth?”
Chapter 14
Ellie hadto admit that Christmastime—particularly Christmastime at Hangcok Hill—was…well,fun.
Growing up, she’d never been allowed fun. Neither of her father’s daughters had. She had vague memories of tears and lectures, once she was deemed too old to play in the nursery. She hadn’twantedto grow up, but that had soon passed, particularly with Georgia modeling exactly how to be prim and proper.
Georgia’s fall from grace and her hurried first marriage to a disgraced young lord had put the focus on Ellie. She’d had to ensure every move, every syllable, was perfect—and a match with a perfect young viscount like Rufus had earned her rare praise from Father.
But none of that had beenfun.
“Comeon, Ellie! You can’t justwatch!”
Chuckling, Ellie allowed Merida to tug her along through the snow. They’d climbed a hill near the house, the three of them and Tramp, and she’d been content to watch Fawkes and Merida zipping down atop some sort of sled.
“I am afraid I do not know how to sled,” she admitted with a laugh, as she pulled to a stop beside where Fawkes had collapsed. Merida seemed content to let him pull the sled back up the hill each time, and the poor man looked exhausted.
“It’seasy,” Merida declared. “I’ll steer. You just hold on.”
“Aye,” Fawkes agreed with a groan, pushing himself up to a seated position. “Just hold on, Ellie. This hill isnae steep, so ye’ll likely no’ crash and roll and hit yer head and require medical attention.”
Laughing, Ellie shook her head. “You are not convincing me.”
“Go on, it’ll be fine.” He waved with more weariness than required. “I’ll just lie here and make snow angels, assuming I can ever convince my legs to move.”
With a roll of her eyes, Merida snatched the rope from Fawkes’s limp hand. He fell backward, his greatcoat billowing around him, having long ago lost his hat. The sharp color of his hair against the trampled snow made him look like something out of a Manet painting, if Manet ever decided to paint beautifully formed young men in the winter.
