Page 99 of All I Want for Christmas… Is You
He’d nearly said he loved her. That he’d loved her since her pistol ball had come within half an inch of striking his forehead. That it must have struck his heart instead, because he’d lost it to her that day. That when they’d returned to London, he’d followed his heart straight to the Pandemonium Playhouse, and never looked back. That he was full of love he wanted to give her, and he wanted her love in return. That by the time Twelfth Night had passed and the new year was upon them, he wanted her by his side, as his wife.
He might call it a lark, but there was nothing harmless about this courtship. There was every chance his heart would be in tatters by the time they reached Cliff’s Edge, and that was to say nothing of their friendship. If Dinah rejected his suit, she’d refuse to see him once they returned to London. If she felt as much for him as he suspected, they’d both be hurt by that.
This courtship would decide nothing less than their future happiness.
If he made of mess of it, he wouldn’t get another chance. He couldn’t tip his hand. Not yet. Not until Dinah was ready to hear him—
“This is lovely, Oliver. Maddy will be delighted with it.”
Oliver was still shaking at how close he’d come to blurting out the truth, but he jerked his attention back to Mr. Thurman, the jeweler, who’d laid Maddy’s locket out on a square of black velvet for Oliver’s inspection.
Dinah was bent over it, murmuring with appreciation. “Such dainty etching!” She traced a finger over the delicate vines and flowers carved into the face of the oval locket, sighing at the scattering of seed pearls embedded in the gold. “It’s not a new piece, is it?”
“No. It belonged to my grandmother. William and Penelope have been sorting through her jewelry. Penelope has set most of it aside for Maddy. I saw this piece, and thought I’d have it restored as a Christmas gift for her.”
Dinah arched a brow, but a smile hovered on her lips. “Naturally you couldn’t have turned it over to a London jeweler.”
“Certainly not, Miss Bishop. My grandfather commissioned this piece from Mr. Thurman’s father, you see, so naturally I couldn’t turn it over to anyone but him.” Oliver fumbled at the hinge and opened the locket to show Dinah the inside, where the same elegant scrollwork and seed pearls framed the tiny sheets of crystal. “The crystals slide out, so she might put a portrait or a lock of hair inside.”
“It’s perfect for Maddy.” Dinah didn’t touch it again, only gazed at it with a rapt expression before turning her attention to the glass cases lining the walls of the shop. She ambled down the row, pausing now and then to admire the jewels inside.
Oliver watched her, an ache in his chest. Sapphires would suit Dinah. Sapphires set in diamonds, to match her eyes—
“Will the locket do, my lord?”
“What? Oh, yes. As the lady said, it’s perfect for my sister. I’d be grateful if you’d wrap it for me, Mr. Thurman.” Oliver waved a distracted hand at the jeweler, then turned his attention back to Dinah. She’d stopped beside one of the cases. “What have you there?”
“What? Oh, it’s nothing.”
Dinah turned away from the case, but Oliver strode toward her and took her arm before she could scurry away. As soon as he glanced into the case, he knew which piece had caught her eye. “The sapphire necklace?”
“Yes. The blue is pretty.” Dinah gazed down at it for a moment longer before wandering off, but Oliver lingered, staring down at the necklace. It was simple but stunning, two perfect midnight blue stones set into a delicate gold filigree setting, surrounded by tiny diamonds. There were ear bobs, hair pins and a brooch to match it.
It might have been made for Dinah, with her fine, pale skin and dark blue eyes, but she’d never allow him to make a gift of it to her. Then again, if she did agree to become his wife, he might give it to her on the day of their betrothal.
It was better to be hopeful, surely?
If Mr. Thurman hadn’t reappeared just then, Oliver might not have done what he did. If he’d stopped for even a moment to consider the thing rationally, he might have hesitated, but gentlemen in love being what they were—rash, reckless creatures—he didn’t.
He waited until Dinah was on the other side of the shop, then he beckoned Mr. Thurman over, pointed silently to the sapphire parure, and nodded. Mr. Thurman, who knew the value of discretion opened the case, whisked out the jewels and disappeared into the back of the shop before Dinah turned around.
Ten minutes later Oliver escorted Dinah back to the carriage, Maddy’s locket and Dinah’s sapphires tucked safely into his greatcoat pocket. “All right, Grim? Ferris?” He handed Dinah into the carriage, tucked a few rugs around her to ward off the cold, then retrieved the pup from Grim.
“He’s a proper little gentleman, this one.” Grim held the pup up high to admire him, then handed him down to Oliver.
Ferris nodded his agreement. “Did his business, then snuggled up to Mr. Grimsley here and dropped off to sleep like a wee angel, he did. It’s his fancy breeding what makes him so agreeable, I reckon. Good bloodlines, like.”
“He’ll make a proper hunter for Lord Archer.” Oliver climbed into the coach, settled the pup on his chest and wrapped them both up in his greatcoat for warmth. When the pup fell asleep again at once, Oliver was inclined to agree with Ferris’s reflections on superior canine breeding.
That is, until he was awakened from a nap by the sound of cloth tearing and discovered even a puppy with excellent bloodlines could cause quite a bit of damage when he was left unsupervised. “What the devil? What are you about?”
The pup had taken a sudden and intense interest in the lining of Oliver’s greatcoat, which shouldn’t have been terribly surprising, since Oliver had tucked a few of the savories Massie had given him into his pocket. Canine boredom and the tantalizing scent of treats had led to naughty behavior utterly unworthy of a pup with such elevated breeding.
“Why, you little imp.” Oliver tugged the wriggling, squirming devil from the folds of his coat. “What have you got there?” he demanded, snatching at a corner of soggy cloth the pup had clamped between his teeth. “My pocket!” The pup had torn his greatcoat pocket clean off and was now attempting to eat it.
“No! Bad dog.” Oliver tried to wrestle the bit of silk away from him, afraid he’d swallow it, but the puppy, a hunter down to his superior bloodlines held on, thrashing his head from side to side and letting loose with small, puppy-like growls that would have been adorable under any other circumstances.
“What in the world?” Dinah struggled upright on her seat, rubbing her eyes. “What are you doing to that puppy, Oliver?”
