Page 56 of A Lovely White Christmastide
“Not really, it is something Julianna and I used to say when we were little and wanted to pretend this room was our own house. Then we’d pretend we were maids and set to dusting it.”
He smiled. “Your childhood sounds enchanting.”
“It was. Not only did our mama dote on us, but we had an aunt who treated us like her own when we came for our annual visits.” Beth retrieved her square of linen and wiped the top of the table to reveal several fashion plates. She picked them up, handing him one to look at. They were old and yellow but the images were still quite clear.
For the next half hour they talked of her adventures with her sister and his with his brother. It seemed they had both found a playmate in their siblings, but her time with Miss Julianna had only led to a closer relationship. Carswell wondered if it was the result of being able to learn from home rather than be shipped off to school as he and his brother had been. Over time they had grown closer to their peers rather than each other and as such, had learned opposite life lessons.
When he grew silent, thinking of how life might have been different had they been kept home to learn, Beth reached out and placed a gentle hand over his.
“Not everyone is blessed to have family as close as Julianna and I are, but that does not mean you never shall.”
He peered at her through the dimness. “Are you suggesting I take greater pains to get to know my sister’s litter of rapscallions?”
She smiled. “That is a start, but I meant the family you will one day have. We are the masters of our own fates. It is up to us to decide whether or not to accept the distance and dissonance of the family that came before us.”
The way she spoke filled a little hole in his heart that he’d not known existed. Even more so, was how she’d included herself in the admonition. It made him wonder if she was as inclined to think of marriage to him as he was to her.
Turning his hand over, he captured her hand in his. She did not resist, grasping as firmly as he held hers. A strange sense of promise hung in the air, as if they were making a pact tonever settle for the detached relationships many of their station seemed to have. Perhaps that closeness was what Beth had claimed was love.
They leaned together as if some unseen force pulled at them. Carswell’s gaze flicked to Beth’s lips. They curved into a smile.
“Beth, I?—”
A scratching noise echoed through the small area, cutting off his whispered words.
Beth pulled back, yanking her hand away. “We need to hide.”
“What?”
“Someone is coming.”
They both stood, looking around the bare room and then at each other. Depending on who happened upon them, both their reputations could be ruined. But there was no time to rush down to the breakfast room.
A giggle came from somewhere past the small room.
“Are there other entrances to the secret passageway?” he whispered.
Beth grabbed his hand, ready to flee. “And other rooms, but this is the largest and there is only one corridor that runs between them. We’ll have to go the opposite way of the sound.”
Before either of them could move, however, two people fairly tumbled into the room.
“Julianna?” Beth screeched.
“Beth?” Julianna’s eyes widened. Dropping her hold on Kaye’s hand, she glanced down at Carswell and Beth’s conjoined ones.
Beth seemed to recollect their current position and skittered back. “What are you doing here?”
Julianna grinned. “I should like to ask you the same thing.”
Chapter Seventeen
Christmas day had indeed been merry, probably one of the merriest Daniel had enjoyed in years. Crossing paths with Julianna early had brightened his whole day. The whole morning had been quite the surprise, from hidden passageways to avoid crotchety companions, to stumbling upon Carswell with Miss Haynes. And while they had given the same excuse for hiding away, Daniel could not help but notice the way they’d held hands when he and Julianna had entered.
They’d spent the next hour together in the space sharing stories of Christmases past. The only damper had been the constant sour looks Miss Haynes had cast him. Was she upset at him for being in the passageway with her sister? If so, he was not to blame. Julianna had been the leader in all of this.
By time they’d exited, Mr. Baitman had finally left his room, something they all silently praised the man for as he’d kept Mrs. Barker adequately occupied ever since.
Around midday the Waverlys’ sleigh had been pulled out for all to enjoy a ride on the white fluffy snow, and there had been far more food than Daniel had eaten in years. Wassail and wine had flowed freely and by evening he could easily declare this to be the best Christmas he’d ever had.
