Page 13 of The Twelve Days of Love

Chapter Four

Fairhaven

Luke kissed his wife good morning and they lay entangled in one another’s arms, talking about Christmas and how next year during this holiday they would have another child in their fold. Last night had been Christmas Eve, and all nine children had helped in putting up the decorations and greenery throughout the house. Delia had taken charge, assigning who would put up holly, ivy, hawthorn, or laurel. Caroline and Catherine had created a kissing bough using mistletoe and evergreens, tying on red ribbons and adding bright red apples which stood out in the greenery. All the greenery would be taken down after Epiphany and burned in order that no bad luck would come to the house.

“I have a present for you,” his wife told him. “Look in the wardrobe.”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “But that would mean leaving the bed—and you.”

Luke kissed her softly on the mouth and then more insistently. Caroline opened to him and he spent several minutes indulging in a lengthy exploration of it, his hands caressing her very full breasts. She was increasing more quickly than she had during the previous three occasions and he wondered if she might be carrying twins. When Catherine delivered the first time, both Timothy and Delia had come out. He hoped they would have such a special blessing. To be expecting one child and find out there were two would be a wonderful miracle.

Breaking the kiss, he climbed from the bed and went to the wardrobe. Inside, he found a new banyan, one of green silk the color of his eyes. He slipped into it and returned to the bed, kissing Caroline.

“I love it,” he declared. “I love you.”

“I thought the color perfect,” she said. “The minute I saw the fabric, I knew it would match your St. Clair eyes.”

“Jeremy and Hudson will be jealous,” he proclaimed.

She laughed. “No, they won’t. I shared the bolt of material with Catherine and she also had a banyan made up for Jeremy. And I didn’t want Hudson to feel left out, so I had a third done for him. Now all the St. Clair men can strut about in their matching banyans.”

He kissed her again. “Thank you. You, however, will have to wait for your present.”

She looked puzzled. “Why? We always give each other our presents on Christmas morning before we go downstairs.”

“Yours is downstairs. Or it will be. Come, we should get dressed.”

“You aren’t going to tell me, are you?”

He grinned. “No. And I don’t think you’ll guess what it is.”

“You’re incorrigible.”

“And very good at keeping secrets, Lady Mayfield.”

Luke rang for her maid and his valet and once they were dressed, they went downstairs to the noisy breakfast room. With them having guests, the children would be joining them instead of remaining in the schoolroom for the meal. Jeremy, Catherine, and Hudson were already seated at the table, along with some of the children, while others were going through the buffet. Footmen were helping the younger ones make up their plates and Luke and Caroline joined the end of the line.

Once everyone had been seated, Edgar asked, “Might we open our gifts, Papa?”

Caroline and Catherine had seen to presents being placed in the center of the table for each of the children.

Luke smiled. “I would tell you to eat our breakfast before you opened your gifts but I am afraid all nine of you would become ravenous wolves and gobble breakfast down in one swallow.” He looked to his wife. “What do you think, my love?”

“I think we have very good children sitting here and they deserve to see what they received from their parents.”

Gleefully, Edgar reached for the first package and called out Philip’s name. Jeremy’s son shyly accepted the gift and Edgar continued dispersing the presents until each child had one in hand. Then they untied the string and tore into the brown paper, Caroline helping Thomas since he was having trouble. Each girl had received a book selected especially for them and a new hair ribbon, while the boys found a book and a tin soldier to add to their growing collections.

As the children talked about their gifts, everyone ate. Once the meal was finished, Luke urged the children to take their presents upstairs and hurry back so they could head to church services.

They had to take three carriages in order for everyone to arrive at the same time and as Luke escorted his countess inside, she gave him a questioning look.

“No, you didn’t receive your present at breakfast. It will arrive when Christmas dinner does. I promise I did not forget.”

She squeezed his arm. “You know you never have to get me anything, don’t you? You are present enough, each and every day.”

He glowed with her words. “And you, my darling, are the gift that keeps on giving.” He glanced to her belly. “Especially with this new babe.”

She sighed as he guided her into a pew. “I just feel that I have gotten so large in such a short time.”

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