Page 53 of How the Duke Saved Christmas

“Seeing you again is the best gift you could ever have given me.”

Her eyes stung at his kind words. Slowly, she accepted the little box with trembling fingers and undid the ribbon. She opened the lid and gasped.

A beautiful pendant of fine silver and tiny pearls shined in the moonlight. She traced her fingertip lightly over the knot design.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered.

“So are you.” He removed his glove and reached for the pendant, but he didn’t touch the necklace so much as caress her fingers. “The village doesn’t have a jeweler, and there wasn’t time to send away for something in York or Edinburgh, so I made do with what was on hand at Northbourne. I hope you like it.”

No, she loved it. But his comment puzzled her. “What do you mean ‘made do’?”

“It was my mother’s,” he admitted, his voice as quiet and deep as the winter woods around them.

His mother’s…She choked out as she handed it back,“I can’t—accept it.”

He folded his hand over hers to keep it in her palm. “She loved you, Clara, and would want you to have it.”

She shook her head, every passing second tearing her heart just a little bit more. “It shouldn’t belong to me.” Her voice lowered to nothing more than a breath on her lips. “It should go to your duchess.”

He said nothing and took back the pendant. But instead of tucking it inside his pocket so he could return it to his mother’s jewelry box, he removed the necklace and reached to fasten it around her neck.

“No,” she said abruptly and took his hands to stop him. If he insisted on putting it around her neck, he would also want to remove the chain she already wore. And if he did that, he would see—“I’ll do it.”

His eyes sparkled as he as she placed it around her neck and fastened it securely. She wanted nothing more than to make him happy, had always wanted only that. He would never know all she had sacrificed for him, but tonight, she could grant him this little bit.

“Thank you.” She rested her hand over the pendant as it lay against her upper chest.

“Merry Christmas.” He leaned over and placed a lingering kiss to her cheek.

Her anguish reached its breaking point, and a single tear escaped down her cheek.

But he didn’t see it as he faced forward on the seat bench, picked up the ribbons, and started the horse down the lane that would lead them back to the house.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Michael glanced up at Northbourne as he slowed the sleigh to a stop in front of the portico. Most of the lamps had been extinguished, and the windows were shuttered against the cold night. All evidence suggested that most of the servants were in their rooms and the children upstairs in the nursery, hopefully soundly asleep after their busy day. Still and quiet and dark…exactly as it should be tonight of all nights.

He swung his gaze sideways to Clara and regretted that the ride home had come to an end. If he’d had his way, he would have kept driving until dawn just to have her to himself as long as possible.

“Clara,” he murmured.

She looked at him from beneath the fur edge of her hood. Once again touching her hand to the pendant, she appeared as breathless and warm as he felt. “Yes?”

His pulse spiked with trepidation, but there was no keeping silent now. “I’d like to know—needto know—why you—”

The front door opened, and Eads stepped out onto the portico with a small oil lamp in hand to light their way. A groom jogged forward to hold the horse so Michael and Clara could disembark.

“Yes?” she prompted for him to continue.

But the moment had vanished. He forced a tight smile. “Nothing.” He stepped down from the sleigh and circled to the other side. “No caroling to the animals tonight, it seems. The children are all in bed, and their very long day has ended.” He blew out an exaggerated sigh of relief. “So has ours.”

She smiled, only for her lips to part in surprise when he took her into his arms and lifted her from the sleigh. “What are you doing?”

“Swimming in the Thames.”

She slapped his shoulder at that bit of impertinence. “You know what I mean. Put me down and call for Thomas to carry me inside.”

“Thomas is most likely already abed or should be, and poor Eads would break his back attempting to carry you inside.”