Page 66 of How the Duke Saved Christmas

“Today was a grand success,” he commented and gave her fingers a small squeeze of reassurance. “You should be proud.”

“I’m proud of the children.” Her eyes shined as she watched them bustle around the conservatory. “They made it happen, not me. I just sat here and enjoyed myself.”

“You did more than that.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. “Everyone fell in love with you.”

She rolled her eyes and pulled her hand away. “They did not.”

“Well, I did.” He leaned over to brush his lips across her cheek and steel a kiss to the side of her neck where it curved into her shoulder. He was rewarded with a shiver from her in response. Frustratingly, that little taste was all he could claim with the children in the room with them. But if she kept sliding him glances like that beneath shyly lowered lashes, he might very well scoop her into his arms, carry her upstairs, and make love to her again. “I can’t imagine anyone not feeling the same about you.”

“They were kind because I’m a friend of the duke, that’s all.” Her voice emerged as a husky whisper, and he couldn’t help but smile at the effect he had on her. She might have had good reasons for rejecting his proposal, but not suiting physically certainly wasn’t one of them.

“They were kind to you because you were kind to them,” he corrected. “And because they realize how special you are to me and that I hope you decide to make Northbourne your home.”

A long and trembling sigh escaped her lips. “Michael, please…”

He shifted to the far end of the settee, to both give her room and to maintain propriety for the children and the servants, who had come back into the room to clean up after the party and carry the leftover refreshments into the servants’ hall for an extra Christmas treat.

“I won’t press—too much,” he said quietly. “I know you need time and space to consider my proposal.” Yet they were running out of time, and giving her space wasn’t at all how he hoped they’d spend the coming evening. “But I’ve also thought up answers to all your arguments for why you think you can’t marry me. However, I’ve realized that none of that matters because it all comes down to one simple fact.”

She couldn’t keep the trembling from her voice. “Which is?”

“That I love you, and you love me. Just think of how happy we can make each other, how wonderful a family we could have. Even if the children aren’t our own flesh and blood, we’ll love them just the same.”

“And bribe them with ponies and presents?” she teased to deflect the conversation away from his proposal.

“I’m not above buying children’s affections,” he admitted dryly. “Including my own.”

She swatted his shoulder at that bit of nonsense, and he chuckled.

“Thank you, Uncle Michael, for the open house,” Margaret called out as she handed the last of the candies from the tree over to Mrs. Hansen.

The other three children gave their thanks as well, with little Susannah holding up her doll so it, too, could say thank you.

“It was wonderful, and everyone seemed to have a good time,” Margaret added.

“It was deuces!” Bennie exclaimed.

Susannah’s doll agreed as the little girl waved its head back and forth.

“But can we go see the ponies again?” Aaron asked.

Clara slid Michael anI told you solook, but he only grinned. “Of course you can,” he permitted. “But we won’t take them out riding for another two days.”

Groans of disappointment went up from all four of them. Five, if he counted the doll who dangled, disheartened, from Susannah’s side by its arm.

“They’re still becoming used to Northbourne, and there are all kinds of different animals, sounds, and movements here that might startle them,” Michael explained. “We wouldn’t want to upset them, would we?” He also didn’t want to have to explain to his brother how one of his children had their arm broken from being thrown from the saddle. “For now, just brush them and give them bits of apple—not too many—so they become used to you and the stables. The day after tomorrow we’ll go for a long ride.” He arched a brow in Clara’s direction and said in a low voice that wasn’t at all secretive, “Perhaps we can invite Lady Clara to join us. I hear she has a lovely new riding habit.”

The groans turned into cheers—and an eye roll from Clara. The children danced around the room, thrilled at the idea.

“And while they’re out spoiling their ponies,” Michael murmured to Clara, “I want to drop off Christmas boxes to the villagers who weren’t able to visit today. Why don’t you come with me?”

He heard the soft catch of her breath. “I—I don’t think so. It’s been a long day. I think—I think I need a bit of rest this afternoon, and then I can join you and the children this evening for dinner.”

“It won’t be tiring, I promise. We’ll take the sleigh and only stop at a half dozen houses. They’ll come out to greet you, and I’ll hand over the boxes. You won’t have to do anything but sit.”

Her slender shoulders drooped. “It’s not that. It’s…” She pulled in a deep breath and admitted, “Handing out Christmas boxes is the role of the mistress of Northbourne. I can’t play at being your duchess.”

He challenged quietly, “Who says it would be play?”