Page 68 of How the Duke Saved Christmas
She squeezed Clara’s hand. “I promise.”
Clara looked up at the sky as dusk lowered over the countryside. The shadows had grown long, and streaks of purple and red now crisscrossed the sky and raced toward the distant hills. The lamps would have been lit in the house by now, the preparations for dinner started.
“We should head back, I think,” she said. “Your uncle has probably returned by now and wondering where we all are.”
Knowing Michael, he would be thrilled that she was out of the house and in the fresh air. For once, she would have agreed with him.
She called over the three remaining children, and they sat on the bench beside her to remove their skates, except for Susannah, who crawled into Clara’s arms. Clara smiled and placed a kiss to the top of her head. Her hat had come off on the first circle of the pond, and her braids now hung loose and frizzled down her back from the exercise.
“When you arrive at the house, tell Eads to send Thomas back for me,” she instructed.
Because it was Christmas, she hadn’t wanted Thomas to miss any of the special treats in the servants’ hall, so she sent him away after he’d brought out here with the children. She’d insisted, telling him that she’d send for him when she was ready to return to the house. She’d done the same with Miss Pritchard and Mrs. Bailey, hoping they’d join in the servants’ holiday fun as well.
Also, though, she’d simply wanted the children all to herself for a few precious hours.
The oldest three children nodded and shuffled off toward the house. Instead of following their tracks back, they broke a new path just so they could trod through the drifts and kick up the powdery snow.
“I’ll stay here with Lady Clara,” Susannah announced, pulling her doll to her chest and cuddling it in her arms the same way Clara held her.
“Are you sure?” Clara smoothed the little girl’s hair from her forehead. “Mrs. Hansen will have hot chocolate and gingerbread waiting for you.”
“I’m sure. Mrs. Hansen always saves back the biggest piece for me.” Then, in a whisper meant to be secretive but was actually loud enough to be heard from ten feet away, she confided, “I’m her favorite!”
Clara bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.
Overhead, a shooting star streaked brightly across the dusk sky. Susannah gave a surprised cry at seeing it and pointed toward the heavens. “Look!”
“A shooting star—quick! Make a wish.”
Susannah screwed her eyes shut, and her lips moved silently as she made her wish. Then she grabbed frantically at Clara’s hand. “You wish, too!”
So Clara closed her eyes and let her heart wish for what it could never have.
“There. All wished out.” Clara gave the little girl a hug. “What do you think? Will your wish come true?”
“I hope so.” The little girl bounced the doll on her lap. “Princess Charlotte and I want you to stay. That’s what we wished for.”
“I am staying.” She tugged playfully at her braids. “I’m staying right here with you until Thomas comes to take me to the house.”
“Not that,” Susannah said so softly that Clara could barely hear her. “I meanhere. We want you to stay with us here at Northbourne and not leave.”
Her heart tore. “I can’t stay.” She nuzzled her cheek against the top of the girl’s head. “My brother’s coming for me.”
“Then he can stay here, too.”
“He can’t. He has a new baby to spoil and care for.” And a wife to spoil and care for who just had that new baby. But this was not the time for a lesson on marriage. “He’s needed at home.”
Her little brow furrowed. “But you’re needed here.”
“You don’t need me. You have Miss Pritchard, Mrs. Hansen—”
“Uncle Michael needs you.”
Andthatsimply ripped her heart in two.
“Oh, sweetling.” Clara tightened her arms around her and held her close. “He doesn’t need me.” Her voice cracked. “He’s a duke. He doesn’t need me getting in the way.”
“He wants you to stay. So does Margaret and Aaron and Bennie. So does Princess Charlotte and me.” She craned her neck to look up at Clara, a new doubt visibly popping into her head. “Doyounot want to stay?”
