“Thank you. At least Clifford will know that we are thinking of him. Come, let us say farewell to the bride and groom, and then we can begin to work our way to the front door,” she replied.
Ewan glanced back over his shoulder and gave her a stern look. This was a gathering involving the Radley family, which meant that making their way to the door could easily take the better part of the next hour. “Alright but promise you won’t stop and start any long conversations. Most of these people are travelling to Scotland in the next week, so save your chats for the long, cold nights in front of the fireplace in the castle keep,” he said.
Grumpy husbands will be excluded from those little moments.
“I promise. But just you remember your words when you are dragging me out of the great hall mid-evening insisting that I go upstairs to bed,” she replied.
Turning, he bent and nipped at her earlobe. “I only do that because I need you to stop talking to other people and shift your focus to undertaking your wifely duties. This duke, your man, has needs.”
Ewan moved away, headed in the direction of Lord and Lady Denford. Caroline softly smiled. Anticipation coursed through her veins. Whenever they were in Scotland, her husband became even more insatiable in bed. Long nights of lovemaking lay ahead. Hopefully, sleep would also follow.
Secretly, she loved nothing more than when Ewan took her by the hand and hauled her up the narrow stone staircase which wound its way to the top of the castle keep. To their private apartment and the enormous ducal bed. There her husband would . . .
I really shouldn’t be having these sorts of thoughts in the middle of a social event. I am supposed to be a respectable matron of the ton.
Her gaze fell on Alex, the eldest of her children in attendance. He was busy talking to his cousin Francis. From the look of things, Alex must have said something which didn’t meet with Francis’s favor. There was a mutual throwing up of hands, after which Francis Saunders stormed off in the direction of the terrace doors. He stopped partway and briefly spoke to his cousin Clare Radley. The two of them then made a beeline for the garden.
Alex stood, shaking his head. Catching his mother’s eye, he made his way over to Caroline.
“What was that all about?” she asked.
“Oh, who knows? Francis is a bit of a hothead at present. Apparently, he has taken a firm dislike to the new tenants who’ve moved in next door to the Saunders Shipping offices. Says he intends to make their lives difficult so that they will vacate the warehouse. He wants the building for himself. The sooner he leaves for Scotland, the better. But I tell you, if he keeps this up over Christmas, I am going to truss him up like a wild hog and leave him to freeze to death on the side of Strathmore Mountain.”
Caroline winced at the notion. There was enough drama happening within the family without the cousins setting to one another.
I just want a peaceful Christmas. Is it too much to ask?
“I would appreciate it, Alex, if you could try to be on good terms with Francis over the festive season. It would be nice to see all the cousins sharing a few laughs and jests,” said Caroline.
He narrowed his eyes at her. Marriage had reformed the wild young marquis, which meant he now paid attention when women spoke to him. The downside of his having turned over a new leaf was that he had developed a keen ear for unspoken undercurrents.
“Why? You have never been bothered with keeping things peaceful between any of the Radley cousins any other year. In fact, I think sometimes the parents do everything to rile us all up in order to be able to banish us from the keep for the day.” His green eyes held her gaze, daring Caroline to say otherwise.
She shrugged. “I don’t know what you mean. All I am asking is that we try and have a pleasant time over the weeks ahead.”
I would love to share my concerns about the Kembals with you, but you haven’t ever been one for making quiet inquiries or being discreet.
The last thing she needed was for Alex to go knocking on Clifford’s front door, demanding answers from his uncle. These things called for a light touch.
Pulling her gaze away from her son, Caroline focused on the young woman who was making her way across the floor toward them. “I’m sure you would love to give your wife a very merry Christmas. Millie informs me that it wasn’t celebrated all that much in India, so this will be her first real one. And it will be your last as just a couple, so make the most of it.”
Alex turned to Millie as she reached his side. Caroline’s heart gave a little dance of joy as her son took hold of Millie’s hand. His gaze skimmed over his wife’s swelling baby belly. It was lovely to see the two of them so happy together. Her long-held hopes of her son finding the right woman had been more than met in the girl from Calcutta.
“I need to go home, and soon. My swollen feet are killing me,” said Millie.
Thank you, Millie, my dear. Your timing is perfect.
“Of course, my love,” replied Alex. He shot Caroline a look which said he wasn’t done with getting to the truth of her request for family harmony.
“When are the two of you leaving for Scotland?” asked Caroline, deftly changing the subject.
“Later this week. Alex wanted to leave tomorrow, but I didn’t think it right that we arrive at the same time as you,” replied Millie.
“Thank you, Millicent; that’s very thoughtful of you. I’m afraid that the younger males of the Radley species don’t have much of an appreciation as to the amount of work that is involved in getting the castle ready for the arrival of the Christmas horde.”
Alex chuckled. “And I think that is our cue to depart.” He leaned in and planted a kiss on Caroline’s cheek. “Safe travels, Mama. We shall be but a day or two behind you on the Great North Road.”
Caroline waited until her son and his wife had left, then went in search of Ewan. With an early start in the morning and final arrangements to be completed, she was now as eager as her husband to depart the wedding breakfast.
