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Chapter Five
S
tephen stood by the fireplace in the drawing room, warming his hands and his backside in turn, for he hadn’t quite warmed thoroughly since coming in from the ice-skating session. However, he’d learned one thing from watching Lynette interact with her son while on the ice, as well as with various Ivy family members: he hadn’t lost interest in her romantically.
“I know that gleam in your eye, brother,” Griffin said as he joined Stephen, resting a forearm on the mantle. “And I can’t help but think you’re up to no good.”
“Ha! That shows how well you actually know me.” He rubbed his hands together but couldn’t help the grin spreading over his face. Soon, the others would join them, for a greenery gathering party had been assembled and he’d been one of the first to join. “But yes, I’ve had the most delicious idea.” Excitement buzzed at the base of his spine, and he couldn’t wait to put the plan into effect.
Griffin eyed him askance. “Do I even want to know?”
“Probably not, but I’ll tell you anyway.” Stephen faced his brother. “I’ve joined the greenery gathering party.”
His twin’s eyebrows soared into his hairline. “You? Why the devil for? You detest such outings.”
“True, enough, but it’s all part and parcel of my plan.” His grin widened. “For I’m going to attempt to woo Lynette, and I aim to start with mistletoe.”
Confusion and consternation mixed in his brother’s expression. “You’re doing it up too brown, brother,” he said with a fair amount of caution in his tones. “In the end, you might hurt her.”
“Perhaps, I am, but I’ve suddenly realized I’ve not properly gotten over Lynette.” He swallowed against the wad of feelings lodged in his throat. “I treated her poorly the last time I saw her, and I promise I won’t hurt her again. If she harbors the same romantic feelings for me deep down—”
“—beneath her loathing, you mean?—” Griffin interrupted with a grin of his.
Stephen sailed on, ignoring the outburst. “—then why should I not set out to court her when we’re all here at Ivy Castle at the same time?”
“Well, that is logical, but—”
“And, what’s more, I’m going to enlist the help of her son. Nothing pulls at a woman’s heartstrings at Christmastide like endearing oneself to a child.” He waggled his eyebrows. “The plan can’t fail.”
“Hmm. I rather think it can.” Griffin shook his head. “However, you’re still a bounder, only in a different way than you were back then if you think to play fast and loose with her heart merely to prove you’re still vital and attractive as you were as a younger man.” A tinge of anger threaded through his words. “And what’s more, you’ll hurt the boy in the process.”
Stephen frowned but shook his head. “I promise, I won’t. There is no malice in my intentions. I only want to win Lynette back.” Some of his confidence deflated and left him cold. “I want a life with her. It’s the reason why none of my other relationships worked before.”
“That part is probably true.” Griffin rubbed a hand along his jaw. “What if you grow attached to the child and Lynette won’t have you? All three of you will be hurt.”
“I honestly hadn’t given that thought.” Stephen sighed. Why was romance suddenly so complicated?
“Then you’d best ruminate on it. Hearts will be broken—including yours—if you approach this with a cavalier attitude.” He laid a hand on Stephen’s shoulder. “Be careful and proceed with wisdom. Romance isn’t a game.”
Hot annoyance flared through his chest, but then he tempered it with a nod. Griffin was only trying to help. “I know. And neither should it be, not at this age.”
“Not at any age.”
Stephen rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. “Will you help me? I can’t do this alone. Entering into a romance is daunting enough.” A niggle of fear made its way through his gut. What if he failed... again?
“Do you truly wish to win Lynette back into your life for the purposes of courting and perhaps eventual engagement? Instead of showing her what she might have missed by turning you down the first time?”
Did he? For the space of a few heartbeats, he pondered his motives. Finally, he nodded. There was nothing he wished for more. “Yes. Now that you’ll be entering parson’s mousetrap, I’d best do the same. I don’t want to be on the outside looking in.” The fear grew, for he didn’t wish to be left out in the cold by his brother’s change in attention. “If fate is kind, we can raise our families together.”
Griffin laughed, yet there was a certain gleam of longing in his eyes that spoke of his wish to begin just that. He dropped a comforting hand on Stephen’s shoulder. “You’re a terrible liar. You don’t enjoy not having Papa’s notice on you.”
A heated flush rose up the back of his neck. “Perhaps there’s a bit of that too, but I’m being honest with you. Lynette was the first woman I truly loved. Now we are both free. I... want to feel that again. With her.”
“And her son?” Griffin cocked a dark eyebrow.
“He’s part of her, so yes.” Some of the knots of anxiety eased in his stomach. “It might be nice to have a ready-made family to start. And Lynette seems to get on well with ours. That’s something. Of course, she hasn’t really met Mama and Papa yet...” Uneased tripped down his spine. Would they find fault with her?
“True.” His brother nodded. “Then I’ll help you. What would you have me do?”
