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“Well, he’s not dead, so that probably explains it,” Donella dryly replied.
They were both laughing when Macklin politely interrupted.
“Lord Beath’s carriage has just pulled up, Mrs. Kendrick.”
Samantha took Felicity’s hand. “We’d best get out of the way.”
Donella nodded to one of the footmen. “Ryan, will you—”
“I’ll take them up,” said a voice from above.
Samantha turned to see Braden descending the wide center staircase. Kitted out in stark black and white, he looked just as comfortable in formal gear as he did in breeches and boots, with his sleeves rolled up for work. Samantha was struck by how easily he moved between his worlds. Whether it was in a lecture hall, a society party, or a dangerous alley, he possessed a quiet confidence that was enormously appealing.
He also looked so handsome that it made her pulse quicken to double time.
“Good evening, ladies.” His gaze tracked over Samantha, turning smoky. “You’re both looking remarkably lovely.”
She couldn’t hold back a smile, since she looked more like a vicar’s wife than the belle of the ball. “Thank you, sir. But if we could vacate the hall forthwith, I would be grateful.”
“Ah, the dragon has arrived, I assume.” He offered Felicity his arm. “Shall we?”
Felicity blinked, and then cast Samantha a startled glance.
“Go ahead, dear,” she replied with a nod.
Felicity flashed a dazzling smile and took Braden’s arm. When Samantha saw how pleased her sister-in-law was to be formally escorted up to the party, her heart all but melted into a silly little puddle. Dr. Braden Kendrick had a knack for making people feel special—especially those who weren’t used to it—and it made Samantha love him even more.
Her brain staggered, and she came to a sudden halt halfway up the stairs.
Lovehim?
That seemed astonishing, and definitely too dramatic. Still, the revelation had all but nailed her to the carpeted staircase.
Braden glanced over his shoulder as he and Felicity reached the top of the stairs. He lifted an eyebrow. “Samantha?”
Almost at the same moment, she heard Beath’s stentorian tones down in the hall. That spurred her to shake free and all but run up the staircase.
“Sorry,” she said, joining them.
“All right, lass?” Braden murmured.
She nodded and then followed them down the hall, all the while trying to rein in her careening emotions. It didn’t help that she hadn’t been able to spend much time with Braden so as to discuss his proposal in a rational manner. Events—or emotions—kept overtaking her, and it seemed tonight would be no different.
He ushered them into a beautiful drawing room that had a high, molded ceiling and a parquet floor partly covered by thick carpeting in muted plaid. An impressive marble fireplace, topped with a landscape of a castle and a loch, dominated the room. A large pianoforte held pride of place in one of the two bays.
Despite its splendor, the room conveyed an air of lived-in coziness, with groupings of red velvet sofas and well-padded armchairs, along with polished round tables topped with bright bouquets of white roses and cheerfully glowing lamps.
It was also rather noisy, with Kendricks small and large carrying on various conversations. The children were clustered around a gigantic evergreen tree in a tub, strategically placed in the other bay window. Several boxes of ribbons and Christmas decorations were heaped around the base of the tree, and Angus was attempting to direct the children as they gleefully rifled through the boxes, dumping contents onto the floor.
Samantha blinked at the joyful mayhem. “That’s a surprise.”
“We thought a tree-decorating party might be a good idea to keep the children occupied,” Braden said with amusement. “But looking at this chaos, I now have my doubts.”
“I’ve never seen so big a Christmas tree,” Samantha said.
Christmas was generally a quiet business in Scotland, with most of the holiday festivities occurring on Hogmanay and Twelfth Night.
“We have severalSassenachsin the family,” Braden said. “So Christmas has become rather a thing with us.”
