So he found himself continuing the lie he’d already begun with her. “It was a business decision carried out before I was aware that George Ascot wasn’t in the country and so unavailable to move his family elsewhere. When it did come to my attention that his children would be left homeless and without guidance, I brought them here to await his return.”

“Ah, well, glad to hear you aren’t completely heartless,” Jonathan replied.

Vincent frowned, remarking, “Not to say I admit to having a heart in that context, but just what was heartless about my actions?”

“Evicting them during the holidays,” Jonathan clarified. “Rather harsh, that.”

“Bah, just what do the holidays have to do with conducting business as usual?”

Jonathan blinked. “Well, actually, nothing, now you mention it. It’s just that this particular holiday is synonymous with generosity and goodwill.”

“Sorry, but unlike you, I have no sentimentality toward this holiday, nor any preconceived notions about it. For me it’s just another day.”

“Now, that’s sad, Vincent.”

“Why?”

“Because you’ve obviously never experienced the joy and cheer that go along with the generosity and goodwill. Quite uplifting, if I do say so myself. Enemies call truce. Neighbors remember they have neighbors. You find good cheer and well-wishes everywhere you look. You can’t say you’ve never experienced any of that.”

Vincent shrugged. “Not that I recall.”

“Bloody hell, I thought you were English,” Jonathan grumbled, which caused Vincent to burst out laughing and the viscount to demand, “What’s so funny?”

“Just that Larissa assumed the same thing, when I mentioned I’d never had a Christmas tree before.”

“So this one here that you helped to decorate is just for her?” Jonathan snorted before he got an answer. “For someone who’s never experienced the generosity of the season, you’re being damned generous where that chit is concerned. A word of advice, then. You might want to tone that down a bit, or she might get the idea that you’re interested in her, when, as you say, you aren’t.”

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

ASSUMPTIONS HAD A WAY OF EASING DOUBTS, BUT they also crumbled when subjected to too much time and scrutiny. Such was the case for Larissa. And after a bit more than a week had gone by since the night she had succumbed to temptation, she finally had to conclude that if Vincent was going to ask her to marry him, he would have done so by now. Which meant he wasn’t going to.

Oddly enough, she wasn’t devastated by that conclusion. But then he hadn’t broken any promise to her. He hadn’t deceived her in any way. She had done that to herself with her silly assumptions.