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What Happens At Christmas

Victoria Alexander
Chapters (32)
  1. Also by
  2. Title Page
  3. One
  4. December 21st
  5. Two
  6. Three
  7. Four
  8. Five
  9. Six
  10. Seven
  11. Eight
  12. Nine
  13. Ten
  14. December 22nd
  15. Eleven
  16. Twelve
  17. Thirteen
  18. Fourteen
  19. Fifteen
  20. Sixteen
  21. Seventeen
  22. December 23rd
  23. Eighteen
  24. Nineteen
  25. Twenty
  26. Twenty-one
  27. December 24th
  28. Twenty-two
  29. Twenty-three
  30. December 25th
  31. Twenty-four
  32. Copyright Page

Also by

Books by Victoria Alexander

THE PERFECT MISTRESS

HIS MISTRESS BY CHRISTMAS

MY WICKED LITTLE LIES

WHAT HAPPENS AT CHRISTMAS

Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation

Title Page

What Happens At Christmas

VICTORIA ALEXANDER

All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.

One

One

December 18, 1886

“And you believe this is a good idea,” Beryl, Lady Dunwell, said to her sister. Her expression failed to reveal whether her words were in the guise of a question or a comment, which was, as always, most annoying. More so, as her sister’s face was the mirror image of her own, and one should never be in doubt as to what one’s own twin was thinking.

“No, in truth I don’t believe it’s a good idea. Wearing the appropriate cloak for the weather is a good idea. Insisting on references before hiring a new servant is a good idea. Having an equal number of ladies and gentlemen at a dinner party is a good idea. This”—Camille, Lady Lydingham, leaned forward slightly and met her sister’s gaze with a firmness that belied any niggling doubts in the back of her mind—“is a brilliant idea.”

“I suspect the brilliance of it is dependent upon whether or not it goes awry.” Beryl studied her sister over the rim of her teacup.

In recent months, the twins had made it a habit to meet at least every other week at the Ladies Tearoom, at Fenwick and Sons, Booksellers. It had become quite the place for ladies of society to gather. Even now, there was scarcely an empty table to be had. Camille wasn’t sure why it had become so popular; the room itself was not unlike the other rooms in the bookseller’s establishment, lined with shelves and filled with books in what appeared to be a random order. The tea and cakes were excellent, but in society excellent did not always go hand in hand with fashionable. Regardless, the sisters were nothing if not fashionable; and if this was the place to be, this was indeed where they would be.

“And it does seem to me there are any number of things that could go awry,” Beryl continued. “Horribly, horribly awry.”

“Nonsense.” Camille waved off her sister’s warning. “I have given this a great deal of thought, and it is a practically perfect plan.”

“It’s the ‘practically’ that should give you pause,” Beryl said in a wry tone.