For a moment, Camille was tempted to close her eyes and savor the serenity of gliding across the frozen pond. The stillness of the late winter afternoon surrounded her, crept into her soul, soothed her. She had nearly forgotten how peaceful it could be. How the tranquility she had once found here made her feel as if she could accomplish anything she set her mind on. Surrounded by the frozen fields and bare trees starkly outlined against the gray sky, it had always reminded her of a magical place to be found only in fairy stories. She’d skated often as a girl, but it had been a very long time since she last stepped foot upon the ice. Her hands were deep in her fur muff; her head was kept warm by her fur-lined hat. She reveled in the bracing feel of the cold breeze upon her face.

Grayson skated up beside her. “You’re to be congratulated. All seems to be going smoothly.”

The moment vanished and she cast him a skeptical look. “I am not as silly as that. The very instant I start thinking things are going well will be precisely when disaster strikes.” She glanced at the bench by the side of the pond where Nikolai and Miss Murdock chatted and laughed together. Nikolai had begged off skating, claiming that a long-ago ankle injury limited his ability on skates, but he had gallantly insisted the others enjoy themselves. “And I don’t like that one bit.”

“Jealous?”

“Don’t be absurd.” She settled her hands deeper into her muff and raised her chin. “In spite of Miss Murdock’s proclivity for flirtation, I have no doubts as to Nikolai’s affections.”

“I see,” Grayson said slowly. “He has declared himself then?”

“Not yet.” Nor did she intend to allow him to do so. While a kiss might well change everything, she was fairly certain that marriage to Nikolai was no longer her ambition. Her only goal now was to achieve her perfect Christmas, stay clear of a proposal, get rid of the man and avoid scandal. “I’m just not sure leaving him alone with Miss Murdock is a good idea. I do wish Beryl had come with us.”

Beryl had refused to accompany them, saying she had spent more than enough time in the out-of-doors this morning, thank you very much, and had some reading she wished to catch up on in the library. Odd, as Beryl had never been especially inclined toward reading, but then she had never been overly fond of out-of-doors activities either.

“Camille,” Grayson began, “about Pruzinsky—”

“Grayson, I know you neither like nor trust him, so I would much prefer not to discuss him with you.”

“Very well.” His gaze slid to the other couple on the ice. “Then shall we discuss how Mrs. Montgomery-Wells and Mr. Henderson are remarkably proficient on skates?”