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Back What Happens At Christmas Save as PDF
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

Not if she could help it. Determination surged through her. She had gotten herself into this and she would get herself out. Nikolai could never learn the truth. They would continue on precisely as originally planned. After Christmas a monetary crisis would call Nikolai home to the Kingdom of Whateveritwas. She would make some excuse as to why she couldn’t accompany him and then eventually write and gently tell him they would not suit. Of course, if he proposed, things would be a little more awkward. And he had very nearly done so tonight. Still, as much as she had started out with the express purpose of extracting a proposal, it surely wouldn’t be all that difficult to keep him from proposing.

Dear Lord, she was an idiot. She did hope this Christmas served to remind her to think through her schemes thoroughly before setting them into motion. Perhaps now she might be able to see the amusement in the proceedings that Beryl and Grayson so obviously saw, but she doubted it.

As for Grayson, there was no need for him to know she was reconsidering her desire to marry Nikolai. No need to take him into her confidence in any manner whatsoever, since it was so clearly his fault. Perhaps someday she would feel more charitable toward him; but at this moment, if he wanted to be her friend, well, these were the boundaries of friendship.

And if his kiss made her long for something just out of reach, it was nothing more than memories of what might have been. She would not allow herself to be swept away by the kiss of the man who once broke her heart.

And she would never allow him to break it again.

December 22nd

December 22nd

Eleven

Eleven

Camille surveyed the breakfast offerings arrayed on the sideboard in the dining room and wondered what it would take to entice Mrs. Fortesque to stay on with her. Camille’s cook was ready to retire from service; and while Mrs. Williams had been excellent in her day, her standards had slipped considerably in the last year or so. Not that Camille had the heart to tell her. She had been with Camille’s late husband’s family for most of her life.

Mrs. Fortesque’s cooking skills were nothing short of amazing. The woman obviously had a natural talent in the kitchen, as did the young woman who had been assisting her. Perhaps Camille should have a chat with them both—although Mr. Fortesque would certainly be part of any arrangement. And he did so love being an actor.

Grayson strolled into the room, looking annoyingly well rested. He approached the sideboard and studied the offerings. “Mrs. Fortesque does an excellent job of acting like a cook.”

“Thank God.” Mrs. Fortesque’s cooking was the only thing she needn’t worry about.