“She is seventeen, and he is two years younger than me, which makes him a twenty-six-year-old bounder,” Hollis said darkly.
Beck laughed.
“You should have seen him, smiling and holding her gaze,” Caroline said. “Do you suppose he finds himself a bit short on funds and intends to help himself to the dowry of a princess?”
“Wellyou’reawfully cynical, darling,” Beck said from behind his paper. “Douglas has got a behavior problem, not a funds problem. He’ll make a bloody fortune with his merchant ship, and the family estate takes up half of Scotland.”
“Perhaps we ought to invite him to the tree party,” Hollis said. “It would be a considerate gesture, seeing as how he and I shouted at each other the last time we met.”
Beck lowered his paper and looked at her.
“Why is this the first I’m hearing of it?” Caroline asked. “What tree party?”
“I know I will not like the answer, but I’ll ask the question all the same. Whatisa tree party?” Beck added. “And what cause would you have to shout at Douglas?”
“We shouted at each other about his roving hands,” Hollis said. “I told him firmly to keep them off my person, and hesaid I had a vivid imagination as everyone knew from the gazette, and that apparently I dreamed he had touched my person but that was impossible, as he was a gentleman. But he very plainly did.” She turned her head to one of the footmen. “Is there someone about who might poach an egg or two, please?”
“Oh, me, too,” Caroline said.
“Yes, go on, both of you, eat through my stores.” Beck turned the page of his paper. “You haven’t answered my question, Mrs. Honeycutt. What is a tree party?”
“A party to celebrate the arrival and trimming of a Christmas tree,” Hollis said. “It’s a very fashionable thing to do. Everyone is doing it. I mean to invite Douglas along with everyone else. I will apologize for calling him a beast.”
“You’rehosting a party?” Caroline asked. “What will you do with that dreadful dining room?”
“Oh, I can’t do a thing with that,” Hollis conceded. “That’s why I thought we might do it here? We could invite family, of course, and acquaintances, including those we’ve not seen in a very long time. No more than three dozen souls.”
Beck’s paper came down onto the table with a slap and he fixed her with stare. “What the devil are you talking about?”
“Where is the tree?” Caroline asked, confused.
“We’ll have to fetch one.”
“A tree. In my house,” Beck repeated.
“AChristmastree,” Hollis corrected him. “Decorated in the spirit of the season. They’re all over Mayfair salons now that the queen’s done it.”
“The queen’s donewhat?” Beck demanded, growing exasperated.
“But we are days and days from Christmas,” Caroline pointed out. “The queen’s tree doesn’t make an appearance until a day or so before Christmas.”
“We’ll start a new tradition.”
“No,”Beck said, sounding very firm about it. “If you want to drag in a tree and dance like a pagan around it, you may do that in your own home, Hollis.”
“But your house is much grander than mine, dearest. Everyone would be much more comfortable here.”
“Don’t try todearme into it. My homeisgrander than yours with that blasted gazette everywhere, and grander it shall remain. I despise gatherings where all people do is stand around and speak of inane things and eat my food and drink my spirits. I will not mar my house or my spirit with atree.”
“I think it sounds delightful,” Caroline said. “Eliza and Bas will come, and the baby, of course. Cecelia would love a tree! Your father and Poppy, naturally.”
“Everyone!” Hollis said. “Even Beck.”
“Most of all, Beck,” Caroline said, smiling at her brother. “It wouldn’t be a festive occasion without him.”
“I said no,” Beck said.
“Who else would we invite?” Caroline asked Hollis, ignoring him.
