Hollis hugged Beck tightly to her. “Thank you for this.”
“Oof,”Beck grunted when she squeezed him. “For heaven’s sake, Mrs. Honeycutt, there you go again, hugging as you please.” He pushed away from her grasp and tapped the tip of her nose with his knuckle.
“Your tree is too big, Beck! I had in mind something smaller. Something you could actually gather around. You can hardly see your guests around that thing.”
“I don’t need to see my guests as I’ve seen them all before. And if I may, I should like to point out that I was quite right about having a tree in one’s home—it’s ridiculous and fills the room and there are needles everywhere. By the by, you are a vision of loveliness this evening. The color suits you.”
“Doesn’t it?” Eliza said, as Hollis murmured a thank-you. Eliza leaned forward to accept Beck’s kiss. “Where is my husband?”
“Taking the princesses around to introduce them to all the dastardly gentlemen in the room. They are the star attraction this evening, and after I’ve gone to all the trouble to bring in that monstrous tree.”
“I’m so glad they’ve come. Can you imagine how dry and tedious the—” Hollis suddenly lost her train of thought because she happened to catch sight of Mr. Shoreham wandering by. She gasped. “Is that—” She jerked her gaze back to Beck.
He smiled like a cat.
“Did you—Beck, did you inviteShoreham?” she asked in a whispered shout. “That wretched excuse of a man?”
Beck’s smile broadened. “Quite obviously. He’s here, isn’t he?”
“Butwhy?”
“Why not?” Beck asked gaily. “I like the man. He’s an interesting chap.” He leaned down to whisper in Hollis’s ear. “If you plan a party in a man’s house without his consent, you best be prepared for the man to invite a few people of his own choosing.” He patted her cheek. “Enjoy your evening, darling.”
And with that, he wandered off to greet his guests.
“Oh dear, there is Lord Russell,” Eliza muttered, nodding in the direction of the prime minister. “Sebastian doesn’t care for him. He says he won’t stop talking once he starts, and it’s impossible to get a single word in. I’m going to intercept him before he reaches Bas,” Eliza said, and before Hollis could respond, she was hurrying away, expertly dodging those who tried to stop her and speak to her.
And just like that, Hollis found herself standing alone in a crowded room. She found herself standing alone quite a lot these days. She looked around for the other person who stood so often alone, but Mr. Brendan was nowhere to be seen. Surely he was coming.Surelyhe would have sent word if he’d declined the invitation. Or would he have sent it to Beck, from whom the invitation had been issued? She should have sent Donovan to ask, but Donovan had been gone more than usual.
She rose up on her toes, trying to see over the heads of all the guests, scouring the corners of the room where Mr. Brendan was prone to lurk. She didn’t see anyone resembling that brusque man, but it was difficult to see much, really, as the crush of bodies was thick. So she began to make her way through the crowd to have a better look.
Hewouldcome, wouldn’t he? She would be crushed if he didn’t.
Beck had done quite a lot of decorating, she quickly discovered. For a man who claimed to hate gatherings like this, he’d certainly outdone himself. He’d put boughs of evergreen and holly on the mantel, which was decorated with candied apples, and anchored with candelabra that had been wrapped in gold bows. The light from those candles flickered against the painting of Caroline and Beck’s father, and the old man appeared to be laughing.
And the tree! It was lit with at least two dozen beeswax candles, the flames dancing perilously close to the needles of the tree, and wax dripping onto the boughs below. She would never say it aloud to anyone, and certainly not Beck, but that looked awfully dangerous. Some enterprising person had strung garlands made of raisins and nuts and berries around the tree, and she made a note to ask him who, exactly, had done that, as it bore the careful touch of a woman.
Interspersed throughout the tree were more gold ribbons tied in bows and candied oranges. She couldn’t imagine where he’d found so many candied oranges! Had he gone to the markets? Some had been scooped out and fashioned into little baskets to hold sweetmeats.
As she neared the archway that led into the entry, she heard a commotion near the staircase and looked up just as Caroline and Leopold made their way down. Caroline’s hand skimmed over the stair railing that had been roped with garlands of evergreen and holly. She was wearing a dark green gown made of silk and satin, and descended like a queen. And her husband, who insisted Hollis address him as Leo, looked very happy and regal beside her. He held Caroline’s hand, with the other behind his back, and beamed as they descended into the madness of the tree party. At the entrance to the large salon, Caroline and Leo looked up. Hollis followed their gaze and saw the mistletoe hanging there. Leo kissed Caroline beneath it. Oh, Beck, that cheeky man. He’d made every possible accommodation for a Christmas party, and she couldn’t wait to commend him for a job well done.
A footman appeared before her and bowed. “Merry Christmas, Mrs. Honeycutt.”
“Merry Christmas, Donnelly!”
He held out his tray. “Christmas punch, compliments of Lord Douglas.”
“Really?”She took a glass from the tray. “Did he ask you to bring it to me directly? Is it poisoned, do you suppose?”
“I suppose not, madam. Several guests have tried it and are upright.”
“Thank you, Donnelly.” She took a crystal glass from his tray, and as he moved away, she sipped...and coughed with the burn of it. “What in blazes?” She peered down into her glass at the pale green liquid, wondering what abominable and deadly spirit had been poured into the punch. She began to feel as if someone was staring at her.Marek Brendan.She turned around, all smiles...but no one was looking at her.
Quite the contrary.
People were talking and laughing, and no one noticed her at all.
Well, except Leopold, who startled her when she turned back around and his head was just there.
