She gave a Gallic shrug, a half smile on her pretty face. "This is not my first card game. And it doesn"t hurt to have a brilliant mathematician for a husband, one who has taught me how to keep track of what"s been played. Rather like his brother Jack, I imagine."
Jack"s grin widened.
"Is that not right, mon amour?" Sebastianne said, looking toward the sofa. "Drake?"
Drake didn"t look up, a faraway look in his eyes.
"Drake?" Sebastianne said again, pitching her voice so that it was low and soft, yet astonishingly clear.
Suddenly, Drake turned his head and blinked, looking right at her. "Yes? Did you win, sweetheart?"
"No, I did not," Sebastianne said.
"That"s good. Let me know if you need more money." Drake frowned, the distant look coming back into his eyes. Suddenly he used the pencil in his hand to scratch something down on the small pad of paper balanced on his knee.
Rather than feel slighted, Sebastianne laughed along with the rest of them.
"What"s our favorite mad genius working on this time?" Meg said in a low voice.
"A new theorem of some sort. And an invention that deals with steam-driven engines." Sebastianne smiled. "If it weren"t Christmas, I would never have gotten him out of his laboratory. You know how he is when he"s creating."
Everyone nodded; they all knew Drake.
"So, no one else wants to play?" Jack asked, rubbing his palms together.
"No!" they all said in unison.
Jack just laughed.
"Pardon me, my loves, but I am afraid I must interrupt your game playing," said Ava as she strolled serenely into their midst. "It is well past time we opened our presents, then went in for our dinner."
Leo smiled at his mother, her gentle voice and kind remonstrations reminding him of other occasions, other Christmases. She was just as beautiful as she"d been when he was a boy, her green eyes just as clear, her hair the same soft brown with only a few more threads of silver.
"Your timing is impeccable, as always, Mama," he told her. "We were just finished."
He and the others stood-everyone except Drake and Mallory. They both stayed on the sofa, Mallory because she didn"t feel like getting up yet and Drake because he hadn"t heard a word anyone-not even his mother- had said.
Smiling with patience and love, Sebastianne went to shake him out of his reverie.
Leo saved Thalia"s gift to him for last, tucking it next to his hip while he opened the stack of other presents he"d received.
The room was an explosion of paper and boxes and ribbon-and noise. It seemed like everyone in the family was talking at once, exclaiming over their presents, showing them off and calling out their thanks.
He"d retreated again to the quiet corner he"d been in earlier, enjoying the small bubble of solitude. Odd really, since he was usually in the center of any action. But today he needed a little s.p.a.ce.
Silently, he opened each present until Thalia"s small gift was all that remained. He ran his fingers over the paper, taking his time as he pulled the ribbon free.
It was a book.
A copy of Jane Austen"s Pride and Prejudice to be exact.
He opened the cover and read what Thalia had written in her elegant, flowing hand.
For Leo, Because I know you enjoy using your brain a great deal more than you care to let on.
Merry Christmas 1817 He laughed.
She had him dead to rights. He did act the careless Corinthian, in ways that often disguised his true self. But when a man had so many brilliant siblings, he needed some other means than being smart to set himself apart. Humor and sports had always served their purposes. And he"d always enjoyed himself in the process.
But Thalia saw through his facade.
Thalia saw him.
He ran his hand over the binding again and thought of her back in London, wondering what she was doing now and if she"d had a happy day.
He frowned, realizing that for all his pleasure in being among his family, there was an emptiness he"d never felt before now. Something was missing-or rather someone.
So what are you going to do about it? whispered a little voice in his head.
His hand tightened on the book.
Yes. What?
"Will there be anything else this evening, milady?"
Thalia looked over at her lady"s maid. "No, that will be all. Thank you for the bedtime cocoa, Parker. And Merry Christmas."
The other woman smiled. "Merry Christmas, milady."
"Remember that tomorrow is Boxing Day. You and the rest of the staff are to have the entire day off, so no getting up early or bringing me breakfast. Mrs. Grove has set out a lovely cold repast for me in the dining room and I can brew my own pot of tea on the fireplace hearth. You"ve left plenty of water for me in the pitcher, so I can bathe and dress myself as well."
"I don"t mind seeing to you, milady. I won"t be leaving for my sister"s until late morning, so it"s no trouble."
"You"re always so good to me, Parker. But no, you sleep in and have the whole day to yourself."
"If that is what you prefer, milady. Have you any special plans for tomorrow?"
Thalia"s throat tightened. Resolutely, she pushed away the wave of melancholia that rushed over her at the thought of being alone in the house. Even Fletcher had let her know he would be away visiting an old friend. At least Hera would be around for company-unless she deserted her to go hunting for moles in the garden.
"Do not worry about me." Thalia forced a smile. "I shall find plenty to keep me busy, just as I do every year."
And she always had, since the very first Christmas she"d spent on her own after the divorce. Yet this year felt different. This year she felt her solitude more keenly than ever before.
Because of Leo.
G.o.d, I miss him.
But she wasn"t going to dwell on his absence, at least not any more often than could be helped.
After bidding her maid a final good night, she poured herself another cup of cocoa, then settled back on the sofa with a book.
That"s when she saw it-the present Leo had given her.
She"d resisted the impulse to open it, knowing instinctively that it was likely something expensive. Something she should return to him in spite of her agreement to accept a Christmas gift from him.
He"d given her so much already, including a huge Christmas goose, which had tasted absolutely delicious, and another mammoth load of firewood that would probably last until next winter.
She couldn"t keep accepting presents from him. Still, he would be hurt if she didn"t at least open his gift.
Leaning over, she picked up the box. She stroked her fingers over the luxuriously soft velvet covering, then popped open the lid.
Inside lay a strand of creamy smooth pearls, each one as big and round as a fully ripe pea. They gleamed with a l.u.s.trous warmth, delicate and profoundly beautiful.
There was a tiny note tucked to one side. Hand trembling slightly, she drew it out and unfolded it.
Thalia, I know these can never replace the memories that came with your great-grandmother"s pearls, but I hope they will let you start building joyous new ones.
Merry Christmas, Leo For a moment, she sat stunned.
He"d bought her pearls to replace the ones Gordon had refused to return to her after the divorce. She barely even recalled mentioning them to Leo, yet somehow he had remembered.
A tear ran down her cheek, a smothering ache rising like a clenched fist inside her chest.
Leave it to Leo to give her the one gift she couldn"t possibly return. The one gift she would love above all others.
Then suddenly, she was crying in earnest, wishing with all her heart that he were here beside her rather than miles and miles away.
Chapter 28.
Thalia pulled gently on the reins, slowing Athena from a canter to a walk. Leaning forward, she gave the mare an approving pat on the shoulder, pleased at how beautifully mannered she was despite all the distractions in the park.
The day was cold but sunny and the park was busier than usual, Londoners needing an escape from the close confines of their homes after a recent snow.
Children ran and shouted, while their parents strolled behind, keeping a watchful eye. Younger couples sauntered arm in arm, bundled in heavy coats and scarves, their heads together as they whispered sweet nothings to each other.
And on the air drifted the festive scents of roasted chestnuts and hot cider, with frequent shouts from vendors to buy their wares.
Thalia stopped and bought a small package of chestnuts, tucking them warm into her pocket for the ride home. The nuts would be a little treat to help ward off the blue devils, though she didn"t give it much hope of succeeding. New Year"s had come and gone, yet the time until Leo was due to return seemed to stretch out forever.
Her friend Jane Frost had dropped by a few days ago, diverting her for a while. But their visit had been far too brief and left her feeling lower than ever once Jane had gone.
But rather than lie abed with the sheets over her head, Thalia had forced herself to resume her usual routine-or rather her old routine before Leo had come into her life. Curious how odd it felt now.
And how empty.
But she would make do, exactly as she always had.
Tapping her heel against Athena"s flank, she set her toward home.
She slowed the little mare again as she reached the town house, the animal"s hooves clattering against the cobblestones as she rode into the mews.
The groom came out of the stable to help her dismount. "You"ve a visitor waiting, milady. Arrived not twenty minutes past."
"A visitor? Who is it?"
"Didn"t give a name. Just said they"d wait for ye inside." The servant smiled, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
She considered questioning him further, but turned to make her way inside the house instead.
Could Jane have returned?
Unlikely.
Or maybe it was Mathilda?
She smiled at the thought.
She rounded the corner that led to the downstairs drawing room, hoping to find Fletcher first so he could reveal the ident.i.ty of her mystery guest.
But the butler was nowhere to be seen.
She was considering heading upstairs first to change out of her riding habit into a more suitable gown when a man stepped out of the drawing room into the foyer.
He turned and smiled, his green-gold eyes sparkling like gemstones.
And suddenly she was running, her pulse pounding in a frantic rhythm.
"Leo!"
She leapt into his arms, her own locking tightly around his neck. Her feet dangled inches off the floor as he held her hard against him, his mouth warm and wild on hers. She clung, pouring all her pa.s.sion, all her misery at their separation, into the kiss.
But she was miserable no more, her heart swelling with a happiness so great she thought she might burst. She kissed him harder, letting his scent and taste and touch sweep through her, washing away everything but him. He kissed her back, plundering her mouth with a thoroughness that made her tingle from head to toe.
"Surprised to see me?" he said, his mouth still scattering quick kisses against her own.
"Yes. What are you doing back? I thought you"d be away for another week at least."
"I came back early. Nothing was the same without you. Did you miss me?"