His Christmas Match (A Gentleman's Guide to Once Upon a Time) (36 page)

A
smile graced her lips as she settled back down against him.
 
“I am glad I won’t be leaving you alone with
Lady Jillian.”

He
chuckled.
 
If he didn’t know any better,
he would have thought her jealous. “You wish to protect me?”

“And
more,” she purred.

Thirty-One

Rosalind
checked her appearance one last time trying to keep the smile off her face. It
was difficult when she was so utterly happy.
 
Noah loved her!
 
Her silly dreams
were coming true even though she never believed it would be possible.
 

She
closed her eyes and sighed. Last night had been beyond divine. She had no idea
that making love could be so spectacular, and if she and Noah married, they
could do so again and again.
 
Rosalind
was fairly certain that was one marital duty she would never tire from.

A
giggle escaped, and she quickly bit her lip and glanced around even though she
knew she was very much alone.

Rosalind
schooled her thoughts and her face and straightened her spine. The others were
breaking their fast, and if she did not join them, she would not have the
opportunity to eat. And this morning she was famished.
 

Penelope
eyed her suspiciously as she entered the private dining room, and Noah rose to
assist with her chair.

Demetrius
studied her. Goodness, could they tell what she had done? Was there some sign
she was not aware of that revealed to all she was no longer a virgin?

“You
look well this morning, Rosey,” Demetrius said.

“I
am.” She smiled and sipped from the cup of tea placed before her.

“How
long before we reach your estate, Lord Felding,” Lady Jillian inquired.

Not
even the presence of Lady Jillian and her brother could dampen Rosalind’s
spirits today.

“We
should arrive in the afternoon.”

“Will
we be passing the Sandlin home on the way?” Lady Jillian asked.

“We
will,” Noah said politely.

Lady
Jillian glanced at Rosalind. “Then we shall be parting ways, Miss Valentine.”
She offered the happiest and most genuine smile Rosalind had yet to see on her
face.
 

“We
won’t be stopping there,” Penelope offered.

“What?”
Lady Jillian asked in surprise. “Miss Valentine works for the Sandlins. Surely
they wish for her return.”

“My
sister and brother-in-law will be joining us at the estate. As their children
will be with them, they require Miss Valentine’s presence.”

Lady
Jillian’s eyes widened just a fraction, her nostrils flared, oh so delicately,
and her lips parted in what Rosalind could only assume was surprise.

Rosalind
brought the tea cup to her lips to hide the smile she was afraid she could not
hold back at Lady Jillian’s anger that Rosalind would not be leaving them as
quickly as she wished.

“Still,
I doubt we will see much of you given you will be confined to the nursery floor.”
 
She smiled sweetly. “It is a shame.”

Rosalind
didn’t react or respond. It wasn’t as if Lady Jillian needed to remind her of
her place. She was well aware of what it was. And, if Noah’s family did not
approve of his desire to marry her, then the nursery is where she would remain
for the rest of her life.

“In
truth, I expect the entire Valentine family to visit.” Noah looked to Lady
Jillian with a raised eyebrow. “I understand everyone will be returning for
Christmas, and we will celebrate as we have in the past. So, I doubt my sister
would allow Miss Valentine to remain above stairs.”

Lady
Jillian blanched. “They will be visiting while Broadridge and I are?”

“I
hope that is the case,” Noah smiled. “You do wish to meet my family’s closest
friends, do you not?”

She
narrowed her eyes at him. “Of course.”

At
the conclusion of breakfast, Rosalind rose and exited the inn pleased with how
unhappy Lady Jillian was with Rosalind’s continued presence.
 

Penelope
rushed to catch up with her just as they reached the carriage.

“You
aren’t riding with your bother today?” Rosalind asked.

“I
can’t and beg you not to make me.”

A
footman opened the door, and the ladies entered followed by Demetrius who took
a seat across from the two of them.

As
the carriage pulled onto the road, Penelope began to giggle. “I don’t believe
I’ve ever seen a lady so jealous before.”

Rosalind
slid her a look.
 
“I don’t understand.”

Penelope
turned toward her. “Surely you can see that Lady Jillian is jealous of you. She
must know that my brother prefers you to her.”

“She
believes they will wed,” Demetrius reminded Penelope.
 
“It doesn’t matter what Felding may feel.”

His
eyes met Rosalind’s.

“I
am not sure it is so much jealous as dislike,” Rosalind said.
 
“In fact, I believe she wished the entire
Valentine family would disappear.”

“I
don’t understand,” Penelope looked from sister to brother and back again.
 
Demetrius continued to watch Rosalind as if
waiting.

Rosalind
turned to Penelope.
 
Now was as good as
any to tell her. “Did you learn what Lady Jillian is blackmailing Lord Felding
with?”

Penelope
shook her head.

“Then
I shall tell you.”
 
And she did. Penelope
said nothing as Rosalind shared her sordid past though her eyes grew wide on
occasion.
 
“So, as you can see, if
Felding cannot find a way to break form Lady Jillian without the truth being
told, he will marry her.”

Penelope
grasped Rosalind’s hand. “That is why you went to see Noah after you thought I
was asleep?”

Demetrius
sat forward. “You went to Felding’s room in the middle of the night?” he
demanded.

Rosalind
dismissed him with a wave of her hand.
 
Surely neither would ever suspect what truly happened. “Yes. I told him
that I would tell the world of the Valentine family before I would allow him to
marry her and be miserable.”

“Is
that what you plan to do? Did the two of you reached an agreement?”

Rosalind
sighed. “He wants to see if he can discourage Lady Jillian first, but I assured
him that if he was not successful, I would see that she had no power.”

Penelope
fell back against the squabs.
 
“I am
rather disappointed,” she said after a moment.

Rosalind
wasn’t sure what Penelope meant and was afraid to ask.

“I
had hoped you went to his room for an assignation.” She quickly glanced at
Demetrius who glowered at her. “I hoped the two of you would come to a more
permanent agreement, and Lady Jillian would be out of our lives forever.”

“Surely
you can see that is not possible now,” Rosalind said and tried to ignore the
stab of disappointment of not being able to have Noah forever. Despite his
insistence last night, she would not let his family be linked to her shame. The
remaining unwed daughters could be ruined by the association and she would not
allow it.

“Why
not?”

“Did
you not listen? I am the bastard child of a whore. Your brother requires a lady
as his wife.”

Penelope
stiffened. “Is that what he told you?” She glanced around. “I will smack him so
hard he won’t see straight for days. Of all the pigheaded. . .”

“He
said no such thing,” Rosalind interrupted Penelope’s tirade. “You really
wouldn’t care if he married me?”

“Of
course not,” Penelope said rather affronted.

“The
truth of our family will be learned one day,” Demetrius pointed out.
 
“It would reflect poorly on your family.”

Penelope
rolled her eyes. “We’ve never much cared what others think of us, and I don’t
believe it will ever be a concern.”

Rosalind
simply stared at her. Would the rest of Felding’s family feel the same?
 
Could they be together?

She
squelched the thought before hope had time to bloom in her chest.
 
She would not set herself up for
disappointment and heartache and instead concentrated on freeing Felding from
Lady Jillian.

* * *

Noah
settled back against the squabs and folded his arms across his chest.
 
With any luck, he would sleep all the way to
the estate.

He
closed his eyes as the coach pulled forward.

“You
aren’t going to sleep are you?” Lady Jillian demanded.

Noah
opened one eye and looked at her. “That had been my intention since I didn’t
sleep much last night.”

“Those
beds were uncomfortable,” Broadridge agreed and situated himself in the
opposite corner reclining much as Noah was.

Lady
Jillian gasped. “You are both going to sleep? Who will keep me company?”

“Read
a book,” Broadridge suggested and closed his eyes.
 
Noah did not like the gentleman, nor could he
trust him, but he did appreciate the way the man put his sister in her place
though Noah wished he would do so more often.

A
few moments later the coach rolled to a stop.
 
Noah opened his eyes and glanced out the window to find they were indeed
in front of his manor.
 
He had slept the
entire trip. He had hoped that would be the case but hadn’t thought it would
actually happen. Then again, he was exhausted as he had not slept at all the
night before.
 
Rosalind had stayed with
him until shortly before sunrise. He had dressed and walked her to her room and
saw no reason to return to bed.

He
stepped down and offered a hand to Lady Jillian. She placed a dainty foot onto
the cobbled drive and looked up; a pleased smile formed on her lips. “This is a
lovely home, Lord Felding.”

Noah
inclined his head. “Thank you.”
 
As much
as she may wish it, Lady Jillian would never be mistress of his manor.

The
next carriage pulled up, and a footman rushed to open the door.
 
Penelope emerged first. “It is good to be
home,” she sighed.
 

Miss
Valentine followed with a sleepy smile on her lips.

Demetrius
stepped out and stretched. Had he slept as well?
 
“Could you have a servant deliver my trunk?”
he called over to Noah.

“The
carriage can return you home.”

He
shook his head. “I would like to stretch my legs.”

“Aren’t
you coming in for tea?” Penelope asked.

“As
much as I would like to visit with your family, I would like to see my own
first.”

“Perhaps
Miss Valentine should go with you,” Lady Jillian suggested. “I am sure it has
been weeks, if not months, since she has visited with her family.”

Longing
sparked in Rosalind’s eyes, but Noah couldn’t allow her to be away just
now.
 
Besides, if all worked as he
intended, Rosalind would be residing next door to her family for the rest of
her life.

“I
really should see to the children,” Rosalind turned to Demetrius.
 
“Tell aunt and uncle that I will be by as
soon as I have the opportunity.”

He
nodded and started across the lawn, not yet covered in snow, toward the trees
that separate their homes.

Lady
Jillian grasped Noah’s arm and beamed up at him. “Shall we?”

He
bit back a groan and led her into the house.

Broadridge
offered Penelope his arm and followed Noah and Lady Jillian inside. Noah
suspected Rosalind followed at the back.
 
He clenched his teeth in
irritation. It was Rosalind he
wanted to escort into the sitting room and announce to his family that she
would be his bride not introduce them to Lady Jillian who still believed it
would be her role to fill.

“Noah,
you’ve returned,” his step-mother, Victoria, said from her place on the
settee.
 
It was good to see that Victoria
gathered with the family. For nearly two years, she barely left her chamber
after the accident that took her husband and Noah’s father.
 
When Phoebe delivered her twins, Victoria
emerged more often and even traveled to the Sandlin estate when she could
though Noah doubted Victoria would ever return to London.

Noah
glanced about the room.
 
Phoebe,
Patience, and Phillipa were seated, and Sandlin lounged against the fireplace.
He frowned at the sight of Lady Jillian. Had Phoebe told Sandlin of his plans?
Or, had Penelope written to Phoebe?
 
Beside Victoria, on the floor, the twins played with toys, and Noah
smiled for the first time since exiting the carriage.