Page 55 of The Marquis, the Minx, and the Mistletoe
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Tia thoughtshe did rather well in masking the thundering of her heart and the sizzling fray of her nerves. She handled their entrance into luncheon with dignity and a smile, and sank into her seat feeling as though she had accomplished the biggest obstacle of a particularly challenging quest.
She took a breath, lingering upon that idea for a moment. It made her feel a little stronger, to picture herself as some mythical heroine, following her pre-destined path. After all, it was her inability to allow fate to take its course that got her into this mess, then out of it, then back into it again. She lifted her glass to her lips to stifle a hysterical bubble of laughter that threatened to spill over into the quiet as the plates were served.
As she reached for her napkin and unfolded it into her lap, she heard a delighted gasp come from the end of the table. Little Callie Laughlin squealed with glee, unlodging a star with a red wax seal on it from her lap and holding it high. "I found Uncle Gideon's star!" she exclaimed. "Itwasin the very last place I looked! Just as the clue said!"
"I told you it would be," Lord Somers said to her with a fond smile. “And you were so worried you weren’t meant to find one. It was in your lunch all along!”
"The last place we’d look … that is what the clue said, indeed," said Alex Somers, looking impressed with his brother's ingenuity. "Well played!"
"I agree," said the viscountess tenderly to her husband. "Wonderfully done, Gideon."
Callie was blinking back excitable tears. "I didn't think I'd find one!" she said a couple of times to those sitting around her, while brandishing her prize.
"I suppose that only leaves mine," the dowager commented, casting a quick look to her daughter, who gave an almost imperceptible nod, and then to Tia, who managed a shaky smile.
"Perhaps I'll find it in the next few moments," Sheldon said good-naturedly.
"Perhaps you will," said Heloise as she cut into her food with a look of distinct smugness.
Tia wondered how many people Heloise had roped into their scheme. She glanced around the table, looking for some indication or secret encouragement, but found only people enjoying their food and the occasional furtive glance from Sheldon Bywater, who had warmed to her considerably since she'd first arrived at his door this morning.
She ate sparingly, unable to summon an appetite when her stomach was already full to brimming with anticipation. It was a significant relief when the meal concluded and the viscount announced that all should make ready for the gift exchange in the sitting room.
She had already brought her finished needlepoint to the gift pile earlier this morning. She had found a small brass frame for it at the parish market and tucked the final product into colorful waxed paper in the hopes that the kitchen staff would enjoy it, even if it was not particularly useful nor something they could really share.
She had looked for her gift from Heloise and had been very tempted to peek, but of course could not do so with any amount of honor after the help that the other woman had offered her today. Whatever it was, it was in a flat wooden box with a ribbon tied onto the latch. Shecould havepeeked, undetected, but didn't. For that, she felt rather proud of herself.
The Somerton staff was abuzz with excitement as everyone filed into the room. She had to weave through them to find Sheldon in time to take his arm before they passed into the room. He looked surprised by her appearance and touch, but did not pull away from her. Indeed, he allowed her to steer him directly to the spot she wished to go, and stood comfortably beside her for a moment as people began to filter in and deposit the last of the gifts onto the pile that had formed.
She glanced above their heads, to ensure she had navigated correctly, and took a deep breath, tugging on his sleeve. "Look," she whispered. "Look up there."
He tilted his head back and gazed up at the bundle of mistletoe hanging above them, dangling by a looping silver ribbon. "Shall I kiss you, then?" he asked uncertainly, giving her a wavering half smile.
"Yes," she said immediately, then, "I mean, no, not yet. Look again."
He chuckled, raising his eyes again to humor her as he focused on the bundle of green above them. "Good Lord," he muttered, squinting. "I did find it, after all. Or you did, I suppose."
"Ah," said the viscountess from across the room, clapping her hands together as she nudged her husband. "Look, my star was found after all!"
Sheldon grinned at her. "I'm wont to take it down," he confessed, "at least before I take advantage of its surroundings."
"The mistletoe?" asked Glory. "I believe it would be very amiss if you did not heed its command before you retrieve your prize."
"Agreed," chimed in the viscountess, her smile wide and eager.
Sheldon turned back to Tia, his eyes alight with cheer. "By your leave?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Of course," she answered, a hopeful flutter of joy unleashing in her chest.
He lifted her hand to his lips, pressing them to her knuckles. For a moment, her hope sagged within her, thinking he was choosing propriety as an indication that he had rethought his former devotion, but the way he held her eye was intent and playful, as though all was well between them.
Was she imagining it, or had a hush fallen around them? She could not look away from him to confirm. She was utterly rapt within his gaze.
"Oh, ask her already!" snapped Alex, prompting a series of shushes from the entire household and a goodly portion of the staff, as well as a few stifled giggles.
Sheldon grinned, his fingers tightening a little over hers. "I was wondering," he said, as though it were only the two of them together just now, in this room, "would you like to become my wife?"
