Page 17 of The Miracle of Love
Tiswell poured water into the tub. “I understand, Mr. Quinton. Truly, I do. Miss Montford is a gently bred lady. A true lady in every sense. I speak for the entire staff. We can see how distraught she is about her family’s scandal. And now this morning she…well, she came downstairs looking like a wounded kitten.”
He nodded, for this was precisely how she had appeared to him last night. “Yes, she does have that soft look about her, doesn’t she?”
“It is easy to see how humiliated she is by this arrangement.”
“It will only be for the week.”
“But it is Christmas week when all your family is around. Half of them are already here and more will come tonight for Lady Miranda’s dinner party. Miss Montford will be among you, pretending to be happy while she is desperately missing her family and ashamed to be living with a man in her bedchamber. At the end of the week, Lady Miranda will have everyone over again to decorate the house with boughs of holly, velvet ribbons, and mistletoe. This will only make the dear girl feel worse.”
“I wish it could be otherwise,” Deklan said. “And I hope the staff will keep their mouths shut. Will you let them know I will not tolerate any insolence toward her?”
He nodded. “No one will breathe a word.”
They spoke no more about Grace as he quickly bathed, washed his hair, then shaved and dressed. He gave himself a final inspection while Tiswell finished adjusting his cravat, and then went downstairs to join Grace and his family.
He was delighted to find his young nephew at the breakfast table. “Uncle Deklan!”
He scooped the boy up in his arms and gave him a hug. “Sam, you’ve grown so big. And you’re looking more like your father every day.”
After greeting the boy, who quickly ran off to join the other children playing upstairs, he greeted the other members of his family. His cousin, Caleb Brayden, was down from Scarborough with his wife, Faith. “We intended to stay with Marcus and Lara,” Caleb said, referring to his brother and his brother’s wife, “but Aunt Miranda would not hear of it. So, we are settled here for the next few days.”
“It is quite convenient since most of the festivities will take place right here,” Faith chimed in. “I have only to walk upstairs to put the little ones to their naps. It is much nicer than having to drag them around in the cold.”
It also felt good to see his cousins, Shayne, Donal, and Lorcan, all with their lovely wives. But he regarded Lorcan, puzzled as to why he was here. He and Cammy had their own townhouse in London. So why were they all packed in at Aunt Miranda’s?
Lorcan emitted a hearty chuckle, understanding the direction of his thoughts. “We may be fierce enough to take down enemy agents, treasonous rebels, and vicious killers, but not one of us dares defy a summons from Aunt Miranda.”
Shayne put his arm along the back of his wife’s chair and nodded. “So here we all are. It’s rather nice, actually. Just like old times, except the wildebeests are too big to toss into one room. We’ve taken over the entire house. Miranda’s sons will be along later with their wives. So will James and Romulus with their wives, even Gabrielle,” he said, referring to James and Romulus’s sister, “will be arriving with her husband and their brood. They were originally going to spend the holidays with her husband’s family in York, but Gabby could not pass up this touching family reunion.”
Deklan ran a hand through his hair as he glanced at Grace.
“I know,” Lorcan said quietly. “Dozens of Braydens, Quintons, and their wives and children here to celebrate while her family is in shambles. We tried to talk to Miranda about the situation. Cammy and I offered to take the visiting family into our home. Her own sons offered the same. We certainly are not short on family residences in London since most of us already live here. But she will not hear of it.”
Deklan nodded. “Well, Grace cannot stay here. Her presence will put your wives and children at risk. Even though I think the risk is low, that it even exists is cause for concern. I plan to move Grace out of here tonight.”
“But what of the family dinner? Miranda will have your hide if you do not attend.”
“I’ll move Grace out of here once it is over, or tomorrow at the latest.”
His cousin, Donal, had been listening in and shook his head. “Leave her with us for now. Would she not be an easier target if you moved her away?”
“That will be my problem to figure out.”
“If she is here, we can all protect her,” Shayne remarked. “I expect the Christmas festivities will be hard on her considering her situation, but it cannot be worse than sitting through the holiday on her own. Just think about it, Deklan.”
Deklan would have removed Grace already were he dealing with any family but his own. His cousins Shayne, Donal, and Lorcan were trained agents of the Crown. Shayne had since retired to become Taunton’s magistrate, but he had not lost any of his abilities. As for his cousin Caleb, he was an army general and so was Caleb’s brother, Marcus.
Miranda’s sons, who would be joining them later, were just as fierce.
Lorcan cleared his throat. “Let me know if I can help in any way. I’m still the best tracker Wooton has in his service.”
“I’ve thought of it,” Deklan said with a nod. “We may need your talents. One week to discover the whereabouts of that stolen crown does not give us much time. Has Miranda told you the rest of it?”
He nodded. “Yes, she told us whatever you revealed to her. We won’t let Grace come to harm.”
Deklan said nothing.
While he trusted his family and was glad to have their support, he did not particularly wish to encourage their further involvement. Perhaps he would have to avail himself of Lorcan’s tracking skills, but this was as far as he wanted to go. The situation could get ugly, and he would never forgive himself if any of his loved ones were injured.
