Page 20 of A Lovely White Christmastide
“I can attest to the truthfulness of that one,” Beth divulged. “Although my sister is not a strong swimmer, she can keep herself afloat.” Mr. Kaye frowned, but Beth continued. “I believe it is the one about not liking plum pudding. You like everything that is sweet.”
“And you, Lord Bingham?” Julianna asked.
“I think I shall have to rely on your sister's knowledge of you and agree that you do in fact like plum pudding. Besides, how can you not have danced with a general if your uncle is one?”
Julianna crossed her arms in triumph. “You are all wrong. I can swim and I do not like plum pudding, but I have never danced with a general.”
“But I saw you with Uncle Waverly.”
“Yes, but he was not a general at the time.”
All three groaned and Julianna chuckled.
“I cry foul,” Mr. Kaye said. “Whether it was before or after his service he has at one time been a general so it counts.”
“Here, here,” Lord Bingham agreed, rubbing his left hand against his trouser leg. Odd that he did not put his glove on. It would keep the hand warmer than simply being held.
Something wet landed on the end of her nose and Julianna looked up. A mistake as several more droplets landed in her face.
“Oh dear.” Beth scurried toward the carriage. “Where is the driver? It has been far more than ten minutes.”
Even though the carriage sat awkwardly on the ground they all agreed that it would be drier within than to stand in the freezing rain. Once within, however, it was quite the task to seat themselves without sliding into whomever sat nearest the left side door.
Mr. Kaye suggested they all squeeze themselves on the backward facing seat since it still sat evenly on two wheels, but that was a complete impossibility without one of the sisters sitting on the other's lap. In the end Lord Bingham offered to sit on the sloping seat allowing Julianna to sit next to Mr. Kaye with Beth on her other side.
“Well isn’t this cozy,” Mr. Kaye said. “Boy, girl, girl, boy.”
Lord Bingham rolled his eyes. “It would be far cozier if the postilion would return and we could be on our way in a carriage with seats that all sat upright.”
“I agree,” Beth said, glancing at Lord Bingham’s left hand. Leaning forward, she pulled his glove from his grasp. He looked at her in confusion until she silently opened the end toward him. Hesitantly he slipped his hand into it, then nodded.
The interchange was strange, but it appeared Beth had grown tired of watching him strangle his glove with one hand.
“Do not mind his Lordship. He becomes cantankerous when things are not squarely on the threes and nines,” Mr. Kaye leaned over and whispered.
“I heard that,” Lord Bingham said, eyeing his friend.
Mr. Kaye did not look the least chagrin.
“The threes and nines?” Julianna asked.
“Yes, everything must square up with the clock and the seat he is on is most definitely not a straight line from three to nine.”
Beth smiled. “If you’d like, I can switch places with you, Lord Bingham.”
He peered at her, his eyes growing soft. “You have already done me one kindness today, thank you.”
She had? What kindness was this? Julianna glanced at Mr. Kaye, a question in the tilt of her head, but the sound of pounding hooves and rolling wheels stole his attention.
Lord Bingham leaned his head so he could see out the window. “It is the driver.”
Beth sighed. “Good. I was beginning to wonder if they were going to leave us here to freeze.”
“I would not have let that happen.” Lord Bingham exited and reached out with his left hand. Beth took it and Julianna saw a look pass between them. It was like watching a beautiful play acted out on a stage where the heroine peers into the hero's eyes with wonder and he holds her gaze with tenderness and admiration in his own.
Julianna let out a long slow breath and let her body melt with the lovely feeling. Warmth seeped into her back and a hand came up to rest on her arm.
“They do look good together,” he said.
