Page 50 of An Earl's Christmas Seduction
Her mother spluttered into her sherry, though she hastily recovered herself, glancing at Amelia with a nervous look in her eyes.
“Well… yes, I was worried, too. But it seems we’ve all found our place. You have been with Clara and Isobel. I’m glad you’ve made friends with them. I’ve been so worried about you, Amelia. Poor Rupert, he wouldn’t have wanted you to wallow in self-pity, would he?” she asked, and Amelia shook her head.
“No, Mother. I’ve come to realize that. I’m glad I’ve become friends with Clara and Isobel, too. Though they’re just as surprised to see their mother and you and Lady Thornton together so much. How do you know one another?” Amelia asked.
She was not about to avoid the matter any further. Her curiosity was peaked, and she wanted to know the truth. She wanted to solve the mystery perplexing her. Her mother shook her head.
“We’re women of a certain age, all with children, and we’ve got a lot in common,” she said.
“A secret?” Amelia asked, and at these words, her mother’s face turned pale.
“A secret?” she stammered.
“Yes, Mother. I overheard the three of you talking in the woods about a secret involving a child. What does it mean?” she asked, no longer holding back. She wanted to know the truth, no matter how hard it might be to hear.
She could not imagine why her mother would have kept a secret concerning her, and the two of them were close. Amelia had never thought of her mother as one to withhold something meaningful from her, and she could only assume the matter concerned Nicholas, and the truth about his past. Her mother shook her head, pursing her lips as Amelia continued to coax her into revelation.
“I can’t tell you, Amelia. It’s not for me to say, or for you to hear from me. I can’t,” she hissed, glancing around the room as she spoke.
“But why, Mother? Why keep a secret from me? What’s it got to do—” she began, but her mother silenced her.
“I can’t tell you, but you’re right, there is something. I’m sorry, Amelia, I just can’t,” she said.
Amelia shook her head, angry at her mother for not trusting her. She felt no guilt for her behavior with Nicholas. If a scandal was created, her mother could bear the brunt of it since she herself was so intent on harboring her secrets.
“I just hope it won’t bring hurt or shame on anyone, Mother,” she said, but her mother shook her head.
“Some things are best left unsaid, Amelia. For everyone’s sake,” she said. Her words only made Amelia more determined to help Nicholas discover the truth he so desperately wanted to know.
It was not right to keep such secrets hidden, and Amelia now wanted desperately to tell him what her mother had said and what she had not said. The gong rang, and the guests were summoned into dinner, pairing off together towards the dining room. To her surprise and delight, Clara had taken the arm Edmund offered and were happily conversing as they made their way into the dining room.
“Will ye let me escort ye, Lady Amelia?” the viscount asked, offering Amelia his arm.
Nicholas, of course, was with Constance, and Amelia caught his eye sympathizing with him from afar. He still appeared preoccupied, and Amelia resolved to speak to him alone after dinner. The dining room was set for a grand gathering.
The best silverware was on display, and they sat down to a delicious dinner of spiced mince pies with beef and suet, orange currants, venison, tureens of vegetables, and a rich port gravy. Flavored ices and a cake made with dried fruits and marzipan along with cheese and port were served in the drawing room.
“What a delicious dinner. I’m too used to good food now, Lady Amelia. I’ll nae be able to go back to Ireland. All I get at home is potatoes and turnips,” the viscount said, as they returned to the drawing room.
“You should stay with us in London, my Lord. We’d make a merry group, the three of us. Stay a while. We’d be glad of your company,” Hugh said, and his brother nodded.
“Absolutely,” Edgar said.
Amelia smiled, glancing across at Isobel, who rolled her eyes. The thought of the three of them together was too much, and as though to prove her point, the viscount now called for a song to be sung.
“Oh, but we’ve sung so many songs,” Lady Thornton said, and her husband who had barely uttered a dozen words during the course of dinner, now spoke up.
“Christmas Eve is a time for ghost stories, don’t you think?” he said.
The others looked at one another nervously.
“Do you really think so?” Clara asked, and a shiver ran down Amelia’s spine.
“Certainly! Ghost stories have always been part of the keeping of Christmas,” Lord Thornton replied.
“Then you should be the one to tell one, Lord Thornton,” Nicholas said, and it seemed the matter was settled.
The viscount was still grumbling, but the rest of the party now became enthusiastic for a tale. A large wooden chair was placed in front of the fire for Lord Thornton to sit in. The curtains had been drawn across the windows, the wind howling outside, and Nicholas ordered all the candles in the room to be extinguished, except for one on the mantelpiece.
