Page 45 of An Earl's Christmas Seduction
“Well… when are you going to do it?” she demanded.
“Do what?” Nicholas replied, feigning ignorance.
Constance glared at him.
“Announce the betrothal, Nicholas. When are you going to tell them?” she demanded.
“Constance, I… it’s too soon,” Nicholas said, knowing he could not allow her false belief to continue, even as he needed her for the sake of solving the mystery concerning his mother.
Constance looked at him angrily.
“What do you mean? Too soon? But why?” she exclaimed, her lip trembling, as she steadied herself against the sideboard.
“Because I need to know the truth about my mother,” Nicholas replied.
He had not intended to tell Constance anything about the matter, but he was no nearer to discovering the truth than he had been when the guests had first arrived. Naively, Nicholas had assumed the matter would simply reveal itself with a stray word, a nod of the head, the raising of an eyebrow, something to indicate the truth, even as the truth had proved to be elusive.
If anything, the mystery was deeper than it had been. The strange words spoken by Amelia’s mother to his aunt and Lady Thornton only added to its complexity. Constance looked at him in astonishment.
“Your mother… your mother?” she hissed, lowering her voice and glancing over her shoulder.
Constance was well aware of the rumors surrounding Nicholas, and now she clutched at Nicholas’ arm, glaring at him, even as he returned her gaze defiantly.
“Yes… I can’t marry anyone until I know the truth,” he said.
“Don’t you realize what you might discover?” she demanded.
“Yes… the truth,” Nicholas replied, and pulling his arm away from her, he turned back to the other guests.
“When do we wassail, Nicholas?” the viscount called out, and Nicholas forced a smile to his face.
“As soon as you get these decorations put up,” he said, glad to have put Constance in her place and laid to rest the matter of a betrothal…at least for now.
Amelia was talking to her mother, and Nicholas hoped she was attempting to discover something more about what she had overheard in the trees the three older women. They all seemed to somehow be connected through the mystery.
He wanted to go over to her, but fearing he would only rouse Constance’s wrath further, he turned to seek out alternative company. To his surprise, he found Harry standing by the drawing room door, an anxious expression on his face, and he beckoned to Nicholas, who followed him out into the hallway.
“We need to talk about something,” Harry said, indicating for Nicholas to follow him.
Nicholas was confused, and he hoped Harry was not about to give him a further dressing down over the game of sardines.
“If this is about the game, I told everyone I was looking…” he said, but Harry turned to him and shook his head.
“In here,” he said, bundling Nicholas into the library.
“What’s the meaning of all this?” Nicholas demanded.
“I heard something strange earlier during the game. I’ve been waiting to tell you,” Harry said.
Nicholas indicated for him to take one of the chairs by the hearth, and he pulled up the other, leaning forward, lest anyone be listening at the door.
“What did you hear?” he asked.
“It was Sir Samuel and his wife. They were the only ones left in the drawing room, and the ones not playing had gone off to play bridge. I was about to join them when I overheard… well, it was the strangest thing,” Harry said, pausing, his eyes wide and fearful.
“Just tell me, Harry,” Nicholas said. He was beginning to get exasperated with his friend who seemed only to want to build the suspense of what he was saying.
“I’m sorry. It was Sir Samuel who said it. He said something like “he has a responsibility to set things straight, enough time’s gone by, he can’t keep the secret any longer, it’s below his dignity,” but I don’t know what he meant by it. More secrets.” Harry replied.
