Page 61 of An Earl's Christmas Seduction
“Happy Christmas, mother,” she said, forcing a smile to her face.
Her mother looked at her curiously.
“I thought you were going to take Rupert’s locket off, Amelia. You’re wearing it now. Did you forget your promise?” she asked.
Amelia raised her hand to her neck, comforted by the presence of the locket, and she shook her head.
“I wanted to wear it. It’s Christmas Day, and I don’t want to forget the man I loved more than anything in the world on a day when love did not forget the world,” she said.
Her mother sighed.
“Oh, Amelia. You mustn’t be so caught up in such thoughts. They’re not good for you. Rupert wouldn’t want you to wear it, not for such a reason,” she said, but Amelia’s mind was made up.
“I’m wearing it, Mother. And what’s more, I want to go home as soon as we can,” she said.
Amelia did not wish to remain any longer at Ashworth House. She wanted to go home, and she did not care if she broke whatever social expectation she might be breaking in demanding to do so. Her mother raised her eyebrows.
“What’s wrong with you, Amelia? Is it all this…the thing I told you I couldn’t tell you?” she asked, but Amelia shook her head.
“I don’t care about any of that anymore, Mother. I just want to go home. I’m tired of Devonshire, and I’m tired of these people, too,” she said.
“Even the earl?” her mother asked, staring at her in surprise.
“Especially the earl,” Amelia replied.
She made her way downstairs, her mother following her, questioning her as they went.
“But Amelia, I don’t understand. What’s wrong with you? We can’t leave tomorrow. And we can’t expect the servants to help us tomorrow. It’s their day off. We’re invited to stay for the season, and it would be churlish of us to leave so soon,” she said.
But Amelia’s mind was made up, and whether accompanied by her mother or not, she intended to leave.
“Amelia, there you are. We were just coming to look for you. Merry Christmas,” Clara said.
She was standing in the hallway with Isobel, the two of them dressed in matching green dresses with red sashes. They looked very pretty. Amelia forced a smile to her face, not wanting them to know what their cousin had done to her.
“Happy Christmas to you both,” she said, and her mother said the same.
The scent of breakfast was in the air, and Amelia followed Clara and Isobel to the dining room where the rest of the guests were gathered around the table. Constance was not there, and Amelia was glad. She took her place, and a footman poured her a cup of coffee from a silver pot.
“Tis’ a delight to find myself in such fine company on Christmas Day,” the viscount said, and the rest of the party were in equally good spirits, the twins telling jokes, and Mrs. Bennett promising to play the pianoforte for them that afternoon.
“Samuel doesn’t normally like me playing so much, do you, Samuel?” Lady Bennett said, and her husband raised his eyebrows.
“I didn’t think I had the power to stop you, my dear, but if I do…” he replied, raising his eyebrows.
At that moment, the dining room door opened and Nicholas entered. Amelia stiffened, staring resolutely ahead as the earl wished his guests a Merry Christmas.
“And to the founder of the feast, our gracious host,” Lord Thornton said, raising his coffee cup as though in a toast.
The other guests did the same, and Nicholas gave a curt bow. Amelia stole a glance at him. To her surprise, he looked pale and withdrawn. There was an anxious look in his eyes, but he appeared to be trying to hide it behind a false smile. For a moment, she was confused, but reason soon overcame and residual feelings towards him, and she dismissed his look of anxiety as one of guilt. Even a man capable of such wickedness could surely feel a modicum of guilt.
“Good morning, Amelia,” Nicholas said, sitting down opposite her.
She looked up at him, their eyes meeting for a moment, her expression hard.
“Good morning,” she replied, before returning her attentions to the piece of toast and marmalade in front of her.
“I trust you slept well?” he asked.
