Page 24 of Seducing an Earl under the Mistletoe
Back at Saltdean House, everyone was seated in the drawing room for tea.
“Is everything all right, Catherine?” Marcus suddenly asked.
Catherine replied with a smile. “Yes, why wouldn’t it be?”
He frowned. “You seem lost in thought.”
“Oh, you know…” Catherine tried to wave her hand dismissively, but her sister interfered.
“I’m afraid it is all my fault,” Virginie interjected, sounding apologetic. “My tongue…it is sometimes faster than my reason.”
“What did you do?” Marcus inquired, sounding like a concerned brother.
Virginie looked down at her lap in an embarrassed manner. “I said something that wasn’t very nice. I said that Catherine is destined to become a confirmed spinster…if she continues in this manner.”
Marcus frowned. “That is a very rude thing to say, Virginie.”
“I know,” Virginie replied, turning to Catherine. “I’m sorry. I…I was just trying to be funny, but it was at your expense, Cate. I didn’t mean it like that.”
“It’s all right,” Catherine smiled reassuringly. She didn’t want to hold this against her sister.
They attempted to regain the pleasant, familial atmosphere. Marcus understood the need for rectifying such things within the family, so engaging in lighthearted banter, he endeavored to ease the tension created by Virginie’s playful remark.
Catherine knew what he was trying to do, and it was difficult not to laugh at his stories, while the four of them gathered around a tray of steaming hot tea. As the conversations flowed and laughter finally permeated the room, Catherine found herself turning to Arthur, while Virginie and Marcus seemed focused on their own conversation, seated opposite them.
“Your sister loves you very much, you know,” Arthur pointed out, noticing that she was getting lost in thought again.
Catherine smiled, a part of her a little embarrassed that Arthur had heard Virginie’s remark. “I know.”
“It’s just that sometimes, people don’t really think about what they are saying or how it will sound, so what they say isn’t well thought through,” Arthur explained.
“You know, that makes perfect sense,” Catherine replied amusedly. “But it’s not only Virginie. It’s…just these past couple of days. My mind is a mess.”
Arthur immediately seized the opportunity to act, something she loved about him. “Ah, a distraction is in order then,” he told her, getting up and walking over to a small table in the corner of the room. She noticed him bringing the books in upon their arrival, but she believed it was something for Marcus.
Arthur then returned with the stack of books cradled in his hands. “I hope these find favor with you. A small token of…consideration. They are from a very special library. When you return them, you could choose something else for yourself.”
Catherine was stunned by his thoughtfulness. She gently took the books, running her fingers over the covers, feeling the texture of each one.
“Thank you, Arthur,” she managed to muster, overwhelmed. “This is very kind of you.”
He couldn’t resist a teasing remark. “Perhaps distance did make your heart grow fonder, Catherine.”
Catherine laughed, appreciating his wit. “Your charm is as captivating as ever. But truly, your gesture warms my heart. Books are the perfect gift.”
“Speaking of books,” he continued, tilting his head a little, “the latest installment I’ve read by Carver Frost depicted a scene that seemed oddly reminiscent of our recent encounter under the mistletoe.”
Cate felt her cheeks flush, realizing she had been caught in her little secret. “Oh, that…Well, you see, it’s just a coincidence. Literature often draws from reality, and how many people have kissed under the mistletoe at Christmastime? I mean, we don’t even know the number.
Many. Yes, many people have kissed under the mistletoe. No point in questioning such a silly thing.” She kept talking, and no matter how much she wanted to stop, she couldn’t. She knew that she was making less and less sense, yet she wanted to do everything in her power to convince him that it wasn’t true.
Only, it was.
She hesitated, unsure of how she would be able to navigate out of any potential confession, but before she could continue, Arthur chimed in with a gentle smile. “Even if youhadwritten about me, I would not be surprised.”
Catherine was taken aback, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and intrigue. “You wouldn’t?”
“No,” he shook his head, continuing. She gazed at him, and all she could see in his eyes was pure honesty. “You see me as I am, Catherine. There is an openness in your presence that allows me to be my truest self. With you, there is no fear of judgment, and it is so easy to simply follow my wishes, without any fear.”
