Page 8 of Christmas with the Duke
The thought of feeding all those mouths had Caroline clutching her hands tightly together. “If you will please excuse me, Alison, I had better go and check with the kitchens. If we have people arriving tomorrow, I want to make sure everything is ready.”
Bedding. Food. Whisky. Once that was all sorted, then she could take time for herself.
What about the bonfire? Has Master Crowdie made arrangements for the children of the village? They need to be fed and standing somewhere safe, well away from the fireworks. I hadn’t checked with him about the fireworks. I do hope they arrived in good condition from Coton’s London factory.
She added fireworks to her list. And yes, once she had everything sorted, she would put up her feet and take it easy. But there was still so much to be done.
And the boars, are they big enough to feed everyone? We can’t have people going home with empty bellies.
Caroline headed out the front door of the keep and toward the steps which led down to the castle kitchens. This was going to be a wonderful Christmas and New Year’s. She just had to survive it.
ChapterSix
Hugh. Mary. Clare. Lucy. Avery. Alex. Millie. As each member of the Radley family climbed down from one of the three travel coaches, which stood in the castle bailey, Caroline mentally ticked their names off her list. All these people she had been expecting.
But her heart sank when two other bodies also appeared and joined the recent arrivals. Caroline recognized them as being Millie’s brother, Charles Ashton, and an old school friend of Alex’s, whose name completely escaped her memory.
I had no idea they were coming. Now I shall have to make changes to the sleeping arrangements.
Why hadn’t her son told her he was bringing extra guests?
“Smile and welcome our arrivals,” said Ewan.
Standing on the landing outside the front door of the keep, Caroline shot her husband a sideways glare. Words were not required. Ewan would know full well she wasn’t the least bit happy with Alex inviting people to come to stay while not having the good manners to inform his mother.
Ewan bent and gave Caroline a kiss on the cheek. “If it makes you feel any better, I fully intend to go and have a quiet word with my son and heir about his lack of care. But I am sure we can make room for these extra bodies. It is Christmas, so how about we just pretend that we are in Bethlehem and Strathmore Castle is the only place left for them to go? No one will be turned away.”
She pointed toward the castle stables which sat across the other side of the bailey. “If we are imagining Bethlehem, then Alex can go and sleep in there along with the animals,” muttered Caroline.
Ewan left a laugh in his wake as he made his way down the front steps of the keep and went to greet his family and guests.
“Welcome! You have all made it safely through the wilds of Scotland. Come inside and have a wee dram or two of whisky.”
* * *
Late the following evening, Ewan stood in the great hall of the castle keep and considered the view. Everywhere he looked, there were people. People drinking. People eating. People laughing. He hadn’t seen the hall so busy in many years. It was good to see the huge gathering space being the hub of festive merriment. Family and friends were always welcome at Ewan’s hearth. These were the people who gave life its true richness.
But as the hours dragged on, Ewan’s generous, convivial mood began to fray at the edges. His temper was becoming sorely tested.
Almost everyone is here, but where the deuce is Caroline?
The castle staff had managed to make suitable accommodation for the extra guests. With Clare Radley having conveyed the news that Francis Saunders wasn’t making the trip north with Adelaide and Charles, it meant only one extra bed had to be found. Caroline had made known to Alex her displeasure at his lack of forethought, after which she seemed to have calmed down. Alex’s school friend was allocated the room that had been set aside for James and Leah, who, according to Hugh and Mary, were not likely to come.
The number of guests and their sleeping arrangements were not the major source of Ewan’s irritation. What rankled the Duke of Strathmore was the fact that when he looked for her, he either couldn’t find Caroline, or when he did manage to locate his wife, she was far too busy to pay him any attention.
He growled under his breath, frustrated. There had to be somewhere that a frisky duke could take his wife for a spot of hot sex in private. Somewhere other than the ducal apartments.
Ah, there you are.
Caroline swept into the hall, followed closely by the tartan-clad Master Crowdie and a small retinue of servants. It was well past supper, and she was still attending to preparations.
An irritated Ewan crossed the floor and intercepted the group’s progress. He nodded to his steward. “Is there anything that is urgent for tonight, Master Crowdie?”
Master Crowdie looked from duke to duchess, paused, and then met Ewan’s gaze. “No, your grace. We have it all under control.”
The man wasn’t a fool; he knew which of the two, his master and mistress, could make his life the most difficult. Caroline might well reign in the keep, but Ewan was lord of the entire castle and village.
“Thank you, Master Crowdie. I think that should be all for this evening. I bid you a good night. We shall talk in the morning,” said Caroline.
