Page 65 of The Beastly Duke's Christmas Bride
Turning the corner, Isabel opened her mouth to announce herself, only to see that plans had changed.
“Thomas?”
He was pulling off his hat and cloak to Wesley who stared at him with a slightly disappointed expression. Or that’s what it looked like until he noticed her, and he nodded. “Your Grace. Are you at home for receiving guests?”
Not really.
Exhaling, she walked forward and tried to sort out what she might do able this delay. Could she refuse her brother? It was difficult to know where she stood with him after all that had happened; even if this was her own home, he was her elder brother. They were family.
“Thomas, I’m very glad to see you,” she started politely.
“As am I! It’s hardly the holiday season without family, isn’t it?”
Isabel considered that. “That is very true. Have you visited Mother and Father? If not, they would be very glad to see you.”
“But it wouldn’t be as delightful as spending time with you,” he countered. “Where is that husband of yours? The brooding duke?”
So I’m not the only one who noticed.
“Thomas, please,” she scolded him gently, then redirected their conversation. “I am meant to be with him now. We were going to help the village look for some missing sheep.”
He shuddered. “In this weather? It’s nothing but filth and slush out there, Isabel. You would surely catch your death out there. No, you must stay where it is comfortable and warm. Am I not your guest?”
“Well, yes, but…”
With everything handed off to Wesley, Thomas beamed at her and crossed his arms. “Then you have something better to do. Entertain me. Do you have any brandy?”
Annoyance washed over her as he passed her to make his way to the drawing room. She wanted to leave him or better urge him to take his leave, but Isabel couldn’t find the words. Sighing, she grudgingly turned to Wesley.
“Can you please find the duke and let him know I won’t be able to join him after all? Something came up. Tell him I wish it all goes well,” she said with a tight smile before following after her brother.
Walking into the room, she paused and let out a laugh of surprise when she found him pulling out a chess set. “Where did you find that?”
He grinned. “You know me. I will always find my way into a game. Shall we play?”
“I’m going to lose,” she pointed out. “I always lose.”
“You learned how to play a fair game, but you never learned how to cheat,” Thomas explained. “That’s why you never win. Come, I’ll show you.”
Her mouth dropped open and she scolded him, but it was difficult to turn him down. It always had been. Everyone had a hard time. Thomas would smile and tease and redirect the conversation with an easy compliment. This had always annoyed Isabel.
And yet, there was such a familiar comfort to having him there that she couldn’t deny. She had missed this. With her complicated relationship with Sebastian, Isabel liked knowing where she stood with someone. And her brother was easy.
He’s not perfect, after all. I simply have to remember who he really is. My brother, and a complicated man, who likes trouble. As long as I keep my distance, all shall be well.
“Wait,” Isabel cried suddenly. She stared at the board and gasped. Looking up at her brother, she glanced back down at the board. “Did I win? I won. I did it!”
Scowling, he looked around the board, studying each piece, before grimacing. As Thomas fell back in his chair, he crossedhis arms. “Fine. I suppose you did after I taught you how to cheat.”
Smirking, she moved her knight. “Check mate. And I didn’t cheat.”
“Of course you did. It’s the only way you could beat me.”
“Or perhaps you are getting rusty,” she teased him. The game was over. No matter what happened next, he couldn’t win. But she decided to move the pieces further all the same. She moved his and then hers, and then she captured all of his pieces. Glee filled her, making her as light as a feather. “Perhaps you are getting rusty in your old age, Thomas.”
Huffing, he rolled his eyes and slouched further on the loveseat. “I’m not that old.”
All Isabel could do was laugh to herself. Clearing the board, she returned the pieces to their proper place. “Would you like to play another game?”
