Page 105 of Stolen By the Duke of Ice
“We can all see that,” Peter said chuckling. “You have had three servings already.”
He observed Claire for any signs that the spirits in the syllabub had affected her, but aside from her usual exuberance, she just seemed happy—and satisfied.
“I believe the alcohol content is not significant enough to render us delicate females intoxicated, Peter,” Dahlia teased him.
“I am relieved to hear that.”
“I’m not so sure about that, I am feeling quite sleepy just now,” Mary said, closing her eyes with a sigh.
“That is because you have eaten too much, Mary,” Claire said laughing.
They moved to the sitting room as was their routine, the only difference being that each bore presents for the others.
“Everyone please put your presents under the tree,” Dahlia directed them. “I shall read out the names on the gifts and hand them to the owners, but we must all wait until every gift is distributed.Thenwe can open them.”
When the gifts were ready, she inclined her head at Peter.
“As the head of the household, it is your responsibility to hand out the presents.”
“Another German tradition?”
“A Dahlia tradition—I just invented it,” Dahlia said with a grin.
His gazed lingered on her for a while, but with a quick shake of his head, he did as Dahliah said. Picking up the first gift, he called out names until the pile of gifts under the fir tree disappeared.
“Now may we open them?” Mary asked.
“Yes, may we? Or is there another Dahlia tradition that we must follow?”
Laughing, Dahlia shook her head.
The gifts were opened to the sounds of surprise and delight.
Peter, who had preferred to watch his sisters and Dahlia open their gifts, put his aside and watched in all enjoyment as their feminine laughter filled the air.
“Oh, Dahlia,” Mary said tears in her eyes. She clutched the blank book she had just unwrapped to her chest. “I shall try very hard to write my own story.”
“They shall not be as beautiful as yours, but they will be written from our hearts,” Claire added.
“And when we see each other again, we shall show you what we wrote,” Mary said.
“And we give you leave to criticize them to your heart’s content!” Claire added.
Dahlia laughed and hugged them both.
Peter could not help but realize that it was the twins asking if they could see her again—and that Dahlia had not answered. A heaviness weighed down his heart.
“And look,” Dahlia said, turning to show them her hairpiece. Then she pointed to Biddy’s gift for them.
Their twin exclamations made Peter smile. The three of them matched. He watched as Dahlia fixed each hairpiece on each twin. They all moved their heads gracefully, admiring the lovely gift.
Peter made a note to thank Biddy personally for… well, for being Dahlia’s valued friend.
When he handed out the presents, he had watched Dahlia for her reaction once she realized that he had not given her one. But either she did not notice, or she did not care. While his mind hoped for the latter, for it signaled that she was coping wellwith their imminent separation, his heart had longed to see her affected. It was selfish of him, he knew, but he could not help the feeling.
He was painfully aware that time was passing. In the morning—in a few hours—she was to leave the castle.
He watched her, committing to memory every detail of that night. How her red curls fell in styled waves against her nape, how the line of her shoulder shook when she laughed. He committed to memory what she wore, the green dress matching her eyes, accentuating the color of her skin.
