The Duke's Christmas Greetings (Regency Christmas Summons Book 3)

  The Duke’s Christmas Greetings

  Copyright © 2015 by Ava Stone, Lily George and Rose Gordon

  Cover design by Covers By Lily

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the authors.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without written permission.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  LADY PATIENCE’S CHRISTMAS KITTEN ~ AVA STONE

  A CHRISTMAS COURTSHIP ~ LILY GEORGE

  MISTLETOE AND MICHAELMAS ~ ROSE GORDON

  Wayward Niece,

  I feel I have neglected to provide the proper direction you and your daughters are in desperate need of since your parents have been gone these many years. For that neglect, I do hope my brother will forgive me beyond the grave. I will, however, rectify my neglect immediately as I am certain you do not wish for your girls to follow in your impetuous and scandalous footsteps.

  Fortunately for them, scandal is not in the blood. Otherwise I would not waste a second of my time with concern over your daughters and would believe their causes to be quite lost. As things stand, however, I believe they can be saved from themselves and from your lax guardianship of them. Therefore, I will expect the four of you to attend me this Christmas at Danby Castle so I might determine the best course of action for each of you.

  Highfield Park, Buckinghamshire ~ December 1816

  “That’s hardly fair, Braden,” Lady Patience Post complained as her oldest half-brother, the Marquess of Bradenham, frowned at her from behind his large mahogany desk. And it wasn’t fair. He had told her, after all that, she could keep Ashes and now he was insisting she could not.

  “It has nothing to do with fairness, Patience.” Braden scrubbed a hand down his face as though she was the one being unreasonable. “The cat—”

  “His name is Ashes,” Patience returned, thinking it might be harder for Braden to toss her beloved little kitten from Highfield Park if he had to acknowledge that Ashes had a name. “And he’s the first thing that’s made Hope smile since we returned from Ravenglass.”

  “Callie is sneezing constantly. Her eyes itch and they water. Her nose is as red as an overripe raspberry. She is completely miserable, Patience. And in her delicate condition, you cannot expect her to endure such a fate just so you can keep your kitten.”

  It was true. Her sister-in-law did seem quite miserable and prone to sneezing fits whenever Ashes was in the vicinity. And she was newly expectant. But it wasn’t the kitten’s fault that Callie couldn’t control her sneezing and watery eyes. He hadn’t done anything that would warrant him being thrown from the manor like an unwanted vagrant.

  If her sister-in-law wasn’t of the sweetest disposition, Patience might think her sneezing fits were all a mean spirited performance of some sort. After all, no one else experienced such an attack whenever Ashes came near. That was it!

  “I promise to keep him locked in my room, Braden,” she vowed. “I won’t let him go near her.”

  “Patience,” he began, sounding rather impatient, not that she was in the mood to remark upon the irony. “I don’t believe—”

  But whatever Braden meant to say was cut off when Mama burst into the room, brandishing a piece of foolscap in the air. “Braden!” she nearly shrieked, which was not like Mama at all. For one thing, she was generally poised and for another she rarely sought out Braden for anything. When Patience gasped, Mama looked in her direction and took a steadying breath, and it appeared as though she was trying to pull herself together. “Patience, I need a word with your brother.”

  Which might actually work to Patience’s benefit if she was going to find a way to save Ashes. Braden had been about to demand she get rid of the tiny little Angora, but Mama’s entrance had prevented him from making that decree. At least for the moment.

  “Of course, Mama!” She leapt out of her chair and hastened toward the corridor. And although time was of the essence as far as saving Ashes from being expelled from Highfield, Mama’s behavior was quite curious. So, Patience stopped right outside the door and did what she and her identical sisters had always done to learn information in this manor, she eavesdropped, quite shamelessly.

  “Is everything all right, my lady?” Braden asked.

  “Hardly.” Mama sounded positively beside herself. “I’ve just received word from my uncle and—”

  “The Duke of Danby?”

  A whimper escaped Mama. “Read this.”

  Silence echoed from the room as Braden must have perused whatever was written on that foolscap. “He does sound gruff,” her brother finally replied. “But I hardly see what there is to be upset about.”

  “He criticized us both in that letter. You’re just as responsible for those girls as I am.”

  “More so,” he grumbled slightly. “But it cannot be a surprise to you that His Grace would have heard about their exploits, madam. Hope made quite the spectacle of herself this last season and—”

  “She has been quite despondent since Lord Kilworth’s death.”

  “It is no secret that I think those three run rather wild. If the Duke of Danby thinks he can map out a course of action for each of them, I am quite happy to let him try.”

  What in the world was that about? Patience nearly gasped, but doing so would only give away her position.

  “You want your sisters to leave Highfield for Christmas?” Mama’s voice raised an octave. “Now that you have a child on the way, you want to wash your hands of your sisters? You’re happy to foist the responsibility of them upon my domineering uncle? I hadn’t thought it of you.” Her words came out faster, more frantic. “I thought you—”

  “Come now, Katharine,” Braden said in a voice that was rather domineering as well. “From the letter, I’d wager you’re mostly concerned with your own scandalous past being brought to light and very little to do with the wellbeing of your daughters. If you were concerned about them, you would welcome any assistance His Grace has to offer.”

  Mama gasped, and Patience’s heart stopped in her chest. Scandalous past? What in the world was her brother referring to? Mama had never done one scandalous thing in her life as far as Patience knew. In fact, she and Braden were usually of a mind – a very strict and unyielding mind.

  “How dare you?” Mama finally said.

  “I dare because I am concerned about the three of them. Your past with my father aside, I love my sisters. I always have. So have Sarah pack your belongings. The four of you will spend the holidays in Yorkshire this year. I think it’s a brilliant suggestion.”

  There was a finality in Braden’s voice, one which would send Mama scurrying from his study in no time. So Patience picked up the edge of her skirts and raced along the corridor to keep her mother from catching sight of her. She turned a quick corner and then hurried to the family wing and right into her bedchamber.

  Ashes looked up his spot in the middle of her four-poster, blinked his little green eyes and meowed with the tiniest little meow. Patience couldn’t help but smile at him. Oh, he was so precious, all that soft grey fur that just begged to be stroked. She couldn’t let Braden toss him out. She just couldn’t.

  But her mind was also awhirl with what she’d just overheard. What in the world had happened between her parents? What did her brother mean by all of that? She’d never known her father. He’d
died before she and her sisters were born. Mama only spoke about him in the most glowing of terms, but clearly something had—

  A knock sounded on her door. Oh heavens! Had Mama spotted her after all? Patience’s heart pounded in her chest. Or what if it was Braden, coming for Ashes? Protectively, she started towards her bed and then called with a shaky voice, “Who is it?”

  Without a word, the door to her chambers swung open and her identical sisters, Hope and Grace filed into her room. Before she could even breathe a sigh of relief that it was her sisters, Grace said, “What’s the verdict? Did he say Ashes could stay?”

  Patience shook her head. “Close the door,” she whispered.

  Grace’s light green eyes widened, but she quickly shut the door and then spun back around. “What’s wrong?”

  “Mama interrupted him before he could issue his decree.” Patience crossed over to her bed and snatched the little grey ball of fur up into her hands. “I won’t let him take you, sweet boy, no matter what he says.”

  “How are you going to keep him?” Hope asked, still missing the twinkle that had once upon a time lit her eyes.

  “I thought we could hide him in our rooms until after Callie has her baby. Maybe all the sneezing is part of her condition, and—”

  “You think we could hide him for seven months?” Grace dropped onto the bed and leaned toward Patience to scratch Ashes behind his tiny ears. “I’m not sure how we could manage that.”

  “But we’ll help,” Hope vowed. “There’s no reason for Braden to be so cruel.”

  Well, in his defense, he was looking out for his wife’s wellbeing, but there had to be another solution. If only they had more time to figure one out. But…Well, perhaps they did have more time. “Braden is sending us to Yorkshire for Christmas.”

  “I beg your pardon,” Grace scrunched up her nose. “Yorkshire? What are you talking about?”

  So much had happened in the last few minutes. Patience dropped onto her bed beside Grace and then snuggled Ashes up near her lips to press a kiss to his little head. “Honestly, I’m not sure. Mama got some letter from the Duke of Danby and—”

  “Mama’s uncle?” Grace frowned.

  “Henry said there was no one more terrifying in all the world,” Hope muttered softly.

  “Lord Kilworth had dealings with His Grace?” Patience asked. That would be odd, Hope’s late-love was hardly the sort that she’d imagine was a confidant of the duke’s.

  Hope shrugged slightly. “I don’t know for certain. But I think I recall him mentioning something Lord Heathfield said or perhaps it was Damien Lockwell.”

  Well, the two gentlemen in question had married granddaughters of the duke’s several years back. If His Grace was terrifying, they might be more aware of the fact than someone else. “Anyway,” she continued, “it sounds as though the duke has plans for us.” She glanced at both of her sisters.

  “What sort of plans?” Hope’s brow creased with worry.

  That Patience wasn’t entirely certain about. “Braden seemed relieved about the whole thing as though His Grace had offered to sort us out or something like that.”

  “Hardly complimentary,” Grace grumbled. “I don’t think we need to be sorted out at all.”

  Patience agreed whole-heartedly, even if Hope had made quite the scene last season chasing after and being chased by Lord Kilworth. But he was gone now, Hope having discovered his dead body just a little over a month ago. So a repeat of that performance wasn’t likely, especially as her poor sister hadn’t been herself since that traumatic event as she was quite certain her one chance at love had died right along with the rakish Kilworth. “But Braden said something else that I found quite strange.”

  “What’s that?“ Grace asked, sliding backwards on Patience’s bed to make room for Hope.

  How had their brother put it? “He said, Mama had a scandalous past and that her past with Papa aside, he loves each of us.”

  Hope settled in the open space and Ashes pranced across the counterpane to her.

  “He said Mama had a scandalous past?” Graced echoed incredulously. “Our mother?”

  Patience nodded. “You haven’t ever heard anything about Mama, have you?” She glanced at her sisters.

  Grace snorted. “If I had ever heard something like that, the two of you are the first ones I would have gone to.”

  “I wish Quent was here,” Hope said, scooping Ashes up in her arms. “He would tell us.”

  And their more jovial brother would tell them anything if they asked, but he was still in Cumberland with his new bride. And the odds of sending a letter to Quent in Ravenglass and getting a response back before they had to head for Yorkshire were slim, indeed. But going to Yorkshire might be a benefit at the moment… “Perhaps while we’re away, it can buy us the time we need to figure out how to save Ashes.”

  “I’m all for saving Ashes,” Grace replied, “but if the Duke of Danby thinks he’s going to sort me out, he is in for a rude awakening.”

  “Perhaps,” Hope replied. “And perhaps we’ll find out what scandalous thing Mama might have done.”

  A fortnight later

  Mullins’s Cottage ~ Danby, Yorkshire

  Doctor Matthew Campion wiped the blood from his hands and then closed Mrs. Mullin’s eyes. At least the child had made it, given that his mother had not. He straightened the woman’s clothing and then turned to offer a sad smile to her husband. “I am sorry, John,” he said softly. “If there’s anything I can do…”

  The farmer’s rigid face showed no emotion as he stared at his wife’s lifeless body. “I’ll send your fee as soon as I’m able, Doctor Campion.”

  Dear God. The last thing Matt was thinking about was his fee. John Mullin had six children under the age of ten, the last one having come onto this Earth not an hour before. “There’s no rush,” he said, as telling the man to forget about his fee when he had so many other worries would be the same as taking a swipe at the farmer’s pride.

  Then Matt shrugged into his greatcoat, nodded briefly to the orphaned Mullin brood, and stepped out into the wintry Yorkshire wind. Damn if it hadn’t been the coldest year he could ever remember suffering through. Snow crunched beneath his boots as he started for the lean-to where he’d left his stallion many hours earlier. Once he reached his horse, he smoothed his hand over Sanus’s neck, then slid up into the saddle.

  The wind was biting and even through his gloves, his fingers felt numb. The faster he got home, the better. Matt pulled his greatcoat tighter, tucked his chin to his neck and raced directly for Allwynds Cottage, happy to see the warm glow of candlelight emanating from both the first and second floors once he reached his home. He couldn’t wait to have dinner and then fall into bed after a most exhausting day.

  He left Sanus in the stables and then hurried inside his home. A warm fire blazed in the hearth and for the first time in several hours, Matt sighed with relief. What a bloody awful day. Thank God it was nearly over.

  “I do hope Cook has some warm cider,” he said, shrugging out of his coat and handing it to his housekeeper, Mrs. Henderson, in the foyer.

  “Doctor Campion, a footman from Danby Castle came to retrieve you just a while ago.”

  From the Castle? That didn’t bode well. Matt blinked at his loyal servant. “Is His Grace all right?” Danby was quite an old fellow, but he had seemed in good health the last time Matt had seen him.

  Mrs. Henderson nodded quickly. “It seems one of His Grace’s guests was bitten by a kitten and her hand has swollen up.”

  A kitten? Honestly? Matt heaved a sigh. It seemed his day wasn’t even close to being over and the sun was already setting. “And I’m needed right away?” he asked.

  “The duke sent for you, sir.”

  And the duke was Matt’s most important benefactor. “Very well.” He took his coat back from Mrs. Henderson and shrugged back into it. “Will you ask Cook to have some warm cider for when I return?”

  His housekeeper smiled sympatheti
cally. “Of course, sir. Warm cider and a hearty dinner will be waiting for you.”

  Matt winced as he returned to the bitter Yorkshire wind and started once again for his stables and for his beleaguered stallion.

  Where was that blasted doctor? It had been an hour since the duke had sent for him.

  Patience’s hand throbbed like the dickens as she crawled into her bed, upon her mother’s orders, which was the last thing she wanted to do. Poor Ashes hadn’t meant to bite her. He’d just been playing with the ball of thread she’d brought along for him, and she’d startled him when she went to pick him up. It wasn’t his fault at all. She’d just been so stunned when he bit her, that she’d let out a yelp, terrifying him and sent him scurrying off somewhere through the castle. Poor little kitten, lost in an unfamiliar place filled with a plethora of strangers.

  Luckily Hope and Grace were searching everywhere for him. And Patience could only pray that they found the little ball of fluff sooner rather than later.

  A scratch sounded at her door, signaling that Sarah was checking on her again. At least this time her mother’s lady’s maid could report back that she was, in fact, in bed as she’d been commanded.

  “Come,” she called.

  Sarah pushed the door open and ushered in a rather handsome fellow, honestly. Dark as midnight hair and eyes as warm as molasses.

  “Doctor Campion,” Sarah said in way of introduction.

  Doctor Campion was the most handsome man Patience had ever seen, despite his rumpled cravat and stained waistcoat. Her mouth went slightly dry at the sight of him. He looked like a rugged knight from a long ago era.

  “Lady Patience, is it?” he asked, his Yorkshire accent rumbling over her, and she’d never heard a voice that was quite so captivating. At least, she didn’t think she had.

  “Yes.” Patience cleared her throat and sat up a little straighter. But then winced when she put pressure on her hand and the throbbing from her bite intensified.