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MIDNIGHT MASS

Christmas was upon us, and with it came the heaviest snow London had experienced in years. Decked all in white, the grounds of Linmere looked positively cheerful, and it made my first Christmas as Azriel’s wife feel somehow all the more special.

I gazed out the window on Christmas Eve as more heavy flakes began to fall, the promise of another strong dusting overnight, and sighed happily.

“Winter is almost bearable when it snows, is it not, Mary?”

She nodded with a bright smile, her cheeks bright and rosy. “It is indeed, madam. Nothing makes me happier than snow.”

“Quite so.” I looked over my shoulder at her, watching her as she stoked the fire. “I do wonder what Mr Caine has waiting for me under the tree.”

“He shall be doting on you, madam, I am sure of it.”

As though he had sensed he was being spoken of, the doors flew open, and in walked my husband. Azriel took inmy appearance with a raised eyebrow, nodding his approval. “Good evening, beloved. You look beautiful.”

I posed coquettishly, lifting my shoulder and smirking at him. “I do think red is rather my colour, don’t you?”

“It is indeed. Extremely fitting for midnight mass.”

I blanched, and shook my head. “Azriel, you do not mean that.”

He crossed the room to sit beside me on the window seat, and took my hand. “Any spies shall be occupied with the spirit of the season, beloved. And surely no one could object to us attending mass, at church? Like two good Christian folk ought to do?” His devilish smile was thoroughly disarming, and I rolled my eyes.

“You invite scandal, Azriel, have I ever told you that?” I giggled as he pressed a kiss to my cheek. “Alright, I shall go to church with you and have all the attendants scandalised right along with us.”

“Such an obedient wife,” he murmured against my ear, and I shivered. “I finally have the chance to show you off.”

“Show me off?”

He nodded, looking me up and down lecherously. “I intend to make every man in that church wild with envy, that I have you on my arm.”

I shook my head and nuzzled into him, breathing in his scent. “You are a cad.”

“That I am.” He kissed the top of my head. “Now, I have some matters to attend to, and I shall see you at dinner.”

“More matters?” I pouted at him as he rose to his feet, clasping on to his hand. “It’s Christmas Eve, and you’ve done nothing but attend to matters all week.”

He grinned at me, notching his fingers under my chin, leaning down to brush his lips against mine. “Then I shall have to attend to you very well after mass, won’t I, wife?”

“You’d better.” I pressed a kiss to his lips, and he chuckled low in his throat.

“I shall be eating that delicious cunt until dawn,” he murmured, pressing a last kiss to my throat before striding out of the room.

It was with that lecherous thought circling my head that I went about the rest of my afternoon. Mary wound my hair into a more modest style, befitting a visit to church, and fixed small pearl earrings to my ears. I decided to keep the red dress on. It felt delightfully wicked and scandalous to be dressed so, the fallen woman on her first outing.

Perhaps Azriel’s nonchalance was finally rubbing off on me.

Indeed, I was so thrilled to finally be leaving Linmere, that by the time I donned my fur coat and muff, I was positively giddy. Azriel smiled at me indulgently, patting my hand as I kept it curled around his arm in the carriage.

“You seem rather excitable this evening, beloved,” he said, kissing my temple.

“It is a relief to not be locked up inside those walls any longer.” I leaned against him with a happy sigh. “Although the house does look rather more cheerful in all this snow.”

“Mmm, you are right.” He stroked his fingers over mine. “Would you wish to quit Linmere?”

I looked up at him, surprised at the question. “Is that even something you would consider?”

“Certainly, if it is what you wanted.” He raised my other hand to his lips, planting a kiss on the back of it. “If you could live anywhere else, where would you want to live?”