Page 90 of A Princess By Christmas

“Can’t say that I blame her.” Donovan hoisted the box onto his shoulder and walked down the hall to the drawing room.

“Hollis? You’ve not said a word of greeting,” Eliza said. She wrapped her sister in a hug.

“I wasn’t expecting you. Howdidyou...? Ah.” She spotted the guards posted outside her house.

Eliza glanced over her shoulder at them, too. “Oh, that’s Bas’s doing, of course. What with all the turmoil in Wesloria.” She shut the door behind her.

“Where is Cecelia?”

“With her father. I hope you don’t mind. You’ll see her tomorrow, but we’ve hardly had any time together, just the three of us, and I am desperate for it. And I want to see your dress! Caro speaks of it like it is spun gold.”

“Not spun gold. Silk and satin,” Caroline corrected her. “Very expensive silk and satin”

“Have we visitors?” Mr. Brimble appeared, carrying Marcus, the black-and-white cat.

“Mr. Brimble!” Eliza said, and hugged him, too.

“Well, well,” Mr. Brimble said, smiling. “Who have we here? Are they carolers?”

“I amnota caroler,” Caroline said, sounding a bit miffed that anyone would think she was.

“It’s our family, Mr. Brimble,” Hollis said. “Shouldn’t you see about feeding Marcus?”

“Oh, I should, shouldn’t I?” he said, as if he’d just remembered he was holding the cat. He toddled off.

“His memory is decidedly worse,” Eliza said, watching him go.

“What have you been doing with yourself?” Caroline asked, linking her arm through Hollis’s and making her walk down the hall to her drawing room.

“Me? Waiting, I suppose.”

“For Christmas? I called on the judge today. He’s got a goose and he’s very proud.”

“Does he?” Hollis asked.

Caroline nodded. “It’s in the garden. And those two little beasts won’t stop barking at it. Poppy said Mrs. Spratt has come by twice to complain.”

“Forget the goose, Caro. Tell her who is coming to Christmas with us,” Eliza said as they entered the drawing room. Caroline let go of Hollis’s arm and sailed deeper into the room, to the box Donovan had put on a table.

“Who?” Hollis asked.

“Can you notguess?” Caroline asked excitedly.

“Who?”Hollis insisted.

Caroline’s face was about to crack open with her smile. “Lady Blythe Northcote and her father.”

“No,”Hollis said dramatically. “Does Beck know?”

“Not yet,” Eliza said with a girlish giggle.

“Caro! You can’t surprise him Christmas Day! He’ll be furious!”

“I’ll tell him tonight. And he’ll be ridiculous about it, of course. But I think he really rather likes her. He’s mentioned her more than once.”

“Really? What has he said?”

“Let me think. That her laugh reminds him of the bray of a donkey. And he’s always been suspicious of gingers.”