Page 37 of A Sea View Christmas (On Devonshire Shores)

William Hammond raised his glass. “A toast to the bride and groom to be!”

They all toasted the couple.

As the toast ended, Major Jack Hutton returned in full dress uniform. Real medals. Real sword. And a masculine, commanding presence that drew all eyes.

Viola rose, hand to her bosom. “Good heavens. Is it any wonder I fell in love with you?”

In reply, he slid an arm around her waist, pulled her close to his side, and kissed her.

Well , Sarah thought. If that is what marriage is like , then , yes , please.

After that, the guests did their best to remain in character throughout the rest of the evening. In fact, Mira, as Cupid, kept flitting around the room despite her father’s insistence that she stop and finish her cake.

The youngest among them played a game of Hunt the Slipper and then bobbed for apples. Mira, Cora, Effie, Georgie, Colin, and even Mr. Gwilt joined in the fun, while the others opted not to dunk their faces and end up wet.

When the games concluded, Colin rose and said, “Come, dear sister-in-law, won’t you favor us with some music?”

Viola, ever shy of solo attention, replied, “If Mr. Henshall shall accompany me.”

He rose and bowed. “My pleasure.”

Callum accompanied Viola on his guitar for a few songs, and Effie sang one as well.

Then, it was time for dancing.

Soon, they were all dancing as rehearsed. A country dance, the Duke of Kent’s Waltz, a quadrille, and a reel. Mr. Gwilt, still embodying his role as king for the evening, stepped and hopped and clapped with zeal and confidence. He was a pleasure to watch.

Sarah recalled attending an evening party with Claire and William a few months ago at the Killerton estate.

She had observed the other couples dancing, feeling wistful and out of place and wondering if she would ever have a chance to dance with Callum Henshall.

Now here she was, dancing with him and about to marry him on the morrow.

He had once told her he was not much of a dancer—an opinion Effie shared—but Sarah thought he danced well, or at least as well as she did and with even more enthusiasm. And despite her earlier admonitions to dance with decorum, that night even Sarah kicked up her heels with the best of them.

After dancing with her and then Effie, Callum took Sarah’s hand and led her from the loud, crowded drawing room across the passage into the cooler, quieter parlour.

“Good idea,” Sarah said. “I could use a rest.”

“Not exactly what I had in mind...” He tipped his head to the side, indicating the kissing bough still hanging in the parlour doorway.

He led her to stand beneath it, wrapped his arms around her, and drew her close.

“One more kiss beneath the mistletoe, my jo?”

She smiled sweetly up at him. “Or two.”

He smiled back, his pupils seeming to grow larger and darker as he gazed at her. Then he lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers. He kissed her tenderly, and Sarah reached up and twined her hands behind his neck, kissing him back with all the love and adoration she felt.

Happy Christmas , indeed.

Georgiana bid farewell to the Sagars and Hammonds, who were the first to leave, Mira asleep in her father’s arms. Then Jack and Viola departed, wanting to take a sleepy Mrs. Denby home as well. Mr. Hutton went with them.

By eleven, all the outside guests besides Colin had departed.

Traditionally, decorations had to be taken down by midnight to avoid bad luck in the coming year. Georgiana’s family didn’t hold to such superstitions, but it was a good way to get the house restored to pre-Christmas order in a hurry.

The family and servants worked together to take down all the decorations before the clock struck twelve, although Mamma insisted Sarah be excused to get a good night’s sleep and finish her packing.

Georgie half expected Sarah to insist on working till the last, but she agreed.

And with a kiss to Mamma’s cheek, she started dreamily up the stairs, the veil still on her head, trailing behind her as she went.

Mamma said Georgie could be excused as well, since she would be traveling with them, but she was too excited to sleep. She remained with the others in their fine evening clothes, pulling down greenery from the mantels and stairway and unwinding it from the porch columns.

Mr. Henshall and Mr. Gwilt built a bonfire outside, and Colin, Georgiana, and Effie carried out all the pine, holly, and ivy, tossed the branches onto the fire, and watched them flame to life.

Eventually, Effie took her stepfather’s arm and led him back to the house, saying, “Come on, old man. Need your beauty sleep. Big day tomorrow.” Mr. Gwilt followed.

Colin and Georgiana lingered. After a few minutes of companionable silence, punctuated by the snapping fire, Colin said, “Well, we did it, did we not? Sparked romance between your sister and her Scot.”

She looked at him with fond amusement. “We get all the credit, do we?”

“We certainly helped them along. Mistletoe, dancing, poetry... Perhaps instead of a teacher I should take up matchmaking. What say you?”

Georgiana shook her head and looked heavenward. As her gaze swept the clear, starlit sky the flippant retort on her tongue evaporated. “Look how beautiful...”

She glanced over and found him watching her. “I am looking.”

Georgiana shook her head once more.

For a few minutes longer she remained outside, enjoying the warmth of the fire, talking and laughing with Colin over the events of the evening. But soon weariness settled over her like a soft, cozy blanket.

Their Sea View Christmas had come to an end.