Page 23 of Bernadette’s Dashing Doctor (The Bookshop Belles #4)

“ No, thank you, I could not eat another bite!” Bernadette said as Glynn offered her the plate of decadently sweet dessert pastries. He smiled and took another for himself before passing it across the table to Shaun Jackson.

“I have never known a Christmas like this,” Glynn said to her in a soft, wondering tone, and Bernadette smiled, taking his hand in hers under the cover of the tablecloth.

“Nor I, to be entirely honest!” She had celebrated last year, of course, but it had been a far smaller gathering. Today, every leaf had been added to the grand dining table, and a second table set at the side of the room for the youngsters. They were still a little crammed in, jostling elbows as they ate.

Lord Ferndale presided at the head of the table, beaming constantly at his house full of guests. All four Baxter sisters, three with their husbands and one with a fiancé, Matthew Baxter and his new wife Céline, and several dear friends like Riot and Rosie Jones, the former Mrs Poole with her new husband Mr Thomas, Mr Charles the vicar and Mr Lennox the apothecary, and of course Miss Yates in the hostess’s chair. The five boys at the other table, Brutus, Philippe, Pierre, Richard and George, had eaten together very nearly as much as the adults, and made just as much noise, though they were settling down now into quiet contentment with full stomachs.

Between courses, Glynn leaned over and whispered into Bernadette’s ear, “Come with me to the foyer. I spotted something there I think you’d like.”

Intrigued, Bernadette accepted. There were so many people, surely nobody would notice their absence for a little while.

Glynn took her hand in his and they slipped out of the room. He was being mysterious and romantic, and she loved that about him.

But when they reached the foyer, they stopped in their tracks. They hadn’t noticed that Shaun and Louise were also not in the room. They were right here, in the foyer, kissing under the mistletoe.

“Oh for heaven’s sake,” Bernadette giggled. “They stole your idea.”

Louise and Shaun broke apart with a laugh.

Shaun pointed to the weedy greenery above him with its white berries. “Can you blame us? There wasn’t any here last year.”

“We can come back later,” Glynn suggested to Bernadette with a shrug.

“Much later, please,” Louise said with a naughty giggle.

Bernadette rolled her eyes and made a little snort of laughter. “I shall find us some mistletoe, there’s a row of apple trees where…”

Glynn didn’t wait for her to finish the sentence, as his lips descended on hers. For as long as she lived, Bernadette didn’t think she’d ever grow tired of kissing Glynn Williams. When they did pull apart, they slipped back into the dining room, grabbing their chairs so they could sit near the boys and join in their conversations. It was fun to hear their tales of adventure and heartening to see how well they were bonding. They were looking forward to the new school term at Eton and Bernadette feared the headmasters would have their hands full with these headstrong lads.

Movement at the door caught Bernadette’s eye, and she saw a maid slip in, a blanket-wrapped bundle in her arms.

“I’ll take him,” she said quickly, rousing groans of envy from several around the table as the bundle was laid in her arms. Everyone wanted a turn to hold Estelle’s beautiful son! She walked back to the long table and Glynn brought her chair back for her to resume her seat.

Little Harry Yates blinked long lashes at her as the maid handed him over, and then yawned.

“Did you wake up from your nap a little early?” Bernadette rocked him gently. “We are almost done with lunch; your mama will be coming soon!”

Harry did not cry, just looked around as she propped him up against her and let him look about the table at his family. He was exactly two months old, born after a surprisingly easy labour for a first-time mother. Bernadette and Mrs Bell had only just made it to Ferndale Hall in time to help, and Mrs Bell had firmly warned Estelle that if she had any more children, she would need a midwife living with her for the last few weeks or risk giving birth without one!

“Ahem,” Lord Ferndale said at the head of the table, standing up. “If you all do not mind, I should like to say a few words.” He looked around at them, and Bernadette swore his eyes were glistening with tears behind his glasses.

“I do not think Florence and I could ever have imagined that our family would expand in such a magnificent way,” the old baron said at last. “Matthew has been my good friend these many years, and to see you safe home again and have our families combined is a blessing and a great joy.”

“Hear, hear!” several voices exclaimed.

Bernadette saw Louise and Shaun quietly walk back into the room, her sister looking thoroughly kissed. Louise caught her eye, and grinned unrepentantly.

“I hope this will be only the first - and smallest! - of many such gatherings at Ferndale Hall for Christmas. Felix, you are charged with the duty of gathering them all here every year once I am gone.”

“I shall solemnly accept, but Grandfather - you are hale and hearty yet. It will be many years before I am in your seat, I hope!” Felix exclaimed.

Lord Ferndale did actually look better than he had in quite some time, Bernadette thought, and so did Miss Yates. Having Felix home and taking on more responsibility, and Estelle taking up the reins of managing Ferndale Hall, had lifted a good deal of weight from the elderly pair’s shoulders. She had not heard Lord Ferndale cough once this winter, and she had spent a good deal of time at the Hall with Estelle since Harry’s birth.

Lord Ferndale concluded his little speech with a toast to his great-grandson, and they all drank to Harry’s health. Bernadette cuddled her nephew closer, kissing the soft blond curls escaping his knitted cap and breathing in the sweet new-baby scent of him.

Beside her, she heard Glynn let out an odd little sound, and looked up to find his eyes fixed on her, the softest expression on his face. A little blush warmed her cheeks as she wondered if he was imagining her with their child. Though they had an understanding, no date for the wedding had yet been set; Matthew was insistent that they should not be in any hurry.

Still looking at her, Glynn rose to his feet as Lord Ferndale sat down. “If I may beg your indulgences, I have some news I’d like to share,” he said, and everyone quieted and looked at him with interest.

“I think you all know my story; that I apprenticed to my father as a surgeon and joined the army,” Glynn began, “and that quite by coincidence, I happened to save the life of a very eminent gentleman when I treated wounds he received in battle. I have always honoured his request to remain anonymous, but it was he who paid for me to return to England and attend medical school, and I should certainly not be in my current position without his generous treatment.”

“Well, nor should he be alive without your skills, so a fair trade,” Louise said, and there were murmurs of agreement and nodded heads around the table.

“Sadly, I received a letter a few days ago with the news that he has passed away,” Glynn continued. “Not due to any lingering effects from his injuries, but from pneumonia which set in after an influenza.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” Bernadette said, feeling for Glynn. He had always spoken with utmost respect for his benefactor, while protecting the man’s identity.

“I wish he had sent for me,” Glynn said with a wry twist to his mouth, “but I cannot change the past, and it transpires that my benefactor had one more gift for me.” He looked down at Bernadette, and smiled. “In his will, he specified that I should receive the sum of five thousand pounds.”

Gasps went around the table in the wake of this startling announcement, and Glynn looked at Matthew. “And while you have been more than generous in your offer of a dowry for Bernadette, sir, I am glad to say that I will not need to use it to provide for us. I have already completed negotiations with Lord Ferndale to purchase my cottage, and as a gift for Bernadette, I plan to begin construction of a glass house in the garden, so that she may grow her own ginger!”

Bernadette gave a little squeal of joy. Marie, sitting on her other side, deftly scooped baby Harry out of her arms so that Bernadette could jump to her feet and throw her arms around Glynn. He embraced her most satisfactorily, and then, grinning down at her, said;

“Will you marry me?”

“It’s about time!” She laughed up at him. “Of course I’ll marry you, you foolish man!”

He kissed her, and then everyone was swarming around to congratulate them, to embrace her and shake Glynn’s hand and welcome him properly to the family.

“At least I will get to walk one of my daughters down the aisle,” Matthew said, kissing her cheek tenderly.

“We shall all be there, I would not dream of marrying without my sisters beside me!” Looking around at them, Bernadette had a sudden, wonderful idea. “You could walk each of us down the aisle, Papa! It might be only me getting married, but I am sure Mr Charles would not mind including a blessing for each couple in the service - and for you and Céline too, since we missed your wedding!”

“What a capital idea,” Mr Charles said immediately.

“You would not mind sharing your wedding day, Bernadette?” Marie asked.

“We didn’t get to see your wedding either, since you and Renwick ran off to Gretna Green because of Cousin Joshua being awful, and you and Estelle missed Louise’s too! I think it would be the most wonderful thing imaginable for us all to celebrate together.”

“And Ferndale Hall will host you all again!” Miss Yates cried with delight.

“Oh, please say it will be when we are on school holidays so we can come?” Brutus begged earnestly.

Bernadette smiled, but did not laugh, at the lad’s apparent sentimentality. It was quite the turnaround from someone who had recoiled at demonstrations of affection.

She had hoped to marry sooner, but looking at Brutus and the rest of the boys looking so hopeful, she could not deny the boys the opportunity to attend.

“Perhaps just after Easter?” she suggested. “We can’t marry during Lent, but the banns could be called?” She looked hopefully at Glynn.

“That sounds perfectly wonderful to me,” he said obligingly, “and will give me time to have your glasshouse completed as a wedding gift!”

“And time for us to properly prepare your trousseau!” Céline declared, and Bernadette laughed as her stepmother and sisters converged to begin talking of silk and lace.

She didn’t care about silk and lace. She’d marry Glynn in her oldest gown, stained from making teas and tonics, and she was very confident he would not love her any less. Having all her family and loved ones around her while she married her beloved, her true partner in her life’s work? That was a gift beyond price, and she would treasure it forever.

After the year they’d had, never did Bernadette imagine how happy she might be. Looking about her, her body replete with delicious food, surrounded by family and love and a crackling fire, she started to think she could become used to this level of contentment for many, many years to come.

We hope you’ve had a wonderful time with the Baxter sisters, but especially with Bernadette and Glynn.

Turn the page to read the first chapter of Good Golly, Miss Molly! By Catherine Bilson.