Page 16 of Lady Elizabeth’s Winter Stranger

The park wasn’t as snowy as last year, and so far they hadn’t had to rescue any stray urchins from the top of an oak tree. But the scene was similar enough to last Christmas Day for Elizabeth to relive the magic of her meeting with Tom and the wonderful changes that had taken place since then.

“I was so angry and upset when you found me,” she said, cuddling into his side the way that she’d shamelessly cuddled all those months ago. Her hand hooked around his elbow and their boots made a satisfying crunch on the new snow along the path.

It was their first visit to London since their wedding. They’d enjoyed a passionate honeymoon in France, before settling down to their new life on Tom’s beautiful estate on the Dorset coast.

He glanced down and gave her a smile from under the brim of his stylish high-crowned hat. “Are you saying you’re angry and upset now?”

Elizabeth giggled and nudged him with her elbow. “No, you teasing man. I’m revoltingly contented with how everything turned out. I can’t hide it. My father will look like the cat that got the cream when we sit down to Christmas dinner.”

They were outside earlier than last year. The sun wasn’t long up on what promised to be a beautiful Christmas Day. In a couple of hours, both families would descend on the Morley-Bridges town house on Green Park and her chances to get her husband to herself would become very thin on the ground.

“You could make more of an effort to appear discontented with your lot. I don’t think you’re trying hard enough.” He stopped and gave her a mock frown. “I mean, look at you now. You’re staring at me with stars in your eyes. Anyone would think you’re in love.”

She laughed again. “But I am in love. It’s your fault. If you weren’t so wonderful, I could manage to summon up a pout or two.”

He bent in and kissed her. That was another change from last year.

No need for subterfuge. Lord and Lady Fairchild could wander Hyde Park alone together for as long as they wanted without raising comment.

They could even kiss, within reason. Although that was the problem with Tom’s kisses.

They had a habit of sending her reason to the devil.

“I can’t apologize for being so happy.”

“Neither can I.” She was warm in her thick merino pelisse with its sable trimming, but she was even warmer now that Tom had kissed her. “We’ll just have to let Papa continue to take undeserved credit for our wedding.”

“These things are sent to test us. Would you like to go home? We’ve got time for me to try to make up for your disappointment.”

Anticipation ripped through her. He was asking if she wanted to go back to bed.

They’d started the day with a vigorous encounter that left Elizabeth feeling like she’d breakfasted on starlight.

No wonder she had stars in her eyes. The thought of spending Christmas morning in her husband’s arms was tempting indeed.

But not yet.

She snuggled closer as they started walking again. “In a moment, Tom. There’s something I want to tell you.”

“Oh?” He stopped again and turned to face her, taking her gloved hands in his.

For more than a month now, she’d been on the verge of confessing her secret, but every time she approached it, her nerve had failed her.

But today, today she was resolved to share her news.

After all, Christmas Day was their real anniversary.

What more auspicious date to let Tom know that their life was soon to change forever?

“I’m…I’m going to have a baby,” she said in a rush, then paused, surprised at how easily the words emerged.

Tom’s quirky, beloved features melted into a smile of such joy that a lump of poignant emotion closed Elizabeth’s throat. His hands tightened on hers. “Sweetheart, I’m so happy.”

He leaned in and this time kissed her with a fervor that would have caused comment, if anyone had been around at this hour to observe them.

When he pulled away after a long, heavenly interval, she was breathless and her knees were rubbery. Being an old married woman of a year didn’t seem to make her any less susceptible to her husband’s appeal.

She stared into his face, while she waited for the world to stop spinning around her. His eyes blazed and he was clearly euphoric. And not half as surprised by her news as he should be.

“You wretch,” she said, laughing. “You already knew.”

The wry smile that she’d fallen in love with curved his lips. “I…hoped.”

“You guessed.”

He shrugged. “We live in very close quarters, my love. The signs were there. Will you forgive me?”

“For paying attention to me? I think I can.” She rose on her toes and kissed him again. “Are you truly pleased?”

“That the woman I love is going to give me a child in…”

“Late May, I think.”

“A spring baby? How wonderful.” He sucked in a breath, and his gaze told her that he thought she was the most miraculous being on earth.

“Of course I’m pleased. I thought I was the happiest man alive when I met you.

Until the day you said you’d marry me. But then we got married and you told me you loved me… ”

“On that marvelous night.” Oh, the extraordinary things he’d done to her on their wedding night. The wonder was that what they did in bed had only got better. She was so lucky, she could hardly believe it.

“Yes. But then every day since then, you’ve made me happier. The arrival of a son or daughter just places the crown on my entirely unmerited good fortune.”

Elizabeth frowned. “It’s not unmerited. You’re the best man I know, Stanton Morley-Bridges. And I love you more than I can say.”

Tom kissed her again with such tender emotion that her heart clenched with love. But when he raised his head, the familiar amusement turned his eyes to brilliant silver. “Happy Christmas, my lovely wife.”

She smiled back as carnal interest stirred. She knew what that look portended. “Happy Christmas, my beloved husband.”

“You know, good news and fresh air and seasonal spirit give a man an appetite.”

She sent him a glance of mock disapproval. “You’ll be eating like a king in a few hours.”

With a laugh, he tucked her hand around his arm. He turned and began to head back toward home with a purposeful stride. “I’m not talking about food, my darling.”

On a laugh of pure happiness, she fell into step beside him. “I can already tell this Christmas is going to be even better than last year.”

“That sets me a challenge.” He sent her a seductive glance from under his thick black lashes. “I’ll do my best, my love.”

“You always do.” Tom’s presence in her life was a blessing, on Christmas and every other day, and Elizabeth couldn’t wait to see where they went from here. Wherever it was, love would light the way.

***

Thank you for picking up my latest Christmas story, Lady Elizabeth’s Winter Stranger.

I hope you enjoyed it. I had great fun playing with such a classic romance trope in a sparkling seasonal story.

Elizabeth Tierney has been popping up as a background character in my books since my very first Mayfair romance, One Wicked Wish, so it was lovely to give her a happy ending at last. If you enjoyed this story and would like to try another of my Christmas romances, why not check out Miss Barton’s Mysterious Husband? For more information, please read on.