Page 20 of Mr Winterbourne's Christmas

They set off, leaving Adam and Cavendish to follow them. Lysander, Simon and Althea were further ahead, while Lady Arabella and Sir Edmund were bringing up the rear. Every now and again, Cavendish glanced behind him to check his sister was still in sight.

The Winterbourne estate really was beautiful, Adam thought as they followed the path. These woods were ancient, full of thickly gnarled trees, and the crisp, virgin snow made everything look bright and immaculate.

Sure enough, when they caught up with Lysander, Althea and Simon, it was to find they’d already located a holly tree. Lysander was busy cutting down a glossy-leaved branch, heavy with scarlet berries. Cavendish immediately hurried forward to help Lysander, rushing past Adam to take the branch Lysander had just cut and lay it down in the snow while Lysander turned back to the tree to cut another. The ladies moved to a nearby sycamore and began pulling down a long trail of ivy

Even though he knew it was absurd to feel jealous of Lysander and Cavendish’s friendship, Adam couldn’t help but envy the easy affection they were able to show each other in public, when Adam felt so constrained to be formal with Lysander in front of others.

He strolled over to where his brother stood, leaning against a tree and watching the ladies work.

Simon glanced at Adam and smiled. “I love these traditions,” he said. “They remind me of when we were small.”

Adam smiled. “Those were happy times.”

“I’m looking forward to doing all this with my children in years to come,” Simon said.

He looked contented and it warmed Adam’s heart to see his brother so happy.

“So, marriage is working out well, is it?”

“Oh, yes,” Simon said, though he blushed a little. “Althea and I are well suited.”

Adam chuckled. Simon was spared further embarrassment by the arrival of Sir Edmund and Lady Arabella.

“Here you are!” Lady Arabella said. “I see you’re all hard at work. Has anyone found any mistletoe?”

“Not yet,” Althea replied. “Shall we have a competition to see who’s first to find some?”

“Oh, yes!” Lady Arabella said eagerly. Her eyes gleamed with competitive fervour. “We bags Perry. He has the longest arms.” She grabbed her brother’s arm without letting go of Sir Edmund’s, and began to tow them both away, further into the woods. Sir Edmund didn’t even bother to protest—the poor man looked positively resigned to his fate.

Althea sent Lysander a mischievous look. “Five guineas says I find some before you.”

“You’re on,” Lysander said, grinning.

“I’d better assist my lady wife,” Simon told Adam, levering himself away from the tree he was leaning against. “It looks like you’re with Winterbourne, since the other ladies seem to be working together.”

Following Simon’s gaze, Adam caught a glimpse of Miss Greenhill and Mrs. Rodney walking in the opposite direction from Lady Arabella’s group before they rounded the corner and vanished from view.

“This way, Simon,” Althea called, heading down the same path that Lady Arabella had gone.

“Yes dear,” Simon said obediently, and hurried after her.

And quite suddenly, Adam and Lysander were finally—and gloriously—alone.

Lysander’s eyes were dancing with mischief, his cheeks pink from cold. He looked delicious. Adam wanted to take him in his arms and kiss him soundly. Instead he stood there, grinning, heart thudding.

“Let’s go this way,” Lysander said, pointing at a rather unpromising looking gap in the trees.

“All right,” Adam said doubtfully.

The path was very overgrown. They had to shove branches out of their way and clamber over huge tree roots, but at length, they found themselves in tiny clearing, with a perfect, unblemished ring of snow in the middle of it.

Adam would have grabbed Lysander right then and kissed him, but before he could do so, Lysander let out a whoop of triumph and pointed excitedly at one of the trees.

“Aha! I bloody knew it!”

Adam glanced up and, sure enough, there it was, a clump of green mistletoe in amongst the bare branches, a few tell-tale white berries peeping out.

Lysander ran through the virgin snow towards the tree and began climbing up.