Page 14 of Once Upon a Gilded Christmas (To All The Earls I’ve Loved Before #4)
Only after they reached the edge of the balcony, did Edward turn around, offering his hand. “I didn’t think I’d see you again.”
Forget his hand. Honora threw herself about his waist. “You are the best thing about this party.”
He chuckled. “Oh really? It took you this long to notice I was here.”
She pulled back. “And how long were you here?”
“Been watching you have a dreadful time all evening."
"You could have come up and said hello." Honora wanted to pout. As Edward was the best thing to happen to her all evening, she did not want to throw his most-welcome presence away.
"Who’s the ape leader who’s been bossing you around all evening?”
“Lady Calpurnia, Lord Charles’s sister.”
“Can’t say I know her.” He inhaled the scent from her hair. “I did see Lord Charles. How can such a fellow ignore you so thoroughly in favour of Lady Alton?”
Honora sighed. “I'm wearing practically no magic today.”
Edward tilted his head. “Ah. No need, now that your father has secured you a spouse?”
"Something like that."
He lifted her gloved hand to his lips. "I don't mind. You're not out to charm me, are you?"
She allowed herself a smile. "Don't need to, do I?"
He held her hand between his. "You could, if you wanted to. But only if you have a ship waiting in the harbour."
She couldn’t help but laugh. “If only I could marry you.” She gazed up into his face. It had brightened considerably.
And then she saw them. “Oh, look!” Honora pointed upward. “It’s snowing.”
“Is it?” Edward replied, his eyes only for Honora. Then the first few flakes drifted into his view. They weren’t big, but soft enough to float instead of fall like rain. He held out his hand to catch one. As soon as it landed on his glove, it melted.
Honora held out her own gloved hand. The next captured flake lasted a little longer before it too disappeared. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen the snow fall.”
“You haven’t?” Edward pulled back in surprise. “Ever?”
She shook her head. “I’m always indoors in winter.
" Snow seemed only to fall at night. “This is my first Season. When I say I’ve never been Out before, I also mean I’ve never been out, like outdoors.
” She put her fists on her panniers and imitated her grandmother.
“‘Too many bad humours,’ my grandmother would say. She firmly believed the night air was bad for one’s health. ”
Edward inhaled. “And now?” As he exhaled, his breath came out in puffs.
Honora took his hand. Her own breath puffed in the frigid air. “It does not appear to be any worse than the air one is breathing inside. Maybe a little colder, but what is cold?” She herself felt quite warm at the moment.
“What is cold?” Edward echoed. He seemed to have forgotten the snow, now falling a little heavier, like petals thrown at a wedding. It made for a gentle halo about Edward’s head, her angel who’d rescued her from the clutches of tedium and isolation. He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.
Honora rose on her toes. If she stood up a little taller, and if he would only tilt his head a little more… Her lips parted in anticipation.
“Lady Honora?” Lady Calpurnia's voice made her shudder.
So close! Why did she have to come ruin it?
Honora released Edward’s hands. She backed away until her panniers hit a trio of other partygoers who’d come out to escape the heat of the ballroom. Automatically, she murmured here apologies before raising her hand and calling to Lady Calpurnia. “We’re over here.” Er, “I’m over here.”
“That’s where you went. We noticed you had gone.”
As her unwilling human shields murmured exclamations at Honora’s shocking intrusiveness, Honora abandoned them. “Is it time to go?”
Lady Calpurnia blinked at her. “No.”
“Oh. If it is all right with you, I may stay out here a little longer. It is a bit stuffy in there.”
Lady Calpurnia folded her arms. “No. There’s some good friends we wish for you to meet.” She beckoned with her fan. “Come.”
Oh. "Must I?"
Calpurnia reached for Honora's hand, tugging her back to the party. "It is important that people get to know you."
“Coming,” Honora conceded with reluctance. Maybe she wasn’t being so ignored.
Alas, as she looked about the dimness of the balcony, Edward had slipped away. Drat! He was about to kiss her!
Little by little, the snow flurries faded and stopped.
Christmas 1817
The sun rose above the horizon, sending rays to glitter against the snow. “Unfinished business?” Edward asked. There had been plenty of that.
“Thirty years ago."
“Aye…?” What did she mean? He wanted her to say it.
"That party I didn't care for. The snow. The balcony.” The young lady who'd been all but forgotten by Lord Charles.
Oh, he'd seen that cheap Lady Alton, mutton dressed as lamb, pouring herself all over Lord Charles while magicless Honora had been pushed aside.
It hadn't been anyone's fault but Lady Alton.
He didn't blame Charles for succumbing to her charms, but really, the man should have kept his head about him, or at least his fiancée by his side.
Would have served him right to have his bride-to-be carried off by Edward that night, to be thrown aboard a waiting ship, all ready to take them to the south seas.
And then came the snow. So magical it had been. Since that day, every time he saw snow, he remembered Honora.
He should have kissed her. Really, he should have. When that ape-leader came looking for Honora, why did he shy away?
Because he was a second son, with nothing else to his name but his honour.
And now? "You remembered the snow?" That unfinished business? For years after that night, Edward had wondered what it would have been like to kiss young Lady Honora Radcliffe. Her lips had looked so fresh, so soft. Would she have been tender? Timid?
He would never know. That Honora was gone.
But here was Honora, Dowager Countess of Harwich. Slick as an eel, Honora turned in his arms, raised up on her toes and kissed him.
Hers was not the hesitant pressing of closed lips one would expect of a debutante. This was an experienced woman who knew what she wanted.
As her lips pressed against his, they parted, demanding more.
If she wanted it, she got it. Edward had nothing to lose. He savoured her softness, her hunger. She clung to the lapels of his overcoat, keeping him in place.
Edward cradled her face in his gloved hands. No, she was not going to get away this time. Nothing would ever pull Honora Radcliffe Mildmay away from him ever again.
Her tongue darted in to play against his, fearless, making his heart hammer in his chest.
When she relinquished him, Edward had to cling to Honora to keep from falling over. Her kiss alone left him dizzy. “Finished business nothing! If you had kissed me like that back then, I would have challenged Lord Charles to a duel for your hand.”
She chuckled. “Alas, no duels.”
He dropped a smooch on the tip of her nose. “Are you not flattered that I would fight a duel for you?”
She tilted her head. “Maybe a little.”
He grinned. “Maybe a lot.”
She confessed it so. “But had you fought the duel? It would not have ended well. Either Lord Charles would have killed you, breaking my heart, or you would have killed him, breaking his mother’s heart.
Maybe we could have been married, but at what grief to the families?
Mine would not have welcomed you, at least not until your brother died and you inherited. Even then, maybe grudgingly.
“As much as you or I wanted it, it was not yet our time.”
Edward sighed. She was so right. “And now?”
A smile brilliant enough to rival the morning sun spread across her face. “We are free to do whatever we want.”
Hope sprang up in his chest. “Like… get married?”
She bit her lip coquettishly. “You asking me?”
“Should I be asking your father?”
This made her laugh. “Maybe you should ask my son instead.”
He made a moue . “Surely he wouldn’t turn me down.”
“Never. Because his mother would threaten to turn him over her knee should he dare.”
Her hands snuck beneath the collar of his coat. “Maybe later than we want, but not too late. Maybe sadder but wiser. Small regrets, but what life doesn’t have those? You are here, and so am I, fully and without bond. Of course I’ll marry you.”