Page 142 of The Governess Who Stole My Heart

“Not that I know of,” Johnanswered.

“Do you think they may want to have a joint wedding with us?” Susan asked, a littleapprehensively.

John grimaced. “It would probably be the expedient thing to do but I’d rather not. He may be my brother, but as a Duke, there is a number of people in the establishment I’ll be expected to invite that wouldn’t be happy attending a second brother’s wedding at the sametime.”

“It also detracts from the specialness of each individual wedding. And I feel certain Miss Fitzwilliam wouldagree.”

They rode on in silence, until John said, “Aunt Clarissa gave me a letter the other day that Annabel wrote me before she gave birth toElizabeth.”

“I don’tunderstand…”

“I’ll let you read it. Itexplains.”

“You want me to read it?Why?”

“I don’t want anything unspoken between us. And one day I’ll want to let Elizabeth see it too. It’s part of who she is and it is part of ourhistory.”

Susannodded.

* * *

The Christmas treewas being set up in the largest sitting room. Aunt Clarissa was directing the staff in the decorations. There were numerous ornaments standing by in boxes for the tree, and the air was scented by the pine boughs being woven into garlands for decorating the fireplaces and thewindows.

“It’s going to be lovely,” Susan said toClarissa.

“It’s been too long since we’ve had a Christmas like this,” she said, “For years after Annabel’s death, Christmas was only modestly celebrated. But now, you are here breathing new life into the house. And I know Elizabeth will love thecelebration.”

“Do you have a head count yet for Christmas dinner?” Susanasked.

“More than we at first anticipated,” Clarissa said. “John has invited Elizabeth’s maternal grandparents, and now your parents are coming as well. Did you inviteKatherine?”

“I did but she’ll spend Christmas this year with her family. She felt since this is the first Christmas after Daniel’s beeninstitutionalized…”

“Ofcourse.”

“And we have Simon and MissFitzwilliam…”

Susan leaned in and said softly. “I think you can call her Fitznow.”

Clarissa looked at Susan askance. “I’ve still not fully assimilated the idea of Miss Fitzwilliam as a niece-in-law—if there even is such aterm.”

“I think she would be just the wife of your nephew. I’m afraid you must soon call her either Mrs. Chamberlain orFiona.”

“We shall see.” Clarissa went over to a staff member and directed to start trimming the tree once it was securelypositioned.

She came back to Susan. “It’s too bad there won’t be any other children amongst the guests. It’s sad that Elizabeth will be the onlychild.”

That gave Susan an idea. “How do you think John would react to having some of the villagers with children to thedinner?”

“Hmm,” Clarissa said. “I’m not certain about that. I think both our guests and the villagers would feel uncomfortable together attable.”

“Then what about a separate event? We could have our scheduled noon dinner with family and then, in the evening, have the villagers—who are, after all, John’s workers—come for a separate celebration with theirchildren?”

Clarissa considered that. “I think that’s a splendid idea, but it shouldn’t be too late if there are children—too many sleepy-heads after a busy Christmasday.”

“I’ll talk to John about it,” Susanoffered.

“Don’t miss the back of the tree,” Clarissa spoke out to several staffmembers.