Page 67 of The Widow’s Christmas Surprise

She cringed when he spoke her name so familiarly, and when he offered his arm in escort she ignored it. There was only so much she could tolerate in the name of Christmas. As the others arrived behind her, she mounted the stairs, followed closely by Lord Wetherby. The subtle murmur that went up when her friends recognized Wetherby made her shrug, though she continued into the house.

“Thank you, Fuller.” The butler took her coat and hat as her footmen stood ready to take the outer garments of the rest of the party.

“Well, what do we have here?”

Abruptly someone seized her, turned her around, and pressed their mouth to hers. The overpowering stench of bergamot gave him away. Wetherby, rot his heart. She squirmed and pushed against him. Had the man gone completely mad to do this in front of all her friends?

Just as suddenly she was ripped from Wetherby’s embrace and shoved aside into someone else, who turned out to be Jane. Her head spinning, Maria could only ask helplessly, “What has happened?”

Jane’s only reply was to smile broadly and point her finger.

Her guests had been making so much commotion Maria had not noticed a fight had broken out in her entry hall. Well, more of a skirmish that was extremely short-lived. It came to an abrupt halt when the unknown pugilist threw a punch that connected squarely with Wetherby’s nose. The lord went down as though he were a felled oak and lay still on the parquet floor, bedaubed with blood here and there.

The mysterious combatant turned toward her, a smile on his handsome face that threatened to split it in two.

“Hugh!” Maria launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around him, holding on, never wanting to let him go.

“My love,” he whispered, hugging her back, enfolding her in his strong arms.

“I didn’t think you would come.” But he had come. He was here. She burst into tears.

“Don’t cry, love.” He chuckled as he fished out a handkerchief and handed it to her.

Kinellan approached them, approval in his eyes. “One of the better pieces of Christmas entertainment I’ve ever witnessed.” He patted him on the back. “Well done, Granger.”

“Thank you, my lord.” Hugh nodded, but kept his attention on her.

“Did you get my letter?”

“No, I’m sad to say.” He nodded at Wetherby, who was beginning to groan. “He intercepted it before Saunders and his accomplice could get it.”

“I don’t understand. Why could you not get your mail yourself?”

He glanced around. “Could we perhaps speak someplace more private?”

“Of course.” Reluctantly, she unwound herself from him but grabbed his hand. “First, let me take care of this.” She nodded to Wetherby, now moaning and struggling to rise. “Fuller, will you get the footmen to assist Lord Wetherby outside? I am not sure if he had a carriage or not, but he needs to leave my property in whatever means he has available.”

“Yes, my lady.” The butler looked as if he’d been given a substantial vail.

On the verge of taking Hugh somewhere private, she looked around at all the expectant faces of her guests. She could not in good conscience leave them in suspense. “My lords and ladies, I make known to you Mr. Hugh Granger, of whom you know a little. If I can pray your patience for a little more, I will introduce him to each of you shortly.”

Wide smiles and nodding heads were her answers and she thankfully took his hand. “Come with me.”

She led him into the smallest receiving room, the closest one that would give them a private moment. The door had barely closed when he seized her face in both hands and brought their lips together in a hungry kiss.

Oh, but she had longed for his touch so much she might never get enough. The sureness of his hands, the tenderness of his lips, the sweet sensation of his mouth on hers sent chills all through her. Wanting nothing more than to stay like this, intimate and loved, for all time, she settled herself against him and surrendered to the exquisite pleasure of his kiss.

Much later she emerged from the warmth of surrender to find them on the small sofa, still entwined in each other’s arms. “Oh, my love, I missed you so much.”

“No more than I have you.” He smoothed back loose strands of her hair, his touch like silk on her head. “There has not been a day gone by that I did not think of you. Wondering what you were doing, if you had found another to interest you, almost drove me mad.”

“How could I find another when the only one I want is you?”

“You did look rather enamored of Lord Wetherby when I came out of this room, where the butler had put me, to find you in the embrace of that rogue.”

“Hugh”—she sat up and swatted at his arm—“how can you say I looked enamored? The wretch seized me for no reason at all, and commenced kissing me.” She shook her head, still baffled by Wetherby’s actions. “It is not the first time I have thought him a lunatic.”

“I think I can shed some light on his motives, my dear. Other than the obvious ones having to do with lechery.” His eyes twinkled. “He caught you underneath the mistletoe.”