The piping off-key voices of the three children rose in volume with the last note before they fell silent. They stared up at the tree they’d decorated together after dinner, branches lit by dozens of candles. Awe in their eyes, speechless.
For the first time that day. It’d been a raucous night. James hadn’t been subjected to such clamor since his own childhood. But he’d liked it.
Loved it, in fact. The laughter, the squealing delight from child and woman alike as they’d opened the presents he’d brought. A collection of baseball trade cards for Ellis, a small toboggan for Luella so that she might ride alone—Prim hadn’t been too pleased with that—and a tall rocking horse for Hazel set on springs so she could bounce to her heart’s content.
For Prim, an amethyst necklace, just the shade of her eyes when she was happy, though he didn’t go into detail over the color.
She’d given him a new case for his calling cards, having noted the old one was scratched and dented. A proper gift for a gentleman, but the whispered words that’d accompanied it promised he’d be unwrapping something a wee bit more personal later on.
Another layer of Prim to peel back.
Carols sung, the candles were blown out quickly before they could set the tree on fire.
“All right, then. Time for bed,” Prim called out, clapping her hands to spur the children into action. They hemmed and hawed but realized there’d be no reprieve and gave in.
They went to their mother for goodnight kisses, but to James’s surprise, they came to him as well. Ellis flung himself against James with more effusive thanks for the trade cards, which James stemmed before the lad launched into another rambling soliloquy about the statistics of each player that season. The lad was a talker, to be sure. Luella gave him a peck on the cheek and a shy smile, but she was warming up to him. Hazel jumped into his arms for a vigorous squeeze around his neck and a sloppy kiss.
“Good night, Mr. Kin-tosh.”
“Happy Christmas, lass,” he returned, bussing her cheek noisily. She giggled and squirmed in his arms. “Sweet dreams.”
He watched the nanny herd them away. They were stealing his heart, each one of them. An instant family would be his if he managed to convince their mother to put her fierce determination to be independent aside and accept a man in her life. In an instant, he’d have everything he’d never known he always wanted.
“Ellis talked your ear off again,” Prim said with a laughter in her voice when they were alone. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” he said, turning back to her. “I’ll have to get used to it, right?”
Prim cocked her head to the side, her eyes curious. “Why?”
James toyed with the ring in his pocket. Should he go ahead and ask her? At least he’d be prepared for her rejection after that remark. He hadn’t gotten the impression that she’d swayed in the slightest from her firm disinterest in remarrying. How had he thought he could change the opinion of such a strong-minded woman?
More persuasion was all he needed. He’d work on that tonight. But a glance at the clock showed him the hour was too early for them to sneak off to his house. The time needed to be passed with something mundane enough to squash the desire humming in his veins.
“Had a telegram from Scotland this morning,” he said, pouring himself a glass of Scotch from the decanter Prim had set out for him.
“Christmas greetings?”
He held up an empty glass in question. She nodded and he filled it also.
“No, but good news. I had a telegram this afternoon from my brother Francis.” James carried both glasses back to the settee she’d dropped into and sat beside her. He handed one off and lifted his in toast. “I’ve a new niece today. My brother Colin’s wife, Ilona, delivered her early this morning.”
“How wonderful.” Prim tapped her glass against his. “Do they have a name for her yet?”
“Francis didn’t mention it but did say she’s as bonny as her mother.”
Prim cocked her head to the side. The habit so endearing. “Is she? Is Ilona pretty?”
“Lovely,” he admitted. “With blond hair and bright blue eyes. She’s always smiling. Honestly, she’s the most singularly sunny and kind person I’ve ever known.”
* * *
Prim knew a moment of envy as James spoke of his sister-in-law. His demeanor so soft and genuine, she imagined he was half in love with her himself.
“You’d like her. Everyone does.” He sipped his drink, then grinned. “That makes eleven nieces and nephews. Fiona’s in the spring will round it out to a neat dozen. And you didn’t think I had any experience with children.”
He sent her a playful wink and Prim couldn’t help but smile back. “I stand corrected. It seems you do, in fact, know everything.”
James chuckled, lifting his glass again, but his amusement slipped away. “Sometimes it’s easier not knowing everything. I had a chance to study the rest of those files you sent over.” He offered a regretful wince. “I hate to say it, lass, but there’s something wrong there.”
