She’d entered the morning room when the family assembled there after breakfast, looking considerably flustered, her arms full with a pile of beribboned tissue paper. She looked from one to the other, her eyes meeting his only fleetingly. Then she fixed her attention on his father.
“I didn’t know when to do this, sir. Georgy mentioned that you exchanged family gifts on Christmas Day, and — and…”
An echo of the rush of tenderness he’d felt as he realised what she was about slid through Alex. Recalling the tentative and troubled look on her face, as if she feared to be making some dreadful faux pas, he felt all over again the urge to rush to her aid. He’d had to bite his tongue to stop himself speaking out. He must be ever grateful to his sire for taking the matter out of his hands and smoothing the moment.
“Can it be that you have taken the trouble to honour us with gifts, my dear Appoline?”
“Well, yes. It’s nothing much, but — but you’ve been kind … you’ve all been so kind. I wanted to do something, if I could.”
Georgy jumped in, squeaking with protest. “Apple, I told you there was no need. Oh, you shouldn’t have.”
Lord Luthrie intervened, moving to relieve Apple of her burdens. “Indeed she should, if she wanted to, Georgy. How very kind of you, Appoline. What is concealed in all this tissue, I wonder? I am greatly intrigued.”
The twinkle in his eyes must reassure her, Alex hoped, adding what he trusted would not give him away. “So am I, sir. Can’t imagine what Apple’s been up to.”
As he spoke, he glanced at his mother and found her regarding Apple with a frowning look, but not with disapproval. He breathed more easily when she smiled and gestured to the card table, opened out for the occasion, where the family had each laid down their offerings for each other.
“You have chosen your moment well, my dear Appoline. We are just about to make this very exchange.”
Lord Luthrie moved to the table and laid down the pile of Apple’s gifts. “I think we must enjoy these first, my dear Pippa, do not you?” He held out a hand to Apple. “Appoline, my dear, will you do the honours, if you please?”
Alex glanced again at the pile and took in the shape of the gifts. Something clicked in his head, and he remembered catching Apple in the succession house the other day. Was this the drawing she’d been doing? Apple began handing out the gifts and Alex instantly found himself wondering what she’d drawn for him. Then she was before him, holding out her offering, a smile of such tantalising sweetness in her face that Alex had much ado not to seize her up and kiss the quivering lips.
“This is yours, Alex. I haven’t done you quite as I’d wish.”
The last was uttered in a mischievous under-voice and his lips quirked.
“Done me? God help me!”
A tiny giggle escaped her, choked off as she threw a glance over her shoulder to where the others were engaged in removing the ribbon and tissue.
“I’d best open it then,” he said and proceeded to do so.
Confronted with his own face, the likeness uncannily accurate, Alex was bereft of speech. He looked from the portrait to Apple and found her watching him, so anxious an expression on her face that he broke into laughter.
“Don’t look like that, Apple! I just can’t believe how well you’ve caught me. Thought you were good, but this…”
The beam of her smile lit up her face and his heart both. Fortunately for his peace of mind, his relatives began exclaiming.
“Apple, this is unbelievable! It’s me! How are you able to do that?”
Georgy was holding up a rendition of herself that caught something of her sparkling personality, not only her likeness. His mother was holding her gift with a stupefied expression in her face, her mouth at half-cock. Alex had rarely seen her so confounded. Drawn, he went across and looked over her arm.
“That’s the view from across the lake. See, there’s the west oak and the edge of the conservatory. Apple, this is amazing.”
Lady Luthrie lowered the paper. “This, my dear child, shows extraordinary talent. Georgiana, why did you not tell us of your friend’s artistic ability?”
“I didn’t know!” Alex winced inwardly and Georgy flooded with colour, and desperately tried to retrieve the slip. “I mean — I mean, I knew Apple could draw, of course, but I had no notion…” She faded out, and Apple leapt in with an adroitness that commanded Alex’s admiration.
“You must know, ma’am, that Georgy never pays attention to such things. And we were not schooled together. Had I been adept at style and fashion rather than drawing, of course, it would be different.”
Even Georgy joined in the general laugh, and the slip was forgotten as Lord Luthrie took a hand.
“I cannot sufficiently thank you, Appoline. You could not have given a gift that meant more.” He held up his parchment for all to see, and Alex was surprised to feel pride swelling in his bosom on Apple’s behalf. “I shall have this framed and placed in my library, where I may refresh my eyes when Outram drags me from my darlings and forces me to attend to business.” He then commanded Alex to ring the bell for a celebratory glass, and the family gifts were distributed.
Alex was grateful for his sister’s warning some days before.
“I suspect Apple is planning something, Alex, so you must get her a gift.”
