Jewel
DINNER WAS Ashort, hurried affair, as no one was terribly hungry and the cousins were anxious to go skating.Aunty Kendra and Uncle Trick were both irritable, amusing Jewel to the point where she hardly thought about marrying Henry at all.
But afterward, back in her chamber, she did think about him while she pulled on her warmest clothes.She couldn’t seem to help herself—her life seemed reduced to making this decision.She felt so close.
Why couldn’t she just commit?What was she waiting for?
With a sigh, she grabbed her new skates and headed out of the room.Or rather, she opened the door,intendingto head out of the room, but found Margaret there waiting.
The maid beckoned her back inside.“Are you in a rush, my lady?”she asked quietly.“I’m wondering if you could help me with something.I don’t think it should make you too late for the skating.”
It had to be something to do with the prank.Jewel smiled.“Of course,” she said, beginning to remove her cloak.
“No, my lady, you’ll want to keep that on.”Margaret’s eyes danced conspiratorially, making Jewel like her even more.“We’re heading to the stables.”
“Oh!”Jewel shrugged back into the garment.“This sounds like fun.By the by, may I ask you for a favor?”
Margaret looked puzzled.“Anything, my lady.Anything at all.”
“I’d like to keep my involvement in this a secret from my father for now.”
The maid’s eyes widened.“I’ll not say anything, unless he asks me directly—”
“He won’t,” Jewel assured her with a grin.“Shall we go?”
Twenty-Two
Kendra
“The skates are working brilliantly Uncle Ford!”Kendra’s eldest, Elspeth, called while gracefully gliding on one foot with her other leg raised in the air.
Laughter rang out over the icy pond.The younger girls were competing to see which of them could twirl the longest, judged by Jewel, who had joined their skating party a little late.Most of the boys were skating races.
When Chases were involved, it seemed everything was a contest, but Kendra wouldn’t want it any other way.It was nice to see her children enjoying themselves in the midst of her personal frustrations.
But, oh, were those personal frustrations frustrating.
She could scarcely believe she and Trick still hadn’t managed to get together.She felt like powder keg about to explode, her skin tight and hot, her stomach constantly tied in knots.While all around her, everyone else was blithely enjoying the holiday.
Well, maybe not everyone…
She skated over to Amy, matching strokes to glide side-by-side.“I know why you’re unhappy, but why is Jewel in the doldrums?She’s usually so spirited.”
“I wish I knew,” Amy said with a sigh.“Colin thinks it’s because she lost her maid, but I fear it’s something more.Something she’s not sharing.”
“Perhaps she’s worried about the invasion.”
“Perhaps.”Amy shook her head, looking troubled.“Aren’t we all?”
Kendra could only nod her agreement.
England’s last civil war had taken so much from her: her parents, her home, her childhood.She couldn’t bear to think of it all happening again.More families torn apart, more bloodshed and destruction…
It was a welcome distraction when Fordwhooshedpast them, skating backward as he called out, “Watch this!”While everyone turned to look, he lifted his heels and came to a gentle halt, making a scraping noise in the process.
Kendra gasped.“How’d youdothat?”
He laughed and skated closer, tracing circles around her.“While you were wrapping your gifts, I was carving jagged teeth into the front of my blades.”He sounded very pleased with himself.“I thought they would make a good stopping mechanism.Do you want to see it again?”
