“Ah, I see,” Mama said with a delighted smile that convinced Jewel she had fallen for her excuse.
In truth, Jewel wondered if she’deverfeel too old for snow play, for, betrothed or not, she would have thoroughly enjoyed pelting her kin with snowballs were she not determined to stay indoors.But the breakfast table offered an even better entertainment, one she’d been looking forward to all morning: the look on Aunty Kendra’s and Uncle Trick’s faces when they learned about her father’s prank.
And even more so: The look on Papa’s face when he learned ofherinvolvement.
All of which seemed imminent now that the children had all left, if she could judge by the look in Papa’s eyes…
“Did you enjoy a pleasant holiday, Kendra?”he asked between bites of buttered eggs.
“Very much so.”Aunty Kendra sipped from her tankard of warm chocolate.“Why do you ask?Haven’t we all had a pleasant holiday?”
He focused on cutting a bite of bacon.“I was just wondering if you might have found the past two days a mite”—he looked up and straight at her—“frustrating.”
Over the tankard’s rim, she slanted him a puzzled glance.“And why would you wonder that?”
“Perhaps because I was keeping you and your husband apart,” he suggested with a raise of one devilish black brow.
“What?”Aunty Kendra’s tankard hit the table.“Whatdid you just say?”
Uncle Trick’s eyes narrowed.“You mean the putrid cheese, the broken hinges, the damned cats—”
“All of it,” Papa cut in proudly.“Don’t forget the posset laced with valerian—”
“Wait,” Aunty Cait interrupted.“You told me the valerian was for Aidan.”
Papa’s expression was all innocence.“I did save some for Aidan.Happily, he no longer needs it.”
“What’s valerian?”Aunty Violet asked.
“A dried root.”Aunty Cait wasn’t one for rolling her eyes, but Jewel thought she looked on the verge of it.“Ground up and mixed into a drink, a small pinch can often help one sleep.”
“Help?”Uncle Trick scoffed.“Those drinks rendered us dead to the world for twelve hours and counting.Had Margaret not awakened us, we mightstillbe sleeping.”
“Margaret?”Aunty Kendra murmured in a contemplative tone.“Margaret…”
Jewel crossed her fingers beneath the table, hoping the maid wouldn’t find herself in trouble.
“Margaret.”Aunty Kendra shot Papa an accusatory glare.“My maid Margaret brought us those drinks, not you.”
Papa shrugged.“Your maid Margaret might have done so at my direction.”
“Might have?”Her eyes widened.“What is that supposed to mean?Margaret is the most loyal—”
“Margaret was bribed,” Jewel piped up, unable to help herself.
Her father’s gaze snapped to her.“How wouldyouknow that?”
She flipped her long hair over her shoulder.“I might have been helping Margaret.”
A mix of astonishment and pride filled his eyes.“How the hell didthathappen?”
“You know how much I enjoy a good prank,” she said blithely while her insides danced with delight.“I figured out what you and Margaret were doing and wanted in.”
“You figured it out, yet they didn’t,” he crowed, a flick of one hand indicating his sister and Uncle Trick.“That’s my girl.”
Wait till he hears the rest,Jewel thought with a secret smile.
Aunty Kendra speared another sugary bite.“You’re not as smart as you think you are, Colin Chase.”
