His chest caved in.Sunny had not brought the Stringham family any gifts.The weight in his hands increased, and for a moment, Sunny feared that he might find a live creature inside the large box wrapped with paper.Happily, when he opened it, he found a book about mice.
He picked it up.“It’s a beautiful book.”
“Would you like me to show you my real mouse collection?”Becca offered.
A shiver of discomfort ran down his spine.
Mantheria laughed.“He doesn’t.”
Helen smirked at her sister and handed Sunny another present.“This one is from me.”
Sunny felt tongue-tied and embarrassed, but managed to peel off the expensive paper of the second gift.It was a pair of badly embroidered slippers.He thought that the orange thread might have been a lion, but he couldn’t be sure, so he didn’t say anything specific.“Thank you very much, Helen.They are very fine and useful.”
Mantheria shyly held out a gift to him.The pinkish tinge returned to her cheeks.“Mine is less useful.”
Sunny felt three pairs of eyes on him as he opened her gift.It was a book:Minstrelsy of the Scottish Borderby Sir Walter Scott.
“It’s my favorite book of poetry,” Mantheria said, looking at her slippers as if they were the most fascinating item in the room.Sunny was glad that he wasn’t the only person who felt embarrassed.“I hope you will enjoy it.”
“I will treasure it.”
He would treasure every word spoken between them.Every look.Every touch.Sunny had never fallen in love before, and it both scared and thrilled him.He felt euphoric every time that he was near Mantheria.He was so beguiled by her that he often daydreamed and lost track of time.
Helen huffed, bringing him back to the current moment, before handing him the stack of seven presents.“You’re taking too long, Sunny.Hurry it up.We need to get on to roasting chestnuts.”
Sunny felt the blood returning to his face with vengeance.He quickly set down the stack and opened the remaining presents as quickly as possible: a new pair of boots, chocolates, licorices, two embroidered handkerchiefs, and a golden pocket watch that must have cost a small fortune.His heart warmed at the Stringhams’ kindness.They had not only welcomed him into their home and family for the holidays, but they had also showered him with gifts for Christmas.
He didn’t know what to say.He opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Luckily, Sir Guinea Pig escaped from Becca’s arms and scampered between Sunny’s legs.Darting to the side, he managed not to get bowled over by the two youngest Stringhams, who chased after the hairy rodent, squealing.
The butler, Harper, picked that inopportune moment to open the door to the room, and the guinea pig escaped.
“Everybody, after Sir Guinea!”Becca yelled.
To Sunny’s surprise, Wick got up and raced after his little sisters.Even the duke and duchess trailed behind in a quick shuffle, followed more sedately by his grandparents.
Wick’s younger brother, Matthew, bumped Sunny’s shoulder with his own.“Come on, Sunny!This will be better than a fox hunt.”
Sunny glanced at Mantheria.He felt a fluttering in his empty stomach.She’d lifted her skirts and was running for the door, but she stopped when she reached it, blocking his way out.Pointing to the mistletoe above her, Mantheria gave him a gamine grin.“You owe me a kiss.”
There was nothing that he wanted to do more.Still, he was so nervous that his hands shook as he raised one palm to cup her soft cheek.Her skin was as delicate as a rose petal, and she smelled beautiful, too.Sunny had only kissed barmaids before, or rather, allowed them to kiss him.Such exchanges had been very pleasurable, but nothing as exciting or transcending as this moment with Mantheria.
He leaned forward and brushed his lips over hers.She tasted sweet, and he couldn’t stop himself from pressing his mouth harder against hers.Unlike the saucy barmaids, Mantheria did not touch him as they kissed.Perhaps she did not know where to put her hands—anywhere would have been welcome.He ached for her touch.And he longed to touch her.With his free hand, he wrapped it around her waist and pulled her flush against him, hyperaware of his own body.Mantheria opened her mouth in apparent surprise, and Sunny deepened the kiss.
The sound of scurrying paws caused them to break apart.Glancing over Mantheria’s shoulder, Sunny saw Sir Guinea Pig run behind her.The rest of the family would be following soon.Instinctively, he straightened his coat and touched his cravat.Mantheria’s lips were red and deliciously swollen.There was no hiding what they had done.He moistened his own lips.
She smiled at him, and his heart thumped wildly in his chest.“I shall be seventeen next month and debut in the spring season....Will you dance with me at my coming-out ball?”
“May I have the opening quadrille?”
“You may.”
The Stringhams ran past the door after the errant pet.Mantheria winked at him before chasing after her sisters and brothers.Sunny trailed behind them slowly.There was something alarming about committing to dance with her.It almost felt like declaring a courtship.
Sunny’s throat felt like it was closing in, making it difficult to breathe.His mind was overcome with a sense of dread.He had no idea how to be a good husband.His own father had died when he was only a small child, and the stories that Sunny had heard about his sire from Uncle Simon were hardly flattering.The late duke had a reputation for being a rakehell and a rascal.He’d left his heir and bereaved wife a great load of debts.And Sunny’s relationship with his mother was practically nonexistent.He had grown up in a house shrouded in black crepe and sorrow.
How could he possibly consider courting a bright and happy debutante like Mantheria?
