When he reached her, he placed a hand on her shoulder, and she stood immediately to face him.
“I have a surprise for you,” she said brightly.
“Do you indeed?” James risked a glance Charlie’s way, and the young man arched a brow in warning. “What’s the occasion?”
“I know your birthday is next month, but this gift can’t wait.”
That did stoke his curiosity.
Lucy was all but bouncing on her toes in excitement, and the rest of the room had gone quiet. James glanced at Lord and Lady Hallston, both of whom were watching them, amused smiles on their faces.
“Are you ready?” Lucy asked archly.
“I am.” If it made her this happy, it had to be a good surprise.
“Drummond, it’s time,” Lucy called out in a loud voice.
Drummond? James bore no grudge against the aged butler, but he couldn’t say if the Scotsman felt the same. His certainty that this would be a pleasant surprise began to wane.
A moment later, he heard Drummond in the hallway. “Come, ye wee scamp,” the old man muttered. “Ah, ye sprite. I’ll carry ye then.”
The butler entered the drawing room with a squirming creature tucked under his arm.
Lucy rushed forward, blocking James’s view, and scooped the animal into her arms.
When she turned, two glossy black eyes were turned his way.
“Darling, meet the son of Hercules.”
“And Dolly,” Aunt Cassandra put in as she approached. “Lady Grimshaw has a deerhound lass. She and Hercules get on well, shall we say?”
“Do you like him, James?”
He nodded and wanted to speak, but there was a knot in the back of his throat and a sting behind his eyes. “Thank you, love,” was all he managed before Lucy bent closer to kiss him and shift the puppy into his arms.
The lively thing immediately licked his cheek.
“He’s magnificent.” As James petted the pup, he noticed that he had the same white patch on his chest as Hercules, who’d come closer to keep a watchful eye on his son.
“What shall we call him?”
“I suggest Charles,” Charlie put in.
“Dickens,” James and Lucy said almost in unison.
“Author of the book James knocked from my arms the day we met,” Lucy said with a cheeky grin.
“The book that nearly broke my foot.”
“Nearly doesn’t count, darling.” Lucy winked. She’d learned that from him.
“Shall we have a toast?” Lord Hallston called, lifting his glass of mulled cider. “To Dickens, the newest member of the family.”
Lucy collected a cup for James, and he tried his best to hold the wriggling pup in one arm.
“And to James,” Charlie added. “The second-newest member who I don’t think we’ve ever yet toasted as a family or subjected to our favorite parlor games or too often repeated family stories.” Charlie smirked at James. “You’re in for quite a visit, mate.”
James swigged back his cider as everyone else did, but he was grateful when everyone went back to their small clusters of conversation. He was grateful, and a little overwhelmed with it. The feeling of belonging, of being wholly embraced by a close-knit group, was strange and new, and a warmer, more comforting feeling than he’d ever imagined it could be.
