“Of course she would!The two of them were the best of friends once upon a time.”
He shrugged.“I’ll ask Violet.”
“Oh, but I was thinking you should also surprise Violet.”Violet would put an end to this immediately, Chrystabel knew.But she also knew that Jewel and Rowan belonged together.These two young people would make a perfect match—and that match would be Chrystabel’s crowning achievement.“Violet hasn’t seen her brother in quite some time, now that he’s living in London.Don’t you think she’d enjoy the surprise, too?”
“I’m not sure…”
“Here,” she said, pulling a sheet of parchment from her pocket.“I’ve written out a note for you, to make it easy for you to invite Rowan for Christmas Eve supper.All you need to do is copy it in your own hand and send it.I’ve written his direction on the back.”
She held it out to him, leaving him no choice but to take it or appear rude.
“Very well,” he said, setting it among the jumble of who-knows-what that sat on a table.
She wondered when he might next go through that jumble, searching for something he’d misplaced.Everything in his laboratory looked misplaced, at least to Chrystabel.Just her luck, he might not glance at that jumble again until after Christmas.
“Why don’t you write the letter now?”she suggested.“In fact, I’ll post it for you if you do.”She pulled a clean sheet of paper from her pocket, unfolded it, and set it before him.“Christmas is naught but a month away, and Rowan could make other plans.”
“Very well,” he repeated, clearly anxious to get back to his work.
“This won’t take but a moment.”Spotting a few pens stuck in a beaker, Chrystabel snatched one up and handed it to him with an ink pot and a smile.“I’m so looking forward to Christmas.”
Two
Amy
The next day
The kitchen in Greystone Castle
AMETHYST, THECountess of Greystone (more commonly called Amy), was incredible at her jeweler’s bench but incompetent in her kitchen.In consequence, she ventured into the massive stone chamber just one day each year, and today was that day.
As usual on this day, the last Sunday before the season of Advent, Amy found herself standing at the enormous wooden table in the center of the room, surrounded by bowls and spoons, cups and knives, an assortment of ingredients, and her family.
Well, most of her family, anyway.
Her youngest son, Aidan, had contrived to make himself scarce.
“I cannot believe William of Orange has finally invaded,” nineteen-year-old Hugh announced with a touch of dangerous glee in his voice.“May I have some of that brandy to celebrate?”
“I suppose that’s as good an excuse as any,” his father agreed in a wry tone.
Amy smiled as she watched Colin pour their eldest son a small goblet of the amber spirits.With their emerald eyes and long, raven hair—Colin’s now attractively touched with silver at the temples—the two looked so alike that she sometimes found herself looking at Hugh and daydreaming about years gone past.
After refreshing his own goblet, Colin set down the decanter.“I wouldn’t call this an invasion, given that William’s plans have been public knowledge since September.”
“Well then, William has finallylanded.”Hugh sipped, looking as though he felt he were very grown up.“And I’m prepared to go off to war.”
“Oh, no.”Colin’s goblet thudded to the scarred surface.“You’re not going anywhere but Oxford.I will not allow my heir to risk his life.”
“Your father is right.”Amy’s heart pounded at the mere thought of either of her sons engaged in battle.“And if you so much as mention this again, you won’t even return to university.I will throw you in the oubliette until William and Mary are crowned.”
Colin laughed.“There won’t be any need for such measures.King James’s support is dissolving already.”
“As it should,” Amy confirmed with a satisfied nod.
Her family wasn’t alone in condemning the king for overturning the religion, laws, and liberties of his realm by suspending Parliament and consolidating power.Along with many others, the Chases had supported sending William of Orange an invitation that assured him the nobility and gentry were dissatisfied and would rally to his side.And since then, they’d been working behind the scenes in hopes of accomplishing a smooth transition without undue bloodshed.
She didn’t, however, find this an uplifting subject for a day she looked forward to all year.Although she was glad to hear the ‘invasion’ was progressing with little loss of life, any chance of war, however slight, was unsettling.