Trevor, Mary, and the girls cut greenery all morning. They needed enough for bows, wreathes, and garlands. He discovered that Mary and her charges had a great deal of stamina. He was breathing quite hard in the cold December air. On the way back to the castle, they walked by Ford Cottage. Covered in a blanket of snow and near a stone bridge over the river, the home looked idyllic.
Lady Frederica took the greenery from his arms. “You ought to go and tour your new house.”
“Excellent idea,” Lady Helen said, taking the branches from Mary.
Lady Becca beamed at them. “You should, indeed, for Mrs. May sent over all the maids yesterday to scrub it from top to bottom so that it would be ready for your marriage tomorrow.”
Glancing at Mary, Trevor saw her cheeks turn a pretty pink, quite different from her red-tipped nose from the cold. She did not meet his eyes but she smiled, and he assumed that meant she was not opposed to the idea.
Trevor bowed his head to the ladies. “I should like that very much.”
All three girls raised their eyebrows at Mary, whose entire face was now pink, before crossing the bridge to return to the castle.
He offered his arm. “We can follow them, if you prefer, Mary. I should not wish to make you uncomfortable at Christmastime. Or any other day, for that matter.”
At last, her eyes met his and her entire countenance smiled. His whole body felt lighter. “I am not uncomfortable, merely happy and a little bit embarrassed.”
Leading her to the house, Trevor was surprised when the front door opened and an older woman with a wizened face bid them enter. Her gray hair was frizzy and barely contained by her white cap. She wore a brown wool dress and an apron over the top of it. With one hand, she gestured for them to come inside.
Once the door was closed, she curtsied to them. “I am Mrs. Greenlow, the housekeeper and cook. There are only two of us servants at Ford Cottage. Me and Mildred. But I let her go home for Christmas. She will be back the day after.”
Trevor bowed in return, moving a little closer to the lively fire in the hearth. “It is a great pleasure to meet you Mrs. Greenlow. I am Mr. Wallace, the new chaplain, and this is my fiancée, Miss Perkins.”
The older woman tipped her chin. “Aye, I have seen ye about with the duke’s daughters, Miss Perkins. Ye have lasted longer than most of their governesses, I must say. Ye must have the patience of Job.”
Mary stiffened and Trevor thought that she did not like hearing criticism of her charges. Even if they were original young ladies, to say the least. She took a deep breath before saying, “What a lovely cottage, ma’am. You seem to be a most efficient housekeeper. Might you be willing to give us a tour?”
“Aye, I shall,” she said, pointing with one finger. “But perhaps we shall start in the kitchen. I have just put on a kettle and you both look a bit frozen.”
They followed her to a tidy kitchen with another roaring fire. Trevor gratefully accepted a cup of piping hot tea, and it warmed him from the inside out. Once Mary finished her cup, Mrs. Greenlow showed them the ground floor. The kitchen was at the back of the house; adjacent to it was a small formal dining room. The oval table and oak chairs gleamed as if they were new. The front of the house contained a parlor, where they had originally entered. He noticed the floral wallpaper and velvet sofa with matching chairs. Oak tables flanked the sofa and chairs; they were designed in the same style as the dining room. A writing desk and chair faced the window, and he thought that Mary would enjoy writing her letters there. The fireplace was carved in intricate millwork and matched the pattern on the beautiful mahogany staircase. The last room on the ground floor was a small office that Trevor could write his sermons in.
The housekeeper led them up the stairs to the second floor, which boasted four family rooms. One room was nearly twice the size of the others, and Trevor blushed as he realized that it would be theirs. It had a large four-poster bed on one wall and two matching dark wood wardrobes in Queen Anne’s style. The coverlet was a Christmas-green embroidered with gold leaves. The furniture was finer than any he had seen in his uncle Wallace’s home or in the two rectories. Neither of which he mourned the loss of any longer.
Mrs. Greenlow did not show them the attic, where her room and Mildred’s were located. But Trevor did not need to see anything else to know that this house could be their home. He could see a future there with Mary and their children. Once he closed the front door behind them, Trevor kissed Mary on the step. She tasted of fresh snow, cinnamon, and happiness.
“The next time we come here,” he said, “we will be man and wife, and I will carry you over the threshold.”
Mary grinned at him. “I can hardly wait. I am so eager that I might have to carry you!”
He laughed and took her hand. Together they walked back to the castle, where all his dreams had come true on this very special Christmas.
***
It was late that same afternoon when the Duchess of Hampford’s carriage arrived. Mary wiped her brow; she felt exhausted. She and the girls had added bows, garlands, and wreathes to every surface and door in the castle. It smelled like a forest—fresh and alive. Decorating was a task usually reserved for Christmas Eve, but the girls wished to do it a day early so that the castle would be ready for her wedding.
“Mama is here!” Becca yelled from the front double doors.
Mary had never quite been able to teach her young charge to control the volume of her voice. She rushed down the hall, straightening her collar and gown. The Duke of Hampford and Trevor came out of a different door and beat her to the grand entry. Her heart lifted at the very sight of him. Her betrothed gave her a shy smile and held out his hand and she eagerly took it. Lord Hampford pushed past his butler and opened the carriage door for his wife. He helped her down the step and gave her a great smacking kiss as his daughters cheered.
Lady Hampford emerged from the embrace, smiling, and began kissing and hugging each of her daughters. She did not stop until she reached Mary. The duchess engulfed her in a tight embrace and kissed her cheek. “Miss Perkins, your countenance is positively shining today. I suppose this young man has something to do with it?”
Mary dipped her chin down. “Your Grace, may I present Mr. Trevor Wallace.”
The duchess extended her hand to Trevor, and he bowed over it. “Sir, it is a great pleasure to meet you at last.”
Lady Hampford gave them another nod before turning back to her husband.
Oddly enough, Harper stayed by the carriage door and held out his hand as if there were more occupants. Then a small-gloved hand appeared in his. At first, all Mary could see was the woman’s bonnet as her eyes were focused on the newly scrapped ground. But when she glanced up, Mary saw a pair of spectacles identical to her own. She released Trevor’s hand and ran to her.