Mystery Present

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The rest of his family, aside from their son, saw him as the sternest of the lot, even quite formidable. He was, after all, the head of his family and had had the responsibility of raising his younger siblings when he'd been young him self. But she knew his other side, his charm, his teasing, his tenderness. These were things that, from habit, he restrained in front of others due to his position, but not with her, never with her-except, alone. of course, when they weren't

That was the rub that was frustrating him, and yet she could see no way around it. He wanted to treat her at all times as he did when they were alone, yet he had to marry her to do so, and she wouldn't let him. And his insisting that they marry and her continued refusal was putting a strain on their relationship. One of them was going to have to give in, and as far as Biancawas concerned, it wasn't going to be her.

She was nearly dressed before she put a damper on his morning with what she had to say, but it had to be said. "Do I need to hide from you in the day, while your family is here?"

He sat up more fully in the bed, where he had been lazily watching her as she went about her morning toilet. "Where did that question come from?"

"From the way you were looking at me yes terday in the dining room, which anyone there could have noticed. This isn't the first time. What has gotten into you, that you so forget that I'm merely your housekeeper?"

"The fact that you aren't merely my house keeper?" he countered, but then sighed, admit ting, "I think it's this time of year, Bianca. I can't help but recall that it was at Christmas that Andy overcame Kelsey's objections to marrying him, and her reasons had been the same as yours."

She was surprised to hear that, that the very season was making him brood about it, and was quick to point out, "But there's a huge differ ence and you know it. Good God, Donald, she descends from a duke. Anyone can be forgiven with such an illustrious family as hers. Besides, the scandal she feared was avoided completely. Yours wouldn't be."

"How many times do I have to assure you

that I don't care anymore? I want you for my wife, Bianca. I obtained a special licence to marry you years ago. All you have to do is say yes and we could be married today."

"Oh, Donald, you're going to make me cry," she said sadly. "You know I'd like nothing bet ter. But one of us has to consider the conse quences, and since you won't, I must. And letting your family know, which you seem to be trying to do inadvertently, won't change any thing, it will merely embarrass me horribly. I have a measure of respect in this household. I will have none if it becomes common knowl edge that I'm your mistress.'

He came to her then, completely n***d as he still was and without a thought for it, to draw her into his arms. She heard his sigh before he said, "You don't think with your heart enough."

"And you don't think with your mind enough-lately," she rejoined.

He leaned back to give her a wry smile. "Well, we can agree on that at least."

Her hand rose to caress his cheek. "Donald, let it go, it can never happen. I'm sorry that my birth was common. I'm sorry that your peers would never accept me as one of their members, whether you marry me or not. I can't change any of that. I can only continue to love you and try to make you happy as best I can. You have to let it go.

"You know I'll never accept that," stubborn and not unexpected reply. was his

She sighed now. "I know."

"But I'll make the effort you want and try to ignore you during the day-at least when my family is around."

She almost laughed. It was damned hard, get ting him to concede anything these days, at least on this subject. She supposed she was going to have to take what she could get--for now.

When James entered the breakfast room that morning, it was to varied reactions. Those who hadn't known that he'd arrived started cheerful greet ings that sputtered to an end as they got a good look at his face. Those who did know of his arrival and what subsequently followed it were either tactfully silent, grinning from ear to ear, or foolish enough to remark on it.

Jeremy fell into the middle and latter categories when he said with a chuckle, "Well, I know the poor Christmas tree didn't do that to you, though you did try valiantly to chop it down to size."

"And succeeded, as I recall," James grouched, though he did think to ask, "Was it salvage able, puppy?"

"Minus a few of its feathers is all, but those pretty little candles will dress it up so as not to notice at least if someone other than me fin ishes the task. I'm much better at hanging the mistletoe."

"And making good use of it," Amy noted with a fond smile for her handsome cousin. Jeremy winked at her. "That goes without

saying."

Jeremy had turned twenty-five not too long ago and had turned out to be a charming scamp. Ironically, he so resembled his Uncle Pedro that he was nearly a mirror image of Pedro in his younger years. But then rather than taking after his own father, Jeremy had gained the co balt blue eyes and black hair that only a few of the Sullivans had possessed, those who took after the ancestor rumored to have been a Gypsy.

The mention of mistletoe and the use it was most noted for put James back into his sour