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Authors: Kathryn Kirkwood

Match For Melissa (28 page)

BOOK: Match For Melissa
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“Oh, yes! I will marry you!” Lissa’s eyes were shining as she gazed down into the dear face of her very perfect match. And then, when he had risen to take her in his arms once more, she whispered in his ear. “It would be well for us to marry at once, my darling duke. I should not like to wait longer for you to compromise me much more thoroughly, indeed!”

Epilogue

The aroma of freshly baked lemon seed cakes drifted up to tease Melissa’s senses and she smiled at her reflection in the mirror. Henri, who had made the long journey from London for this special occasion, had seized Melissa’s old family recipe with great enthusiasm. Indeed, the diminutive French chef had prepared it for five days running to make certain that there should be enough for the boisterous crowd that was soon to fill the dining hall of Oakwood Castle.

It was to be a grand Christmas celebration and Melissa was filled with delight at the prospect of spending the entire holiday season with the family she loved so dearly. Dorothea and her husband, Lord Chadwick, had arrived two days past and had immediately thrown themselves into the midst of the preparations. Indeed, Charles had barely taken a sip of the toddy that Robert had given to him upon their arrival before he had insisted that he be allowed to accompany Robert to the woods that surrounded the castle to oversee the procurement of the yule log.

Dorothea had set to work immediately, helping Melissa and her staff fashion decorations. She had taught all the maids the exact manner in which to tie bows of red and green velvet so that they could be easily affixed to the swags of green branches that adorned the ballroom.

That evening, dear Regina had come from the vicarage to help with the trimming. It had been a marvelous party.

Just when they had decided that the guests from London
should surely be delayed another day, the sound of horses stomping and grooms shouting had alerted them that a large party had arrived. Moments later, the dowager duchess had blown in with the snow, greeting her family with warm affection. Aunt Sarah had followed in her wake, brushing the snow from her cloak with a laugh, and declaring that she was delighted to be here at last. Her cousin, Lady Jennings, had seemed a bit flustered to arrive with her hair blown out of place by the wind, but her two daughters, Violetta and Helena, had quickly assured their mama that she looked quite fetching that way.

The next arrivals had come before the greetings had been properly concluded. Robert’s sister, Lucinda had burst in with her two small boys, who had greeted their Aunt Lissa and Uncle Robert with sleepy mumbles and been promptly taken off to bed. Once Lucy’s husband, Viscount Trelane, had tucked the boys in, he had joined the group and accepted a hot toddy with pleasure. Two of Robert’s young nephews had then arrived, accompanied by their father, the Marquis of Pembrook. Uncle Lawrence, as he had urged Melissa to call him, had brought his two sons for the express purpose of meeting Lady Jennings’s daughters. The girls had been delighted, of course, to meet such eligible young gentlemen and Melissa had noticed that Uncle Lawrence, a widower for the past three years, had shown a decided interest in making the acquaintance of their widowed mother.

When Melissa had observed that her two stepsisters were eyeing the entrance with ill-concealed anxiety, she had motioned to Robert to put them at ease. That was when her beloved husband had announced that Lady Harrington would not be joining them for this Christmas celebration as she had embarked on a trip to the continent and was at this moment, enjoying the delights of Paris. It had been an early Christmas present from Robert and the reservations he had secured had necessitated her immediate departure for this glittering capital of France, without
the time to even take proper leave of her daughters and Melissa.

There had been cries of “Well done!” all around and Gina and Doro had appeared much relieved. Though they had all treated Jane with the respect that her position as mother and stepmother required, no one, not even her daughters, had been anticipating her arrival at Oakwood Castle with any degree of pleasure. They had all spent the remainder of the evening in contented enjoyment, knowing that they had been spared, through Robert’s largess, any but congenial company.

“What a lovely sight!”

A deep voice from the connecting doorway made Melissa smile as she turned to greet her husband. He cut a dashing figure in his formal wear and as always, Melissa’s heart quickened at the sight of the handsome gentleman that she had married.

“Robert, dear.” Melissa rose to greet him. “How very kind in you to pay me a compliment when I know I must look a fright.”

Robert reached out to wrap his arms around her and hugged her tightly. “You could not look more beautiful to me. Is that a new gown? I don’t recall seeing it before.”

“No. It is an old one and much too tight!” Melissa frowned slightly. “Emmy managed to button it properly, but I can scarcely breathe. And when I bent down to pat Perseus, I feared that I should split a seam.”

“You look lovely in it, but you should not wear it if it causes you discomfort. You must change to something looser so that you will be able to enjoy Henri’s excellent feast.”

Melissa shook her head. “That is precisely what I planned to do, but this is the third gown I have tried. It seems none of my gowns are large enough and it is most distressing!”

“Hold still, darling.” Robert turned her around and swiftly unfastened the back of the gown. “There. Is that better?”

“Much better. I can breathe again! But I cannot appear before
our guests with my gown undone. Whatever am I to do, Robert?”

“I have just the thing to solve your problem.” Robert dropped a quick kiss on the tip of her nose. “Wait here a moment and I will fetch it.”

Melissa sighed as she waited for her husband to return. The exposed skin on her back tingled warmly where his fingers had brushed it. His touch never failed to stir her this way, even though they had been married for well over a year.

“Here you are, my love. This shall do the trick.”

A happy smile spread over Melissa’s face as she caught sight of the lovely shawl that her husband draped over her shoulders. It was woven of the finest cashmere and the design resembled a field of colorful spring flowers. “Oh, Robert! I have never seen such a beautiful shawl! Wherever did you get it?”

“I wrote to Mother and she commissioned a milliner in London to obtain it. The winters are dreary here at Oakwood Castle, and I wished that my dearest Diana should always be surrounded by a field of beautiful flowers.”

Melissa stood on tiptoe to kiss him, but what she had intended as a simple kiss of gratitude soon became much more than that. When Melissa pulled away at last, with undisguised reluctance, she sighed deeply. “I promised to see my sisters when I was dressed, though I confess that I should much rather—”

“Your sisters.” Robert interrupted her with a groan. “I completely forgot to tell you that they are waiting in the hall to see you.”

Melissa laughed at the guilty expression on her husband’s face. “It seems we must both take care to remember that we are entertaining and can no longer do
precisely
what we wish when we wish to do it.”

“And
precisely
what would that be, my love?”

Robert’s voice was teasing, and the color rose to Melissa’s cheeks. “You know
precisely
to what I refer. And if you do not, I shall tell you when we are truly alone.”

“I shall hold you to that promise, my dear.” Robert was smiling
as he crossed to the door to let her sisters in. “I will join the gentlemen and await your arrival.”

“Lissa!” Doro rushed into the room to give her stepsister a hug. “You look enchanting!”

Gina nodded, following a trifle more sedately. “You do, Lissa. And that shawl is lovely! Dede and Lucy joined us while we were waiting for you. Shall I ask them to come in?”

“Dede?” Melissa was confused.

Gina laughed and hastened to explain. “It is the new name that Lucy’s boys gave their grandmama. They are her initials, you see. Dede is for dowager duchess. She liked it so well, she gave us all leave to call her that if we wished.”

“By all means, do ask Dede to come in.” Melissa tried the name and smiled in delight. “I declare, it is perfect for her!”

Doro ushered in Dede and Lucy, and it turned into a merry party. Everyone declared that Melissa’s new shawl was exquisite and there were bursts of excited chatter as hair was patted into place, skirts were smoothed, and jewelry was selected for Melissa to wear.

At least they were ready to make their entrance, and Melissa turned to Lucy. “Does my new shawl cover my back? Robert had to loosen the laces on my gown.”

“Robert loosened your gown?” Dede gave Melissa a searching look. “Why did he do that, dear girl?”

“It was too tight. I fear that I have gained flesh, though I do not understand how such a thing could have occurred. I felt rather poorly for several days and I ate very little.”

Dede began to smile in undisguised delight. “You felt poorly and ate very little, yet you gained flesh?”

“Yes.” Melissa nodded. “But just recently my appetite has returned with a vengeance and I find I am so looking forward to this evening’s din…”

Melissa stopped suddenly and stared at them in bewilderment. “Why are you all smiling in that particular manner? Every one of you resembles the cat that got into the cream pot!”

“My dear, Lissa.” Lucy stepped forward to give her a hug.
“Could it be possible that you are increasing and well on your way towards giving my brother an heir?”

“Increasing?” Melissa looked completely astounded for a moment and then a telling blush rose to her cheeks.

“Ah, ha!” Lucy turned to her mother. “You were right, Mama, though I cannot for the life of me understand how you can tell so quickly!”

“You knew?” Melissa turned to Dede in astonishment.

“I suspected, and I certainly hoped, but I did not know.” Dede smiled at Melissa. “There is a certain look in your eyes, a serenity I have not seen there before. Does Robert know?”

Melissa laughed merrily. “Of course not! How could he know when I did not even guess? Oh, I am such a ninny not to suspect it! I must tell Robert straight away!”

“It will be your Christmas present to him.” Dede hugged Melissa tightly. “And never fear. We shall not give away your secret until you have chosen the proper time to tell him.”

Melissa took Dede’s arm and hurried to the door. “Let us go down, girls. If we tarry much longer, our husbands will come to discover what is keeping us.”

Melissa led the way down the hall and paused at the top of the grand staircase. The gentlemen were waiting below and she smiled as she saw her dear husband. Robert closed one eye in a slow, almost devilish wink, and the color immediately rose to flood Melissa’s cheeks. He possessed the power to fluster her in a most delicious manner, but she would be the one to knock him off balance when they retired to their chambers tonight. The Duke of Oakwood was going to have a most memorable Christmas celebration, one that he should remember with pleasure for the remainder of his life!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathryn Kirkwood lives with her family in Granada Hills, California. A MATCH FOR MELISSA is her first Regency romance and she is currently working on her second, A SEASON FOR SAMANTHA, which will be published in February 1999. Kathryn loves hearing from readers and you may write to her c/o Zebra Books. Please include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you wish a response. You may also contact her at her e-mail address: [email protected].

BOOK: Match For Melissa
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ads

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