She waited for Kate to take a seat on the sofa before she added, “Well, now, I nearly choked on my tart when Lord Medford told us the valet had killed the duke.”

Annie curled up on the opposite side of the sofa and nodded emphatically to Kate. She clutched her chest. “Yes. If a man cannot trust his valet, whom can he trust?”

“I never knew him well,” Kate admitted. “Tucker was always gone with George to London. It’s difficult to believe George intended to let him go. They’d been together for ages. Apparently, they’d had rows before. I’d heard the other servants whispering a time or two about Tucker’s awful temper but I’d never seen it myself.”

Lily shook her head. “Just between us, I was always convinced Lady Bettina did it.”

Annie bit her lip. “I wonder if Lady Bettina suspected the valet.”

“I’ve thought about it all so much, and I’ll never make sense of any of it,” Kate replied. “I’m just glad to be free. Though I still cannot truly believe it. And please don’t think less of me for not wearing mourning clothes. I fear it would be entirely disingenuous of me, and with my reputation already in tatters, I fail to see the point.”

“On the contrary, we don’t think less of you at all,” Lily said, patting her hand.

“Absolutely not,” Annie added. “You’ll just have to put all that behind you now, start a new life.”

Kate shook her head and glanced down at her lap. “I don’t know how. I have nothing. Nothing more than my life. Though, believe me, for that I am immensely thankful.”

“Let us help you, Kate,” Lily said.

Kate glanced up. “No. You’ve both done so much for me already. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to repay you. After Christmas, I’ll find a way.”

“You may stay as long as you like,” Lily said. “I hope you know that. Either here at Colton House or at our town house in London.”

Kate pulled one of the light blue embroidered pillows from the sofa up to her chest. “I couldn’t take such advantage, Lily. I’m ever so thankful for the invitation to spend Christmas here, but after the new year, I think I shall go to the Continent. I’m no longer welcome in London, I realize that.”

Lily squeezed her hand. “Whatever you decide, we’ll support you. And there’s no need to make a decision today.”

Kate smiled at that. Letting the pillow drop to her lap, she reached out and squeezed both sisters’ hands simultaneously. “You’re both too good to me.” She bit the inside of her cheek to keep the tears from spilling from her eyes. Then she gave her head a hard shake. “So, tell me, how is Viscount Medford? I’ve made inquiries but … he hasn’t published the pamphlet yet, has he?”

“No … he hasn’t,” Lily said, just before she and Annie exchanged glances. “But there is something we must tell you.”

Kate’s smile faded. “What? He’s all right, isn’t he?” She pressed her hand to her chest.

“Oh yes, he’s perfectly fine,” Lily hastened to say. “It’s just that … well … Lord Medford will be here for Christmas too.”

Kate’s heart pounded. Her chest felt tight. The room tilted all of a sudden. She shouldn’t be surprised. Of course James was welcome here at his friends’ house. He always would be. She was the interloper. The stranger. “I should have guessed.”

“You don’t mind, do you?” Lily asked quietly. “Please tell me you’re not upset.”

Kate tried to laugh. “What sort of an ingrate would I be if I tried to tell you whom to invite to your own party?” She swallowed. “But I must say, I’m not sure he’ll be pleased to see me. I would hate to ruin his holiday.”

Annie patted Kate’s hand. “No. No. Lord Medford has been worried about the same thing. He thinks you don’t want to see him.”

Kate furrowed her brow. “Why would he think that?”

Annie glanced at her. “Because you left his house and went back to the Tower and … He told us you returned the money he sent you.”

Kate glanced at her hands folded in her lap. “I couldn’t take his money. His town house was destroyed because of me.”

“Don’t worry. You’ll talk. I’m sure you two will sort it out.” Lily clapped her hands. “In the meantime, we can all just enjoy Christmas.”

Kate sighed. “It’s fine, my friends. I shall not ruin your holidays with my histrionics. You’ve invited your friend Lord Medford to share the season with you, and I shall make no trouble for you. I should never have tried to put you in a position where you felt you had to choose.”

Annie and Lily exchanged glances. “Thank you for understanding.”

Kate stood up and hastily smoothed out her skirts. “Would you mind, terribly, if I go lie down for a bit, I’m just exhausted and—”

“Say no more,” Lily said, ringing for a servant. “I’ll have one of the maids show you to your room immediately.”

* * *

After Kate left, Annie turned to Lily, her arms crossed over her chest, a catlike smile on her face. “One part down. At least, we’ve got her to agree to be in the same room with him.”

CHAPTER 32

The snow was falling steadily by the time James arrived at Colton House. The sun had just begun to set across the Surrey countryside, and the sky was turning dark. It was speckled with the white snowflakes that wandered to the earth like fat little clouds.

James brushed through the front doors of the manor, a cold wind sweeping in with him. He shook the snow off his hat and coat and stomped his boots before turning to greet Lily with a present under his arm. Themis, whom he’d brought with him, gave a hard shake to rid her fur of the excess snow, then she quickly bounded after Bandit and Leo who had materialized from the hallway.

“Aren’t they having a grand time already?” he said with a laugh, as the dogs raced away.

“Obviously they are in the Christmas spirit,” Lily replied, hugging her friend. “Merry Christmas, James.”

“Merry Christmas, Lily.” He returned her smile as best he could, but he couldn’t think of the last time he’d been so melancholy on Christmas. He’d told himself during the entire ride to Colton House that it had absolutely nothing to do with Kate. Why, he hadn’t even known the woman two weeks ago, and in two more he’d have completely forgotten about her. Wouldn’t he? Oh blast, even as he had the thought, he knew it wasn’t true.

Where was Kate tonight? Who was she celebrating Christmas with? Surely Mr. Abernathy had seen to it that she had someplace to go. Blast it. James should have seen to it that she wasn’t alone, only she’d made it quite clear that her association with him was at an end.

“Come into the library, Medford,” Lily said, pulling him from his thoughts. “Devon and Jordan are there having drinks.”

He arched a brow. “Of course they are.”

Lily returned his look. “Don’t act so smug. Devon told me he found you drinking at the club not so long ago.”

Medford rolled his eyes and followed Lily down the hall, the present still tucked under his arm. “Hmm. Now that you mention it, a drink sounds perfect.”

Lily led him down the marble hallway to the library. The large mahogany doors swung open to reveal Colton and Ashbourne relaxing in large leather chairs, both imbibing. Across from them, curled up on the sofa, Annie had her nose buried in a book. A fire crackled in the huge hearth across the room, and mistletoe hung above the doorway.

Colton stepped forward immediately and pulled his wife into his arms for a kiss. “Just ensuring you didn’t do it, Medford,” he said with a smug look in James’s direction.

James shook his head. “You’re funny when you’re drunk, Colton.” Then to the room at large he added, “Merry Christmas, everyone.”

Ashbourne raised his glass. “Ah, Medford, finally here.”

“Better late than never,” James replied.

Ashbourne sighed. “I suppose.”

Colton stepped over and shook James’s hand. “Merry Christmas, Medford. Good to see you, old chap.”

“I’m not sure I believe the good part, Colton. And your wife informs me that you’ve been telling her my secrets.”

Colton shrugged. “If you’re going to go drinking in public…”

“As if drinking at the club is such a scandal,” James replied.

“Not for me it isn’t.” Colton cracked a smile. “But for you it’s nearly front-page news.”

James ignored that. “Where’s Justin?”

“He’s in his room, preparing to make way for all of his new Christmas gifts.”

“Ah, perfect, this will do nicely, then.” James pulled the present from under his arm and handed it to Colton. Then he turned to Annie. “What are you reading there, Countess? Hannah More again?”

Annie sprang up from the settee and came to hug him. “Oh God, no. No more Hannah More. I only read that drivel before I was married. I’m much more interested in love stories these days. I’m finding Emma positively delightful. Though I do so wonder which lady wrote it. It wasn’t you, was it, Lily?”

Lily snorted. “Hardly. I retired my quill after Secrets of a Wedding Night.”

After kissing Medford on the cheek, Annie returned to the sofa and opened the book again.

James took a seat in a large leather chair next to the other two men.

“Drink, Medford?” Ashbourne asked.

James gave him a tight smile. “No. Thank you.”

Ashbourne grinned. “Are you quite sure you don’t want any blue ruin?”

James shoved his hands in his pockets. “Ah, Ashbourne. You never miss a chance to bring up our drinking contest.”

Ashbourne winked at his wife who managed to give her husband a warning grunt without taking her eyes from the page. “Why would I miss an opportunity?” Ashbourne said. “I won!”