The Christmas Heiress (40 page)

"You, and only you, Charlotte Aldridge, are the
woman I cherish, the light inside my soul, the love
of my heart. It has taken me far too long to realize
it and far too long to declare it, but I hope you can forgive the stubborn pride of a stiff-necked male
and realize I speak the truth.

"You are the most precious, stubborn, intelligent,
amazing woman I have ever known," he continued,
realizing that his future, his happiness, his very life
depended on her reply, and he was not entirely
sure what it would be. "Will you do me the supreme
honor of marrying me?"

Charlotte blinked. It must be the wassail. Or the
scent of too much greenery. Or the exposure to the
cold while taking two long carriage rides today or
the champagne they had drunk at the inn that had
turned Edward's mind to mush, had prompted this
surprisingly public declaration and proposal.

Then again, it was Christmas. A time when everything seemed magical, possible, a truly miraculous
time of year. Did she dare to believe he meant it?

The play of candlelight from the glowing Christmas tree across Edward's handsome face was hypnotic. Charlotte's eyes moved over him at leisure.
There was so much to admire, so much to thrill her,
so much to love. She smiled down at him with the
depth of feeling she was finally able to admit and
accept. She loved him.

Not with the naive infatuation of a seventeenyear-old girl, but with the mature experience of a
twenty-three-year-old woman. She loved him with
all the passion she had held within her heart, with
the devotion of a woman who knew and accepted
his faults as well as his strengths, with the respect he
had earned through his deeds and actions toward
the members of his family and the many people
who depended upon him.

Charlotte saw the tenderness on his face, the love shining in his eyes. For her. Blinking back tears of
happiness, Charlotte knew if she took a lifetime she
would never be able to fully or accurately describe
how wonderful that made her feel.

One of her hands slipped from his and crept to
the base of her neck. She struggled to find her
voice through the lump of emotion in her throat.
"Yes. Oh, yes, Edward, I will marry you."

He stood, took her hand in his and drew it away
from her throat. "Are you certain?"

She smiled widely, her senses flooding with happiness. "Yes, very certain. I love you."

He pulled her into his arms and began kissing
her like a man who was starving. Lord Reginald
cleared his throat loudly when the kissing seemed
unlikely to stop. Laughing, Charlotte wrenched her
lips away from Edward's, but could not take her
hands from him, needing to feel his muscled arms
to assure herself this was truly happening.

Several people crowded in to offer the happy
couple congratulations. But before he released her,
Edward caught Charlotte around the waist, lifted
her off her feet and twirled her around until she
felt breathless and dizzy. She was giggling like a
schoolgirl when he set her down, and she nearly
stumbled into Jonathan's arms.

`Welcome to the family, Charlotte."Jonathan gave
her a big hug and kissed her cheek. "I have always
wanted a younger sister to boss around and I believe
you are the perfect individual for the position."

She laughed louder, pivoted around like a ballet
dancer and found herself gazing into her beloved
Grandpapa's face.

Words failed her.

"Edward is a fine man," Lord Reginald said.

"He is indeed."

With a wavering smile, Grandpapa patted her
hand. "You deserve only the best, Charlotte. That is
all I have ever wanted for you, which is why I gave
Edward my blessing to propose. But the decision is
entirely yours to make."

"I love him, Grandpapa."

"Then you must promise me one thing, dear girl,"
Lord Reginald said, his eyes suspiciously bright with
emotion.

"Anything. "

"Promise me that you will be very happy."

"Always."

They hugged and Charlotte held on tightly.
Though she was about to start a new life, with a new
man, her grandfather would hold a very special
and important part of her heart.

The moment they were able, the newly engaged
couple broke off from the crowd for a private
moment, the earl keeping one arm possessively
around her waist. The intimate, loving glance he
cast her way warmed her down to her toes. He
kissed her lightly, but she sensed the passion smoldering beneath the tenderness.

"My love," she whispered, her voice breaking and
her eyes swimming with tears. Her sense of joy was
like a tidal wave of happiness, rushing over her with
an unstoppable force. "Will it be this way between
us forever?"

Edward winked wickedly at her. "Forever is a long
time," he said with a smile upon his lips. "But if we
work together at it, then yes, dearest, our days shall
be like this always."

"Oh, my gracious!"

Charlotte's exclamation was less a surprise and
more a reaction of astonishment as she beheld the
Christmas tree that stood in the corner of her drawing room. Although as she considered the enormous, bedecked, glittering pine she decided that
stood was probably not the right word. Dominated
was more appropriate.

"Do you like it, Mama? Do you?" Elizabeth asked,
hopping from one foot to the other in excitement.
"Tell us, please. We've been working ever so long to
make it just right."

Charlotte gazed down at her second child and
smiled. The five-year-old's barely contained excitement was contagious, though in truth the tree was
far too large for the room and the many branches
were groaning under the weight of too many ornaments, ribbons, garlands, toys and as of yet, unlit
candles.

"Why, I believe this must be the most magnificent Christmas tree in all of England," Charlotte declared, wrapping the little girl in a tight hug.
"Grander than the queen's own, I am certain of it."

"Father told us you would say that," Iris Rose, age
three, announced with a superior air.

"Did he now? Ah, your father knows me very well
indeed."

"He knows everything!" Iris Rose insisted.

Charlotte bit back a grin. Her third daughter was
a solemn, highly intelligent child, wise beyond her
years, who adored and worshiped her father. The
feeling was mutual, though Edward loved and
spoiled all four of his girls equally. Charlotte sincerely hoped Iris Rose would still hold him in the
same esteem when she became a young woman and
he turned protective and possessive, scowling at her
suitors.

"Won't Uncle Jonathan and Aunt Evelyn be astonished when they see our tree?" Elizabeth piped
up. "And William, too, though he is still a baby."

"We must make certain to keep him away from
the shiny ornaments," Edward said with concern.
"Babies tend to put everything in their mouths
when they are William's age."

"Did I do that when I was a baby?" Regina wanted
to know.

"Once or twice," Charlotte answered, remembering what an active, inquisitive toddler her oldest
daughter had been. Unknowingly, she and Edward
had chosen the most appropriate child to be
Grandpapa's namesake.

What nervous, anxious parents she and Edward
had been at first! Constantly fretting over how
much Regina ate and slept, wondering if she was
too warm or too cold, staying up half the night with worry the first time she came down with the
sniffles.

Fortunately, it had gotten easier over the years.
By the time Anna was born this past spring, they
were old hands at being parents, though the countess on occasion reminded them that they would
someday regret indulging their children to such a
great extent.

Which was highly ironic, since the countess was
often as guilty as the rest of them when it came to
spoiling the girls, and they in turn adored spending
time with their very elegant grandmama.

Charlotte settled herself on the settee, then
reached for her youngest daughter. Holding a baby
in her arms had always soothed her, given her great
comfort. As she watched Edward lift Iris Rose so
that she could closely examine an ornament on the
tree, Charlotte's heart filled with love and joy. She
was lucky indeed to have so much happiness in her
life, to have four beautiful daughters and a husband who loved them all so completely.

It had taken much longer for Jonathan and
Evelyn to become parents, but after years of trying,
young William was born. At two, he was a contented
baby, the pride and joy of his parents' lives. The
couple lived a much simpler and more reclusive life
than Charlotte and Edward, but thanks to the earl's
help and Jonathan's prudence, they suffered no financial hardships.

Charlotte was pleased when, following William's
birth, the young family had leased a small property
not far from Farmington Manor. It enabled them
to visit often and kept the relationship between the
brothers solid and strong.

The countess had eventually resigned herself to
Jonathan's decision to have Evelyn as his wife,
though she was always reserved in her dealings with
her former companion. William's birth had done
much to endear Evelyn to the countess and there
was no denying that she made her husband a very
happy man.

"Will Grandpapa be coming down soon?" Elizabeth asked.

"I miss him," Iris Rose injected. "'Tis always more
fun when he is here."

"Grandpapa is taking a nap," Edward replied.
"But he will join us soon."

Charlotte could barely bring herself to meet her
husband's eyes. Such an innocent word, nap. Yet for
Charlotte a nap was a chance to experience the
burning urgency of passion, to renew the emotional commitment, to achieve the bliss and peace
of sexual fulfillment with the man she loved.

The earl had once told her it was far more delightful to take a nap with a partner, and during the
course of their marriage he had continuously
proven that statement correct.

"Grandpapa told me he had something special
for each of us to add to the tree," Regina said.

Charlotte, who was cuddling baby Anna on her
lap, gazed over the infant's head at Edward. The earl
merely shrugged, and she knew that he was aware of
whatever extravagant gift her grandfather had decided to give the girls this year. Lord Reginald was
shameless in his indulgences and they had long ago
given up any attempt to limit his overgenerous tendencies, knowing it was a fruitless endeavor.

As the years passed, Lord Reginald's visits to Farmington Manor had become longer and longer
and he now stayed with them for months at a time.
Charlotte sincerely hoped he would consider their
offer to move in permanently. Quincy Court was
too far away and she wanted him nearer so she
could keep an eye on him. His health remained
strong for a man in his seventies, but Charlotte worried that he was lonely.

Her grandfather thoroughly enjoyed the commotion the girls brought to the household and seemed
to thrive on their antics. There was also an opportunity for Lord Reginald to be among his peers
when he came to the manor. Edward had gone to
considerable expense to renovate and refurbish the
dowager house to his mother's satisfaction. She entertained often, and since it was less than a mile
from the main house, Lord Reginald was a frequent
guest.

Edward sauntered toward Charlotte, handsome as
ever, his grin still seductive even after all these years.

"What are you thinking?" he asked as he leaned
over and kissed the baby gently on the head. "Are
you concerned that the tree is too large?"

Charlotte smiled. "The tree is always too large,
Edward, though in truth I would be highly disappointed if it were not. I have come to expect certain
things from you over the years, you know."

"Gracious, I've not become boring and predictable, have l?" he asked in mock horror.

"Hardly." She leaned in and kissed him until her
knees felt weak, pulling away only when the sound
of the girls' giggles reached her ears. "I truly adore
Christmas. "'Tis the perfect time for us to remember and give thanks for the blessings of the season."

Edward put his arms around Charlotte and they
snuggled close, the baby between them. "We are
lucky that our blessings are not limited to the
season, my love, but remain with us throughout the
year."

Adrienne Basso lives with her family in New
Jersey. She is the author of seven Zebra historical
romances and is currently working on her next.
Adrienne loves to hear from readers and you may
write to her c/o Zebra Books. Please include a selfaddressed stamped envelope if you wish a response.