Regency Christmas Wishes(21)

Lud, Adam wondered, why had he not thought of that, merely wishing that she would choose him?

She had, and the small orchestra started to play a waltz.

“Do you think we might sit this dance out? That is, not sit, but stroll a bit, perhaps to the library?” Adam asked.

What, after she had been waiting all week for this dance? Jenna refused, saying it would not be proper for the hostess to disappear on her own.

It would be proper enough if she returned as an engaged woman. Adam could not ask for a private conversation of that nature here, though, not with so many eyes on them. “But I am not a very good dancer.”

“Gammon, I saw you with Lord Iverson’s cousin.” Jenna was careful to keep her jealousy of the elegant, well-bred female out of her voice. “You did very well.”

Adam made a last try. “But that was not a waltz. The dance is slow to catch on in the country, you know, so I am woefully inept.” He was clumsy at wooing, too, it seemed, if he could not get her to go off with him.

“The waltz is quite simple, and I really would like to dance.”

“Well, then, I can only hope I do not disappoint you.”

He did not. With Jenna in his arms, even as loosely held as society dictated, his feet found the rhythm on their own, while his mind’s attention was on how glorious she felt, how her perfume teased his senses, how the velvet gown made soft swishing sounds as she moved in the turns of the dance. He twirled more, just to bring their bodies closer together.

As for Jenna, she felt as if her feet barely touched the ground, as if she were dancing on clouds. She forgot the party and the guests, and forgot to step out of Adam’s embrace when the music ended. Luckily, the orchestra struck up another waltz.

Frye came toward them, noted their matching starry-eyed expressions, shrugged his shoulders, turned, and asked another heiress for a dance.

Without asking, Adam swept Jenna into their second waltz, but this time he turned and twirled, dancing right out the drawing-room door, down the hall, and into the softly lighted library.

They could still hear the music, and danced on until it ended, but close enough to shock any would-be witnesses. The only one to see, though, was the dog Lucky, which was curled up by the fireplace, waiting for the scraps after supper. Adam and Jenna ended the dance with a kiss that would have sent Beasdale into apoplexy for certain. Lucky wagged his tail once and went back to sleep.

“I should not have done that,” Adam said in apology, although he did not regret the kiss one whit.

“I am sure there must be a bit of mistletoe around, so it is perfectly acceptable. A Christmas kiss, you know.”

Was that all she thought it was? Lud, Adam was going about this all wrong. He took a step away from her, so he could think better. “I, ah, brought you here to ask a question.”

Jenna’s smile could have lit a hundred libraries. “Yes?”

“Would you come to Standings for Christmas? Your uncle says he will, if you will. A few others are coming, a small gathering only, nothing formal, you see, for I cannot provide . . . That is, Ivy is thinking of renting my stables to set up a racing stud, and so I can . . .” He took a breath and started again. “Well, he is coming to see if he likes it, with his wife, of course, and her family, so then I invited Johnny Cresswell, who would be alone in town otherwise, and he will bring his chef so we don’t have to eat mutton every day which is about all . . . Um, I was hoping—”

“Yes, I would be pleased to come visit at your home.”

“—That you might come to see if you like it, and might want to stay. Did you say yes?”

“Yes.”

So he kissed her again, mistletoe or not, and soon had her seated in a big leather armchair that was not really designed for two people, but was more than comfortable, with Jenna sitting in his lap.

“You do know,” he said, “that if you come, I do not think I can ever bear to let you go again?”

“Where would I go, when I only wish to be by your side?”

That called for more kisses, until Adam recalled the rest of his mission. “You do know how much I love you, don’t you?”

“Tell me.”

He showed her instead, whispering soft, tender words between kisses. “And we can be married there? You will make me the happiest of men, if I am not already?”

“Uncle can procure us a special license. We can be married anywhere you wish.”

“Lud, I never thought so many wishes could come true. Do you know that almost the first time I saw you I wished I could take you home with me as a present, a perfect Christmas angel to keep for myself.”

“What, to unwrap and put on a shelf?” she said with a laugh.