Christmas at Ravencrest: A Dark Hero Christmas Short (Reluctant Heroes) by Lily Silver Read Free Book Online

played the pokey old harpsichord while Gareth accompanied her on his cello. It was perhaps the most sorry Christmas concert she’d ever heard, akin to mewling barn cats. The harpsichord was not in the best of condition due to neglect. If Michael were present, he could augment the sounds of the harpsichord and the cello, perhaps bring the two instruments closer to a reconciliation with his violin. Alas, he was upstairs, still recovering from his wound. Elizabeth wished she had a piano-forte to play. Her mother had had a fine piano-forte when they lived in London, but her stepfather sold it to pay for some of his debts. The chorus of men singing Christmas carols helped mask the missed notes and the gathering seemed to be having such a good time she soon forgot her concerns about the mediocre instrumental accompaniment.
    After the six men finished singing a hearty rendition of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen , Chloe suggested they play a game of charades. Mr. Duchamp chose that moment to make his escape, as he was not one for socializing very much. They all bid him a kindly good night as he did not live at the plantation house but must return to the steward’s cottage.
    The game of char ades was lively, even if they had an odd number. Kieran, Barnaby and Mr. Marceau made a team of three, whilst Chloe and Gareth formed their own team. Elizabeth was pleased to have Donovan as her partner as his clever wit kept the company guessing until they had to beg him to reveal his word choice. It was hospitality. Everyone grew flummoxed as he kept giving clues that everyone mistook as being of a medical nature instead of the correct meaning. The party broke up close to midnight.
    *   *   *
    The following morning, Elizabeth was up early. She hurried to the kitchens to make certain things were progressing well. When she attempted to go into her library to enjoy her usual pot of hot chocolate and her book before the well members of the family emerged to share a communal breakfast, the butler brought another minor crisis to her attention.
    Puck, her cat, h ad gone missing. No one recalled seeing him since last night. This brought real panic. Puck was still a kitten. He was four months old, but still capable of getting into a lot of trouble. Elizabeth rallied the staff and they made a search of all the rooms downstairs. The kitten was nowhere to be found. He was a sturdy red tabby. Elizabeth had been given him as a gift during the voyage here by the cabin boy on The Pegasus . 
    She searched every possible closet on the ground floor with the help of the maids. There had been so much preparation going on in recent days for the holiday it was possible he’d crawled into a closet and been shut in.
    Elizabeth’s heart pounded in her chest. She kept imagining all manner of nasty things that might have happened to her pet. Had he wandered outside and been hurt by one of the dogs? No, the Mastiffs were big and obnoxious and yet they didn’t attack the stable cats, they knew better. Still, if he wandered outside, a snake may have found him. The gardener had reported a large snake was observed hiding beneath some of the heavier undergrowth.
    Her cat was very dear to her. Giles, the butler, knew this, as did most of the staff. The footmen were directed to continue the search upstairs in the guest rooms. After nearly an hour of searching the butler took his mistress by the elbow and gently directed her to the salon, explaining the chubby feline had been recovered. Lo and behold, sitting in the chair was her husband, Donovan, who was calmly holding her cat. Also, her morning chocolate and her novel were sitting on the table, having been moved from her usual spot in the library.
    “Good morning, my sweet.” Donovan said, holding Puck against his chest. The tabby was purring contentedly.
    “Where did you find him?” She asked in wonder. “We’ve been looking everywhere.”
    “I n Michael’s room. It seems he slept with your brother last night. I