The Christmas Wager by Jamie Fessenden Read Free Book Online Page B

the twins along.‖
    Yes, Thomas thought. Somehow, after only a day together,
    the thought of it was beginning to feel natural—him and
    Andrew, the twins and Susan. Almost like a family. Much more
    so than his parents and Edward ever had been.
    ―This is turning into quite an expedition,‖ Thomas
    commented. ―Finish dressing, then. I‘ll go fetch the little
    moppet and meet you downstairs.‖

    The Christmas Wager | Jamie Fessenden
    51
    ANDREW had hoped to avoid Duchess Barrington this morning,
    but the duchess was already having her tea in the dining room,
    and she called to him as he passed by.
    ―Mr. Nash. Won‘t you join me?‖
    ―Good morning, Duchess Barrington. I would love to, but
    your son has got it into his head to go into town this morning.‖
    The woman waved this aside as of no consequence. ―He
    can wait. You simply must have your morning tea. Running off
    without it is positively uncivilized.‖
    Not in the mood to argue, Andrew sat down at the table
    and allowed her to pour for him. Once the aromatic steam hit
    his nostrils, he realized he did in fact want tea.
    ―Now,‖ Duchess Barrington said, passing him the sugar,
    ―What are you and Thomas up to?‖
    ―Thomas wants to deliver the invitations to the dance, in
    person.‖
    Duchess Barrington‘s eyebrows went up in surprise.
    ―Really? That‘s unusually industrious of him, isn‘t it?‖
    ―Oh yes, Your Grace,‖ Andrew replied, laughing, ―It‘s very
    unusual.‖
    ―Well, you shall have to speak to Henrietta before you leave.
    She‘s been making up the invitations. And you and Thomas
    need to see what can be done about hiring musicians. I haven‘t
    the faintest idea how one goes about hiring local musicians.
    We‘ve always brought them in from London, but there simply
    isn‘t time to do so for this dance.‖
    Between retrieving the invitations, rousing the twins, and
    making certain that Susan was properly bundled up for a day
    out in the cold, it was nearly an hour before the expedition to
    Barrington was properly on its way.
    The Christmas Wager | Jamie Fessenden
    52

    ―Lud!‖ Thomas complained, sitting beside Andrew in the
    carriage. ―Why is it that nothing can ever be done quickly
    around here?‖
    Andrew shrugged good-naturedly, then noticed Susan
    practically standing in her seat beside Hew and Duncan to look
    out the window. ―Sit down, please, Susan. Hew, please make
    sure she stays seated.‖
    They were sitting in a proper carriage this time, protected
    from the elements. But that didn‘t mean the little girl couldn‘t
    get bounced around if they hit a rut in the dirt road.
    ―I‘m trying, sir. Here now,‖ Hew told Susan, ―sit in my lap
    if you want to see out the window.‖
    Susan did as she was told.
    ―Duncan is sleeping,‖ she said, a moment later.
    Hew made a rude noise. ―That‘s ‘cause he‘s a lazy sod.‖
    ―I‘ll thank you not to use such language around my niece,‖
    Thomas said, though Andrew could hear the humorous
    undertone in his voice.
    ―Begging your pardon, Your Lordship. I meant no
    disrespect.‖
    Susan looked back and forth between the two of them for a
    moment, a puzzled expression on her face, then asked her
    uncle, ―What‘s a sod?‖
    ―Never you mind. Duncan may sleep until we reach
    Barrington, then we‘ll wake him.‖
    It was no longer very early by most people‘s standards—
    though Thomas still felt he should be in bed—by the time they
    reached the town. Andrew had been reading the names off the
    invitations to Hew so that the boy could help him sort them by
    which houses were next to each other. As in most villages, the
    streets of Barrington were crowded with dwellings and shops. It
    The Christmas Wager | Jamie Fessenden
    53
    would have been ludicrous to use the carriage while visiting. It
    would have done them little good, and probably blocked the
    streets. So they had the coachman wait for them on the
    comparatively wide main street, while they walked,