What Happens At Christmas by Victoria Alexander Read Free Book Online Page A

be quite devious when you wish.”
    â€œThank you.”
    â€œPerhaps we could arrange . . .” Camille thought for a moment. “I know! A telegram from his country calling him home.”
    â€œHow on earth would we do that?”
    â€œOh, it wouldn’t really be from . . . from . . . oh, wherever it is.”
    â€œDo try to remember the name of his country, Camille.” Beryl shook her head. “It’s rude to become the princess of a country whose name you can’t recall.”
    â€œAs I cannot recall it, it’s difficult now to fit asking what it is into the conversation.”
    â€œEven so—”
    â€œRegardless.” Camille pinned her sister with a firm look. “I think sending a telegram insisting he return home is a brilliant idea. A crisis of some sort, I would think. Now, what sort of crisis . . .” Her mind raced. “I suppose a declaration of war on the Kingdom of Whatever would be extreme?”
    Beryl grimaced. “Probably.”
    â€œThen perhaps—”
    â€œMonetary,” Beryl said abruptly.
    â€œ ‘Monetary’?”
    Beryl nodded sagely. “Tiny countries are always having monetary crises of one sort of another.”
    â€œIt sounds rather dull.”
    â€œIt can be, which is what makes it perfect for your purposes. A monetary crisis is at once vague and threatening.”
    â€œExcellent.” Camille beamed. “Then we shall lure him back to his country with the report of a monetary crisis. Although . . .” She frowned. “I should hate to worry him unduly.”
    â€œThat’s the lovely thing about monetary crises. If his country’s economy is stable, it’s a momentary problem. If not, well . . .” Beryl shrugged. “If not, he shouldn’t be traipsing across England in the first place.”
    â€œThen he should have nothing to cause undue concern. Although, when he’s worried or is concentrating, he gets the faintest little furrow between his brows. It’s quite delightful and makes him look rather serious and . . .” Of course, she should have seen it before now. She cast her sister a smug smile. “I know what is going to make this all much easier.”
    â€œOh, do tell.”
    â€œI should have realized it before. English is not Nikolai’s native language. Aside from that charming accent, one would never know it, as he seems quite proficient. But he has confessed to me that, on occasion, there are things he doesn’t understand. Any odd occurrences in conversation or behavior from Mrs. Montgomery-Wells or Mr. Henderson or Miss Murdock, he will attribute to his failure to completely comprehend.” Delight washed through her. “He won’t question a thing. I’ve noticed this before. When he doesn’t quite comprehend, that tiny furrow appears and he smiles and nods and pretends to understand. It’s most endearing.”
    â€œYou don’t think he’ll notice if he’s smiling and nodding all the time?”
    â€œI doubt it. I know all sorts of people who smile and nod continuously as they have no idea what is going on around them.” Camille shrugged. “They seem quite happy.”
    â€œThis is getting worse and worse,” Beryl warned.
    â€œNonsense. I think it’s getting better and better.” Camille ticked the points off on her fingers. “The actors are in place. They all know their roles. Nikolai will attribute anything odd to his own misunderstanding. We have a plan as to what happens immediately after Christmas. One can’t ask for more than that.”
    Camille breathed a deep sigh of relief. Certainly, she still had no definitive idea on how to eventually reveal all to Nikolai, but she would. At the moment, she was oddly confident of it. “Indeed, I can’t imagine what could possibly go wrong.”
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    Gray couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but something here struck him