Frankie stared at Sir John Everett, speechless. Could he truly have feelings for her? Impossible. Yet here he was on one knee proposing marriage. Was it true?

“Frankie? I know it's a little sudden, but I just thought it would solve everything.”

“This is madness.”

“No, it’s Christmas.” He gave her a lopsided smile.

A Christmas miracle. Her heart broke open wide. “Yes! Yes, Sir John Everett I would love to marry you.”

“Truly?”

“Truly!” Frankie was flooded with joy. There was joy, of course, from her proposal, but beyond that was the joy of Christmas. The joy of God’s love. The joy of the hope of a savior born on Christmas night. It was truly a night of miracles.

A wide smile lit up his face and he jumped to his feet, pulling her up with him. He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a quick peck on the lips. He pulled back, trying to contain his enthusiasm. “I…I hope that wasn't offensive to you.”

“A little, perhaps,” confessed Frankie.

Everett's face fell and Frankie did not have the heart to tease him further. “I mean, I thought when couples became engaged, the kiss was maybe a little longer?”

The sly smile stole across his face. “Indeed, you are most correct. My apologies for depriving you of what you are due.”

One of his hands slid up her back towards the nape of her neck and the other smoothed down her gown to her lower back. Their lips met, not brief or chaste but long and moist and warm. She pulled him closer, relishing her first kiss. Heat coursed through her body sending tingles down her spine, and she felt as if she was floating in the shaft of moonlight.

“Well now, well now,” said the loud voice of Mr. Grant as he walked down the aisle of the church, his footsteps echoing off the walls. “Leave a little for the wedding night.”

“Uncle Grant! I should be very cross with you.”

“And are you?”

Frankie tried to hold a glare but broke out into a smile. “No, but you're such a rascal.”

“I am that.”

“But how did you get here?” asked Frankie as she took Everett’s offered arm and followed Grant down the aisle.

“I am a noted whip,” declared Grant in a hurt tone. “I should have to give it up if I couldn’t get here faster on my phaeton than you in your lumbering coach. I sent it back with the coachman and hid here, waiting for you.”

“So you were chaperoning us this whole time?”

“Had to. Aunt Hilde insisted.”

“Aunt Hilde knew?” gasped Frankie.

“Knew? Who do you think arranged the whole thing?”

“Aunt Hilde?” Frankie stopped in her tracks before the door of the church in shock. She was forced to consider her aunt in a new, more devious light.

Grant gave her a wink. “She’d stop at nothing to see you wed. Thought you already knew that.”

“Here is fair warning,” said Frankie turning to Everett. “My family is a bit rogue.”

Everett only put his arm around her shoulders. “Just how I like it.”

“But how was this all arranged?” asked Frankie.

 “Saw you weren't happy Frankie, thought maybe Everett would do for you. So we put you in each other's company.

“But you purposely did not tell me his true identity,” accused Frankie.

“Already so opposed to Sir John, thought you'd never talk to him if you knew.”

Frankie and John exchanged a look. “Well I suppose you're right.”

They reached the coach and they all climbed inside, Frankie sitting between her uncle and new fiancé.

“But what did you and my aunt arrange tonight and why?” asked Frankie as the coach swayed along its way back to the Devine house.

“You have Jemmy to thank for that. Your maid told the scullery maid who told the errand boy who ran over to our house and told Jemmy that you were planning to run away. Jemmy ran over to the party and got my attention. I will spare you the looks of horror as she ran through the ballroom.” Grant chuckled. “But we saw we needed to act fast. So we arranged for Georgie to hide again, thought if you had a project to work on, something to do together, that you'd work it out. Seems we were right.” Grant gave them a smug smile.

Everett frowned at him. “Can't say as I approve of your methods, but I do appreciate the result.”

“Did that yourselves. Only gave you the opportunity.”

Despite the momentous change in her life, when they arrived back at the Devine house the Christmas party was still in full swing and she realized they had not been gone that long.

Everett held her hand. “May we announce tonight?”

“It would be the best Christmas gift I could give my aunt,” said Frankie, giving his hand a squeeze.

So Frankie dashed up the side stairs back to her room to put herself back in order, while the men reentered the party, mingling with the guests as if they had never been away. After her lady's maid had restored her hair, Frankie descended the main stairs with a smile she could not hide.

She paused for a moment as she entered the ballroom, looking up at the great tree alight with candles and festooned with great red and gold bows. Instead of dread, she could face the party with joy.

Frankie glided through the crowd, looking for the man who held her heart. She found Sir John surrounded by young ladies, including Miss Priscilla Crawley. An old sliver of doubt crept into her mind. Maybe all his words back of the church were just words. Maybe he had only continued to joke. Maybe these were the ladies he preferred.

Frankie closed her eyes tight and opened them again to banish the traitorous thoughts. She would not succumb any longer to criticism and doubt, not from others and certainly not from herself.

She walked up boldly to Everett and gave him a smile. “It is good to see you again, Sir John.”

“It is indeed good to see you, Miss Devine,” replied Sir John in a low, seductive tone.

Miss Priscilla raised a brow at her, as if questioning why Frankie would have the audacity to interrupt their conversation. “I believe your aunt was looking for you. You best go find her and let her know that you are still alive.” She turned her back on Frankie, focusing her attention once again on Sir John and effectively excluding Frankie from the conversation.

Frankie gave Everett a little shrug and turned to find her aunt. As she walked away she hear Priscilla say, “Do not mind her. She was probably sent over here by one of her relatives. They have been trying to marry her off since she came out last season. Just pay her no mind.”

“Actually,” said Everett brushing past Priscilla and walking towards Frankie. “I have been pursuing Miss Devine since I met her.”

Priscilla gasped in shock. People took notice and stilled their conversations to focus on the scene.

“Since I have your attention,” said Everett in a loud voice, taking Frankie by the hand. “I am happy to announce that Miss Devine has made me the happiest man alive by consenting to become my wife.”

“But she is just…you cannot actually…she is just Frances,” stammered Priscilla.

“’Just Frances’ has captured my heart, so please consider carefully the words you speak to my future wife.” Everett’s eyes blazed with warning.

“A waltz!” Lady Devine put a hand on her generous bosom and breathed heavy as she had apparently scurried across the ballroom to the orchestra. “A waltz to cheer the happy couple.” Lady Devine beamed at her guests, and she received several huzzahs in response.

The music swelled through the ballroom and Everett drew her into his arms and they began to dance. They waltzed around the tree, people nodding and smiling at them at them as they passed. Uncle Grant, Lord and Lady Wynbrook, the Duke and Duchess of Marchford, and various friends and relatives smiled their approvals as they passed. Even Lord Darington gave them a curt nod of approval.

Frankie realized in a flash of insight that she had been giving the voices of those who would criticize her more weight than the voices of her family and friends. She was determined from now on to only listen to those voices that she valued, to those who were true, and to those who loved her.

Everett smiled down at her, not a little polished half-bored society smile, but a real, honest smile.

Frankie gave him a true smile in return. “I hope you will not find this overly sentimental, but I think I may be falling in love with you, Sir John.”

“That's good because my heart already belongs to you, Miss. Frankie.”

“Happy Christmas. You are my wish come true.”

“And a very Merry Christmas to you too.”