Christmas Eve
Adam arrived at an early hour and was shown into the parlour. A Yule log blazed in the fireplace. He was welcomed by both the ladies, Amelia with surprise, until her great-aunt explained that Mr Wells would be staying in Bath for a few days and had accepted her invitation to share Christmas dinner. Amelia’s smile grew wider as her relative revealed this change in plans.
Lady Lavinia clapped her hands briskly and ordered Amelia in her martial way. “Christmas is almost upon us. Today, you must decorate the house as you usually do and deliver some goods to the parish.”
“I would miss not doing so, Aunt.” She stuffed her needlework into a basket.
“Perhaps Mr Wells will have time to assist you?” Aunt Lavinia gave him an enquiring look.
He gave a brief bow in agreement. “I would be happy to.”
Amelia’s face lit up even more at this news. “Then let us start with collecting holly from the garden.”
“The Christmas boxes from the attic are already in the sitting room. Off you go. I have letters to write,” Aunt Lavinia added.
They spent the morning decorating the public rooms of the house with holly and ivy. Adam acted as Amelia’s assistant in creating long garlands of evergreen branches, then directed their fixing to the balustrade of the stairs running to the first floor. Meanwhile, footmen brought in more greenery from the rear garden for the mantelpieces.
Finally, Amelia created an old-fashioned kissing bough, which Adam hung for her in the parlour. He longed to test its powers—by kissing Amelia thoroughly as she stood beneath it—but he dared not ignore Lady Lavinia’s advice to make haste slowly in winning Amelia’s affections.
In the afternoon, Adam escorted Amelia to the church hall, where they delivered baskets of Christmas fare for the poor of the parish.
When they returned to Royal Crescent late that afternoon, the darkness of the long winter night was closing in. They found Aunt Lavinia in the foyer inspecting their decorations. “Beautiful work, my dears.”
They thanked her and passed on the vicar’s good wishes and gratitude for her benevolence.
“I must be on my way,” said Adam. He picked up his hat and walking stick from the table where the butler had laid them.
“Stay for dinner, Mr Wells. I have only my old friend and yours, Colonel Landon, joining us so we will be a cosy party,” Aunt Lavinia commanded.
His old commanding officer! A lance of anxiety twisted in Adam’s gut. Would that gentleman feel compelled to reveal Adam’s real name?
Adam accepted, as was intended, and gestured at his clothes. “I need to change first.”
“Yes, yes. You must do that,” Aunt Lavinia said. “Amelia, please fetch my paisley shawl, I feel a draft.” She watched Amelia bid Adam farewell and hurry up the stairs then said in a quiet tone, “The Colonel always arrives early. I will forewarn him of your name change.”
Relief washed through Adam. Thank goodness for Lady Lavinia’s foresight. He thanked her and departed.
Adam returned to the house in good time to share a pre-dinner wine with the ladies while they waited for the Colonel. He was exceedingly late! The knot in Adam’s stomach grew as the opportunity for Lady Lavinia to warn Colonel Landon of Adam’s quest and his deception quickly dwindled. If Amelia discovered his deception now, he would surely lose all hope of her seeing him as a desirable suitor, of engaging her affections.
Just as the butler advised Lady Lavinia that her cook was fretting about the delay of the meal, the expected guest arrived. Colonel Landon, a middle-aged gentleman with silver hair and luxuriant side-whiskers, was all gruff apologies, and stepped quickly to offer his arm to Lady Lavinia in what was clearly their practised way.
Aunt Lavinia was clearly flustered. She pursed her lips in disapproval at his tardiness and said, “Just in time, Arthur. You know my guests, so I will forego introductions. I must avoid revolt below stairs at this busy time of year. Let us go in before my cook resigns in disgust at our lateness.”
Adam tried to gain Lady Lavinia’s attention, but she was in far too much a hurry to begin the meal.
They entered the dining room and took their places at the table, the leaves of which had been removed to make it a more suitable size for their dinner.
After seating Lady Lavinia at the head of the table and taking his own seat opposite her, Colonel Landon boomed at Amelia in his loud manner, “I look forward to catching up with your news, since your departure from Bath last New Year.”
While they ate the first course, Amelia told of the balls and entertainments she had attended during the Season.
With the clearing of the table, conversation lulled until the Colonel leaned towards Amelia and with a nod towards Adam, said in a conspiratorial way, “Dear girl, do you know who this man is? I can tell you some tales about his feats at Waterloo,”
Lady Lavinia said, a look of warning on her face. “Arthur! I think we should let Mr Wells—”
Amelia was already speaking. “Can you? I had no idea that Mr Wells had served in the army.” She gave Adam a confused and speculative look. “We only met two days ago at the coaching inn near Wellworth Park, when he saved me from the attentions of a very unsavoury local.”
The Colonel’s brow formed into ridges and furrows. “Did I hear wrongly? Mr Wells, you say? My girl, this is Major Adam Wellworth.”
“Arthur!” Lady Lavinia emitted a strangled reproach.
Aghast at Colonel Landon’s blunder, Adam’s stomach dropped to the floor as though he again faced Bonaparte’s grande batterie. The Colonel’s words felt like treachery worse than friendly fire!
“That cannot be. Major Wellworth is an older man, an invalid.” Amelia’s words were a hoarse whisper.
Lady Lavinia rapped her fan on the table, but ignoring his lady love, the Colonel ploughed on. “Don’t be silly, m’dear. Major Wellworth is this handsome young man, and if anyone called him an invalid or some such, they would be very much mistaken. I have seen him ride to hounds in the morning, drive his curricle twenty miles to Bath in the afternoon, and dance the whole evening afterwards, and I’m sure he will again after he recovers from the wound old Bony’s Imperial Guard gave him.”
Amelia looked from the Colonel to Adam. A crease blemished the space above the bridge of her nose. “How could that be?”
Still unaware of his blunder, the Colonel smiled at them both. “I’ve had plenty of time to observe him. Wellworth spent last January and February in Bath.”
Amelia turned her troubled eyes to Adam and asked in an aghast voice. “Is this true? Are you really Major Wellworth?”
His throat constricted worse than on that harrowing day last June when he had stood with the rest of Wellington’s army, stoically enduring the relentless pounding of Napoleon’s cannon and the repeated charges of his cavalry. His world, his hopes, his dreams exploded with every word spoken. Adam’s sweaty hands clenched into fists. His eyes met the stricken ones of Amelia. His words pushed past unwilling lips. “Yes, I’m Wellworth.”
“Amelia, I’m sure the Major had his reasons for not revealing himself,” her great-aunt said.
Amelia’s gaze snapped to her relative. “You knew!” She shook her head. “Of course you did. Mr Wells, Major Wellworth, spent time in Bath last season.”
Lady Lavinia leaned forward, her hand outstretched to tap her great-niece’s arm. “Consider, Amelia! The Major was put in a very untenable position when you criticised him to his face! And by your parents’ interfering ways. Surely you can understand why he might wish to disguise his identity until you had got to know him and his true nature?”
Amelia’s flushed face reddened further. She swallowed. “His true nature? She shot the words back at her great-aunt. “Wouldn’t an honest man find the opportunity to reveal himself soon afterwards?”
Adam interrupted the brewing argument. “You’re right. I ought to have told you.”
She turned to him again. Her voice was a whisper of hurt, the pain of his deception palpable in her words. “How could you mislead me? An honourable man, a gentleman, would not have done so.”
His heartbeat slowed to a sluggish ache. He looked deep into her eyes and saw bewilderment, hurt, and humiliation. What could he say to make her look at him again with admiration?
Nothing.
Aunt Lavinia’s voice broke into his pain. “We will leave you to decide how you will proceed.” He was vaguely aware of her grasping the Colonel’s arm and hauling him from the room.
“But our dinner, Lavinia!” the Colonel said.
“Come, Arthur. Symes will serve us in the parlour. I have a few words to say to you.” She turned to Adam. “Major Wellworth, I would be glad if you would join us for dinner tomorrow.”
With his gaze still on Amelia’s face, he nodded.
Amelia betrayed no response.