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Chapter Seven
Colin had lost his mind.
He hadn’t told Susannah that he had invited their entire group of friends and their families to Benbridge Park for Christmas?
Absolutely ridiculous.
Well, the point was relatively moot now that they could not come due to the snow, which was still falling, and falling heavily. Kit didn’t blame them for not coming. He wouldn’t have done any travelling himself except what was absolutely necessary.
But snow or no snow, several guests and their children was something that one really ought to discuss with one’s wife. Before the invitations are made, preferably.
Kit had known about it. Colin had told him a few days ago, and it had never occurred to him to tell Susannah about it. Why should he? She wasn’t his wife, and it wasn’t his idea. And he would have thought that his idiot brother would have told her, or, more rationally, conferred with her about it first.
The way Susannah had screeched at him prompted Kit and Marianne to move the pair of them to a different setting rather than the main entryway of the house in close proximity to the drawing room where the children were still decorating the tree.
Some things the children did not need to be privy to.
Now Kit and Marianne stood in the corner, anticipation high. With the doors closed, and relative privacy secured, Susannah would be able to rail into Colin to her heart’s content. Kit had never witnessed one of their fights, and he was rather looking forward to it.
He was mentally placing a bet firmly in Susannah’s corner on this one.
“You invited everyone for Christmas?” Susannah hissed, her color rising. “And didn’t tell me?”
Colin winced, knowing full well he was in for it. “I didn’t mean to not tell you, darling. I just… forgot that you didn’t know.”
Susannah gaped at him in disbelief. “But you invited them all. Without telling me.”
“Surprise?”
“Colin!”
“It’s an irrelevant matter now, isn’t it?” Colin offered, still not looking as apologetic as he ought to have. “That’s what the missive from Derek said. They couldn’t make it. The weather is too poor, and the roads in terrible shape. They’re probably all going to gather at Derek’s estate in Derbyshire, and we’ll be the only ones missing out.”
“Missing out?” Susannah chortled. “Missing out? Colin! We can’t house four other families!”
Colin was nodding, which made Kit want to wince. “Yes, we can.”
Susannah looked taken aback that Colin had a response to her. “What?”
“We can,” he said again. “Or we could have, at any rate. Since we’re not, there’s no point in saying we can.”
“Colin.”
“Right!” He stepped forward to take her arms, but she stared at him with such coldness that he wisely refrained from doing so.
“You’re enjoying this too much,” Marianne whispered to Kit.
“I’m enjoying it just enough,” he whispered back, making her snicker.
“I had it all worked out with Mrs. Donovan,” Colin was saying. “We would only need to use six of the main guest rooms. Four for the couples, one for Lizzie and Helena to share, as they always do, and one for Robbie and Harry to share, as they always do. All of the other children are young enough to go into nurseries.”
That was a valid point, actually. Kit would grant him that one.
“That is still a lot of children for one nursery,” Susannah pointed out, not convinced of anything.
Colin nodded, conceding her point, which was wise. “The bedroom next to the nursery would easily be converted into another, perhaps for the older of the children. And even with all of that, there would still be two guest rooms available in case we needed to have some separation.”
Well, it seemed they could have housed that large number of people after all. It would have been crowded, but entirely possible.
Kit would have to remember that.
Susannah made a weak noise of relenting. “Fine, so we could have housed them all, but what about feeding them? And entertaining?”
Colin sighed and put his hands into his pockets. “Mrs. Fraser has plenty of food, trust me. And I had it all sorted. These aren’t strangers who need much entertainment, Susannah. They’re our friends. My best friends. And their families, which would make the children happy. I just thought it would be a lovely Christmas surprise to have us all together.”
For the first time since the missive had arrived, Colin actually sounded truly dejected about the change in plans.
Susannah heard it too. “Oh, Colin,” she murmured, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around his waist. “I’m sorry your plans went awry.”
Kit frowned at that. She was sorry? That didn’t seem right. Colin had committed the far greater sin in this. He should be apologizing to her on bended knee, crawling across broken glass, or having to tend the babies for an entire evening alone to earn her forgiveness. Something like that. Anything, really.
Colin pulled his wife close. “I’m sorry, too. I should have told you.”
“Yes, you should,” Susannah said firmly as she pulled back. “And just so you know, if the entire group of them had descended upon us and I found out that you had plotted the whole thing without my knowledge, I would have been in no mood for anything remotely resembling Christmas for quite some time.”
She followed that somewhat terrifying pronouncement with a slap to the back of Colin’s head.
That seemed sufficient. Kit was satisfied.
“Did you know about this?” Marianne murmured, obviously not wanting to get involved, but still inquiring.
Ah… How truthful was one supposed to be with one’s spouse? He always struggled to remember.
“I think Colin may have said something about wishing to invite guests,” Kit replied carefully, keeping his voice down, “but never any concrete plans. I’m surprised he never said anything.”
Marianne looked at Kit sharply, clearly not convinced of anything. “So you didn’t know.”
Oh boy. Kit sighed and shook his head. “I knew that he had invited your brother and Annalise and the children, but I didn’t say anything because I wanted it to be a surprise for you. I know you miss them terribly when we’re all apart.”
Marianne smiled up at him with the sort of endearing look he had yet to grow accustomed to where she was concerned. It still sent his heart skittering off in four directions when she did so. “Oh, Kit…” She went up on tiptoe to kiss the underside of his jaw before hugging herself close.
Kit raised his eyes to the heavens in a very silent prayer of gratitude. That had been entirely too close. Marianne had a sharper temper than Susannah did, and was far more unpredictable when it was raised.
“Just so you know, Mr. Gerrard,” she said in a light tone, “if you ever did something as idiotic as what Colin almost did, I would have you strung up from the rafters by your limbs while the footmen held torches beneath your fingers and toes.”
Good lord.
Kit coughed and fought the temptation to loosen his cravat. “Understood, Mrs. Gerrard.”
She nodded against him, completely oblivious to his turmoil.
Would she reenact an echo of that threat with any surprise guests? None that would stay the night, or require anything of her, but he had already made several arrangements for the evening entertainment…
He swallowed hastily. There were quite a few things that he would need to consider now, but with no additional guests coming in, he was freed from the stress of hosting anything official this evening, or later in the week.
That was a significant point in favor of the growing snow.
“Was the snow really so bad out there?” Kit asked in his usual speaking tone, hoping both Susannah and Marianne had gotten past their rather violent sounding mindset.
The women looked at each other with matching amused smiles.
“What?” Colin asked, catching it as well. “What was that for?”
“Well,” Susannah said, clearly beyond wanting to throttle her husband, “you were out in the snow yourself…”
“Several hours ago,” Kit pointed out. “And we were traipsing through countryside to find a tree.”
Marianne shrugged, surprisingly not complaining about the cold or the snow. “It was fine.”
Fine was not a word that Marianne tended to use often. His wife, much as he adored her, had a flare for the dramatic, which meant her description of absolutely everything was extensive and thorough. He’d grown used to it, and couldn’t say that he minded so very much anymore. Sometimes he actually looked forward to them, wondering just how she would describe whatever happened, knowing he would be able to picture it perfectly however she put it.
But fine? No, that was not sufficient.
“Fine?” he repeated aloud, giving her a look.
She offered a small, secretive smile. “What would you like me to say, Kit? It was cold, it was snowy, I slipped once or twice…”
“You did?” he interrupted quickly, stepping away to look her over. “Are you all right? Are you hurt?”
Marianne rolled her eyes and looked over at Susannah. “He thinks I’m made of glass and will break with the slightest nudge.”
Susannah chuckled and pulled Colin’s arm around her waist. “At least he cares. Colin would be the first to push me down the stairs if I stood in the way of breakfast.”
Colin scoffed loudly. “That’s not fair!”
Everyone in the room gave him a knowing look.
“It would depend entirely on what we were having for breakfast and who had made it,” Colin explained.
Kit rolled his eyes with a groan and returned his focus to Marianne. “I can’t help but be concerned, love,” he told her, running his hands over her arms. “You’re barely a month out from giving birth to Daphne, and your strength…”
“My strength,” Marianne overrode, her eyes flashing, “is perfectly fine, Mr. Gerrard. I’ve been out delivering baskets with Susannah all week, and you didn’t complain about it before. I slipped because my boots were not made for the snow. I did not fall. The families were most appreciative, and send their best compliments to you and to Colin. They said they could not be more fortunate in their masters.” She sniffed with an almost haughty air. “You’re welcome.”
Kit could have done without that last bit, but it was Marianne’s favorite way of teasing him. He glowered playfully at her, and she winked at him, smiling his most favorite smile.
“Did they really say that?” Colin asked, sounding doubtful, as Colin usually was about praise directed his way.
“Well, one family did,” Susannah allowed with a smirk. “The rest didn’t have much to say beyond your expected expressions of gratitude.”
Colin grumbled under his breath. “Next year, give them the weak basket leftovers.”
“Colin!” Susannah scolded, although she laughed as she did so.
“What?” he protested. “It’s not as though they would know.”
“Speaking of things people don’t know,” Kit broke in as his conscience reminded him of something that he really ought to tell his wife.
That silenced the room effectively, and Colin went completely wide eyed, shaking his head as much as he dared with his wife standing there.
“Yes?” Marianne prodded in a thin voice he had learned to dread.
“Kit, don’t,” Colin said at once, shaking his head again.
“Don’t what?” Susannah snapped as she looked at Colin, then back at Kit.
“Don’t,” Colin mouthed when he was free to do so.
But Kit had had enough of secrets and sneaking around, and he had other matters to see to besides wondering who had been foolish enough to bring in a massive amount of presents when they had all agreed to keep everything to a moderate level so as not to overshadow the finer points of the season with greed and possessions.
Or so he’d thought, anyway.
He was fairly certain they’d had the conversation.
He couldn’t recall any of the particulars surrounding said conversation, but surely they’d had it.
“This morning,” Kit began, ignoring his brother’s look, “there was a delivery. A delivery of gifts.”
Marianne and Susannah looked at each other in surprise, then back at him.
For two of the chief suspects in this matter, they were acting in an oddly choreographed manner.
Perhaps they were in on it together. He looked up at Colin, who had also noticed the mirrored reaction. Now Colin gave Kit a brief nod and watched the women carefully.
“Gifts?” Marianne prodded, expression unreadable, but her tone markedly curious. “Gifts for whom?”
“Everyone,” Kit replied, “and not in the general sense. There were tags on the presents, as I understand it, and every member of the family had at least one.”
“Two,” Colin corrected. “Every member of the family has at least two.”
Susannah looked at him in surprise. “Really?”
Colin nodded, somehow keeping his suspicion of his wife’s involvement cleared from his features.
“That’s wonderful!” Marianne squealed, clasping her hands. “Who are they from?”
“That is the mystery,” Kit told her. “The packages do not say.”
Her brow furrowed. “They don’t… Why would someone send packages without informing us who was sending them? Surely they would want the credit, if not our gratitude.”
And there was Kit’s chief point in his wife’s innocence, and he turned a superior look to Colin, who caught it and sneered.
Marianne was in possession of a kind, generous heart, but she rarely acted in secrecy in anything. She didn’t necessarily need praise or attention drawn to her works, though she was not particularly opposed to it, but she preferred the attribution of her deeds to fall where they ought. It gave her a sense of pride and purpose, and therefore, she could not have been the mysterious gift giver.
“Well,” Susannah began slowly, “I suppose it is the time of year for people to perform secret acts of kindness, and to show an outpouring of generosity. Perhaps they did not wish to identify themselves in the hopes that their pride might be lessened in our ignorance?”
It was a valid point, but Kit didn’t think many people would choose to act in such a manner. Very few of the wealthy of his association would have, anyway.
But if Susannah thought so, it was entirely possible that she had sent the gifts.
“That is true,” Marianne replied as she moved away from Kit and sat on the blue sofa in the room. “There would be a thrilling sort of satisfaction in being a secret benefactress, wouldn’t there?”
It was now Colin’s turn to look triumphant, and he shared that look with Kit freely.
Kit ignored him yet again.
“What do the presents look like?” Marianne asked Kit.
Kit stared back at her, wondering if his wife was truly so indiscernible to him after years of marriage. “I don’t know. They’re in Colin’s study.”
Susannah barked a laugh. “Well, no one will find them there!” she crowed.
Colin scowled as Marianne joined in the laughter. “I fail to see the humor in this,” he grumbled.
“And I fail to see the harm,” Marianne informed them all with an impertinent tilt of her chin. “What are a few additional presents?”
Colin opened his mouth to argue, but Kit spoke first. “The concern that Colin and I have,” he said quickly, “is that we have already obtained gifts for the children, and with the desire to make this Christmas truly special, having additional gifts from an unknown source might set a precedent that cannot be maintained.”
“Or should not,” Colin agreed, sounding serious for the first time in a long while. “You said so yourself, Marianne, only a few hours ago that you would not want any of the children to become spoiled at Christmas.”
She looked doubtful, but nodded anyway.
“These gifts are excessive,” Colin continued, “which is why I have hidden them away. If the children saw them, they would not think about anything else, and Christmas would become entirely focused on the gifts.”
Susannah folded her arms and gave her husband a hard look. “That seems to be a rather somber attitude for two Gerrard brothers to take, considering the mischief you’ve been up to in the last few days.”
Well, that was hardly fair! She made it sound as though he and Colin were not capable of serious thought and reflection where Christmas was concerned, and that simply was not true.
They were capable of it.
That didn’t necessarily mean that they would do it, but it was not out of the realm of possibilities.
And they did want Christmas to be about more than the gifts.
There was an entire list of activities and traditions to uphold to prove that point.
“It was never about the gifts!” Colin protested.
“And that has nothing to do with the fact that these mysterious presents might overshadow whatever you had secured for the children as gifts?” Susannah suggested, keeping her tone mild, even if her stance and attitude had become somewhat superior and intimidating. “You aren’t just saying this because better presents might actually overshadow your own?”
Colin gaped at his wife as if truly offended. “How can you even think…?”
“I thought the same thing,” Marianne broke in without shame.
Colin turned to her. “About me?” he demanded.
She scoffed. “No, about him.” She pointed directly at Kit, who stared down the end of her finger as if the barrel end of a rifle.
“Me?” Kit asked. How could she? His own wife doubted his motives!
“Of course, you,” she replied with a laugh. “Kit, you would hate for someone to give a better gift than you did. You would hate for anything you gave to somehow lack in quality and meaning, even from one year to the next. I’m surprised you and Colin haven’t had an extensive fight about these gifts and which of the two of you out-gifted the other.”
Kit stared at Colin, who stared back, and an understanding passed between the pair of them, as it sometimes did. They would remain absolutely silent about their small skirmish earlier, and about accusing each other. No one needed to know that their wives could peg them so easily.
“So you think we ought to give those presents to the children?” Colin asked in a remarkably stiff voice.
Marianne and Susannah exchanged another look, and they waited for judgment to pass.
“Perhaps we ought to see them,” Susannah murmured to Marianne. “If they really are excessive…”
“Yes, you’re right,” Marianne agreed. “The children are well enough off, they truly do not need more than what they already have.”
“What about your foundlings in London?” Susannah pressed, lighting up. “Perhaps they could use whatever they are?”
Marianne considered that thoughtfully. “Well, it would depend on what the gifts are. It wouldn’t do any good to bring in one pair of little girl petticoats when there are twelve that need them.”
“So you think we should open them.”
Marianne sighed and put her head in her hands. “I don’t know. But yes, let’s see them.”
Kit and Colin looked at each other in confusion. Was this an act by their wives to somehow add something grand to Christmas? Were they being had by the women, despite their detailed planning and efforts to make the season more meaningful and fun?
Susannah offered Marianne a hand and then gesture for Colin to give them the key. “We’ll go take a look, and see what the fuss is all about.”
Colin hesitated, clearly not trusting either of them to be on their side, but handed over the key anyway.
Susannah clenched her fingers around the key and nodded, then pulled Marianne from the room towards Colin’s study.
Kit watched them go, frowning.
“I don’t trust either of them,” Colin told him as he came alongside him. “Together or separately.”
“I agree.” Kit shook his head with a sigh. “At least the decorations are done.”
“They look splendid. Shall we see how the tree is coming?” Colin asked, sounding like himself again.
Kit grinned at him. “Yes, I think so.”
They moved to the drawing room eagerly and pushed open the door.
“Well, how are things in here?” Kit boomed.
Then he looked at it.
And Colin yelped.