A Yuletide Invitation. Christine Merrill

sat down on the couch beside him, in the space his legs had occupied, trying to disguise her obvious relief. ‘I will explain shortly, if you can but answer a few more questions to my satisfaction. If you do not want her, then why did you take her back?’

      He scratched his head. ‘I am not sure. But I suspect that force of habit brought her to me, and force of habit keeps me at her side.’

      ‘That does not sound very romantic.’

      ‘I thought at first that it was lust. A desire to taste the pleasures that I was once denied.’ He gave her a significant look. ‘But our relationship has not yet progressed to such a stage, and I find myself most content with things as they are.’

      ‘You two are not …? You do not …?’ Rosalind took her most worldly tone with him, and hoped he could not tell that she lacked the understanding to ask the rest of the question. For she was unsure just what should be happening if the relationship had ‘progressed’. But she had wondered, all the same.

      ‘We are not, and we do not.’ He was staring at her in surprise now. ‘Are you seeking vicarious pleasure in the details of Elise’s infidelity? For you are most curious on the subject.’

      ‘Not really.’ She gave him a critical appraisal in return. ‘I think it is quite horrid that she left Harry, and even worse that you took her in. But if it was all for an ember of true love that smouldered for years, though untended, it would give me some measure of understanding. And I would find it in my heart to forgive her.’

      ‘But not me?’ he asked.

      ‘I would suspect you of being an unrepentant rogue, Tremaine, as I do in any case. For you seem ready to ruin my brother’s marriage not because you love deeply, but because you are too lazy to send Elise home.’

      He flinched at her gibe. ‘It will probably spoil your low opinion of me, but here is the real reason I encouraged her to remain in London. I recognise a friend in dire need, and I want to help her. She is lost, Miss Morley. She will find her way right again, I am sure. But until that time better that she be lost with me than with some other man who does not understand the situation and chooses to take advantage of her weakness.’

      ‘You are carrying on a public affair with my sister-in-law for her own good?’

      Tremaine smiled. ‘And now please explain it to your brother for me. I am sure he will be relieved to hear it.’

      ‘I think Harry doubts your good intentions.’

      His smile widened to a grin. ‘I know he does. I think he invited me down here for the express purpose of keeping me away from Elise during the holiday. To the susceptible, Christmas can be a rather romantic season. I believe we both know what can happen in the proximity of wine and mistletoe.’

      He looked at the ceiling and whistled, while she glared steadfastly towards the floor.

      ‘Do you know how he attempted to trick me into this visit? By offering to divorce his wife if I won his silly bet. He probably thought I could not resist the challenge of besting him. Little did he suspect that I would tell Elise all, and she would insist on coming as well. It must gall him no end to see the two of us here.’

      Rosalind cleared her throat. ‘I think you would be surprised at how much he might know on that matter. But pray continue.’

      Tremaine laughed. ‘For my part, were I a jealous man, I would be enraged at the amount of energy my supposed intended spends in trying to attract her husband’s attention by courting mine. She means to go back to him, and he is dying to have her back. There is nothing more to be said on the matter.’

      ‘I will agree with that,’ said Rosalind. ‘For I have never met a couple better suited, no matter what they might think.’

      He nodded. ‘We agree that they belong together. And she does want to come home to him, since he did not come to London and get her. So be damned to Harry’s machinations for the holidays. I have devised a plan of my own.’

      ‘Really?’ Someone else with a plan? She could not decide if she should meet the news with eagerness or dread.

      ‘Harry’s scheme, whatever it might be, requires my eagerness to win his wife away from him. In this he does not have my co-operation. I have kept her safe from interlopers for two months now, but it is time she returned home. I was hoping to find my host, lose the bet, and make a hasty escape before Elise realised what had happened. In no time, I would have been back in London. And she would have been back here with Harry, where she belongs.’

      She shook her head. ‘Until such time as Harry loaned her a coach so that she could leave him again. Which he will do, the moment she asks. It will do no good at all if you leave only to have Elise following in your wake.’

      Tremaine grimaced in disgust. ‘Why on earth would Harry lend her a coach? I have brought her as far as Lincolnshire. If he lacks the sense to hold on to her once he has her again then you can hardly expect me to do more.’

      Rosalind replied, ‘Elise’s main argument with the man seems to be that he is too agreeable. And he has admitted to me that he would deny her nothing. If she wished to leave, he would not stop her.’

      ‘Damn Harry and his agreeable nature,’ he said. ‘In any case, the snow is keeping me from the execution of my plan, since it required a rapid getaway and that appears to be impossible.’ He stared at her for a moment. ‘But finding you here adds an interesting ripple to the proceedings. Considering our history together, and the results that came of it, I thought perhaps …’

      ‘That I would allow you to dishonour me again to precipitate another falling-out with Elise?’ She gave him a sceptical glare. ‘While I cannot fault you for the deviousness of it, I do not see what good it would do. You might have escaped marriage to me once, but I expect Harry would call you out if you refused me now.’

      He glared at her. ‘Very well, Miss Morley. You have proved my plans to be non-starters. I shall fall back on my last resort, of taking all my meals in this room and avoiding both the lord and the lady of the house until I can leave. Unless you have a better idea?’ The challenge hung in the air.

      She smiled back. ‘I was hoping you would ask. For I have a far superior plan.’ Or rather Harry had, if she could get Tremaine to agree with it. It would be quite hopeless if he meant to hide in the library the whole visit.

      He favoured her with a dry expression, and reached for his teacup to take a fortifying sip. ‘Do you, now?’

      ‘Of course. You admit you are concerned with Elise’s welfare. And, while I wish her well, I am more worried about Harry. If we are in agreement that what they need for mutual happiness is each other, then it makes sense that we pool our resources and work together to solve their difficulties.’

      ‘Because we have had such good luck together in the past?’

      She sniffed in disapproval. ‘I would not be expecting you to do anything more than you have done already. Pay courteous attention to Elise. Be her confidant, her escort, her friend. But to do that you must come out of this room, participate in the activities I have planned, and see that she does as well. Your mere presence may be enough to goad Harry to action on the matter, if he is the one who must apologise.’

      ‘That is exactly what I fear.’ Tremaine shuddered theatrically. ‘Although Harry seems to be a mild-mannered chap, I’ve found in the past that this type of fellow can be the most dangerous, when finally “goaded to action”. If your plan involves me meeting with violence at the hands of an irate husband …’

      ‘I doubt it will come to that.’

      ‘You doubt? Miss Morley, that is hardly encouraging.’ He spread his hands in front of him, as though admiring a portrait. ‘I can see it all now. You and the other guests look on in approval as Harry beats me to a bloody pulp. And then, Elise falls into his arms. While I wish them all the best, I fail to see the advantages to me in this scenario.’

      ‘Do