The Dance Before Christmas. Victoria Alexander

good friends and they have always hoped for a match between their children. As I have failed to wed up to this point, Father has been pushing Douglas in my direction.” She paced absently in front of him. “Douglas is a fine man and I am fond of him, but I have no desire to spend the rest of my life with someone I am merely fond of.” She paused and looked at him. “Do you understand?”

      He nodded. “You want mad, passionate love, not fond affection. You want adventure.”

      “Exactly.” She resumed pacing. “Father’s efforts toward a match with Douglas have increased, as Douglas was recently offered a prestigious post in India. His position, as well as his future prospects, would be greatly enhanced if he was married. He is to leave for India the day after Christmas. I’m sure he intends to ask me to marry at any moment. I suspect he already has Father’s blessing. I’m fairly certain he wants to announce our betrothal at our Christmas Eve ball and possibly has plans for a Christmas day wedding.”

      “Would your father really do that?”

      “I don’t know, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised. I would much prefer not to take that chance.”

      “I see.”

      “Don’t misunderstand me, Mr—” Again she stopped. “I don’t know your name, although I suppose it really doesn’t matter, as I won’t be addressing you by your real name anyway.”

      “Wesley Grant.” He nodded and gave a slight bow. “Delightful to meet you, Miss Snelling.”

      “Anabel. You should call me Anabel if we are to be believed.” She frowned. “Where was I?”

      “You didn’t want me to misunderstand something.”

      “Ah yes.” She thought for a moment. “My father cares for me and would never want me to be unhappy. He simply feels the road to happiness for a woman lies with marriage. In that, I don’t entirely disagree, but...” She shrugged in an appealingly helpless way.

      He nodded. “But you want more.”

      “I do.” She set her chin in a stubborn manner. “In spite of my age, I will settle for nothing less. Nor will I allow my younger sisters to do so. What kind of an example would I be if I married just because of age to a man I merely liked?” She met his gaze firmly. “I assure you, Mr. Grant, I do want to marry, but no woman should be made to marry if she doesn’t wish to.”

      “I see.” He chose his words carefully. “But when Reed proposes, why don’t you just say no?”

      “Because I’m the worst sort of coward.” She heaved a heartfelt sigh. “I would much prefer to avoid any unpleasantness. And I have no desire to hurt Douglas. I fear he likes me far more than I like him. But even if all he feels for me is the same sort of friendly affection I feel for him, I would think it would be most disheartening to offer for someone’s hand only to have that offer rejected. You’re a man. What do you think?”

      “I’ve never been in that situation, but I think you’re probably right.”

      “Then you can see why I wish to avoid that altogether by having an acceptable new suitor who is clearly as head over heels for me as I am for him. At least until after Christmas,” she added quickly.

      “And that suitor would be me.” There were obviously any number of things that could go wrong with this plan, but it wasn’t his plan. He was merely to play a role. He wasn’t entirely sure when he had decided to go along with her scheme, but if Wesley Grant couldn’t manage a meeting with Sir Archibald, then perhaps his daughter’s suitor could. Besides, any woman who was smart enough to come up with a scheme like this, and brave enough to carry it through, was worth further acquaintance. Anabel Snelling was definitely as clever as she was pretty, if a bit devious. He liked that.

      “Yes, well, not exactly you. Father would never approve of an actor calling on me.” She studied him for a moment. “When you were perusing the names of fallen Explorers Club members, did you notice one for Reginald Everheart?”

      “Not that I recall.”

      “He was a very famous American explorer. No doubt you’ve heard of him.”

      “I’m afraid not.” Surely she was mistaken as to this Everheart’s fame. His father had known everything there was to know about modern explorers and adventurers, and had passed that interest on to his son. Wes had always suspected his father had secretly desired to join their ranks. While Wes too admired those men who sallied forth into the unknown, he’d never had any such longing. His passion lay in the excitement of innovation and development, as well as in puzzles of the mind. But his fondness for endeavors of exploration and his passion for progress and new inventions were exactly what had led him to England.

      She stared in disbelief. “Goodness, Mr. Grant, everyone here knows the name of Reginald Everheart.”

      “You know how the theater is. We do tend to live in our own fictional world.” No, he was sure he had never heard of Reginald Everheart before. He would certainly remember that name.

      “It can’t be helped, I suppose.” She shrugged. “As I said, Reginald Everheart was a well-known and highly respected American explorer. My father was quite looking forward to meeting him when he was last in London some years ago. Unfortunately, Mr. Everheart met with an untimely end while in England.” She shook her head mournfully. “According to Father, his mortal remains were swept out to sea and never seen again. He was reputed to be handsome and dashing.” Her assessing gaze slid over him once again and she nodded. “In that respect, you will certainly do.”

      He stared. “You want me to play the part of Reginald Everheart?”

      “Weren’t you listening to me?” She huffed. “I said he’s dead. Body swept out to sea and all that.”

      “Then what role am I to play?” He wasn’t sure he wished to hear the answer.

      “You are to be Mr. Everheart’s son.” She beamed in triumph. “Earnest Everheart.”

      He narrowed his eyes. “Is that a real person?”

      “Not to my knowledge.”

      “Do you even know if this Everheart had sons?”

      “No, nor does it matter.” Her brows drew together. “Everheart was American and his visits to England were rare. I doubt anyone you might encounter between now and Christmas will question whether or not you are legitimately his son.”

      “I suppose,” he said slowly, “but have you considered all the possible ramifications of this little plot of yours? All the things that could go wrong?”

      “Nonsense.” Anabel ticked the points off on her fingers. “For one thing, few people here have ever even met Reginald Everheart. Father hadn’t and he knows everyone. Two—the man, and presumably his family, were American. Who knows how many sons or daughters, for that matter, he might have. And three—the chance of anyone from America who might know the Everheart family randomly appearing in London at the Christmas festivities we’ll be attending is very nearly nonexistent.” She cast him a triumphant smile. “I really don’t see what could possibly go wrong.”

      “It’s been my experience that the moment anyone questions what could go wrong is the very moment everything does. And I can think of any number of problems with this plan.”

      She waved off his comment. “Oh, I think my aunt and I have thought of everything.”

      “Have you?” What about the unexpected appearance of the actor her aunt had actually hired? Or her aunt seeing Wes and calling him out as an imposter? “Speaking of your aunt, will she be here tonight?”

      “Unfortunately, no. She had intended to be, but I received a note from her late this afternoon. Apparently she had another engagement she had forgotten about. Not unusual for Aunt Lillian.”

      Wes knew this plan of Anabel’s and her aunt’s was a bad idea, but specific reasons why eluded him at