Unlaced At Christmas. Elizabeth Rolls

to enter, Generva informed her of the events of the afternoon, the recent change of fortune and the duke’s generous offer.

      Her daughter’s response was as she feared it would be. ‘Absolutely not!’

      Generva took a deep breath, and proceeded with caution. ‘But, darling, you must at least come out of your room and thank the man for his kindness. Think of the honour he pays you in making this offer at all.’

      ‘I would rather not think of it,’ her daughter said, wiping at her tear-swollen eyes. ‘I do not want a thing from Tom Kanner or his family. I especially do not want to see anyone associated with him ever again.’

      In that she could hardly be blamed. It still did not give her the right to be discourteous. ‘I understand you are hurt. But you must realise that the cancellation of the wedding will leave us both in a difficult position.’

      ‘Because I am now cast-off goods, known as a fool in front of the entire church?’ Gwen’s voice was growing shrill. ‘That is no fault of mine.’

      ‘Of course not, dear.’ Generva bit her lip to remember the need for patience. ‘But if you meet him, you will see that the Duke of Montford is quite different from Tom.’

      ‘Because he is old enough to be my father.’

      Almost exactly old enough, which was something Generva preferred not to think about. ‘That does not mean he is ancient. If you meet him, you will find him kind and sensible in ways that a younger man is not. He has an excellent temper, and is very handsome for a man of his years.

      She glanced past her daughter at her own reflection in the mirror above the dresser. What did it say about the state of her looks that the most handsome man she had seen in ages immediately assumed that she was a housekeeper? It did not matter, really. She was long past the point where vanity ruled her feelings. Nor was there any reason to put on airs in hopes of attracting a new husband.

      All the same, it rankled. She tugged at the cap on her head, making an effort to tuck the curls around it in a more becoming way.

      ‘If you think he is such a prize, then perhaps you should be the one to marry him.’ Gwendolyn threw herself back on to the bed again, as though preparing for another bout of weeping.

      ‘He did not offer to marry me,’ Generva said, struggling and failing to hide the bitterness in her voice. ‘And I am not the one who needs a husband. I had one. Since no one is likely to appear at the back door with a proposal, I have learned to manage without.’ She immediately regretted the outburst. It had been a difficult week for all of them, but it had been worst for Gwen. She needed a mother who would be kind to her. Generva had failed, utterly.

      But perhaps a little cruelty had been needed. The sharpness in her tone was as effective as a slap to her daughter’s face. The girl sat up, staring at her in alarm, and wiped the tears from her eyes as if to get a clearer view of her own mother.

      Generva took another breath and was back in control again. ‘I have no intention of forcing you into a marriage you do not want. But you must come down to dinner and meet the man to thank him for his concern. Perhaps you will feel different at the end of the evening. Perhaps not. But you must not shed another tear over a man who has proved unworthy. Now wash your face and put on your best dress. Tonight you will dine with the Duke of Montford.’

      From there, she went to Benjamin’s room, relieved to see that the duke was absent from it. But her son remained, and she dragged him to the basin and scrubbed the boy within an inch of his life before forcing him into his best suit.

      ‘I do not see why we must wash, Mama,’ he said. ‘The duke has seen me dirty already.’

      She gritted her teeth and ran a comb through the boy’s tangle of straw-coloured hair. ‘And now he shall see you clean, for the sake of your mother’s pride, if for no other reason. The man is a peer, not a greengrocer. I cannot have your dirty neck spoiling his appetite for supper.’

      ‘He has said I may call him old Tom.’

      Generva flinched. ‘Well, I say you may not. You will call him Your Grace, and bow when you meet him, just as you would when meeting the vicar.’

      ‘I do not like the vicar,’ Benjamin announced.

      ‘Well, do you like the duke?’

      The boy thought for a moment. ‘I think so.’

      ‘Then bow,’ she said, giving another tug on his hair.

      From outside the bedroom door, she was convinced she heard a deep, masculine chuckle.

      * * *

      A short time later, they were gathered round the table, the meat steaming on a platter in front of them. The scene was a perfect picture of domestic bliss. Or it would have been, had not Gwen been sagging in her chair like a drowned Ophelia, her face wan, her eyes red rimmed and her shoulders drooping.

      It was all Generva could do to keep from kicking her under the table.

      The duke seemed to take no notice of the girl’s unwelcoming posture and smiled from the head of the table. ‘May I offer the blessing?’ he asked.

      ‘Of course,’ she murmured, surprised that he seemed so eager.

      After a moment’s thoughtful silence, he began to sing. ‘Come, let us join our cheerful songs with angels round the throne...’

      She had known his singing voice was lovely, but nothing she had heard thus far compared to this. For the brief space of the hymn, even Benjamin was spellbound and Gwen’s frown replaced with awe.

      Then, as though nothing unusual had happened, the duke reached for the platter and helped himself to a large slice of beef.

      When Generva could find her breath again, she said with sincerity, ‘You have a beautiful voice, Your Grace.’ The compliment hardly did it justice. The hairs on the back of her neck were still standing in awareness of the rumbling basso.

      He gave a shrug and a smile. ‘I had little choice in the matter. My mother was a Wesleyan, you see. She sang morning and night. My father was a different sort.’ His smile broadened at the memory. ‘There is a Christmas tradition, in our holdings, that the lord of the manor should be able to match mummers and wassailers verse for verse to make them earn the cup they are begging for.’ He was positively grinning. ‘I have upheld it, as well. They will miss me this week, I’m sure, for we have a fine time of it.’

      ‘I like the song about the dead boar better,’ Benjamin said with a firm nod. ‘The one you sang to me in my room.’

      ‘The boar’s head in hand bear I, bedecked with bay and rosemary.’ Montford thundered out the first line as though there were nothing unusual about singing during dinner. ‘I shall teach it to you later, if your mother allows it. I suspect you have a fine singing voice.’

      He turned his attention to Gwen, trying to draw her into the conversation. ‘And you, my dear. Do you sing, as well?’

      Generva leaned forward, all but crossing her fingers under the table.

      Her daughter gave an indifferent shrug. ‘I have little reason to sing.’

      Damn the girl for being such a wet hen. Desperate to keep the conversation going, Generva spoke for her. ‘She is simply being modest. Gwen has a lovely soprano tone and has, on occasion, sung solos in our church.’

      The girl’s eyes rose to meet her, in shock at the bald-faced lie. Their vicar, the Reverend Mr Allcot, had strong opinions concerning Methodists and their desire to turn the church into what he deemed little better than a Covent Garden music hall. He preferred rites celebrated in respectful silence, or with a minimum of plain song. He’d have resigned his living before allowing a soprano soloist.

      The duke nodded sagely as though he could think of nothing better. Then he turned to her. ‘I am sure it is a perfect match for your voice, which is deeper.’

      ‘How would you know?’ It was