The ballroom at Sutcliffe Manor was brilliant with the light of many candles reflected in the long mirrors which adorned the walls. Greenery hung over the doorways and holly berries stood out in the swags running up the stairs. The fragrance filled the house and mingled with the perfumes of the guests as they dipped and swayed in dance sets. A small orchestra played in one corner. Richard and Frances Rollins and Lord and Lady Sutcliffe smiled, arms entwined as they watched from the top of the stairs the annual Christmas celebration. As lord of the manor, Richard laboured over many of his responsibilities, but this one was pure pleasure. His Frances was a popular hostess. She remembered every detail for the comfort of her guests. Their community was not a large one, and it was possible to extend the invitations to most. And most were present. From their perch, Richard and Frances surveyed their guests.
Emily and Corey Rollins were visiting her family and accepted the invitation to the festival. The squire, Emily’s father, had dispatched with the question of who owned the Cooper-Hanton land and manor. It was a scandal, but most were satisfied and said they knew it would be that way. The imposter, Cedric—no one liked him anyway—had been legally banned from his claim on the holdings. There was talk of a criminal case to be brought against him. Robert Cooper-Hanton had come home to reclaim his land, and it was generally thought that was as it should be.
Belinda and her Lord Harrington passed by in search of the punch bowl. Belinda’s luminous red hair cascaded down her back, and her Quint looked down at her adoringly. Called a rogue no longer, he was still besotted and tamed by his love for his Belinda. The foursome on the stairs watched their younger sister with amusement.
“He is just like me, my heart,” Lord Pearson said to his wife. “You Robinson women have tamed us to the point of disgrace.” Lord Sutcliffe, overhearing his comment, nodded. Frances and Melanie laughed and denied any such thing.
Richard grinned, noting that Melanie’s gown was catching the eye of many of the females in the room. The delicate pink lace overdress she was wearing demonstrated her love for fashion was still active, or so his wife had mentioned.
Frances tapped Richard on the arm and called his attention to a scene directly beneath them. Beth Clarington was chatting with the squire’s handsome son, Adrian. Frances whispered to Melanie, who promptly reached for her drawing paper which she had near-by. The two sisters agreed that wedding dresses were fun to plan. With that frown on the squire’s son face, it was a foregone conclusion that he was smitten. The foursome eavesdropped without guilt and overheard them talking.
“Adrian, I vow, you are the grumpiest man here tonight,” Beth said, looking up into his scowling face. “What has you so discontented, may I ask?” Adrian stood with his arms in a pose of belligerence.
“Beth,” he said. “I am only come home, and I have not had a minute to tell you all the stories about Town that I wanted to. You are ever off with that brother of Lord Sutcliffe’s.”
“Do you mean Drew? Why, Adrian, he has asked me to dance the waltz. If you wanted to be with me, you only need ask, you know.” She smiled at him.
“You already know that I want to be with you. Beth, I must have asked you. Did I not?” His expression altered to bewilderment. Richard barked a shout of laughter at the hapless Adrian.
Frances said, “I hope Beth does not let him get away that easily. He has bruised that child’s heart for years. Time he was paid back in coins.” She laughed aloud as Beth left Adrian and walked off with Drew Rollins.
“You can be next, Adrian,” Beth said over her shoulder then gave Drew a brilliant smile that caused him to pause in his steps.
Richard and Frances wandered down the stairs, speaking and visiting with their guests. They spotted in the front hall, underneath a large ball of ribbon-tied mistletoe, a couple wrapped in each other’s arms. Cooper and Lynda were unashamedly holding and kissing each other.
“I was a soldier once,” Richard whispered to his wife as he leaned over to plant a kiss on her cheek.
“Yes, you are another soldier who has come home safely from the war and I am ever grateful for it,” Frances whispered back. They tiptoed away to rejoin the party leaving Cooper and Lynda in privacy underneath the kissing ball.
The End