Meanwhile at Radcliff Manor, complaining 101

 

“Where are all my presents?” Eliza huffed, in the midst of having another one of her mini tantrums.

“Dear, they are under the tree.” Isabelle was at the end of her patience. The girl was wearing on her nerves and she hadn’t even been here for an entire day. And the end of her torture wasn’t in sight either with the snow falling so heavily. Later, when they went out to visit Sebastian and Katherine, she had hoped for a break. Actually she was hoping to dump the chit on them for a few days so she could give Grayson his gift in private.

However, that didn’t look like it was going to happen anytime soon. “Bloody Hell,” she muttered into her teacup.

“Where are your gifts, Isabelle?” Eliza turned and stared at her Uncle’s “friend,” as he had referred to her last night, when she arrived unexpectedly.

“Mine are under the tree as well.” Isabelle took a sip of her tea, wishing the little brat had stayed in London.

“Oh,” she exhaled, folding her arms. “It doesn’t look he got you very much,” she said, mentally counting each gift. The ones with the pretty ribbons were the ones she was getting from her Uncle. She knew this because she made him point them out to her last night.

”Eliza,” said Grayson, giving her a warning glance. “The rest of your gifts are in London at my Townhouse. I didn’t know you were coming so early, remember?” Grayson rubbed his face. He had been looking forward to spending Christmas alone with Isabelle. He had a special gift he wanted to give her, but now he wasn’t sure what he was going to do.

“Right, I had forgotten.” Eliza made a pouty face. “I suppose that pittance will have to do.” The bottom of her pale yellow gown dotted with bows swirled out around her feet as she breezed across the room. Once she made it to the tree, she stopped. “Are we opening gifts now?”

“No, not yet,” said Grayson, placing another log on the fire.

“Why not?” whined Eliza. “I am bored.” She stomped her foot.

“Eliza dear,” said Isabelle, her patience wearing like a fraying rope. She was almost to her limit. “Why don’t you run along now and entertain yourself for a while until we open the gifts.”

“And do what?” she said, pushing a gift with the toe of her shoe. The tag said Izzy. “What a stupid name,” she muttered, kicking it further under the tree.

“I don’t know, perhaps you should go outside and play in the snow,” suggested Isabelle.

“Pl—lay in the snow?” Eliza sputtered. “I am not a child nor am I a heathen, Isabelle,” she snarled her name and turned, her dark blue eyes glinting indignantly. “Proper young ladies do not play in the snow.” She shuddered, appalled at the prospect.

Grayson exhaled heavily. His niece was trying his patience. She had been such a sweet child, too. Now however, she was fast becoming his least favorite niece. He had ten. His brother Graham was a busy man—a very busy man. For the longest time he envied the man, but now seeing how his niece had turned out, it was a blessing he did not have any offspring of his own.

“Eliza, perhaps you should go to the library and see if there are any books to your liking?”

“I doubt it.” She exhaled heavily and turned a small ornament of a deer around, making the antlers ram into the backside of a nutcracker. She smiled at her handiwork and brushed her hands off. Sap stuck to her third finger. A little blonde angel was on the tree and she tried to wipe the sap on the full little frilly skirt. It didn’t come off. “Damn!”

“Eliza,” Grayson warned.

“I have sap on my finger,” she complained.

“Well go and wash it off.”

“Fine,” she bristled. Turning she gave Isabelle a snide look and then stomped from the room, making one of the bows fall off the bottom of her gown.

“I don’t know what happened to her,” Grayson said absently after she left. He bent over to pick up the small bow, adjusting the ribbon. “She used to be such a sweet child.”

“She did?” asked Isabelle clearly shocked. “I mean, ah, mayhap she is having an off day?” she covered. It was his niece after all.

“Regrettably, I do not think that is the case,” said Grayson, sitting down heavily on the sofa beside her. “I had such plans for us today,” he said wistfully.

“You did?” she asked, reaching out to brush his hair away from his forehead.

“Yes, and now I am afraid they are ruined.” He took her hand and pressed it to his cheek, holding it. “I am sorry.”

“Nonsense,” she said, caressing his face. “There is nothing to be sorry about.” She leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss.

“I will make it up to you,” he promised, taking her face in his hands.

“I can hardly wait,” she said, sliding her hand over his chest and further down between his muscular thighs.

He chuckled throatily. “What you do to me.” He closed his eyes, enjoying the moment. Too soon he heard his niece stomping back down the stairs and groaned, “Bloody hell!”

Isabelle sat back up and removed her hand, saying a silent, “Bloody Hell” as well.