“He’s a hero,” Jo said.
“What are you doing here, young lady?” Lord Barnes asked.
She appeared not to have heard her father. As if in a daze, she walked over to the sleigh and climbed inside. Then, in a move no one saw coming, she leaned close and kissed him on the cheek.
“Cymbeline,” Jo said, under her breath. “What’re you doing?”
“Cymbeline Barnes, get out of there this instant,” Lord Barnes said.
Cymbeline ignored him. She seemed only to have eyes for Viktor. “Does it hurt?’
“Not now. Doc gave me medicine and whiskey.” He gazed at her with the eyes of a man in love. “You’re very pretty.”
“Thank you, Viktor. Not for the unnecessary compliment but for saving my beloved Josephine. From this moment forward you shall no longer be my nemesis.”
“I was your nemesis?” Viktor touched his cheek where sh
e’d kissed him.
“Of course. How could you not know that?” Cymbeline’s forehead wrinkled in obvious confusion. “We’ve been enemies since the dawn of time.”
“Impossible,” he said. “You’re not my enemy.”
“What are you talking about?” Cymbeline asked crossly. Had she forgotten her pledge only moments before?
“I can’t be your enemy.” He gave her a boozy, loving smile. “I love you with all my heart and soul. Someday, you’ll be my wife.”
Cymbeline jumped from the sleigh so fast it was as if her skirts were on fire. Seconds later, she’d gotten into her own sleigh, turned the horse around, and headed down the road toward home.
“Did I say something wrong?” Viktor asked with a longing look at the back end of Cymbeline’s sleigh.
Despite everything we’d been through that night, the whole lot of us burst out laughing. Even Lord Barnes.
Josephine
The party must go on, even after an abduction by your former—formerly dead lover. Dinners for the entire week of Christmas in our house were grand, jolly affairs, and this year would be no different. By the time dinner was ready, I’d bathed and dressed and promised myself for tonight, at least, I would put aside all thoughts of horrible Walter. This time of year was magical to my little sisters, and I didn’t want to ruin it for them.
We sat around the dining room table for our feast. My littlest sisters, sitting on either side of me, looked adorable in their matching red dresses and bows. Cymbeline and Fiona sparkled in dresses made in the same shade of deep blue. All the men were in evening suits and bow ties. Mama wore a beaded gold dress that glittered under the chandelier.
I took both my baby sisters’ warm hands in mine as we all bowed our heads for the family prayer.
“Thank you, Father, for the bounty we’re about receive,” Papa said. “And for our special guest at our table tonight, Phillip Baker. Thank you for sending him to our family.” His voice cracked as he said the next part. “Thank you for keeping my Josephine safe today and for Viktor. In your name we pray, amen.”
After a chorus of amens around the table, Cymbeline and I got up to serve us our first course. The staff had cooked the meal, but they were enjoying dinners with their families tonight. Mama couldn’t bear to have them away from their loved ones during holidays. She remembered her own father having to work through every Christmas.
After dinner, all the staff and their little ones would come for caroling and cake. Mama’s mother and sister, Annabelle, and her husband, Clive, would come too. Papa would pass out presents to the children and holiday bonuses for the adults. I always looked forward to our festive evening, made even more so this year with the presence of Phillip.
The first course was a savory squash soup and one of Lizzie’s buttery rolls. I took the platter of rolls around while Cymbeline served the soup. When we were done, I sat back in my chair. I glanced across to Phillip, seated between Cymbeline and Fiona. He smiled at me with such love that it gave me a lump in my throat. I looked down to grab my spoon and gasped. There was a felt bag where the soup spoon should have been.
“What’s this?” I looked at Papa, assuming it was something from him. “Do we all have one?” I scanned the table. My brothers had goofy expressions on their faces. Fiona bounced in her chair. Cymbeline wouldn’t look at me at all. Mama gave me a gentle smile.
“No, darling, this one’s just for you,” Papa said. “And it’s not from me.”
Phillip rose from his chair and went around the table, stopping in back of Addie’s chair. My sister, as if rehearsed, jumped from her seat to sit with Delphia. Phillip moved Addie’s chair out of the way, then picked up the bag and withdrew something into the palm of his hand. He dropped to one knee. My hands flew to my mouth. This was the moment. It was happening. In front of my entire family. I started to shake, not from fear or cold as I had earlier but from pure excitement.
Phillip held up an exquisite emerald-and-diamond ring. Where had he gotten such a thing?
“Josephine, your father’s been saving this for you. It’s from his great-aunt Josephine and is to be given to you upon your engagement. By the grace of God, I’m the man who gets to offer it to you.”