Far too many for Jasper to count.
Toward the end of supper, Lord Cumberton rose to his feet at the head of the table. He looked around the circle of guests seated before him, his eyes glowing and a wide smile upon his face, and the room slowly quieted. “My dear friends,” he began in his booming voice, “we count ourselves most fortunate that you have decided to celebrate this Christmas season with us.” He looked across the table toward its other end, and his gaze met his wife’s. A warm smile graced her features, making it apparent to every observer that a deep bond connected them.
“Many years ago,” Lord Cumberton continued, “my dear wife and I met during another Christmas season. We were strangers then, but we did not remain strangers for long.” Cheers erupted around the table, and Lord Cumberton’s smile deepened.
“In fact, it was one particular tradition that brought us…closer.” He teasingly wiggled his eyebrows, and his guests roared with laughter. “As that particular tradition managed to bring such happiness to us, we wish to uphold it.” He nodded toward an arched doorway, and immediately a long procession of servants emerged, each carrying a silver platter with a small pie set in its center.
“Do you know what this is about?” Jasper whispered to Andrew, seated to his right.
His friend merely rolled his eyes in a rather annoyed fashion, clearly embarrassed by his parents’ show of affection.
“All those yet unwed,” Lord Cumberton explained as his servants proceeded around the table, setting down the pies in front of chosen guests, “will receive one of these delicious treats,” he lifted a hand, “two of which contain a golden coin, one for a lady and one for a gentleman. And those who find them,” he paused for dramatic effect, “shall be tied to one another for the rest of the evening.” Murmurs went around the room, some excited, some concerned. “And by tied, I mean quite literallytied.” The hand he had lifted before opened, and one end of a red velvet ribbon fell out of his grasp, gently dangling from side to side.
Loud cheers erupted now, and Jasper saw several young ladies blush as their eyes darted up and down the table to the unwed gentlemen in attendance. Jasper’s gaze, in turn, immediately went to Lady Edith, and he was not surprised to see that the look upon her face showed neither surprise nor excitement.
At least, not the same kind of excitement he saw upon the other ladies’ faces.
Jasper frowned as Lord Cumberton invited his guests to inspect their desserts, reminding them to eat their pies with care, lest they’d lose a tooth. Of course, Jasper, too, had one such pie sitting right in front of him. However, his own attention was diverted as he glanced back and forth between Lady Edith, Lady Adele and Mr. MacKinnear.
All but holding his breath, Jasper watched and waited, his skin tingling with anticipation. Indeed, he saw not even a mild echo of what he felt upon Lady Edith’s face. Instead, her blue eyes seemed calm and expectant. Was it possible that she already knew the outcome of this game?
Of course, she did! Jasper knew what would happen moments before Mr. MacKinnear discovered a gold coin in his pie. He held it up for all to see, and another round of cheers erupted around the table, followed by inquisitive looks at all the young unwed ladies. Which one of them would find the other coin?
Jasper chuckled, for there was not a single doubt in his mind that it would be Lady Adele.
However, there seemed to be in Mr. MacKinnear’s. The man looked rather uncomfortable before he carefully chanced a look down the table at Lady Adele. Her lips had thinned upon Mr. MacKinnear’s discovery of the coin, making it absolutely clear that neither of them was privy to Lady Edith’s plan.
Jasper almost burst out laughing. He felt oddly excited, as thoughhehad discovered the coin and knew that the other one was in Lady Edith’s pie. Oh, he wouldn’t mind being tied to her for the remainder of the evening! Not at all!
And then Lady Adele found the other coin!
At first, it was not apparent to anyone, for she did not pull it from the pie in one flourishing motion, triumphantly showing it to all those around. No, she merely stilled, her eyes widening ever so slightly as the breath seemed to catch in her throat. Then, disbelief mingling with joy upon her face, she slowly raised her head and her gaze traveled down the table to Mr. MacKinnear. Once their eyes met, that tentative smile bloomed into something powerful and utterly enchanting, and its effect upon Mr. MacKinnear was immediate.
The man looked as though he had found a pot of gold, a basket of jewels…or, Jasper supposed, the love of his life.
“Oh, look!” Lady Edith suddenly exclaimed, gently grasping her friend’s wrist, and lifting her arm, thus revealing the gold coin for all to see. “She found it!” She appeared as though that discovery had come as quite a shock to her as well.
Jasper laughed, then suddenly stilled, overcome by the thought that he would never tire of this woman, would he? She was different in every way, and he would be a fool to let her slip from his grasp.
Instantly, more cheers erupted, and everyone shot to their feet, clapping their hands, their faces expectant. Lord Cumberton beckoned the two fortunate ones to his side, and slowly, Mr. MacKinnear and Lady Adele rose from their seats. Lady Adele, in particular, seemed to stagger a bit on her way; however, the moment she came to stand in front of Mr. MacKinnear, a calm serenity fell over her face. Within moments, Lord Cumberton moved their hands together and then tied the red ribbon around their wrists. No more than a minute passed, and yet it was a powerful moment, reminding Jasper of a marriage ceremony, something life-altering.
Without thinking, Jasper felt his gaze travel back to Lady Edith, drawn to the joyous look upon her face as she watched Lady Adele and Mr. MacKinnear. Tears misted her eyes, and she held her hands clasped together, the tips of her forefingers pressing to her lips, as though to hold back even more powerful emotions. He could see how deeply she cared for her friend, and it made him wish she would care for him just as much.
Or perhaps a bit more?
Suddenly, her gaze moved from the happy couple, and she blinked her eyes rapidly, clearing away the tears that threatened. A grateful smile came to her face as she looked at someone off to the side, and Jasper saw her give a quick nod.
His own gaze moved swiftly in the direction she was facing, and he found himself looking at a familiar face. At first, Jasper could not quite place it, but then he remembered the day of his arrival at Cumberton Castle. It was the young maid Lady Lucinda had berated for failing to place flowers in her chamber. The young maid to whose rescue Lady Edith had ridden. The young maid who clearly had not forgotten her kindness.
Staring, Jasper looked back and forth between the two women. Was this how she had done it? How she had ensured the coins would find their way into the right pies? Or rather the way the right pies would find their way to the right people? Indeed, it had to be!
One should always help when one can, do you not agree, Lord Whickerton?Was that not what Lady Edith had said to him? It seemed a kind deed often led to another. Those who cared and came to the aid of others never truly stood alone, did they?
Jasper had never quite considered this thought before. Too often did people in this world only see to their own advantage, never giving unless they received something in return. And while that was precisely what had happened, Jasper knew that Lady Edith had not been kind that day because she had wanted the maid to be in her debt. She had simply been kind to be kind, to help, to do the right thing. That was what made all the difference, did it not?
Chapter Ten
TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE