“Hm. Well, not without looking in the mirror, anyway.”
He popped a piece of popcorn into her startled lips.
“Exactly! And then there’s Felicity and Jameson.”
“Now forgive me, my love, but that’s a stretch.”
“Not at all! If Uncle John hadn’t sent Felicity to Father’s study to retrieve a gift he’d left there for me she never would have spoken with Jameson. Or seen the shame he felt. Or heard his vow to reclaim his honor and rectify the damage he’d done.”
“So Uncle John just magically knew what three couples were going to fall madly in love and he arranged it all.”
“Well… yes.”
Frank laughed, a full and hearty sound that warmed Tillie’s heart. He’d come to Cherrywood Manor a strangely silent, reclusive fellow. And in some mystical, magical moment, he’d shed the bonds of his tortured existence and learned to laugh again. And to love. Her Uncle John Beckett had done this for him. And for her.
Tillie tied off the end of the string and reached her hand out to the man who would soon be her husband.
“Then how do you explain the nutcrackers?” she whispered.
He sobered. “Well, it was a lucky coincidence,” Frank sputtered.
“Coincidence? Coincidence, you say?” She dropped the popcorn and cranberry garland and scooted close enough to take both his hands in hers. “Uncle John brought only three nutcrackers. One for me, one for Corinne and one for Felicity. Only three. Not four, not two, but three.”
He started to interrupt but she placed a finger on his lips.
“Each with a red heart pinned to its chest. And holding out a golden ring in its right hand.” She tapped gently on his lips and let her hand fall away. “Explain that, my darling doubter.”
“Well they… I suppose… or maybe he…”
“Oh do be quiet,” she crooned.
And she proceeded to silence him in the best way she knew.
With a kiss.
Beyond the windows a new flurry of snow began to blanket the gardens. It sparkled and danced as it lazily fell, weaving a kind of mystical charm about the house. Bunnies scurried from their dens to snatch up a few more bits of popped corn and cranberries before the drifts overtook the yard. And inside the house that still wore its glorious Christmas holly, six beautiful young people moved closer and closer to the rest of their lives, lives made new and sparkling as each of them—with a little help from Uncle John—found the courage to open their hearts in the midst of a mystical moment.
Over one million pages of Laura Landon books are read each month. Read more by looking for Laura on Amazon, or at www.lauralandon.com.
Other stories by Laura Landon include THE DEVIL’S GIFT; the CAST IN SCANDAL series of four books CAST IN SHADOWS, CAST IN RUIN, CAST IN ICE and CAST IN SCANDAL; THE DARK DUKE; the RANSOMED JEWELS series RANSOMED JEWELS, DARK RUBY, JADED MOON and DECEPTION IN EMERALDS and many, many more great reads.
Linger in the pages of a great love story. Read Laura Landon Victorian Romance!
About Laura Landon
Laura Landon enjoyed ten years as a high school teacher and nine years making sundaes and malts in her very own ice cream shop, but once she penned her first novel, she closed up shop to spend every free minute writing. Now she enjoys creating her very own heroes and heroines, and making sure they find their happily ever after.
A vital member of her rural community, Laura directed the town’s Quasquicentennial, organized funding for an exercise center for the town, and serves on the hospital board.
Laura lives in the Midwest, surrounded by her family and friends. She has written thirty Victorian historicals, all of which are selling worldwide in English, one in Japanese, and several in German. Two are Scottish historicals.
Always beautifully set and with a mysterious twist or bit of suspense, Laura’s books average a million pages a month read by her loyal readers.
LAURA LANDON IS A PRAIRIE MUSE PLATINUM, KINDLE PRESS
AND AMAZON MONTLAKE AUTHOR
WWW.LAURALANDON.COM
Also from Laura Landon
by Prairie Muse Publishing
SHATTERED DREAMS
WHEN LOVE IS ENOUGH
BROKEN PROMISE
A MATTER OF CHOICE
MORE THAN WILLING
NOT MINE TO GIVE
LOVE UNBIDDEN
KEEPER OF MY HEART
THE DARK DUKE
CAST IN SHADOWS
CAST IN RUIN
CAST IN ICE
CAST IN SCANDAL (novella)
THE DEVIL’S GIFT
ONE MYSTICAL MOMENT
BEWARE THE RICH MAN
BEWITCHED BY THE POOR MAN
From Laura Landon
by Montlake Romance
SILENT REVENGE
INTIMATE SURRENDER
INTIMATE DECEPTION
THE MOST TO LOSE
A RISK WORTH TAKING
BETRAYED BY YOUR KISS
RANSOMED JEWELS
From Kindle Press
THE SECRET ROSE
DARK RUBY
DECEPTION IN EMERALDS
THE TRAITOR’S CLUB: FORD
WHERE THE WOMAN BELONGS
NOVELLA
From Dragonblade
A VOICE ON THE WIND
See all of Laura’s books at Amazon.com
COMPANION BOOKS (series)
by Laura Landon
THE BROTHERHOOD
When Love is Enough | Broken Promise
RANSOMED JEWELS
Ransomed Jewels | Jaded Moon
Dark Ruby | Deception in Emeralds
THE REDEEMED
The Most to Lose | The Dark Duke
CAST IN SCANDAL
Cast in Shadows | Cast in Ruin
Cast in Ice | Cast in Scandal
THE TRAITOR’S CLUB
Ford | Hugh | Jeb | Caleb
RICH MAN | POOR MAN | BEGGAR MAN | THIEF
Book One: Beware the Rich Man