Free A Christmas Surprise by Lindsay Downs Page A

given by her father on her coming out.
    With a deep breath, she waited for Horsfall to open the door and announce her.
    “Your Graces, Lady Aleece.” He stepped to the side as she swept in, head held high and shoulders square like she was headed into battle. Which, to her she was, a battle of wills.
    “Horsfall, we will have tea,” the duchess said.
    “Very good, Your Grace,” he said, stepping from the room.
    During the ensuing minutes, the three chatted about the upcoming holiday. Both parents, Aleece noted, avoided discussing the traditional Holly Hall ball, which made her nervous.
    Once the tea arrived, the duchess instructed the butler to place the tray in front of Aleece. Mrs. Linna, the housekeeper, set a tray of morning sandwiches and other delectable morsels next to the tray. “Since this is only family and a casual setting, I see no need to stand on ceremony,” Eleanor conveyed to her daughter.
    “I cannot help but notice the hair clip you are wearing. Is that not the one I gave you on your eighteenth birthday?” Simon uttered, as he passed a cup of tea to his wife.
    “And the dress you are wearing is my favorite on you,” his wife added, glancing first at Aleece then her husband.
    “Why, yes. I thought wearing these would please you both. After all, how often do we share tea this early in the day? I thought they would make the event special,” she hopefully lied. Knowing full well the reason was to gain their good graces and stop what plan they had in mind.
    “Darling,” the duchess started, leaning forward to take Aleece’s hands in hers. “Normally your little ploy might have worked, but not this time. Your father and I have come to a decision. One with which I truly hope you will agree.”
    “If it is about not going to Holly Hall for the annual Christmas ball, I already suspected as such,” she informed them, withdrawing her hands from her mother’s grasp.
    “How do you—”
    Aleece thrust herself from the couch, almost knocking the tea tray over. “It is really very simple. The trip takes two days and there is none of the usual scurrying around of the staff in preparations. I also have it on very good authority that you both,” she glanced at her mother before throwing a glare at her father, “have decided to arrange my marriage with someone.”
    With hands fisted at her sides, she started for the door only to be stopped by her father standing in the way. The scowl she noticed on his face would have frozen a normal person but not her. Especially now with her life being controlled, albeit by two of the three people in the world she loved.
    In her heart, she knew Mr. Thomas wasn’t like them. If anything it was her fiery stubbornness that attracted him. Now she had no choice but to go along with their wishes, or as she thought of it, the demands of her family.
    “Darling,” the duchess pleaded. “Please come, sit, and let your father tell you about the man. I’m sure once you hear about him, you will agree with our decision.”
    Aleece let her father guide her back to where she’d been sitting. Once resettled, she refreshed her cup and nibbled on one of Mrs. Linna’s famous coddled egg and kipper sandwiches. As she took a sip of tea, she watched as her parents sat in silence, an unusual occurrence for either when in the same room. Once her nerves were comfortably settled, she turned to her father. With a raised, questioning brow, Aleece indicated she was ready to listen.
    In silence, Aleece listened first as her father painted a picture of the gentleman they planned for her to marry. In the beginning, she almost thought he was describing her Mr. Thomas, the broad shoulders seen frequently with members of the Guard. His face, even his eye and hair color seemed to resemble him, but then her father could be talking about over half of the eligible bachelors in the ton .
    When the duke mentioned he’d been wounded in Spain fighting against France, she then knew without a doubt he was