Free Mistletoe Kisses and Yuletide Joy by Jo Beverley Page B

head. "Why? I promise not to force you to anything."
    " You make me feel..." She bit back the words and muttered, "You might not have to use force."
    He smiled and some of the blessed light was in it. "Then I promise not to let you ruin yourself with me, Miss Mayhew, no matter how heated you become." He held out a hand. "Come."
    She shouldn't. She knew she shouldn't. But she put her hand in his and allowed him to draw her into his lap. "Kitty," she said. "My name is Kitty."
    He laughed. "How very appropriate. I will use it only if you call me Tom." He settled her there, back against him, facing the fire and the candle flame, warm all around. His arms encircled her, hands resting over hers, and one thumb rubbed against her skin.
    " Tom," she said shyly, but loving this moment. It seemed as blessed as fire on the coldest winter's night. "Now, tell me why you hate Christmas."
    He spoke softly, right against her ear. "Christmas," he said. "I don't know where it all went wrong. Perhaps in childhood. We were taught many things by excellent tutors, but not about Christmas. Christmas isn't celebrated at Oakhurst."
    She shifted slightly so sh e could see him. "You did nothing at all to mark the season?"
    " We went to Christmas Day service in the chapel, of course. We were certainly taught the religious significance of the day. But my parents don't approve of the more pagan aspects of the season. They are completely appalled by kissing boughs."
    " My parents weren't comfortable with them, either. If it hadn't been for my mother's belief in the importance of customs, we wouldn't have had one. As it was, no one was allowed to do more than kiss on the cheek."
    He kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Compromise. Very wise."
    " My parents were wise. They were wonderful." She stopped there, for she wanted to learn more about him and Christmas. "I can see that you didn't grow up with much feeling for Christmas-"
    " Ah, but there you are wrong," he interrupted. "My parents couldn't ban festivities from the neighborhood, and children are curious creatures. Each of us had a governess or tutor, and also a personal servant. Then there were the maids and footmen who cared for our rooms, not to mention the grooms who taught us to ride, grounds men who took us fishing, and the people who talked to us when we went down to the village. In the weeks before Christmas we were surrounded by excited talk of the celebrations. It became the paradise we were barred from."
    Kitty was dazed by this glimpse into a noble household, and saddened by the gulf it illuminated between them. But she pursued her inquiry. "You must have reached an age to choose for yourself."
    " I tried at sixteen. I sneaked down to the village to watch the Christmas Eve mummers. They were too frightened of my parents' disapproval, however, and took me straight home. I received a blistering lecture and strict confinement to my room on lean rations for the Twelve Days."
    Kitty couldn't think of anything to say.
    "You mustn't think badly of my parents," he said. "We received excellent care and education, and all other normal fun was permitted -- games, sports, fishing, riding. They just have strong feelings about pagan ceremonies. They'd love to ban well-blessing, and All Hallows' bonfires, and especially the maypole with its quite risqué‚ connotations."
    Kitty chuckled, for her mother had discussed the symbolism of the maypole dance. "Your parents and my mother would certainly have had brisk arguments."
    " Indeed. I would have loved to have seen it. But nothing would change their minds, I'm sure. And I can see their point. Most of those pagan traditions have quite improper aspects."
    " Fertility rites," Kitty agreed. "Like rice and flowers at weddings." But she realized they were in danger of drifting away from him and Christmas. "I see how difficult it was when you were young, but what when you became a man?"
    " Once I came of age, I threw off the shackles. I spent Christmas with a school