His Christmas Nymph by Marly Mathews

furniture decorated the room, and the cherr y red sofa called to her. She could easily make herself at home here, tucked up happily with a book in her hands.
    The warm company of the blazing fire in the marble fireplace would be so lovely. Along with a large desk at the one end, laden with what looked like missives and an inkwell and feather quill pen.
    She could see that Edward had chosen to attend to his affairs in this room—when he probably had scads of other rooms that would have served well as a home office. This meant he too loved to be surrounded by the written word. She let out a little sigh that didn’t escape her father or Edward’s notice.
    “I do believe Christmas has come early for my daughter,” Benjamin chuckled, and beamed adoringly at Caroline. 
    “Whatever you’d like to take back to Banbury House pray set aside and I’ll have a footman take them to your carriage.”
    Loud happy barks met her ears, followed shortly by Zeus and Apollo who scampered happily into the Library. They greeted her first, nudging her hands for petting.
    “Dear me, well, I always said my daughter had a way with animals, look at how well your hounds take to her, quite astonishing. We used to have a delightful little spaniel. My late wife adored her. After Lady Margaret passed, and her little dog died, we didn’t have the heart to get another.”
    “Gertrude doesn’t like dogs,” Caroline stated emotionlessly. She would have happily gotten another puppy to comfort her in her time of grieving. “She likes cats and you know how I get when I’m around them. They make me sneeze in such a frightful way, and I break out in a terrible rash if I attempt to pet one. They are adorable but I just can’t be around them.”
    “Is that so?” Edward asked, his interest seemed piqued by this latest revelation.
    “Oh, indeed, yes,” her father confirmed. “She gave her mother a frightful turn once when she wanted to pet the outdoor cats. Of course, most would say it’s unsafe to approach such feral creatures but my Caroline has a way with all animals wild or tame—she has such a gentle nature, you see. She broke out in such awful red blotches. Her mother sent for a physician she was so worried. That was my Margaret, she always fretted over her children’s welfare, more than she cared about her own health.”
    Her father’s eyes became mawkish. “Papa,” she said softly, “I think the Duke wishes to talk to you as privately as possible with me in the same room. I could go out to the Gardens,” she offered.
    “Dear me, no. You shall stay with your fat her. Go and browse through the Duke’s impressive collection while we bandy words.”
    “Indeed. Browse to your heart’s content. Do not forget the offer I made,” Edward said, his eyes blazing with emotion. His gaze was so heate d she felt her cheeks warm. “Might I say that you look quite fetching today, Miss Griffiths.”
    That did it. She blushed profusely, smiled, bowed her head and quickly walked to the other end of the Library, in an attempt to give them as much privacy as was possible.
    Zeus and Apollo amiably followed her and settled themselves on the aubosson rug in front of one of the many sofas in the Library.
    She started looking through the many volumes of books and had gathered a stack of them that she wanted to read when she heard her father exclaim loudly.
    “This is a bunch of fustian nonsense, sir. This is a bag of moonshine! I shall hear no more of it. My daughter and I will not darken your door any longer! Caroline, come immediately. We are leaving!”
    Her heart hammered in her chest. She dropped the stack of books she held and they clattered to the floor. This couldn’t be happening, her ears were ringing in despair.
    “Mr. Griffiths, there is no need to get in such a high dudgeon. My offer is clear, I have set my cap on your daughter.”
    “And my reply is clear, sir rah!”
    Caroline gasped loudl y at her father addressing the duke in such a