Mary wiped her hands on her apron. “Do you have time for a cup of coffee before you go?”
Hugh shook his head. “No. The coach will be here soon, and I shouldn’t keep them waiting. I just wanted to come by and wish you a merry Christmas.”
At his words, her face lit up. She quickly scuttled from the room, then returned with a small parcel in her hands. She offered it to Hugh. He set down his travel bag, along with the book he was carrying, and took it.
“Merry Christmas, Hugh. It’s not much; just a little gift,” she said.
He accepted the present with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He had been so disorganized and muddleheaded when it came to making ready for the journey to Scotland that he had completely forgotten to buy her a Christmas present.
Poor form, Radley. Too busy thinking about yourself, and not enough about her.
With the death of her father earlier in the year, Mary would be spending her first Christmas without her beloved papa. Hugh felt the heat of embarrassment burning on his cheeks. “Oh, I am so sorry. I completely forgot to get you a gift. I am the very worst of friends,” he said.
She nodded at the parcel in his hands. “That’s perfectly alright. You have been busy studying. Christmas no doubt crept up on you,” she replied.
Hugh opened the present and his discomfort deepened. Inside was a bar of beautifully wrapped French soap, and a small bottle of gentleman’s cologne. It must have cost Mary a good deal of money. Money, he suspected she did not have in abundance.
“You shouldn’t have,” he said.
She smiled. “Nonsense. As soon as I saw them in the shop, I thought of you. I hope you like them.”
“I do, and I promise I shall bring you back a special gift from Scotland when I return after Christmas. I cannot believe that I could be so absentminded to forget about getting you something. I am mortified,” he replied.
Mary reached out and placed a hand on Hugh’s cheek. “It’s fine. The fact that you like my present is reward enough.”
The warmth of her hand on his face stirred once more to life the longing he had held for her these past two years. Somewhere in the endless nights of her bringing him toast and coffee for supper while he studied alongside her father, his thoughts of Mary had changed from those of friendship to those of love.
But with her father being the head of theology and divinity, and the man directly responsible for the conferring of Hugh’s degree, he had not dared to move on those feelings.
Now, the temptation to pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless was almost too strong to resist. The heavenly scent of her perfume filled his senses. His fingers twitched with anticipation.
When she withdrew her hand and turned away, Hugh was left to battle emotions of regret and relief. She had never shown any sign of being interested in him in a romantic way, so it was best that he not act on those impulses. With her father now gone, only a cad of the lowest kind would press his attentions on a vulnerable young woman.
“So, when are you leaving to visit with your mother’s family?” he asked. He prayed she did not hear the shake in his voice as he spoke.
“Oh, sometime later in the week. I am yet to make final arrangements,” she replied.
“And you will be back after the new year? I only ask because when I return, I would like for us to have a conversation.”
A conversation that he hoped would involve him declaring his love for her, and Mary, in turn, considering that a future shared with him might not be the worst thing she could imagine doing with her life.
A knock at the door interrupted them, but as he turned away, Hugh caught a glimpse of Mary. She was biting down on her bottom lip.
It stopped him in his tracks.
Chapter Two
“We thought we might find you here. Hello Mary.”
Hugh’s sister Adelaide and her husband, Charles, stepped through the doorway. Charles’s held a small bundle in his arms—a bundle which was making gurgling and snuffling sounds.
“Did the porter manage to get my luggage to the coach?” asked Hugh, stirring from his thoughts of Mary.
Adelaide snorted. “And hello to you too, dearest brother.”
Mary stifled a grin. For all his intelligence, Hugh Radley was at times a tad clueless when it came to social situations. His oversight in having not gotten her a Christmas present was so very typical of Hugh.
She understood it, and was sure to forgive him, but it still hurt. The private moment they had shared when she’d touched his face meant more to her than any shop-bought gift could. He had leaned in toward her, and for the briefest of moments she’d imagined he was about to kiss her.
Yet again, her hopes for Hugh to see her as more than just a friend had vanished like the morning mist.
He is the son of a duke, and you are merely the daughter of a deceased university professor. Hugh Radley would never think to love someone like you, let alone marry her.
“Hello Adelaide. How was the trip up from London?” said Mary.
Adelaide stepped past her brother, giving him a small disapproving shake of the head. She greeted Mary with a hug. “Good. William slept most of the way. We also got a good night’s sleep at the inn where we stopped in Sandy last night. We should all pray that he keeps this up for the rest of the journey north,” she replied.
Hugh turned to Charles. “Where are Anne and Mowbray?”
Charles and Adelaide exchanged a look. Baby Will stirred in his father’s arms, and Adelaide hurried over to him.
“I think it is time for
