“That can be a good thing,” added Belinda, snipping off a branch of holly, “to have such a zest for life.
“When it’s not incessantly exhausting, yes,” Jonathan said drily, placing the greenery in the basket for her, his remark making her laugh again.
Having finished that particular tree, they went on to the next, which was liberally festooned with ivy. They discussed which tendrils would be suitably decorative before starting to gather it.
As Jonathan eased a large frond of ivy away from the tree and Belinda wielded the scissors, the conversation continued. “I do enjoy being around Mr. Frederick,” she said simply. “His ideas and enthusiasm are infectious and keep us all entertained.”
Keeping a firm hold on his end of the branch, Jonathan added something non-committal, waiting for the ‘but’ he could hear in her voice.
Belinda hesitated, evidently trying to frame her thoughts. “However,” she said, “His passions can be quite short-lived and a little volatile. Perhaps he has always been changeable?”
At that point, the swathe of ivy came free from the tree which gave Jonathan a moment to think about how best to answer the definite question conveyed by her tone.
“Well, yes,” Jonathan said neutrally, “he does tend to run from one thing to another. But he is still very young and I’m sure with age and experience he will calm down.”
“But will he settle in his affections?” Belinda asked, the greenery gathering momentarily forgotten, looking at him directly, her large grey eyes troubled.
“That is the crux of the matter, and in truth, my dear lady, only time will tell,” Jonathan said honestly, admiring her clear-sightedness.
She turned to the tree again and snipped a stray tendril of ivy, placing a trailing stem in the basket. “It is very pleasant to be the object of such admiration,” she said, equally frankly, “even if there were similar addresses to Venetia Makepeace a few months ago and Amanda Hill before her. Not that I doubt Mr. Frederick’s sincerity. At the present time, that is,” she said uncertainly.
“Freddy has always been an affectionate soul,” Jonathan agreed blandly, picking up the basket as they inspected the next bush for any berried holly.
Belinda smiled, a little abstractedly. “As you say, he is young and enjoying being in wider society and so, such light flirtations are harmless. But he has said to my cousin Jane that he wishes to ask my father for my hand.”
“And you are unsure of him?” Jonathan asked.
Belinda hesitated again. “To have a fervent beau is most flattering, even if you suspect the admiration is quite fleeting. It gives one confidence in society,” she said with a ghost of a smile. “But to have a husband whose affections might disappear shortly after the wedding, or even be transferred to other ladies, well, that is quite a different matter and less tolerable.”
Jonathan lifted the now heavy container in one hand and offered her his other arm. “As you say, my dear,” he said. “Freddy’s enthusiasms can wax and wane, but on this occasion,” he said, smiling warmly at her, “I think his regard for you shows that he is capable of very good taste.” She looked up at him with slight surprise, blushed a little and, taking his arm, they started to walk back along the path together.
“You know your own mind, which is the most important thing in such a momentous decision. You are wise to wait and see if Freddy’s affirmations stay steady before allowing him to address your father.”
Belinda gave a little sigh of relief and lightly squeezed his arm.
“It’s not that I don’t like Freddy,” she added quickly. “As I said, I do enjoy his liveliness greatly, but I think at bottom, we are quite different sorts of people. I prefer a quiet, calm kind of life and I think, in time, he would find that rather dull.”
“My dear girl, boring is the last word I would choose to describe you,” Jonathan said lightly and candidly. “Opposites can attract and complement each other, after all.” His memories caused a twist of his heart, not betrayed by his even tone.
“But we will wait and see,” he continued, “With all the prospective parties and more local young people joining us over Christmas, if Freddy has his head turned by a new arrival, then we will know we were right not to let this go further. If he stays true to you, then you have your answer.”
They took the curve of the path that led towards the clearing where the greenery was being sorted by a busy throng.
“Thank you,” Belinda said gratefully. “I feel most reassured by your words. Cousin Jane has been urging me to encourage Freddy and get an engagement settled as soon as possible, but I could not be easy in my mind about such haste.”
As they drew closer to the main group, Jonathan added, “I think you have been most discerning, and your behaviour has done you great credit.” They smiled at each other in perfect understanding and Jonathan patted her arm before he set down the fully-laden basket to be picked over by the busy sorters.
Chapter 4
Jonathan did not expect to enjoy the decorating of the reception rooms. The younger members of the Grant family and their youthful guests were the chief instigators of this task, with slightly older, able-bodied guests, like himself, roped in for extra assistance.
He would not have been so churlish as to refuse to help but expected to go along with it for appearances’ sake and the minimum required time. To his surprise, he got caught up in the sheer merriment of it all, joining in animated discussions about which branches should go where for best effect, and the strategic placements of mistletoe.
It was typical of the Grants to allow their family and younger guests free rein to embellish the entire ground floor of their home and profess themselves delighted with the results.
Towards the end of this activity, Jonathan found himself with another gentleman, both asked to put the finishing touches to the entrance
