Ewan glanced over at Mary, then looked back. “I would hazard a guess that she is angry with you because you haven’t gone about courting her in the right way, not because you asked her to marry you. You might want to question how you intend to woo her.”
Standing on the side of Strathmore Mountain earlier that morning, Hugh had been blessed with the epiphany he so badly needed. If she was angry over the lack of romance he had shown during their encounter in the barn, it must have been because she expected him to woo her. And by wanting him to woo her, that meant she must feel something for him. He took that piece of insightful logic a step further—Mary being angry was actually a good thing.
Ewan gave him a brotherly pat on the shoulder and smiled. “Take heart from the knowledge that you are not the first of the Radley lads to have made a mess of their attempt to secure a wife. Now you just have to find a way to show her a different side of your relationship. One that takes things further than simply being friends, if you get my meaning?”
David’s nursemaid came and took him from Mary. Ewan nodded as Caroline waved him over. “I shall see you in the morning.”
Ewan escorted his wife from the room. Charles picked up a sleeping Will and led Adelaide and Lady Alison toward the stone steps, bidding everyone a good night as they departed.
Eventually only Hugh, Mary, and Aunt Maude were left. Aunt Maude was fast asleep in a high-backed chair in front of the fire, her hands resting gently in her lap.
Hugh decided it was time to make another attempt to speak to Mary. He rose from his seat and came to stand in front of her. “May I join you?”
Mary looked up, then across to Aunt Maude.
Hugh followed her gaze. “Don’t worry about Maude; she always falls asleep in front of the fire. She sleeps the sleep of the dead. Her maid and a footman will eventually come to escort her upstairs.”
He needed time to talk to Mary, so he was happy to let sleeping aunts lie.
He took a seat on the sofa next to Mary. “I must apologize for this morning. It was thoughtless of me.”
“Yes, it was. Perhaps we might be better off if we forget about it completely,” she replied.
“No. I don’t want us to forget about it. I want another chance. Give me the days until Hogmanay to show you what really does lie between us. If your answer after that is no then I will accept it,” he said.
She looked at him, and he was dismayed to see sadness in her eyes. She wasn’t angry with him; she was hurt.
He took hold of her hand, relieved when she did not pull away. “Please.”
“Yes, Hugh. You have until New Year’s Eve, but I am not sure if that will make any difference.” Mary rose from the sofa. “I need to go to bed now. It’s been a long day.”
He followed her as she headed toward the steps which led up to the private family apartments. “Mary, wait,” he said.
She stopped and turned. Hugh pointed to the mistletoe hanging overhead.
She shook her head. “I think we will need more than a little old-fashioned Christmas magic.”
Hugh came to her side and leaned in to place a brief kiss on her cheek. “I am going to use all means at my disposal. If a little magic helps with my quest, then so be it.”
Chapter Sixteen
Mary leaned back against the door of her bedroom and closed her eyes. She had taken a risk with Hugh and so far, it had worked. But to claim his heart, she knew she would have to hold her nerve steady.
Her fingertips touched the place on her cheek where he had kissed her. Two years and an unknown number of months she had waited for a kiss.
“It was a peck, but it’s a start.”
She had slyly watched him all evening, taking heart from his obvious discomfort at her holding him at arm’s-length. While playing with David, she had seen Hugh speak to his brother. When Ewan ventured a look in her direction, their gazes met, and he had offered up the hint of a smile before turning back to Hugh. The Duke of Strathmore’s silent approval gave her the encouragement she needed in order to stand her ground.
Hugh had asked for a few days to show her how well they would suit before expecting her answer to his proposal. She could only hope that he felt enough for her to be able to manage more than a small kiss on the cheek.
“Come on, Hugh, don’t fail me. Don’t fail us.”
The following day had an unexpected start for Mary. No one had mentioned that most of the menfolk would be out on the mountain hunting wild boar for the better part of the day. Hugh had gone with the hunting party when it set out at first light and not returned until supper.
Mary had spent the day with the Radley women, making more juniper bundles. By the time supper came around, her aching fingers had her wishing never to see another bundle of juniper in her life.
It was late when Mary and Hugh finally got a moment alone. Everyone else, except Aunt Maude, had retired to bed. Maude was in her usual spot in front of the fire, fast asleep.
Hugh, seated in the chair opposite to Mary, was nursing a badly bruised leg from the hunt.
“What did you do exactly?” she asked, pointing at his leg.
He huffed. “Nothing heroic unfortunately. I tripped over a branch on the mountain and landed heavily. I don’t know which is more bruised: my leg or my pride. The rest of the hunting party had a grand laugh when they saw me go head over heels into
