The glint in Sara’s eyes was mirrored in Meredith’s, and, Louisa, although she had her reasons for dreading this visit, felt the stirrings of excitement. The Mayfair brothers were worthy adversaries, true. But the Bright sisters would prevail, as they always did.
Now, if she could just forget that three years ago it had been Hugh Mayford who’d delivered her very first kiss — and her very first taste of heartbreak — she could concentrate on enjoying finally winning the war that had raged between the two sets of siblings since they’d been in leading strings. Her sisters, oblivious to her secret shame, assumed that what she felt was the usual anger and disgust they all felt at the mere mention of the Mayford name. And Louisa would never tell them otherwise.
The carriage finally pulled up outside Wingham, a colossal building that was almost the same size as the egos of its occupants.
Meredith stepped out first, Louisa following to stand to her left, Sara to her right.
“Ready?” whispered Meredith.
No, I’m dashed well not ready to see Hugh Mayford again.
“Yes,” was the answer she gave.
It was one house party and one Christmas. How much could possibly happen in such a short space of time?
“DID YOU HEAR THAT?” Jackson Mayford, youngest son of the Duke of Ashbury, whispered to Hugh just as he was preparing to let a mouse loose under the coverlet of what was to be one of the Bright sister’s beds for the duration of the party.
Briefly, Hugh had considered whether at nine and twenty he was a little long in the tooth for such behavior, but then his mind would throw up images of some of the Bright sisters’ finest moments; ink in their tea cups, fires in their drawing room — though they cried innocence on that one — and his resolve would firm. This would end when they were victorious and not a moment sooner.
Both he and Jack had decided that to strike first was to strike best. Putting the little termagants on the back foot would gain them some much needed ground for the next couple of weeks.
Now, however, Jackson had raised the alarm, and Hugh listened intently. If Mother was to find out what they were doing she would have their heads.
Sure enough, there was the distinct sound of people approaching.
Hugh slammed the lid back onto the jar and looked wildly around the room. There’s no way both he and his brother would fit their taller than average bodies under the bed, and they couldn’t go out the door if people were approaching it.
The doorknob rattled slightly, and without another moment’s hesitation, Hugh grabbed Jackson by the scruff and hauled him into the water closet.
Half a second later, the door opened and the room was suddenly filled with excited chatter as the hags entered the chamber. The sound was a cacophony of giggles and shrieks and it was all Hugh could do to stop himself from bellowing at them to be quiet. He had, perhaps, over-imbibed with the brandy last night.
He glared through the gap in the water closet, wondering if time had changed the appearance of the hags at all when suddenly, the most breathtaking woman he’d ever seen stepped into his view.
Hugh’s heart just about stopped beating in his chest.
That couldn’t be Louisa Bright, could it? He quickly scanned the other people in the room; the taller, coolly beautiful blond was definitely Meredith Bright, the other one, with the impish smile and large eyes sparkling with mischief was surely the younger one.
That left Louisa.
He looked again.
The vision that walked through the door had stunning, golden blonde hair swept away from the most breathtakingly beautiful face he’d ever seen.
He remembered Louisa Bright from three years ago. She’d been a pretty thing, even if he felt at the time that the devil himself had spawned her. It was doubtful that time had changed her personality, but good God, time had been very kind to her looks.
Hugh’s mouth went dry and his heart, strangely, began to pound.
What the hell was wrong with him? He’d never before been so affected by the mere sight of a lady. Especially one he despised.