Christmas arrived and, unlike England, it was hot and dry. Even Jasper, always well-dressed and presentable, was getting about with his shirt open and his feet bare, at least in the house. He’d also instructed his staff that unless he had company, they could wear whatever was clean and comfortable.
On Christmas Eve morning, Polly was up much earlier than usual. Jacob could hear her in the room next to his. He waited until he heard her door close and padded sleepy-eyed to his own door, opening it just a crack.
“What are you doing, Polly? The birds aren’t even up yet.”
“The master’s having guests tonight and I want to get the bulk of my work done before the heat sets in. You should get back to bed. There’s no need for you to be up at such an ungodly hour.”
Jacob stifled a yawn. “You need
