Matilda did not come down for dinner or any other meal for the next two days. She took her meals with Florence in either her aunt’s room or her own. She saw little of Arthur each day because he was forced to play host to his guests. He would come to her room each night and gently rouse her from sleep to make love to her before cradling her against him and falling asleep next to her.
When the men rode out on horseback the day before Christmas, Matilda ventured downstairs, hoping to borrow some books from the library. She tiptoed past one of the sitting rooms but halted when someone addressed her.
“Miss Matthews! We’d given you up as a ghost. Do come in and join us.” Della stood in the doorway, staring expectantly at her. She was clearly in charge of the women who had descended on Arthur’s
