He lifted Meggie up and she carefully placed the cap on top of the snowman, and Bridget insisted to be the one to put the tie on, so he showed her how to properly knot the tie around the snowman’s “neck,” his reward her delighted smile.
At last the snowman was finished, and they all stepped back to properly admire their creation. Maria glanced around, happiness bubbling inside her at the joyful expressions on the children’s faces. Gabriel had that same warm, tender and peaceful look as before as he looked at the beaming smiles on his children.
Meggie was standing next to him, her little mittened hand clutching his, her body and head leaning trustingly against his leg. The poor dear looked exhausted and Maria carefully nudged Gabriel, gesturing to Meggie quietly. He nodded quickly and bent, scooping her up easily in his arms.
“Daddy?” she said in a tired voice, yawning widely.
“I think someone is ready for a little rest before dinner. How about if we all go in and rest up?”
At the chorus of groans, he added, “I’m going to start a fire in the fireplace in the great room and I bet I can convince Mrs. Phillips to give us the fixings for s’mores and more hot chocolate, as long as you all don’t spoil your appetites for dinner.”
“Yes! S’mores, awesome! Last one in is a rotten egg,” Sam yelled and then took off, running as fast as his short legs and the snow drifts would allow.
“Sam! You cheated!” and “No fair!” were his sisters’ responses as they took off after him.
Gabriel chuckled as he and Maria started walking back to the house. “I can always count on Sam to think with his stomach,” he said fondly.
Maria laughed. “Yes, I’ve noticed that about him too. I better go on ahead and warn Mrs. Phillips not to give you the evil eye that you suggested s’mores before dinner.”
Gabriel was unrepentant. “Well, it worked, didn’t it?”
His hand reached out and caught hers as she started to quicken her pace. “Wait.”
As Maria looked back at him questioningly, Gabriel hesitated, glancing at Meggie in his arms, drowsy but awake, and said, “Thank you. Just…thank you.”
Maria smiled at him, feeling her heart expand in her chest. She gave his hand a soft squeeze and said simply, “You’re welcome.”
THEIR APPETITES WEREN'T QUITE RUINED for the roast chicken dinner, but it was clear the children were exhausted from their active snow-filled day. They didn’t speak much at dinner, but it was a different kind of quiet than the previous night, which had been filled with the tension of things unsaid. This time, contentment, punctuated with the occasional smothered yawn, filled the air.
Matt, Maria and Gabriel spent much of the dinner suppressing smiles and outright laughter as it became obvious that someone would soon fall asleep at the table. When even Sam started to nod off in the middle of his trifle, Gabriel threw aside his napkin and announced, “All right, it’s off to bed for the lot of you. Let’s go upstairs now.”
There was a token protest from Elizabeth—as the eldest, she was used to staying up later than her siblings—but it was clear that even she was eager for her bed tonight.
Meggie held out her arms for Gabriel to carry her and he obliged her, gathering her into his arms, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead as he carried her out of dining room.
As everyone bathed and changed into night clothes, Maria gave Meggie a quick bath.
“Miss Maria?” Meggie asked suddenly.
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Will you read me a story tonight?”
“Of course, but only one story since you need to sleep, all right?”
“Okay. Will Daddy read me a story too?” Meggie asked in a hopeful voice.
“I bet he will if you ask. Let’s get you all ready for bed first, okay?”
Maria had no doubt that Gabriel would read to her—she thought that he’d read all night, if his children asked him to. She wondered again what went wrong when it was plain as day that Gabriel adored his children and they clearly adored him back.
Her belief in their love for each other was reinforced when upon hearing that Gabriel would be reading a story to Meggie, the older kids all demanded to hear the story too, a fragile hope shining on their faces. So they all crowded onto Meggie’s bed as Gabriel read one of the fairytales that Meggie liked, staring at their father with their heart in their eyes.
Maria felt herself tear up at the sight, and quietly closed the door, wanting the family to have their own private moment. She walked slowly downstairs and found herself in the main hall again. Spotting double doors off the hall with one door slightly ajar, she impulsively decided to explore.
She opened the door and gasped—she felt as if she’d wandered into a previous century.
It was a ballroom, and the most glorious, beautiful room she’d ever seen. The room was decorated in the Rococo style, the walls made up of panels of gilt-edged mirrors and exquisite, delicate paintings. Two huge crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, which was painted using the trompe l’eoil technique with mischievous cherubs looking down from among the clouds. The beautiful oak floors had been polished to a high sheen and Maria could practically see her reflection on it. There were French doors at the far end which she was sure must open onto gardens or a terrace. A gleaming grand piano sat in one corner of the room. She could almost hear the strains of a waltz lilting from the piano, the keys dancing under Gabriel’s talented fingers.
Maria glided around, humming lightly as she imagined the room filled with beautifully dressed dancers. She whirled to face the entrance when an amused voice suddenly said, “May I have this dance?”
It was Matt, leaning against the doorway as he watched her, his arms crossed over his chest.
Maria grinned sheepishly, embarrassed for being caught daydreaming. “I’m sorry, this room is just so gorgeous, I couldn’t help myself.”
Matt chuckled and strode into the room, looking around. “Not at all, I think everyone has that reaction when they first see the ballroom. I mean, it’s an honest-to-goodness ballroom, imported from England. It’s been years since this room has been used—the last time was a masquerade ball that was a fundraiser for the school the kids attend, before Elle, Gabriel’s wife, passed.”
Beset by undeniable curiosity about Elle, Maria couldn’t help asking, “What was Elle like? I assume that Sam, Bridget and Meggie take after her, in coloring at least.”
Matt nodded. “You’re right, they do look like Elle but I actually think Lizzie has her smile. She was a beautiful woman, in every way. She and Gabriel were devoted to each other, and he was understandably devastated when she was killed.”
“It was a car accident?”
“Yes, a drunk driver, on very slick roads. I’d been working for Gabriel three years by then and I’ll never forget the day the police called to tell him.” He shook his head sadly, and then in an obvious attempt to lighten the mood, he said, “I can still see all the guests dressed up like extras in some chick flick period movie starring Keira Knightley. Like Anna Karenina or something.”
“I was thinking more like Pride and Prejudice, but yes, same idea,” Maria said with a laugh.
“Well then, milady, may I have this waltz?” Matt asked in an exaggerated English accent, giving her quite an elegant bow.
Maria giggled as he waggled his brows comically. She dipped a quick curtsey in return. “Why, kind sir, you honor me with your request, but I’m afraid that as there’s no music, I will definitely step on your toes without someone keeping time.”
“Well I’ll risk my toes if you’re willing,” Matt declared, holding out his hand. “I’ve always wanted to re-enact the dancing scene in The King and I. Forget the waltz, let’s polka!”
With that he swept Maria around in an energetic polka, humming a slightly off-key “Shall We Dance?” and Maria couldn’t help but laugh at Matt’s boyish enthusiasm and silliness even as she hummed along.
Suddenly the door to the ballroom slammed wide open and a furious voice growled, “What the hell is going on here?”
FIVE
GABRIEL COULDN’T BELIEVE HIS EYES. Matt was holding Maria in his arms, and he wanted to take Matt apart.
He’d heard Maria laughing gaily and the sounds of humming as he walked down the stairs, and following the sounds, he discovered that it was coming from the ballroom. He then heard a masculine voice and realizing that Maria wasn’t alone, he quickly strode towards the room, a frown knitting his forehead. Who could she be talking to? Was it Matt?
The frown deepened to a scowl when he got to the door and realized that Maria and Matt were whirling around the floor, dancing together. Sheer male possessiveness roared through him and he had to stop himself from ripping Maria out of Matt’s arms, and then ripping Matt’s arms off.
Matt must have sensed how close he was to the edge because he hastily dropped his arms and backed away from Maria. “Sorry, Gabriel, we were just being silly. Maria was kind enough to indulge me and help fulfill one of my fantasies.”
At the black look from Gabriel, Matt nervously clarified, “Childhood fantasies! I’ve always wanted to dance the polka from The King and I.” More quietly, he added, “You know I bat for the other team.”
Gabriel knew very well that Matt was g*y and that he was being unreasonable. He also knew he would owe Matt an apology later, but the jealous rage that filled him at the sight of Maria in another man’s arms wasn’t something he had a lot of experience with.
Not trusting himself to not snarl at Matt again if he opened his mouth, he gave a curt nod to signal his understanding. Matt released an obvious sigh of relief, then glanced at his watch and gave an exaggerated gasp. “Oh my, look at the time! I should be heading up now, goodnight!”
Matt zoomed for the door, calling over his shoulder, “Thanks for the dance, Maria! We’ll have to do it again sometime…or maybe never! ‘Night!”
Silence descended with Matt’s departure and the tension thickened between them. He watched Maria swallow nervously, tracing the long, elegant line of her throat with his eyes when he wanted desperately to touch her.
“Gabriel? Are you all right? You don’t really think anything happened here between Matt and me, do you? Even before he said that he’s g*y I was never interested in him like that!”
Driven by a primitive instinct he could barely even name, Gabriel walked slowly towards her, feeling his groin grow heavy as his penis filled with blood. Slowly, she backed away from him as he advanced, until her back hit the covered keyboard of the grand piano and there was no escape. He saw Maria’s eyes drop to his pants and could feel them getting even tighter as his c*ck started to rise and push against the fabric.
“No, I never thought either of you was interested in the other.” He reached out and ran a finger down her throat, to her delicate collarbone and the golden cross necklace displayed by the cowl neckline of her cream sweater dress.
Maria shivered at his touch, and her breathing grew rapid. “Then why were you so upset? You looked like you wanted to kill us.”