The Christmas Card: The perfect heartwarming novel for Christmas from the Sunday Times bestseller

She beamed at him. ‘Oh, no. That I am not, but I’m glad that Alice is taking her work seriously, and Beth can spend the day in bed if she so chooses.’ She pushed her plate away. ‘Alice, you may ring the bell, and if that stupid child doesn’t appear within minutes you will go below stairs and tell her to pack her bags.’

Snippet saved herself by arriving promptly, if a little dishevelled and out of breath, but she managed to clear the table without dropping anything and delivered the main course without further mishap. The roast beef was a bit tough, the potatoes not quite cooked through and the cabbage a little watery, but Horace ate ravenously and Jane cleared her plate. Alice had already eaten well that day and she only ate a small amount, and her mother, as usual, picked at her food, but there was apple pie to follow and that was delicious. The custard was thick and creamy and everyone did justice to the dessert, but the moment she had finished her meal Jane rose to her feet and announced that the evening must come to an end.

Horace stared at her. ‘But it is early as yet, Cousin. Might we not sit for a while and allow our meal to digest?’

‘There is nothing wrong with my digestion, Horace, and you have a long walk to your rooms in West Smithfield. Unless, of course, you intend to take a cab.’

‘That costs money, my dear cousin, and as you know my finances leave much to be desired.’

‘And that is because your father was a gambler and risked his fortune on unwise investments. My own dear Robert was a prudent man. He strived hard to provide for us in our old age.’

‘And he worked himself to death, Cousin.’ Horace’s moustache quivered with suppressed emotion. Alice could not be sure whether it was grief or indignation, but he was obviously moved.

‘Robert did not work himself to death. He caught lung fever when visiting the docks, and that was what took him to an early grave.’ Jane produced a hanky and dabbed her eyes. ‘I was widowed at the age of thirty-five and my heart is interred with my beloved husband.’

Horace rose to his feet. ‘We all share your sorrow, Cousin.’ He turned to Alice with a wolfish smile. ‘Will you see me out, Miss Radcliffe? Or may I call you Alice?’

‘I will see you out.’ Jane stood up, brushing crumbs from her skirt. ‘It’s not proper for a young unmarried woman to be alone in the company of an eligible gentleman. You know that as well as I do, Horace.’

He bowed, clicking his heels together. ‘You are right as always, Cousin Jane. Please forgive me for my boldness, but in the face of such youth and beauty I’m afraid it is difficult to remain aloof.’

Alice stared at him in horror. If Horace Hubble had any romantic ideas in his head he would do better to forget them. The mere sight of him revolted her and although they had only just met, her first impression of him had been far from favourable. For once she was grateful to her aunt for her rigid sense of propriety. Jane shooed Horace out of the room and Alice turned to her mother with a sigh of relief.

‘Would you believe that, Mama? He seems to think a lot of himself.’

‘I suspected that Jane had an ulterior motive in having him here tonight and treating us all to such a meal.’

‘I can’t think what that would be.’

‘Nor I, but I’ve heard your papa speak about Horace’s father and it’s true that he went through a fortune by playing the stock market. They lost everything and George Hubble blew his brains out, leaving Horace with virtually nothing. It seems that both our families have been unlucky.’

‘Horace’s misfortune has nothing to do with us, Mama.’ Alice stared at her mother, eyebrows raised. ‘Apart from losing Papa and Uncle Robert, what else is there?’

Twin spots of colour stained Beth’s cheeks. ‘All families have something they want to hide or are ashamed of, darling. Forget I said anything.’

‘No, Mama. You can’t leave it like that.’ Her curiosity aroused Alice, moved to sit beside her mother.

‘I don’t suppose you remember your Aunt Viola, do you?’

Alice frowned. ‘Papa’s sister? I have a vague memory of her. She was young and pretty and she laughed a lot.’

‘Viola was headstrong and spoiled. She was your father’s half-sister, the child of your grandfather’s second marriage. You were only seven or eight when she eloped with a man who was totally unsuitable. It was a terrible scandal.

‘What happened to her, Mama? Where is she now?’

‘I was told that she died of consumption.’

‘Poor thing, how sad.’

‘The family hushed up the details. It was very tragic.’

‘What happened to her husband?’

‘They weren’t married. I don’t know what happened to him, and it was all a long time ago.’

‘How was Aunt Jane unlucky? What skeleton has she got hidden in her cupboard?’

‘It’s not a laughing matter, Alice.’

‘I’m sorry, but I don’t understand why Aunt Jane went to such a lot of expense entertaining her cousin.’

‘Perhaps she has a generous side to her nature. From the little I know about Horace I believe he works in a counting office somewhere in the City and lives in rented rooms in a poor area. You might say he’s come down in the world.’

‘But why did Aunt Jane want us to meet him?’

‘She once told me that she could not bear to think that the Hubble name would die out. Horace is the last in the line and hasn’t shown any inclination towards marriage.’

‘I doubt if there are many young women who would want him, unless they were desperate,’ Alice said, chuckling.

‘You shouldn’t judge a person by their looks, my love. Poor Horace wasn’t blessed with a handsome countenance, but I’m sure that deep down he’s a kind man and would make someone a good husband.’

‘You don’t think that Aunt Jane means me to be the sacrificial lamb, do you? That would be too ridiculous.’

‘Jane is a wealthy woman and Horace has few prospects. Without a son and heir the Hubble line will come to an abrupt end. Jane doesn’t want that to happen and I think she’s desperate to find a bride for her cousin.’

‘I pity the woman who is chosen, that’s all I can say.’

‘I was watching him closely and from the way he was acting and the attention he paid you, I think he sees a way out of his predicament.’

‘No!’ Alice stared at her mother in horror. ‘I wouldn’t marry Horace Hubble if he was the last man on earth.’ She spun round at the sound of the door opening and saw her aunt standing on the threshold. Judging by the sour expression on her face she had heard everything. ‘I – I mean it, Aunt Jane,’ Alice said hastily. ‘If you’re thinking of encouraging me to marry your cousin, it won’t work.’

Jane folded her arms across her chest. ‘While you live under my roof you will do as I say. Horace might not be a young girl’s dream of romance, but he is a respectable man of good family, and his wife will be assured of living in modest comfort for the rest of her life. I will see to that.’

‘I’d sooner die than agree to such a marriage,’ Alice cried passionately.

‘People are expiring on the streets at this moment, and you have your mother to consider, Alice. How do you think she would survive in the workhouse? I advise you to think about it very carefully.’

‘I’m sorry, Aunt Jane, but nothing you could do or say would make any difference. I don’t know Mr Hubble. He’s a stranger to me, as I am to him. Surely he wouldn’t consider marrying someone he didn’t know?’

‘My cousin will do as I think best. He knows that his future depends upon satisfying me that the Hubble name will live on. Our ancestors were here before the time of William the Conqueror and we once owned half of Kent. Marry Horace, give him a son, and then we will all be happy.’

‘You might be,’ Alice said indignantly, ‘but I wouldn’t.’

‘It is asking a lot of her,’ Beth said softly. ‘Surely it would be better to allow them to get to know each other before making such demands, Jane?’

Jane turned on her in a fury. ‘What do you know about anything? You had neither brains nor breeding and you didn’t bring a dowry to the marriage. Clement could have done so much better.’

‘We were happy.’ Beth’s voice broke on a sob. ‘We loved each other. Doesn’t that count for anything?’