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Addie, come and keep an eye on these two.”
    That was a desirable arrangement, as Aunt Addie at once fell asleep in the opposite corner of the sofa. By now everybody was showing the somnolescent effects of all that food and drink. The general hilarity had subsided, more or less. Herbert was telling a long story that didn’t seem to have much point. Lawrence was grunting and trying to loosen his trouser button without being too obvious about it. What the rest were doing, Madoc neither knew nor cared. He was watching his Jenny sip from a tiny Royal Doulton cup and thinking what a dainty dish she’d make to set before the Queen. Jenny would be dozing herself any second now, preferably in the crook of his arm with her head on his shoulder.
    “Warm enough, love?” he murmured into her hair.
    “M’m. I like this room.”
    “What was that, Janet?” Squire called out. “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear.”
    Why should he have heard? She wasn’t speaking to him. Perhaps she ought to have been.
    “I was just saying how much I like your library.”
    “I expect you’ll be living in a much grander house than this one day. Eh, Madoc?”
    “Do you mean the family place in Wales? Not a chance, I’m afraid, unless I bump off two uncles and three cousins of whom I’m rather fond, not to mention my own father and elder brother. Younger sons of younger sons don’t come in for ancestral acres. Janet’s not expecting any elaborate layout. Are you, Jenny love?”
    “Certainly I am. My brother’s already promised us a bearskin rug just like yours, Squire.” Janet buried the toes of her evening slippers in the warm fur at her feet. “I hope it’s a friendly one. This is the happiest bear I’ve ever—good heavens, no wonder! Would those by any chance happen to be your grandmother’s teeth it’s wearing?”

Chapter 5
    T HAT LIVENED UP THE party. Even Aunt Adelaide woke and managed a few polite snickers before dropping off again.
    “Poor Granny,” gasped Babs, wiping her eyes. “Whoever would do a thing like this to her?”
    “Those two whelps of mine, I shouldn’t be surprised.” Herbert sounded very much the proud father. “I’ll haul ’em over the coals for this.”
    “Not too hard, Bert,” said his father-in-law benignly. “It’s Christmas, after all. Or will be, the day after tomorrow.”
    “And you can’t say they haven’t made us merry,” Clara added. “Where did they skip off to after dinner, anyway? I’ve barely had a chance to say hello to them since they got home from school.”
    “Why should you complain? Neither have I and I’m their mother,” May replied. “I suppose they’re off to the billiard room again. I might as well have given birth to a couple of cue balls. Eighteen months lugging those kids around and what have I to show for it? Stretch marks on my tum and chalk on my thumb. More coffee, anyone? Brandy? Crème de menthe? Crème de cacao? Crème de la crème?”
    “Rhys will have some of that,” said Roy, smiling ever so bewitchingly to show he was joking. “Sorry, Janet. I’m afraid you don’t think that was amusing.”
    “Don’t I?” If Roy thought he was going to get a rise out of her, he’d better think again. “Say it again and I’ll try to stay awake long enough to listen. Do forgive me, everyone. I don’t know if it’s that gorgeous dinner or the wassail or the traveling or the fact that I got about three hours’ sleep last night, but I seem to be a little bit drowsy. Did you want Madoc and me to go up and meet your grandmother, Donald, now that she’s got her teeth back?”
    “Are we sure the bear can bear to part with them?” Cyril wanted to know.
    “Yes, let’s get the bear facts,” Lawrence added owlishly.
    “You’re both unbearable,” Babs told them. “What do you think, May? It’s rather late, isn’t it? Will she be awake?”
    “Who knows?”
    May was pouring herself a tot of crème de menthe, green to match her parrot, and didn’t sound as if