Candlelit Christmas Kisses

‘Leave it all to you, Nor,’ Robert drawled, and laughed huskily. ‘I’m a lazy devil. What would I do without you?’

‘Go to the devil a little faster than you are already?’ his friend suggested, giving a snort of laughter.

Shaking his head, Robert Moorcroft, lately become Earl Banford, left the villa that had been his home for the past two years or so, since Napoleon’s surrender. Obviously he couldn’t hide away here for ever. Despite his reluctance, he was the heir to an old line, and he would have to provide an heir for the future one day. The only thing in doubt was whether he did it in that draughty old barn or built himself a new house …

‘Oh, my goodness,’ Amy said as the coach drew to a halt in the courtyard of the house they’d caught glimpses of for the past ten minutes or more. ‘Those towers and the tiny windows. It’s like something out of Udolpho … so romantic …’

‘It’s big,’ her more practical sister said, and felt her stomach catch with nerves.

She really hadn’t expected the house to be this large. It was impressive, with its towers and the soft, faded grey stone of its old walls, but daunting, a little forbidding. A myriad of tiny windows sparkled in the late-autumn sunshine, their leaded panes like so many diamonds twinkling as they caught the dying rays of the sun on a day that had been unseasonably warm.

‘A place like this needs an army of servants to keep it as it ought to be.’

‘Mr Breck told you that only one wing is in use for the family. The other two were closed up years ago—and the folly is actually unsafe.’

‘How do you know that, Millie?’ Selina looked at her. ‘Were you listening at the door?’

‘No, I read the letter he left for you—the one that tells you where all the keys are kept and all the other things he thinks you ought to know.’

‘Indeed?’ Her sister gave her a quelling look. ‘Since I did not give you permission to read my letter, you were prying, miss.’

‘If you don’t pry, you never know anything,’ Millie said, and looked pleased with herself. ‘I may only be twelve—thirteen next birthday—but I’m old enough to understand. You shouldn’t treat me as if I were a child, Selina.’

‘No, I shouldn’t. You are old enough to understand, miss—which is why I was cross when I caught you trying to pack that Book of Hours. It is medieval and far too valuable to hope that Cousin Joshua would not notice if it went missing.’

‘He’s a mean pig,’ Millie said, forgetting that she was a young lady. ‘Why should he have it? Papa said it was to be mine when I was sixteen. He promised me I should have it.’

‘Well, he ought not to have made a promise like that,’ Amy said. ‘Anyone knows that book is entailed, Millie. We were allowed to bring only personal things—that book must be worth near a thousand guineas. Cousin Joshua would certainly come after us if we took something so valuable. I had to leave that painting I liked, too.’

‘It just isn’t fair …’ Millie bit her lip as she looked at the house. ‘It looks a bit creepy. I bet there will be ghosts.’

‘Papa told us all there was no such thing as a ghost—not the kind who rattle chains, anyway—only unhappy spirits tied to a place or house,’ Selina reassured her calmly.

‘I hope there are ghosts,’ Amy said, and opened the door to jump down before the postilion could do it for her. ‘I can’t wait to see inside.’

As she began to walk towards it, the front door opened, and an elderly man dressed in black came down the steps to greet them. At his back was a woman of a similar age and two male servants who appeared to be outside workers.

Selina’s servants had travelled in a second small coach behind them, with the baggage on a wagon at the rear. They had arrived now, and by the time all three girls had got out, the servants were grouped behind them. When Selina moved forward, they followed, rather like guards of honour, as if prepared to defend her.

‘Miss Searles?’ The butler came forward, his eyes flicking to the women behind her, his expression wary. ‘I expected you earlier.’

‘We suffered a small delay at the last posting house,’ Selina told him with a smile. ‘You are Trent, of course. I am so relieved that you have remained at your post. I am sure your help will be invaluable.’

‘Well, ma’am,’ Trent said, visibly melting under the warmth of her smile, ‘I am sure I felt it my duty to the new earl. If traditions are not to be lost, he will need someone who recalls the old days when he decides to come home.’

‘Yes, of course,’ Selina replied easily. ‘And so shall we, for this is to be our home in the meantime, and we wish to do everything as it ought to be—and I know you will be able to tell me how things used to be, Trent. Although we may need to change certain things. I have only a few servants, as you see. My groom is bringing the horses, but I shall have to acquire a chaise for our use.’

‘I daresay there is one you may use in the coach house, ma’am—and the carriage horses are still here. The earl did not wish to dispose of them, you see. My brother’s grandson has been helping out in the stable while we waited to see what happened.’

‘Well, that would be useful—though I’m not sure I ought to take advantage.’

‘A tenant is entitled to use all the facilities, ma’am.’

‘Well, we shall see,’ Selina said. ‘Our goods are not far behind us. I see you have two strong men. Do you think they could unload the wagon for us?’

‘Certainly, ma’am, it’s what they’re here for. They will take your trunks up first, and then you may wish to direct them where to put your furniture.’

‘It will mostly go in our bedrooms. There are only a dozen pieces or so—also some china, glass, silver and linen. I have a beautiful spinet and a sewing table, also a pretty desk which may go in the parlour …’

‘We have several parlours. You must allow me to give you a tour, ma’am. You will want to decide which is for your personal use.’

‘How kind you are, Trent. I was afraid you might resent us because we’re not family,’ Selina said gently.

The old man looked sad. ‘We’ve lost our family, ma’am. All but the new earl. Until he decides to take a bride and bring the house back to life, we shall be glad to have a family like your own staying here.’

‘Thank you. Perhaps I may introduce you to Miss Amy Searles and Miss Millicent, known to us all as Millie.’

‘Pleased to meet the young ladies, I’m sure,’ Trent said, and turned towards the elderly lady standing behind him. ‘This is Nanny Barnes. Nanny had nowhere else to go, so like me she decided to stay while she was of use. Nanny is very good at preparing tisanes and the like—and she’s more than capable of helping to keep the rooms tidy, Miss Searles. She won’t ask for more than her keep.’

‘Oh, I think Mr Breck intends to pay you all a wage,’ Selina told him. ‘I shall certainly see that you receive remuneration of some kind. For the moment we shall manage with a small staff, but in time Mr Breck may consider it necessary to bring in others—particularly for the outside work.’

‘The old earl only used a few rooms, ma’am,’ Trent said, clearly feeling he needed to give her the status of an older woman, as she was the head of the household. ‘Should you wish to entertain on a large scale, you would need more than you have presently—if you do not mind my saying so.’

‘As you know, we are in mourning for our mother,’ Selina replied, a catch in her throat. ‘We shall not entertain much for a while.’ She frowned as a phrase he’d used more than once registered warning bells in her mind. ‘You spoke of the new earl—has the old earl died? We understood he was expected to live some months—even a few years if he removed to a better climate?’

‘Yes, that is so, Miss Searles. Unfortunately it seems he was caught in a sudden thunderstorm while out walking. The soaking he received gave him a nasty chill, which turned to pneumonia and led to his sudden demise.’

‘How very unfortunate,’ Selina said, and her heart caught. ‘You have not heard when the new earl intends to return?’

‘We suppose he will not think of it yet, since he has leased the house to you, ma’am,’ Trent said, and led the way inside. ‘Would you like Nanny to bring you some tea to the back parlour? It gets the evening sun and we had a fire lit there earlier. Your servants will need to find their way about before they start work, I imagine.’

‘Would it be too much trouble for you, Nanny?’ Selina glanced at the elderly lady, who had merely inclined her head when she was introduced yet watched them anxiously.

‘No trouble at all, ma’am,’ Nanny replied, taking her cue from Trent. ‘If the young ladies would join you in the parlour, Trent, I will bring some refreshments—and then we’ll take you up once your things have been carried up.’

‘I should love to explore,’ Amy said. ‘Tell me, Mr Trent—is there a minstrels’ gallery here, and do you have any priest holes?’ Her excitement showed in her pretty face. ‘I am hoping one of the towers is haunted!’

‘We have a minstrels’ gallery in the great hall, miss,’ Trent told her, an indulgent look in his eyes. ‘We have two priest holes, but I fear there is no haunted tower. We don’t have any skeletons in the cupboard—though the family has been unfortunate these past years.’

‘Will you show me the house?’ Amy asked. ‘I can’t wait to see simply everything.’

‘The folly is out of bounds, miss,’ Trent told her. ‘It’s dangerous because some of the stonework is crumbling. But there’s no reason you shouldn’t explore the rest of the house and estate whenever you wish.’

‘Not yet, Amy,’ Selina said. ‘We must give Jane and Betty time to get our things settled, and for the moment no one has time to show us the house. I do not want you getting lost on your first evening.’

‘Oh, nonsense,’ Amy said. ‘I shall not lose my way—but if you want me with you until things are ready, I suppose I must wait.’

‘I’m hungry,’ Millie said. ‘I don’t suppose there’s any cake?’

‘I’m sure Nanny baked something this morning,’ Trent told her. ‘She has been cooking for all of us since the earl left and most of the servants decided to move to a better place. Not that you could blame them for leaving in the circumstances. This house has been like a morgue for the past three years or more.’ He looked embarrassed. ‘I’m sorry, ma’am. I forgot for a moment that you’re in mourning, too.’

‘Yes, we are,’ Selina agreed. ‘But you mustn’t think we intend to dwell on our sorrow, for we don’t. Mama would hate it if we all went around with long faces. She always wanted us to be happy, and she will want us to make the best of our situation. We shall wear black or grey until Christmas, when I intend to hold a little party. However, we shall be at home to our neighbours, should any call—and we shall attend small dinners soon. We may also ask one or two people to dine here on occasion, but nothing resembling a party until Christmas.’

‘That sounds very much better than we’ve been used to,’ Trent said, patently relieved. ‘I daresay we could send to the village for extra help should you need it, ma’am.’

‘We are accustomed to keeping our own rooms tidy—at least Amy and I do our best.’ Selina arched one delicate eyebrow at her youngest sister. ‘I am trying to teach Millie to be a little more careful of her things, but sometimes I despair of her.’

Sensing the teasing note underlying Selina’s words, Trent smiled and nodded. Having delivered his new family to a charming parlour that overlooked the back lawns and rose gardens, he left them to go in search of Nanny and their refreshments.

‘What shall we do if the new earl comes home?’ Amy asked in a low voice as the butler left them. ‘He instructed Mr Breck to employ a housekeeper, not let the house to a non-paying tenant.’

‘We shall pay our way,’ Selina said firmly. ‘I do not wish for any remuneration, but I intend to keep the house in good order. We shall all clean our own bedrooms. Amy, you will do the flowers for the rooms we use, and Millie can help by picking up books, scarves and any other personal items we leave about. It is my intention to make an inventory of the linen and household goods. I shall beeswax the furniture in the rooms we use, for it has not been done in an age. Cook will rule in the kitchen as always, Jane will organise our clothes, and Betty will see to the other housework and help Cook. We may need help from the village for the laundry, but if we all do our share, I see no reason why we should not bring the house to life again.’

‘Amy is always leaving things about,’ Millie said, looking put out. ‘I do not see why I should pick her things up.’

‘You leave far more about than I do. Besides, I’m doing the flowers—and that takes ages,’ Amy replied.

‘You can change jobs if you wish,’ Selina said, ‘But I cannot do it all myself, and so you must help. I shall help with the estate, as well as organising the house, keeping our accounts and ordering what we can afford from the local suppliers. Please do not argue, Millie. I am finding the prospect quite daunting enough as it is.’

Millie looked self-conscious. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘It’s just all so new and … so horrid without Mama. I shouldn’t have minded where we were if she was with us.’

‘Please don’t cry, my love,’ Selina begged, her throat closing. ‘I do know how you feel but … we are lucky to have this chance. Even if it only lasts for a few months, it will give us the opportunity to decide where we want to live when the earl does come home.’

‘I wasn’t going to cry.’ Millie sniffed hard, holding back her tears. ‘But why did Cousin Joshua have to be so mean?’

‘He is entitled to instruct the builders to make repairs. Mama ought to have done it sooner—indeed, it was truly Papa who was at fault. Instead of gambling his money away in London, he should have stayed at home and looked after his estate.’

‘I shall never understand how it happened,’ Amy said, her eyes glittering with suppressed anger. ‘Papa never gambled to excess. I think he must have been cheated.’

‘Why did he gamble at all?’ Millie asked.

‘Because he knew that the estate was suffering,’ Selina explained, as she had several times previously. ‘We had two bad harvests, and there was that nasty sickness that killed off most of our prime herd of cattle—and then Father made a bad investment with some merchant or other. He hoped he might win a few thousand pounds to tide him over until the harvest came in.’

‘Instead, he lost what money he had and—’ Amy choked. ‘I shall never forgive him for doing that to Mama. She loved him so much, and his death in that manner broke her heart.’

‘It broke all our hearts,’ Selina said, and held out her arms to her sisters. ‘Come here, my dear ones. We have each other and in that we are lucky. We may be poor, but we still have our pride and our love for each other—as long as we have that, we shall manage.’

‘You shame us,’ Amy said, and brushed her tears away. ‘You’ve had most of the burden to bear—and then Lord Markham stopped calling when he learned Papa had—’ She broke off and shook her head. ‘No, we shall not think of it again. Millie, we must help Selina all we can. The work will only take an hour or so in the mornings and then we may do as we like. I cannot wait to explore and discover the history of the house. Do you suppose there is a library and records of the family?’

Selina nodded and hugged both of her sisters in turn. ‘That’s right, Amy. We must all find ways to enjoy ourselves. It will seem more like home when we have our own things about us—and it will not be long until Christmas. We shall have a little party then, and presents, all the decorations we brought from home—and we’ll make new ones.’

They heard a little cough from the hallway and then the door opened. Nanny entered, followed by Trent, who carried a large tray. He set it down on a table next to Selina’s chair. Nanny had brought a stand on which she had placed plates of cakes, dainty pastries and some little sweet treats. Clearly it was not the work of a few minutes, which meant she must have spent some hours earlier that afternoon in preparing for their arrival.

‘How lovely,’ Selina said. ‘Nanny, you must have worked very hard. I cannot thank you enough for making us feel so welcome.’

‘I had some help, ma’am,’ Nanny said, and looked self-conscious. ‘Sadie is not quite as she ought to be. No one in the village will employ her, but she comes here to be with me because I helped her when she needed me, and the old cook here showed her how to cook. Makes wonderful cakes, she does—never asks more than a few pence and her dinner.’

Selina sighed inwardly as she saw her slender funds diminishing rapidly. At this rate she would have to apply to Mr Breck for more help with the servants’ wages, but Nanny’s words left her little option.

‘I can see someone has worked extremely hard,’ she said. ‘You must thank Sadie for me. Does she live in the house?’

‘Oh, no, miss, Sadie is a wild creature, a law unto herself. She can be an angel one day and the next she’s off roaming the woods, getting up to who knows what. I think she has a hut in the woods somewhere.’

‘I see. Well, at least she is no trouble to you, then.’

‘Good as gold, she is, with me—but not always with others, if you see what I mean.’

Selina feared she did. This wild girl Sadie sounded more of a liability than a help, but she would not turn her away unless she caused trouble in the house. She tasted the cake cautiously, half expecting to find salt had been used instead of sugar, but it was in fact delicious.

‘This is very nice,’ she said. ‘I do not think my cook could do better.’

‘I’ll tell my girl you were pleased,’ Nanny said, and smiled. ‘Like a daughter to me, she is, ma’am—for all her faults.’

‘Well, I shall expect you to look out for her,’ Selina said. ‘In the meantime, I can pay her a shilling a week and her meals—if that is sufficient? If you think she needs more, I will apply to Mr Breck.’

‘No, please don’t do that, ma’am. The old earl told me to send her away—thought she was a troublemaker, he did, and Mr Breck would say the same. A shilling and her dinner will do very well for Sadie.’

‘Then I shall allow her to come here, providing she causes no trouble in the house,’ Selina said. ‘Clearly you are fond of her, and I have no wish to cause anyone unhappiness. There is sufficient of that in life without creating more.’

She’d had her share of it—not least the disappointment she’d suffered when she was sixteen and her first love affair had come to naught, leaving her with sweet but empty memories.

‘That’s what I always say.’

Nanny nodded approvingly, and Selina knew she had passed the first test with flying colours. How many more there would be before she was fully accepted here she did not know, but she had a feeling she would soon find out.

‘The library is wonderful,’ Millie said the next morning, when Selina found her two sisters sitting in the parlour they had used the previous evening.

It smelled of lavender, and she realised they had been polishing and cleaning with a will. The beautiful old furniture was gleaming and nothing was out of place. They had positioned their mother’s sewing box beside a comfortable chair they had brought with them, and the men had carried in the delicate spinet to stand before the window. On the mantelpiece were the silver candlesticks that had belonged to their mama, and a French silver-gilt clock with painted enamel sides. She might almost have been in her own home, and a lump came to her throat.

‘Oh, you have been busy. Everything looks … like Mama’s parlour.’

‘Except it is too tidy,’ Millie said. ‘We always left our books and our sewing about, but otherwise it is very like home.’

‘Yes.’ Selina smiled, because they had worked hard to please her. ‘Is there a good selection of books—books you can read and enjoy?’ So often people filled their libraries with boring books covered in leather to look smart, which they never read.

‘Oh, yes.’ Millie sighed with pleasure, for reading was a particular favourite with her. ‘There are novels, plays, books of poems, as well as history—and a wonderful Bestiary with marvellous drawings that have been coloured in.’

‘Then you will not miss Papa’s books so much. I hated telling you that you must leave your favourite books, dearest.’

Millie looked away with a little shake of her head, a rather odd expression on her face. Selina wondered, but then forgot as Amy went into raptures about the family journals and the portraits she’d discovered in the gallery.

‘Trent showed me the priest holes and the minstrels’ gallery. They are in the west wing, which is not used now—though it could be, for there is nothing wrong with any of the rooms. All the furniture is under dustcovers, which makes it look sad, but it could be brought to life again with a little industry.’

‘We might open it up for Christmas,’ Selina said. ‘I have been so busy with sorting out cupboards and the household accounts that I haven’t seen as much as I would like of the house. However, I promised Mr Breck I would see to the business of the house and what I can of the estate accounts. Mr Breck has employed a bailiff to overlook the tenant farmers, and a couple of keepers for the park, but from what I’ve seen, two gardeners are hardly enough. I mean to pry into everything so that I can send Mr Breck my report by the end of the week.’

‘After luncheon you must at least explore this wing,’ Amy said, just as the gong sounded. ‘Ah, that sounds as if it is ready. You know we are to have a simple buffet now and serve ourselves? Mr Trent offered to serve us himself, but I said we shouldn’t need him until this evening.’

‘Quite right. I believe he has enough to do with cleaning the silver and making sure everything is as it ought to be downstairs.’

‘It’s quite an adventure looking after ourselves, isn’t it?’ Millie said, surprising them both as they all trooped into the little dining parlour. ‘I thought I should hate it but I’ve had fun.’

‘Yes, of course you have,’ Selina said. ‘We can make what we want of our lives. We do not need a house filled with servants and lots of money to be happy.’

‘I should like a new dress for Christmas, though,’ Millie said. ‘Mama said I would have my gowns made in a different way when I was thirteen—and my birthday is the week before Christmas.’

‘We haven’t forgotten,’ Amy said, and raised her eyebrows at her elder sister. ‘When do you ever let us?’

‘Please do not quarrel now,’ Selina said. ‘We can still have new gowns sometimes, Millie. It’s just that they may not always be the best silk—and we may have to make them ourselves.’

‘I can’t sew!’ Millie exclaimed with horror. ‘Please don’t say I have to make my dress myself, Selina.’

‘Amy and I will make it for you,’ Selina promised. ‘Besides, you must learn to set simple stitches. I wish we had some way of earning money that was acceptable in society, but I fear that if Amy became a companion she would lose her chance of a good marriage. Perhaps you should have a little season in Bath next spring, Amy. It is not so expensive as London, and we might contrive a wardrobe for you—but I am not sure we could all go. Besides, I shall be busy here.’

‘What about Great-Aunt Hilda?’ Millie asked. ‘I know she and Mama did not like each other—but she sent us all a present for our christenings.’

‘And nothing since,’ Amy reminded her. ‘She and Mama fell out over something, and Aunt Hilda has never visited or sent even a card since. She would not consider taking me to Bath with her. I am not sure I should wish to go if I were beholden to her’

‘It all depends how much my pearls bring when I sell them,’ Selina said. ‘I am certain one of Mama’s friends would take you, providing we did not expect her to pay for your clothes or expenses. If you found a rich husband, he might give Millie a home with you. I should then be able to find work as a companion, or perhaps a governess …’

‘No, you would not,’ Amy contradicted. ‘If he wanted to marry me, he would have you to stay often. Given your chance, I am sure you would find a rich husband.’