“I cannot believe you are all to be married,” Fiona said. Those who’d simply come to attend the ball had departed half an hour earlier, leaving the Heartlys, Lamont, Belgrave, Montsmouth, Edward, and Lady Duncaster to enjoy a bit of tea before retiring.

“Neither can we,” Lady Oakland exclaimed with a loving smile directed at her husband. “But it is marvelous. We really couldn’t be happier.”

“You will be sure to make headlines,” Lady Duncaster said. Her eyes caught Edward’s for a second as though in thoughtful contemplation. He found himself holding his breath until she looked toward Lord and Lady Oakland once more. “It is no small feat to marry off six children in the space of one year.”

“The gossip rags will have a marvelous time of it,” Laura remarked. “Perhaps we should stop by the Mayfair Chronicle after departing from here and set our story straight – allow one of the journalists there to interview us before any suppositions are made.”

“I think that’s an excellent suggestion,” Lord Oakland said. “By then we might even be able to give them a proper account of the weddings.”

“I was actually hoping to visit the paper before the weddings, Papa.” Laura reached for Lamont’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze – a gesture Edward wished he could replicate with Fiona. But he’d yet to make his intentions known, not only to her family but to her.

With her sisters’ engagements in mind and Fiona’s new realizations regarding the treasure, he hadn’t yet managed a proposal of his own. Which was maybe for the best since their history together made him want to do something particularly special – something worthy of her.

“If we have to wait three weeks or more,” Laura continued, “the news or some version of it will already have reached London. What I would like to suggest is for us to —”

“Marry here,” Lord Oakland said with a grin he apparently shared with not only his wife but with Lady Duncaster too. “What can possibly be more romantic than a three-fold Christmas wedding?”

“But…” It was Rachel’s turn to speak. “Christmas is in only two days. That’s not nearly enough time for the banns to be cried.”

A moment of silence passed. The Oaklands and Lady Duncaster all looked like three conspiratorial children who’d gotten caught in the middle of a prank. Sensing the next words spoken were going to be extremely interesting indeed, Edward leaned forward in his seat and eyed Fiona, who appeared to be as intrigued as he felt.

“The truth is,” Lady Oakland began, “that we – your father and I, that is – came to Thorncliff prepared for this eventuality.”

Lord Oakland considered each of his daughters in turn. “What your mother is trying to say is, we had the foresight to procure special licenses for all of you, in case you wished to have a Christmas wedding.”

“But…” Emily frowned. “You couldn’t have known Montsmouth and I would fall in love or that he would propose or that Rachel would end up with Belgrave and Laura with Lamont. Each couple’s name would have to be on each license, paired off in a way not even you could have predicted.”

Lord Oakland raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps not, but Lady Duncaster did.”

Everyone turned to regard their hostess, who met their inquisitive stares with a brilliant smile. Shrugging, she reached for her tea and took a sip. “I spent a great deal of time observing all of you when you were last here during the summer. I noted your interests and your personalities and used that information to determine how to make the most appropriate matches. All that was needed after that was the opportunity for you to become better acquainted with each other. Coming here for Christmas seemed like an excellent plan – especially since Lord and Lady Oakland were more than thrilled by the idea of seeing the rest of their children settled.”

“So this has been a matchmaking party all along?” Belgrave asked.

“In a manner of speaking,” Lady Duncaster confirmed. “You can’t be too surprised, what with four bachelors and four unattached ladies being brought together under the same roof.”

Lamont ran his hands through his hair. “Well, I’ll be…”

“Of course, it has also been a wonderful diversion for me,” Lady Duncaster added. “I have no family with whom to celebrate the holiday season otherwise.” She eyed Lamont. “Your company in recent years has been greatly appreciated, but I craved the boisterousness of a larger group.” Glancing at everyone else in turn, she told them sincerely, “Spending time with all of you – filling the house with chatter and laughter – has been a treat.”

“So if I am to understand you correctly,” Rachel said in her typically concise manner that spoke of a need to make sense of the world, “we can marry as soon as we wish?”

“Correct,” Lord Oakland said.

“The chapel is at your disposal,” Lady Duncaster said. “Unless, of course, you desire a large London wedding and more time to order new gowns and so forth, in which case you will have to wait.”

“I have no need of a new gown,” Laura said. “In my opinion a Christmas wedding sounds delightful.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Lamont told her with a smile.

The other two couples concurred, and it was quickly decided the chapel should be decorated with pine garlands, ribbons, and candles. Edward had no doubt it would provide a romantic setting for a wedding, not to mention there was something particularly special about getting married on Christmas.

He glanced at Fiona, whose attention appeared to be drawn by her mother at the moment. Not once did she look across at him, no matter how much he willed her to do so, and he couldn’t help but wonder at what she might be thinking. Was she disappointed her sisters were getting married so quickly while she was not? Did she feel excluded? He could easily rectify that with a quick question, except he didn’t want to rush a proposal. It would be the only one he would ever make, so he wanted to get it right.

He would wait for just the right moment. One that would hopefully present itself soon enough to allow Fiona the chance to marry on Christmas as her sisters were now quite eagerly planning to do. He couldn’t help but grin at their animated faces as the women spoke of the shopping they’d have to do tomorrow at the village, while each of the soon to be bridegrooms stared at them in bemusement. It was already three o’clock in the morning, yet none of those present – not even Lady Duncaster – seemed remotely tired. He rose with the intention of excusing himself and heading off to bed. If he was going to plan the perfect proposal, he would have to do so on more than a few hours of sleep.

Except Fiona stood as well, blocking his path to the door. “Before you go…” What? Was she going to propose to him? That would certainly make his task a lot easier. She twisted so she could address the whole group. “I planned to give up on finding the treasure after Emily’s terrible mishap.”

Ah yes, the treasure.

“That passageway has been closed off since then,” Lady Ducaster assured everyone. “I have also asked for access to be denied to the rest of the tunnels until they can be properly mapped. The last thing we need is for one of my guests to get lost down there for good. It’s simply too dangerous.”

“I agree,” Fiona said, “but there is still the question of the wind rose in the foyer.”

“The wind rose?” Lady Duncaster stared at Fiona for a long moment with parted lips and then sank back against her seat with a great big sigh. “Of course!”

“What are you talking about?” Emily asked.

Fiona explained. “Historically, wind roses have been placed on maps in order to show the direction the major winds are blowing. It therefore stands to reason that the one in the foyer might be linked to the Cardinals – the North, South, East and West winds, as they called themselves.”

“Especially since that floor was put in by my father-in-law years ago when he remained here to oversee some renovations while my husband and I were in London,” Lady Duncaster said. “I don’t know why I never considered its significance before.”

“I suppose we were all looking for a secret room and finding one in the foyer seemed unlikely, but after following the tunnels underneath, Chadwick and I determined they all stopped or turned in some way when they reached the vicinity of the foyer. We were never able to pass directly underneath, leading me to believe something might be there – some hidden space we’ve yet to find the entrance to.”

“I suppose we ought to go and look at the foyer then,” Rachel said.

“My thoughts exactly,” Fiona agreed. She was already heading for the door.

Edward followed close behind, intent on sharing each moment of her discovery. He’d find time to think about his proposal later. But when he arrived in the foyer, he had to wonder if Fiona’s hypothesis could be true since it seemed impossible for any man to have manufactured something as extraordinary as what Fiona was suggesting, and during the course of only one year and without any servant being the wiser.

Still, he watched with interest while Fiona marched into the center of the wind rose and glanced around the room. Her hands were on her hips, offering her a look of decisive determination. “N.E.W.S,” she said. That is what you found on your way to the study, is it not?”

Laura, who’d turned a fetching shade of pink, nodded. “It is.”

“Right, then.” Fiona walked in the direction the northern point of the wind rose indicated, and Edward realized it didn’t lead her straight toward the front door like he’d initially imagined it would.

The thing was slightly off center – a fact he’d never noticed before. But he did so now while he watched Fiona reach the wall. A painting hung there, and she proceeded to run her fingers across it, then along the outside edges of the frame until she suddenly paused. She seemed to push forward on something – a button or lever perhaps – and Edward heard a distinct click.

Fiona spun around, facing them all with a grin. “I think I’ve figured it out!”

She hurried across the floor, following the eastern point of the wind rose to where another painting hung. There, she found a similar spot on which to push down and produce a clicking sound. The western point came next followed by the southern. Here, Fiona paused. Edward went to where she stood and placed his hand on her shoulder. “Go ahead. Let’s see what happens next.”

“I could be wrong,” she whispered.

“Yes. You could be. But you won’t know unless you try.”

She pushed down below the painting, and he could see now that it was a small lip protruding from the wall. It almost looked as though it had been placed there to help anchor the painting, unless one studied it closely enough to see that the painting didn’t touch it at all. A second of silence followed, and then Edward heard a distinct whirring sound.

“Stand back,” he told everyone while he and Fiona stared down at the floor before them. The wind rose was sinking and turning, the inlaid pieces of marble twisting outward and disappearing into the sides of what turned out to be a large spiral staircase.

“Oh my God,” Fiona murmured, then caught herself and slapped her hand over her mouth.

“I think it’s all right for you to say that, under the circumstances, Fiona,” Edward muttered. He glanced across at the rest of the group. Each person was staring at the newly revealed staircase with shock and awe. Lady Duncaster herself appeared as though she might stumble and fall. Thankfully, Lord Oakland was quickly beside her, offering her his assistance.

“Is that really there?” she asked, pointing one finger toward the first steps leading downward. “Am I actually seeing that?”

Assurances were made while Edward, Belgrave, Lamont, and Montsmouth went to fetch lanterns. “I’ll go first,” Edward said when he returned. “Fiona, you may follow directly behind me, if you wish.” She frowned at him but didn’t argue, for which he was grateful. After all, they were about to explore a place that had been sealed off for decades, so he wasn’t about to take any chances with Fiona going first, no matter how much she probably wanted to do so.

Still, he occasionally felt her hand at his waist as they made their descent, the lantern casting an intimate glow against the solid stone walls while they went. Behind him, he could hear the chatter of those who’d chosen to join him and Fiona on this new little adventure, their voices reverberating in a ghostly way that made it impossible for him to determine their closeness. He counted thirty steps before arriving on a solid dirt floor. Turning up the flame of the lantern, he stepped out from behind a pillar in the center of the staircase and studied the space beyond, almost catching his breath at the sight he beheld. “Incredible.”

“This is it,” Fiona whispered, stepping up beside him. She hesitated there for a second before continuing forward, her feet seemingly drawn to the wondrous collection of carefully wrapped items and boxes, all grouped in various clusters with each containing a label informing the viewer of where the pieces had come from. “Look here. This is from the Gavrois family. And these over here, they have come from the Comte D’Orly.” It was a staggering display of artifacts, no doubt about that. “Look, Edward!”

His heart expanded in response to Fiona’s use of his name. He glanced around, wondering if anyone else had noticed, but they all seemed to be too preoccupied themselves. So he went to where she was standing and placed his hand at her elbow. “What is it?”

Her fingers traced a label attached to a large trunk. Le Duc et La Duchesse de Marveille. “These items here belonged to my great-aunt.” She gave Edward a brief glance – enough for him to see the sheen of moisture that covered her eyes. “I’m almost afraid to look.”

“Do you want me to do it?”

Snatching her fingers back, she stepped aside and nodded, allowing Edward to undo the latch. Carefully, he eased the lid back, revealing the contents. A piece of black velvet fabric was the first thing that came into view. It had been laid out, covering the rest of the items, as if to offer some sort of protection. Edward lifted one end and folded it to the side, then paused as his gaze fell on the items it had been hiding. There were a few books, a couple of decorative porcelain pieces, a clock, but most importantly, a wooden box carved with the scene of a shepherdess tending her sheep. He lifted it out and held it toward Fiona. “I think this is what you’ve been looking for.”

Her lip trembled, and she hesitantly placed her hand upon the lid. “You found it.” She swallowed, then took a deep breath and slowly pushed the lid open. Edward couldn’t help but stare at the dazzling selection of gemstones that came into view. “Oh my goodness.” He looked up to see tears had spilled from Fiona’s eyes and immediately felt his heart clench in response. “There’s the tiara she received from the Empress of Russia. Oh…it’s so beautiful, all of it, don’t you think?”

Reaching up, Edward brushed his thumb across her cheek, wiping away the tears. “It is an extraordinary find,” he whispered.

“I have to show Mama and Papa.” Smiling, she turned to do precisely that when Lady Oakland called to them from the other side of the room.

“You must come and see this, all of you,” the countess said in an eager tone that raised Edward’s curiosity. He followed Fiona over to where her mother was leafing through some papers that had been strewn about on a table. “I found these in that portmanteau over there.” She gestured toward the discarded leather satchel with a wave of her hand.

“What is it?” Rachel asked as she, Emily, and Laura drew closer together with their fiancés. Lord Oakland and Lady Duncaster stepped up alongside them until everyone surrounded the countess.

“Birth certificates – twenty of them, to be exact. And there’s a letter as well.” Lady Oakland bowed her head over the piece of paper she was holding. “It reads as follows: ‘There is a chance my comrades and I will all be long gone before these treasures are found. That has always been our intention since time alone would serve to preserve our most important secret and keep the people who trust us safe. We have done what we could, even though we wish we could have done more. Too many innocents perished during the Terror, but at least we were able to save a few. These children were brought to England under the cover of night, ensuring their families would find continuation by blood, if not by title. They have been placed in modest homes, safely hidden from the Electors and anyone else who may wish to harm them. Experience has taught me that few people in this world can be trusted, which is why no clues will be left to their whereabouts. Hopefully, this will prevent those who wish to undo our work from meeting with any success while assuring our descendants we did what could be done in the name of both life and freedom. Signed, Robert Everton Hayworth, the 3^rd Earl of Duncaster.’”

Silence remained for seconds after until Lady Duncaster finally spoke. “I think I need a brandy now.”

“I believe I’ll join you,” Lord Oakland said. He started escorting her back upstairs.

“I can scarcely believe it,” Laura murmured. “This is truly more incredible than anything I ever thought we might find.”

“And there is this as well,” Fiona said. She stepped forward and placed the jewelry box on the table.

“Oh, my dear,” her mother exclaimed. “You actually found it!”

“There will be a lot of work to do, cataloguing all of the items here,” Montsmouth said. “I must confess it far exceeds my expectations.”

They returned upstairs moments later with the intention of taking a closer look at their discovery over the course of the next few days. It was even decided they would make an effort to return whatever was possible for them to return to any surviving members of the families who’d placed their valuables in Duncaster’s safekeeping. In the meantime, the party would disperse to their individual bedrooms for some much needed rest.

Edward escorted Fiona to the top of the stairs and paused there to wish her good night. “Perhaps we can go for a ride tomorrow, if the weather permits?”

She was clutching the jewelry box as if she feared it might suddenly vanish. “Yes. I would like that.”

Instinct tempted him to dip his head and kiss her, but her sisters and parents were passing right behind her on the way to their own bedchambers, so he resisted the urge. “Good night then,” he murmured instead, waiting until she had moved out of sight before turning toward the left and heading in the direction of his own room.