December 6, 1814

Saint Nicholas Day had at last arrived, and with it, the Christmas season. Each year, Eleanor delighted in this time of year, and this Christmas promised to be especially merry, as it was the Chathams’ first Christmas in Hempsted Park. On the evening of Saint Nicholas Day, the family enjoyed an intimate dinner of all their old favorite dishes.

Eleanor’s family enjoyed having an evening free of guests or social obligations. They laughed and joked with each other, as in old times. After dinner, they assembled in the music room. Emma and Katherine, both very accomplished pianists and singers, entertained the family with festive songs and hymns.

The gifts they exchanged were simple and reminiscent of their previous life. Eleanor received a leather-bound edition of Chaucer, and her mother received a box of silk embroidery thread. Their younger brother received an atlas, and Katherine received new music books. Emma received a set of silver hair combs, and Eleanor’s father received a silver letter opener. It had been a wonderful evening.

Now that the Christmas season had officially begun, Emma and Eleanor were looking forward to the Christmas balls and parties. Their mother, the countess, had dresses made for both girls for the parties they were attending. The fine material and beautiful embroidery on each dress were like magnificent artworks in Eleanor’s eyes. She couldn’t wait to wear them.

* * *

The following morning at breakfast, the family received an invitation to spend a weekend at Trunbridge Castle at the Duke of Fenton’s request. Eleanor had seen the duke at social events, and while they danced, they shared inside jokes and gossip as the music hid their unseemly conversations. However, they were never able to spend time alone as they had in the library on the day that they met.

This invitation was surely a tradition, thought Eleanor. She refused to let her imagination see it as anything other than a social obligation of the season. Still, she thought it would be exciting to see where he lived and to spend the night in a real castle.

* * *

December 15, 1814

As the carriage approached Trunbridge Castle, Eleanor and Emma exchanged excited glances. Eleanor loved history, especially medieval history. The castle was said to be seven centuries old and had been under siege twice. She hoped that they would get a tour and the history of the castle would be shared. Secretly, she wished the duke would give a private tour, so he could fill her in on the history that would surely be omitted for ladies’ ears.

In truth, Eleanor was even more thrilled to see the duke again, and didn’t care as much about the castle as she led on. She thought about the duke every day, although she tried hard not to. His sandy blonde hair, sparkling green eyes, and his sense of humor consumed her thoughts more than she dared to admit. She could feel herself falling in love with him, but she knew what had happened with Charles and just how heartbreaking falling in love could be. She tried to keep her emotions in control and just enjoy the duke’s company as a friend. Lately, that was proving to be very difficult.

Eleanor, her sister Emma, and her parents arrived at Trunbridge Castle and were greeted by the duke, his mother, and his sister. Eleanor tried to be on her best behavior and remember every rule and social custom. The duke had invited several prominent families to visit for the weekend. Eleanor soon realized that nearly every other family outranked her own. She had never been in the presence of such high-ranking nobility.

A footman showed Eleanor and her family to their rooms. Eleanor’s room was in a tower and she loved it immediately. It felt as if she had gone back in time. Looking to at the bedside table, she noticed a gift with her name on it. Eleanor sat down on the edge of the bed and unwrapped the paper and string from the square object. The gift was a book, with yellowing pages that signified its age. As she opened the book, a note fell onto her lap.

Lady Eleanor,

I hope you enjoy this volume of the history of Trunbridge Castle. I know you love history. Please consider this book, and a few nights spent in the tower room, to be my belated present to you for Saint Nicholas Day.

Sincerely,

Nathaniel

Eleanor hugged the book to her chest as she felt her heart warm. How was she not supposed to fall in love with a man as thoughtful as the duke? She also noted that he signed the note with his familiar name. She knew that she was losing the fight with herself not to love him. Eleanor nestled onto a chaise and flipped through the pages of the aged tome. A fire blazed in the fireplace, and from the window, she could see snow had started to fall.

Rebecca came up to help Eleanor dress for dinner. Eleanor chose a dark crimson gown with black beading. She looked in the mirror and was pleased with the hairstyle Rebecca had chosen for the evening. The black combs stood out dramatically against Eleanor’s fair hair.

Eleanor had hoped that the duke found her to be beautiful, as she could not stop thinking about him. She looked at the book on the bedside table and the room he had chosen just for her and found that she could not wait to see him, to thank him personally for her Christmas present. Besides her father, a man had never given Eleanor a gift before. Was he trying to win her affection? Eleanor didn’t know.

Eleanor went to her sister’s room so that they could walk downstairs together.

“Eleanor, how old is this castle?”

“It’s nearly twice as old as Hempsted Park.”

“Is it really? My room has a lot of character. I would love to know who else has slept in this very room. Do you think that royalty has ever stayed here?”

“Well, that I do not know, Emma, but I might be able to find out!”

Eleanor shared the secret of the gift that the duke had left. To explain the gift, Eleanor had to tell her sister all the details of their first encounter in the library.

Emma was astonished, “Do you think we received the invitation to visit because the duke is falling in love you with you?”

Eleanor laughed, “Of course not, Emma. Papa knew the duke’s father as a child. I am sure they invited us to visit because our families have been friends for a very long time.”

Emma accepted Eleanor’s explanation for the invitation, but still thought that the gift meant something more.

Emma and Eleanor entered the most luxurious drawing room they had ever seen. An enormous fireplace dominated the room. The furniture was made from dark walnut, and intricately detailed tapestries hung from the walls.

The duke greeted them as they walked in. He looked even more dashing tonight in his formal attire. He was the most handsome man in attendance. Eleanor’s heart fluttered with every word he spoke. The duke introduced Emma to a close friend of his, the Marquess of Satterfield. The duke then said he wished to introduce Eleanor to another acquaintance and left Emma and Lord Satterfield in conversation.

“Who are we meeting?” asked Eleanor.

“Nobody. I just wanted an excuse to get you alone, if only for a brief moment.”

“I want to thank you for my gift, Your Grace,” said Eleanor. “It was so thoughtful, and I have already begun reading it. The history of your palace is quite interesting. So much as happened here.”

“You are very welcome, Lady Eleanor. Because you have such a keen interest in my residence, will you allow me the honor of giving you a personal tour after breakfast in the morning?”

“But, Your Grace, you are the host. Won’t you be missed?”

“I suspect I will, but I believe I am the duke, and this is my house, so I may be able to bend the rules just a bit.”

“Be careful, Your Grace, you may be breaking with tradition. People may think you are a rebel.”

“Good.”

The duke walked Eleanor back to her sister, who was still speaking with Lord Satterfield. The four remained in conversation until they were called for dinner.

The duke was at the head of the table, so Eleanor was not able to speak to him throughout dinner. Instead, she was seated next to two of the duke’s cousins. Eleanor entertained them with conversation, but she found them dull. Emma was seated next to Lord Satterfield and was having a grand time.

That night, Eleanor curled up in the blankets and fell asleep dreaming about her time with the duke the following morning.