The Dawn of Winter

Christmas morning came bright and frigid. Snow was inevitable, and Madelene was pleased when she saw the carriage that belonged to her father pulling up the drive.

She embraced him, as well as her sister, and ushered them inside where they could get warm once more.

Shortly thereafter, another carriage approached the home, and Madelene’s heart skipped a beat when she heard the voice of Lord Langley drifting down the hall to where she, Julia, and Lily sat beside the fireplace.

“He’s here,” Madelene said, her eyes wide, looking at Julia.

Julia just smiled in reply.

“Who is here?” Lily asked, her legs swinging under the chair she sat on. “Who do you mean?”

Madelene signaled for her to hush and listened closely.

“Oh, Madelene? Yes, she’s here. This is her father, Mr. Blackmore, and we will introduce you to her younger sister.” Madelene heard her Uncle Matthew say.

“Wonderful to meet you, Mr. Blackmore. I have had the most pleasurable time getting to know your daughter.”

“The pleasure is all mine, my Lord. And thank you, my Lord. She’s my pride and joy, along with her sister.”

“If it is not too much trouble, Mr. Blackmore, I would like to see Miss Madelene and speak with her.”

Madelene’s heart started to race. He wanted to see her? Why?

“Alone, my Lord?” she heard her father’s voice, cautious and quiet.

Julia’s eyes widened as she looked at Madelene.

Madelene shook her head. “No,” she whispered. “No, I can’t! I can’t talk to him!”

“Yes you can!” Julia mouthed back quickly, and turned her head toward the door.

“Yes,” she heard Lord Langley reply. “If that is quite all right.”

She heard her father clear his throat, and she wondered for a moment if perhaps he would deny Lord Langley. For how would he know if Lord Langley was an upstanding gentleman? Of course he was, but her father would not know.

“You may,” Mr. Blackmore began, but quickly added, “But be sure you understand something very important. She is a rare gem; you will find no other like her in your entire life. Treat her the way she should be treated, and you will have no qualms with me.”

Madelene suddenly felt as if she would faint from a lack of air to her head. She felt as if the room around her was spinning. Did that mean…that her father expected Lord Langley to…

“Come, Lily,” Julia said, rising from the sofa and grabbing the young girl’s hand. “There is something I wanted to show you way up in my room! Christopher made me something very special that you will absolutely love!”

Lily did not protest and instead followed her cousin from the room.

She smiled wide at Madelene before they left the room and before Madelene had the chance to say anything more.

She heard footsteps down the hall, and then there was a knock at the door. Madelene stood to her feet, and as she did, the door pushed open.

Lord Langley’s eyes met hers from the hall, and she swallowed hard. He pursed his lips together before stepping into the room, letting the door close behind himself.

She had never before been alone with a man who was not family before. It made her chilled, and she folded her arms across herself. She knew there were people directly on the other side of the door, but it still felt foreign and uncomfortable.

“Miss Blackmore,” he began, and she was pleasantly surprised to hear that his guard was still down toward her. The coldness with which he once spoke with her had disappeared, and she was glad it had not returned.

He took a few steps toward her, and she had to force herself to remain in the same spot. He held his hat tightly in his hands, spinning it slowly, constantly adjusting his grip.

“I must apologize, first and foremost. I have treated you most poorly.”

She blinked up at him. “Whatever do you mean?”

He sighed heavily, and his eyes closed for a moment. When he opened them, she could see a great sadness in them.

“I made a grave error when I first met you. You caught me off guard in such a great way that I responded very poorly, in order to protect myself and my character.”

“My Lord, I do not think I understand,” she replied, the tightness in her chest making it difficult to draw a breath.

He crossed the distance to her, close enough that they could reach out and embrace.

“I…” he started, and his voice cracked. “I found you so beautiful that first night we met. There was nothing, nothing in the entire world, that could have prepared me for how I felt about you. It happened so quickly, and so strongly. I was immediately enraptured by your very presence, and…”

He turned away from her, pressing the bridge of his nose with his fingers.

Madelene’s heart felt as if it was in her throat, and there were no words that formed in her mind as a reply. All she could feel was disbelief. Disbelief…and a spark of delight.

“I didn’t know what to do, or what to say, so I simply pretended as if how I felt did not exist. Instead of treating you the way that you needed to be treated, I sought only to keep my own heart safe.” He turned back towards her, and she could see the sorrow in his eyes from the light of the fireplace.

“You must see me as nothing but a fool,” he responded quietly.

“No, not at all,” she replied, taking a hesitant step toward him. “I was completely bewildered by you, and I was sure that something I had said offended you in some way. I had no idea that you…” she couldn’t even bring herself to say the words.

“And it is entirely my fault that you thought that,” he replied.

“But then we danced at the ball…” Madelene said quietly.

His eyes widened, a bright spark flickering there. “You felt it as well? Surely it was not just I who felt it?”

She knew that at this moment, she stood at the precipice of something very important to her life. Is this truly what she wanted?

She looked into his eyes, and smiled, knowing for certain what she wanted. “I did feel it.”

Lord Langley beamed. “Miss Blackmore, I have searched long and far for a woman such as yourself. A woman who is so refined and composed, and yet writes poetry that reveals her soul. A woman who is confident, beautiful, and captivating. And here you are. It as if the good Lord knew what I needed most for Christmas this year.”

Madelene smiled. “So what does this mean?”

“My dear Miss Blackmore, would you do me the just honor of accepting my hand in marriage? I promise to love and cherish you in a way that a woman should be treated, and perform my God-given job as a husband to the fullest extent.”

Madelene, feeling a bit dazed, could only stare down at the man who knelt in front of her.

“Yes,” she heard herself say, and then the tears came hot and fresh on her cheeks. “Yes, Lord Langley. I will marry you.”

He stood to his feet and he embraced her, and she felt for the first time in many, many years as if she were in a place where she truly belonged.

That night, there was much cheering and singing and toasting. The whole family, elated and relieved, celebrated the newly engaged couple. Together they sang carols and hymns, embracing the special time together as families that Christmas brings.

“Every Christmas from now until my life is over will be full of joy now,” Lord Langley whispered to her in the darkness that night before she retired to her room.

She smiled at him in the candlelight. “May the Lord bless us and keep us, this merry Christmas time.”

Then, she bid him goodnight, knowing full well that her life was far better this night as she laid her head down to sleep than when she had awoken that cold, December morning.

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