The church bells rang out through the rolling of hills of the little hamlet, and parishioners of the sleepy town of Hillbury scuttled in from the cold. Between her mother and father, Holly Ambrose entered the chapel and took a seat in her family's usual pew, breathing deep the warm, pine scented air.
If Mrs. Ambrose was excellent at one thing, it was husband hunting. Not for herself of course, but for Holly, her youngest and very much unmarried daughter. Holly was not yet three and twenty, but the way her mother carried on about her lack of suitors you'd think she was approaching spinsterhood. On that crisp winter morning, Mrs. Ambrose was in fine form as she scanned the crowd that turned out for the Sunday Advent service from their pew at the back of the chapel. Holly would have laughed if she hadn't been so mortified to see her mother craning her neck irreverently during prayers.
Holly always loved church during the advent season. The singing of yuletide hymns, the bright red poinsettias that cascaded down the steps to the choir, and the swags of evergreens along the arcade. It always stirred warm feelings and memories of Christmases past.
Her mother's incessant matchmaking wouldn't spoil her spirit. Instead, Holly fixed her attentions on Pastor Bishop's sermon, the message of which encouraged the parish to remember the real reason of the season. The sermon of giving buoyed Holly's spirits and she hoped the parish would give generously with the workhouses and orphanages so full of weary souls.
After the service, they waited in line to give their greeting to Pastor Bishop.
"Did you see Archibald Colston look over at us during the last hymn? I dare say I'm glad we had Augusta put you in the new emerald velvet dress. He appeared to be quite taken with you," Mrs. Ambrose whispered to her daughter.
Holly cast a look over her shoulder to see Mr. Colston standing behind them with his own mother at his side. He gave her a small smile when he caught her eye. Holly couldn't help but return the smile as she found him rather handsome in his Sunday best. He had the bearing of a true gentleman, tall and graceful with an elegantly slim figure - though his dark hair and warm brown eyes were more than enough to attract any woman's attention. Holly turned back before he could see her blush.
She ignored her mother who now strategized how the two should be properly introduced. While they both came from families of good fortune, the Colstons were much closer to nobility since the late Mr. Colston had been knighted for services to the crown. Unless Archibald introduced himself, Holly would need one of his current acquaintances to introduce her to him.
They reached Pastor Bishop and greeted him with friendly tidings.
"A delightful sermon, Mr. Bishop," Holly offered, giving him a curtsy. "I do hope the alms boxes were made full."
"I share those hopes, Miss Ambrose," David Bishop said with a boyish smile, inclining his head towards Holly. He was two or three years her senior and had arrived at their parish only that spring.
Holly had quickly grown fond of the fresh-faced clergyman's impassioned sermons. She pushed her hands deeper into her black, fur muff as the cold air streamed in from the church doors. She noticed David's cheeks too were flushed pink from the cold.
"I don't believe you have called on us recently," Holly's father, Colonel Ambrose remarked, shaking the Pastor's hand.
"Indeed I haven't," David replied with an easy grin.
"We must rectify that. I'll send a note," Colonel Ambrose said warmly. "I think we should love to have you before Christmas."
"I would be most grateful," David smiled, his eyes turning to Holly once more. "Most grateful indeed."
The Ambrose family headed out into the churchyard where the parishioners milled about and waited for horses and sleighs to be brought round. What came next was an intricate dance few could perform as well as Mrs. Ambrose. With her daughter in tow she spoke to all the right people at all the right moments so as to gain an introduction for her daughter to the eldest son of the late Mr. Colston.
"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Ambrose," Archibald said, his eyes twinkling.
Something stirred in Holly's chest as she found herself with the full attention of a tall gentleman with very fine eyes, but she couldn't know what. She mostly felt embarrassed at her mother's unabashed matchmaking and wondered what would be said about her behind closed doors. The last thing she wanted to be marked as was a social climber.
"Likewise," she replied. The Colstons were a family of such greater consequence than her own, she didn't dare to entertain the thought of a union between their families. Her older brother and sister had both made great marriages for themselves; she hardly expected her family would be so lucky as to make a third.
Archibald looked like he wanted to say more but his horses and sleigh pulled up along the street and he bid them goodbye.
Bundled under furs and plenty of blankets, the Ambroses set off for home in their own open sleigh. They passed through the village, to wave at acquaintances, though Holly suspected their route had been planned by Mrs. Ambrose so she could parade her daughter around in her new gown.
The horses trotted out of the village streets and into the countryside. Their estate was small by most standards, but everyone knew they sat on the best land in the county. As they pulled up the tree lined drive, Holly couldn't help but swell with a little pride at the sight of the chimneys of Ambrose Manor puffing white clouds of smoke against the steely sky.
They hurried inside with noses red from the cold, and Colonel Ambrose headed straight for his study while Mrs. Ambrose didn't even pause to begin instructing the housemaids on setting out the Christmas decorations. It was the ninth hour for putting out the decorations before Holly's sister Hortensia and her brother Horatio and their families arrived the following day. As soon as the grandchildren arrived, they would have to close the parlor doors so they wouldn't see the tree until Christmas Eve. With overcoat still on, Mrs. Ambrose adjusted the paper garland that hung between the evergreen boughs.
Holly made herself scarce before her mother could put her to work. She had to finish embroidering handkerchiefs with initials for each of her relatives, a task that was best when it went uninterrupted. She took her sewing kit and squares of silk into the library and sat in a leather armchair near the window so she could watch the snowfall throughout the afternoon. The work went quickly as she was far from her mother's endless stream of prattle and gossip to distract her from making her stitches.
The daylight didn't last long, as winter nights came quickly and lingered well into the morning. She put aside the sewing, and rather than trouble a servant with lighting a fire in the library, she reluctantly joined her mother who was overseeing the final touches to the parlor.
"It looks lovely, mother," Holly said before placing a kiss on her mother's cheek.
Her mother eyed the evergreen monstrosity that nearly brushed the ceiling with brow furrowed. "You don't think the tree needs more tinsel?"
"It's perfect," Holly replied, giving the maids an apologetic smile. Only yesterday Mrs. Ambrose had made them remove and then replace all of the ornaments so that she could get them just right. Thankfully her mother couldn't do much else as the maids excused themselves to ready for supper.
At precisely seven o'clock, the three remaining members of the Ambrose family sat down to a hearty dinner of mince pies and winter squash. The servants had already begun to set the table with wreaths of berried evergreens around the tapers.They ate quietly as Colonel Ambrose, and Holly, liked a peaceful table, but just as their plates were cleared for dessert, over the crackling logs in the fire, they heard the doorbell ring.
The noise startled Holly and she dropped her spoon with a clatter. The rattle of silver on china, a sound quite unbecoming for a lady, earned her a glare from her mother.
"Who on earth could be calling at such an hour?" Colonel Ambrose grumbled, wiping his mouth and rising from the table. Mrs. Ambrose urged her husband to let the butler attend to the door, but Colonel Ambrose seemed determined to attend to the disturbance himself. He strode from the dining room and Holly heard his heavy footsteps carry through to the grand foyer.
Holly cast her mother a curious glance as a pair of deep voices carried from the hall. "Carolers?" she wondered aloud.
A smile spread across her mother's face. "How wonderful! I will tell the butler to have the kitchens prepare a basket," Mrs. Ambrose said as she ushered her daughter into the grand foyer.
Holly felt her stomach jump as she beheld, not carolers, but a vaguely familiar figure standing there with her father. He was dressed a fine dandy even in his riding clothes and had a great shock of tawny hair beneath his snow dusted top hat. A ghost of her childhood standing in her own home - Holly knew him in an instant.
"Victor Embry," Holly said breathlessly. Victor had gone off to London the first chance he could, and left Hillbury and his besotted father behind. It wasn't long before that when Victor had kissed her at a May Day picnic in front of all the other youth of Hillbury. Kissed her and disappeared two months later. Holly felt her mouth fall open in surprise.
"Holly Ambrose." His jovial voice boomed through the hall. "The last time I saw you, you were sixteen and such a scrawny thing. You've certainly come into yourself."
Holly felt her cheeks flush as a heat crept up her neck.
Victor Embry turned to Holly's mother. "Please forgive my intrusion, but my horse threw a shoe right in front of your manor and I hoped I might borrow a farrier or whoever tacks your own beautiful mares, Mrs. Ambrose," he said placing a kiss on the matron's hand. Holly watched on, mortified, as realization dawned on her mother's round face that a possible suitor might have literally stumbled upon them.
Mrs. Ambrose immediately jumped into the role of gracious host and doting mother. "Please come in, our man isn't in but he will be sure to shoe the horse first thing in the morning. Have you eaten?" She didn't wait for an answer and ushered them all back towards the dining room. "Everything's been cleared away, but I'll have the footman bring up a plate," she said, seating Victor across from Holly.
The servants scurried in and out of the dining room, setting plates before the unexpected guest. Colonel Ambrose reassumed his place at the head of the table, a worry line between his brows. Holly knew how much her father hated surprises or anything that upset the peaceful pattern of life at Ambrose Manor.
Once the chaos subsided, Mrs. Ambrose began asking Victor such a flurry of questions.
"What brings you back to Hillbury?" she asked, her voice laden with enough honey to give Victor a toothache.
Victor kindly obliged by saying, "I suppose I grew tired of London society. I recently came into some money so I decided to make a home for myself in the country."
"Oh how fascinating," Mrs. Ambrose said cloyingly. "So you have come home to Hillbury."
"Indeed I have, and it is my full intention to settle down here," he said with a short glance in Holly's direction.
Holly could see the wheels in her mother's head begin to turn.
"And do you bring a Mrs. Embry along with you from London?" Mrs. Ambrose asked, her eyes glittering.
Holly watched their guest curiously. Even her breath stopped as she waited for his answer and it truly felt like it took the man hours to reply.
"No, I do not," he said jovially.
"So do-" Mrs. Ambrose began but her daughter cut her off.
"I think that will do Mama. I fear Mr. Embry's dinner is getting cold," Holly said with a laugh. Colonel Ambrose rolled his eyes but their guest didn't seem to notice. Mrs. Ambrose was oblivious as well. For her, Christmas had come early and she watched only Victor with a mischievous glint in her eyes. The woman looked every bit like a child with a full plate of candied orange peels placed before her and Holly could say with surety her mother was, at that moment, planning whether they would have roses or lilies of the valley for the wedding bouquet.
Thank you all for reading! If you've enjoyed what you've read, remember to vote and comment! I'll be posting some edits this week and be sure to check back - I'll be posting some additional content when my edits are done;)