Elizabeth turned to her mother. She could think of only one thing that was certain to encourage a response. “I can see we shall require your expertise in this room, Mamma.”
Her mother blinked, and her eyes travelled around the room. “The floor first.”
Elizabeth had not even noticed the floor, though now she looked at it closely she could see it required some repair.
“Then the wallpaper,” Mamma continued, wandering over to the wall and peering at it. “It must go, all of it.” She made her way to the window and reached out to touch the dusty velvet of the window hangings. “And these curtains as well. The room will be light and airy with a few changes.” Then she turned to them both and smiled broadly.
She was a very handsome woman when she smiled in that way.
Papa seemed to agree, for he strode to Mamma with the energy of a man of half his years, taking her hands in his own and lifting each to his lips for a gentle kiss. “Dear Fanny.”
Mamma gasped and blushed. Elizabeth was no less surprised. Her father was never so demonstrative—at least not that she ever could recall.
“You and Elizabeth will have this place set to rights in a few months, I have no doubt. It is such a gift!” He beamed at her mother. “You and the girls never need worry about Longbourn’s heir again. Elizabeth is to be the mistress of a home large enough for you all should you ever have need of it, and so long as you are prudent with the funds, you will lead very comfortable lives.”
Two fat tears slid down Mamma’s cheeks, and Papa’s face fell. “Oh, Fanny,” he mumbled, fumbling for his handkerchief. When he found it, he tenderly wiped her tears away. “Elizabeth has accomplished what I have been unable to do. All of you will be safe when I am gone. I feel a bit like weeping myself.”
“I had nothing to do with it,” Elizabeth protested. “I still have no idea why Mr. Ellis would leave all of this tome.”
“You must have donesomethingclever,” her mother replied. “Or he would not have trusted you with all that he had.”
Elizabeth searched her memory, but there was nothing she had done that was in any way out of the ordinary. She hadlikedMr. Ellis, had written notes to him through Aunt Gardiner’s mother, Mrs. Wright. She had considered him a friend. But she would no more have expected this bequest than to be told she was being given a trunk full of pirate gold.
Perhaps Mr. Ellis’s reasons would be revealed in time. Perhaps she would never know at all. But as she watched her parents murmuring to one another in a manner she had not witnessed since she was small, Elizabeth knew she would thank their benefactor in her prayers each night for the rest of her life.
Chapter Two
When Elizabeth was escorted to her chambers by a maid, she was delighted to find the rooms clean and thoroughly aired out. A fire was crackling in the hearth, and when she examined the attached sitting room, she spied a small bookshelf stocked with tomes she knew she had mentioned at one time or another to Mr. Ellis. She sighed, still bemused about how this had all come to be.
She moved back to her bedchamber, and it was then she saw that a letter had been left on the desk. Curious, she picked it up. The wax seal was unusual, an emblem rather than a family crest. It depicted two mountain peaks, and in the valley between them, a sprig of holly, clearly referring to the name of the estate. On the front of the folded missive was her own name, written in a spindly script that bespoke age.
“Well, there is nothing for it.” She feared for the briefest of moments that the information inside would reveal this had all been some terrible mistake, but she summoned her courage and broke the seal.
My dear Miss Bennet,
By now, you must be wondering whether I was in my right mind when I made over my will. I assure you, the change was made some years ago, and not in haste. I never mentioned that I had made you my heir, as I know you would have protested such a gift. But I am not mistaken in this choice.
Your kindness was demonstrated to me time and again when you remembered me in your letters and asked to visit with me when you travelled to town with the Gardiners. But all these attributes would not be enough without your strength of mind and your cleverness.
I have watched you grow into a woman of remarkable character, Miss Lizzy, one who understands that true wealth lies not in one's possessions, but in the richness of one's heart. You see, Hollydale is not just any house, and therefore I could not leave it to just any person. It is known throughout the county by another name: Christmas House. This reflects the spirit that has inhabited Hollydale for generations. Should you choose to accept your inheritance, you must understand that it comes with a most unusual obligation—one you are eminently well suited to fulfil.
The owner of Hollydale House is tasked with keeping the spirit of Christmas alive throughout the year. Before you begin your jests about how such a thing is to be accomplished, this does not mean adorning the halls with holly and ivy in the height of summer. In fact, extra decorations would call attention where none is wanted, for no one knows the actual location of Christmas House—and that is precisely the point.
The task I set for you is to use your newfound resources to quietly embody the true essence of the festive season—not parties and frivolous gaiety, but true generosity. I have been a frugal man these thirty years, and you will find yourself in a position to perform acts of goodwill, to offer aid to those in need, and to spread joy in even the darkest of times. I expect you to do just that. And you shall have to keep your gifts strictly anonymous, though you may seek out Mr. Milner and his wife for assistance.
Through the things you have told me and written to Mrs. Wright, it is not difficult to discern that you and your sisters find yourselves in a precarious situation. Your father is still a young man in comparison to me, and yet I know too well that our time here is not guaranteed. So this is my final act of goodwill as master of Christmas House, and I do hope it brings you the same kind of joy that you have brought me. Your sisters and mother will always have a home. They may marry or not as they choose—but you must be especially careful in yourchoice of a spouse, for you will not only be gaining a husband, but Christmas House will be gaining a master. You must be certain he is willing to be your partner in all that its ownership entails.
I have chosen you for this role not only as my own final act of generosity, but also with the preservation of Hollydale’s legacy in mind. From the first day we met in the churchyard, and you asked me to tell you about my dearest wife Grace, I perceived in you a compassionate spirit that shone as bright as the Yuletide star.
I understand that this is no small undertaking. The responsibility of maintaining an estate while also tending to the needs of others is a formidable task. However, I am confident that should you accept this bequest, you will bring new life to Hollydale, maintaining it as a symbol of hope for those who require it. It is my greatest hope that in embracing your role as Hollydale’s mistress, you will find the joy that helping others provides, even when you face your own challenges.
Take your time to consider this bequest carefully. If I have been wrong and you cannot take on what you must for Hollydale’s care, I ask that you decline. Know that whatever your decision, you have my deepest respect and fondest regards.
Your friend,
Mr. Nicholas Banbury Ellis
Elizabeth read the letter three times before she set it down again. Her heart was almost too full.
