Christmas at Thorncliff Manor
Secrets at Thorncliff Manor
by Sophie Barnes
Publication Date: December 5, 2017
Genres: Adult, Historical, Romance
Will Fiona ever see the Earl of Chadwick as more than a friend? Will Emily find an unlikely love in the Marquess of Montsmouth? Can Laura recognize the man of her dreams in the Duke of Lamont? And is Viscount Belgrave able to open Rachel’s eyes to romance? The magic of Thorncliff is about to offer the last unmarried Heartly sisters a chance at their own happily-ever-afters.
So sit back with a warm mug of cocoa and lose yourself in a Regency Christmas Romance…
England, 1820.
Comfortably
seated at a dining room table that seemed to stretch toward infinity, Fiona
Heartly considered the people who’d been invited to visit Thorncliff Manor
during the holidays. Due to the group’s intimate size, only a fraction of the
table had been set for the evening, while most of the chairs remained eerily
empty. Pleasantly, however, five large oranges pricked with cloves and
strategically placed in the center of the table infused the air with a seasonal
fragrance of citrus and spice. The lady of the manor, the Dowager Countess of
Duncaster, looked as formidable as ever. Placed at the head of the table, she
wore an elaborate wig that had long since gone out of fashion. But she was
known to have several eccentric bones in her body, so nobody ever minded.
Rather, Fiona suspected she was considered all the more interesting on account
of her peculiarities.
To
Lady Duncaster’s right sat the Duke of Lamont, a middle-aged gentleman whose
demeanor was always perfectly somber. Fiona had yet to see him smile, but then
again, she had also to spend more than one minute in conversation with him. A
long-time friend of Lady Duncaster’s, the pair had apparently been spending the
holidays together for almost six years now. Ever since the duke inherited his
title with the sudden passing of both his father and brother.
Leaning
forward, Fiona glanced toward the seat at Lady Duncaster’s left. Lamont’s
cousin Viscount Belgrave sat there, amicable as usual. He’d always struck her
as being exceptionally kind and good natured, though not the sort of man who
would ever stir an amorous interest in her. She needed someone more challenging
– a scoundrel with a good heart. Not that she had any intention of marrying any
time soon. As the youngest of her siblings, she knew she still had a year or
two ahead of her before seeking a husband became a necessity. In the meantime,
she meant to enjoy what remained of her independence – the final moments of her
youth.
That
particular thought had her looking directly across the table at one of her
favorite people, the Earl of Chadwick. He’d always humored her hoydenish
streak, and he never failed to enjoy a bit of mischief as much as she did. He’d
been a part of her family for as long as she could remember – ever since her
brother Christopher, Viscount Spencer, or Kip as his family called him, had
brought the earl home with him for a visit one year during the school holidays.
They were all exceedingly fond of Chadwick. His positive outlook on life was so
infectious it was impossible to be grumpy while keeping his company.
Meeting
Fiona’s gaze, he smiled warmly. A couple of seconds elapsed, and then he
suddenly snatched up his napkin and started dressing his fork as if it were a
lady putting on an extravagant ball gown. Fiona’s lips quirked, more so when
the fork began dancing along the edge of the table.
“Oh,”
Lady Duncaster said, “How utterly delightful!”
Had
they been anywhere else, his behavior would have been considered incredibly
improper. But here nobody minded. Rather, they all appeared quite entranced by
Chadwick’s little performance, which now included a softly hummed tune as his
knife swept in to partner with the fork in a waltz.
“I
suppose it’s no wonder you are so good at charades and other parlor games,”
Rachel observed. “Playing pretend comes so naturally to you, I almost envy your
ability.” Exceptionally fond of mathematics and science, she rarely found
anything amusing since all jokes were usually ruined for her on account of
their nonsensical facts. But with Chadwick, she often made an exception. It
seemed he had a style that appealed to pretty much everyone.
“Speaking
of which,” Lady Duncaster said, taking a sip of her wine, “I would like to
discuss our holiday schedule. Montsmouth has yet to arrive of course, but I see
no reason why we cannot agree on a few diversions without his presence.”
Fiona
instantly frowned. She vaguely recalled seeing the Earl of Montsmouth when
she’d last visited Thorncliff during the summer, but he’d always lingered in
the background, so she hadn’t paid him much mind. It never would have occurred
to her that he might be a good enough friend of Lady Duncaster’s for her to
include him in this private holiday gathering. No doubt he’d been delayed on
account of the weather.
When
she’d arrived that afternoon with her parents and her sisters Emily, Laura, and
Rachel, snow had already begun to fall. Her other siblings, Christopher, Chloe,
and Richard, had chosen to spend Christmas at their individual estates with
their spouses, no doubt so they could have the privacy newly wedded bliss
required. Not that Fiona minded since her brothers’ absences, in particular,
would allow her to move about Thorncliff more freely and to continue her search
for the treasure she still believed to be hidden there.
It
hadn’t been found yet, but certain clues had, like a diamond earring linked to
her own family, a code book outlining a conspiracy within the aristocracy, and
a letter tying her great-aunt to the late Earl of Duncaster’s father and to
some sort of strange resistance movement that had been active during the time
of the French Revolution.
“Is
he the gentleman who lost his snuff box in the conservatory this summer?” Laura
asked, still speaking of Montsmouth.
“Yes,”
Fiona’s father said.
“I
find he’s always standing on the outside of things,” Lady Duncaster added, “and
with both parents dead and no siblings to speak of, I thought he might like
some company for Christmas.”
“How
good of you to take such notice,” Fiona’s mother said, smiling.
Lady
Duncaster chuckled. “Oh, I am always taking notice.” She glanced at each of
them in turn, her lips curling into a secretive smile that made Fiona suspect
they weren’t here by chance but that Lady Duncaster had taken particular care
in selecting each of her guests. The lady regarded them each with her piercing
blue eyes and then quietly asked, “How about skating for a diversion?”
The
question came so suddenly, Laura looked as though she might choke on her wine.
“Right now?” A touch of alarm tightened her words.
About Sophie Barnes
Born in Denmark, Sophie has spent her youth traveling with her parents to wonderful places all around the world. She’s lived in five different countries, on three different continents, and speaks Danish, English, French, Spanish and Romanian. She has studied design in Paris and New York and has a bachelor’s degree from Parson’s School of design, but most impressive of all – she’s been married to the same man three times, in three different countries and in three different dresses. While living in Africa, Sophie turned to her lifelong passion – writing. When she’s not busy, dreaming up her next romance novel, Sophie enjoys spending time with her family, swimming, cooking, gardening, watching romantic comedies and, of course, reading. She currently lives on the East Coast.
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Thank you so much for participating in this tour!
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