Holly lay under her heavy, down comforter with eyes wide open, staring intently at the jagged crack that skittered across the ceiling of her bedchamber. The clock in the hall struck five o'clock in the morning. It was Christmas Eve. She pressed her eyes shut. "Come on. Just one more hour of sleep, please," she whispered to the empty room.

Her mind was stuck in perpetual motion as it replayed the events of the past weeks over and over again for her, and it showed her only one thing: David Bishop. Her stomach was in knots and it seemed her anxious limbs couldn't stop stirring between the sheets of her bed. His quiet laughter taunted her. How he would always look away from her when he smiled. How terrified he had looked when he had seen her with Victor Embry. Holly wasn't sure she wanted to put a motive behind all of David's actions.

"But could he?" she wondered to herself, her thoughts drifting to the letter in her vanity. "Does he?"

An agonizing knot turned in Holly's gut. She felt simultaneously nervous, and sick, and excited at the thought that David might... love her. Was that what she wanted? Did this nameless agony that tormented her whenever he was near mean she was in love?

Love... the thought sent a shiver down to Holly's fingertips. David would be arriving that afternoon. What would she do? What would she say now that she knew how she felt about him? She was hopelessly ill prepared to handle these sort of situations. Was she supposed to bat her eyelashes across the dinner table and hope for David to get the hint?

"This is terrible," she mumbled.

After a few more hours with nothing but her thoughts, Holly was more than relieved to see Augusta enter her chambers to let her know a bath had been drawn. The process of bathing and drying and then setting her hair for curls took most of the morning. She then had Augusta put her into a pale golden gown that, in her mother's opinion, brought out the bronze tones of her dark eyes. She checked everything twice, hoping her appearance would inspire affection.

When she joined the others for luncheon, they gave her curious looks. The other women of her family were dressed in fancier clothes than for a normal afternoon, but Holly had outdone them by leaps and bounds.

"Planning on spending Christmas Eve at St. James?" Horatio remarked.

Holly felt her cheeks color.

"Leave her alone," Hortensia said, jumping to her defense. "Let her dress how she wants."

Throughout luncheon, all the children squirmed in their seats, knowing full well when the adults finished their tea they would finally get to see the parlor.

"Hurry up, mum," Miles groaned, tugging the sleeve of Hortensia's dress.

"Shall we move to the parlor before the little ones upset the table?" Colonel Ambrose suggested, and without a real answer the boys burst from their seats at the table and dashed out to wait at the parlor doors. Anne waited patiently in her seat beside Holly, content to draw shapes in the jam on her plate with her little fingers until her mother dismissed her.

Hortensia began to wipe Anne's chubby hands as the others followed the boys to the parlor.

Holly didn't know when David would arrive, but she kept one ear attuned for the sound of the bell at all times. As soon as the doors to the parlor were opened by Colonel Ambrose, the family pitched into an unbridled chaos. Overwhelmed by the sight of the towering pine, decked in colorful papers and tinsel and popcorn strings, the boys tore into the presents at the bottom. They stumbled over each other, searching for the small and large packages with their names on the tags.

"Careful now!" Marie called after her boys.

"It's fine," Colonel Ambrose said, with a wry grin. "Once they've opened all their gifts we can exchange ours."

In a matter of mere minutes, the floor of the parlor was covered in red and green and gold paper and the boys were playing with their new toys. To Hortensia's dismay, Timothy had given Miles a wooden pirate's cutlass with which to terrorize his cousins.

"No sword fights in the house!" Hortensia roared after the boys.

As the adults sat down to exchange their own gifts, Anne sat on her new rocking horse, refusing to budge from the seat.

"Your embroidery is really coming along, Holl," Horatio remarked as he opened his gift from Holly.

Holly laughed, "You're being far too kind. And what do you know about embroidery?"

"I know I can't even fathom how it's done." He folded the silk square and replaced it in the box.

"This one's for you," Mrs. Ambrose said, passing a heavy, square box next to Holly.

"It's from me," Colonel Ambrose added, his lips pulling into a wry smile.

Holly hefted the box onto her lap and tugged loose the ribbons. Careful not to jostle whatever sat inside the box, she slowly tore away the wrappings to reveal the wood beneath. With gentle hands, Holly lifted the lid of the box and found a peculiar instrument inside.

It looked something like handled binoculars with an odd stand out in front of the lenses. Then it dawned on her. She looked back into the box and found an envelope filled with cards, each printed with two nearly identical images side by side.

"A stereoscope!" she exclaimed, placing a card into the slot and drawing the lenses to her eyes. After her vision adjusted to the trick of the curved glass, Holly looked into a three dimensional image of the African jungle and giggled with delight.

"What is that?" Holly heard Timothy ask.

"A form of virtual tourism," Colonel Ambrose laughed as Holly passed the device to her brother-in-law. "It allows you to view an image in three dimensions."

"Wow!" Timothy said from behind the viewer. "I wonder how it works."

Each family member took their turn gazing at the jungle image through the stereoscope. Holly glanced through the pictures in the envelope, but didn't want to look too long. She wanted to savor each precious image and take her time to memorize each detail.

After all the presents were unwrapped, Hortensia and Maria took to helping Anne set up her new dollhouse. Mrs. Ambrose headed to check on the preparations for dinner while Colonel Ambrose, Timothy, and Horatio took the boys out into the drive to test out their new slingshots. Holly helped Anne put her doll in a new dress since Anne still refused to get off the new rocking horse. The girls played with the dolls until Anne grew fussy and was taken up for a nap by her mother.

Holly then settled back into the chair closest to the parlor fire with her stereoscope and cards. Hortensia peered out to the drive from behind the curtains, a worried scowl on her face.

"The snow is really blowing out there; I don't want the boys to stay out long," she remarked before turning back to the room.

"I don't want any of them getting hit with pebbles either," Maria added.

"Their grandpapa spoils them terribly," Hortensia said

After Holly felt she had sufficiently studied the jungle stereocard, she exchanged it for a tableau of railroad workers and a steam engine in what only could have been the American west. Meanwhile, Hortensia wound the gramophone (the previous year's Christmas gift to the family) and placed on a recording of Tchaikovsky. With a soulful melody in the air, and the crackling fire at her side, Holly barely glanced up when the boys traipsed in from the snow outside. She felt a blast of cold from the open door, but she wouldn't dare tear her eyes from her the stereoscope.

"Miss Ambrose." A deep voice brought her back to reality. Holly very nearly dropped the stereoscope as she beheld David Bishop standing before, examining her with a curious smirk.

"Mr. Bishop," Holly said, rising to dip into a curtsy after gaining her composure.

His eyes glanced down at her dress. "You look... healthy." David coughed nervously as he caught Holly's sister and Maria watching them.

"Oh." Holly's stomach sank. Healthy wasn't exactly the look she was going for. Perhaps he only thought of her as a friend or a sister. Her stomach sank further.

David seemed to sense her disappointment. "Or I mean to say you look beautiful," he said lowering his voice and stepping closer so the others wouldn't overhear.

Then again, perhaps he did think of her in the way she hoped. "You look very nice yourself," Holly said, reaching out a hand to finger the sleek lapel of his dinner jacket. She heard Hortensia giggle and immediately withdrew her hand. "Was the drive bearable? It was snowing quite heavily."

"It was a bit slippery, but I managed." David looked down at the Stereoscope Holly had discarded on the sofa. "Is the stereoscope yours?"

"A gift from my father," Holly replied and offered the device to David.

"I haven't seen one in person yet, but I've read about them." David placed the device to his eyes so he could see the photo.

"You could see the world with one of these."

David laughed. "I'd rather see the world in person — and without going cross-eyed."

"Me too, but one makes do when one is a woman," Holly sighed.

"Nonsense," David objected, placing a reassuring hand behind her elbow. He lowered his voice again. "Of all the woman I know, if any had the temperament for travel, you would be the first to come to my mind."

"Really?" Holly took a seat on the sofa and David followed suit, seating himself close to her. Perhaps it was the fire, but Holly felt like the room had gotten suddenly warmer.

"It's your dream, is it not?"

Holly nodded.

"Then I hope, if you choose to marry, you find someone who would help you live out that dream," David said with a pleading look in his eyes.

"That's my hope as well," Holly whispered. Her heart was racing and she was almost certain David could hear it.

A smile flicked over David's lips, but his attention was drawn away as the other men entered the parlor. Colonel Ambrose gave David a questioning look to which David shook his head as if to say "no". Holly wasn't sure what silent exchange had just taken place, but she could tell by the glint in her father's eye he was up to something.

With the gramophone still bellowing a proud waltz over the parlor, Holly watched as David chatted amiably with all of her family, exchanging furtive glances with him whenever he looked her way.

"You're one smitten kitten," Horatio said with a nudge to Holly's ribs as he sat down beside her.

Holly stiffened and while she attempted to shoot her brother a glare, she couldn't hide her smile for long. "And if I am?" she whispered aside.

"Then I think you couldn't have settled your affections on a more deserving man."

Holly caught David's eye again as dinner was announced and he moved to escort her to the dining room. As she looked up at her companion, she couldn't keep her heart at a reasonable pace. Holly wondered how she had never seen David this way before — there was a certain elegance to his features. A sleek frame, blue eyes that twinkled when they met hers, and cheekbones she wanted to run her thumbs across. She hadn't thought herself shallow but something about David sent a tingling sensation deep into stomach that spread through to her fingertips. Her skin never felt so alive as it did when he was near.

She took her assigned seat between her father and David once they reached the dining room. With the boys worn out from playing with their new gifts, the adults were able to enjoy a quiet meal for the first time in several days.

Mrs. Ambrose had arranged for a hearty holiday meal of minced meat pies. Holly could hear the wind of another winter storm whipping past the windows, still she could feel nothing but warmth with the heavy pie in her stomach and David at her side. After dessert, they dismissed the children to prepare for the program while the adults took coffee and brandies in the library.

As each hour passed of the evening, Holly grew more anxious. She couldn't stop herself for analyzing each of David's movements. When he left her side to freshen his drink, she took in a deep breath. There was no time for her to relax as her family all seemed to be scheming to leave her alone with him. She felt breathless again and for a moment thought she was going to faint. Holly wondered, Did women actually do that outside of romance novels? Not that she had ever read one of those trite romances... publically.

Holly fanned herself and moved away from the warm fire. "Keep it together," she mumbled to her pounding heart.

"What are the children preparing for the program?" David asked as he rejoined Holly.

"I'm not sure. For the past few years they did the nativity."

"Sounds festive," he remarked.

Soon after, Anne came to fetch the adults to bring them back to the parlor. In the absence of their parents, the boys had pushed chairs and sofas around to form a facsimile of a stage and rows of seating for the audience to watch their production.

"We need you to play," Adolphus said, pulling Holly out of her chair and toward the grand piano.

"Don't damage your aunt," Horatio scolded his oldest son.

"It's alright," Holly said brightly, lifting the cover of the piano. "What shall I play she whispered to Adolphus.

"Do you know any sea shanties?" he asked with an innocent grin.

Holly stifled a smile. "That's quite the departure from my usual repertoire but I think I can manage."

Holly looked into the faces of her family with a conspiratorial smirk. Her eyes met David's admiring gaze. "Am I right in assuming," she addressed her niece and nephews, "that tonight we will be privy to a rousing rendition of Treasure Island?"

The children nodded in unison.

"Then I'll play you in," she smiled, her fingers dancing out a jaunty tune that might have belonged on a salty breeze.

The children acted out an abbreviated version of Treasure Island, using their new swords, slingshots (unloaded), and Anne's rocking horse as props.

"I don't remember so many battle scenes in the book," Holly heard Timothy whisper to Horatio.

At the end, the boys took a bow while Anne gave a wobbling curtsy to their captive audience. Holly relinquished her seat at the piano to Maria who began to play Christmas carols for everyone to sing along too. The others gathered around the piano to join in the singing, an activity Holly avoided at all costs.

She found David at her elbow, eyeing her curiously as she tried to sing under her breath. She didn't have the most classic of singing voices and always found her deep timbre cracking on the high notes. Luckily she remember leaving her fan in the library and formed an excuse to slip away.

Holly only made it as far as the foyer before a voice stopped her.
"Where are you going?" David asked following her into the grand hallway, stopping where Holly stood at the base of the staircase, a glittering chandelier above them.

"I left my fan in the library." Holly laughed faintly at her watery excuse.

"I can fetch it for you," David offered.

Holly reached out and placed a comforting hand on the sleeve of his jacket. "That'll be alright. Though I must confess I was trying to escape the singing."

"But you have a lovely voice." David's brows pushed up in surprise.

Holly laughed amiably. "You are being far too polite."

"You are terrible about accepting compliments."

Holly laughed again.

"I'm absolutely sincere. There's a raw elegance to it. I was just wishing to myself that you would sing louder." David smiled at her before a look of realization flickered over his face. "I almost forgot, but while I have you to myself..." he said, fishing a hand into the pocket of his suit jacket. He withdrew a small box wrapped in a gold foil paper and handed it to Holly. A nervous smile played on the corner of his lips.

The rectangular object felt heavy in Holly's hands. "What is it?" she asked, turning it over to tear open the paper.

David rubbed the back of his blonde hair as he watched Holly nervously. "Just a small gift. Nothing special," he added with a barely noticeable quaver to his voice.

Holly removed the wrappings to find a small wooden box covered in a network of intricately carved flowering vines. It was varnished with a beautiful, dark lacquer and the top featured her initials "HEA". Holly held it closer to take in the details of the flawless craftsmanship. From the individually carved rose petals to the scrawling script of the monogram, the small box looked like it would have taken months to complete.

Holly felt her cheeks color. "David," she said breathlessly as she brought her eyes to meet his. "This is beautiful. Did you make this yourself?"

David looked down to his feet. He nodded his head.

"Thank you. This is beautiful." Holly tried to open it, but found the lids closed. "Does it open?"

"Oh!" David exclaimed, shoving a hand back into his pocket and producing a miniature brass key which her pressed into Holly's open palm.

Holly's hand jolted briefly at the warmth of his lingering touch. She hoped he hadn't noticed.

"But don't open it yet... not in front of me at least," David said, a pleading look in his eyes.

"Why ever—" Holly began, but stopped as Horatio strode into the hallway.

"Hello you two," he greeted with a nod of his head to David. "I wondered where you'd gotten off to. I'm off to get more brandy for us—" He stopped short, a knowing grin spanning the width of his face. "David, I believe you owe my sister a kiss."

"Wha–what?" David stammered as Horatio seemed to have caught him off his guard. His cheeks flushed with a pink twinge.

"She is standing under mistletoe," Horatio laughed before turning lithely on his heel and practically skipping towards the library.

Holly looked up to see a full sprig of mistletoe tucked between the crystals of the chandelier. She turned back to David whose lips were still parted in surprise. They pulled back into a smile. "May I?" he asked in a deep whisper as he took a step closer to Holly to shorten the space between them.

Holly's head was swimming, her hands tingling, but she knew her answer immediately. "Yes," she breathed.

David didn't hesitate. His hands flew to Holly's face and with a swift motion he pressed his perfect lips to hers.

Holly felt suddenly weightless as David wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to himself. His lips moved gently against hers with such a tenderness she never imagined could come from a kiss. The thumb of David's hand pressed firmly to her neck traced the lines of her jaw and the soft hollows of her throat, sending shivers through her body.

Her lungs were burning for air by the time David broke the kiss. He didn't pull away too far, a look of desperate relief played over his face.

"Wow," Holly sighed, sinking further into David's arms, her hands resting on his chest, one of them still clutching at the box.

David gave her a slightly surprised and yet relieved smile.

"Holly," he began but she interrupted him with an inkling that just began ruminating in her mind.

"This box must have taken months to complete... I mean why go through all the trouble when I've barely spoken to you aside from — not that I mind... I love it... I," Holly stammered, her head spinning as David's lips dipped dangerously close to her again.

He fixed his eyes on hers. "Holly Ambrose, I am madly and irreversibly in love with you. Please end my agony and tell me if I have hope of winning your heart."

Holly felt a lump fill her throat. "You already have it," she gasped and pressed her lips to David's in a fervent kiss. She pulled away to take in David's smile. "I love you," she breathed.

"I had only just dared to hope a fortnight ago when your father confronted me about my affections for you."

"My father?" Holly laughed, suddenly surprised.

David laughed faintly. "Yes. As you know we have been good friends since I took my position in Hillbury. I made a habit of stopping by anytime I could for engaging conversation with your father, but also because he had the most beautiful daughter who always had her nose in a giant tome, and never paid me a second glance," he chuckled. "He asked me point-blank if I was in love with you. I of course admitted my feelings on the spot. He then gave me his blessing to pursue you."

Holly couldn't believe her father had known David's feelings all along, but she didn't care. David took Holly's hand in his and tenderly slipped his fingers between hers. "I don't want this moment to end," she sighed as David rested his forehead against hers.

"Not interrupting am I?" Horatio asked as he strolled through the foyer, a crystal decanter of amber liquid in hand. The intrusion sent Holly's heart racing as she moved to a respectable distance, but without releasing David's hand.

Holly cut Horatio a pointed glare as she watched him saunter back into the parlor.

"We should probably return to the others before anyone gets suspicious," David suggested.

Holly agreed and they finished the remainder of the evening playing parlor games with the rest of the family, casting each other furtive smiles whenever they could. As the time came for David to leave, Holly felt a pit grow in her stomach. The evening had turned into one of the happiest of her life and every fiber of her being did not want it to end. Luckily the snow had fallen steadily since his arrival and Mrs. Ambrose insisted that David stay the night.

"We can take you to church in the morning. We'll be heading there anyways," Colonel Ambrose added.

"Alright. I'll stay then," David agreed.

After everyone was sent to their rooms for the night, Holly immediately took the box and key from her reticule and placed it on the table beside her bed.

Once she was comfortably tucked between her covers, Holly took the tiny key and opened the box. Inside it was a folded piece of parchment. With nimble fingers, she unfolded the paper and hungrily read its contents:

To my dearest Holly,

A very happy Christmas to you from your most ardent admirer. I do hope I will have the courage to share my feelings with you before this note reaches you. If not then I hope this will not come as a shock, but I am deeply, truly in love with you. I want to kiss you and keep you and wed you and take you around the world and make you mine for now and forever. This is my only wish for my life and I hope you might consider such a life favorable. I am yours.

With all my love,

David

Holly's stomach turned into knots as she read David's letter. She kicked her legs excitedly between the sheets and clutched the letter to her chest. As she reread the letter, a familiar sensation struck. She had seen the penmanship of this hand before. She sprang from her bed and threw open the drawer of her vanity with a clatter. The letter from her secret admirer sat atop her hair pins, which she removed anxiously. She took it back into her bed and placed it beside David's letter.

Holly laughed with delight. The handwriting was a perfect match. 

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