A Second Chance Holiday

A SECOND CHANCE HOLIDAY

CHAPTER 1

Not only was Adam Walker thrilled by the utter silence of his castle, he was impressed by his thoughtfulness to have created it.

He had just walked in, from a very heavy December snowfall. Outside his home was blanketed by heaps and heaps of white flakes and as he walked into the relief inside, his joy knew no bounds.

The house rarely afforded solitude; there were always numerous staffs getting their hands busy putting things in place. That was not to be unexpected in a house that belonged to a man whose family had a long history of consistent abundance.

Adam himself was unmarried, but his parents would not have him live any lower than the standard that befitted the luxury they could afford. And asides this, there was no pressure whatsoever from them for him to be married. If there was any pressure, it was channeled to encourage his continued consumption of the available wealth.

It was perhaps the fact that he had grown amidst such lavish lifestyle that birthed his gradual disinterest in being surrounded by compliant servants.

One of the best thrills of the moment was therefore not walking into the caring hands of several servants in the house. He had been in the snow, like a helpless man, for the first time in his life. And he was now home, yet without the comfort of servants.

Seeing now, that he would spend the Christmas holiday in the comfort of the castle’s absolute silence, Adam wore a big smile. First, he dropped his luggage beside the cold fireplace where he would soon set ablaze himself. Then he pulled off his snowed boots and looked around.

A week ago, he had made a rare offer to allow all the staffs go to their families for the holiday. They had all consented to the offer. Not a single one of them was reluctant to leave the castle for the cold holiday.

They had worked like clocks, all year round; ensuring that Mr. Walker got everything he needed for a good life. He had therefore decided that whoever was willing should be given the break.

Adam informed them all that he was going to the Highlands too, and would not be at his home for the holiday, and so there would be no use for any of them during the time. If there was anyone who still nursed reluctance about leaving, that last straw did the trick and convinced them about the uselessness of waiting behind.

Anyone who stayed back would be seen as having nefarious intents. That seemed clear and no one was willing to be in those shoes.

It was not even a week after Adam had gone that every staff in the house also went to their families. Now, he was returned to the house, and the rare silence that welcomed him was thrilling.

During his brief visit to the Highlands, he had planned on how he would live alone in his castle. He had not even budged on his decision when he considered the position of one who would make his meals. He had spent some time in the kitchen himself, and possessed the skills needed to make a food he could consider good. At the worst, he would find himself a new cook who would be employed only for that purpose and for the brief period.

He walked around the large drawing room with bare feet and looked about it with a smile. Silence - absolute silence yawned back at him.

Now this is it. He said happily to himself as he began to swirl around, in a manner he had always desired to. Like a little girl who was practicing her dance in front of a large crowd at an imaginary ball.

In his excitement cum satisfaction, Adam stopped dancing and crashed into a cushion. It felt different now as he sprawled his legs on the arms of the chair; in a manner unbefitting of such a stern lord.

He twirled around the chair and sat with his back against its seat and his head poised where his legs should be. His legs flicked and fluttered above the cushion like the blades of secateurs.

He laughed at himself derisively. If this was the only freedom he gained from being alone in his castle, then it was worth it.

He wanted to run into every chamber in the house, and then scream so loudly. He just wanted to do everything he had always desired since childhood.

But there were too many things on his mind, and he could not decide yet which to begin with.

For this period, he told himself. I would only consider myself a little child. He smiled when he recalled that he was twenty and seven already. Then he began to head toward the kitchen, but he stopped walking and decided rather to visit his chamber.

There, he considered, he would throw all his attires on the bed, so that when it made a tall heap, he’d lie on it. He had always desired being poked and scratched lightly by the materials of his outfits.

Adam walked all the way to the edge of the stairs. It was there that he first noticed something unusual. He felt so upset, his furrows darkened with a frown and his next steps were taken gingerly, as though he would otherwise wake a baby from light slumber.

When he walked close to his chamber and met the door ajar, he knew instantly that his recent fear had indeed some sense of manifestation.

“No.” someone - clearly oblivious of his presence - screamed from the room. “Not that one!”

The voice belonged to a lady. A lady in my chamber? Adam imagined the worst; the silence of the house had attracted a real thief or one of the servants had informed pillagers of the desertion of the house and now a thief had come to take his possessions.

“Do you think this would look good?” another lady requested giggling.

Adam crept to the side of the opened door, and he peeped.

Through the mirror, Adam sighted the painted face of a lady whose identity could not be made because of the several things she had smeared on. She was still applying some more colored makeup on her face when she spoke. Both the ladies were indifferent to the intruder and they kept at their mischief.

The other lady who was talking had her back against the door, and so Adam could not identify her too. What struck him the most however was that the lady whose back was against him was dressed in his clothes.

He was still thinking of how he would storm into the chamber and scream his disgust when he sighted in front of the standing lady, a heap of his other outfits sprawled on his bed.

“What is happening here?” Adam thundered as he tore into the room.

“What?” the ladies were taken by fright. It was the one seated by the mirror who spoke first anyway.

“Mr. Walker!” the other lady screamed. Her face now seemed like she had seen a ghost. The outfit in her hand dropped to the floor and her hands cupped her mouth in utter shock.

The last person they had both expected would ruin their morning was the very man before their sight.

CHAPTER 2

There was a striking resemblance between the ladies. Adam was completely uninterested in that at the moment. The truth was that he could not even see the face of the sitting lady properly yet, because she had it smothered in different colored substance.

Adam could not however disregard the similarity of their oblong faces.

“Er…Er…Chris-tiana?” Adam said sternly. His face - hard as rock, was directed in the direction of the lady who had worn his clothe. There was no way she could escape this.

“Sir -” Christiana began to mumble as she clumsily began to put the entire clothes back into the trunks she had picked them from.

The mere fact that these miscreants had defeated him at what he was secretly planning made Adam even angrier.

Christiana was a new maid in the castle. She only began working for Mr. Walker four months ago, when one of his oldest maids got married. The teenager stood at four feet and three inches and had a perfect slim shape with long fingers.

When the lady sitting in front of the mirror stood with embarrassment, Adam immediately identified her as a more matured version of Christiana; Her mother? He thought. Definitely not! He screamed in his head.

“I specifically told everyone to go home for the holiday!” Adam declared furiously. He tried to keep his voice low, seeing as the other woman was an older family member of his new maid. He walked about the room, his eyes desperately searching every other thing to see if there was a bigger plot at play.

“No sir, you did not specifically say so.” Christiana replied with an unusual courage, as she struggled to keep the trunks arranged in the alcove it had been retrieved from.

“What?” Adam inquired, “You are saying that I did not remember what I said?”

“You said anyone who wanted to go could.” She replied, looking consistently at her…sister, for whose face she drew more courage.

“And everyone consented.”

“Not quite sir.” she replied, shaking her head.

“Obviously. Not everyone. Get out. Now.” He said finally. The beauty of his echoing voice could not be appreciated anymore with the ongoing drama.

Both Christiana and her sister scurried out. Her bravery was commendable, but it was not wielded in the direction through which she might be appreciated for it. Even if her words were anything to go by, that didn’t give her the permission to be in his bed chamber. She could find excuses to escape his chastisement for all he cared but there was no escaping from this fact.

When they had left the room, Adam heaved a deep sigh of relief and wondered what to do next. Only his clothes were tampered with, everything else seemed fine. He sat on his bed and began to ponder.

He did not hear the doors shutting downstairs and so he knew that they were still in the house. It would have made no sense for them to leave without proper apologies.

His was the decision to take, on punishing them. But first, he needed to know how to start. He stood again and paced around his room in frustration. He was angry that his plan was dented, but even more provocative was the fact that he was struggling to figure out what the real offense was.

Normally, the culprits trespassed. They took advantage of his properties; that was a sufficient erring. He imagined the implication of their crime, and he could not pin point anything. If they had the intention to steal his properties, they would not linger in his home trying the see which outfits made them look funniest.

He could not settle for anything concrete. He felt guilty too; being familiar with the kind of free childish spirit that descended on people when they felt unwatched. He began to trudge down the stairs, in preparation to confront their appeals with a stern dismissal.

“And what was it that you and your sister were doing in my room?” He requested as soon as the ladies came to his sight.

Their faces fell in submission. No one would believe the sober ladies were the same offenders a moment back.

“We… er…er…er” the older version of Christiana began to say. She had cleaned her face now, and despite his fury, she was immediately the most adorable lady Adam had seen.

“You are not my staff! Your sister is. So if I assume you were thieving on my property, I am most certainly not wrong.”

A part of Adam was happy though, that he had been the one who found the troublemakers. They had not crept in on him while he was doing all those juvenile stunts in the drawing room.

“Sir. I am exceedingly sorry about this.” Christiana appealed.

“Now you shall be gone!” He thundered at them, fighting very hard to avoid the distraction that was Evelyn’s face. “Both of you!”

The ladies scurried to their feet and began trooping to the enormous door. In a split second, Adam considered the fact that he was sending the beautiful lady away, and he would never see her again. It hurt him, but he had to take the stern decision.

And they ought to be appreciative that he was not even taking sterner actions against them.

As soon as the door opened to the ladies, the snow outside gawked at them in abundant whiteness. The pathways had already been covered in snow, so that no one could make his or her way out that easily.

How had he not remembered that. It was even through a hair’s breadth that he had been able to muscle his way in.

Even if the ladies wanted to proceed, they would not make it so far before they froze to their deaths. Then, he would be responsible for the dying of them. A teenager even.

“Come back.” He said grudgingly when he noticed their determination to be out of his hair. “Do you want to go out there and get yourself killed?”

“Sir, we were -” Evelyn began to say.

“Just get back in here and be safe.” He replied. “And close the door before the entire cold pours back into the house and freezes us all nonetheless.”

The ladies trudged after themselves and fell back onto the black tiles of the drawing room.

“Shall we get some fire in that fireplace before I think of a better punishment for you?”

While he watched, the ladies scurry to get woods and fire; he looked around for what he could help with. His command had been meant for Christiana only, but her sister would not let her solve that alone. It only took fifteen minutes for heat to filter around the castle again.

Adam should have known that a pampering life was his forever. There would never be a time when he would be rid of the companies of servants. Only now he was not certain it was right to treat his latest companies as servants.

He closed his eyes and sniffed the warm air. He would come to the conclusions of a befitting punishment much later, but for the moment, it seemed comely to consider them as fellow friends who merely sought shelter in his stead.

“You may have your seat and let’s have tea.” He said lightly. When Christiana hurried after him to help with whatever he was going to prepare, he waved her offering off and insisted he wanted to do this on his own.

CHAPTER 3

“It was Christiana’s idea.” Evelyn confessed an hour after they were at the table over a large jug and cups of tea. “She came home yesterday evening and told me that everyone was going to their families for the holiday. When I told her to come and stay with me through the yuletide holiday, she said it would be better and more fun if I came with her here.”

“So what was the plan?” Adam asked. “Put my chamber in utter disarray?”

“No sir. I was just going to dress up like you and see how good I look in those outfits. It was meant for amusement.” Christiana admitted shyly.

Adam chuckled. She really did look funny in that outfit, but he did not acknowledge that now. It occurred to him more than before that the two ladies were only playing around, the way and manner any other servant who was not expecting the master would do.

“That was a little too far play. I have friends who detest sharing whatever possessions they have. And if it had been any of those friends, they would have levied heavy punishments for that.”

“We are eternally sorry sir.” The ladies pleaded in the solemnity that followed his speech.

It was the first time in the lives of the ladies that they had such freedom in the house of a wealthy man. It was hard to resist toying with his wealth a little since they would not come by such a chance again.

“I cannot assure you that you are forgiven, but I also cannot throw you out in this weather. I might never forgive myself if I do that.”

“You have a kind heart sir.” Evelyn said.

The apologies seemed to have wearied him out now, and it was starkly obvious that they needed to move past that and talk about other things if they would at least spend the following days together.

Christiana thought of a good question that had lurked in her heart since she saw Mr. Walker return to his home but she was only a maid and even though the man now made them look like friends, there were still limits to what she could say.

“You have been staring at me with curiosity.” Adam said after a long sip at his tea.

“Yes, sir. And if you do not mind my asking, why did you return so early?” Christiana inquired. It was a rare but delightful opportunity she now had. She had always looked at him from a distance. He was an untouchable, almost invisible man when all the servants were around and at his service.

“It was my plan the whole time.” Adam replied. “I just wanted to make sure you all left so I could have some alone time.”

“Quite thoughtful.” Evelyn acknowledged.

For Adam, it was the fact that he still had the chance to stare at her that kept him smiling. Every glimpse at her made her seem more beautiful. If she was dressed up in wealthy attire, no doubt she would strike anyone as a princess. But as was the case with all the ladies he had encountered in the past, he would not think of anything beyond the friendship that had naturally started between them.

That friendship was only good enough to spare Evelyn and her sister of their offense; it would not grow beyond that. Adam silently acknowledged.

***

Even if Adam had not intended to strike up further discussion, it would have made no sense. There was a big class difference between them, but they were all they had through the holiday.

For a brief moment, he considered sending them to one of the chambers in the castle, so that their activity would not clash, but that would mean forfeiting the entertainment he could get from speaking and getting to know his servant the more.

He therefore began discussions on other matters. “Why did you suggest that your sister comes to stay with you and not your parents?”

“I am all the family she has sir.” Evelyn replied. Each time their gazes connected, he lingered his while she stylishly panned hers away from him. “ Our parents died a decade ago, after an infectious pox struck. For some time, we lived with an aunt who tried her best to give us a meaningful livelihood. But when I clocked twenty, she concluded that I was old enough to be independent and to take care of my sister.”

“And how old are you now?” he inquired. Not much from keen interest but from keeping the discussion alive. He knew of people who had more tragic stories.

“I am twenty and three years of age” Evelyn informed him. But she was practically living as an established lady, striving very hard to create the best life for her sister and herself.

“I think you should have directed all your energy on marriage.” Adam suggested. “Life would have been a whole lot easier if you had a man who took care of you and your sister.”

Evelyn chuckled, “I would be married sir. In a not so distant future; but to a man who has the value that is fitting. This is why I strife to be more established and respectable woman.”

“But when would you have achieved that?” he inquired further.

“I just must keep striving to get better.” She replied. “When it is time, then I shall know.”

What intrigued Adam, aside the many new things he learnt about his servant, was how despite her beauty, Evelyn was able to keep herself from the aggressive proposals of men especially men who had reprehensible intentions.

She had lived among the cruelest people. Nature itself had tossed her in the hands of the worse fate, but she had impressively created substance from it, and had not allowed the terrible situation dictate to her what she should do.

“That is impressive.” Adam found himself confessing, each time the ladies talked about another aspect of their lives.

Adam told them about himself too. It felt so natural that he poured his heart to Evelyn. He even told her about how he had been unable to find the peace and quietness he had desperately sought in his large castle.

The three spent time together in the castle, talking about things they had within them for a long time.

By the time Adam tossed more logs in the fire, they both realized that Christiana had slept off on the couch she was sitting on. And the duo talked on and on, touching virtually every aspect of their lives that they had initially thought they would never talk about to anyone.

Chatting with Evelyn was the most natural thing that happened to Adam. He realized this was a lot better than being in the home alone. It was obvious that the coincidence was divinely planned as he would never have known that under his roof there was a lady with a sister who had such a sweet spirit.

CHAPTER 4

Christiana woke to the amusing voices singing around her.

She could not believe her ears and so it was necessary to confirm with her sight. She rose from the couch. Night had already hit the house, and there was still a flicker of fire in the fireplace. Candlesticks illuminated the room and as she looked around, her eyes fluttered.

She had been dreaming about angels singing, but as she woke from the sleep, she realized it was not the voices of angels but mortals around her.

Afar off, in a corner near the dining area, Mr. Adam Walker and Evelyn were singing carols. Evelyn’s voice was louder than his, but she was the one playing the pianoforte; the voices along and the musical instrument provided a heavenly tune.

Christiana knew that her sister had spent time learning how to play the pianoforte when they were with Aunt Bella, and she had always been good at singing. What Christiana could not fathom was when and where Evelyn had perfected the skill so much. As she played, the entire room was set in a true yuletide ambience. She sat there, staring in their direction and savoring the beauty.

Her master; Mr. Walker himself had never struck him as a man who could sing so well. His baritone voice accompanied Evelyn’s tenor with great ease. They were singing Orange and Lemmon when Christiana woke.

“Two Sticks and Apple,

Ring ye Bells at Whitechapple,

Old Father Bald Pate,

Ring ye Bells Aldgate,

Maids in White Aprons,

Ring ye Bells a St. Catherines,

Oranges and Lemmons,

Ring Ye Bells at St. Clemens

When Will you pay me,

Ring ye Bells at Old Bailey

When I am Rich

Ring Ye Bells at Fleeditch

When will that be,

Ring ye Bells at Stepney

When I am old

Ring ye Bells at Pauls.”

There would never be a better singing pair. And when she stood from the couch and sneaked towards them, the appearance of the duo was a perfect sight.

“Oh, you are awake.” Mr. Walker observed as they delivered the last note.

“That was a very perfect rendition!” Christiana exclaimed. “I have never heard anything as beautiful as it.”

“Frankly, I never knew your sister sang so melodiously. Now she has melted my heart.” Adam said proudly, “And she plays the pianoforte so well too. With these skills, she will surely win the heart of any man she intends.”

Evelyn smiled, if only the opportunity to win a worthy man’s heart presented itself though. The mere upbringing of growing in a poor home meant that they were eternally distanced from the rich and happy.

“Thank you for the compliments sir.” Evelyn said smiling.

Christiana and her sister were allowed in one of the guest chambers. Adam told them explicitly that they should consider themselves as his guest, pending the time the snow outside his castle would clear out and they could return to their hut.

Christiana and her sister were impressed. If they thought earlier about earning the master’s forgiveness, the closest they would have thought was getting the chance to sleep on the couch.

“Isn’t Mr. Walker such a wonderful man?” Evelyn said to her sister as they lay on the giant bed that was to be theirs for the time.

“He has such a sweet heart, and I must confess I have never imagined him in this light.” Christiana acknowledged.

“As soon as the snow clears out, we must be out of his hair. I do not want us to be any further burden to him.”

Christiana smiled. “It did not look like that to me, today while you were both playing and singing.”

“Do not make anything of that moment! We were engulfed in the seasons’ delight.” Evelyn protested. “You do know Mr. Walker is a man of high social standing. He would surely not make anything of that brief sweet moment.”

“Of that I cannot be very certain.” Christiana said truthfully.

“You need to think straight. This is a man who is showered with an abundance of affection everywhere he goes, especially by ladies who are in the same social circle.” Evelyn declared. “You should think straight and not feed yourself with indecent imaginations.”

Christian knew she was young, but she was young and not foolish. What she had witnessed did not seem like an emotional affair that would be short lived. She saw the bright flicker in Mr. Walker’s eyes when he looked in her direction, the moment she walked in on them. “It appears to me that you tell yourself these words to convince even yourself.”

“Say whatever you like Christiana, I need rest.” Evelyn pulled the thick sheets over herself and she pretended to be asleep. What could a teenager like Christiana possibly know about love and romance?

***

Adam could not count the number of balls and soirée he had been invited too. Many of the invitations, he had honored. Following his family influence, respect was all he got from the people he met at the balls.

As he lay on his bed and stared at the roof, Adam found himself recalling his experiences with ladies.

Not one of them had struck him so passionately as Evelyn. He had been instantly attracted to her pretty face. And with what they had talked about, he had come to understand the kind of strong lady she was at heart.

He would not understand why, despite having met several people, his encounter with Evelyn struck so deeply. He rolled over his bed and stared at the clumsy arrangement of the trunks. He chuckled lightly.

On the morrow, he would ask the ladies to join him in arranging them properly. Perhaps, he would even allow Christiana wear all she wanted to wear, so that they could tell her sincerely how she felt. Even as he found himself desiring such playfulness, he knew the ladies would not consent.

It didn’t matter, the snow would not melt off in a few days, so they would get even closer within the time they still had together. The holiday was only just starting, but Adam knew he could not have asked for more, if he had the chance of making the best Christmas request.

Left to his feelings that night, Adam knew that a marriage with Evelyn would be a promising one, but there were a lot of things involved in marriage. Many times, the beauty of first meetings faded with time, and one is then pushed into the reality of their partner’s bad habits.

He lay back in his bed and smiled quietly at himself. There were too many uncertainties ahead of them both, he would not even dare talking to her any further about her marital plans, so that he wouldn’t create an impression that they could not sustain.

Adam’s focus shifted therefore to the good that they could achieve during the time they would be together.

When morning came, Adam was confronted with breakfast already prepared for him. As soon as he woke and began to walk down the stairs, he was embraced by the delicious aroma of the meal the ladies had prepared.

“It was for reasons like this,” he said, “that I wanted to be alone.”

“But you have agreed such a time would never come.” Evelyn reminded him.

“Perhaps we would think of how to do that.”

“How?”

“I will singlehandedly make lunch and dinner for us today.” He declared, “Do not forget that you are my guests, and if I am to host you, you should not be serving me.”

“That sounds interesting.” Christiana chirped. She was with her sister at the dining table. She was completely ready to be treated like the wealthy once. At least if it was going to be only for a few days.

“What if we do not like the food you make?” Evelyn asked boldly.

“Then the game would be over.” Adam replied laughing.

He liked seeing their faces at the table. He liked their consent to his offer, and he knew that they wouldn’t be able to resist his delicacy. In all, he knew the Christmas would be a sweet one for the three of them.

Whether or not he would propose to her after the holiday was over, Adam left that in the hands of fate. He only took pride in the pleasure of being in the company of such adorable souls.

THE END