The Christmas Twist

THE CHRISTMAS TWIST

CHAPTER I

For Edwina Hasselhoff Christmas time in Scottsdale was the most beautiful thing to experience. She loved it with all her heart. There were beautiful trees, plenty good food and great music to experience. This time however, Christmas was not at all what she had expected it to be.

Edwina was a woman on a mission. And there was nothing more powerful than that. The guards could not stop her, her parents could not persuade her and society certainly could not tame her. She looked around. All she could see was the magnificent brick castle her family had worked in for generations. It was tall, beautiful and certainly sturdy. She had grown up here watching her father work just as her father had done with his parents and even his father and his father’s father. Of course, there was no point in calling it the Hasselhoffs’ ranch if it stopped belonging to the Hasselhoffs.

She looked at the apple orchard right in front of the ranch and the flowers that made the castle such a new sight to behold. She thought of the horses she had helped take care of and all the cows they owned. What fate would they suffer if they belonged to any other family but hers? Who could – in the entire Scottsdale - take care of the ranch the way they did?

“Edwina!” a familiar woman called.

Edwina turned the moment she heard her mother’s voice. “Mother,” she replied.

Her mother was far smaller than her in height and in build. However, the weight of her voice was much stronger than anything Edwina knew. “Why are you so headstrong? I told you, your father spoke with the Duke. There is nothing else left to be done.”

Edwina refused to believe that. Her family had owned this ranch for as far back as she could remember, and she had assumed that they would remain the owners for as long as she was alive and even far beyond that time.

“‘Tis not a quitter you raised. I shall fight for this home. Of what use is the Hasselhoff castle without the loud bunch of Hasselhoffs?”

“The Duke of Cambridge has offered to forfeit your father’s debt for the ranch. Tis not the best thing to be done but under these circumstances what shall we do?”

“Mother, the universe knows that the Duke hath no need of this ranch. If he so desires, he can have far greater. Of what delight is it to him for us to leave?”

“You are but a child ’Wina and you do not understand the affairs of a man’s finance at this time, my child.”

Her mother was the only one who called her ’Wina and it was usually when she was too upset or when she was trying to comfort her. Edwina could not ascertain which emotion it was at this time.

“Mother, is it not to father’s failing that I am of little education. One thing which I am most certain of is that the Hasselhoff ranch is ours and shall always be.”

Edwina’s mother shook her head and massaged her temples with two fingers. Her mother had been doing that a lot in the past few months. It had become her habitual relief since Edwina’s father took to a terrible illness barely six months ago. To save him, they had had to reach deep into the ranch’s pockets. It had been a long and stressful journey but ultimately, her father had died. However, the ranch had suffered a huge blow from the family’s trial to save the man’s life.

Dealing with such a great loss was hard but dealing with that and possible bankruptcy, was even harder.

The business had crashed. They had used all they had to ensure her father got better. If he had not been the sole manager of the family’s business, the family would not have suffered a quarter as much as they did when he became sick.

Edwina had done everything within her power but it had not been enough. She had taught herself only a little on how to wield the business control. Unlike other women, Edwina had been concerned about business and the affairs of the ranch. However, many people refrained from doing business with a woman, especially a young unmarried lass who was solely expected to be presented to the ton a fall or two after.

The family therefore, had also to let go of all the remaining staff. And now, Edwina and her two brothers were the main staff the ranch had so it had become all too difficult to manage.

The pinnacle of these calamities however, was the interference of Anthony Hastings - the Duke of Cambridge. He had come in as though to intervene with concern. He had heard and seen that the ranch that was once famed to be the biggest supplier of meat and milk in all of Scottsdale was struggling to balance on its feet and he therefore decided to take the chance.

For a ranch that had once earned reputation among the town, Lord Hastings believed with a little effort, the ranch could still reach such prominence again. Upon arrival to examine, he noted that it was no longer churning as much milk and the tales of producing much meat had become an old story.

It did not help that Edwina’s father had been very active among the Ton. When he became weak and absented himself, the entire town noticed. Rumors of what could have gone wrong spread like wildfire. Edwina and her mother were countlessly confronted with these rumors, most of which were untrue and malicious but there had been little they could do to abate them.

Edwina had heard different accounts of her own situation. It was even more distressing that she heard these from the lips of those who claimed to be her friends. Some believed her father was battling with hay fever, others thought it was a curse from a witch, while others thought they had simply gone bankrupt from spending too much and he could not help himself.

Of course, those rumors have been scarcely true. What was close however was that something had been terribly wrong with her father.

Using this information, Lord Hastings – through his book keeper, had sent a message to the ranch bearing his intention to buy the ranch and ‘save the family of their reproach’.

The offer was a tremendously huge sum, not even Edwina could argue that. Edwina admitted that it was a good way out of their misery but she did not want it. She was not interested in letting the family’s heritage off. In her heart, she was convinced that they would eventually scale through the storm, she knew they were. Her father had felt the same way too, and he kept his optimism high and rejected the offer.

They had continued living their lives basking in the empty optimism. It was a harsh life; a sudden cascading from their luxurious past. And considering how difficult it was to survive. Edwina, who previously had staff all around the house waiting on her hand and foot now had to fend for herself.

Despite the decline, she adjusted well but Lord Anthony Hastings was unrelenting himself. Soon, he wanted the ranch and he was prepared to get it by all means. His initially pleasant appeal to buy the ranch and save the family soon turned into an aggressive request. He sent his accountant once again, offering a price far above the previous. Edwina had been led to believe her father had declined it, until her father died and his counsel came to inform them of the truth.

Her father had predicted that he would die so he had sold it out. The counsel told them it was because he wanted to leave his family well cared for but to Edwina, it was a betrayal she could not bring herself to forgive her father for. When she sat quietly and considered it, she realized that her father wanted what he thought was best for his family.

Edwina was not going to give up without a fight. She was not prepared to leave the ranch in the care of anyone – especially not on that ground. It was her home. The only one she had known all her life. It was the home she hoped her brothers; Andrew and Jacob would marry in, and grow families in. It was the one she hoped their children too would pass on to their own children. It was the biggest Hasselhoff legacy and she would die before she let Lord Anthony Hastings take it.

He had not paid her father yet as her father had died the day the payment was scheduled for. What he did have was a written agreement signed by her father of his intention to sell. She had read enough books even as a girl child to know that she needed to annul that contract between her father and the duke.

How to go about fighting for the land was the crux of her challenges. She had just received a response to the letter she had sent to the duke informing him of her desire to annul the contract. There it revealed that the duke had no desire to annul the contract. He wanted the ranch and it seemed like nothing she did could stop him. He had the money and the title. She had nothing, not even the support of her own mother.

However, she did not need it. She only needed a willing mind and she had that firmly. She was determined that by Christmas, she would have gotten him to annul the contract.

CHAPTER II

Edwina stopped her horse - Midnight, in front of the tall intimidating castle right before her. She had only ever heard about the Cambridge castle and had never seen it. It was worth all the stories and myths that had been built around it.

It was a sprawling house with sturdy brick walls. Lord Hastings who was in possession and control of such great castle was unmarried. Edwina imagined how he could stay in such a huge abode without a wife. It would be lonely, and she was not one to live in that manner.

It was very certain that Lord Hastings had servants and maids and stewards but it was nothing like staying with one’s own family. A man like him probably did not care about that anyway. The only thing people like him cared about was gold, vanity and power.

Edwina refused to be intimidated by the affluence she was witnessing. She was named after her father and the man had been a strong force to reckon with after all, not a dwindling circumstance could pull her off courage. The imposing castle was all but material. Material things that did not matter to her, as it did to other people especially lasses. Edwina was here on a mission and that mission was something she was determined to achieve.

She knocked on the huge oak door. In a few seconds, a man dressed in a uniform opened the door for her. He ushered her in with a sweep of his hand and a tip of his hat. “Good day milady.”

“Good day. Tis your master I am come to see.”

The man gawked at her in surprise; she should have an invitation, didn’t she? He wondered. “I am quite uncertain if he is aware of your visiting.”

“He is not aware. Let him know I am come with a particularly important quest”

The doorman nodded reluctantly. He would have requested the quest from her so that he might be the judge of its importance, but he knew he would be rising putting himself in trouble. “Aye. I shall inform the master.”

Edwina held up a hand. “Before you leave, ‘tis on horse I came. I shall need my horse to stay in the stables as ‘tis snowing outside.”

“I see that.” He nodded. “I shall call the stable boy to see to it.” He then left the room and returned in a few minutes. “Aye milady, the master shall receive you right this minute.”

Edwina nodded, as she followed the doorman. They soon stopped in front of a wooden door. The doorman knocked and opened the door for Edwina. The moment Edwina entered the room, she was in awe. She had never seen so many books in her life. She wondered if this man had read all the books. They were in thousands, she was certain.

She had never been allowed to spend as much time reading as she desired. The little time she had, there was no doubt she enjoyed it so much. Her mother had scolded her for burying her head in books, telling her it was not a thing for ladies to love.

She finally took her eyes off the books when Anthony approached. He was like a special kind of human. In the moment of his appearance, all Edwina’s anger was disposed. She focused on the man with helpless admiration.

He was tall, stood at six feet six inches. His eyes were just the right size, his hair, jet black and his nose, ever so sharply pointed. He was devastatingly handsome. He had an air around him that made him seem so high and mighty. Edwina imagined he was the kind of man mothers struggled to present their daughters to. It was no surprise that he had been named the catch of the Ton for more seasons than she liked to recall.

He moved with defiance however, unaware of the admiration that followed him, and that even made him seem even more flawless.

He smirked. It almost seemed mocking to Edwina but she was not fazed, “Miss Edwina, shall I request that the maid fetch you some tea or would you rather prefer some biscuits? My cook, Adelaide, is the best in the town.”

Edwina raised her chin and remained poised. “Tis business I am here for.”

“Aha, business. What business? ‘Tis my perception that ladies such as yourself do not concern themselves with business affairs.”

Edwina frowned. She had heard this too many times to keep count. “‘Tis but a wrong perception you have then.”

“Aye, I see that clearly.”

“My father, Edwin Hasselhoff, owner of Hasselhoff ranch signed an agreement with you. ’Tis my believe that no payment has been made. Thus, I would like to request that the agreement be annulled.”

The Duke scoffed. “I am afraid I do not take back my words from whatever I have appended my signature.”

“And I am afraid I do not back down from what I want either. Hence, my family and I shan’t be receiving any payment from you. You cannot lay claim over a property you have made no payment for.”

Lord Anthony Hastings laughed again. “You underestimate my will. The payment is in your father’s solicitor’s hands as we speak. ‘Tis a good thing you never back down. However, one must always know what battles to fight.”

Nothing could have prepped Edwina for that big revelation. It was in order to save the situation early enough, that she had woken up before sunrise and started the journey to the Cambridge castle. She thought of her options. There weren’t any left. Her family was going to lose the ranch and there was nothing she could do about it.

“If that be the case, we shall have to return the payment immediately. ’Tis not like you need the ranch. The ranch is my home and I shan’t allow you take that from me.”

As though undeterred by every word Edwina professed, Anthony Hastings kept a defiant look on. “Under whose authority do you speak? Whilst your father and I talked about the property, where were you? And why did your father not inform me of your relevance in this matter? Have you no brothers?”

“You may lay claim to all that your heart desires, but I shall not watch my family’s heritage jeopardized in such manner.”

“Payment has been made for that property and if I must return, tis must be with a greater value for my payment. Besides, I am not willing to let such a property I have only recently acquired off in that manner.”

Edwina was on the verge of tears but she refused to show it. A man like this would love to see her weak. Appearing weak was one thing she abhorred.

“Your hefty sum that is of no use to me, neither is it to my family, without the ranch. Did father tell you that five generations of Hasselhoffs have lived in that very ranch?”

Anthony suddenly became serious. “I have made my payment after an agreement with the owner of the ranch. I have no business with you.”

“Former owner, you mean. Father is dead and by tradition the castle is to go to his first born son, my brother, Andrew. You surely know that my innate father is incapable of selling his property.”

“In this time, Miss Edwina, tradition is secondary to paper contracts.”

Edwina hated the fact that he was right. Her father had never officially signed over the ranch to Andrew. Andrew was even too young to know what to do with the ranch. Once again, she hated being a woman. She wanted to do so much than what her gender allowed her to. “‘Tis not over till I say it is.”

“Well, I say ‘tis over now.” Anthony replied. “Shall I have a governess escort you? I hate to think you will return to your abode alone. Who knows if the gypsies are out there?”

Edwina thought of pleading. A man like him might eat up her pleas like sweet biscuits but she could not bring herself to lose both her pride and the ranch. “I can make do by myself.” She left the room. Soon, she was at the entrance of the castle.

***

Edwina stared at the front of the castle. It was snowing heavily now. It was Christmas time and therefore she was not surprised. What surprised her was the fact that she spent too much time in the castle ignoring the possibility of heavy snow. She wondered how she would make it back home before Midnight.

She was bothered about her horse too. They would both ride the long journey back home under such a storm; none of them would survive that. She loved her horse far too much to put her through that kind of strain besides it was not safe for her too. She had little choice.

She was still thinking of what to do when the doorman who had attended to her came out.

“The master requests that you stay behind ma’am. We have already taken care of your horse. She’s in the stables.”

Edwina shook her head. She did not want any form of charity from this man. “I and my horse shall leave now. We are not in need of any charity from your master.”

The doorman shook his head. “‘Tis understandable if you do not care for my master. However, you must care for yourself. ‘Tis a snowstorm this is brewing to be. The very last thing you will want for yourself is to be caught in that.”

Edwina was not stupid; the man’s words were true. If she remained adamant and went out in the snow, the odd of getting back to the ranch was not favorable. She did not need to add another loss to her family. She sighed. She just needed one win. Just one win and she would not fall into the overwhelming sense of sadness that was brewing in her.

“I shan’t refuse your offer. At this point, it seems as though I am left without the choice of doing so.”

The doorman nodded and they both went in. The minute she walked in, she saw Lord Hastings again. He had a smile of fulfillment on his face. She hated seeing it and seeing herself at the mercy of it but there was little she could do to stop the tingles in her belly that smile caused.

“I see Sebastian was able to convince you to grace us with your presence today. ’Tis of utmost importance that you are returned home in one piece. Far be it from me to see a lady travel in such a state.”

“How very kind of Your Grace,” Edwina responded respectfully.

“What shall you have for brunch? Adelaide bakes the best bread in town. I shall inform her to get you some. Do make yourself comfortable in the guest chambers.”

CHAPTER III

Edwina woke up with a startle. Everywhere was quiet and she was not certain if it was already nighttime or if the storm had become so heavy. She stood and walked to the window. It was the storm. She was grateful she had not been so stubborn to reason.

She was the only one in the room and she needed to get busy. She really hated being still and doing nothing at all. She decided to explore the castle. She knew there would be so many things about it to like very much.

She stood and began to access the Christmas decorations that had been put up. The Earl did not seem like such a warm person to even celebrate Christmas much less have decorations in his house. It was a pleasant surprise. The decorations were truly beautiful. Edwina touched each item lightly. They were of great quality too. She had a feeling that Lord Hastings was a man with so many layers and wondered if one of those layers would make him rescind his decision to buy the ranch.

She continued to walk around, accessing the house and admiring its glory. She was not very Arya inclined but she could see the beauty in the art that was in this home. She walked out to the snowy garden, which was many steps out of the guest quarters but close to it.

There, she came across a rotunda filled with flowers. It was nothing like she had ever seen before. It was an invention far ahead of its time to Edwina and she just had to see it. The rotund was covered on all sides with glass, with oak angles. She pushed its small door and walked in.

It was warm inside. But the flowers were just as adorable as they had been from outside. She was about to touch the tendrils when she realized she was not the only one in the rotunda.

“Miss Hasselhoff, might I ask if you are lost?” the voice of Anthony inquired.

Edwina was shocked. It was not necessary to turn around in order to identify where the man was seated. She never would have imagined in the first place that Lord Hastings had interest in the nurturing of such an adorable garden and she even found it hard to believe that he came to visit it early despite the cold.

She realized that argument made no sense as the house belonged to Lord Hastings and therefore by default, all the wings in the house belonged to him. She chose to ignore his question.

“‘Tis a beautiful place you have here. I have never seen so many beautiful flowers groomed indoor before.”

“’Tis a good practice which makes the home look much better. Besides, I love gardening so it was a near important for me to have one.”

Edwina nodded.

“Come see the view from this angle.” He offered, ignoring the fact that she was an opposing intruder.

Edwina drifted to his side. She had totally forgotten her grudge with the man by now. “I have always loved plants. They are so beautiful, especially if you know just how to take care of them. Thankfully, mother taught me.” She reached out to feel the blades of the long leaves. “May I?”

The Duke looked very amazed but he nodded. As she began to access each plant; the adorable glow in her eyes became apparent.

“’Tis a mighty fine surprise to see you like this,” he noted.

“ ‘Tis a mighty fine time not to have to think about leaving my home.”

The Duke laughed. “You are unrelenting, are you not?”

Edwina smiled smugly. “I am afraid, I never do well with relenting.”

Edwina raised the water kettle in front her and was stopped from pouring the water by Lord Hastings’s hands on her shoulders. She felt shivers travel down her spine. It was a simple touch she had experienced many times before but somehow experiencing it with the Duke felt so different. She wondered if it was a function of the contempt she felt for the man but knew it could not be. What she had felt had nothing to do with contempt.

“You pour it like this. This is Cassandra and she is a fiesta one, I must tell you.”

Edwina raised her brows. “Cassandra?”

Lord Hastings nodded. “She is my oldest and dearest plant.”

He held on to Edwina’s arms and together, they watered the plant.

“Does Your Grace have names for all your other plants?”

He smiled. “Aye, would it not be fair to?”

Edwina laughed. This man was suddenly not as intimidating as she had thought him to be. He obviously had a soft spot, even if it was for plants.

“You dare laugh at the Duke of Cambridge?”

Edwina still could not stop laughing. She tried but even his question made her laugh even more. She covered a snort by placing a hand over her mouth.

He laughed too. “Well, I hope you have had enough.”

Edwina nodded. She loved this indoor garden. It was beautiful. She wondered if she could replicate it in the ranch. It was then she remembered that she may not have a ranch and it was because of this man she was laughing with. Her countenance changed immediately. She had to leave that place fast. She turned to leave the room.

“I shall take my horse and be on my way. Many thanks for the shelter.”

“Surely, you cannot be serious. The snow storm is raging. ‘Twould not only be unkind to allow you go off, ‘twould be a silly thing on your path to choose possible death over a good shelter.”

“But I must leave now. You cannot hold me captive.” She insisted, drawing back.

Lord Anthony Hastings laughed for what felt like the tenth time that day. He turned her to face him and positioned his face mere inches from hers. “I promise you, if I wanted to hold you captive, ‘twould be a more pleasurable experience for us both.”

Edwina swallowed. She could feel her feet buckle beneath her. Her hands began to quiver. It was everything and nothing at the same time. The air became so thick that it could be cut with a sword.

Edwina was still trying to form her words when the Duke came closer to her. his words were frantic; “If I offer to return the ranch without a fight, would we be at peace? For your safety.”

Edwina could not believe what she had just heard.

CHAPTER 4

Anthony Hastings was not a man easily swayed by even the most beautiful of women. This was why when he could not restrain himself from thinking about the pink bow shaped lips belonging to a woman who had no regard for societal rules, even he was shocked.

However, even his shock did not stop him from professing an ordeal he had concluded over. The lady’s lips were so soft and giving, if he did not know any better, he would have imagined this was his quiet plan from the very moment he tried to convince her to stay in his castle. When she saw him in the rotunda, he had felt like his unspoken dreams had manifested. Her curiosity had indeed gotten the better of her. However, it was the way her body shivered in his arms when he had touched just her arms to water the flowers that melted his heart completely.

He could not get his eyes of the woman. She was light on her feet, a feet shorter than him, and she had a flowing black hair that was well pleated. She was no more beautiful than any other beautiful lady, but her fierce boldness had struck him.

The mere activity of being together in the rotunda was not enough still. He wanted all with this woman. He could not explain it but the instant she had walked into his drawing room with her eyes brown and blazing, he had felt a pull towards her. He had known there and then that this was not a woman like all the other ladies of prominence.

Her contempt for him did not help matters either. Anthony was used to everyone trying to please him. It had been like that since he was a child. No one had ever denied him a thing. It was in part, the reason he had refused Edwina’s request initially.

The other reason was owing to the fact that he was a good businessman and understood the value that the Hasselhoff ranch could provide him if it was well managed.

When he offered to return the ranch, even he was not certain if he meant it or not. Merely staring at her made him hungry to please her. The offer had been uttered from that momentary blindness.

She moved away from him like she had been viciously burnt by the very request she wanted. “You mean Your Grace, that you would…” She stuttered.

“Yes.” He whirled around and thought about it. “I shall return the ranch and overlook all my intentions to possess it if you decide to stay within the comfort of the guest chambers till morning is fully upon us.”

“Your Grace…?”

“The choice is yours now.” Anthony placed a hand on his forehead; it was his reaction whenever he was in a confused state. “I must confess, I cannot explain it.”

Edwina scoffed. It was clear she was just as flustered as he was or maybe even more than he was. “Well, I shall stay, but ’tis not to say that I shall take advantage of your brief conclusions. I shall hear your response after Your Grace has thought better about this.”

Anthony nodded. Some seconds after, Edwina slipped out of the rotunda and back into the quarters they had offered her earlier.

***

It was the New Year’s Eve and the Hasselhoffs’ gathered in the drawing room singing hymns. Andrew was playing the pianoforte and they all sang to the delight of a new year.

At the end of the rendition. Edwina stood and walked to the very center of the gathering.

“I have a great news for the whole family.” She announced.

Everyone stared at her puzzled. The family had accepted the fate of forfeiting the ranch. They had even concluded plans on moving to the smaller town, and it was to the acceptance of this fate that they were marrying into the New Year.

“What is it Wina?” her mother inquired above everyone else.

The very moment she began to talk, there was a knock at the door and Lord Anthony Hastings was ushered in. Everyone was surprised to see the visitor. Was he here to claim his property?

“Dear all,” Anthony began to say when Edwina moved aside for him to speak. “Edwina and I have concluded plans about the ranch. I shall not purchase it again. What we shall do however, is that all I have paid for it would be used as investment, and I am certain that we can achieve greatness with that. Once the ranch has redeemed its name, my financial contribution shall be returned in comfortable instalments.”

The first good news was that the ranch would not be sold. The family members cheered loudly. Then the money paid would not be taken back. That was another cause to celebrate.

Lastly, Anthony turned aside and retrieved a box from his breast pocket. “This is for Edwina.”

Everyone was puzzled about his move.

“Yes?” Edwina asked.

“You’ve been the greatest lady I know, and I cannot be more convinced than I am now. Edwina, will you marry me?”

As Edwina accepted the proposal, the family members were thrown into a great ecstasy of celebration.

It had been a wonderful year.