Enchanting Winter

“This is Winter Grove?”

“Wonderful isn’t it?”

“Stunning.” Willow murmurs as the carriage nears the mansion at the very end of the drive. There is a fountain in the centre of a large circular driveway and eventually the horses pull to a stop.

Jonathan immediately steps from the carriage Willow assumes to gets her bags and she takes a few deep breathes, steadying herself.

“Welcome home Miss Winters.”

Willow hears a familiar voice inside her head and looks around checking that she is in fact alone. Shaking her head Willow straightens her back preparing to meet her father’s parents.

“Ready m’lady?” Jonathan pokes his head back into the carriage. “Everyone is eager to meet you.”

Unsure her voice would work Willow simply nods and taking Jonathan’s offered hand steps out onto the cobblestone pavement of the driveway.

“Duke and Duchess of Winter Grove it is my honour to present Lady Willow of Winter Grove.”

Willow shakes her head at Jonathan’s announcement.

“I’m just Willow.” She says with a shrug her voice small and she raises her gaze from her shoes to meet that of her grandparents. The two people in front of her dressed once again in similar clothing to Jonathan look incredibly good for their age. Willow would put them in their late sixties but honestly both don’t look older than forty.

The woman she is assuming is her grandmother has tears brimming in her eyes as she looks at Willow.

“You are the spitting image of your mother.” Willow’s grandfather says his voice deep and resonate.

“But with your father’s eyes. My Henry’s eyes.”

Willow is taken back when the couple embrace her. Together they pull her in for a warm hug peppering her forehead with kisses and stroking her hair. When they pull away her grandmother takes hold of her hand as her grandfather speaks.

“We welcome Miss Willow Winter to her rightful home. Our granddaughter has returned. From this point forward she will be known as Lady Willow Winter of Winter Grove.”

When the Duke is finished speaking a crowd cheers and Willow’s eyes widen realising they are anything but alone. The moment of meeting her grandparents for the first time was just shared with at least sixty other people.

“Mr Clark, please see to it Lady Willow’s things are delivered to her room.”

“Of course Your Grace.” Jonathan bows low before hurrying away with Willow’s things in toe.

“Shall we take tea?” The Duchess asks and Willow nods unsure of the appropriate response. Her grandmother takes her arm and leads her inside the house. They pass through countless rooms before arriving in what the duchess calls the parlour. There is a table in the centre with a tea pot and tea cups ready to serve tea.

“Willow, we are sorry to meet you under these circumstances.” The Duke says softly.

“It’s ok...Your Grace?” Willow says the last part as a question and the Duke chuckles.

“No formalities needed my dear. You are my granddaughter. You can call me whatever you see fit. Grandfather, grandpa, William. Whatever you like.”

“Your name is William?”

“Yes, I believe your parents named you after me.” William Winter smiles towards his granddaughter and Willow can’t help but smile back.

“Do you mind if I make a call?” Willow pulls her iPhone out of her back pocket. “My best friend will be freaking out if I don’t tell her you got here safely.”

“It won’t work.” The Duchess says with a furrowed brow.

“Oh, bad service?”

“Willow, we should explain something to you. This is a different place you have entered.”

“Yeah, the outfits were a giveaway.”

“That isn’t quite what we mean dear. Here in Winter Grove, and in the surrounding counties, we do things a little differently. Your telephone will not work here.”

“Next you are going to tell me there is no running water.” Willow scoffs. “How am I supposed to contact my friends?”

“You write to them.”

“Write?”

“Yes dear. Write a letter.”

“But a letter could take weeks from here.”

“I assure you she will receive the letter with haste.”

Willow placed her now useless phone on the table before leaning back in her chair.

“What else is there then? If I’m stuck here for the next year I might as well know everything now.”

“Year?”

“Until I’m eighteen. You are only my guardians until I’m legal then I can go back to San Francisco.” Willow explains and the Duchess bites back a sob before excusing herself from the room.

“There is of course a lot to explain but you need to understand where we are coming from Willow. We have wanted to know you your whole life but your mother-”

“Do not speak about my mother.” Willow growls.

“Your grandmother and I are the Duke and Duchess of Winter Grove, William and Elizabeth Winter. We are part of a long tradition and you my dear are our only heir.”

“Heir?”

“All of this, will one day be yours which in turn means we have a lot to explain and you have a lot to learn.”

“I didn’t ask for this.”

“I know Willow but I ask you to keep an open mind.”

Willow just nods and William smiles at her.

“Very well. I think it might be best if you rest before dinner, perhaps pen that letter to your friend.” William snaps his fingers and the door to the parlour opens revealing a young girl in a maid uniform. “This is Annabelle Day. Miss Day is from here on out your ladies maid.”

“My what?” Willow furrows her brow.

“An open mind Willow.” William says sternly and instead of arguing Willow nods. “Miss Day will show you to your room and assist you in making yourself presentable for dinner.”

Willow looks down at her ripped jeans unsure why it is the second time today she is told she is dressed inappropriately. When she looks back at her grandfather there is a smirk covering her face.

“Whatever you say Pops.” Willow says and Annabelle gasps at the way she addresses the Duke.

William simply smiles at his granddaughter knowingly, whilst a challenge she is exactly what this house needs.

“You may show Lady Willow the way now Miss Day.”

“Of course Your Grace.” Annabelle curtsies. “Please follow me m’lady.”

Willow follows behind Annabelle slowing, taking in the antiquities of the house.

I could easily get lost in here. Willow thinks to herself.

“Maybe you need a tour guide.” That same eery familiar voice says in her head.

“Here we are!” Annabelle says cheerfully before Willow can question her sanity further.

Willow looks forward to see Jonathan waiting stoically next to her door.

“Hey Jonathan.” Willow says with a smile glad to see a familiar face.

“Lady Willow.” Jonathan bows on ceremony. “Miss Day.”

“Good afternoon Mr Clark. His Grace instructed that I bring Lady Willow to her room.”

“Of course.” Jonathan opens the door for the ladies. “Please call if I can be of assistance.” Jonathan shuts the door behind them and Willow is left gaping at the size of the room.

“Holy cow!”

Annabelle gasps as Willow’s language and Willow turns to her with her eyebrows raised.

“What?”

“I have just never heard a lady speak like that before.” Annabelle looks down sheepishly.

“You are way too innocent Anna, can I call you Anna?”

“If it pleases you m’lady.”

“That wasn’t what I…never mind. I need to send a letter can you help me with that?”

“Of course m’lady I will send for paper and ink at once.” Annabelle dashes from the room after curtsying and Willow falls back on to the insanely comfortable duck down bed.

This bedroom is bigger than my whole house. Willow thinks staring up at the crystal chandelier in the centre of the ceiling.

“Surely not your whole house.” The eery male voice teases.

“Don’t worry Willow, you are just going insane.” Willow murmurs softly.

“I certainly hope not m’lady.” The voice says as though in reply.

“Get out of my head!” Willow says loudly pulling the pillow over her head. She hears her door open with a creak.

“Lady Willow is everything ok?” Jonathan asks tentatively from the door way.

“Suck up.” The voice speaks again.

“Can you hear that?”

“Hear what m’lady?” Jonathan studies Willow for a moment with a furrowed brow.

“Nothing. I just have a headache. This place might not have mobile or internet reception but please tell me you have pain killers?”

“I’ll see what I can do m’lady.” Jonathan bows backing out of the room leaving Willow once again alone with her thoughts and the mysterious voice in her head.

“Now, he may think you are insane.”

“Who are you?” Willow asks the voice.

“And where would the fun be if I told you?”

“I can’t exactly trust a disembodied voice now can I?”

“How do you know it is I who is disembodied?”

“What-”

“Here is it m’lady!” Annabelle enters the room holding a tray which she sets down on a small coffee table on one side of the room. “Would you like privacy to compose you letter?”

Privacy?

“She clearly doesn’t know about me.” The voice offers his opinion.

Clearly. Willow mentally scoffs.

“No, you can stay Anna.”

“Thank you m’lady. I could unpack for you if it pleases you.”

“Oh sure, I guess.”

Willow sits down at the small sitting area on one side of her suite and begins her letter to Clare and Charlie.

How on earth do I explain a place with no internet or telephones?

“You could say we are Amish?” The voice offers.

Are you?

“Hardly, but at least it is an explanation your friends will understand.”

I wish someone would explain it to me.

“I’m sure they will in good time m’lady.”

I can’t believe I’m talking to myself.

“You are not talking to yourself. You are talking to me.”

I don’t even know your name.

“You can call me Cass.”

That’s a girl’s name.

Willow laughs when the voice in her head remains silent.

“Something funny m’lady?”

“Men and their precious egos.” Willow teases.

“I’m not sure I understand.”

“Do you have a boyfriend?” Willow asks and Annabelle immediately blushes.

“N-No…that would be very inappropriate. I am betrothed to Mr Clark.”

“Mr Clark?”

“Jonathan Clark, the footman.” Annabelle explains and Willow’s eyes go wide. Stalking towards the door she opens it with forces causing a confused Jonathan to stumble inside.

“Lady Willow is there a problem?”

“You are engaged to Annabelle?”

“I-I yes m’lady. I am betrothed to Miss Day.”

“Oh my god you can’t even call each other by your first names.” Willow rolls her eyes. “Have you ever even had a conversation? Spoken more than two words to each other?”

“Lady Willow I beg your pardon but-”

“Anna how old are you?”

“I’m sixteen m’lady.”

“And your parents are allowing you to marry?”

“We will be married once I turn eighteen.”

“But do you love each other?”

“We have known each other for a very long time Lady Willow.” Annabelle says softly.

“That isn’t what I asked.”

“I care deeply for Miss Day m’lady. She has my heart.”

Annabelle blushes profusely and Willow grins.

“So she should.”

“Lady Willow, can I suggest that you prepare for dinner.” Jonathan says looking taxed after having to lay his heart on the line in front of his employer.

“When is dinner?”

“Two hours.” Jonathan says checking his pocket watch.

“Oh goodness. That isn’t nearly enough time to make you presentable for the Duke and Duchess.” Annabelle begins to rush around the suite in a blind panic and Jonathan steps out once again shutting the door. “I know they said under no circumstances but it would make things so much easier.” Annabelle mutters to herself as she collects items from the closet laying them on the bed.

“What would make things easier?” Willow asks and Annabelle looks away sheepishly.

“It is not my place m’lady.”

Why do I get the feeling people are hiding something from me?

“Because they are.” Cass’s voice once again appears in Willow’s head.

You’re back.

“You are impossible to stay away from m’lady.”

Willow. Please call me Willow.

“You share a name with a tree.”

And you share yours with a population of females.

“Cassius. My full name is Cassius.”

“Cassius.” Willow murmurs aloud and Annabelle looks up from the closet.

“Did you say something m’lady?”

“No. No I’m fine.”

“We should get you dressed.”

You can’t actually see me right? Willow asks Cassius and Willow feels him laugh. The sound and the feeling sweep through her making her smile.

“No Willow. Your virtue is safe.”

Ha! Good one.

Willow thinks back to her Junior year after the homecoming ball when she gave away her virtue to one of Charlie’s footballer friends. She remembers how awkward it was, how painful, how it wasn’t romantic even slightly. Willow makes a point not to regret anything in her life but she does wish she had a little less of the spiked punch that night.

Willow shivers suddenly before she feels Cassius leave her mind. Her heart sinks as she feels him metaphorically slam a door in her face.

God Willow, now you are upset when your imaginary friends leave. You really are going insane.

Willow closes her eyes and shakes her head. When she opens her eyes Annabelle is standing in front of her holding a blood red Victorian style dress and corset.

“Lady Willow, is this to your liking?”