It was a still, white-draped afternoon. The grounds lay deep under soft snow, the sky glowed a satin blue, and the sun hung low and full in the west. As the old oaks glittered with dripping icicles, smoke curled from the manor’s chimneys in a lazy dance. It was Christmas Eve. Classes were on hold until the new year, and the manor was unusually quiet, except for the classical holiday music playing from above. Joy tried to outwait the silence as she stood in the foyer. She usua

The grounds carried moist dirt and wet bark from the evening’s rain shower. The old oaks were swinging slightly in the breeze, and except for the soft rustling of the leaves, everything was still. This calmed Joy as she walked toward the stables. She lightly knocked on the tall wooden door. Ben answered barefoot and shirtless, his belt unfastened for the night. If he noticed her glance, he gave no sign. She quickly looked up to meet his eyes. He opened the door wider. “Comin