It was Christmas and the Davenport sisters found themselves alone, without even a dour-faced maid to supervise them. Instead they were expected to obey strict puritanical devotions. But this year the elder, flame-haired Gillian boldly decided that it was high time the sisters let their hair down a little bit. So with the help of a kindly relation, the two daring misses exchanged their usual somber (and considered “proper”) attire for more modish gowns and hairstyles that would surely have given their parents apoplexy!

It was to be a memorable year and a Christmas rich in plum pudding, eggnog, carols, and a most breathtaking tree. The Davenport sisters reveled in the rituals of Christmas as well as in the selection of handsome gentlemen who had come to help celebrate the festivities!

So it was that it was this year that Gillian was caught under the mistletoe by Lord Ranger Marden. She then discovered things her mother had never dreamed of telling her…