The Ghost of Winterlove Castle

Chapter One

Orphelia Knight was in a predicament she never foresaw herself being in, for she was always careful, and she vehemently proclaimed her feelings in a soft mannered way. Pray tell, why couldn't she figure her way out of her current situation? It was a somewhat confusing mess of things, a big jumble of nonsense fresh from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. It was frustrating and tiresome. She was alone and buried in a mess of absolute madness, chaos, and silliness. Just one breath of pure air would suffice. But even the Lord Almighty would not bless her with such a miracle. So Orphelia did what anyone would do in her situation: Have a lovely conversation with a dearest friend.

That's where Orphelia was now. Arm-and-arm with her dear friend, Ada Lovelace, walking around the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park— which was only a few miles away from Orphelia's family mansion in the city center of London— talking about the problem that haunts Orphelia: her announced courtship to Lord Ezra Burton, the most eligible of London's bachelors. In Orphelia's esteemed opinion, he was a pompous arse. Her mother would not approve of her using such foul language, but no combination of words was better at describing her true feelings. Orphelia does not want to court nor marry Lord Erza Burton, so as any confused female would do, Orphelia consulted her friend. Just as weary clients consult Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Waston.

The crisp Autumn air found its way into even the darkest of crevices. The glazed black curls of Ada's hair. The large brown branches of the trees guarding the lake. In between the buttons of freshly-pressed waistcoats. And the despair resting in Orphelia's heart like a pile of the blackest coal. Orphelia could barely breathe, let alone confide in Ada, but she made do with the few sentences and phrases she could force out of her lungs. "I can't do it.
I just can't," proclaimed Orphelia. "I won't do it." Her grip was like death around Ada's arm, and Ada made her discomfort known.

"Orphelia, for the Lord and my sanity, loosen up or let go." Ada glared at Orphelia until her death grip turned into a soft, gentle one. Feathers against washed, perfumed skin. Not the Grim Reaper claiming a victim during the dark period of the Black Death. "If you want my advice," continued Ada, "then loosen up, shut up, and listen, my poor dear soul in need my wonderous aid." The periwinkle skirts of Ada's dress shivered in the wind, like it too was scared yet attentive to Ada's words. The dark basil-colored skirts of Orphelia's dressed scraped the ground, causing fallen leaves to waltz together across the well-cared-for lawns. Orphelia felt a weariness in the air as Ada offered her gracious advice. "Orphelia, I agree and stand by you in this endeavor wholeheartedly. You should not court or marry someone you have no feelings for." Ada waved her lace-covered hands in the air like Queen Victoria announcing important news to her beautiful country. Ada had the structure and fortitude of royalty. That is why Orphelia listened to her with awaiting ears. "Haven't you confided in your parents? Maybe if you explain your feelings about the engagement, they will reconsider?"

"I've tried," said Orphelia. "They will not listen to me. They are oh-so concerned about how it will better their appearances that they do not think about me. They don't bother to even ask what I feel." Orphelia looks toward Ada with a look of misery. "I feel lonely. I feel uncared for. It's like I'm a forgotten girl in my own home. I'm miserable."

"Oh, my dear Orphelia. You're so troubled I wish I could magically take it away." Ada turns and embraces Orphelia so forcefully, her feathered hat almost falls off. "I can only ask you one thing: please talk with your parents. You may be surprised by what they're willing to do."

Orphelia leaves Ada's embrace and looks at her pleading face. Maybe she could at least mention to her parents how much she doesn't wish to court Lord Ezra Burton. If worse comes to worse and they don't agree, Orphelia could just run away to her friends in Florence.

Orphelia nodded her head and said: "I'll do it. What could possibly happen?"