Twelve Days at Silverleaf

By Janet Kaderli

Hoping to find a new perspective on the Christmas holidays, Ali Clarke travels to the Victorian-style Castle resort hotel in Silverleaf, Colorado, to celebrate the Twelve Days of Christmas. With the help of the Castle chaplain, Cole Retherford, Ali and others learn to place their focus on Jesus Christ rather than the overwhelming commercialism of the festive season. Ali posts a blog about what she learns each day.

An angry response to one of her posts devastates Ali. Will she be able to recapture the joy she’s found in Twelve Days at Silverleaf?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Janet Kaderli
• Release date: Nov 15, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370371525

Janet Kaderli

Hello! Welcome to my author page here at Smashwords. I've written books for a variety of ages. No matter the age level, all my books are about family, love, and happy endings. I've been blessed with all of the above, and love to share my stories.

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Twelve Days at Silverleaf

By

Janet Kaderli

Twelve Days at Silverleaf is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Text copyright © 2017 Janet Kaderli

Cover art Vjom/Shutterstock.com

Cover Design © 2017 Janet Kaderli

All Rights Reserved

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Table of Contents

Dedication and Acknowledgements

Christmas Eve

The First Day of Christmas

The Second Day of Christmas

The Third Day of Christmas

The Fourth Day of Christmas

The Fifth Day of Christmas

The Sixth Day of Christmas

The Seventh Day of Christmas

The Eighth Day of Christmas

The Ninth Day of Christmas

The Tenth Day of Christmas

The Eleventh Day of Christmas

The Twelfth Day of Christmas

Epiphany

Epilogue

Ali’s List

Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas

Books by Janet Kaderli

From the Author

DEDICATION

Much is said every year about Keeping Christ in Christmas with the reminder that Jesus is the reason for the season. This story is dedicated to those who love Jesus Christ and keep Him the focus of their lives not only at Christmas, but each and every day.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thank you to my husband for being supportive through the process I’ve gone through in completing this book. Thank you to my family and friends for asking about the progress and giving me the encouragement to keep going.

Thank you, especially, to L. M. Gonzalez, for taking the time from her own writing to critique this novel.

Thanks to God and His Son Jesus Christ.

All glory and honor are theirs.

Christmas Eve

Now thrice welcome, Christmas, which brings us good cheer. . .

Ali Clarke’s heart quickened as she caught her first glimpse of the castle after passing through the village of Silverleaf, Colorado. With the granite walls of the Victorian-style mansion in sight, she pulled over to the side of the road safely out of the flow of traffic. Picking up her Nikon camera, she got out of the car. From here she had a view of the entire front of the structure. Rounded towers rose three stories on either side of the garland-wrapped columns guarding the entrance. Tiny white lights sparkled in the greenery, joining the warm glow of light spilling from the first story windows onto the wide drive that circled a lawn and passed in front of the entry. Snow covered the lawn, but the driveway had been cleared. Old-fashioned streetlights wrapped in festive garlands lit the way to the main entrance.

Beautiful, she breathed, taking several pictures before returning to the warmth of the car. In moments, she would be in the castle itself.

The resort boasted a parking garage tucked out of sight behind the main building, so she bypassed the circular drive, where people arrived and turned their cars over to valets, and self-parked on the second floor.

An elevator took her to the first floor of the castle, where the halls leading to the grand entrance and the chapel met, forming an L. Her attention was drawn to the main corridor, where swags of greenery decorated every doorway, and chandeliers glittered down the length of the hall. Both towers had alcoves at the base, with a Christmas tree standing in the alcoves. People gathered in groups up and down the hall, coming in and out of doorways that Ali remembered led to a library, a lounge, a ballroom, and a restaurant.

A man’s voice came from her left. Switch on the light, son. Let’s see how it looks.

Light burst from the many points of a fixture that resembled a starburst, flooding the hallway leading to the chapel and revealing rich murals along both walls. Two men stood under the light, one younger, one older.

Wow, she said, stepping into the hall.

The murals covering the walls gave her the sense of walking down a narrow road. Lights had been placed to highlight figures of richly dressed men riding camels amid the low buildings of an ancient village.

It’s Bethlehem. Above the door of the chapel, the star shone, guiding the travelers.

The star of Bethlehem, she exclaimed. Leading the Wise Men. How fabulous.

Thank you. The older man came down from the ladder. That’s exactly the impression we were going for. He strode to her, extending his hand. Bob Retherford.

Ali took his hand. Ali Clarke. I met you last summer at a wedding here at the castle.

She’d thought then and her impression was confirmed now that Bob was the quintessential Texan. Tall and lanky with white hair smoothed back from a high forehead, his blue eyes twinkled with humor, intelligence, and welcome. She guessed his age anywhere from sixty-five to seventy. The other man appeared closer to her age.

Bob turned and introduced the younger man. This is my nephew, Cole.

Ali shook hands with Cole. He shared Bob’s height, probably close to six feet tall. Like Bob, he had thick hair, though his was dark blond and wavy. She found herself gazing into the bluest eyes she’d ever seen while Cole grasped her hand in his warm, firm grip.

Nice to meet you, he said, with a slow, easy smile that revealed dimples.

Yes, she said, clasping his hand while she gazed into his eyes. Realizing she’d held his hand longer than necessary, she dropped it and said, Nice to meet you, too. I’m sorry to interrupt.

Just finishing up the honey-do list before the big dinner, Bob said, folding the ladder.

We could’ve put this off until next year, Cole said, switching the star off, and picking up tools. Or at least until Epiphany.

You don’t know your Aunt Cindy very well. Bob shook his head. I don’t know where she saw these Moravian Stars, but when she saw ‘em, she had to have ‘em. She about had a fit when it took so long for them to arrive. He addressed Ali. They came in yesterday. One for the hall, here, one for the sanctuary, and one for the outside entrance of the chapel. He turned and looked at the many-faceted star. Beautiful things. Cindy was right, we needed ‘em.

He turned back to Cole. I’ll put away the ladder and tools. You take care of the young lady’s bags.

Are you checking in? Cole asked, taking control of Ali’s large bag.

Yes, I am, but I can take care of my stuff.

He grinned at her. You don’t know my Uncle Bob, Cole said, raising his voice so the other man would hear his teasing. He’d take a stick to me if I didn’t do what he said. Besides, he dropped his voice to a normal tone, it’s my pleasure. He grasped the handle of her bag and walked with her into the main corridor.

Everything is so beautiful, she remarked, hurrying to keep up with his long strides. He noticed her effort, and adjusted his speed so they walked side by side.

My uncle and aunt did a great job of renovating the old resort, he said. They made it grand and comfortable. It’s one of my favorite places.

Do you work here? With his relatives being the owners, it made sense that he might. However, his flannel shirt, corduroy jeans, and boots didn’t match the uniforms of navy shirts and blazers the clerks wore.

He set her bag against the registration desk, and gave Ali a nod. I’m the chaplain during the Twelve Days of Christmas, as well as helping my uncle with some odd jobs. I hope to see you during the event. Will you be staying for all twelve days or just for Christmas?

Most of the twelve days. I have to leave on the fourth.

I’ll be seeing you around, then. He gave her a handshake and a smile, then went back down the hall toward the chapel.

Thanks, she called after him.

Checking in? the receptionist at the counter asked.

Yes. Ali Clarke. I have a reservation. She took her confirmation papers out of her backpack. She’d saved for months to take part in the Twelve Days celebration. One couldn’t stay in resort hotels often on a school teacher’s salary! Fortunately, frugal living was a habit for her; plus she’d found a great discount online.

In minutes she’d checked in and found her room on the second floor, in the wing across from the chapel.

On her previous visit to the castle, Ali had stayed with the bridal party in one of the tower suites. Filled with every luxury, the suite had separate bedrooms, a sitting room with a fireplace, antique furniture, and ornate decorations in keeping with the Victorian history of Silverleaf. In contrast, the room she’d booked for the Twelve Days was simply a hotel room, with a king-sized bed, a sitting area with a small couch and coffee table, a desk, dresser, and TV.

First things first, she said, after surveying her room. Taking her cell phone from her backpack, she called her sister.

Merry Christmas, she said, when Karen answered.

Merry Christmas! Hold on, I’ll put you on the speaker and call the kids.

Ali heard the rustle as the phone was put down, then the background noise of the celebration going on at Karen’s in-law’s home. Karen and her family spent every Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with her husband’s family.

Hi, Ali! Merry Christmas! Nine-year-old Becca greeted her breathlessly. She did everything at full-tilt.

Merry Christmas! Eric echoed. At seven, he not only kept up with his older sister, but surpassed her in energy.

Merry Christmas! Are you looking forward to Santa? Ali wasn’t sure if Santa was important to her niece and nephew, but his annual visit was a highlight of the Hayes family. From the time the kids arrived at their grandparents’ house on Christmas Eve until they left late Christmas evening, they experienced the epitome of Christmas celebrations.

Not like when she and Karen were growing up.

We want to know your project this year. You wouldn’t tell us last weekend, Becca said.

Ali always spent the weekend before Christmas with her sister’s family, and exchanged gifts with them then. Until Becca was born, Ali and her sister rarely spent time together. In an effort to include Ali in their children’s lives, Jeff, Karen’s husband, had suggested the arrangement. It left their family free to enjoy their time with Jeff’s side of the family, and left her time for her annual holiday project and blog.

I didn’t tell you about it last weekend because I was keeping an eye on the weather, she said. But the weather’s perfect, so I’m here at the Castle at Silverleaf. Remember, I blogged about it last summer, after I took part in a wedding held here.

I remember, Karen said. You posted some fabulous pictures. I’ll bet it’s even more beautiful with snow.

It is. Wait until you see the pictures. I’m here to celebrate the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Silence greeted her statement.

Twelve days? asked Becca. Like the song?

That’s right. When I was here last summer I joined their social media, and received an email about spending the Twelve Days of Christmas here at the Castle. It sounded interesting, so I signed up. I didn’t want to say anything last weekend in case the weather turned bad and I had to cancel.

Tomorrow is Christmas, Karen said. Won’t the twelve days be up?

According to their booklet, the Twelve Days begin on Christmas day and go through January fifth, when they celebrate Twelfth Night. On January sixth they celebrate Epiphany. I’ll only be able to stay until the fourth, because school starts again on the fifth.

Don’t remind me! Eric groaned.

We have almost two weeks before we have to go back to school, Ali reminded him. As a third grade teacher, she was as glad for the winter break as the kids were.

Still, I’m not sure I’d want to celebrate Christmas two more weeks, Karen said. Day after tomorrow, the decorations are coming down at our house.

There are activities planned for every day, Ali said. In the village of Silverleaf they’re having a winter festival, so there’s a lot going on. Watch my blog!

We will, said Becca. ’Bye, Ali. Merry Christmas.

’Bye! Eric’s voice sounded as if he were running away from the phone.

Merry Christmas, Ali. Have a good time, Karen said.

Thanks, Karen. You too.

Hey, Ali, Merry Christmas! Her brother-in-law, Jeff, had joined the group.

Hi, Jeff. Ali loved her brother-in-law. His love for her sister had extended to herself, though she and Karen weren’t close. Tell your family hello and Merry Christmas for me.

Will do. Take care now.

The call ended, and Ali drew a deep breath, letting the silence settle around her. She loved her big sister, but sometimes old family issues came between them, especially at Christmas. Their mother had died when the girls were young; their father had passed away just before Ali graduated from high school. As Karen’s only living family member, Ali had a standing invitation to take part in holiday celebrations with Karen’s in-laws. The Hayes were lovely people who did everything to make her feel welcome, but she always felt like the odd one out. She enjoyed solitude on her holidays, when she was free to pursue whatever project or blog topic that caught her fancy.

She titled her blog Field Trip! and posted about interesting places to visit, as a class might do on a field trip. As an amateur photographer, she’d built up a picture and video library, which she made available on her website for teachers to use to supplement their lessons. The blog included pages featuring the history and significance of the locations she visited, as well as suggested lessons and activities. The blog gave her a chance to share some of her passions—teaching, travel, research, and photography.

Besides highlighting destinations, she also posted a journal she titled In Pursuit. Past posts included In Pursuit of the Best Adaptation of A Christmas Carol, In Pursuit of the Best Homemade Biscuits, In Pursuit of the Perfect Cup of Hot Cocoa. The debate still raged about marshmallows vs. whipped cream for topping. While she’d named this particular blog Twelve Days at Silverleaf, she privately called it In Pursuit of the Meaning of Christmas.

Of course she knew the true meaning of Christmas from her Sunday school days twenty years ago. Jesus was the reason for the season. But the celebration of the holiday sometimes had nothing to do with the reason for it. Her sister put up her Christmas tree Thanksgiving weekend and was now sick and tired of it. In October, the first sights of tinsel and lights in the stores caused Ali’s heart to lighten with anticipation. Now, the day before Christmas those same decorations looked done, picked over, and dreary. At school, all holiday decorations had to be taken down before she left for the break, which made it feel as if the celebration had ended before it started. At home . . .

She sighed and unzipped her bag. As she unpacked, she tried to remember when, as a child, she’d anticipated Christmas with delight, when Christmas was Christmas! Hopefully, twelve days at Silverleaf would put her back in touch with the joy she recalled from childhood.

The unpacking done, she set up her laptop on the desk. It took a few moments to update her blog.

Blog Post: Twelve Days at Silverleaf

I’ve returned to the Castle at Silverleaf, Colorado, to celebrate the Twelve Days of Christmas. I was here at the Castle for a wedding in June, and fell in love with the setting. When I heard about the event taking place over the Christmas holidays, I couldn’t wait to come back.

The official Twelve Days festivities begin tomorrow, on Christmas Day. Tonight, on Christmas Eve, the Castle is hosting a grand feast.

All events for the Twelve Days are open to the public, though some require reservations. Follow the link to the Castle website for more information.

Satisfied with the post, Ali logged off, then went to the window and peered out into the darkness. Since she was on the second story, she should be able to see the courtyard. Putting her hands around her eyes to shield them from the inside light, she looked out. The courtyard walks were illuminated with globed streetlamps like the ones lining the driveway in the front. A string of twinkling white lights went from one streetlamp to the other. Snow lingered on the grounds, though the sidewalks had been swept clear. Across the courtyard she could see the shape of the chapel. Smiling, she thought of the Moravian Stars, lighting the chapel for Christmas. Stepping back, she pulled the drapes closed and began dressing for dinner.

***

The maitre d’ met her at the door to the ballroom, where tables had been arranged for the formal Christmas Eve dinner. When she gave her name, he consulted a list on