The Tale Of Timothea

By Lark Westerly

Timothea met her true love while she was stuck in a tree, wearing a primrose gown. They shared a Christmas carol, then he was gone. A gentleman rescued Timothea, which wasn’t as romantic as it sounded. She turned down a proposal before it was made. She carried out a trial of valour and had a most uncomfortable talk with her maman. She got stared at when she danced with a damsel and advised by a leprechaun. It was an eventful ten years. Then, when she’d given up hoping, she and her true love reunited on another Christmas Eve. She learned why he played his fiddle in the Yule grove all that time ago. And then, she told him her story—the tale of Timothea.

• Language: English
• Publisher: eXtasy Books Inc
• Release date: Mar 19, 2023
• ISBN: 9781487438036

Book preview

One Christmas Eve, Timothea sang while her true-love-to-be played his fiddle. She gave him her name, and he called her my angel. That’s what she thought he said. It was hard to say, considering where they were. After that, of course, she didn’t see him again for a very long time.

Timothea met her true love while she was stuck in a tree, wearing a primrose gown. They shared a Christmas carol, then he was gone. A gentleman rescued Timothea, which wasn’t as romantic as it sounded. She turned down a proposal before it was made. She carried out a trial of valour and had a most uncomfortable talk with her maman. She got stared at when she danced with a damsel and advised by a leprechaun. It was an eventful ten years. Then, when she’d given up hoping, she and her true love reunited on another Christmas Eve. She learned why he played his fiddle in the Yule grove all that time ago. And then, she told him her story—the tale of Timothea.

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The Tale of Timothea

Copyright © 2022 Lark Westerly

ISBN: 978-1-4874-3803-6

Cover art by Angela Waters

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

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Smashwords Edition

The Tale of Timothea

By

Lark Westerly

Author’s Note

The Tale of Timothea stands alone, but it can also be read as a companion piece to Black Swan, which tells the story of Odette Cygne.

Chapter One: Counting the Trees

Christmas Eve

Cygne Manor

Timothea was thrilled when Giselle invited her to Cygne Manor to help make Yule garlands for the ball.

Giselle had been to the manor before. She told Timothea about it while they waited for Giselle’s mother.

There’s a huge grove of trees—the Yule grove. At this time of year it’s decorated in tinsel.

Is it a maze? Timothea asked hopefully.

No, it’s a spiral. Giselle swept her finger in a pattern in the air. In the middle is Grandpapa Yule, the oldest tree in the grove.

"How many trees are there?

Nobody knows.

Surely someone has counted them.

Giselle said, Cousin Alouette said nobody dares. If anyone starts counting trees, they have to keep going until they get the right answer and pronounce the number aloud in front of Grandpapa Yule. After that, they do a trial of valour.

And?

If they succeed, they’ll see their true-love-to-be. That’s what Alouette said!

What if they already have a true love?

They’ll see that person.

What if they don’t?

I don’t know. Maybe people with true loves wouldn’t count the trees.

We can, though. Of course, they could. They were much too young to have true loves. It was never too early to think of them, however. Timothea and Giselle had resolved to be prepared.

Giselle grinned. That’s what I hoped you’d say. I’ve written down what we need to do. We can’t go wrong.

Lillianne came out of the manor. What are you two giggling about?

True loves, Giselle said.

Really. Well—come along. Cousin Rinette’s expecting us.

The lady of Cygne Manor wasn’t really a cousin. The Cygnes and the Skiptons were connected somehow, but Timothea wasn’t sure how. In any case, Rinette had become a Cygne only after she wed the heir to the manor. Lillianne and Timothea’s mother, Lovella, were not by-blood Skiptons either. That meant the three ladies were by-love related, but their daughters were kin by-blood.

Timothea’s thoughts were interrupted as Lillianne turned to face them. "Will