Who wants a Victorian Christmas?

A Victorian Christmas is a book by Catherine Palmer, a well-known Christian author. She wrote four short stories for four books with various other authors’ short stories in them. This book is a collection of Palmer’s stories in one book. At the end of each story is a recipe for various items that are typically taken with tea.

The first story is titled Angel in the Attic. The story takes place in Silver City, New Mexico in the month of December 1880. Fara Canaday is the daughter of a recently deceased rich man. Men have been coming out of the woodwork to try and marry her. Although she is rich, she is in no way a snob. She grew up with her father far away from town, without riches. As such, she knows how to be a tomboy that can handle herself in the wilderness as much as be the genteel lady of the great Canaday Mansion on Main Street. Having enough with men hounding her, she journeys out into the woods where the old ranch house is to have some time to think. She finds a wounded man out in the snow and takes him and helps him to get better. She reads in the paper to be on the lookout for a man matching the description of the wounded stranger, who is wanted for train robbery and horse rustling. Could this be the same man? But how could she be falling in love with a thief and possibly murderer?

The second story is titled Lone Star. The story takes place in Yorkshire, England in December 1886. Star Ellis has come to England to marry a British aristocrat in order to save her father’s Texas ranch. She knows it’s her duty to marry Rupert Cholmondeley, the younger son of the earl of Brackenhurst. While traveling from London to Yorkshire, Star meets a very nice man named Grey, who is also traveling to his family in Yorkshire. Star realizes she has a problem when she starts falling in love with Grey, while knowing that she has to marry Robert! What is she to do?

The third story is titled Under His Wings. This story takes place in 1870 at the Brackendale Manor in Cumbria, Northwest England. Lord William Langford, the earl of Brackendale, has come to his home in the country to spend time during the Christmas season. He has a very interesting first meeting with Mrs. Gwyneth Rutherford at his home and is intrigued by her. He tells her that he now wants her working in the main part of the house, rather than in the kitchen. Lord Langford remembers the elder Mrs. Rutherford from when he was a boy, and wants to help her and her daughter-in-law. Mrs. Riddle, his head housekeeper, is most displeased with Gwyneth’s advancement and so tries to throw a wrench in their budding friendship.

The final story is titled Behold the Lamb. This story takes place in England, although no year is given. Rosalind Treadwell and her father live in a small cottage in the country, after having lost their money. A baronet, Sir Michael Stafford, comes to the house to ask for Rosalind's hand in marriage. He has recently been knighted and wants to have heirs that have aristocrat blood. He has carefully considered many young women, and has chosen Rosalind to be his wife. He figures that the Treadwells would never turn down his offer, considering that his money can help to restore to them all that they had lost. Only Rosalind does not wish to marry for money, she only wants to marry for love. Michael does not understand about love or Jesus. Can Rosalind teach Michael about love and Jesus? Or is the secret Michael that harbors too much for their budding friendship to become love?

I found each of these stories to be delightful and perfect for a snowy winter day when all you want to do is curl up on the couch and read a good book while huddled under a warm blanket.

The first story was published in a book called A Victorian Christmas Tea.

The second story was published in a book called A Victorian Christmas Quilt.

The third story was published in a book called A Victorian Christmas Cottage.

The fourth story was published in a book called A Victorian Christmas Keepsake.

   

Or you can get all of Palmer’s stories in A Victorian Christmas book or e-book forms.