As a special treat today, historical author Nina Rowan, whose 'Twas the Night Before Mischief came out earlier this month, shares her take on the classic Christmas tale by Clement Clarke Moore. Merry Christmas, everyone!
Nina:
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
A lady is plotting—it's time to break out!
So away from London Penelope will go
For love and adventure with her rakish beau.
·
The holiday season is filled with warmth and sweets,
Sugar-plums, cinnamon, and chocolate-laced treats.
But Penelope dislikes it, to her dismay,
And finds her life both dreary and gray.
·
Her father is so busy with holiday plans,
Selling cream cakes, bon-bons, and candied pecans.
Nina Rowan, author of 'Twas the Night Before Mischief.(Photo: Jen Roh)
His chocolate shop bustles with customers galore,
But Penelope desperately longs for more.
·
Conspiring with her suitor at a holiday ball,
Penelope encounters Mr. Darius Hall.
Stoic and rational, the handsome son of an earl,
Darius somehow sends Penelope into a swirl.
·
A kiss under the mistletoe fills her with heat,
But Penelope still makes a hasty retreat.
Though convinced she wants love—no more, no less,
Her elopement turns into a terrible mess.
·
When Darius learns that Penelope has fled,
His own heart fills with a deep sense of dread.
Though words and definitions are his gift,
His response to Penelope is sudden and swift.
·
Alone and desperate, almost beyond caring,
Penelope is stranded in a town known only for herring.
When what to her wondering eyes should appear
But stern Darius Hall, lacking good cheer.
·
Yet his eyes—how they look at her! His features, so bold!
His body so strong, promising pleasures untold.
His hair is like midnight, glossy and thick,
And his mind…so compelling, intelligent, and quick.
·
On a Victorian road trip the two must now rush
Through rain and snow and sleet and slush.
But Darius and Penelope find through many highs and lows
That love might be closer than either of them knows.
Find out more about Nina and her books at ninarowan.com.
All we need here: milk and cookies, please. Merry Christmas!(Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
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