Nora shook her head decisively a couple of times, as she dragged herself away from Daniel's school, across the road, up the street towards Clelia's shop.

She mustn't think of Martin beyond friendship. There were things going on in his life which had been set into motion before she arrived, apparently, things he needed to deal with without her interference. She would remove herself to the outskirts of his love life, into the safe friend zone and see for herself... She only hoped that Daniel's dislike of Victoria would disappear, or at least morph into acceptance if she really was the woman whom Martin chose...

Nora was so lost in thoughts that she passed her godmother's shop by several steps and had to return. Listening silently to Clelia's chatter while trying to banish her nagging thoughts about Martin, Nora helped her unload a few boxes of books and organise them on the shelves.

Even as she pushed the last volume into place, Nora's phone rang, startling her from her daze. The short conversation finally lifted her mood a little.

"It was someone from the castle. I have an interview, on Friday at six..." she told Clelia, frowning, realising only now how unusual the time, six o'clock in the evening, was. But it didn't matter, the important thing was to get the interview done. "And I'll join you in the market right after, is that all right?" she added, remembering Clelia's Christmas market happening on the weekends.

"Of course it is. You need to sort out your own life first, and then think about me. Before I forget, what are you planning for Christmas?"

"I actually haven't thought of it yet," Nora said. She had been trying to stifle the thought of what to do with herself for Christmas every time it sprang in her mind.

"You haven't? And there's your birthday to think about too, it's on the twenty-third, right? So close to Christmas..."

"Well, I guess I'll call Mother, just to see what she and my sisters are up to, but I'm definitely staying here," Nora said. She wasn't going to travel to the city, and spend the holidays with people who were happier without her, just not to be alone. She liked this place, her new home, too much. And she had Daniel to look after until mid-January.

"Perfect. So remember that you are with me for Christmas dinner, I always cook and invite a bunch of friends."

"That sounds great, thanks, Clelia. And you must tell me if you need any help, cleaning, cooking or shopping..."

"Deal." Clelia smiled.

"Do you mind if I go home now unless you have something else for me to do? It's just nine, still too long to hang around doing nothing until one..."

"Off you go. While you can-- look at all that snow!" Clelia called suddenly.

Nora groaned in frustration as she watched her point to the window. It was snowing so thickly that the glass beyond the Christmas tree looked opaque and white.

"I guess I'll take Albert for a quick shopping trip down to town before we get snowed in... I'll see you later, Clelia," she said after she rummaged through her handbag and found her car keys.

Pulling her hood up as she exited the shop, Nora rushed into the snowfall and up the road, towards the parking lot. Albert seemed as happy to see her as she was to see him, his engine coughed to life without trouble while she put her glasses on, and the two, after a little trouble on the roads fast filling with snow, were back in under two hours, leaving Nora enough time to hurry back home with her shopping before picking Daniel up from school.

She still needed to carry her two book-filled bags to the cottage, there was no point leaving them in the car, she mused as she caressed her faithful companion before abandoning him in the parking lot, under the snowfall. If only there was a way to keep Albert closer to her cottage, the place would be perfect, she decided even as her eyes, on their own volition, strolled towards the far corner, where they settled on Martin's car. Wherever he went with Victoria today, he wasn't driving...

Resisting the urge to bang her head on Albert's roof, she forbade herself to think about him again and set off across the parking lot towards the park, hands full of shopping bags.

Luckily the lanes around the castle were well looked after, clear of the snow that had already buried the streets and roads of the town. The path leading to her cottage was clean as well, and there was a new load of wood on the porch... She would have to talk to Martin about it, she resolved, putting the bags down by the front door to find her keys and shake off the snow covering her coat. He couldn't supply her with free wood forever, it wasn't fair.

Nora unloaded her bags quickly and changed into her sky blue jacket, which was so much more practical for walking in the snow than the heavy woollen coat. She was back in front of the school at one o'clock precisely, scowling at the sky that seemed intent on covering the world in huge, fluffy snowflakes from beneath her hood, hoping that Daniel had a hat somewhere in his bag.

He did, it was stuffed in the pocket of his coat, and it took all Nora's power of persuasion to make him put it on. She smiled to herself when he finally capitulated, she loved getting to know him better bit by bit. He was fascinating, a very clever young man of a strong character, who knew well what he wanted. It made Martin look like a wonderful father... She sighed, impatient with herself for not being able not to think about the veterinarian upon the tiniest opportunity her mind produced.

"Can we go skating after lunch?" Daniel asked, scattering her thoughts, as they reached the foot of the castle hill, his eyes strolling towards the lake around the rotunda.

"I'm sorry Daniel, but I just don't think it's a good idea in this snowfall, we'll get all wet in minutes. How about we do that tomorrow if the weather is better? You should show me around your flat today and I need to prepare your meal..."

"All right, Nora. Come on then," he agreed easily, offering her his hand.

He tugged her towards the drawbridge, across the moat, into the gloomy Entry Hall of the castle, past a group of tourists waiting for the next guided tour, and out again, into the first courtyard. An unkindness of ravens rose from the stone-paved ground as one, their black wings fluttering, whirring through the falling snow, sending the white flakes aswirl, their loud croaks ricocheting off the bright walls of the towers as they vanished towards the sky.

Nora closed her eyes briefly and breathed the old castle in, her lungs and mind filling with the ghosts and memories of the past centuries imprinted into the fabric of the ancient building. She loved the place, simply standing here, in the cold courtyard under the falling snow, was making her feel happy.

"Where now?" she asked, turning to Daniel who stopped to observe the ravens at her side. Were they living in the hotel? Nora mused, letting her eyes travel around.

"This way," Daniel said, leading her past the hotel's reception, towards an inconspicuous, near-invisible door in the wall. "You need the keys Daddy gave you."

Nora nodded, searching her pockets for the bunch of keys Martin had given her. There were five of them gathered on a silver chain, each one entirely different from the others.

"It's this one," Daniel said, indicating the most modern looking one.

Nodding, she unlocked the first door, admitting them into a dark, windowless hall. Nora shivered; it felt pleasantly warm after the snowy cold outside.

Daniel switched on the light before the door closing behind them on its own could plunge them into perfect darkness.