89. The year turns again

The winter came and went. With it came the Rogeringham Grand Winter Ball, the Christmas goose for the tenants, Midnight Service, and the ball for the locals, all of the things I had sought to establish as traditions under my tenure as the new duke. Fortunately, there were no alarums and excursions at any of these events and all of them passed off as they were supposed to.

My mother and I also visited the new tradition of the Christmas Eve arse fuck again and thoroughly enjoyed it, both of us.

The snowball fight at Rogeringham Hall assumed new proportions with more of the available staff being involved, though I was prevailed upon to not take part this time. Instead, I awarded 'medals' to various of the participants for their achievements - heaviest snow ball, receiving the most shots, the longest throw and the luckiest. Hot drinks and food were made available afterwards again. It was all very enjoyable and made for a pleasant afternoon's diversion.

Both Caroline and Henry, and the now pregnant Hermione and James came to stay at Rogeringham Hall over the Christmas period. The weather had been bad and the roads in general were in a foul state, so it made more sense for them to be with us, rather than for them to travel back and to.

Helena made sure to make some time to talk with both of her newly married daughters, and she later told me that on her wedding night, James had questioned Hermione's lack of a maidenhead. My sister had explained the situation to her husband - that the hymen was frequently ruptured, or in her case, destroyed, by activities such as horse riding. James had listened intently, and then the next morning had gone out and purchased Hermione a beautiful black mare for her own personal use. It was a sweet gesture, and one that I think showed again how much he doted on my sister.

The biggest problem Hermione had had was not to show her hand, her bed-room skills, too quickly, but now she said, he was a perfect model of a lover.

Because we were less invested in the new Season, Helena and I did not return to the London house immediately in the early Spring, though Charlotte and the Twins did. This was not to say that I did not travel to and from the Ton. I did, several times, there was still business to conduct after all - but as our focus had changed, Rogeringham House was far less frenetic, and the pace of life far more enjoyable.