William Renwick, Earl of Casslebury, has begun his hunt for a wife as he begins all things in life, with careful planning and strict discipline. But his well-honed strategy to acquire the perfect countess goes awry when he finds himself captivated, not by the suitable young lady he intended to court, but by her unusual companion - the quiet, charming, and alarmingly unpredictable Miss Patience Byerly.Originally published as and "Traditions and " in the anthology A Christmas Ball.