Passionate Pleasures (25 page)

And they had talked, and talked and talked about everything. They had shared their lives, and their likes and dislikes. And they had laughed together, watching old Britcoms. He had several entire series including one called
’Allo ’Allo!
that turned out to be both his and her favorite, followed by another titled
Are You Being Served?
On Saturday night they had watched
Casablanca,
with Bogart and Bergman, and at the end, when Bogart says, “Here’s looking at you, kid,” Tim had kissed her, and they had made very tender love to each other. Watching him walk away from her cottage now, Kathryn wondered if the weekend had been just as good for him as it had been for her.

Tim thought he felt her eyes on him as he walked, but he didn’t look back. If she wasn’t there he would feel like a fool. He could already sense the loneliness creeping in as he got into his car. It had been a wonderful weekend, and he hadn’t wanted it to end. For the first time since Phoebe died, he was considering what it would be like to share his life with another person. He and Kathy had so much in common, and yet they were very different. But would a woman alone for all those years be ready to give up a life with which she was apparently comfortable to marry?

My God,
he thought,
I want to marry her. I’ve only known her a few months, but I want to marry her. It isn’t just the sex either. I’ve lived a celibate life, and it’s not the end of the world.
Only marry for love, he recalled his mother telling him when he was a boy. And he had loved Phoebe Hunter. And now he realized he was falling in love with Kathryn St. John. He loved her, and he wanted to share his life with her here in this small town that her ancestors had helped to found. He suddenly realized he didn’t miss the city or his old life there at all. Now all he had to do was convince Kathy that they could make an absolutely wonderful life together if she would marry him.

The week after Thanksgiving flew by. The holiday season was just beginning to rev up, and the Egret Pointe Library Christmas Book Fair was upon them. On Thursday morning, booths lining the front walk from the street to the front door of the library were set up. Library patrons went around to the side door of the building during this time. Then Peter Potter’s theatrical friends from the city arrived to set up facades on each booth resembling an early nineteenth-century street. Fake streetlamps were erected. A facade was also place before the front door and windows. A sign reading TEA SHOPPE was painted into it. And inside in the library’s square foyer, the tables with their red and green paper cloths and napkins were set up along with folding chairs. Directly opposite the front door, on the far wall, a small kitchen space had been erected.

The rooms to the right of the foyer entrance would be where all the wonderful new books for sale were set up. In the Children’s section, which was to the left of the front door, the Ghost of Christmas Present would be seated, reading stories to the children. There would also be games, supervised by Mistress Merryman. By late afternoon it had almost all come together. On Friday an electrician would run a line along each side of the front walk so those manning the shops could keep warm with electric heaters. And tonight the whole site would be guarded by a security firm hired by Hallock St. John V himself.

“I know it’s a small town,” he told his sister, “but no use taking chances.”

Kathryn didn’t argue. She thanked him and then hurried off for a final costume fitting. Her brother was suddenly less irritating, and she wasn’t certain why that was. Tim seemed to have some magical effect on both of them. He had now officially joined St. Luke’s, and Hallock had immediately drafted him to serve on the church’s Christian Education Committee. It was as if Timothy Blair had lived in Egret Pointe his whole life.

He stayed with her Friday night before the fair, but they contained their passion to a single episode. In the morning he fixed breakfast, but Kathryn would only eat her blueberry yogurt and drink a little tea.

“How are you going to survive on that stuff?” he wanted to know.

“I have to wear a corset beneath my gown,” she told him. “All I need is one of your yummy breakfasts being squished as I walk about all day. I’ll need you to lace me up, love.” She had taken to using the appellation he used. It was comfortable.

“I will enjoy that.” He grinned, helping himself to several pancakes and spoonfuls of scrambled eggs along with some bacon. “Fortunately I don’t have to worry about being squished in my loose velvet robes.”

It had still been dark when they got up. Now as they dressed in their costumes, the sky began to lighten. It wasn’t quite seven A.M., but the fair began at nine o’clock. The vendors were probably already in their booths unpacking their wares and warming the stalls where they would remain until four thirty in the afternoon, when it would once again be dark. The forecast was for a sunny day, which would bring people out, and keep them out.

Tim watched amazed as Kathryn donned a pair of lace-trimmed cotton and wool drawers and a knee-length chemise with short sleeves. He laced her into a demi-corset with garters, and rolled her stockings up her legs, attaching them. She then added a hoop cover with four petticoats. The one closest to her was soft brushed flannel. It was followed by a padded horsehair petticoat, a calico stiffened with cord, and finally one of starched muslin. The bodice and skirt of her gown were sewn together. It was velvet, silver-blue in color and embroidered with flowers of yellow, pink and green on the full skirt. The style was off the shoulder, the sleeves quite full and coming to just above her elbow. She had a long matching satin shawl lined in fur for when she went outside.

“Wow!” Tim said as she pinned her hair up into her usual chignon, and fastened a pair of antique drop earrings of gold studded with sapphires into her ears. Then she slid her feet into a pair of embroidered silk slippers.

“You’re beautiful,” he said, “but I still like my voluminous green velvet robes better, love.” He picked up a thick wreath of greenery, gilded apples, and dried berries, and set it atop his head at a slightly rakish angle.

Together they left the cottage, entering the library through the back door. Mavis was already there in a pink-and-violet-striped gown. “Good morning!” she said, not saying, but definitely noticing, that they had come in together, and obviously from the cottage.

“It’s just after eight, and the crowds are lining up to get in already,” Mavis said. “Shall we open early, Kathy?”

“No. We advertised nine A.M. and there are families who are going to get here then. And they’ll clean the vendors out of the best merchandise and books before our local people have a chance. If we let people in early, then the others will feel shut out. Besides, you know it’s weekend people and people from the other towns around us who are out there waiting. In Egret Pointe, people know that when I say nine A.M. it’s nine A.M. Not a moment earlier or later,” Kathryn replied.

And when the clock in the library tower chimed nine, Kathryn St. John went outside wrapped in her fur-lined shawl, and personally unhooked the thick red velvet rope blocking the walkway. “Welcome to the Egret Pointe Library Christmas Book Fair,” she said, greeting them. “Please remember this is for the benefit of the library.”

The crowd surged in and around her. Kathryn walked back into the building.

“It will be a while before the tearoom gets busy,” she said. “They’re more interested in buying right now.”

People began to come into the library now, looking for books. There were oohs and aahs as they looked through the titles piled neatly upon the tables. Emily Devlin, a.k.a. Emilie Shann, was there signing her latest title,
The Reluctant Princess
. Her publisher had sent along two dozen copies. In the children’s wing of the library, Tim was seated upon his throne. There was a little girl in his lap, and at least eight other children seated in small chairs gathered about him as he read.

Soon the tearoom tables were all filled with people coming in from the cold to sip hot chocolate, tea, and mulled cider. Their plates were filled with meat pasties, mini-quiches, and tiny pies. Their shopping bags were filled with merchandise. Every shopper carried at least one red canvas tote with the words Egret Pointe Library Christmas Book Fair in red-and-white candy stripe. As this was the library’s personal contribution, everyone wanted at least one bag to show their support.

Hallock St. John came by to congratulate his sister on the apparent success of this year’s fund-raiser. He complimented her costume. And then he said, “Tim was seen coming out of your cottage this morning with you, sister.” He let the unasked question hang in the air.

“He came to pick me up,” Kathryn said without a moment’s hesitation. “After all, Hallock, we are a couple now.”

“Just a word of warning, sister. We do have our good name to consider,” her brother said. “Knowing Tim I realize there was nothing untoward going on, but people will talk, Kathryn. This is Egret Pointe, and we are a prominent family.”

Nothing untoward.
Kathryn almost laughed. Well, maybe not this morning. “Thank you, Hallock, for bringing this to my attention. People, however, will have to get past my having a gentleman caller. No one on Wood’s End Way seems distressed when I visit Tim. We walk Rowdy in broad daylight too.”

“You’ve been to his home?” Hallock didn’t know if he should be shocked. His sister was hardly a slip of a girl. Indeed, she was approaching the autumn of her years.

“Yes, and he has lovely taste, Hallock, but then you will see at Christmas,” Kathryn said quietly.

“You like him, don’t you?” her brother said.

“I like him,” she answered quietly. “And he likes me.”

Hallock nodded. “Well,” he said, “I realize I am inclined to be overprotective of you, Kathryn, but you are my younger sister. Still, both you and Tim are responsible enough not to cause a scandal.”

“Why, Hallock, I do believe this is the first time in our adult lives you have given me credit for being intelligent,” Kathryn said, and she kissed her brother on his cheek. “Thank you, dear.”

He snorted and moved off, finding his way to the children’s wing, where his children were listening to Tim read a Christmas tale about a donkey. He listened, smiling, and when the story had concluded and the children ran off to play some games, Hallock St. John said to Timothy Blair, “I trust your intentions towards my sister are honorable, Tim. You were seen coming from her cottage with her this morning. And Kathryn has told me she has visited your home.”

Timothy Blair was surprised but he didn’t show it. “My intentions are quite honorable, Hallock, but you know your sister requires careful handling. I don’t want to spook her and scare her off.”

His words told Hallock St. John what he wanted to know. “Of course not, of course not!” he said. My God! If this were one of Kathryn’s romance novels he would have said that the schoolmaster was coming up to scratch. Was it possible, really possible that his sister might finally be married?

“How is Debora?” Tim asked. “I haven’t seen her today.”

“A bit under the weather. She’s due in another six weeks,” Hallock replied. “Well, I had best gather up my brood, and get them home. See you in church tomorrow.”

The day progressed. The crowds didn’t seem to lessen any. The tearoom ran out of food about two thirty, and was left with only cookies to serve. Several groups of carolers walked about at different hours singing, which seemed to encourage the Christmas spirit. Several of the local vendors, namely Ashley Mulcahy, and those who had brought handmade garments and knitted goods were completely sold out. All the homemade breads, muffins, rolls, and sweet goods were gone by noon. And there wasn’t a book left to sell. When it finally concluded, and the library staff sat in the boardroom counting the monies taken in, they discovered they totaled a little over nine thousand dollars and change.

“I’ll kick in a check to make it an even ninety five hundred,” Kathryn said.

“And I’ll make it an even ten thousand,” Tim Blair said pulling his checkbook out of his jeans pocket.

“You don’t have to do that,” Kathryn quickly said.

“I want to,” he answered her. “I can’t remember a day when I had such fun as I had today. Count me in for next year’s fund-raiser. Make the check an anonymous donation. I don’t need social credit.”

Kathryn nodded. “Agreed. Me too. The rest of you are sworn to secrecy.”

“Agreed,” everyone around the table chorused.

“I’ll put our loot in the night deposit at the bank,” Kathryn said.

“I’ll drive you,” Tim quickly spoke up.

The meeting broke up. Dickens the library cat was fed for the night. Kathryn locked up the library and changed out of her costume, and Tim brought her to the bank, where she used the night deposit. He had already shed his robe. They ate at their favorite little Italian restaurant in the mall, driving home to Tim’s house afterward. Rowdy was eagerly awaiting them, wagging himself in delight at the sight of the doggie bag, which contained two meatballs Tim had requested as a treat for the animal.

“You spoil that mutt,” Kathryn teased him.

“Yeah, I do,” he agreed. “Now, let’s talk Christmas. My family always had beef. How about yours?”

“Is there anything else?” Kathryn said. “Turkey for Thanksgiving, beef for Christmas, and ham on the New Year for luck.”

“Baked stuffed potatoes, green beans, creamed onions and turnip?” he asked.

“Love it! What’s for dessert?”

“Plum pudding for those of us who like it. An ice-cream bombe and Christmas cookies for those who don’t,” Tim answered her.

“Where have you been all my life?” Kathryn asked him. “And you’re going to do this all by yourself?”

“Nope. You’re going to help me,” he told her.

“You know I’m no good in the kitchen,” she protested.

He laughed. “I taught you to pare carrots, didn’t I? Now I’m going to teach you to French cut beans.”