Read Online A Partridge in a Pear Tree by AMANDA MCCABE - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: AMANDA MCCABE
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anything be wrong on such a lovely day?”
“Nonsense. You are almost crying.” He dug out a handkerchief and pressed it into her hand. “Now, tell me what it is, let me fix it.”
“ I was just thinking about my family,” she said, wiping carefully at her cheeks. The soft linen held William's own wonderful scent. “I was missing my mother.”
“ Why did she not come with you to Kirkwood Manor? You never said.”
“ She's not very well, and thought she had best not undertake the journey. But she would have loved this holiday so much. She always tries to make Christmas special for us.”
He nodded thoughtfully, and sat down on a fallen log to fasten his skates. “Well, come skating with me now. The exercise will do us both good.”
“Yes, of course,” she said with a smile, tucking the handkerchief into her sleeve to secret away for later. Later, when she was missing him. “You are quite right.”
“ And you will be glad to know we managed to take a fine rubbing of the frieze,” he said, and took her arm in his strong clasp to lead her back out onto the ice. “Mr. Harper is just gone to find a box to transport it to Kirkwood Manor.”
“ That sounds lovely,” she said firmly, clutching his hand and leading him onto the ice, as light and free as if they were dancing. “But now no more talk of days of Christmas! Let's enjoy this moment...”
**
“Are you going to the village dance, then, Miss Gordon?” asked Lady Kirkwood's maid, Rose, as she helped Allison dress her hair for the day.
“ The village dance?” Allison said, enjoying the unaccustomed luxury of having someone else fix her hair. The curls actually looked smooth and glossy under Rose's hands.
“ Oh, yes. It's a tradition held every year on Christmas Eve on the village green.”
“ An outdoor party in December? Doesn't it get rather cold?”
“ No, miss, not at all! There are bonfires, and the dancing keeps one warm.” She laughed as she threaded a ribbon through Allison's curls. “Not to mention the rum punch from the Rose and Crown.”
Allison was intrigued. In the village near their cottage back home, there was always a little Christmas party at the vicarage, with a claret cup and the vicar's sister playing carols on the pianoforte. It was the height of the social season there. But bonfires and dancing sounded like much more fun.
And there was always the chance William might ask her to dance. That would indeed be a memory to cherish once she was back home again.
As if to echo her thoughts, Rose said, “Mr. Bradford, your young gentleman, looks as if he'd be a fine one in a jig.”
“He isn't my young man,” Allison protested, even though her heart felt a sudden lightness at hearing such words.
“ Isn't he?” Rose peered at her closely in the mirror. “Well, I am sure he very soon will be. Especially if you come to this dance with him.”
“ Can children come to the dance, too?” Allison asked, already having visions to twirling around bonfires in William's arms. “I don't think my sisters should be left alone here. There is no telling what trouble they could get into.”
“ Of course! Everyone comes to the Christmas dance.”
“ Then I will see you all there...”
**
Four dances later, out of breath and exhilarated, Allison fell against William's shoulder, laughing helplessly, as the musicians struck up yet another lively tune.
“ Shall we dance again?” William asked, holding her close against him.
“ I don't think I could. Not just yet. I can scarcely catch my breath.”
“ Then let's go get something to drink, and sit down for a while.”
“ That sounds lovely.”
They found glasses of punch from the long tables set up in the shadow of the public house walls, and settled on a bench in a dimly lit nook from which to watch the festivities.
Allison smiled as she saw the twins playing blindman's buff with the other young people, their cheeks pink with merriment in the brilliant light of the
“Nonsense. You are almost crying.” He dug out a handkerchief and pressed it into her hand. “Now, tell me what it is, let me fix it.”
“ I was just thinking about my family,” she said, wiping carefully at her cheeks. The soft linen held William's own wonderful scent. “I was missing my mother.”
“ Why did she not come with you to Kirkwood Manor? You never said.”
“ She's not very well, and thought she had best not undertake the journey. But she would have loved this holiday so much. She always tries to make Christmas special for us.”
He nodded thoughtfully, and sat down on a fallen log to fasten his skates. “Well, come skating with me now. The exercise will do us both good.”
“Yes, of course,” she said with a smile, tucking the handkerchief into her sleeve to secret away for later. Later, when she was missing him. “You are quite right.”
“ And you will be glad to know we managed to take a fine rubbing of the frieze,” he said, and took her arm in his strong clasp to lead her back out onto the ice. “Mr. Harper is just gone to find a box to transport it to Kirkwood Manor.”
“ That sounds lovely,” she said firmly, clutching his hand and leading him onto the ice, as light and free as if they were dancing. “But now no more talk of days of Christmas! Let's enjoy this moment...”
**
“Are you going to the village dance, then, Miss Gordon?” asked Lady Kirkwood's maid, Rose, as she helped Allison dress her hair for the day.
“ The village dance?” Allison said, enjoying the unaccustomed luxury of having someone else fix her hair. The curls actually looked smooth and glossy under Rose's hands.
“ Oh, yes. It's a tradition held every year on Christmas Eve on the village green.”
“ An outdoor party in December? Doesn't it get rather cold?”
“ No, miss, not at all! There are bonfires, and the dancing keeps one warm.” She laughed as she threaded a ribbon through Allison's curls. “Not to mention the rum punch from the Rose and Crown.”
Allison was intrigued. In the village near their cottage back home, there was always a little Christmas party at the vicarage, with a claret cup and the vicar's sister playing carols on the pianoforte. It was the height of the social season there. But bonfires and dancing sounded like much more fun.
And there was always the chance William might ask her to dance. That would indeed be a memory to cherish once she was back home again.
As if to echo her thoughts, Rose said, “Mr. Bradford, your young gentleman, looks as if he'd be a fine one in a jig.”
“He isn't my young man,” Allison protested, even though her heart felt a sudden lightness at hearing such words.
“ Isn't he?” Rose peered at her closely in the mirror. “Well, I am sure he very soon will be. Especially if you come to this dance with him.”
“ Can children come to the dance, too?” Allison asked, already having visions to twirling around bonfires in William's arms. “I don't think my sisters should be left alone here. There is no telling what trouble they could get into.”
“ Of course! Everyone comes to the Christmas dance.”
“ Then I will see you all there...”
**
Four dances later, out of breath and exhilarated, Allison fell against William's shoulder, laughing helplessly, as the musicians struck up yet another lively tune.
“ Shall we dance again?” William asked, holding her close against him.
“ I don't think I could. Not just yet. I can scarcely catch my breath.”
“ Then let's go get something to drink, and sit down for a while.”
“ That sounds lovely.”
They found glasses of punch from the long tables set up in the shadow of the public house walls, and settled on a bench in a dimly lit nook from which to watch the festivities.
Allison smiled as she saw the twins playing blindman's buff with the other young people, their cheeks pink with merriment in the brilliant light of the
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