Read Online Mistletoe and Mayhem by Kate Kingsbury - Free Book Online
Authors: Kate Kingsbury
Ads: Link
the names of half of them, but it didn’t stop her enjoying the fragrance right under her nose. She took another sniff as she reached the doors, then paused, one hand frozen in the act of pushing them open.
The doors were already ajar and she could see inside the ballroom. The kissing bough hung just a few feet away. Someone must have moved it from the foyer. She squinted at it. Unless it was another one.
It wasn’t the bough of greenery that held her attention, however. It was the couple standing beneath it. The young man had his arms around the lady, and he was kissing her as if he was never going to let go again.
Pansy felt a warm feeling trickling all over her. She recognized the honeymoon couple, and it made her feel all squishy inside to watch them.
The new Mrs. Danville must have caught sight of her, since she drew back with a gasp.
Pansy quickly pushed the doors open. “I’m so sorry to disturb you, m’m,” she said, her voice breathless with embarrassment. “I have to put these flowers on the piano. I won’t be but a moment or two.”
The bride blushed, but her husband swung around with a laugh. “You must catch quite a few couples taking advantage of this.” He pointed at the kissing bough above his head. “After all, that’s what it’s for, right?”
Aware that he was trying to alleviate his wife’s discomfort, Pansy lied. “Oh, yes, sir, all the time. People do like to kiss each other under it. It’s tradition, sir, isn’t it.” She hurried over to the stage and ran lightly up the steps. Some of the water in the vase slopped over her arm, but she pretended not to notice.
“There you are, my dear.” The young man’s voice carried across the room. “Didn’t I tell you no one would think anything of it?”
Pansy put the vase down on the polished surface of the piano. It looked really nice with its colorful sprays of blossoms. She turned back to the Danvilles.
The gentleman stood smiling at her, while his bride hid her face behind his shoulder. Pansy thought the young girl was really silly. If she, Pansy, was being kissed by her husband she wouldn’t care who saw her.
She skipped down the steps and past the couple, her heart giving a little jump when Mr. Danville gave her a knowing wink. She grinned in answer, and darted from the room, practicing how she would tell Gertie about her encounter.
She found her friend in the dining room, setting new candles in the candlesticks. “Where have you been?” Gertie demanded, the moment she set eyes on her. “I’ve been waiting for you to help me in here.”
“Mrs. Chubb asked me to take the flowers into the ballroom.” She let out a giggle. “You’ll never guess what I saw.”
“Madam was dancing with Clive.”
Pansy stared at her. “What?”
Gertie shook her head. “I was teasing, that’s all. What did you see, then?”
Still confused, Pansy told her about the honeymoon couple. “Mr. Danville winked at me when I came out of there,” she said, smiling at the memory. “I do wish Samuel had been there to see it.”
Gertie laughed. “You don’t really think that would make him jealous?”
Pansy tossed her head. “Maybe not, but I know what would. Lenny asked me out and I’m going, too.”
Now it was Gertie’s turn to stare. “Who the hell is Lenny, then?”
“He’s the lad that works on the roof with that big Irishman.”
“Mick Docker? Saucy blighter he is and all. Mrs. Chubb said he was whistling at the maids all day.”
Pansy thought it better not to mention that Lenny had whistled at her. “Well, anyway, Lenny asked when my afternoon off was and I told him it was tomorrow so I’m meeting him by the gate and we’re going for a walk.”
Gertie pursed her lips. “So what if he gets fresh with you?”
“Fresh?”
“You know, what if he tries to take advantage of you. What’re you going to do then?”
Pansy laughed. “I’m only going for a walk with him, that’s all.”
“Yeah, well, don’t let
The doors were already ajar and she could see inside the ballroom. The kissing bough hung just a few feet away. Someone must have moved it from the foyer. She squinted at it. Unless it was another one.
It wasn’t the bough of greenery that held her attention, however. It was the couple standing beneath it. The young man had his arms around the lady, and he was kissing her as if he was never going to let go again.
Pansy felt a warm feeling trickling all over her. She recognized the honeymoon couple, and it made her feel all squishy inside to watch them.
The new Mrs. Danville must have caught sight of her, since she drew back with a gasp.
Pansy quickly pushed the doors open. “I’m so sorry to disturb you, m’m,” she said, her voice breathless with embarrassment. “I have to put these flowers on the piano. I won’t be but a moment or two.”
The bride blushed, but her husband swung around with a laugh. “You must catch quite a few couples taking advantage of this.” He pointed at the kissing bough above his head. “After all, that’s what it’s for, right?”
Aware that he was trying to alleviate his wife’s discomfort, Pansy lied. “Oh, yes, sir, all the time. People do like to kiss each other under it. It’s tradition, sir, isn’t it.” She hurried over to the stage and ran lightly up the steps. Some of the water in the vase slopped over her arm, but she pretended not to notice.
“There you are, my dear.” The young man’s voice carried across the room. “Didn’t I tell you no one would think anything of it?”
Pansy put the vase down on the polished surface of the piano. It looked really nice with its colorful sprays of blossoms. She turned back to the Danvilles.
The gentleman stood smiling at her, while his bride hid her face behind his shoulder. Pansy thought the young girl was really silly. If she, Pansy, was being kissed by her husband she wouldn’t care who saw her.
She skipped down the steps and past the couple, her heart giving a little jump when Mr. Danville gave her a knowing wink. She grinned in answer, and darted from the room, practicing how she would tell Gertie about her encounter.
She found her friend in the dining room, setting new candles in the candlesticks. “Where have you been?” Gertie demanded, the moment she set eyes on her. “I’ve been waiting for you to help me in here.”
“Mrs. Chubb asked me to take the flowers into the ballroom.” She let out a giggle. “You’ll never guess what I saw.”
“Madam was dancing with Clive.”
Pansy stared at her. “What?”
Gertie shook her head. “I was teasing, that’s all. What did you see, then?”
Still confused, Pansy told her about the honeymoon couple. “Mr. Danville winked at me when I came out of there,” she said, smiling at the memory. “I do wish Samuel had been there to see it.”
Gertie laughed. “You don’t really think that would make him jealous?”
Pansy tossed her head. “Maybe not, but I know what would. Lenny asked me out and I’m going, too.”
Now it was Gertie’s turn to stare. “Who the hell is Lenny, then?”
“He’s the lad that works on the roof with that big Irishman.”
“Mick Docker? Saucy blighter he is and all. Mrs. Chubb said he was whistling at the maids all day.”
Pansy thought it better not to mention that Lenny had whistled at her. “Well, anyway, Lenny asked when my afternoon off was and I told him it was tomorrow so I’m meeting him by the gate and we’re going for a walk.”
Gertie pursed her lips. “So what if he gets fresh with you?”
“Fresh?”
“You know, what if he tries to take advantage of you. What’re you going to do then?”
Pansy laughed. “I’m only going for a walk with him, that’s all.”
“Yeah, well, don’t let
Similar Books
