by L. P. Dover
“Please tell the others about tonight. William and I will be there soon to get started on dinner.”
She nodded happily. “I’ll let them know. They’ll be most excited.” William came up behind me and she bowed her head. “Farewell, Mr. Blair.” Turning on her heel, she started on her way back to the house.
William took the basket from me and held out his arm. “Mind if I escort you home?”
“I’d be delighted.” Taking his arm, he pulled me in closer. Nobody even paid attention to us as we walked around the town, or if they did, I didn’t notice. It was like we were in our own world.
“Did you tell Helen about tonight?” he asked.
“I did. She seemed happy about it.” We waited for a carriage to pass by before we crossed the street. “I wish I could do more for her though. She does a lot for my family. I want to find a way to repay her.”
“Your grandparents pay her, right?”
I nodded. “Yes, but Helen has so much talent. If she had more money, she could open her own dress shop.”
We walked to the edge of town, and something caught my eye. It was an old wooden building that wasn’t much bigger than an average New York apartment. It was a little rundown, but after replacing some of the rotted wood and painting it, it’d be as good as new.
“Something like that would be perfect.” I rushed over and looked in the window. The only thing inside was a dusty desk.
William peeked in as well. “This place belonged to a cobbler. He died before the war.”
“So sad,” I murmured. “Do you know who he was? Maybe I could buy it from his family.”
William opened the door. “This place was passed down to the next living kin.” He walked in, and I followed behind him.
“I’m assuming that person still owns it now?” I asked. As I looked around, I could totally see Helen in there, making her dresses, with bundles of fabrics on the shelves for customers to choose from.
William turned to me and smiled. “He does. You’re looking at him.”
“What?” I shrieked. Excitement welled in my chest, but I was also sad. William never talked about his family. “Who was he to you?”
“My grandfather on my mother’s side. I never knew the man.”
“Where are your parents now?”
His gaze saddened. “They’re not alive. All I have here is my uncle, and I couldn’t care less about being around him.” He waved his hands about the room. “I know I’m not going to use this place, so I might as well give it to someone who will.”
Jumping in his arms, I kissed him. “Thank you. I can’t begin to tell you how much this means to me.”
He kissed me again, his body warming me. “You can pay me back tonight. I have a few things in mind.”
“Mr. Blair!” I gasped in mock exasperation. When I couldn’t hold it in anymore, I broke into giggles.
He set me down and blew out a ragged breath. “I have to get away from you, or I’m going to lose control.”
“I know the feeling. And we wouldn’t want any of the townspeople walking by and seeing anything inappropriate.”
Pulling me in for a hug, he snugly held me around the waist. “Let me walk you home, and then I’ll be back with a contract for Helen to sign. Once it’s signed over to her, she can do whatever she wants with it.”
“I can’t believe this. We’re about to change her life!” We let go of each other and made for the door. “It feels good to give to others. I almost feel like Santa Claus.”
William held open the door for me to pass through. “That’s why you’re so special. I don’t know anyone else like you.”
I looked up at him and smiled. “The same goes for you.”
Sixteen
Adeline
After William walked me back home, I divided my money into five equal amounts, wrapping it all up in silk bags. I placed them under the tree, so I could give it all to Helen and the others after dinner. Margaret was nowhere to be found, until I saw her in the kitchen, tasting a plum pudding. The whole room smelled like ham.
She winked at me. “Pudding tastes good. It’s my favorite dish.”
Grabbing an apron off the wall, I tied it around my waist. “Where have you been? It’s like you disappear and reappear at random.”
Laughing, she set down her spoon. “That’s what I do, Adeline. Besides, I’ve been busy watching you and William. You’ve actually done well in this time period. I know it’s hard not slipping up.”
I scoffed. “Tell me about it. I feel bad not letting William know who I really am. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not pretending, but there are so many things I can’t confide in him about. It’s not like I can talk about my real parents, or my job . . . or that I miss watching my favorite TV shows.”
She shrugged. “In the end, none of that matters. You’re still you. A kind-hearted woman who would do anything for her friends and family. The same woman who has always put others needs before her own. Even in your dream, you still think of others. Although, I am glad to see you enjoying yourself.” Her gaze saddened. “Unfortunately, your time is almost up.”
“How long do I have?” I felt the panic rise in my chest. My great-grandmother’s voice sounded just outside the door and Margaret smiled. “Have a wonderful Christmas Eve, Adeline. What you’re doing for Helen and the others is very generous. Even if it is a dream, your actions will not go unnoticed.”
“Wait! How long do I have?” She disappeared from view in the blink of an eye.
My great-grandmother opened the door, dressed in a plain black dress and apron. “I’m ready.” Then her eyes lit up as she walked in. “You already made the plum pudding? It’s one of my favorites. We’re nearly halfway there. I cured a ham earlier this morning. It’s been cooking for hours.”
“I thought that’s what I was smelling,” I said, grinning wide.
She nodded. “I had to kick Helen out of the kitchen. She insisted on helping, but I told her to enjoy the rest of the day off.”
“Speaking of Helen, there’s something I want to ask you.”
Brows furrowed, she grabbed a handful of potatoes and set them on the table. “What is it?”
The kitchen door opened, and William walked in with a large jug. He nodded toward the door. “Helen let me in. I hope that’s okay.”
My grandmother beamed and waved her hands in the air. “You’re always welcome here, William. Our home is your home.” She walked over to him and kissed his cheek. “What’s in the jug?”
Chuckling, he set it down beside the potatoes. “It’s eggnog. You can’t have Christmas without it.”
My grandmother fetched a cup from the cupboard. “I think I’ll have a taste, you know, to make sure it’s okay.” She poured some in her cup and moaned as she took her first sip. “This is delicious.”
I shook my head and laughed. “Is there liquor in that?”
William winked. “Only a little. Have you told her about the dress shop yet?”
My grandmother paused and turned her head our way. “Dress shop?”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I leaned against William’s side. “I’m sure you’re aware by now that Helen’s an exquisite dress maker. It’s her passion. And William here has decided he would be willing to give up his building in town for her, and I’m going to fund all the renovations and materials.”
Her eyes widened. “That’s a large gift, my dear.”
I nodded. “I know. It’ll take a while for the shop to be ready, but when it is, will you be able to let Helen go?”
A look of sadness passed across her face, but it was quickly replaced with a smile. “I love Helen like a daughter. I would do anything to make her happy. If this is what she wants, I won’t stand in her way.”
I rushed over to her and threw my arms around her neck. “Thank you. I can’t wait to surprise her.”
She patted my back. “Me too. But we best get to work. Christmas Eve dinner isn’t going to cook itself. Besides, I think Helen has a surprise for
you as well.”
I joined William by the table and helped him cut the potatoes. When my grandmother turned her back, he nipped at my ear. Shivers ran down my arm. “I can’t wait to spend more time with you tonight.”
I looked up at him. “Neither can I,” I whispered. Spending time with him was all I could think about.
Dinner turned out amazingly well. Granted, it took a lot longer to cook without a microwave or kitchen tools from the future. Still, the food came out perfectly. After we ate, everyone congregated in the living room by the Christmas tree and I’d handed gifts to Reginald and Evelyn—Edward hadn’t returned with my grandfather yet.
“Thank you, Ms. Adeline. I’m in your debt,” Reginald said, bowing his head. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he gasped in surprise. It took him a few seconds to return the hug.
“Merry Christmas, Reginald.” I let him go. “Take care of yourself, and enjoy the holidays with your sons and daughters.”
He nodded and waved at everyone else. “I will. Goodnight everyone. Merry Christmas.”
Evelyn, my grandparents’ other maid, stood and clasped her hands in front of her. I’d never really spoken to her much before, except to tell her I could cook my own breakfast. She was a quiet woman; her voice barely rose above a whisper when she spoke. She bowed her head at me. “You are an angel, Miss Adeline. Thank you for the gift.”
“You’re welcome, Evelyn.”
Then she turned to my grandmother. “If you don’t mind, I think I’ll retire for the night. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day.”
My grandmother hugged her. “Yes, it is. As soon as it’s over, you’ll have a whole week off. All of you,” she said, turning to Helen and Jonathan.
Helen clapped her hands with joy. Once Evelyn was gone, I fetched Helen and Jonathan’s gifts out from underneath the tree and handed them to them. They both stared at the lace pouches, knowing very well there was a substantial amount of money in them.
Helen sniffled and lifted her teary gaze to mine. “Before we open our gifts, I want to start off by saying, I will never forget this day for the rest of my life. The food was excellent, and the company even better. Not many people can say they love the people they work for.” She placed a hand over her heart, her tears glistening in the candlelight. “But I do. I love you both so much. Which is why I want to give you the good news.” Grinning wide, she looked over at her husband and he nodded at her.
Heart racing, I waved my hands in the air. “What is it? I’m dying here.”
Tears fell down her cheeks. “We’re going to have a baby.”
“Oh my goodness,” I cried, rushing over to her. She hugged me hard, while William shook Jonathan’s hand and congratulated him. “I know you’ve been trying for years.”
“We have. I’ve prayed and prayed for a child. You being here has been a miracle for us all.”
I’d never felt so fulfilled in my life. Being surrounded by happiness was the best feeling in the world. “I’m so happy for you, Helen.” I wiped away my tears and let her go. “The night’s only going to get better. Open your gift.” William and I sat back down on the couch.
She shook her head. “I want you to open yours first.” Walking up to the tree, she grabbed a large box from underneath and handed it to me.
I slowly opened it, and inside was the most gorgeous dress I’d ever seen. “Oh, Helen, it’s beautiful.”
She beamed. “I knew you would like it. Your grandmother bought the white, striped silk and I added in the green. At the bottom, I embroidered in some mistletoe to add a splash of red.”
My heart stopped when I saw the mistletoe. It looked exactly like the sprig Margaret had on her jacket the night of the rehearsal. What was it about mistletoe? Grinning wide, I held the dress to my chest. “I can’t wait to wear it tomorrow. Thank you so much.” I pointed at her present. “Now open yours.”
Taking a deep breath, Helen untied the ribbon and opened the box. Inside, was a contract and a deed to the old boot shop. Brows furrowed, she stared at it curiously. “What is this?”
“Do you know that old, vacant building at the edge of town?” I asked, and she nodded. “It’s yours now. You can turn it into your very own dress shop.”
William reached over and pointed at the contract. “This right here is a contract stating that I’m giving you the property. Once you sign it, it’s official. The other,” he said, sliding out the other paper, “is the deed.”
Her attention darted over to my great-grandmother.
“I know all about it. Adeline told me everything,” she said, smiling to reassure Helen. “I want you to follow your dreams, and now you can. Don’t worry about me and Andrew. We’ll be fine.”
Helen sucked in a breath and stared at the papers, more tears falling down her cheeks. “I could never leave you, Mrs. Hamilton.”
“You don’t have to,” I told her. “It’s going to take time for the renovations. The money I gave you both should take care of that, and then some. You can also buy whatever fabrics you want. When you’re not working at the shop, you can be here. This is your home.”
My great-grandmother wiped away her tears and nodded. “Your baby’s going to need a grandmother. All my grandchildren are older, they don’t need me anymore.”
“That’s not true,” I murmured. “Family is important. Nothing will ever change that.”
William placed his hand over mine. A part of me was ecstatic to be a part of something so amazing, but I couldn’t help but feel angry that it was fake—a dream I was about to awaken from. I didn’t want to wake up. I wanted to believe I was with my family, and with William. I loved him.
There were so many things I would miss about him. The way he smiled and the way he looked at me with those silvery, gray eyes of his. But what I was going to miss most of all was the way I felt when he was around, and the way he touched me. It was as if he was a part of my soul.
“Are you okay?” he whispered.
Tears burned my eyes. “I will be.” Hopefully.
Seventeen
Adeline
William and I had offered to clean the kitchen while my grandmother went to bed. After putting away all the pots and pans, I noticed there were a couple of apple pastries left over from the other morning. I wrapped them up in cloth and stuck them in my basket.
“What are those?” William asked. He finished sweeping the floor and put the broom away.
I opened the basket and showed him. “Apple pastries. Helen and I made them the other morning. I think I’m addicted to them.” Leaning up on my toes, I kissed him. “They’ll be perfect for a midnight snack.”
He pulled me into his arms. “Will they now? Are you sure you’re okay with visiting this evening? You’ll have to be up early tomorrow.”
I winked and let him go. “I won’t stay all hours of the night.” Grabbing the basket, I walked over to the kitchen door. “I’m ready when you are.”
We took one last look at the kitchen, and then hurried outside to his horse. It was a clear, cold night, and the snow glistened in the moonlight. It was magical. Climbing up onto William’s horse, I held on as he hopped up behind me. His strong arms wrapped around my waist and I leaned into him as we headed to his cabin. We took it slow through the woods. It was peaceful and quiet.
“I’m so happy for Helen and Jonathan. They’ve been trying to have a baby for a while now.”
William held me tighter. “Do you want to have a family one day?”
I sighed. “More than anything. But the older I get, the less it seems possible. What about you?”
His warm breath hit my ear as he blew it out. “I’m finally at a point in my life where I think I’m ready. There’s more to life than just work. It’s too bad it took me this long to see it.”
We made it to his cabin and he helped me off the horse, keeping me close to his body. “Me too,” I agreed. “I never allowed myself to get close to anyone. Teaching and history were all I had, at least that is, until I met you. I just w
ish this all could last forever.”
He slid his hands up to my face and kissed me. “It can. Why don’t you go inside, while I put Bella in the stables? I’ll be right there.”
I nodded. “Okay.”
Taking Bentley’s reins, he led the black and white spotted horse to the back of the cabin, and I walked to the door, snow crunching under my feet. It was the perfect consistency to make a snowman . . . or a snowball. Setting my basket inside, I snuck back out and hid behind one of the large oak trees. Scooping up a handful of snow, I packed it together and waited for William to appear. As soon as he was about to enter the cabin, I threw the snowball right at his back, then hid behind the tree, trying my best not to laugh.
“You do know you just started a war, don’t you?” William called out. I slapped a hand to my mouth and picked up more snow with the other. “It may be dark out here, but I know I can find you.”
I peeked around the corner and watched him make his own snowball. His gaze darting back and forth. Once I packed my other snowball, I threw it at him and it exploded against his chest. I burst out laughing and it gave up my hiding spot.
His focus landed on me and he smiled devilishly. “There you are.” He chased after me and I squealed, trying my best to outrun him, but it was a daunting task in my dress. He threw his snowball and it hit me in the middle of my back. The snow seeped down into my dress and I shivered. Taking off at a sprint, I headed around his house, thinking he was still behind me. But when I looked over my shoulder, he was gone. Scooping up another handful of snow, I packed it tight.
“I didn’t think you were one to hide,” I teased loudly.
Holding my breath, I listened and there was no sound. The moon gave me enough light, but there was no movement. Where was he? That was the question, until I saw the snowball flying through the air. Before I could react, it hit me square in the forehead and I lost my balance, falling straight down onto my back.