by Diane Noble
“But after we spent time together, I found I was falling in love.” He laughed lightly. “Imagine such a thing at my age. And the wonder of it all was that this beautiful, talented, delightful woman said she was falling in love with me.” He wiped his eyes.
“I know you’re thinking the worst of me, and I suppose even the fact that I planned the way we met—”
“Because she was from Tennessee, and you were trying to flush out Dr. Reginald Hosea,” Kate filled in.
“Exactly. I had been watching for such an opportunity when I bumped into Renee during the sudden cloudburst in Rome.”
They had almost reached the van. Collin turned his head toward Kate. “Do you know what she said to me when I covered her with my rain cape?”
Kate shook her head.
“She said, ‘Where have you been all my life? I’ve been waiting for you.’ And when she smiled at me, I felt the same way.”
The paramedics helped him onto a gurney and started to push it into the back of the van. Collin reached for Kate’s hand.
“I want to marry her, if she’ll do me the honor.” He smiled and squeezed Kate’s hand weakly. “And if she’ll agree to make her home with me in Oxford with her mother...and even that little mouse of a dog.”
The paramedics pushed the gurney the remaining distance into the van, slammed the doors, and drove off.
Kate stood where she was, stunned. Renee and Caroline and Kisses moving to England?
Copper Mill wouldn’t be the same without them.
Chapter Thirty
Wednesday morning, Renee called Kate and invited herself over for a cup of tea.
Kate had planned to spend the day working on a new Tiffany lamp for the county fair, to give potential buyers the choice of another pattern. But as soon as she heard the catch in Renee’s voice, she readily agreed.
Fifteen minutes later, Renee appeared at the parsonage door. She had a large, fashionable tote bag in one hand, and the new Italian leather leash in the other, with Kisses, of course, attached to the opposite end.
She bustled in as usual without waiting to be invited and headed immediately for the kitchen. “You’ve had a rough few days, so just sit down and rest your weary bones while I make us some tea.”
Renee busied herself around Kate’s small kitchen while Kate sat down at the table to watch. Snoring sounds drifted in from the sofa in the living room where Kisses had curled up for a nap.
“How is Collin?” Kate asked.
Renee didn’t answer right away. She pulled out a bottle of designer water from her tote, then poured it into the teakettle.
“He’s resting well. The doctor says he’ll be released from the hospital tomorrow.” She poured hot tap water into the teapot that had once belonged to Kate’s grandmother and set it aside to warm.
They chatted for a few minutes about Collin’s heroism on Monday night, his work with Scotland Yard, and the deception over the urn, which seemed not to bother Renee in the least.
“He’s asked me to marry him, you know,” she said as she pried open the tin of tea. “Officially, I mean.”
“Oh, Renee, that’s wonderful!” Kate stood and went over to give her a hug.
Renee tilted her beautifully coifed head toward Kate and lifted an intricately penciled brow her direction. “I’m not so sure it is.”
“I thought you were looking forward to hearing him pop the question.”
“Don’t get me wrong. I love him, I honestly do, and I believe with all my heart that he loves me, no matter what happened with the sting operation.”
She steered Kate back to the table, and they both sat down. “And I would be very good for him, if I do say so myself. Bring him out of his shell, so to speak. Add even more adventure to his life.”
Kate hadn’t noticed he was in a shell but agreed with the adventure part. Life with Renee would definitely be that.
“And we have so much in common. I am as round the bend as he is about apprehending thugs—you know how helpful I am with mysteries you get tangled up in.” She paused. “Sleuthing aside, we both enjoy going to the theater, attending operas, visiting museums, shopping at Harrods...”
With the exception of sleuthing and shopping, Kate had never heard Renee mention enjoying any of those activities. Perhaps meeting Collin had brought to the forefront some dormant longings for a different lifestyle.
“In the end,” Renee said, “I couldn’t bear to leave Copper Mill, and he couldn’t bear to leave his life in Oxford.”
“I’m sorry,” Kate said gently.
Across the kitchen, the teakettle sang out.
“Funny thing is,” Renee said softly. “It was Kisses, not Mama, who helped me decide. When all was said and done, Mother said she would live with us in England as long as Collin and I would take her to see the Queen on ceremonial days.” She shook her head. “No, it was Little Umpkins who helped me decide.”
As if on cue, the Chihuahua raced around the corner, feet scrambling to gain traction on the slick floor. When he reached Renee, she scooped him up and held him close. “He can’t seem to get over growling at Collin. And we couldn’t have that, could we?” She kissed him on the nose.
Tears filled her eyes. “I never thought love would come to me after...,” she sniffled, reaching into her pocket for a lace-edged hankie, “after all my sorrow and loss so many years ago. I almost said yes to Collin, thinking it might erase the sad memories. But I know that’s the wrong reason to get married.” She took a deep breath.
“Have you told Collin?”
“He’ll be terribly hurt, possibly to the point of never getting over it,” she said, then added dramatically, “of never getting over moi.”
Renee finished preparing their tea, and then with great fanfare, she set the teacups and saucers on the table. She sat down across from Kate, and Kisses jumped into Renee’s lap, circled a few times, then settled down.
Kate blinked at the little dog. If she hadn’t known better, she would have sworn Kisses was smiling as he cocked his head in her direction. She half expected him to wink.
Chapter Thirty-One
Thursday morning, Paul brought in the Chronicle and tossed it on the kitchen table as Kate poured their coffee. They sat down across from each other to enjoy reading the latest breaking news in Copper Mill.
“I think today’s the last of Livvy’s columns in the Tuscany series,” Paul said, picking up another section.
“That’s funny. She hasn’t said anything about it.” Kate chuckled. “I can only imagine what she’s featured this time—probably the apprehension of international thieves at Faith Briar would be my guess.”
“Mm-hmm,” Paul said, then took a sip of coffee.
Kate opened the paper to Livvy’s article. As her eyes scanned down the page, Kate was pleased to see that Livvy had included an extensive account of the dangerous and dramatic conclusion to the capture of the thieves.
“This is so sweet,” she told Paul as she pointed to the bottom of the page. “At the end of the article, she says that it’s especially wonderful to announce that others from Copper Mill are about to depart for Tuscany.” She looked up, took a sip of coffee, and furrowed her brow. “I wonder who they could be.”
“Hmm...,” Paul said from behind his section of the newspaper.
“She says again there’s no more glorious or romantic place to enjoy a second honeymoon, and that all her love and prayers go with this special couple.”
“She must know them well to write so warmly about them,” Paul said.
“I wonder if she’ll actually announce who it is.”
Paul put down his paper. “Is there more?”
It is a joy to announce that the Reverend Paul and Mrs. Kate Hanlon will be enjoying a second honeymoon while on a ten-day tour of Italy that will include Rome, Florence, and Assisi, plus several romantic days “under the Tuscan sun,” tucked away in one of the most picturesque B and Bs imaginable.
Kate’s eyes filled, and for a moment, she
couldn’t speak. “Paul...,” she finally managed, “I thought...How?...When did you?”
He laughed and reached for Kate’s hands to draw her to her feet. Then he gathered her into his arms and held her close. “I’ll explain how I pulled it off later—the mysterious trips to the travel agency in Pine Ridge, getting all our travel documents in order, transferring funds, letting Livvy and the kids in on it...”
He pulled back to look into Kate’s eyes. “You know, it wasn’t easy to keep a secret from a wife whose sleuthing skills are unequaled in these parts.”
Kate grinned.
“I promise to fill you in on every detail. But for now, Mrs. Hanlon, let me just say how much I love you and how much I wanted to share this trip with you...alone.”
“But—” Kate began.
Paul raised his index finger to her lips and whispered, “Trust me.”
About the Author
DIANE NOBLE is the award-winning author of The Butterfly Farm and nearly two dozen other published works—mysteries, romantic suspense, historical fiction and nonfiction books for women, including three devotionals and an empty nest survival guide. Diane is a three-time recipient of the Silver Angel Award for Media Excellence and a double finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award for Best Inspirational Fiction. Diane makes her home in Southern California with husband Tom and their two cats. You can stop by Diane’s Web site at www.dianenoble.com to catch up on the latest about her books, favorite recipes, crochet patterns and much more.
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