It Must've Been the Mistletoe Page 11

  He beamed, and it was the cutest expression I’d ever seen on him. And now I was more determined than ever to make Christmas William’s favorite time of the year.

  “Who made you the snickerdoodles you love so much?” I asked.

  He grabbed a bowl from the cabinet and I poured a couple of cups of flour into it. I’d made them so much, I never had to measure.

  “My mother. She would always make me snickerdoodles, and my brother macaroons.”

  William watched me mix the dough as if he was serious about learning. He was such a handsome, rugged-looking man, but just recently, I’d begun to see a part of him I’d never seen in any other man. He cared about the things I did.

  “Did she make them only at Christmas?” I wondered.

  He shrugged. “Yes, and she would make the dough different colors. As I got older, she stopped doing them that way.”

  “By the look on your face, I’d almost think you miss the colored cookies. And here I thought you didn’t like Christmas.” I sprinkled a dusting of flour onto the counter top and dropped the dough on it, kneading it.

  “It’s a long story, Adeline. Let’s just say, I’ve spent a lot of time alone during the holidays. Eventually, it just turned into another normal day.”

  When the dough was done, William helped me roll it into little balls, drop them in the sugar mixture, and place the cookies in the oven. I cleaned my hands and we walked over to the couch and sat down. “I’m sorry to hear what it’s been like for you. I guess it’s been different for me. Christmas has brought about some of the best moments in my life. I feel bad for telling you how awesome my holidays were, when yours were lonely.”

  He waved it off. “It’s okay. I’m making new memories now. That’s all that matters.” Grinning wide, he stood and marched over to the other side of the room. “Speaking of which, I found something I thought you’d like.” He disappeared into the bedroom and came out with a small, brown paper wrapped package. “This is for you,” he said, holding it out for me. “It’s fragile, so be careful.”

  I slowly unwrapped it, gasping when I got a good look at the oval, ceramic ornament with a beautiful angel painted on the front. My eyes burned with unshed tears. “How did you know I loved angels?”

  “I didn’t,” he murmured. “I saw it and thought of you. Maybe it’s because the angel resembles you.” A few seconds passed, and I couldn’t take my eyes away from it. “Do you like it?”

  I set it down on the table and stood to wrap my arms around him. “I love it. I’m starting to think this Christmas will be the best yet.”

  He hugged me back, his hands dipping down to my hips. The warmth of his lips touched the side of my neck and my breath hitched. “One of many, I hope,” he whispered softly, kissing me again.

  Fourteen

  Adeline

  After William and I spent hours talking, and eating almost all the snickerdoodle cookies, he took me home. It was the perfect date. I’d never been so happy in my life. As soon as I walked inside the house, I hung up my angel ornament on the tree and rushed up to my room to catch a little bit of sleep. I just wished my ornament was going to be on my tree when I woke up.

  I don’t know how long I slept, but the sound of laughter woke me up. Looking out the window, there were five children—three girls and two boys—outside, playing in the snow. It’d came down so much last night, I’d been worried about getting snowed in at William’s. In a way, I kind of hoped we would’ve been, because then I wouldn’t have had to leave him.

  Jumping out of bed, I didn’t want to steal anymore of my grandfather’s pants, so I found a simple, gray dress and threw it on, not even bothering with a corset. It’d only be a hinderance for what I wanted to do. Once my boots were laced up, I threw on a wool overcoat, and raced down the stairs. My great-grandmother walked out of the parlor just as I was pinning back my hair.

  “Where are you running off to? Please tell me you’re not going outside in such a state.” She must’ve been referring to my hair and dress.

  Heart racing, I pointed to the field, where the children were sledding down one of our hills. “I know I’m thirty years old, but I’m really a kid at heart. I haven’t been sledding in ages.” Plus, I was so happy, I wanted to have some fun.

  Grinning wide, my great-grandmother burst out laughing. “You sure are different, Adeline. It’s refreshing.”

  If she only knew. I nodded toward the door. “Want to go sledding with me?”

  She shook her head. “Oh, heavens no, my dear. If I slide down that hill, I won’t be able to get up. My bones aren’t as strong as they used to be. Just be careful out there.”

  I winked. “Always.” Taking off outside, I ran straight for the kids. When they saw me coming, they grabbed their sleds and took off for the woods. I held up my hands. “No, wait! Don’t go!”

  They stopped at the tree line, and tentatively turned around. I was out of breath when I reached them. Two of the little girls had red hair, while the other children had light brown hair. They looked to be around eight to ten years old.

  “We—we’re sorry for sledding on your land, Ms. Hamilton,” one of the little boys said.

  Kneeling, I met his innocent, blue stare. “It’s okay. What’s your name?”

  “Benjamin.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Benjamin. You can call me Miss Adeline. Who are your other friends?”

  One by one, they introduced themselves. Amelia, one of the girls with red hair stepped forward. “We were told not to leave our property,” she confessed. “Our parents said to stay on our land, but there aren’t any good hills over there. Not like here.” She looked down at the ground, twiddling her fingers nervously.

  “You all are more than welcome to have fun here. I came out here to join you.” They all gasped and lifted their heads excitedly. “That is, if you’ll let me.” Squealing, they flung their arms around my waist and I hugged them back. I loved kids. It was one of the reasons I decided to teach. Laughing, I nodded toward the hill. “Let’s go have some fun!”

  They ran a lot faster than me to the hill, and Benjamin waved me over to his sled. He held it in place while I sat on it. The kids all banded together to give me a giant push. The wind whipped by my face and I screamed and laughed as I went down the hill. I’d almost forgotten how fun it was. The kids cheered and giggled as I fell off the sled into the snow. It was hard to get up because I was laughing so hard. When I was able to breathe again, I grabbed the sled and marched back to the top.

  Amelia jumped up and down. “Race me, Miss Adeline.”

  My heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest. “Let’s go.” This time, I took a running sprint and went down on my stomach, just like Amelia. I weighed more than her, so that gave me an advantage with speed. We both screamed, and I couldn’t stop laughing as we reached the bottom.

  About that time, I heard the thumping of hooves and William’s voice shouting my name. “Adeline, are you all right?”

  My stomach hurt from laughing so hard. I slid off the sled and onto my back.

  William jumped off his horse and charged down the hill. He stood over me, his chest rising and falling with his rapid breaths. “You gave me quite a fright. I heard you scream and rode right over.”

  Snickering, I held up my hands and he hauled me up. His skin was warm against mine. Memories of last night ran through my mind. “Sorry to startle you. I saw the kids out here sledding and I wanted to have some fun. It’s been years since I’ve done it.”

  He blew out a heavy sigh and chuckled. “I can’t even remember the last time I did.”

  “Hello, Mr. Blair!” the kids shouted. Amelia had already joined her friends at the top of the hill. They waved for us to join them.

  “You know them?” I asked.

  He waved at the children. “While I was in town buying the Christmas decor, I bought them some candy. Their families don’t have much.”

  I linked my arm with his. It felt natural to be so close to him. �
�That was really sweet of you.

  He shrugged. “Christmas is coming up. It’s the least I can do.” With a sly grin on his face, he nodded toward the kids. “Want to race me?”

  “You’re on.” We made it to the top of the hill and the children rushed up to William to hug him.

  “Hello, children. Miss Adeline thinks she can beat me down the hill. What do you think?”

  Squealing, they jumped up and down. The boys sided with William, and the girls stood beside me. Benjamin handed William his sled, while Amelia gave me hers. With the sled in my hands, I was going to run like I did before.

  William winked and got into position beside me. “Want to make a bet?”

  Gaze narrowing, I stared him down. “What are the terms?”

  He leaned in close, lowering his voice so the kids couldn’t hear. “If I win, you visit with me at my house tonight.”

  That wasn’t really a bet because I was planning on doing that anyway. With a wide grin, I shook his hand. “You’re on. And if I win, you have to come help me cook dinner tonight. I want Helen and the others who work for my grandparents to have the night off. They deserve a break.”

  His smile widened. “Deal.”

  “All right, children. Count us down,” I said, getting into position.

  Their laughs were so sweet. It made me realize how much I wanted some of my own. “One . . . two . . . three,” they all shouted together.

  William and I took off at a sprint and I flew down the hill faster than before. William was close, but I beat him to the bottom. Jumping to my feet, I lifted my arms in triumph. “I won!”

  William chuckled and fell over in the snow. “How is this possible?”

  Grinning smugly, I stared down at him. “I’m just better. Looks like you’ll be working in the kitchen with me tonight.”

  He stood and grabbed both sleds. “There’s no other place I’d rather be.”

  Fifteen

  Adeline

  William and I sat on the fence and watched the kids sled for another hour, until their parents came to get them. “What all do you do when you’re not with me?” I asked, hopping off the fence.

  He took my hand and we walked around my land, leaving footprints in the snow. “Mainly I walk through town. This place is all so new to me.”

  “Do you not spend time with your uncle, or any other members of your family?”

  He snorted. “I’ve been keeping to myself. My uncle invited me over for Christmas dinner, but I’d rather spend it with you. Besides, he still isn’t happy with me right now. The man can hold a grudge.”

  “I wouldn’t worry too much about it. It doesn’t matter anyway.”

  Brows furrowed, he faced me. “Why is that?”

  Because we are in a dream and none of this is real. Waving off his concern, I said, “All that matters is your happiness.”

  Up ahead, Helen walked out the front door of the house, carrying a basket on her arm. She saw us and waved. “Good morning.”

  “Good morning, Helen. Where are you off to?” I asked her.

  She patted the basket. “I have to run to the market for more food.”

  “Great. Do you mind if I join you? I have some things I need to get. Besides, I want to see Hannah.”

  William squeezed my arm and let go. “You ladies go ahead. I’ll meet you in town in a bit.”

  “Okay,” I said, watching him walk up the hill to his horse. Turning to Helen, I grabbed her wrist. “Do you mind waiting for me? I have to run up to my room.”

  She nodded. “Of course. You’ll need a walking dress.” Her gaze moved upward and stopped on my hair. “And to do something with your hair.” She smiled. “Go. I’ll be right here. Unless you need some help.”

  “Oh, no. I can handle it on my own. You relax and enjoy the view, I’ll be back soon.”

  * * *

  Once I looked presentable, I fetched the money out of the hidden compartment in my window seat. I had to figure out what I was going to do with it all. I didn’t need it. After searching around for my grandmother on my way out, I found her reading a book in the library. She lifted her head and set her book aside.

  “You looked like you were having fun out there,” she said with a smile.

  I chuckled. “I was. Now I’m getting ready to head into town with Helen, but I wanted to ask you something first.”

  Her brows lifted. “What is it?”

  From what I could tell, my great-grandmother was a loving woman. I couldn’t see her objecting to my idea. “I know it’s Christmas Eve, but instead of the servants cooking for us, I thought it would be a nice gesture to cook for them.”

  She stared at me, blinking, then a smile lit up her face. “I think that’s a marvelous idea. I’ll even help you.”

  Breathing a sigh of relief, I rushed over and hugged her tight. “Thank you. I’ll be back soon to get started. William’s going to help us as well. It’ll be a good chance for you to get to know him.”

  She chortled. “I look forward to it. It’d be nice to know more about the man who keeps my granddaughter out all hours of the night.”

  Sheepishly, I let her go and smiled guiltily, but she waved me off.

  “Don’t worry, my dear. Your grandfather and I used to sneak away quite often.” She winked and grabbed her book. “We just never got caught.”

  “I’ll remember that for next time,” I said, winking back at her. Before going outside, I grabbed my own basket from the kitchen. Helen stood by the fence, watching a deer walk through the yard.

  “William really fancies you,” she said, glancing at me over her shoulder.

  My cheeks burned. “And I, him.”

  She cleared her throat. “I saw you ride in this morning together. There was a glow about you.”

  I hid my face. “Was it that obvious?”

  “Yes,” she replied with a giggle. “When you love someone, it’s hard not to show it. I know that all too well. Do you think you and William will get married?”

  We walked down the driveway and my chest ached. “I doubt that’ll happen.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “We’ve only been together for a short while.”

  When we got out to the main road, a man in a carriage rode by us and he nodded in passing. “That doesn’t matter,” Helen said, laughing. “Jonathan and I courted for a couple of weeks before we were married. Then he had to leave for the war, and I thought I’d never see him again. Life is too short to be away from the ones you love.”

  I would be facing something akin to her pain, as I was in love with a dream man, and as soon as I woke up, he would be gone. “If William asked me to marry him, I’d do it in a heartbeat.”

  She beamed. “I’ll pray it happens soon.”

  When we got into town, there were people everywhere, buying their last-minute necessities for the holidays. Helen and I walked into the general store, which was also a market of sorts. We split apart to shop for what we needed.

  From what I could tell, my grandparents had five people who worked for them, six if you included Margaret. Even then, I didn’t know if she was really one of them. She only appeared at odd times. But I had to make sure I made enough food for them all.

  When I turned a corner, Hannah was there, stocking the canned vegetables. Her eyes lit up when she saw me. “Adeline.”

  “Hello, Hannah.” I hugged her. “It’s Christmas Eve. How long do you have to work?”

  “Not long. All I have to do is put out these vegetables. When I’m done, I’m going home to change and help my mother with dinner. Fred’s coming over to eat with us.”

  “Oh, Hannah, that’s fantastic.”

  She nodded. “It is. Fred’s such a sweet man. I never thought I’d be able to open up to another man after my husband passed.”

  “All it takes is time, and for you to find the right match.” I hugged her again. “Have fun tonight. Will I see you at my house tomorrow?”

  “Yes.” She squealed low. “Fred and I will be
there.”

  “That’s wonderful news. I’ll see you then.”

  Helen had purchased her items, and waited for me by the door while I bought mine. When we walked outside, we slowly wound our way through the town. It was surreal looking at all the people dressed in their 1865 attire. Everyone was so posh, even if they were only in their walking clothes.

  “Will you be eating dinner with your grandmother tonight?” Helen asked.

  I bit my lip. “Actually, there’s something I wanted to tell you.” She stopped and faced me, her brows lifted. “I’ve decided to cook dinner for you and the others this evening for Christmas Eve.”

  She shook her head. “Oh, don’t do that, Miss Adeline. I know this is your first Christmas with us. Let me make it special.”

  I placed a hand on her shoulder. “It already is. I want to do this. Believe me, I’m excited about it. William’s agreed to help.”

  She gasped and held a hand over her mouth. “I don’t know what to say. Does your grandmother know?”

  “Yes, I told her before we left. She’s going to help.”

  Tears formed in her eyes. “Your grandmother is the sweetest, most gracious woman I know. I don’t know what I’d do without her and your grandfather. Not everyone in this town are as nice as your family.”

  I nodded. “Thank you, hearing that makes me proud to be a Hamilton.” We slowly walked around town, enjoying the quiet streets of Asheville. I was never going to experience it like that ever again. “Have you made any new dresses?” I inquired.

  Her face lit up. “I have. It’s your Christmas dress.”

  My head jerked her way. “What ever do you mean? Why haven’t I seen it?”

  She giggled. “Because it’s a surprise. Your grandmother bought the silk months ago. I was going to give it to you tonight, so you could wear it to the party tomorrow.”

  “I can’t wait,” I announced excitedly.

  Her gaze caught something over my shoulder and she smiled. “William’s coming this way. I’ll leave you two, so I can get back.”