Free A Partridge in a Pear Tree by AMANDA MCCABE

bonfires. The music sang out on the cold wind. It was a truly splendid evening, one she would never forget.
    If only it could go on and on...
    “Allison,” William said, his suddenly serious tone at odd contrast with the merry holiday scene before them.
    She turned to look up at him in concern. “William? What is it? Is something amiss?”
    “No, of course not. It's just—I must talk to you about something. I was going to wait, to be patient, but seeing you here tonight—I have to say it.”
    An odd mix of dread and excitement caused Allison's hand to shake. What could possibly be making William, usually so calm and teasingly merry, be so pale and serious?
    It had to be something either horrible or wonderful.
    She carefully placed her glass on the ground before she could spill the punch, and steeled herself to face him. “Yes, William?”
    “Allison. I love you,” he said quickly, then looked as if he had swallowed a frog.
    She felt her jaw drop as she stared at him like a lackwit. Were her ears deceiving her? Did he just say... “You love me?”
    He nodded. “I do. I think I fell in love with you when we first met four years ago, but I was too young and foolish to realize it. But now I know, I love you, Allison Gordon. I love your fiery red hair, and your sweet smile, and your cleverness and kind heart, and—everything.” His smiled ruefully. “i am saying this very badly, aren't I? I'm being terribly clumsy.”
    “ Oh, William,” she said, a silly grin tugging at her lips. “I love you, too.”
    His eyes widened, and he grinned a very silly grin of his own. It was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. “You do?”
    “I do. Truly.”
    He swooped down and kissed her, the softest, sweetest, dearest kiss ever. Allison grasped the lapels of his greatcoat in her gloved hands and leaned into him, absorbing his strength and his warmth into herself.
    When at last they parted, she leaned her cheek against his shoulder and sighed happily.
    “ I have little money,” he said. “Not much to offer you. But I will work hard to make us a fine life.”
    “ I have little money, either,” she answered blithely, still floating on love's pink cloud, where such mundane considerations as incomes and houses had no place. Not yet. That would come all too soon. “And you have one very valuable thing indeed to offer me.”
    “ And what is that?”
    She looked up at him, and kissed his handsome cheek. “Yourself, of course. That is all I want.”
    He smiled, but his eyes still looked shadowed. Concerned. “I want to marry you, Allison, more than I have ever wanted anything. But I don't want you to regret being my wife.”
    “ I never could. I know it won't be easy, but we can all live at my family's cottage if we must. There is room for you and Gertrude, and anyone else who might come along.” She rested her cheek on his shoulder, letting the bliss of the moment soak into her. “It will be fine. You'll see, my love. We have each other now.”
    “ Yes,” he said, pressing a kiss to her hair. “We have each other.”
    His arms tightened around her, and he was all she knew.
    They didn't even see the dark-cloaked woman who stood hidden behind the edge of the wall. But Lady Kirkwood's faithful maid Rose saw, and heard, them. With a little smile, she slipped away and headed back down the lane to Kirkwood Manor to tell her employer all she had learned.
     

 
    Chapter Ten
     
    Christmas Day
     
    “Allie! Allie, wake up!”
    “ It's Christmas, slugabed! You are sleeping the whole day away.”
    Allison groaned, and opened her eyes to find the much too energetic twins climbing onto her bed. They had opened the window draperies, and pale yellow sunlight streamed into the room.
    She pulled the bedclothes back over her head. It felt as if she had only just fallen asleep. “What time is it?”
    “ Nearly nine o'clock. And we are meant to go to church with Lady Kirkwood, remember?” Jane said, with a little bounce on the