Mistletoe and Magic (Novella): A Loveswept Historical Romance (7 page)

He laughed even as the housekeeper shook her head while he scooped up more bacon. In truth, he hardly recognized himself. Never had he been forced to work so hard to win a woman’s affections, and far from being discouraged, he was finding the
challenge the most enjoyable of his life.

Whistling “Deck the Halls,” he put on his coat, picked up his stick, and decided to walk to his office.

The brick pavement was cleared of the snowfall, and he saw how beautiful the city looked as the residents prepared for the Christmas holiday. Turkeys hung in the butcher shop, tempting shoppers to place their orders for a holiday feast. Silver bells tinkled from the horses’ collars, while green wreaths of holly and pine adorned the gaslights and doors of the brownstones. Chimney sweeps roamed the walks looking for work, their faces black from soot, while wealthy women hustled past carrying bags stuffed with gifts.

On the corner stood a nun ringing a bell and asking for donations for the poor. Jared fished inside his coat for a few coins when his eyes widened in shock.

The nun was wearing a white mink collar around her throat, identical to the one he’d given Penelope!

“Excuse me.” He gave the holy woman a charming smile as he indicated her throat. “I cannot help but admire that piece you are wearing. Where did you get it?”

The nun seemed embarrassed as she self-consciously touched the fur piece. “An angel brought it to us yesterday! Miss Penelope Appleton was her name. She comes to the orphanage on Friday mornings to read stories to the poor children, and presented this to us along with a muff!”

“I see.” Chagrined, he stared at the old woman in her threadbare wool coat, gloves full of holes, wearing his fabulous mink adornment.

“I don’t plan to keep it, of course,” the sister said quickly. “It is much too valuable, and will provide a lot of the poor a Christmas dinner. But it was so cold today, I couldn’t resist wearing it while collecting. It was very generous of the pretty miss, wouldn’t you say, sir?”

“Yes.” Jared had to laugh as he dropped several bills into the tin. “Very generous. What was it you called her? An angel?”

“Yes, that she is.” The nun glanced down at the bucket and her eyes widened as she saw his donation. “Why, thank you! The children will eat well on that! Merry Christmas and bless you, sir!”

“And a blessed Christmas to you, Sister.”

On Friday morning, Penelope entered the orphanage and was immediately surrounded by a swarm of children.

“Now, now! Quiet, children! Please take your seats!” A nun appeared, clapping her hands, and the little ones obediently sat on the bare wood floor in the sparsely furnished room.

“Can we hear the story about the kittens again?” one little girl begged, her eyes following Penelope as she removed her cloak and gave them a warm smile.

“We can. Or I was thinking, with the closeness of the holiday, how about a Christmas tale?”

The children cheered. Penelope handed the nun a basket of goodies that her aunt had assembled, and then sat down in a worn armchair near the stingy fire.

“ ‘And in the town of Bethlehem, a poor woman and her husband tried to find lodging, for her baby was about to be born. They were told there was no room at the inn, so they took shelter in a stable …’ ”

Softly, she read them the story of Christmas, pausing at intervals to show them a picture or to answer a question. Her heart went out to the poor children, and she realized that if not for her aunt, this could have easily been her fate. She saw the scarred and scuffed wood floor where they sat, the braided rug made from rags, the simple wool dresses the girls wore and the rough trousers on the boys. Eve had tried to donate clothing and furnishings for the children, but soon learned that the nuns sold anything of value in order to keep the house running. So instead her generous aunt gave gifts of cash and food, things she knew were needed the most.

Penelope’s heart swelled as the children listened rapturously to the story and the nuns doled out Eve’s cookies. Her aunt was not wealthy by any means, yet she always was there to help the less fortunate in whatever way she could.

“How was that?” Penelope finished the story and gratefully accepted a cup of tea while the children clapped their hands.

“Another one?” they begged. “Please?”

Penelope smiled and opened a well-worn book by Hans Christian Andersen. Just as she began the tale, there was a knock at the door. The nuns answered it and stood back in surprise as Jared swept into the room, carrying a burlap sack.

“Merry Christmas!” he exclaimed, while Penelope stared at him in shock.

“I remember you!” The older nun turned to the other sisters in excitement. “This is the gentleman I was telling you about. He is the one who gave us the generous gift! Thank you so much, kind sir!” She grinned from ear to ear. “The children will have quite a feast on Christmas due to your charity! I’ll go tell the Reverend Mother. She wanted very much to meet you.”

“Mr. Marton?” Penelope hissed when the nun departed the room. “What is the meaning of this …”

“Good morning, Mr. Marton! I am delighted. Please join us.” The oldest sister came forward, clad in black, wearing a huge crucifix on her habit. She took his hand into her own webbed grip and gestured to the other chair near the fire. “I want to thank you for your generous gift. We are in the midst of story hour, but I can at least offer some tea to dispel the chill.”

“That sounds great.” To Penelope’s astonishment, Jared sat down as if prepared to enjoy himself. He opened the sack and then looked to the nuns for permission. “My parents took up a collection and bought some presents for the children. I’d like to distribute them now if that is all right with you.”

The Reverend Mother nodded and the children clapped their hands with pleasure. Penelope stared, slack-jawed, as each girl received a doll and each boy a toy soldier. At the bottom of the sack was a stack of children’s books. These Jared handed out as he dropped to the floor to show the boys a thaumatrope, a disc with pictures on either side and attached to a string. When he pulled the twine, the disc twirled and the pictures seemed to move and combine into one.

Penelope put her books away, glad to have something to do in order to hide her feelings. Deep emotion swelled inside her as she surveyed the gifts. Even if Jared had done this to impress her, his generosity with the children touched her in a way no man had ever managed before. Indeed, gentlemen usually thought charity was a woman’s
work, and they left it up to their wives and mothers to take care of the less fortunate. But Jared had not only taken the time out of his day to help, but had enlisted others in the cause as well.

“Mr. Marton,” Penelope began, but her voice was much less stern than she intended. “May I speak to you in the dining hall for a moment?”

“Of course.” He ruffled a little boy’s hair as the urchin giggled in glee while he challenged a toy soldier to battle.

Penelope partially closed the door and then faced her adversary. “What are you doing here?”

“Why, helping the children to have a nice Christmas.” He grinned as if the answer were obvious.

“Did someone tell you I come here on Fridays?” she asked suspiciously.

“I did happen to learn that you donated your time on a regular basis,” he said, and his dark green eyes grew warm. “I must admit, I was impressed by your spirit. It moved me to ask my parents for help. I think the children will have a wonderful holiday this year, don’t you?”

She fought the knot that choked her throat. “Mr. Marton—”

“Jared,” he insisted.

“Jared.” She took a deep breath and looked directly at him. “I appreciate your help and I know the children do, too. It was very kind. And please thank your parents as well. But I have to inform you that I cannot allow you to court me, if that is why you are doing all this. Not now, or ever.”

“And why not?” he asked, cocking his head. He gave her a wicked smile. “Don’t tell me you’re engaged to another man already?”

“No!” Penelope said, appalled. “No, it’s just …” She struggled for an excuse, and her thoughts went back to her aunt. “I cannot marry and leave my aunt alone.”

Jared looked surprised, as if this was something he hadn’t at all considered. “I certainly wouldn’t object to Eve living with us, if that’s the case,” he stated. “I can understand why you wouldn’t want her in that old house by herself.”

“She wouldn’t do it.” Penelope sighed. “She’s too proud and wouldn’t want to intrude. I know, because Jennifer and Winifred have both indicated such a possibility,
and she refuses them each time.”

This was a setback with no easy solution. “But surely your aunt wouldn’t want you to sacrifice your own happiness for her?”

“No, she wouldn’t, which is why I am asking you never to tell her. I don’t want her to feel bad.”

“I see.” Jared did understand. As he looked at the poor children in their patched-up clothes, all of them appearing hungry even as they played with the toys, he knew that Penelope herself had been an orphan. She of course would feel indebted to the relative who took them in.

“I still want to be your friend, Miss Appleton. Even if you can’t see your way to letting me court you, I desire your companionship. For I meant what I said to you the night of the ball. And when I walked into this place and saw you with the children, I knew that I was right. You are an angel.”

Penelope was speechless as he turned and walked out of the room.

It was a week until Christmas. Penelope was excited, and she rustled down the stairs to join her aunt in the carriage. They were on their way to the Hitchcock Theater for a Christmas concert, followed by a gathering at the Billingses’. Penelope was wearing a new dress, red plaid silk with a square-cut neckline and black lace mitts. Aunt Eve had lent her a pair of ruby teardrop earrings that sparkled in the dim light and her good black velvet cloak. For a moment, she thought of how nice the outfit would look with Jared’s collar, but she quickly dismissed the idea, aware that by now the mink was probably gracing the throat of some wealthy woman.

As she entered the coach, she glanced fondly at her aunt. Eve looked very pretty in a dark blue gown with matching cloak and bonnet. She thought of the story she’d told Jared, that she couldn’t marry and leave her aunt alone, and realized that she had put an obstacle in place that even the clever lawyer couldn’t overcome. She should be pleased that she had thwarted him once and for all, but somehow her victory felt hollow.

It seemed all of New York had turned out for the concert. Penelope saw almost
everyone she knew: Jennifer and Winifred, of course with their spouses, the Billingses, the Weathermeres, the Wiselys … truly almost everyone.

She realized there was one person she sought out the most, and chided herself. Jared. Of course he would not attend something as mundane as a Christmas concert, especially now that she’d made it clear they would never be together. He had probably already moved on to his next conquest. The thought troubled her more than it should.

“Why, Pen, is that new? It’s beautiful!” Jennifer approached with Winifred and gave her a look of sincere appreciation as she admired the plaid silk gown. “And Aunt Eve, your outfit is very nice!”

“I helped pick the fabric,” Penelope beamed, indicating Eve’s blue silk. “Doesn’t that color look wonderful with her hair?”

Eve put up her hand, forestalling the compliments. “It is you young ladies who steal the spotlight tonight.”

It was true, for Winifred appeared very elegant in an off-the-shoulder silver gown, while Jennifer was festive in a candy-cane-striped silk. Gabriel and Charles joined them, glasses of Champagne in hand as they looked for their seats in the crowd.

“I think we are right there.” Charles indicated the row. “Auntie, would you mind taking the center seat?”

“Why no.” Eve took the chair he indicated and accepted the sparkling wine with a smile. “My, it appears the orchestra has sold out all of the tickets this evening. We should have quite the crowd.”

Penelope followed Eve into the aisle and sat next to her aunt. Charles and Winifred joined next, and lastly, Gabriel and Jennifer. Penelope glanced at the two empty seats beside her aunt, wondering who their companions would be for the concert.