Page 16 of A Sea View Christmas (On Devonshire Shores)

TEN

This is quite the season indeed for friendly meetings. At Christmas everybody invites their friends about them, and people think little of even the worst weather.

—Jane Austen, Emma

The next morning as previously arranged, Colin met Georgiana on Glen Lane, and the two set out for the school together. As they walked along the esplanade, pretty Miss Marriott came up from the beach, basket in hand, and waved to them.

“Ah, Mr. Hutton, a pleasure to see you again so soon. And you, Georgiana.”

Colin bowed. “Miss Marriott.”

“I was just telling my father about you over breakfast. Now he is eager to meet you, being some acquainted with your brother. Won’t you walk with me to our house? You could also view my conchology collection while you’re there.”

Colin hesitated. “We were on our way to the school, but I ... suppose I could always go there later. I would enjoy seeing your collection and meeting your father. Thank you. You don’t mind, do you, Georgiana?”

“Not at all,” Georgie lied.

“Capital. That’s sporting of you.”

With a vague nod to her, Colin offered the enchanting Miss Marriott his arm, and the two walked away together.

With a little huff, Georgiana watched them go. Then she continued on to the school alone to ask Mr. Ward about the meeting and to see how Cora fared.

But Cora was not there.

“What do you mean Cora is not here?” Georgie asked.

“She has moved into the vicarage. I believe I mentioned that might happen?”

“Y-yes. Though I didn’t realize you meant so soon. Have the governors already met?”

“No, they meet this evening. But the landlord rented her grandmother’s apartment to someone else. Cora needed somewhere to sleep.”

“Will she be able to attend school?”

“Not while in service, no. If it is any comfort, I doubt she would be well educated in the orphanage either.”

“How sad. She loves it here.”

“Yes, but a good situation is worth a great deal in this day and age.”

“I ... suppose,” Georgiana replied, although she was not convinced.

Disheartened by the news, Georgie did not remain long at the school, and instead trudged home. Soon after she returned to Sea View, Colin came over fresh from his visit to Temple Cottage to apologize.

“Sorry about that. I hope you truly did not mind?”

“Of course not. I’ve been visiting the school on my own for months now. How did you find the shells?”

“Multitudinous. Who knew there were so many kinds? Her parents seemed nice, though. How is Cora?”

Georgie explained all he had missed that morning.

“Poor girl.”

“Yes, although I believe the vicar and his wife will be kind to her.”

“Still ... to be thrust into service, at her age?”

“I know. I have to clean our water closet and make my share of beds, but at least what I do helps my family, people who love me.”

He slowly nodded, expression troubled. Georgie knew how he felt.

Mamma invited Colin to stay for luncheon. He agreed and sat down with the Summerses, along with their guests. Throughout the meal, Georgiana noticed Colin glance from Sarah to Mr. Henshall more than once.

Afterward, Colin followed Georgie out of the dining room and asked in confidential tones, “So what’s going on with your sister and this Scottish chap?”

Georgie shrugged. “He likes Sarah and she likes him, but I doubt she’ll trade her responsibilities here for something as trifling as romance.”

“Not a romantic yourself, Georgie? That will disappoint the local lads, I don’t doubt.”

“Ha.”

Colin glanced back into the dining room, where Sarah lingered with Callum Henshall.

“I remember him from that cricket match against the Sidmouth fishermen. He was on the visitors’ team with us. Good man to have on the pitch.”

“That’s right.”

He looked at her, and his eyes softened in memory.

“I also recall you filled in for me when we had to rush Vi to the doctor. The Scotsman insisted you be allowed to play, when others were opposed to a girl joining the game. And from what I heard afterward, you won the naysayers over with your skill.”

Another shrug. “We still lost.”

“Most impressive even so.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Why are you being nice to me all of a sudden?”

He barked in laughter. “Am I usually rude or something?”

“You are usually too busy teasing and roasting me.”

“True enough. At all events, do you like this man? For Sarah, I mean.”

“I do, yes. If she were to marry, she could pick a far stupider person. And he did travel an awfully long way to see her again.”

“Needs a little encouragement, does she?” Colin’s eyes lit with mischief. “I have an idea. Why don’t we help them along?”

“Help them? How?”

“Spark a little romance.” He waggled his fair eyebrows.

“How on earth would we do that?”

“Poor Georgie. You truly aren’t a romantic, are you?

I will have to give the scheme more thought, but a few ideas spring to mind.

We could make sure the two of them dance together at one of the parties your family’s planning.

And subtly hint that we’ve noticed how much the one admires the other.

Oh, and of course, there must be a kissing bough.

My personal favorite Christmas decoration. Does mistletoe grow around here?”

Georgie’s mind reeled to keep up. “I ... don’t think so. Oh, wait! I saw a big clump of it during one of my rambles. In a tree on Vicarage Road.”

He grinned. “There, you see? I knew you’d be the perfect partner in this plot. And no time to waste. Christmas Eve is tomorrow. Can you take me there now?”

“Certainly. It’s a bit of a walk, though.” She looked skeptically at his shiny black shoes with crimson ribbon ties and red leather heels. “You’ve already walked to Temple Cottage and back. Are you sure you can walk nearly the same distance again in those pointy shoes?”

“Ah. I think you mean these very stylish shoes, perfect for a pink-of-fashion like me. Would you have me be an old-fashioned square-toes?”

Georgie looked heavenward and shook her head. “Let’s go. Just no complaining if your feet hurt.”

She led the way across town, past the church and eventually the vicarage, which stood near the north entrance of town. The vicarage house was old but had recently been enlarged and improved.

When they neared, they saw Cora sitting on a stool outside, wearing a maid’s apron and mobcap. They waved to her, and she waved back before returning to her task of plucking a chicken.

The sight saddened Georgiana.

As they passed, Colin shook his head. “To go from living with a loving grandmother and attending school to this ...? Can nothing be done?”

“The governors will meet tonight to decide her fate officially. I believe Mamma plans to attend and speak up on Cora’s behalf. But this looks to be her future if nothing changes.”

He blew out a deep breath and paused to look back.

For a long moment, the two stood there, watching the girl gingerly pull feathers from a chicken, perhaps for the first time in her life.

Then Colin said, “I suppose we had best get on.”

“Yes.” Georgie hesitated. “Though I’ve realized we might need a knife. Perhaps we could borrow one from the vicarage kitchen instead of walking all the way back for one.”

“My pointy shoes approve of that plan.”

They retraced their steps and asked Cora if they might borrow a knife.

“I don’t know. I don’t want to get into trouble....” The girl worriedly chewed her lip. “But you’ve been so kind to me. Just one moment.” She darted inside before Georgie could stop her.

“I hope she does not get into any trouble on our account.”

Cora reappeared and handed them a sharp knife. “You will bring it back?”

“Of course we shall. Never fear.”

Promising Cora they’d return as soon as possible, the two continued up Vicarage Road.

“There it is. See?” Georgiana pointed high into a lime tree’s canopy, to a roundish bunch of green visible in the winter-bare tree branches.

He let out a low whistle. “That is higher than I imagined. How will we get it down?”

“I think there are two options. If we had a gun, we might be able to blast it down. Sadly I have no gun.”

“I should hope not!”

“Have you?”

“Jack has a few, but he’d not let me anywhere near them.”

“Wise man.”

“And our other option?”

Georgie waggled her brows, clamped the knife between her teeth, hiked her skirts, and began climbing the tree.

“Georgie, no!” Colin called. “It’s too high! If you break your neck Jack will break mine—if your sisters don’t do so first. I did not mean that you should climb up.”

Reaching a Y of the trunk that allowed her to sit, Georgie momentarily removed the knife with one hand, still holding on to a branch with the other. “Well, you were not going to do so. Not in those silly shoes! At least I’m wearing sturdy half boots.”

“And a skirt! Come down, I beg of you.”

“I shall. In just a few minutes more.”

Clamping the knife between her teeth again, Georgiana continued the climb, more for the thrill of the challenge than any fondness for kissing boughs.

Reaching the important branch, Georgie edged her way out on the limb, which swayed beneath her weight.

“That branch is not strong enough. Stop!”

Georgie did not stop. Instead she reached out, grasped a vine-like shoot of the stuff, and yanked it closer to the trunk. Wrapping one arm around the tree for balance, she then began sawing at the mass.

Finally a tangle of mistletoe fell. Then another.

“That’s enough!” he shouted up to her. “We don’t need enough to have the whole town puckering up!”

The branch made an ominous cracking sound beneath her.

“Oh, Lord help us,” he cried.

“I’m all right.” George returned her weight fully to the trunk and then slowly and carefully made her way down, muscles trembling from the effort and the near fall.

She leapt the last few feet and landed with a thwump and a rush of satisfaction.

A moment later, Colin’s arms were around her in a fierce hug. “You foolish, headstrong girl. You scared the life out of me.”

Georgie blinked in surprise at the unexpected embrace but did not push him away.