“Dare I ask if you are near a decisionyet?”
“I should tell you, Daniel was agitated when came to see me again the other day. He has been suffering from the shock of his misadventure and was trying to elicit a promise of marriage from me rightaway.”
“And?”
“I suggested he visit his friend who makes the boats. He needs to focus on other aspects of his futurefirst.”
John smiled, squeezed her arm and kissed herforehead.
“Just know I loveyou.”
* * *
Simon soughtout Fitz in her room. Heknocked.
“Yes?” sheanswered.
He entered, smiling and bundled up to go outside. She was seated on aloveseat.
“Oh, I thought you were the maid bringing my laundry. Good morning, Simon. Are you going out?” sheasked.
“I am and I thought you might wish to joinme.”
“I’m not all that partial to walking,” she answered. “Particularly on such a cold and dreary day. It looks as though it could snow at anymoment.”
“But this is no ordinary walk. I’m going on a hunt for a Christmas tree for thehouse.”
“Christmas? My, is it that timealready?”
“And you’ll be spending Christmas with us, will younot?”
She lowered her eyes. “If I’m stillwelcome.”
“Of course, you are. And there’s something I’d like to talk to you about if youplease.”
Fitz inclined her head. “Now?”
“On the walk. We shan’t beinterrupted.”
Fitz seemed to sense a moment of import and her face lit up. “Well, if you insist, I might make anexception.”
* * *
Simon and Fitzhad walked a long way to a wooded area accompanied by nothing but chit chat. Fitz sensed that Simon had something to say but suspected he wasnervous.
“How are you to cut a Christmas tree if you have no implement with which to cut it down?” Fitz asked, feeling the cold and longing to get back to the cozy fire in herrooms.
“I’ll just mark it. We have staff to cut it and bring it to the house.” He stood in the middle of the trees and looked around. “I seem to remember there’s a nice stand of evergreens not far from here. That’s where we’ll look for ourtree.”
He started walkingagain.
Fitz was becoming exasperated. This was not turning out to be the conversation she was hoping for. But she trudged along behind him, realizing her shoes were not meant for walking throughforests.
“Simon?” she finally asked a little testily. “You said you wanted to talk to me about something important. But so far you’ve only rattled on about horses and Christmas trees. Is there nothingelse?”
Simon stopped and looked at her nervously. “There is, but let’s find the tree first, shallwe?”
Fitz sighed and followed, winding the scarf another turn around herneck.
