Wanted: St. Nick by Josephine Blake

Author:Josephine Blake [Blake, Josephine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: JB Publishing
Published: 2018-11-17T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

Despite her disastrous encounter with Mister Diggory this morning, Arabella was managing to have fun as she supervised the Christmas decorations, something she certainly had not expected. There was the occasional uncomfortable reappearance of Mister Diggory to blacken the sunshine, but with Nicholas at her side, she found that she was more than capable of ignoring him.

Within three days, Arabella and the rest of the volunteers had succeeded in turning Main Street into something of a holiday wonderland. She had called on Ethel and Edith Howard, who ran a small school for girls in Silverpines, and they had responded most favorably. With the help of the girls from their orphanage, garland upon garland of holly and greens was draped over the streets, all the ends gathering at the corner of Fifth and Main, where the largest and most beautiful Christmas tree had been erected on the edge of the park.

By the end of the third day, the tree had been decorated with hundreds of hand-painted ornaments from the children in the town, and then hung with ribbons and beads of all colors. The overall effect was rather splendid.

Every banister and balustrade of the buildings up and down Main Street had been wound with red ribbons, all ending at the top with enormous bows.

“Now, if we could just have a light dusting of snow,” Arabella was saying, observing their completed work with her tongue stuck in her cheek. “I think that would tie everything together nicely.”

To her surprise, Nicholas laughed from beside her. “You best say a prayer for snow then, Miss Flint. If these temperatures keep up, the only thing you’ll see on Christmas morning is a rather unfortunate downpour.”

Much to Arabella’s irritation, the weather was not being very cooperative with her festive plans. “We need snow,” she insisted. The last few days had begun to heat with a sudden, unanticipated wave of sunshine, and she could not be more disappointed.

“I think the town will look lovely no matter the weather.” It was Gregory’s voice this time. He and Matilda marched toward them from the direction of the tailor’s beaming, her hand on his arm. The pair had been quite inseparable over the last few days, and Arabella could not say she blamed them. It had been growing more and more difficult to say goodnight to Nicholas each evening.

The women of Silverpines had banded together to provide a series of rich, savory stews and casseroles every evening once the volunteers had finished their days’ work. This meant that Arabella could sit with Nicholas just a little bit longer, enjoying the smile on his face and the feel of his nearness before it was time to head home for the night.

“Dinner?” Nicholas asked Matilda, nodding at the casserole dish Gregory appeared to be carrying for her.

Gregory grinned and peeled back the lid for a moment. The most enticing smell of canned peaches wafted towards them on the evening air. “Dessert,” he said victoriously as Matilda laughed.

One by one, the nearby

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