them. “I can read the sign.” She glanced away down the street toward the approaching street sweeper. “I need pastries.” She grimaced as Richard raised an eyebrow at the plaintive tone to her voice.
“I know another place, nearly as good. It’s not far from here.” He pointed down the street, holding out his elbow for her.
“That’s very kind of you. I thank you, Mr. . . .”
“McLeod. Richard McLeod. I must find a bakery too or never return to my aunt’s house.”
The woman’s smile dimmed as she realized he was serious.
“My aunt is expecting very important people to tea, and she must not be disappointed.”
“Mrs. Kruger also needs her cakes for tea,” the young woman said as she placed her gloved hand in his elbow and walked at a moderated pace beside him. “She believes if I am one of the first to arrive as the bakery opens that I will receive the best the baker has to offer.”
“For a special occasion?”
“No, for herself. No one ever visits her.”
“Are you her niece?”
The young woman looked away, a flush blooming on her pale cheeks, but not before he saw a wistfulness enter her eyes. “No, I’m her maid.”
Richard paused for a moment to study her clothes. She wore a plain navy skirt and pale blue shirtwaist covered by a light tan coat. “I see.” He smiled, flashing a dimple in his left cheek. “And do you, maid to the elusive Mrs. Kruger, have a name?”
“Oh, of course. Florence. Florence Butler.”
“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Miss Butler, on this fine morning. And here we are.”
Florence glanced up at a shop window filled with an assortment of pastries. She sighed with delight at the cakes and cookies in the display window. “This fruitcake will do nicely. It is Mrs. Kruger’s favorite.”
After she and Richard purchased their pastries, they departed the store together. Richard watched her with open fascination as she tucked black curls behind one ear. “I hope we meet again, Miss Butler.”
“As do I, Mr. McLeod.” She gave him a faint smile before turning away.
Richard walked toward his aunt’s house but, after half a block, turned to race after Florence. “Miss Butler,” he called as he approached her.
She turned, a half smile playing about her lips. “Yes?”
He returned her smile, gasping slightly after his mad dash, and stood tall as he met her amused gaze. “Meet me tomorrow? At the sweet shop?”
Florence inhaled sharply, and Richard saw trepidation and fear play across her face before determination overrode all other emotions. “Yes. Yes, I will.”
He beamed at her. “Good, see you tomorrow.” He tipped his hat to her as though she were a fine lady, and she blushed before she turned away. He watched her until she disappeared from view, waving the one time she looked over her shoulder at him. He spun to return to his aunt’s house, whistling as he walked.
***
“WHAT’S THE MATTER with you, Rich?”
“Nothing, Gabe.” He glared at his eldest brother as he paused between mouthfuls while gobbling down his breakfast. “I’d eat while you have the chance.”
Gabriel grunted and shoveled food into his mouth. Richard had almost finished eating, and Gabriel’s plate was a third full when their aunt burst into the basement kitchen.
“What is the meaning of this?” She snatched away their plates from in front of them, moved into the side room and dumped them into the sink. Gabriel had a forkful of food in his hand, which he ate before setting the fork on top of his napkin.
“Aunt, always a pleasure to see you at breakfast,” Gabriel said. His azure blue eyes flashed irritation and resentment.
“Why are you eating so late? Richard, you should have returned hours ago. Instead, you gallivant about the city, failing to purchase the cakes necessary for my prodigious guests. And then you decide to eat me out of house and home. It is not to be borne!
“And you!” She spun to face Gabriel. “What are you doing here? Why
“I know another place, nearly as good. It’s not far from here.” He pointed down the street, holding out his elbow for her.
“That’s very kind of you. I thank you, Mr. . . .”
“McLeod. Richard McLeod. I must find a bakery too or never return to my aunt’s house.”
The woman’s smile dimmed as she realized he was serious.
“My aunt is expecting very important people to tea, and she must not be disappointed.”
“Mrs. Kruger also needs her cakes for tea,” the young woman said as she placed her gloved hand in his elbow and walked at a moderated pace beside him. “She believes if I am one of the first to arrive as the bakery opens that I will receive the best the baker has to offer.”
“For a special occasion?”
“No, for herself. No one ever visits her.”
“Are you her niece?”
The young woman looked away, a flush blooming on her pale cheeks, but not before he saw a wistfulness enter her eyes. “No, I’m her maid.”
Richard paused for a moment to study her clothes. She wore a plain navy skirt and pale blue shirtwaist covered by a light tan coat. “I see.” He smiled, flashing a dimple in his left cheek. “And do you, maid to the elusive Mrs. Kruger, have a name?”
“Oh, of course. Florence. Florence Butler.”
“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Miss Butler, on this fine morning. And here we are.”
Florence glanced up at a shop window filled with an assortment of pastries. She sighed with delight at the cakes and cookies in the display window. “This fruitcake will do nicely. It is Mrs. Kruger’s favorite.”
After she and Richard purchased their pastries, they departed the store together. Richard watched her with open fascination as she tucked black curls behind one ear. “I hope we meet again, Miss Butler.”
“As do I, Mr. McLeod.” She gave him a faint smile before turning away.
Richard walked toward his aunt’s house but, after half a block, turned to race after Florence. “Miss Butler,” he called as he approached her.
She turned, a half smile playing about her lips. “Yes?”
He returned her smile, gasping slightly after his mad dash, and stood tall as he met her amused gaze. “Meet me tomorrow? At the sweet shop?”
Florence inhaled sharply, and Richard saw trepidation and fear play across her face before determination overrode all other emotions. “Yes. Yes, I will.”
He beamed at her. “Good, see you tomorrow.” He tipped his hat to her as though she were a fine lady, and she blushed before she turned away. He watched her until she disappeared from view, waving the one time she looked over her shoulder at him. He spun to return to his aunt’s house, whistling as he walked.
***
“WHAT’S THE MATTER with you, Rich?”
“Nothing, Gabe.” He glared at his eldest brother as he paused between mouthfuls while gobbling down his breakfast. “I’d eat while you have the chance.”
Gabriel grunted and shoveled food into his mouth. Richard had almost finished eating, and Gabriel’s plate was a third full when their aunt burst into the basement kitchen.
“What is the meaning of this?” She snatched away their plates from in front of them, moved into the side room and dumped them into the sink. Gabriel had a forkful of food in his hand, which he ate before setting the fork on top of his napkin.
“Aunt, always a pleasure to see you at breakfast,” Gabriel said. His azure blue eyes flashed irritation and resentment.
“Why are you eating so late? Richard, you should have returned hours ago. Instead, you gallivant about the city, failing to purchase the cakes necessary for my prodigious guests. And then you decide to eat me out of house and home. It is not to be borne!
“And you!” She spun to face Gabriel. “What are you doing here? Why
Similar Books
