Page 61 of The Magical Bed & Breakfast

She was worthy, too. Her inn was worthy.

They ducked into the Town Hall amidst the organized chaos of a craft fair.

“Ready?” Rory raised a brow as he shook the droplets off the umbrella in the foyer and tucked it into a brass umbrella stand.

“Or not.” Part of her had been looking forward to this, but now it felt daunting. She knew she would be on display. She had lived here for months, but at every public gathering, she felt all eyes watching her to see if she would be…worthy somehow.

“Ah, it’ll be fun. You’ll see. Lead on, Miss Mayfield, wherever you wish to go.”

“Not far,” she said, as she pointed out the Ivy Way Tea Shop booth manned by Rebecca and her friends. “I don’t wish to wander far.”

In the next two hours, Kate brushed shoulders with the entire town and bought beautiful handcrafted items to dress up the guest rooms in her inn: tatted lace, pottery, and ornaments to trim a holiday tree. At some point in the crush of people, she had lost track of Rory. She glanced around. Laden with her packages and thinking she spotted him off to her left, she turned to move down the aisle and nearly bumped into Derrick Cross. She took a step back, surprised to see him at the community event.

He frowned. With a curled lip, he nodded at her packages. “Finding everything you need?”

Kate nodded. “Yes, as a matter of fact, and you?”

“The days are numbered, Miss Mayfield. You really should seriously consider my offer before it runs out.”

Kate felt her back muscles twitch at his condescending tone. She kept her voice steady. “Thank you for the reminder. I’ll be sure to let you know if I have a change of heart.”

Just then, Rory caught up to her. “Let me show you something.”

Kate tilted her head at the concern in Rory’s voice, Derrick Cross and his agenda forgotten.

“Trust me?” He took her hand and led her around to the stage stairs, and they crept up together like they were sneaking where they didn’t belong. Then Rory did an arm wave, and Kate saw the harpsichord on its dais.

“It’s, wow, beautiful.”

“Our instrument for tonight.”

“It’s old. It’s…a harpsichord?” Kate released her grip on her bags of packages slowly, easing them to the floor, and moved toward the instrument.

Rory nodded, “Are you okay with that? We’ve worked so hard learning the piece on your upright piano. A harpsichord, apart from the sound quality, will require less tension on the keys. It might be a bit disconcerting until one gets used to it.”

“Have you played one?”

“Years ago, on a field trip with my music teacher.”

Kate couldn’t help it. She beamed a smile.

“You look like sun bursting through clouds,” he murmured.

“It’s perfect,” she breathed.

“You’re not upset?”

She shook her head, “This is better. This is right.” She sat on the bench and played the opening notes, then shook herself a little as if realizing they weren’t alone.

“We don’t have time to practice on it.”

“It’s okay, really. We’re ready.”

*

“Tighter, pull!” saidIvy to Malory. Kate gripped a bedpost and hung on, her friends cinching the laces on her corset tighter with each pull. Lacy petticoats flowed down around her. She sucked in her breath and hoped she wouldn’t faint during tonight’s event.

She was already stressing, her confidence from earlier having evaporated. Why had she told Rory they were ready? She was sonotready. Her friends tugged again. “I don’t need my ribs misshapen. I just want to look authentic tonight in the dress.”

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