Page 20 of Beauty and the Baker
The man went in first, followed by Georgina holding the coal pan in case he decided to do something funny. “Is something burning?” he asked. Georgina took a sniff of the air.
“Oh goodness! My pastries!” Dropping the coal pan to the ground, she pushed by him, running towards the kitchen. Smoke was starting to come out of the bake box. Georgina opened the door and waved the smoke away with her apron. Once it was clear; she removed the tray from the oven and placed it on top of the stove.
“You must always be cognizant of time, Georgina. It can be a baker’s downfall.” Her aunt was using her hand to blow away the smoke that was starting to fill the small house.
The man followed her into the kitchen. Georgina saw Maybelle look at him, back to her and then back to the man. Her eyes opened wide, as she pointed to the visitor. “Who is this, Georgina?”
Georgina dropped her apron and tried to remove some of the flour that was still clinging to it by shaking it out. “Isn’t this your neighbor? He was in the yard trying to get the cat.”
“No, he’s not. I’ve never seen him before in my life.”
Georgina gasped. She had left the coal pan and the broom outside. She looked around quickly and grabbed a cast iron skillet that was hanging up on the wall. She welded it like a knife and pointed it at the stranger.
“Get out right now,” she said.
“But the cat…”
“Leave the cat.” The man backed out of the house into the garden.
“Let me explain,” he said.
“Just get out of the yard and close the gate behind you.” She moved the pan in a stabbing motion towards him. It was getting heavy in her hands, so she clasped her second hand around the handle.
“Can I at least…”
“No. Now! Before I find the sheriff, or marshal or whatever they have out here.”
The man looked at her, his blue eyes drilling into her. Finally, he lowered his arms and disappeared behind the fence. As soon as he was through, Georgina ran over and slid the bolt back in place.There. That would prevent anyone else from coming in the yard.
She lowered the pan and looked around the yard. She couldn’t see or hear the cat. Maybe it would find its way home on its own.
She returned inside trying to dismiss thoughts of the handsome intruder. He asked if he knew her. She wouldn’t know why. She hadn’t been in town long enough to meet anyone. Although, she knew she hadn’t seen him before, but there was something eerily familiar about him.
Charlie was just about to drift off to sleep when he heard scratching on the window of his room. He flipped over, trying to ignore it, when he heard the sound again, followed by a loudmew.
The cat!
He hopped out of bed, his feet hitting the floor with a thud. He moved the curtain aside and there was Mr. Gladstone on the other side of the window looking at him. He put his paw on the window and gave it another scratch.
Charlie opened the window, allowing both the cat and a cool breeze to enter the room. He popped his head out of the window, not sure what he was expecting to see. Maybe Mr. Gladstone brought a friend with him.
He could see the garden further down the alley.
Charlie gave a little smile. He had to admit; Max’s neighbor sure had spunk. When he first turned around and saw her pointing the broom at him, he wanted to laugh. Not that it was a laughing matter, but the beauty was covered from head to toe in flour.
She reminded him of someone he had seen in a dream. He did know her. He just couldn’t place where. Her hair was a beautiful blonde and she had rosy cheeks. Or at least he thought they were. He couldn’t really tell because of the flour paste covering her skin.
Her dress was covered with an apron, which protected most of it, but he could see the flour on her shoulders like snow covered peaks.
When she decided to come after him with a cast iron skillet, he knew the best thing to do was leave. It didn’t stop her from haunting his thoughts the rest of the evening.
He realized as he brought his head inside and closed the window that he had totally forgotten about the man in the office. He would have to make a point of mentioning it to Cassie tomorrow.
He headed back to bed to find Mr. Gladstone sitting on the end of the bed, kneading the cover. Charlie tried to shoo him away, but the cat ignored him and circled around twice before settling down.
Charlie just sighed and slid in under the covers. He could hear the sound of the cat purring and he allowed it to lull him to sleep.
Tomorrow was soon enough to ask Cassie the thousands of questions rolling around in his head. Perhaps it was time to talk about what happened.
