Disclaimer: This story is based on the BBC television series Keeping Up Appearances, written by Roy Clarke, which as far as I know, is the property of the BBC. No infringement is intended.

Chapter 1: An Angel of Mercy

"This quaint little bookstore of yours is quite charming in its bland simplicity," Hyacinth Bucket (supposedly pronounced "Bouquet") told her next-door neighbor and friend, Elizabeth Warden, in a very loud and condescending voice.

"Thank you, Hyacinth," Liz quietly responded from behind the counter.

"Of course, given the fact that your husband passed away a mere ten months ago, I would have found it most inappropriate to start such an outlandish venture as buying an old bookstore and starting my own business. I would have mourned my husband's death more properly and waited at least a year before getting out into the world again, much less starting a new business and a new career, but to each her own, I suppose."

Maintaining her patience and biting her tongue as she was already so used to doing, Liz asked Hyacinth in the most pleasant voice possible, "Is there anything I can help you with, Hyacinth?"

For the next twenty minutes, William Spencer, a tall, handsome, sixty-year-old man with gray hair and brown eyes, observed as the painful scene unfolded. Hyacinth told Elizabeth about a book of poetry she was looking for, and she tried to help Hyacinth find it, only for Hyacinth to change her mind about a hundred times. One minute she was looking for a certain book of poetry. The next minute, she decided she was looking for a romance novel. Then she decided she wanted to try to find something in historical fiction. Finally, Liz was left with no choice but to put her foot down with Hyacinth and tell her that she simply had to attend to the gentleman who was still waiting at the counter. Naturally, Hyacinth was not pleased and she grumbled quite a bit, but Liz remained firm and she left Hyacinth to browse while returning to the counter.

"I'm so very sorry about that," said an obviously embarrassed Liz.

"Don't be," he said gently, while Liz truly felt embraced by the warmth emanating from his brown eyes. "I've had to deal with people like her all my life. I can empathize. Believe me."

Liz chuckled, and then she asked him, "What may I help you with today, sir?"

William chuckled then too and told her, "Oh, please don't call me sir. Call me William. And you are?"

"Elizabeth Warden," she responded while shaking his hand, and in those moments, she could literally feel her cheeks getting redder like a teenage girl with a crush. "Liz," she said nervously a couple of seconds later. "Everybody calls me Liz. Well, except for Hyacinth. She usually calls me Elizabeth."

"It's a great pleasure to meet you, Liz," said William as he became more and more mesmerized by the gentle beauty of Liz's face, and even more so by her kind blue eyes.

"It's a great pleasure to meet you too, William," Liz said with a smile. William may not have been in his twenties anymore, but he'd taken very good care of himself through the years and he was a very fine looking gentleman – a fact that did not go unnoticed by Liz. As a matter of fact, merely looking at him was enough to make her heart start skipping beats. "Now," she said several long moments later, "how may I help you?"

William then told Liz the name of the book he was looking for, and she found it for him and brought it to him at the counter in under a minute. As soon as she handed it to him, he pleasantly laughed and said, "Now that's what I'd call prompt service."

Liz smiled, but just as she was about to say something, Hyacinth came back to the counter, rudely pushed in ahead of William, and paid for the two books she'd finally selected. After enduring a few more minutes of painful conversation with Hyacinth, both Liz and William were quite relieved when at long last, Hyacinth left the store and began walking the short distance home.

"I'm terribly sorry about that, William. Hyacinth is much like a tornado or a hurricane. She's a force of nature that's simply unstoppable."

"My dear girl, you needn't apologize for someone else's dreadful behavior. It's hardly your fault. My ex-wife Ann, who died year before last, often behaved even worse than Hyacinth, and throughout much of our marriage, I frequently found myself apologizing to others for the horrible way she treated them. I finally had to learn to stop holding myself responsible for another person's atrocious words and actions, and to stop apologizing for it. It's people like Ann and Hyacinth who owe the rest of the world an apology, not us."

"I never really thought about it like that before, but I suppose you're right," said Liz just as there was a sudden clap of thunder outside.

"Looks like it's about to rain," William observed.

"I hope Hyacinth makes it home in time before the rain starts."

"Oh, I don't know. The thought of her walking through her front door all drenched puts a rather wicked smile on my face," he said mischievously as his brown eyes twinkled with silent laughter.

Liz playfully wagged a finger at William and told him, "You're a naughty man, Mr. William…I'm sorry, what is your last name?"

"Spencer. William Spencer. And you're absolutely right. I am naughty. Horribly naughty. And quite proud of it. The naughtiest people are always the most fun!" he teased while Liz laughed and rolled her eyes at him. He then told her, "Oh dear, it seems I've forgotten to pay you."

"Don't worry about it. It's on the house," Liz said kindly. "After having to put up with Hurricane Hyacinth, it's the least I can do."

"Oh no, my dear. After everything Hurricane Hyacinth did to you today, you must allow me the pleasure of paying you with a tip to brighten your day," he insisted. He then handed Liz enough money to pay for the book, along with an extra twenty pounds.

"Oh my goodness," Liz chuckled. "How generous. Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

"Well, thank you. Thank you very much. That was very kind."

"It's my pleasure," he assured her, and then they simply stared at each other for about a minute or so. It was kind of an awkward moment, but in a good way. They were each feeling an attraction towards the other that neither one of them had experienced since they were teenage kids. William felt he could easily stand there and talk with Liz all day, and Liz would have truly loved for him to do so.

"Well," Liz said quietly a little bit later. "I wish we could stand here all day and chat, but I just got a new shipment of books in that I need to sort out and put up on the shelves, and besides, I really would hate for you to get caught out in the rain on your way home."

"Yes. Yes, you're right," he said in a slightly disappointed tone. "I live close-by, and I did walk here. I suppose I really ought to be on my way."

"Please, come back at any time. Any time at all."

"Oh, I shall. I most certainly shall. Coming into your store today has been a sheer delight, Liz."

Liz smiled, and again she felt her cheeks getting warmer as she told him, "It's been a sheer delight to have you as a customer."

In that moment, thunder crashed outside once again, and William said, "You're right. I'd best be getting home before it starts raining. I'll be back again soon." Very soon, he said to himself inside.

"I'll be looking forward to it," Liz told him truthfully, and then after they said goodbye to each other, William turned around and reluctantly walked out of the bookstore. Liz carefully watched him through the tall glass windows in the front of the store as he turned to go home. When William was gone, Liz went to the storage room in the back of the bookstore and got started on her latest shipment of books.

However, two minutes later, rain began pouring down outside.

"Oh, no. William," Liz said quietly to herself, and then she quickly put on her coat, got out her umbrella, quickly locked up the bookstore, and ran after him. She saw him in the distance, running home, and she called after him several times. He heard her, stopped, and turned around, and when he saw Liz running towards him with her umbrella, he hurried to meet her halfway.

"Dear girl, you are a true angel of mercy," he said warmly with a big smile as Liz held the umbrella over both their heads.

"Well I could hardly let you get drenched and catch a cold," Liz said with a laugh. "Come on. I'll walk you home."

"Thank you very much."

"Of course," Liz said kindly, and then they comfortably fell into step with each other as they walked together side by side. They were silent for the most part, but it wasn't an awkward sort of silence. Even though they'd just met, they did in fact feel very comfortable together. Strange as it was, they almost felt as though they were a couple of old friends who'd known one another all their lives. Despite the bad weather, both of them would have been perfectly content staying out in the storm for ages, just so they could keep enjoying the other's presence.