Chapter 12

Softly Vincent inquired, "Your crystal?"

With a gentle smile Catherine told him, "While I cherish it above any other piece of jewelry I have, that's not what I was referring to."

"The only other things I have ever given you were books, Catherine."

"Not those either, Vincent. The gift that I was speaking of was more precious than any of those things combined…"

Both of them had forgotten Mouse's presence until he interrupted the tender moment by saying, "I know what it is!"

They turned to face the eager young man and both asked at the same time, "What is it, Mouse?"

"Its love! Right, Catherine?"

Her smile told both males that Mouse was right even before her words did, "Yes, Mouse, it is love."

"I knew that!" he exclaimed happily, then continued earnestly, "Asked Vincent once what love was…still remember what he said!"

"What was it, Mouse?" Catherine asked, eager to learn what Vincent's definition was.

"He said," Mouse took a deep breath and tried to lower his voice to sound more like Vincent, "For me Mouse, it was the end of my aloneness."

A furred finger came out to capture the single tear that slid down Catherine's cheek as she reacted to what she'd just heard. "That was beautiful," she said, but it wasn't clear if she was speaking to Vincent, or Mouse, or to both of them.

"We should continue on, Catherine, we still have a ways to go," Vincent told her.

She nodded her agreement and with her hand once again tucked into his they continued on their way. After nearly an hour of walking Vincent stepped into an open area from the passageway that they had been traveling along. He watched as Catherine took in the sight before her and as she turned and hugged Mouse. "Thank you, Mouse!" She knew that it had to have been Mouse that had done this, because Vincent had been with her since before breakfast, with the exception of the short time he had been with Father.

The blushing boy stuttered, "Wanted to help! Vincent my friend…you my friend too, Catherine!"

Before them was a table set for two with candles just waiting to be lit. Her normal thoughtfulness made her ask, "If this is for us, where is Mouse going to eat?"

He grinned at her shyly and replied, "Have food with me. Knew you would want to be alone. Mouse go now! Have fun!" Mouse scurried off just as his namesake would have done.

"Oh, Vincent, are you sure we should let him go off on his own?"

"Yes, Catherine. Mouse knows these tunnels as well as I do and he will be fine."

"But shouldn't we have asked him to join us?"

"Catherine, he knew when I asked him to set the table for two that I would want to be alone with you. Does that thought make you uneasy?"

"Not at all, Vincent! If you only knew how often I've wanted to have time alone with you here Below!"

"I did know, Catherine. I'm afraid that it was my own unease that would not allow that to happen."

"I'm so glad that has changed! Do we really have until tomorrow night all to ourselves?"

"Yes, Catherine, and hopefully, if all goes well, we will have many more such times."

"I hope so too, Vincent, but what do you mean 'if all goes well'? Is this some kind of test?"

Vincent took his time in answering, he held out her chair and lit the candles before taking his own seat and saying, "Not a test really, but more of an experiment. I have something that I want to ask you. If this time together proves I can…I mean if we can…I ummmm need to know that I can…Catherine, I'm so afraid that I will hurt you!"