"Act one, scene one, the picnic. Enter the Coquette." Katrina thought with a touch of humor as she approached the boys who awaited her eagerly baskets, blankets and parasols already in hand. She greeted each of them in turn ruffling hair, pinching cheeks, stroking chins. They all looked like they could not be happier if a queen had granted them all knighthoods and a fortune in gold.

"This is far too easy." Katrina thought already a little bored. She could not understand girls who made this game of charming men and getting them to do as they wished their soul occupation. Of course when she played she had the added advantage of practically perfect beauty. More than once she had heard herself described as "plump as a partridge, ripe and melting..." among other silly yet flattering adjectives. She knew how to dress, what styles of different eras old and current suited her best but if that was all she ever thought about she would have gone insane. "Shall we then? " She asked trotting daintily and quickly ahead of them and smiled over her shoulder to see them trotting to keep up with her "Hmmm how many spots shall I allow them to set up in and then reject today?" It was a little cruel and Katrina knew it but she had to do something to amuse herself. If even one of the boys in the village sparked anything but a sort of friendly contempt in her she would not feel such inclinations.

It was a beautiful spot on a sunny hillside. Katrina smiled and was about to tell the boys she was pleased with the third spot when she chanced to glance over her shoulder and across a largish stream dotted with rocks. A tall slender man sat with his back against a tree totally absorbed in a book. She nearly gasped in surprise. When she turned back to the boys a gentle frown wreathed her face and she shook her head.

Without a word, the boys once again packed up the baskets, blankets and parasols ready to go where Katrina directed them next. She ran ahead hoping gracefully over the rocks and listening to the lumbering splashes of the party behind her. She turned, nodded her head in approval and scurried away to find out who this mysterious and presumably learned stranger was.

As she drew closer, Katrina was able to take in more of his singular appearance. He was thin to the point of looking rather fragile and had long legs that seemed to stretch endlessly in front of him though they ended at quite frankly the largest feet she had ever seen. His face was one that touched the heart and provoked a smile at the same time with skin pale as wax, large heavily hooded eyes, delicate chin, sensitive mouth, huge sticking out ears and a large but not undignified nose. Dark brown hair was tied in a pony tale. Katrina had never seen the like of a man like him before and doubted she would again. She felt suddenly and strangely shy but still determined to meet him.

He must have come to the end of a chapter or an act as he closed the book and looked up his mouth hanging open as he stared at her. Katrina was too used to this to be perturbed and she noticed the man had quite striking dark blue eyes. She smiled and asked, "a diverting read?"

"Humm? Oh yes! Very..."

"May I see?"

"Certainly." He picked up a tattered three-cornered hat and gave it to her.

Katrina laughed. "Heady subject matter."

The man's pale cheeks flushed as he realized his mistake. "I am so sorry! Where is my head today? Here you are." He took back the hat and handed Katrina the book he'd been reading before remembering to stand up and bow politely to her.

Katrina hardly noticed the familiar gestures. "Macbeth. Oh I adore Shakespeare!" She handed him back the book blushing a little herself. "I'm sorry. I have been remiss myself. I am Katrina Van Tassel." She held her hand out to him.

"Ichabod Crane." He replied kissing her hand lightly. "I am the new school teacher... wait... Katrina Van Tassel?" Katrina nodded. Ichabod's Adam's apple bobbed in his slender throat. "You're part of a rather important family, then?"

"Technically yes but we are a close-knit community, very informal. Please do not concern yourself with such trivial details. And please do come join us at our picnic."

Ichabod's eyes seemed to light up a little more at the suggestion. "I would not be so ungallant as to refuse your hospitality."