Katrina smiled to herself as she wrote a note to Ichabod on a piece of her father's good parchment paper sprinkled with a dash of rosewater, her favorite fragrance:
To Mr. Ichabod Crane,
I should be delighted to accept your proposal that we attend the Halloween Festivities together. Please be at my home by 7-tomorrow night.
Affectionately yours,
Miss. Katrina Van Tassel.
She gave the missive to Mrs. Nelson the housekeeper and sat back down at her desk with a sigh. Katrina never thought she would feel this way about anyone. She now fondly recalled all the time spent with Ichabod, the long walks, the books, the discussions and most of all the company of someone with whom she did not have to hide her passion for learning.
Katrina was aware that everyone in the village knew what was going on between them. She heard the gossip that reflected the same mixed emotions as Ichabod's arrival in town. Some lauded her selection of such a well-bred young man whereas others scorned her rejection of the stronger and therefore "superior" Brom. Some married women giggled for unknown reasons about the size of his feet and hands. Katrina did not care what they said. She would marry Ichabod. Her emotions were far from mixed.
"You are ravishing tonight, my darling." Ichabod bowed and kissed her hand upon arrival at the Van Tassel home set up for the dance. At the moment the air was simply brisk but the promise of a dusting of snow hung in the air.
"Oh I know my dear but I do like hearing you say so." Katrina responded and returned the kiss on Ichabod's cheek and frowned at finding the flesh upon it slightly chilled from the long ride from the schoolhouse. "Come, a cup of hot apple cider and a lively jig should drive the cold from you."
Katrina had never enjoyed dancing so much in her life. Ichabod's loose joints moved with a quick yet liquid grace and though unwieldy his feet never trod on her toes. Brom could never avoid this mishap when they used to dance. She had not meant to even allow Brom into her thoughts tonight but it was hard not to as he sat glowering at them from the corner resenting Ichabod all the more. The fury in his cold eyes unnerved Katrina a little and the feeling of unease grew upon her as a pile of drained bear steins grew around his booted feet.
The dancing portion over, it was time to gather round and tell stories. Ichabod courteously excused himself for the moment to take a lingering visit to one of the well-stocked buffet tables. His appetite always amused Katrina and flattered their cook who loved it when Ichabod dined at the Van Tassel household though it meant having an extra basted turkey on standby.
Just as Ichabod finished gathering a repast, Brom began a macabre tale of the Headless Horseman. For all his faults, Brom was an excellent storyteller though Katrina suspected if she married him she would have heard a lot of tall tales especially late at night.
The effect on the schoolteacher was quite profound. Ichabod was ridiculously superstitious for a man of such learning. The contrast between the Ichabod who explained the scientific theories of Newton to her and the Ichabod trembling before tales of spooks was too great for Katrina not to laugh though she felt badly about it afterward and was furious at Brom. Poor Ichabod had barely been able to touch the food he had gathered.
AS the party drew to a close, Ichabod and Katrina said their affectionate goodnights. A light snow was falling and Katrina bit her lip in concern as she watched Ichabod ride off.
"Don't worry about your darling Ichabod, Katrina." Her nose wrinkled at the smell of too much beer and she turned around to find Brom hovering over her. "He won't be out in the cold for long. I told him to take the shortcut through the woods."
"That is very kind of you, Brom," Katrina said surprised at his thoughtful gesture yet still wishing to edge away from the unsavory brute who was always worse when drunk.
"It was, wasn't it?" He said as he turned to leave.