The Dreams We Share

Chapter 11 Getting to Know You

The next day Arawyn woke up later than usual. She did not have anywhere to be until half past ten when they would be leaving for church. She soaked in the tub for longer than necessary; she thought of the ball and the lovely music and dancing. And she had to admit, at least to herself, that a certain man had caught her attention. She was almost glad that he would be out of town this week. It would build the anticipation of seeing one another again. She had been so focused on her work that she had not found time to pay attention to other aspects of her life. With summer upon them, she had the luxury of more time as the class schedule was light. Most students did not attend in the summer term. She was teaching just one class and then there was her research and journal articles to work on. She also hoped to spend more time on her poetry. But her time was much more flexible, and she was looking forward to her outing with Lucas. She had the feeling he knew how to treat a lady; he had already demonstrated what a gentleman he was. He was kind to the Peterson's daughters and to Mary. And he had shown his manners with her aunt and uncle.

Finally, she got out of her bath and towel dried her hair. She would wear her robe to the kitchen as they would have a fire going there as they did year-round. She wanted to get her hair dry before dressing. Perhaps she could have her breakfast there too.

"Good morning, Miss." Their housekeeper greeted her as she descended the stairs. "You have received some flowers; they are in the dining room along with breakfast."

"Thank you, Annie." She headed into the dining room where she found that her aunt and uncle had already had breakfast and had left hers for her. She saw two large bouquets of flowers and a long white box tied with a pink ribbon. She took the card from the first bouquet of flowers; it was from Charles Duncan, one of the young men she had danced with. It was a showy bouquet and seemed much too extravagant for one dance. The second bouquet was from Professor Martin; she could not imagine that she had encouraged either man to purchase such lavish gifts. She looked at the long white box and felt her heart flutter… she knew it was from him. She took the card and opened it. She read the message:

Singularly beautiful.

LB

She opened the box to find a single rose; it was pale blush in color, and it was indeed beautiful.

She had received a gift from each of three men; two had sought to gain favor with a lavish bouquet. There third had given her a bit of who he was. It was simple and elegant. Did his note refer to the rose? Or to her? Ah, yes, a bit of mystery and nuance. He meant for her to wonder.

She served herself breakfast and carried the plate to the kitchen where she pulled up a chair to the fire. She ate as her hair dried. And then, when it was all but dry, she decided to head back upstairs to get dressed. But first she found a vase and filled it with water; she then carried it and her box with the rose up to her room. She placed it on her writing table and took out three note cards. She wrote a note of thank you to Charles and Professor Martin; she would drop the professor's off in his box at the University tomorrow and would ask Annie if she could drop off Charles' at the bank on her way to marketing with Cook.

She then turned her attention to the third.

Lucas,

Thank you for your gift.
It is indeed singularly beautiful.
I hope you have a safe and successful trip.
I am looking forward to our outing Sunday next.

Arawyn

She put the note in an envelope. Was it too presumptuous to add a touch of her perfume to it? She wasn't a silly girl, she told herself. She was a university professor. But she was also a woman and she guessed he would love the surprise. He would not expect it from her. She added a very tiny drop to the edge of the card. She sealed the envelope with her wax seal and wrote his name on the other side. She then went in search of Jules; it was his day off, but she knew he would not mind doing her a favor after church.

Lucas was having a cup of tea in the library when Marcus arrived with a note. Marcus had a smile on his face as he handed it to Lucas. He could smell the faint scent of lilacs and knew that Marcus could smell it too. He looked at him sheepishly. Marcus reframed from saying anything as he turned and left the room.

It surprised him that she had added her scent to the note. Just as she intended him to be. She was not a tease, he was sure, but she was going to play with him and he would certainly oblige her. He was sure that his message had her wondering about his meaning. She had played at assuming it was the rose.

"Game on, Miss MacKenna," he said aloud.

The week flew by. Lucas and James were making their last stop in Calgary where they were meeting with representatives of the UFA. They were giving a speech to outline the progress of the exchange program. So far things were going well, and they hoped to generate more enthusiasm and an uptick in momentum. It was Friday and they had decided to take a morning train back to Edmonton as it looked like they might not make this evening's at this rate. He was happy about the trip but was anxious to get back home.

Arawyn had a really great week. She had felt inspired to work on her poetry. She was compiling a book of her poems and wanted to add one or two new ones. The one she was working on she thought could be her finest. She already had an idea for her next one as well.

Tomorrow was Saturday, so she would be busy with her volunteer work. She would be processing donations as well as her serving duties. The day would fly by. She was looking forward to Sunday and seeing Lucas again. They had not really had a chance for conversation yet; she was looking forward to learning much more about him. She vaguely wondered why he was still unattached and sensed that there was a story there. She judged him to be just a handful of years older than her. She was approaching her 32nd birthday, a spinster by most counts. Her aunt was constantly after her about meeting a nice man and getting married. She had pushed back as she needed to focus her attention on her career. She had to work hard to get her position at the University and needed to impress administration especially in her first year. Not that she was resting on her laurels by any means, but she felt now she could relax and find some balance in her life. Going to the ball with her aunt and uncle was already a step in that direction. She had normally refused but had surprised her aunt when she accepted. She was so glad she had done so, the symphony too. -

The next morning, she had to get up early so that she could serve breakfast at the church. She would wear her work clothes and then make a quick dash home to change for church. It was a lovely day and she decided to make the trip on her bicycle rather than getting a cab. She had just enough time to get to St Joachim's and dash into the kitchen to help finish getting breakfast ready to take to the dining room. They were having a cream of wheat porridge and some lovely bacon that the local butcher had donated. He was a kind man who had fallen on hard times in his younger days and had been taken in by the priest at the church. He never forgot to be thankful for his own blessings and try to help others in their time of need.

She turned and saw him. He was framed by the doorway as he stood holding a very large stoneware bread bowl.

"Lucas! It is good to see you, but whatever are you doing here?" She asked him.

"Well, I brought you a surprise from my trip. You did say you liked surprises, did you not?" He walked over to the prep table and set down his bowl and took off the cloth that had covered it. She looked inside and saw that it was filled with sliced strawberries. "I could not resist bringing a crate of them back with me. We had the most delicious strawberry tarts one evening. They are in peak of the season right now," Lucas told her. "I have to admit that I had help prepping them this morning. My cousin Gustave is my chef and he showed me the proper way to remove the stems and slice them. Gustave is not anything if not proper," he told her.

"Well, this is indeed a surprise and will be a treat for everyone. We are having porridge today and a spoonful of strawberries will be a delightful addition. Thank you, Lucas."

"Shall I stay and help you serve?" He asked her.

"Not this time, you have done more than your share already. The children will be particularly happy, many will not have had strawberries before," she said.

"Well than I shall leave you to your work. I will pick you up at your aunt and uncle's at 1:00 if that still meets with your schedule. You should dress for the outdoors and be sure to wear comfortable shoes. It is a warm day but bring a sweater as we may get a breeze in the afternoon. But most of all you must remember to bring a wide brimmed hat to keep from burning that singularly beautiful complexion," he looked at her to see if she had caught the reference.

Just as the color of the rose he had given her, a slight blush travelled across her cheeks. Of course, she had caught his meaning. She was slightly embarrassed but held his gaze none the less.
"In case there was any doubt," he said as he bowed slightly and left.

"Arawyn are you coming?" asked the other server. She had to shake her head to regain her composure.

"Yes, I will be right there," she told the other woman. It wasn't just that he was intelligent, he was quick-witted and sharp. This was a man that would challenge her, and she looked forward to meeting them and returning them in kind.

Lucas had looked forward to seeing her all week. He was sure he was bewitched, but he could see from her reactions that she was not unaffected as well. He headed into the kitchen to see how Gustave was doing with the preparation of the picnic he had planned. He had given some general guidelines, but he had left the specifics to Gustave who insisted he create the menu himself. "I know what you like, Lucas, and I will allow for variety since we don't know the young lady's tastes."

Lucas knew he could count on Gustave for the lunch, but he wanted to add his own touches. He had picked up some flowers to make a whimsical bouquet. There was chamomile, bachelor buttons and blue thistles; he selected a ceramic pitcher to put them in. He also had a blanket to sit on and a small tablecloth to spread out their lunch on. He also packed wine glasses and went to the cellar to select a bottle of red and one of white. He completed his bag with napkins that matched the tablecloth and two place settings. Gustave read off the list of the lunch items packed in a wicker picnic basket so that he would be able to tell his guest. He was now ready to go.

Arawyn waited in the parlor where she would be able to see when his car pulled up; it was precisely 1:00 when he arrived. She had brought an oversized purse/bag with her to hold her sweater and a few other items she thought she might need. She grabbed her straw hat and headed for the door.

"Bye auntie, I am on my way," she called out to her aunt who was upstairs.

"Have a wonderful time," her aunt replied as she came to the top of the stairs and waved down.

Arawyn waved back and headed outside to join Lucas who was standing outside the car so he could help her in. She had thought him handsome in a tuxedo and tie or in the suit he had on that morning, but he was equally dashing in his tan slacks and white shirt which highlighted his dark hair and beard. And how did a man manage to have such a beautiful complexion, she wondered.

"Good afternoon. It looks like we have chosen the perfect sunny day for an outing," said Lucas. He looked at the vision before him as she descended the stairs with a bit of a skip to her step. She was wearing a light blue dress, and she wore that amazing hair down. It was thick and wavy and blazing in the light of the sun. As she approached, he could see that the color of her dress highlighted the blue specks in her otherwise sea green eyes.
"You look lovely," he told her as he waited for her to step into the car.
"Thank you," she replied. She could feel a blush form on her cheeks, the curse that came with her complexion.

He found it charming, and he could see the light dusting of freckles on the bridge of her nose as he imagined that she was not wearing any powder to cover them as she might have when dressed up for a formal occasion like the concert or ball.

"Might I ask where you are taking me?" she queried. "It is not often that I get in the car with a man that I barely know. Well, I never have gotten in a car with a man other than my father and my uncle. But I am told that you are to be trusted."

"I assure you that you are safe with me and from me; I do want to keep favor with your uncle after all," he chuckled as he elicited a giggle from her. We will be having a picnic by a little lake on the north edge of town. It is lovely there and there is a path around the lake we can walk and if you are adventurous enough, we can rent a paddle boat too."

"Oh my, when you said 'outing' you meant it. That sounds perfect and I am definitely getting you to rent a paddle boat. My father took me out in one at Retire Park in Madrid when I was perhaps 12 years old. Do you know it by chance?" She asked him.

"Why yes, I went there when I was just a year or two older than that. What a beautiful park it is, so rich in history too. Did you travel often?" He asked. This was their chance to get to know one another and he was eager to take full advantage of it.

"I did. My father was with the diplomatic corps in Europe for a number of years before we moved to Canada. One of his assignments was in Madrid. We also lived in Paris for a few years as we travelled to visit other countries during our time in Spain and France," she told him.

"Your last name is Irish, but your given name is Welsh," he phrased it as a statement, but she understood that it was a question too.

"Yes, my father is Irish, and my mother was born in Wales. She moved to Ireland when she was a girl. I am named after my great-grandmother," she told him. "And you, originally French I presume."

"Yes, I have relatives in Eastern France, but I was born in Montreal. My cousin Gustave was born in France and came to New Orleans when I lived there for a few years. There on your right you can see the edge of the park. He drove to the north end and parked. He rounded the car to help her out and then took out the basket and bag from the back.

They found a perfect spot to put their things under a willow tree but opted to sit in the sunshine for their lunch. She helped him spread out the blanket and tablecloth and then was told to sit and relax. She watched as he set out a vase of flowers and wondered what kind of man brought flowers to a picnic. A man with an attention to detail and delight. She loved that he had selected flowers that grew wild rather than cultivated, they fit the setting.

He handed her a glass and she expressed a preference for red wine which he poured for her and then for himself. He began to unpack the lunch and tell her about each of the dishes. There was a duck liver pâté that Gustave was known for and an assortment of cheeses. Gustave had added a sliced baguette to accompany these. There were some miniature quiches, egg custard filled with a choice of spinach (Florentine) or cheese and bacon (Lorraine). And there were some small meatballs of lamb with sweet spices. Everything was delicious and Arawyn oohed and awed over Gustave's recipes. Lucas loved how she was so open in her expressions. No dainty lady this one. Not that she wasn't a lady, but she was a lady who enjoyed living and wasn't afraid to share that. He had first suspected it when they had danced the foxtrot and learned the one-step. Not afraid to try new things.

For dessert there were some of the strawberries that Lucas had brought back from Calgary and some whipped cream to dip them in. He had also made decadent chocolate truffles with toasted hazelnuts and rolled in cocoa.
"These are so delicious," she said as she took a second bite of a truffle. "My compliments to your chef, on these, and the whole lunch. I am guessing that the flowers were your touch?"

"Yes, a habit I learned from my father actually. He thought that a meal outdoors could be every bit as elegant as one in a fine restaurant. I think it was the French in him. He would bring a bottle of the finest red wine to serve in crystal glasses and always a bouquet of flowers. He was a buttoned-up businessman, but he knew how to live when he could afford the time to do so. We didn't have a lot of family time but when we did, it was very special. At Christmas time we would travel to faraway places to discover the wonders out there. Singapore stands out as the most exotic but there were many trips."

"That sounds wonderful. I have never been to the Far East, someday I hope I shall. Do your parents live in Montreal?" she asked.

"Yes, but they travel to London almost every year and generally take a month in San Francisco where they own a townhouse. It is one of my favorite cities," he said.

"My parents live in Montreal as well. We moved to Canada when I was in my last year of secondary school. I attended the University of Quebec there. I know it is considered rude to ask a lady her age, but what about a gentleman," she said with a smile.

"I will be 36 in November," he said.

"I graduated secondary school in 1909. You can do the math; I told you that a lady does not like to divulge her age," she said with a bright smile. "I wouldn't want to have you think me a spinster," she said. "It is bad enough that my aunt thinks me one."

"You are by no means a spinster. If I had to guess, you have been focused on your career. Becoming a university professor would have taken a lot of dedication and focus," he said to her clearly inviting her to expand from there.

"Yes, it took quite a few years to get my doctorate of course and then I was an assistant professor in Montreal for a couple of years before I secured my position here in Edmonton. I really wanted to focus my energy on that, before even considering a relationship. I know myself; I could not commit myself to someone until I had reached my goal. It would not be fair to another until I felt I could be emotionally available. Does that make sense?" she asked him. "And you, I sense there is a story here and you do not have to answer me."

"Absolutely, it does. And my story is perhaps a bit involved for now, but I will tell it to you some day. For now, suffice it to say that I was engaged to be married to someone in Hope Valley. We were just three weeks from our wedding day when circumstances sent me here in order to defeat the man who was destroying our town and the surrounding communities. I was pushed to a life here and she wanted to stay in Hope Valley to raise her four-year-old son. I think in literature it is called 'the impossible choice'." He looked at her with a slight smile; she knew he was putting on a brave face.

"I am sorry Lucas, that must have been very difficult. How long ago did you arrive here?"

"It will be three years in the Fall that we parted; it took me nearly that long to realize that I could finally move on. I like you, stayed away from any potential relationships as my heart was not open yet. It took me until recently to give myself permission," Lucas told her.

"Well, I am glad that you have come to terms with your loss," she said quietly.

"Yes, I have, it indeed was a grieving process. I still keep in touch with Jack Jr. We are pen pals," he told her. "And I see him on occasion, when I find myself in HV a couple of times a year; I do miss him. I was ready to be a father," he told her realizing that perhaps he had said too much too early. "I am sorry, I don't mean to burden you with this so early."

"It is perfectly fine I want to get to know you, and this has been an important part of your life. I do not mind at all, but I do not need to know any more at the present. Just the little you have told me has helped me to understand you. You love like you do most things in your life, with passion. And you hope to have a wife and children someday."

"Yes, it is my biggest hope, but it will happen when it is time. I believe that," he said. "But how about that walk now? Are you ready?"

"Yes, a stroll around the lake sounds lovely." She put on her straw hat as her cheeks were already turning a very slight pink from their lunch in the sun. They packed up the lunch items and left the blanket where it was for when they returned.

They strolled along the path that circled the lake until they reached the paddle boat rentals. "Are you still interested?" He asked.

"Of course. It will be fun."

Lucas paid the attendant who helped hold the boat against the dock while Lucas got in to take the far seat and then help Arawyn into the seat next to him. They thanked the attendant and then began paddling along the shore. They had to make sure they avoided the lily pads that grew along the edge and the ducks which seemed to be unperturbed by the boat and didn't move out of the way. They saw a mother swan and her young slipping into the water from the embankment. It reminded them again of Retiro Park where the kings had introduced swans in the 19th century. They would pause from time to time to rest and enjoy the sites. He began to tell her some cheerful stories from his childhood days to amuse her and more recent stories about things that thought might spark her interest like his first encounter with Allie and the ruckus it had caused. They laughed together as he told his stories with gestures and exaggerated narratives. Hearing her laugh encouraged him to make her do so. Like her voice, her laughter was rich and melodious. She began to join in with some of her own adventures to amuse him too. She obviously had a mischievous side, judging by some of her tales.

They had paddled for well over an hour, circling the lake, when they reached the boat rental. The attendant was there to greet them and help them get out.

"That was so much fun! Just as I remember, but even better," she told him.

"Yes, I enjoyed myself very much. Not just the paddling but the stories," Lucas told her.

"Yes, you are a very good storyteller, that is a good quality for someone who intends to be a papa someday," she told him.

"It comes from my thirst for reading and being an only child. My mother is an editor; I learned my love of books from her. Both my parents were extremely busy with their work, but I saw it as an opportunity to find grand adventures through literature. But as I told you, when they were free, we spent some grand times together."

"I knew I had heard your last name before. Is your mother Helen Bouchard? I know of her work."

"Yes, she is. She has edited a great number of books. She even helped with getting a friend of mine in Hope Valley published. Her name is Mrs. Elizabeth Thornton," he said calmly.

"Ah", she thought to herself. She had a strong feeling that this was the woman he had loved enough to marry. "I have read her book, Allie told me about her teacher's work, so I looked for it in the bookstore on Rose Street." Allie had not given away his confidence when she spoke of Mrs. Thornton. "And no, she didn't tell me that there was any connection to you."

"She is my friend, but she is the woman that I was engaged to, also. Someday I will ask you for your opinion on her book; but not now if that is fine with you."

"Certainly, let's enjoy what is left of this pleasant day. Do you think it is okay to take a few pebbles from the beach? I noticed some shiny white and pink ones just as we walked onto the sand," she asked him.

"I don't think there is anything wrong with just a few, show me where you saw them."

She led them across the sand to where they had entered the beach. He helped her select a handful and put a few for Jack in his pants pocket. He would love them. She looked at him quizzically.

"For Jack, he loves to collect pebbles." He thought back to the day when he proposed, and Jack had helped him. It was a bittersweet memory now.

They stepped up to the path to return to where they had left the blanket and their bags. Arawn caught her shoe on the edge of the path and stumbled catching herself with her hands as she braced herself. He helped her steady herself and turned her hands palms up to examine them. He took out his handkerchief and dusted off her hands making sure she hadn't cut herself. He found no cuts and only a superficial scrape on her right. "Does it hurt terribly?" he asked. "It looks like you have just a slight scrape on your right hand. We can rinse them off when we get back to our spot. He released her right hand, but she turned her left over onto his and squeezed it.

"Thank you," she told him. She made no move to withdraw her hand, so he simply kept it lightly in his as they walked along the path to find the willow where they had started from. It felt good to touch her like this. Nothing too forward, just new friends enjoying each other's company.

When they arrived at their spot, he stopped and faced her. "Thank you," he said gently. Not wanting to draw too much attention to the fact that they had been holding hands but wanting her to know how much he had liked it. He squeezed hers before releasing it. They then set about folding the blanket and gathering their things. It was already four thirty and time to head back. Her aunt would be expecting her for dinner. She thought about asking him to join them, but decided she did not want to share him yet. After today, she was sure that this was important and wanted to savor every moment. In all cases, she knew that they would be great friends, but she felt the sparks that told her it could be much more.

He drove them back to her aunt and uncle's and he walked her to the door.

"Do you mind terribly if I don't ask you in?" she asked him.

He suddenly felt disappointed. He thought things had gone so well. She realized that he would interpret things in a negative way if she did not explain.

"I am sorry, I did not mean to sound like I did not want to be with you, it is simply that I am not ready to share you yet. I want to savor this time getting to know you without prying eyes. I can assure you that Auntie will be putting you through the wringer if you come in. Does that make sense?"

He smiled at her hearing the truth in her words, "perfectly fine. I understand completely. My mother has taken every opportunity to try to encourage me to socialize more. She would pounce as well if she were here." He chuckled. He handed her the bag and hat that he had retrieved from the car. He also gave her a tin of the truffles that Gustave had prepared for her to share with her aunt and uncle.

"Thank Gustave for me for these and for the lovely lunch. Tell him the pate was exquisite and the quiche divine."

"I will, not that he needs a bigger head. His ego swells it already," he said with obvious affection in his voice. Thank you for joining me today, I thoroughly enjoyed myself."

"I did as well," she said hoping that he would give her some indication of when they might see each other again.

"Perhaps, you might join me for dinner one evening this week? I could pick you up after work and we could go more casual, or I can make a reservation for a more formal dinner?"

"I would like that very much. I volunteer on Tuesday at the church, and I always eat with the diners. I especially love to chat with the children during their dinner and read to them afterward. But I am free on Wednesday night. Casual sounds good for a weeknight. If you would rather wait until Friday or Saturday, that would be fine and then up to you as to dress," she said.

"How about I come to help you on Tuesday, and we can eat there. Afterwards I will read the children their story. I do not have that opportunity except for when I go to Hope Valley. And if not read, perhaps you don't mind if I tell them a tale from one of my favorite books, "The Adventures of Robin Hood". We can go out to dine on Saturday; I will make a reservation."

"That sounds good. I will meet you at St. Joachim's at 5:00."

They both stood awkwardly for a moment or two, not sure how exactly to part. He was a bit rusty on what might be appropriate for a new encounter such as this. He just went with what seemed right, he took her bag and hat and set them down in front of the door next to them. He took both her hands in his and squeezed them gently but firmly. "I like you very much Arawyn MacKenna. I feel that we will be great friends. But I must tell you that I also feel like this could be more. I do not want to rush you, so I want you to set the pace. One that is comfortable for you." He paused to see if she wanted to say anything.

"I like you too, Lucas Bouchard. And I am not ashamed to admit that I feel butterflies that I have never felt before. If has taken me 32 years, I am sure you did the math correctly, to feel this way. I do not want to sound presumptuous, but I won't take this lightly, this could be our chance." "Every heart sings a song, incomplete until another heart whispers back," he quoted. "Plato," she replied. She rose on her tiptoes and placed a kiss on his cheek. I look forward to Tuesday," she said with a smile. Her eyes looked into his; he knew he was drowning and didn't care. She gently took her hands from his, turned, picked up her things and entered the house. She looked up at him once before slowly closing the door behind her.He stared at the door for a few moments. Imprinting that last look on his mind. He then turned and headed back to the car. He looked up at the house one last time and thought he saw her in the window. He was not certain because his mind was filled with her now.