Chapter 11
The next evening, William and I headed into town for the tree lighting ceremony.
I’d returned the star to Mayor Pembroke, so everything was set to continue as planned.
William and I had also talked through what might happen today, so we were both prepared to face the killer— if I was right about my guess.
The icicle lanterns lit the path with blues, greens, reds, and golds, and when I touched one, it released a soft hum.
It reminded me of the illumination that went up in Tokyo each Christmas.
My heart pounded wildly at the thought of what we were about to do.
But having William by my side made everything a little less frightening.
“Charlotte?”
“Yeah?” I glanced at him.
“Can I hold your hand?”
My cheeks flushed. Hopefully, he thought it was because of the cold air. Would I never get used to him asking that? “All right.” I held mine out, and he wrapped his fingers around mine.
“Thank you.”
William smiled as he looked around town where the Christmas decorations had grown more prevalent. We even passed a lawn with some talking snowmen. “This is my favorite season.”
“Mine too.” I blew on my free hand, grateful that he was warming the other even if I didn’t say it.
“Are you ready to execute the plan as discussed?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” I bit my lip, thinking about confronting the killer. William and I had decided that since the evidence was fairly circumstantial, we’d have to do our best to get them to confess.
“And there will be officers at the ceremony tonight, correct?” William asked.
“Yes. I messaged Tessa to make sure she’d be there, and she assured me that after the missing star fiasco, there would be other officers as well.”
He sighed, his thumb tracing small circles on the back of my hand. “Good. It would be difficult to proceed with our plan if I thought you were at risk.”
My cheeks flushed again at his casual, intimate touch and his words. How was he able to say those things so forthrightly?
We made it to Meadow Regency Park where the thirty-foot tree towered over its surroundings. It was already covered with tinsel, lights, and a hodgepodge of decorations since anyone from town was allowed to contribute an ornament to the tree.
Many of the stands from the Christmas market had been moved to the park for the event. William pulled me toward one where Lydia Bennet sold mugs of cocoa at the Cupid’s Confections stand. “We should get this to warm you up.”
“What about you?”
He scanned the booths. “I’m fine. I’ve dressed appropriately warmly, and I don’t see any booths selling tea.”
“Thank you.” There were many things about marriage that I was excited to get used to, but hopefully I never took William’s thoughtful nature for granted. He pulled me past another cart that had enchanted bells that rang themselves to the tune of “Carol of the Bells.”
We made it to the Bennet’s cart, and William paid for a cup for me.
“Come on, Mom. Please help me pay for the trip with the Forsters.” Lydia hardly spared me a glance as she handed over a cup and took our money. “I’ll die if I have to miss it.”
Once I had my cocoa, which was popular because it always held a starroot potion that reminded someone of their favorite memories with every sip, I settled in at William’s side.
The drink also had a cinnamon scent that reminded me of him, and I breathed it in.
The crowd grew thicker around the tree, but while the rest of the town gossiped and watched, waiting for dusk to fall so the ceremony could start, I watched the rest of the town, searching for Lady Catherine.
“Do you see her?” I whispered to William. Because if we found her, we’d find our killer.
“Not yet.” His breath tickled my ear.
Lizzy and Jane waved at me across the way, Jane taking photographs and Lizzy’s usual notebook in hand.
Maybe she was working on a story. Maybe she’d even write something about what happened with the star and the murder.
I’d have to fill her in next time she swung by—if I was right.
I’d hardly talked to Jane since her return from New York, but from the snippets I’d heard from Lizzy, I’d gathered that Jane had met up with Charles and it hadn’t gone quite as she’d hoped.
Maybe once things settled down a bit the three of us could get together.
Over by the frozen pond where a few townspeople ice skated, Kitty strolled hand in hand with Riley, Lizzy’s friend from the paper.
It was my first time seeing the two of them together, but what was even more surprising was that Mary and Frank Churchill were still together.
Frank was all charm and Mary all logic, but somehow they worked.
Not that I had any room to talk about unexpected pairings considering my marriage to William.
But then my gaze settled on Lady Catherine.
“There she is.” I stiffened and nodded to where she stood on the other side of the crowd.
Merrick and Maris, in their same dark uniforms, stood behind her.
The group was partially obscured by Mayor Pembroke, who strolled around handing out candy canes to children.
The shimmering golden thread on her coat showed Santa’s sleigh, pulled by reindeer, gliding across the dark fabric as if flying through the night sky.
William’s hand tightened around mine. “Should we wait until after the ceremony? I’d hate to disrupt the program.”
“I think we should,” I whispered. “Maybe it’ll encourage the killer to act. I mean, if they were desperate enough to steal the star once, they might try to do something else.”
“Excellent point.”
Mayor Pembroke passed out her last piece of candy, then stepped forward, her dark hair dusted with tiny snowflakes.
She straightened her headband, which was a huge red bow, and bowed at everyone.
“Thank you, people of Austen Heights, for joining us this evening. As you’re all aware, we almost didn’t get to enjoy this very special ceremony that is important to the Marked and Unmarked alike of our town. ”
Someone handed her a small chest, and she opened it to reveal the Star of Everlight.
Unlike yesterday, it was now glowing and sparkling with starlight.
Mayor Pembroke waved her hand, and a line of floating candles lifted from the ground.
Someone must’ve done another spell because they burst into flame at the same time, the tiny pinpricks of light countering the growing dark as dusk fell.
I couldn’t help but smile at the sight of all my candles being used for the town event.
“Did you make all of those?” William whispered.
“Yes.” I smiled as I looked around. Despite everything that had happened, at least I’d taken one step forward with my shop. The only difference was that before, work had been all that mattered, but now the man next to me was creeping into my heart.
Mayor Pembroke gave another gentle wave of her fingers, and the candles bobbed up and down, resembling magical fireflies as they filled the air with the scent of cranberry and sugar cookies. “This year, as you know, we’ll be doing something different with the ceremony.”
The town seemed to collectively hold its breath—even the bells playing Christmas carols stopped ringing.
“I’ve decided to invite one of our newlywed couples to put the star on together, because as a town, we encourage the union of the Marked and the Unmarked. We are one town and one people, and these two have done an admirable job of leading by example.”
My cheeks heated. “She isn’t talking about—”
“Can we please have Mr. and Mrs. Collins come forward to put the star on our tree?”
I stiffened and glanced toward Lady Catherine.
She had her nose in the air, and behind her, Merrick and Maris glared at us, clearly offended on her behalf.
In all the years I’d been in Austen Heights, I was pretty sure an Unmarked had never put the star on the tree.
In fact, it had been Lady Catherine as long as I could remember.
“Come on, you two,” Mayor Pembroke said again. Her floor-length velvet coat was the same deep green as the tree behind her, and it billowed as she waved an arm toward us. The sleigh bells on her sleeves jingled with the movement.
“I couldn’t do that.” I shot William a look, trying to communicate with my eyes that this was a bad idea. If I was right, this would be the same as putting a target on his back, or mine.
“Nonsense, of course you can.” She gestured us forward with a wide smile and adjusted her earrings, which were two sprigs of holly with bright red berries.
William pulled me along, and we stumbled to a stop in front of the tree.
Well, I did. William, despite his being more awkward and shorter than other fae, still had their uncanny gracefulness.
“It’ll be okay,” he murmured into my ear.
“Based on current variables, the probability for disaster at this moment is fairly low.”
I nodded once, and he straightened and faced the crowd.
“It’s an honor to be asked to put the Star of Everlight on,” he said. “This ceremony exemplifies the excellence and cohesion of our town, and I’m deeply grateful to participate, especially with my extraordinary wife, Charlotte, who improves every situation she’s in.”
Thankfully, it was fully dark now, so the glow of the star and the candles hid my raging blush. No one usually said that about me, but somehow when William looked at me, I could believe he really felt that way.
I took the star in my hand, its warm glow sending tingles through my palm like I’d touched a live wire. No, like dipping my hand in a hot spring. William put his hand under mine, surrounding it with warmth on either side. At his touch, the star’s glow grew brighter.