Evie and Katie could hardly contain themselves that afternoon while Sister May droned on about the history of the Kingdom and the importance of this or that battle. They giggled and whispered incessantly, earning each of them a sharp rap on the knuckles, but nothing could take away their excitement for the coming afternoon.

  It had been cold enough for the last week to freeze over completely any standing water, and the River Amber itself was almost frozen. Huge ice chunks covered in snow rushed by in the centre of the waterway as it passed the town, and if the weather held, it would be frozen over afore long.

  School was painful as usual, but the day finally came to a close, as days tend to do. And they were rushing to put on their coats. Evie grabbed her skates and walked with Katie to her home within the village to grab hers. Waiting outside, Katie’s mother Louisa waved to Evie from the kitchen window, and Evie waved a cheery hand in reply.

  Katie rushed back out, skates in hand, yelling a hurried goodbye to her mother as wailing from her little brother could be heard echoing out of the house. The fine mist from the morning had continued and turned to snow, falling slowly and lightly through the sky to kiss their eyelashes and dust their hair. It was a light snow and did not seem to be collecting, nor did it look to stop any time soon. The temperature steadily fell all day, and Evie shoved her hands in her pockets, reprimanding herself silently as she realized she had forgotten her gloves yet again.

  Rushing back to the Chapel in a way that only the young was able to do, they skidded to a halt in the yard and scurried behind the corner so that they might check each other’s appearances before the boys returned.

   “Oh Katie, your hair is everywhere! Here, let me fix it.” She said as she pulled the thongs from Katie’s hair and began to re-braid it. Meanwhile, Katie started brushing Evie’s skirts with a vehemence exclaiming over all the mud that had been collected.

   “Well, it was your fault, wasn’t it?” Evie accused around the hair tie in her mouth, “Stay still while I tie it off.”

  “My fault? How was this my fault?” Katie exclaimed, brushing worriedly at her own skirts.

  “You’re the one who nearly landed us in the mud puddle this morning. This mud had been here all day!” Evie hissed.

   “Well, if you hadn’t been so slow, then we might have had time to get cleaned up!”

  “Well, if you hadn’t invited yourself over, then we might not have had to go at all!”

  “Well, if you….” Katie trilled to a halt, holding her hand up. “I think they’re here.” She whispered.

  Together they peeked around the side of the building, “Shoot, there they are. Do we just come out? Should we walk around to the other side as though just coming up the lane?”

  “Yes, let us walk around as though we didn’t get here first. Best not to look too eager.” They ducked back behind the corner and walked around the little Chapel and across the neighbour’s yard to seem as though they were just arriving.

  Walking down the lane, skirts swishing under heavy coats, they walked up to the boys smiling. “Hello Gentleman,” Katie beamed as she curtsied, Evie following a moment behind.

  “Hello ladies,” Frankie Taylor said as he exaggerated a bow for them. “And what brings you fine ladies out on a gloomy day such as today?” He waggled his eyebrows as though the answer were not already known.

  Katie giggled and cast a look at Evie, “We thought we might check the pond to see if it were ripe for skating. Tis a beautiful day for sport. Not too cold, not to windy. Conditions seem to be just right.”

  “Indeed, we were,” Evie giggled behind her, mimicking her formality, “And where are you gentlemen off to on such a fine evening?"

  “Ah, you see-“Frankie began gesturing grandly behind him, “My dear friend Johnnie here had a similar notion, yet begged us wait in the school yard a while to see if we might have company afore setting off on our little adventure.” He grinned, “I see he meant you two fine ladies.”

  Johnnie grinned at Evie before blushing and looking away, “Are we to wait for anyone else?” He asked, looking around.

  “I don’t believe so, you three were the only ones I think.” Evie finished warmly. “Let’s be off!”

  The pond was near the village and was a favourite location for Sunday afternoon walks after service, so it took the children no time at all to reach its edge. They cast stones at it first to make sure there was no cracking, and the boys hesitantly eased onto the ice, walking around the edges to test its thickness. After completing a full circle, the girls waited at the edge with bated breath, they announced its safety, and they leapt for their own skates left by the bank.

  The girls took a little longer lacing the skates to their shoes, testing their weight before moving to help each other stand. The boys appeared as if from nowhere. One minute they were yelling and chasing each other across the ice; the next, they were in front of the girls holding out hands to assist them to their feet. This was the first-time boys had treated them this way, and they both blushed at the attention and formality of it all.

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  Johnnie stood in front of Evie, holding out his hands. His straight blonde hair fell over his eyes as he reached for her, smiling. Blushing, she placed her hands in his, and he eased her to her feet. Her heart thumped both from the thrill of their touch and the fear of the skates. She wasn’t sure which sensation was more powerful. Awkwardly they looked at each other for a moment, hand in hand, the world fading from around them, when Katie lost her balance and bumped Evie’s side and sent her falling into Johnnie’s chest. Her hands went up to his chest as she fell into him and his arms caught her round the elbows as he staggered back, holding her weight.

  “Awe Mate, get a room!” Frank called as he and James took one of Katie’s hands each and helped her to the ice. Once Katie was securely in Frankie’s hands, James circled back and grabbed Evie’s other hand.

  “Don’t listen to 'im mate, E’s jus green you’ve got the real catch ‘ere.” James said in his cockney accent, giving Johnnie a wink. “Ere we go miss, jus like that, one step at a time. Baby steps. There we go.” He was so sweet to talk her through each movement, her skirts so cumbersome she didn’t know how she’d ever get onto the ice. Much worse, she thought, how would she get back!?\

  Skating backwards, Johnnie and Frankie led them in a large circle about the pond. It was frightening being so far out, away from safety. The view of the bank distorting as though through a wavering glass. It was such a change of perspective and would be frightening if not for Johnnie’s warm hands in hers. She might have retreated to the safety of the banks, but his warm hands and steady eyes stayed on her, bolstering her courage, and by the time they had finished two complete circles of the pond, they were all laughing. Evie and Katie held hands with each other and each boy beside them.

  It was a wonderful day and a sparkling backdrop to many dark days to come. When Evie was older, she would look back to this day as the last perfect day. The sky darkened, and the snow changed to rain, sending them back to the banks and scrambling to take off their skates before the snow melted to mud and the ice became too slick to navigate.

  Hurrying along the lane, Johnnie insisted on walking her home through the brewing storm, and she parted with Katies kiss on her cheek as Frankie and James walked her back to her home in the village.

  "You don’t have gloves!” Johnnie remarked, suddenly looking at her hands tucked into her coat pockets.

   “Ah, no. I don’t.” she replied self-consciously. “I left them this morn and forgot again after luncheon.”

  “Here. Take Mine.” He said, immediately pulling his own off and shoving them onto her hands before she could protest feebly.

  “Thank you,” she said, grateful to the sudden warmth blossoming across her cold fingers. The gloves still held his warmth, and she was grateful after the cold afternoon. The rain beat steadily against their heads, and they both wished heartily that they’d thought to bring an umbrella.

  “This turned into a shite day,” he said, scowling at the clouds that had ruined their fun.

   “Oh no!” She said vehemently, turning to him, “this was the most wonderful day of my life!” She said with the most glorious smile; it made his heart stop in his chest.

  Grinning, he shoved his hair back from his eyes, looking at her shyly, “You think so?”

   “I know so!” And I’ll shout it from the rooftops, she thought fiercely. Just try me.

  “Thank you for sharing it with me!” she finished saying instead.

  “Do you think…” he said haltingly, keeping his eyes cast down through the beating rain, “Do you think that we might share other such days?” His eyes darted up to hers, catching them hopefully.

  Warmth spread from the centre of her chest to her neck and face and then right down to her toes. The weather was freezing cold with freezing rain, and she felt none of it.

  “Yes,” She replied breathlessly, “Yes I would quite like that.”

  They came to the yard of the farmhouse cottage and paused, the words stuck in their throats, “Would you like to come in and dry off? Mother would have my head if I sent you off in this state. At least stay for supper.”

  Johnnie ducked his head and smiled. “I would like that.”

  Mother made a big fuss about their state and sent them off to separate bedrooms to dry off. She gave Johnnie some of Father’s old pants and socks since his coat had kept him mostly dry and set both of their shoes to dry under the fat-bellied oven that gave heat in the kitchen. After a supper of the same stew they had for luncheon and a pot of tea each, Johnnie was sent home with a covered pot for his mother, an umbrella, and a hat to keep the rain from his head.

  While getting ready for bed that night, Evie’s heart was full, and her head was dreamy as she danced about the room, reliving the moments from the day. School wasn’t so bad, she decided, as long as Johnnie Milford was there.

  Missus Milford, she thought to herself. Evangeline Michael Milford, she tried out the name for size, feeling her identity growing and stretching to feel the fit of the new name.

  No, Evangeline Hale Milford, she thought. Her father’s name was her given middle name, but he had hardly filled a space in her life, and she was bitter about it. She would drop his name but keep her last name for her full title. Missus Evangeline Hale Milford. She liked it. It had a good ring to it.

  She was humming and smiling as she dropped at last into her bed, snuffing out the lantern and rolling over to imagine their wedding in their little Chapel. Just his family and hers, the pastor, and Johnnie waiting for her as she walked down the aisle, beaming at him. She would be wearing her mother’s wedding dress, and Father would walk her if it were a good day, and she would walk alone if it were not. Or she would ask her mother to walk with her.

  It was late into the night, and she was fast asleep. She gradually came awake as light spilt from the hall into her room, silhouetting the figure of a man against the door. The figure moved, and she recognized her father through bleary eyes as he came to sit at the foot of the bed.

  “Hey little bean,” he said in his caring, loving voice. He hadn’t called her that in a long time.

  “Hey Da,” she said in reply. She hadn’t called him that in a very long time either.

  “I’m home. It was a long day. I just wanted to tell you that I love you and I’m sorry.” He said, rubbing her back.

  “Sorry for wha-?” She replied, letting her eyelids fall again.

  “Nothing little bean, just remember that your Da loves you.” he said as he bent to kiss her cheek. He stood and his weight lifted from the bed. Her back and cheek were cold where he had touched her.

  “Don’t forget,” he said as he turned to leave, but what she was not supposed to forget would never be known because she was already asleep again before he vanished from sight.