Shortly after the start of the New Year, Mrs. Hall invited them to come over for supper. They dressed neatly—stealing kisses while they could—slicked back their hair, and stepped out into the lightly falling snow.
“If this keeps up, I’ll take Bertie out to build a snowman tomorrow,” he told Steve.
“Would you mind if I joined you?”
Sharps tipped his head back and smiled into his captain’s eyes. “Not in the least.”
“Good.”
They arrived and knocked on the door. Charlie opened it. “Hi, Steve. Hi, Sharps. Come on in!” There was an air of subdued excitement about him.
They entered and stamped the snow off their boots.
“What’s going on?” Steve asked.
“Bart got a letter from his mama,” Charlie told them as he led the way into the parlor. Everyone was gathered there, including the cat Mrs.
