A Holiday Fling Read Online Free PDF Page A

tithe system goes back to the Middle Ages. Ten percent of all grain and livestock had to be given to the local rector to support him, the church, and the poor of the parish. A tithe barn was used to store the produce collected." They headed out to the car, leaving Plato to guard the cottage.
    As she drove toward the village, Jenny continued her history lesson. "After Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries, a lot of the tithe rights went into private hands. Just after the war, the owner of the ninety-nine-year lease on the barn bequeathed the lease to the local council with the requirement that it be turned into a community center."
    "You said you grew up here. Was the tithe barn part of your childhood?"
    "It was my favorite place in the world. The family homestead is only a five-minute walk away, so I was always at thebarn. It’s where I learned that I wanted to act. I was five years old and playing an angel in a Christmas pageant. As soon as I set foot on the stage, I knew . At first my parents laughed and said I’d grow out of it." Jenny grinned. "Soon they started praying that I would. But I acted every chance I could. After my A levels, I won a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art."
    Though her comment was offhand, Greg knew that RADA was probably the world’s best-known theater school, and entrance was fiercely competitive. Jenny was as talented as she was beautiful.
    She turned down a side street, then into a driveway. "And here we are."
    The barn was larger than Greg expected, with stone walls and a slate roof sloping down from a ridgepole that was rather less than straight. Double doors were set in the middle, and a handful of small windows marched along the side. "A nice building, but it’s seen better days."
    "If you’d started life in the fourteenth century, you’d be a little shabby, too."
    Greg examined it with increased interest. "It’s seven centuries old?"
    "The oldest bit is." She parked the Jaguar among trees where scattered gravel produced solid parking without the ugliness of a regular lot. "It’s been enlarged several times. There’s an addition on the back that holds a pottery studio and a small shop where local craftsmen can sell their work."
    As Jenny climbed from the car, a shaft of afternoon sunlight broke through the clouds and turned the stone walls of the tithe barn into shades of glowing honey. The sight of Jenny silhouetted against the structure went directly into Greg’s permanent file.
    She leaned into the backseat and removed the dragon head and the rest of the costume. Beauty and the beast, another image to remember. He wanted to engrave every one of her movements, every expression, on his brain forever.
    He took the dragon costume from her and carried it toward the barn. "It must be pretty dark inside with those small windows."
    "Wait and see." She opened one of the double doors and ushered Greg through.
    He paused, surprised. Wide skylights on the opposite side of the roof filled the interior with soft fight even on a gray day, while massive wooden pillars and beams arched overhead like trees. "This is terrific. It reeks of authenticity."
    To the right was a sizable stage, while the other end of the barn had been subdivided into smaller rooms. The central area was open, suitable for dancing, games, or folding chairs for stage performances. Despite the damp chill, he could feel how this place was used and loved. He set the dragon costume in a safe corner, then laid a hand on the nearest rough-hewn pillar, feeling the silky texture of the ancient wood. "No wonder Upper Bassett is determined to save the place."
    "The National Trust, which has custody of most historic sites, isn’t impressed by our barn because so many modifications have been made." Jenny’s gaze went to the skylights. "They prefer structures that are completely original. But our tithe barn is alive, still part of the world. I’d hate to see it turned into a weekend home for some rich Londoner, which is