Bewitching Boots (16 page)

I smiled at Chase. “I guess this is where we part until lunch. I’ll talk to you later.”

He put his hand on his chest and bowed to me. “My Lady.” Then he swept me off my feet with a wonderful romantic kiss.

All of the local shopkeepers as well as some character actors applauded.

“To make up for the mistaken idea that you and I will
ever
part,” Chase whispered as he put me back on my feet.

I curtsied and laughed at him. “Good sir, I know we shall never say goodbye.”

There was more applause and smiles. Everyone in the Village loves gossip, but they love a good romance even more. No one wanted me and Chase to break up. They just wanted to know what was happening—like a large, nosey family.

Chase said he was going to interview people at the castle to see if anyone had noticed Sir Dwayne coming in last night. I left with Manny to find out what was wrong with Bill. I walked, even though Manny offered me a ride on his bicycle.

Fred the Red Dragon lived on the other side of the Village near the Mother Goose Pavilion. I could hear Phineas squawking as he received his morning bath. I knocked at the door to the tiny cottage Fred and Bill were sharing as Manny ran his bike into a privy to stop it and got down.

“You’re going to get hurt doing that,” I told him as I waited for someone to answer the door.

“I’ll get the hang of it,” Manny said. “I’m good at these things.”

Fred finally answered the door. He was wearing red boxer shorts—and nothing else. “Lady Jessie.” He almost fell over trying to bow. “I wasn’t expecting you. Please excuse the mess of my abode. It’s mostly that stupid shoemaker’s fault.”

I’d been to Fred’s cottage before so I knew better than to think Bill had made it that messy by himself. I walked inside, ignoring the empty pizza boxes and half-eaten plates of spaghetti. “Where’s my cobbler?”

Fred scratched his chin. “Was I supposed to be holding that for you? Did the monks send it over from the bakery?”

“My shoemaker.”
Argh!
“Where’s Bill?”

Manny walked past Fred, ahead of me. “This way, Lady Jessie. Mind the food on the floor.”

He opened a side door off the kitchen and revealed Bill still sleeping and snoring loudly in bed.

“Bill!” I shook him. “Its me, Jessie. You need to wake up. I have good news for you.”

He mumbled and turned over.

“He was really drunk last night when he came in,” Fred said. “I tried to tell him that it’s hard to go to bed at midnight and get up at ten. I’ve done it. No picnic.”

I concentrated on getting Bill out of bed. “Good news. Your shop is going to be ready tomorrow. You can move in. I’ll get some knaves and varlets to help you.”

He muttered sleepily. “That’s good news, Jessie. Thanks. What time is it?”

Manny looked at his impressive gold pocket watch. “Nearly nine a.m., cobbler. You should be up and ready for the day. Lady Jessie has other important things to do besides rousting you from your bed.”

“Okay. I’m awake.” Bill put his feet on the floor. Manny drew in a quick breath while Fred started laughing.

Bill was naked.

“Leave at once, Lady Jessie.” Manny put his hand over my eyes and propelled me out of the bedroom. “I apologize for bringing you here this way. Go on about your business. I shall get the knave up and moving.”

What fun would it be to tell him I’d seen naked men before? “Thanks. I’ll meet you at the museum.”

At the Dungeon, maintenance people were taking a look at the prisoners to see if everything was working after their trauma with Sir Dwayne. The workers said good morning and I waved back.

I made a quick call to the hospital to find out how Rita was doing. The woman at the information desk said she was stable. I asked about Sir Dwayne at the same time. He’d already been treated and released. I was sure Detective Almond would be happy about that.

Showering quickly, I dressed and got ready for the long day ahead.

I looked into the full-length mirror one last time. My headscarf matched the green in my skirt and the embroidery in my vest. I wore a thin, white blouse under the vest, hoping I wouldn’t get too hot. I liked the gypsy look. I tucked the small book residents had been given to write up the new recruits into my side pouch, and attached my cup for free drinks to my belt loop.

My cell phone was on the dresser. I turned the sound down and put it in my skirt pocket. It was unlikely anyone from Adventureland would catch me with it, and it made me feel safer after what had happened that morning.

Before I put on the sandals Bill had made for me in Tennessee, I examined them. If there was magic in the leather, it was only the exquisite craftsmanship. Maybe Madame Lucinda was right, and only those with some magic of their own could have the full benefit of Bill’s elf magic.

The way Bill’s magic seemed to affect people made me glad that I didn’t have any. I didn’t like the idea of dancing myself to death or falling off a tall structure because I couldn’t control my feet.

I was whistling as I locked the apartment door behind me. The workers downstairs were gone. They’d left on the usual lights and sounds from the tortured prisoners. I ignored them as usual and opened the outside door to the Dungeon.

A blast of light hit me in the face and nearly blinded me. I took a step back and covered my face with my hands.

“Be wary this day, Lady Jessie.” Madame Lucinda’s voice was clear.

I peeked between my fingers. She was standing right outside the doorway—possibly not able to come in because of the sorcerer’s spell that kept Wanda out too. “Why? What’s wrong?”

“Be wary,” she said again.

I finally opened my eyes and, she was gone.

What was that supposed to mean? Why didn’t she say something else so that I’d know what to be wary of?

Then I realized that she wasn’t even there.

I scanned the cobblestones going in both directions from the Dungeon. There was no sign of her there or in the grass around me. I’d watched her painful movements. She wasn’t fast enough to have run away in that time.

Did I have some kind of vision? Or was it a product of being up most of the night?

I tended to believe it was lack of sleep and too much adrenalin. I’d never experienced anything like it, but then Madame Lucinda was unlike anyone I’d ever met.

I was so busy thinking about it that I didn’t notice Katharina until she tapped me on the shoulder.

“Lady Jessie?”

I jumped a few inches. “Oh, it’s you. Sorry. I was looking for someone else.”

Katharina glanced around. “No one else is here.”

“I know. Silly, right? What can I do for you?”

“I just wanted to thank you for your help this morning with my horse. Foxfire is going to be fine. The vet said it wasn’t anything serious. He’ll be up and jousting in no time.”

“I’m so glad. You know, I always wanted to be a knight and joust on the Field of Honor. They didn’t have any female knights, and I didn’t ask if it was possible. I’m jealous, but so happy it’s finally happened.”

She smiled at me. “You aren’t too old to take your place beside me on the Field of Honor. Maybe you should learn to joust too. I wouldn’t mind having some female companionship up there—besides the ladies sighing over the knights.”

“Thanks. But handling the museum is all I have time for now. I don’t want to give that up. When you ride out there, you’ll be taking me with you on Firefox. I can’t wait to watch.”

She briefly hugged me and yawned. “I’m glad I’m only practicing today. I’m going home to get some sleep.”

Lucky Katharina. Sleep didn’t seem to be on my to-do list.

The Main Gate would open in fifteen minutes. Flower girls and musicians passed me on their way to welcome the first visitors. A group of the Templar Knights rushed by on horseback from their encampment in the woods behind the Dungeon. All of them were standing on their saddles wielding their curved swords.

There wasn’t going to be enough time to ask Madame Lucinda if she’d visited me in spirit at the Dungeon. It would have to wait until everything was set up at the museum and Manny could take over for a few minutes.

I passed Luke Helms at the Jolly Pipemaker’s Shoppe. He looked unhappy. I knew there wasn’t a lot of time to chat, but hopefully Manny already had Bill up and dressed and on his way to the museum.

“Good morning, sir.” I curtsied to him. “How art thou?”

He shook his head. “I forgot to get something for breakfast this morning. Once the gate opens, there won’t be time until lunch. My stomach is growling.”

I thought about Mrs. Potts and her honey cookies. It wasn’t a long walk between the pipe shop and the Honey and Herb Shoppe. I happened to be heading that way. Why not?

Luke and Mrs. Potts would be
perfect
together. I should have seen it before. Both of them were alone. She wanted someone to care for—he needed someone to take care of him.

“You know, Mrs. Potts always has warm cookies out of the oven by now. I think that would be good for breakfast, don’t you?”

He rubbed his worn hands together. “I do, indeed. Thank you, my lady. I’ll head down there now.”

“I shall walk awhile with you, Sir Pipemaker, if I may.”

He held out his arm, and I slipped my hand into it. My mind was filled with crazy ideas about Luke and Mrs. Potts getting together. He was even wearing a blue shirt that reminded me of her blue mobcap. It was a sign!

We were at her shop in no time. I went in her cozy little cottage with him, explaining his plight to my sympathetic friend. “I knew there’d be some cookies ready.” I sniffed. “I can tell that I wasn’t wrong.”

“Bless my soul! You know I always have cookies baking and tea brewing by this time.” She shyly smiled at Luke. “Mr. Helms.”

“Mrs. Potts.” He removed his hat and bobbed his head.

“Oh call me Bea,” she said. “And I’ll call you Luke.”

“Sounds good to me, fair lady!”

She giggled. He grinned. My job was done! I wished them both a good day and turned toward the museum across the cobblestoned walkway.

Tilly Morgenstern was standing in front of the bottom step with Leo behind her.

Was this what Madame Lucinda was warning me about?

I could hear the musicians in the tower above the Main Gate beginning to play. Dancers from the Stage Caravan were beginning to join them. Singers from the Dutchman’s Stage were serenading visitors with a funny song. The horsemen were showing off their prowess.

The gate was open, and visitors were streaming in for their day at the Renaissance. There wasn’t time to argue with Tilly Morgenstern and her zombie. The museum was still closed, no sign of Manny or Bill.

I took a deep breath and confronted her.

Her cold eyes raked over me. “Where is your shoemaker today, Lady?”

“He should be on his way.”

She nodded. “Good. I’ll wait. I’ve heard tell of his
elf
magic. I want to see it for myself.”

“Unless it involves him making boots for you, you’ll have to get in line.”

“I’m fine with him making boots for me.” She grinned. “Not that you could
stop
me if I wasn’t.”

“I wouldn’t try to stop you. That’s why we have security.”

People from the gate were lining up behind me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Manny, urging Bill to hurry along the cobblestones. There were too many visitors and residents to worry about Tilly’s threats. My hand clenched on the cell phone in my pocket anyway.

“Security.” Tilly spit on the stairs. Leo did the same.

There were enough residents out to worry about the constant threat of a spitting contest. I cringed when I thought of how that would affect our visitors, but it couldn’t be stopped. The tradition of everyone spitting when one person started was too deeply ingrained.

I heard some of Robin Hood’s Merry Men pick it up from Tilly. They spat, grinned, and passed it on. Jack Spratt and his wife followed, and then a few monks added their saliva.

Visitors who were waiting to get into the museum liked the idea too and began spitting on the cobblestones behind me. I hoped it would be over before anyone got inside and started spitting on the museum floor.  

I didn’t indulge, hoping to quell the rising tide. I knew Manny wouldn’t spit either, and Bill didn’t know about the custom yet. There were unicycle riders spitting from great height on the cobblestones as they went by. A lady in a fancy lemon yellow gown screamed when a pirate spit on the edge of it.

Tilly smiled slyly, no doubt enjoying what she’d started.

Manny finally reached me with Bill. “Let’s get inside before this gets out of hand,” he urged with a careful eye on Tilly and Leo.

Bill was awake and dressed, but that was all I could say for him. He was still heavy-eyed and walking around in a stupor. He reminded me of Leo.

“I’ll need you to move away from the stairs, my good woman.” Manny took out his key and nodded at Tilly.

“In a moment.” She stepped toward Bill and took his chin in one hand, staring deeply into his bloodshot eyes. A moment later she laughed her sweet little girl laugh. “This shoemaker has no
magic.
I should flay him where he stands for lying.”

Of course, the visitors loved it, thinking it was part of the Village drama performed for their benefit. They applauded Tilly’s threat. No doubt many of them knew about Bill and his elf magic from watching the news on TV about Isabelle’s death.

I knew Manny was afraid of Tilly and Leo, like everyone else. He was acting on my behalf so I wouldn’t have to deal with her. He knew about our past confrontations.

I loved him for it, but I was the museum director. I had to step up.

“Perhaps later, Tilly Morgenstern. Right now, we are going into the museum for my cobbler to make magic boots and sandals for our visitors.” I turned and faced the growing crowd of eager shoppers. I wanted to remind everyone that this was all for show. “You should go back to the Lady in the Lake Tavern, Tilly, and leave us alone.”

Tilly knew what I was doing. I hoped she wasn’t so far gone that she’d push past the bounds of propriety in front of our visitors.

She nodded and smiled. “Indeed, I shall take this up with you at a later date, Lady Jessie. For now, farewell!”