Treacherous Toys (34 page)

“You were quite a mess last night, Ms. Morton.” He picked up my chart as Chase woke up and looked around. “But I think you’ll be just fine. Stay off of castle roofs and away from loaded guns. I’m sure there’s a story to tell out of that. Maybe sometime you can get me free tickets to the Ren Faire. My wife and I went a few years ago. We had a great time.”

“Just give me a call,” I said with a smile. “I’ll be glad to set you up. When do I get out of here?”

“I’ll see what I can do about that.” He nodded to Chase. “Mr. Morton. I’m sure you’ll be glad to hear that your wife is going to be just fine.”

Chase shook his hand and smiled but didn’t correct him. “Thanks. I’ll try to keep her away from dangerous things in the future. It’s not easy.”

“Just one question,” Dr. Brown said. “I thought guns weren’t allowed at the Faire. I take it some foul villain was doing his dastardly worst.”

Chase and I both laughed at that. Dr. Brown did, too, but probably for some reason other than his terrible British accent.

When we were alone, Chase took my hand, wrapped in a big white bandage, and kissed it. “Don’t ever scare me like that again. I leave you alone one night and you’re climbing the castle roof and finding the killer. You didn’t leave a thing for me to do.”

“Believe me, if my cell phone battery hadn’t run out, I would’ve called you. And once I was up in that control tower, it was too late. Did you know that thing was still up there?”

“Yeah. They left it there on purpose. The door going up
there was supposed to be locked. Some Adventure Land person wanted it to hang out in occasionally.”

“Does he dress like a wizard and like to flash the ladies?”

“I believe he does.” He kissed me very carefully. “You saw her and followed her again through the Village, didn’t you?”

I nodded. “I think she knew and that’s why she was ready for me. But your guys were on the spot as soon as I figured out how to make all the snow fall on the
Queen’s Revenge
. It was just a question of time before I caught up with Alice after that.”

“You were just lucky. She could’ve killed you.”

“Never mind that.” I moved stiffly in the bed to see him better. “What about Christine? Is she okay?”

“She’s fine. She went home to the kids this morning.” He smiled and ran his fingers through my hair. “She called me for advice on how to get her kids off the pirate ship. It seems they’ve all gone rogue.”

That was completely incredible. I laughed even though it hurt. “And Esmeralda? Is she okay?”

“A little repentant. She knew her sister killed Chris and didn’t say anything because she thought Alice was only gunning for him. But she’s going to be fine, too. The bullet missed anything major. She got out of surgery a couple of hours ago.”

“And Livy? How’s the baby? Did she and Harry make it through the whole ordeal without killing each other?”

“Livy’s fine and so is the baby. She’s forgiven Harry for sleeping with Christine while she was pregnant, and he’s forgiven her for stabbing him in the back because she was angry. Just their usual drama.”

“What are they calling the baby?”

He smiled and kissed me again. “You’ll love it. Princess Henrietta Olivia Jane Jessica Martin. I think they’re calling her Pea right now. She’s cute, for a wrinkled little human.”

“She gave her
my
name, too?” I couldn’t believe it.

“You might’ve saved her life. Even Livy can be grateful.”

A pretty nurse came into the room with a wheelchair. “Mrs. Morton? It’s time for us to get you packed up. Maybe your husband could excuse us for just a minute.” She smiled at him, and Chase let go of my hand.

“I’ll be waiting right outside,” he said. “We have a lot to talk about.”

The statement had an ominous ring to it. I was worried about where it might lead.

We went through the nursery and saw Pea before we left the hospital. She was kind of cute for being all wrinkled and squished looking. I talked about her all the way out to Chase’s Mercedes.

I purposely kept the conversation light and fluffy while we were driving back, talking about the Village and how great it was to be there for the holiday.

I knew what Chase wanted to talk about, and I wasn’t sure if I was up for it. I’d sworn things would be different between us—but that was last night when I wasn’t sure if I was going to live or not.

Today, everything seemed fine and I was just as scared of making the commitment that Chase wanted. Why couldn’t we go on as we always had?

But what if this was it between us? It had never happened to me, but I’d known couples that had broken up because one of them didn’t want to get serious.

When we finally reached the Village, I jumped out of
the car and hobbled as fast as I could to the Main Gate. The sun was shining and the cobblestones were full of visitors. There was a long line stretching from the manor houses on Squire’s Lane, so I knew Father Christmas was in session.

“Where are you going in such a hurry?” Chase asked, catching up with me.

“I just want to see everything,” I gushed as though my brain had been injured with the rest of me. I felt terrible acting that way. Chase deserved better. I just seemed incapable of giving him what he needed.

To my surprise, I had a reprieve waiting for me as soon as I got past all the well wishes from the greeters at the Main Gate. Christine and all the children, out of pirate gear now and back in elf costumes, were there to see me. They all rushed up and hugged me, almost knocking me over in the process.

“We’re so glad you’re all right,” Christine said. “I’ll never forget what you’ve done for me and the kids. Detective Almond told me that Alice had actually planned to kill the children, too, after she got rid of me. He also dropped all charges against me, and the insurance company called to say that our money has been cleared.”

I hugged her back. “That’s great news. Are you leaving the Village?”

“No. As a matter of fact, that nice man from Adventure Land offered us an empty shop and house so we could stay here and sell toys. Can you imagine? It’s all the kids can talk about.”

“Wow. That will be awesome, Christine. And the kids can go to a real school, although I have a feeling it won’t be as exciting as it sounds.”

“None of it would’ve happened without you and Chase,
Jessie. I hope you’ll consider finishing your toy-making apprenticeship with us.”

There were no sweeter words to my ears. It meant I wouldn’t have to walk around looking for work or deal with the drama that was sure to come when Her Royal Princess Pea came home.

“I would love to do that,” I assured her. “Thank you for asking me.”

Christine hugged me again, then said she and the kids had to get back to helping Bart. All the kids hugged me again, and Merry Beth hugged Chase, too.

Then we were alone again, Chase and I, in a crowded Village.

“I got the Dungeon all set up for you,” Chase said. “I’ll take you upstairs, then check on you every so often. I’ll leave a two-way with you in case you need anything.”

“You know, I think I’m well enough to start making toys again. Why don’t I just meet you for lunch.”

“I’m not even sure you’re well enough to be out of the hospital. Your release papers say you’re supposed to rest for a few days, then go back in for a checkup.”

I stopped hobbling and faced him. I couldn’t stand it anymore. “Just say whatever it is you have to say. I can’t take the pressure.”

He kind of moved both of us out of the flow of visitor traffic, close to the hatchet-throwing game. “I really hadn’t planned on doing this out here, but if you insist.”

I braced myself. This had gone beyond where it was supposed to. I expected him to ask me to marry him. What was I going to say? I wasn’t sure how to say yes, or no, to him. Either one felt like it could break my heart.

Instead, he pulled some papers out of the leather purse
he carried on his belt. “I want you to feel secure for once, Jessie. I spoke with a friend at USC-C. They are going to let you have your job back in January. They’re willing to offer tenure work as soon as you complete your doctorate.”

He put a copy of the e-mail from the university board in my hand, and I gawked at it. This surely wasn’t what I was expecting.

“And I don’t feel comfortable with you driving that old car anymore. These are the keys to your new car.”

I could barely feel the car keys in my hand. I’d gone numb all over.

“And the solution to your apartment problem.” He handed me another key. “I bought your apartment, which is now your condo, last night.”

“Chase.” I could hardly get the word out. “I can’t take all this from you. You know how I feel.”

He shrugged. “That’s fine. We’ll arrange payments, if that makes you more comfortable.”

So many thoughts were going around in my head that I could hardly keep track of one. “But I thought you wanted me to stay here with you.”

“Not because you don’t have anywhere to go. I want you to stay here with me because you want to. This way, you have a choice.”

Then it happened. He dropped down on one knee and took out a ring.

By that time, a crowd had begun to form. And not just of visitors. It seemed as if half the Village was there looking over Chase’s shoulder as he offered me the beautiful, antique ring.

“Lady Jessie Morton, will thou take my hand in marriage and live here with me? I pledge my undying fealty and love to you. You have only to say yes.”

What else could I say to this perfect man that I loved? “Yes, Sir Bailiff. I will marry you and love you forever with all my heart.”

I wondered how long it would take to plan a real Renaissance wedding and how I was going to get back at Wanda while I was doing it.

G
reetings!

The holiday season has changed a lot through the centuries. Christmas as we know it is much different than the Christmases celebrated during the English Renaissance.

Twelfth Night was the name of the festival lasting through December to Epiphany. The churches battled each other over how festive this celebration should be, what days it should be held, even what food should be eaten. Many people were afraid to openly celebrate the holiday for fear of getting into trouble with one faction or another.

Carols were born during the 1500s. Saint Francis of Assisi is said to have written many of the original carols as a way to celebrate the season

Of course, the rich celebrated the season with much more ceremony, food, and gifts than the poor. The servants and peasants were allowed only half days to celebrate, after which they had to return to their work.

For the rich, there was music and lavish gifts. No amount of food was too much or too unusual. There would be stuffed peacocks, pounds of marzipan, and hundreds of roasted, boiled, and baked dishes. Wine flowed freely, and the guests at these feasts were treated to amazing splendor. A dessert course during the holidays might have two hundred different fruits, sweet cakes, and jellies.

Boar’s head was always the centerpiece of the main meal during the season. It was garnished with fruit, rosemary, and other costly herbs and presented as though it were to the king himself.

The legend of Father Christmas has grown and evolved over hundreds of years. In the late nineteenth century, his persona started to merge with that of Saint Nick, who was himself a compilation of several saints named Nicholas famed for their good deeds. Depictions of Father Christmas adopted Saint Nick’s red and white color scheme, which is said to have been appropriated from bishop’s robes. Father Christmas’s once brown beard was changed to white as the myth continued. Because Christmas was celebrated in all parts of the world, in one form or another, the various incarnations of folkloric holiday gift givers meshed together, so much so that Father Christmas, Saint Nick, and Santa Claus are virtually interchangeable today.

Fruitcakes are said to have originated in ancient Rome, but they became widely popular during the Renaissance. Recipes were greatly prized and rarely shared between families. Church regulations forbade the use of butter in the recipe until Pope Innocent VIII issued a letter known as the “Butter Letter,” allowing it. He also decreed that honey could be used.

These cakes were different than what we would expect of a cake today. With their rough flour and log shape, they
were more like bread, though they were decorated with marzipan and other rich icings.

Traditional English Fruit Cake, sometimes known as spice cake, was a celebration cake, one of the few sanctioned by the Church during the Renaissance. While today we think of it as ordinary or even plain, during the Renaissance, it was anything but.

R
ENAISSANCE
F
RUIT
C
AKE

This recipe produces a close likeness of a Renaissance fruitcake. The cake is better the longer you let it set. During the Renaissance, it was made six weeks or longer before it was eaten.