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“Bless you, my lady.” Melina smiled. “Blessed be to you and yours and to the Goddess.”
* * * *
When the ladies had left the tent, a large gypsy man entered from a hidden door behind Melina’s chair. “Do you really think her man will return to her?” he asked.
“Hell if I know,” Melina said. “Thank you for telling me who they were.” She tossed him a few shillings.
He put the coins in his pocket. “How did you know they were both with child?”
“I don’t need the sight for that. A woman gets a look about her. When you’ve lived as many moons as I, it’s easy enough to recognize.”
“Poor thing.”
“Yes. Keep it to yourself. We’ve been highly compensated for our discretion.” Melina smiled.
* * * *
“It’s about time for the archery, isn’t it?” Lily said to Daniel.
“I believe you’re right.” He turned to Thomas. “What do you say, Jameson? Would you care to let me best you in contest?”
“I’ve a rotten aim I’m afraid,” Thomas said, “but Lily tells me you’re amazing.”
“Yes, and he’s great with a bow and arrow, too,” Lily teased.
Thomas rolled his eyes as Daniel raised Lily’s hand to his lips and kissed it lightly, smiling at his adoring wife. “I assume Price will be here. I won’t let him beat me again.”
Rose swallowed. Her heart still thundered at the thought of seeing Cam. Of course, Daniel didn’t yet know that Cameron had left the Lybrook land and would probably not be at the festival.
Cameron wasn’t there, as Rose suspected, but Evan was, and he nearly beat Daniel.
“Good show, Xavier,” Daniel said.
“You as well, Lybrook,” he said.
“Yes, Evan,” Rose said with a smile. “I had no idea you were such a fine archer.” She purposefully used his Christian name again. After all, he was the man she had decided to marry.
“We oarsmen have our other hobbies as well,” Evan said, chuckling. “I heard you got bested on May Day, Lybrook.”
“Yes, I’m afraid so. My only regret is that Price wasn’t here today to lose to me.” His laughter rang across the festival.
Sophie and Alexandra hurried toward them. “I’m sorry we didn’t see your archery contest, Evan,” Sophie said.
Sophie’s use of his Christian name startled Rose, but of course, he would be her stepbrother soon. Family always addressed each other informally.
“That’s quite all right,” Evan said. “Lybrook won, although I took a close second.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful,” Sophie said. “We would have gotten here sooner, but Ally insisted on speaking to a fortune teller.”
“Yes, I apologize,” Alexandra said, hardly sparing Evan a glance. “But I got the most delicious news about Mr. Landon from an old gypsy crone named Melina.”
“Oh dear, Ally, not you too,” Lily said.
“Indeed,” Rose said. “What did she say?”
“She said that my true love is closer than I think,” Alexandra gushed. “Isn’t that terrific? Mr. Landon must be on his way home to me!”
“Have his letters indicated that he’s coming home soon?” Lily asked.
