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“I’ve had no news from the outside world. We’ll have to ask the next peddlers who come through, if our friend from the other day doesn’t tell them all to avoid us.”
“I would imagine they’d be more inclined to see that this gives them an opportunity with less competition. Of course, I don’t know what I know about peddlers, but are they that organized?”
“I have no idea. I just hope one selling tea comes soon because I’m almost out. Speaking of which, it’s time to open. Since you’re almost as brave as a chicken, are you willing to give helping me another try?”
“That certainly does take valor, but for you, dear lady, I am willing.” He gave her a courtly bow.
“I thought we decided you aren’t a knight, so you don’t have to act that way.”
“I rather enjoy it.”
Soon after they opened, Mair came running into the shop. “We’re going to have a festival!”
“When? How?” Elwyn asked.
“Tomorrow night. Some traveling musicians came through town. They’re staying in one of the empty cottages and they said they’d play in exchange for the rooms and food.”
“That’s rather short notice, isn’t it?” Bryn said.
“What planning is there to do? We have musicians. People can bring food. Old Royden has already said he’s got a sheep he was planning to slaughter, so there will be a roast. We’ll put up a few lanterns to make it look festive. You have to come.” To Bryn, she added, “Especially you. We need men. Do you know how to dance?”
“I have no idea.”
“No idea how to dance, or no idea whether you know how to dance?”
“Let’s just say I don’t remember dancing.”
“Maybe it’ll come back to you. Or you could learn. You’re clever.”
“I’d be better at the cooking, if they need help with the roast. Could they open the kitchen at the inn? I’d imagine they have the right kind of hearth for that.”
“He can cook?” Mair asked Elwyn.
“He can. Though I don’t know what he can do with a roast, as we haven’t had much meat.”
“Well, then, you’re up for helping with the roast. I hope I can also count on you to help set up. Can you offer some flowers, Wyn?”
“Of course.”
“Then it sounds like we’re set.” With a wink at Bryn, she added, “Save me a dance,” before running off, presumably to make more arrangements.
“It will be good for the village to get together,” Elwyn said, as though she was trying to convince herself. “Though I must admit I’m surprised that traveling musicians would come through here.” She couldn’t help but wonder if they were here for some other reason.
“Maybe they were drawn here the way everyone else seems to have been.”
“I don’t know what they’d do here if they stayed unless they have skills beyond music.”
“Do you know how to dance?”
“It depends on the kind of dance. I think I remember some of the country dances from when I was younger, and I occasionally danced at court.”
He held out a hand to her. “Let’s see if I remember anything.”
“We’d need music. And most of the dances require other people. There’s a whole pattern involving circles, squares, or rows of people.”
“Well, what do individual people do? If we were dancing together, what might it look like?”
“We’d face each other and bow to each other.” He bowed at the waist, and she curtsied in response. “Then in most of the dances we’d step forward and back, then we might turn around each other and return to our places.” They did that, with him taking her hand to spin her when they turned around each other. “It looks like you do remember this,” she said.
