Four sets of eyes focused on her, and she grimaced. For a place called Wonderland, nothing so far had been that wondrous about it.
Marchy slammed the door to his room and paced furiously. Hawthorn had sensed his fury and abandoned him halfway down the hall. That was fine though since he wanted to be alone. He wasn't angry that the findling had rejected him—though she hadn't. Not really. She'd been opposed to the idea of being claimed or forced into marrying someone she barely knew. He could respect that. And he was not marrying anyone if he could help it. They would enjoy their time together and then she would return home. Simple and painless.
What had upset him was his friend making a mockery out of him in front of her. He didn't need Melody's pity; he needed respect. It had been a foolish idea to request the girl as his unbirthday gift. Just because Gareth and Cadence had enjoyed their time with findlings in different circumstances did not mean it would work for him. Besides, he'd had entirely selfish reasons behind the offer, and he'd made it anyway.
Not giving a care what the girl thought about it. Not considering what might happen if she ended up remaining after her two days. What if she did stay, and he'd led her on?
He hung his head. Marchy made mistakes, often. He wasn't perfect by any means and had a terrible temper. Perhaps he'd even apologize to Hatter when he saw him again. Or, perhaps he'd let his friend contemplate what it would be like without Marchy working for him all the time. More than likely Hatter didn't even take him seriously, as this wasn't the first time he'd threatened to quit. When Melody went to the castle, Hatter would have to cook, clean, and still find time to create. Sure, he'd mastered creation down to mere minutes, but he couldn't focus on anything else when he worked on his craft. That's why he had Marchy. The man would likely starve himself to death if left to his own devices.
With a sigh, he flopped backward onto the bed and one of his long ears twitched once, twice…and then a third time in rapid succession.
Oh, no.
That was the tell-tale sign of an episode, and he never knew how long he'd be stuck in the throes of a laughing fit. He needed to find contentment in life, soon, before they got any worse, but he had no idea what would make him happy since nothing ever did, at least not for very long. As the guffaws ripped from his throat, he curled onto his side and squeezed his eyes shut. Tears pricked and his stomach muscles knotted from the force. They were getting so much worse. Sometimes he feared he'd laugh himself to death while finding absolutely nothing amusing.
Chapter 5
The banquet hall filled with people in clothing from multiple eras, some in strange designs of a fantasy world, and others so mismatched in color and style that April had difficulty not staring at them. She supposed it was an actual fantasy world, but her mind remained awhirl with what information she'd been able to glean before Cadence and Gareth had been pulled away to resume preparing for tonight's feast, and Hatter had been called away to make some last-minute alterations. Melody had answered a few questions before she, too, disappeared to take care of other commitments.
What April had been able to determine was that she would likely return home the following night when Wonderland tested her to see if, in her heart, she desired to remain or to leave. Why would she want to stay? It wasn't like she knew anyone or felt particularly welcome. In fact, she'd spent the majority of the day in the room provided to her, staring out the window in a state of bafflement. She planned to explore after the feast, now that she'd had time to come to terms with all that had happened.
She'd never gotten around to explaining how she'd come to be there. April didn't think it was that important at first, but if Ms. Scarlet was who she said she was, well…wouldn't they wish to hear how she was doing after she'd left to make a change in her life? Or was, how had she put it…displaced. She'd bring it up later. Right now, she wanted to experience the festivities. April had never been to a huge party like this before and the amount of people and their level of dress intimidated her.
Melody plopped into a seat beside her at the high table overlooking the hall. "There you are. I thought we'd have to go find you. You didn't want to wear the dress I sent up?"
April's cheeks heated. "I'm not really fond of dresses. I also didn't want to fuss with my appearance."
"Nonsense." Melody waved a hand and leaned forward, blonde hair falling over her left eye. She wore a stunning crimson dress with a corseted bodice. It probably cost a fortune—or would back home. "Hatter's making you a dress for the masquerade tomorrow. I'll come up and help with your hair. You obviously know how to do your own make-up, not like there's a lot in way of cosmetics here."
"Uh, actually, my boss did this." She gestured at her face, having forgotten all about it. "I barely wear lip gloss on a good day." She didn't need glam and glitter. Just a dependable pair of jeans, a cotton T-shirt, and shoes with soles attached. Maybe this was a good way to bring up Ms. Scarlet. "By the way, I meant to tell you earlier. My boss—"
A scream broke out on the far end of the hall, followed by others. She turned as a mouse and a…turquoise squirrel stormed across a table, a behemoth of a gray striped cat with a fluffy tail thundering after them. The cat grinned nefariously, but its eyes narrowed into murderous slits as it closed in on its prey. A large patch of fur appeared to be missing down its back.
"Oh, dear." Melody stood and rushed toward the commotion. "Devrel! Don't eat them!"
Guests were backing away from the tables and the creatures who frantically attempted to outrun the cat that disappeared into thin air.
"What the—" April shot to her feet.
The cat, Devrel, reappeared in front of the two and opened his wide, grinning mouth. The squirrel thing, whose tail looked more like feathers than fur, reached out and snagged the tail of the little mouse and tugged him to a stop before he ran straight into the cat's open maw.
"Devrel!" Gareth shouted from the doorway, sharing a horrified glance at Cadence. Both were dressed entirely in red. Cadence's hair was twisted up to hold a full golden crown with garnets twinkling around it. Gareth's sword hilt matched her crown, though he wore nothing upon his blond head. April found that fact interesting.
Melody reached the table where the display had played out, snatched the huge cat into her arms and held him tightly. Devrel had to have been about three feet tall, looking larger still with his back legs dangling beneath him.
"Put me down!"
April's jaw dropped at the cat's spoken words. The feline wiggled, paused and then disappeared again. Melody's arms closed in around nothing, and she dropped them to her sides. Devrel reappeared on the ground, and he began to groom as though nothing had happened.
"Rein in those rodents, or one day I will eat them." He disappeared and didn't re-emerge again.
The tablecloth shifting caused April to glance down at the front of the table from where she was standing. The little mouse crawled up and looked both ways before staring up at her. Seeming to resign itself to the only option, it ran forward, avoiding the plate and cutlery of her place setting, and then squeaked at her. April wasn't sure what she should do, but Cadence caught her eye across the room and made a cupping gesture to pick it up. Perhaps it was someone's pet.
She held out her hands, palms up, and the little mouse pounced into them. Breathing heavily, it calmed at being in the safety of someone's grasp. The squirrel creature was nowhere to be seen. "Well," she said and took her seat, lifting her hands to look at the little brown mouse. "That was quite the display." It squeaked at her as though agreeing and started cleaning its whiskers.
"Hawthorn?"
April glanced up to find Marchy standing in front of the high table, gawking at first the mouse then her and back again. "Hi," she said dumbly.
He blinked at her as though she'd lost the last of her wits. Then he smiled, but it didn't seem genuine. Was he still upset from earlier?
"Hawthorn is the mouse, I presume?" She held her hands out toward him and the man collected the rodent, who avoided any and
all eye contact and retreated directly into his jacket pocket. Like her, Marchy had foregone the option of a change of clothes and was dressed as he was earlier. His shoulder-length hair looked softer than she recalled as it framed his chiseled jawline. He really was a gorgeous man. Grumpy as hell, but gorgeous. The rabbit ears were…different, but once she'd had the initial shock that they were real, she didn't mind them.
"Dormouse."
"What?" She blinked at him and his smile became a bit more sincere. Warm flutters erupted in her gut.
"Hawthorn is a dormouse. He's been hanging out with that idiotic borogove, who's likely to get them both killed if they don't leave Devrel alone." He came around the table and pulled out the chair to her right. "May I?"
She didn't quite understand what he'd said. Was a borogove the squirrel in the hat? "I'm the guest here. I should be asking if I'm in your chair, or—" Her words died at the peculiar expression that crossed his features. Almost like she had simultaneously perplexed and delighted him.
"You're in Hatter's chair, but he's probably so busy working he'll forget to come to dinner."
"Oh, I'll move. I didn't mean—Melody pointed me here. I…"
As she started to rise, Marchy placed a hand on hers and squeezed gently. "Don't go." His tone changed, raw with some untold emotion. He cleared his throat to add, "Melody wouldn't have pointed for you to sit by her if she didn't want you to. She and Cadence will be able to answer all the questions you have, being findlings themselves and all."
Yes, she came to that conclusion herself when they told her how they arrived in Wonderland. She hadn't had the chance to tell them about Ms. Scarlet and the mirror, but she'd been too fascinated by their stories to think about it.
Marchy still had his hand on hers, and heat started to fill her cheeks. April wasn't shy or introverted, but she felt so out of place and the curious stares of the other guests made her uneasy. Maybe wearing the borrowed dress would have been better. For the first time, her tattered, well-worn clothing felt like rags.
"Am I making you uncomfortable?" He slowly removed his hand and clasped it with the other in his lap as he took his seat. He was loosening up, and she almost squirmed.
"No." Yes.
"Spend the day with me tomorrow." His eyes widened like he had surprised himself and the corners of her lips twitched, itching to smile. "I mean, if you want to. I'll show you the kingdom since I'm stuck here anyway."
She couldn't help but tease, "So you'll be stuck with me then?"
He rubbed his face and laughed. "That's not what I meant."
Now that he wasn't defensive and upset, he seemed cordial, easy-going. What harm would it be to spend the day with him? Cadence and Melody seemed busy with the festivities, their husbands as well. It would fill the time before she returned home. A bit of sightseeing was worth the effort, and she'd been cooped up in the castle the entire day. She was more than eager to get out exploring, and having someone show her around would be helpful. "Sure. I'd like that."
He held his breath as she agreed to his absurd scheme to keep her close to him for her second and final day in Wonderland. Still, Marchy could hardly believe April agreed after his despicable behavior earlier. Somehow, he hadn't scared her away, and was glad for it. There was something about her that had him transfixed. She was beautiful, but it wasn't that. Not exactly. Even Hawthorn had been drawn to her, had entrusted her with his protection. Marchy had been absolutely dumbfounded at the sight of April holding the dormouse and not showing any sign of fear or disgust.
Hawthorn. Squirrelpoleon would be the death of that dormouse if Cadence didn't control the other creature. Apparently, they'd sneaked up on Devrel and shaved off a patch of hair with Squirrelpoleon's rapier. Now the Boojum would be out for revenge, and he could appear at will wherever he liked. Delightful.
"So, Wonderland, huh?"
April's sudden awkwardness made her even more attractive. At court, the women he pursued were often full of themselves and arrogant. And that light blush of pink that spread across her cheeks when she looked up at him made it so difficult not to lean in and kiss her. How far down her body would that flush go?
Get ahold of yourself.
He'd managed to survive this long without dooming himself to marriage when he wooed a woman he wished to bed, so he wasn't going to mangle it up with someone he possibly only had a little over a day with—one who would undoubtedly be warned away from him once the findling sisters returned to the table after talking with the other guests.
"I couldn't tell you why we call it that. I don't find it particularly wonderful." Until now, but he didn't want to come on too strong. Not after the whole "claiming" conversation and spectacle. Cadence hadn't minded being Gareth's unbirthday gift, but April might take offense. He decided not to bring it up again.
"It had to get the name somehow."
"Lost to the ages, I'd wager." The histories of the island realm known as Wonderland had vanished long ago, long before the three sisters split the land into kingdoms.
She tilted her head to the side and asked, "What do people do for fun here?"
He nearly choked on his tongue, holding back the response that popped into his mind impulsively. What he did for fun didn't paint him in a good light. He didn't want her to see him as a grouchy cad afraid of commitment and change. He wanted—
He wanted someone to desire him enough that Wonderland found them worthy of staying here. It had taken Cadence two trips, but she had come back and stayed because her heart belonged to Gareth. Melody had fallen for Hatter even though he was eccentric and strange. Why couldn't Marchy win the heart of a findling?
Because then you'd have to keep her. Because then, once the allure of winning her fades, you’d resent her. Because you’re bitter and mean and not worthy of love.
For whatever reason, the concept of keeping her didn't bother him as it should. And that scared him. His self-deprecating thoughts, on the other hand, were not helpful. He should enjoy his day with her, bed her, and then bid her farewell as he originally intended. She'd spent the entire first day of her stay in the castle, barely seeing any of it. She hadn't had time to form attachments to the land or its occupants. More than likely, her time here was numbered. Mayhap for the best.
April opened her mouth to speak, and a servant approached the table with a pushcart containing a teapot and a decanter of red wine. Ah, fate had arrived just in time. His life was centered so much around Hatter's tea table. If she couldn't abide the taste of tea, and some couldn't for some absurd reason, then they obviously weren't well suited.
"Tea, please," she told the servant and accepted a steaming teacup on a saucer. After receiving two lumps of sugar, she set it down and waited until he had his own cup.
He tried hard to hide his smile but failed. "I pegged you for a wine drinker like Cadence."
She snorted. "I never cared for the taste of alcohol, and wine is so dry and bitter. Even the sweet ones."
"Some would say tea is also a bitter drink." He lifted the cup to take a sip. The beverage was much too hot and burned his tongue.
"Yes, but you have control over it by adding cream or sugar, the same with coffee. You can add mint or honey and dress it up so many ways. Wine is not for me."
Already they had common ground. He'd win her over in no time at all. Melody and Cadence came around the table, escorted on Gareth's arms, and everyone rose to pay respect to the queen and king. He stood, and April followed suit. Once Gareth helped Cadence into her chair and sat himself, Cadence nodded, and everyone took their seats.
"I was expecting everything to be the exact opposite of what I am used to, but aside from some quirks, things are mostly normal."
"Let me guess," he whispered. "Alice's butchery of her visits here? It's infamous."
"Apparently, Lewis Carroll used her story to complete some foolishness he'd already drafted. According to my boss," she said.
This gave him pause. How would her employer know so much about the real Wonderland
unless they had been here? He started to ask, but a loud cheer broke out as the servants came in with the meal on carts. Marchy explained to April what each dish was, and which were safest to eat as some food and drink could react to findlings in funny ways, making them shrink or grow. Once they were allowed to stay and adapted to the place, the reactions tended to dull and eventually stop all together.
"So, the roast mome rath won't make me a mile high?" she snorted and muttered something about wondering if there was a club for that here.
"Pardon?"
"Oh, nothing." She accepted it onto her plate with vegetables and poked at the meat. She frowned at it. "Why is it green?"
"Because mome raths are green."
"They are the wild pigs here," Melody cut in from her other side. "Makes for a great many Green Eggs and Ham jokes."
"I still don't understand why that's amusing," Marchy said. The findlings snickered about that often. His confusion only brought them more entertainment.
As if on cue, Melody giggled. "And that's perfectly okay. You wouldn’t like it, Sam I Am."
April leaned in. "It's a children's story. It's silly nonsense with cute rhymes."
Marchy nodded. Nonsense indeed.
The next hour passed uneventfully. Though there was small talk, everyone was distracted by the delicious food. Even Hawthorn reemerged for the tasty crumbs left on Marchy’s plate. Everyone rose as the queen and king stood and left the room, retiring for the evening.
Marchy offered his arm to April. "Shall I escort you back to your room?"
Melody's eyes widened, and she placed a hand on the new findling's shoulder. "I was hoping to speak with her tonight and perhaps see how Hatter did with her dress for tomorrow.
The Enchanting Page 4
