“You worry for all the right reasons. You don’t want people to be hurt or upset because you really care. But that means that you’ll never hurt me casually or deliberately, so I gain from it.”
“That’s my clever girl,” he smiled, kissing her.
Then he looked at his left hand, where a certain ring had been on his little finger for some time, since Eiren had come home.
He’d traded with a Thrun for it last winter. Ornate and delicate, it was not the sort of ring he usually wore – a deep tawny stone flashing with orange fire was embraced in twisting and intertwining strands of gold and silver. It just fit his little finger. He’d put it away for months until it had fallen out of his box of jewelry when he was rummaging for a particular pair of cufflinks. He’d put it on his finger then and it had remained there, despite some twitting from Menders’ Men about the ladylike design.
He withdrew it from his finger and turned to her. He slipped off his glasses, the shade under the tree being deep enough. He took Eiren’s left hand and poised the ring above her wedding finger – and looked into her eyes, waiting.
“Yes,” she whispered. He slid the ring into place and then wrapped himself around her.
***
Despite Eiren’s assurances, Menders did go to see Mister Spaltz. It was only right and he wanted to be sure that he retained the farmer’s friendship. Spaltz was a bright, even brilliant man and he was the unofficial leader of the estate farmers. They looked up to him. Though Menders could stand ostracism himself, he wanted to be sure that Eiren’s situation would be accepted by the families she’d known all her life.
He found Mister Spaltz in his hay barn, loading a cart. Not wanting to be impaled by the farmer’s vigorously wielded pitchfork, Menders waited until Spaltz took a breather before speaking.
“Well, hello there young man!” Spaltz grinned and Menders knew everything was all right, even before he started to talk. “Our Eiren told me you’d be by. Asking for her hand then, is it?”
“If I could, I would,” Menders said frankly “Has she explained?”
“Of course. Most men would just go to the altar with her and gabble through the words whether they meant them or not and never think one way or another about it. How you treat my girl day to day is what matters to me, not having a priest waving his arms around. You’re right by me, youngster.”
Spaltz sat down on a bale and indicated for Menders to do the same. He took out a large handkerchief and mopped his forehead.
“I must say it’ll be a relief not to be keeping the younger children from spying on you and Eiren. It’s been quite a job through the summer. Oh, you thought it was all secret, did you? You should know that papas aren’t so blind as all that, having a little one of your own.”
Menders laughed. This was going so differently than he had expected.
“Yes, and me having to go over and tell you to go see Eiren. Poor girl, she was heartbroken when you weren’t at the halt, though she understood why, of course, she’s no fool. But then when you didn’t go to see her – well, Papa just put his finger in that little pie a bit. She was that unhappy.” Spaltz cackled a bit to himself and shook his head.
“I see. Quite a little scheme,” Menders grinned.
“Oh, indeed. I’ve known Eiren was in love with you since you came here. Mooning about back then, looking at herself in the mirror, very unhappy with being so awkward. She cried like a baby when you took up with that Ermina. Came home all red in the face and bawling. We kept telling her that she was worth a hundred Erminas, to give herself time and get past the awkward stage, but you know youngsters, today is everything, there will never be a tomorrow. All very tragic. It was good for her to go away, see some other places and meet other people. We’re grateful to you for that.”
“She’s made me very proud,” Menders answered. “She’s polished, brilliant and learned.”
“Just the right kind of woman for you,” Spaltz nodded sagely. “She’s always been different, our Eiren. She’d be wasted as a farmer’s wife, but now she’s going to do great things with that school.”
“She will indeed,” Menders agreed. “I am concerned though. Will there be difficulty with the other farm families over Eiren living with me without being married?”
Spaltz shook his head emphatically.
“Half of them are doing the same. You didn’t know? Very few of the folks around here can manage the marriage fee, there’s always a better use for the money than giving it to a priest to say some words. Sometimes folks here have three or four children on the hoof before they manage to get around to marrying. Some just never bother. No-one will care, my boy, unless you intend to take Eiren as your own and then spend every night at the tavern in the village having to do with the barmaids, in which case they’d think badly of you indeed.”
“Well, I haven’t done it before and don’t think I’ll start anytime soon,” Menders laughed.
“No, you’re not the type. Tell you what. We farmers always have a little send off for new couples, whether they’ve been to the priest or not. Bit of a party and dance with our brilliant band. It would be a joy to Marjana and me to have one for Eiren and you, if you’d be of a mind to. It’s still warm enough during the days, but best to get on with it, the winter’s drawing in fast this year.”
“Mister Spaltz, it would be an honor,” Menders replied. “I did want to tell you something, though I want it to stay between us. I’m a Lord. I don’t use my title. I’m not particularly proud of my immediate family – but I have a Lord’s income. Eiren will never be in want and neither will your family, if you ever need help.”
“Well then, that’s interesting,” Spaltz said. “And it’s welcome news too, though even if you and Eiren didn’t have a pennig between you, the two of you would manage grandly. You’re rich in two things, intellect and integrity. You’ll find, as you go along, my boy, that you can get by without any of the rest, so long as you have those things and love between you.”
He stood up and stretched, picking up his pitchfork.
“Now that’s settled, we’ll see about that sendoff for you two. Since you’ve been bending my ear, I’ll thank you to help me get this hay loaded, save me a few minutes.”
Here I am, the prospective non-son-in-law, in my best shirt, pitching hay with this funny man, Menders thought with great amusement. I wonder if he’d let out what I know is a secret, now that he knows one of mine.
“Mister Spaltz, how is it that you win all those card games against some of the brightest minds in the country?” he asked.
“Ah now, that’s easily done. I can keep track of the cards. I know how many are in a deck and how much of each suit and number and I start calculating what has been laid down and what hasn’t. I’ve always been able to do it, no matter what the game. It isn’t hard after that to be able to hedge my bets and know who has what in their hand,” Spaltz said. “Don’t you let your men know that. I took Marjana to Erdstrom two months ago on what I win from them.”
***
“Care for some unwanted advice?” Franz said, poking his head through the door of Menders’ room while Menders struggled with his neck scarf.
“No, Father Wisdom, I do not,” Menders responded, swearing as he jabbed his finger with his stickpin.
“You and she are completely compatible,” Franz said, coming across the room and taking the stickpin. “Give me that before you take a finger off – oh yes, a dirk blade instead of a regular pin, no wonder you’re killing yourself. Can’t you just wear a stickpin like a normal man on his wedding day?”
“I’m not getting married,” Menders muttered. “This is not my wedding day.”
“Yes, yes, of course. Here, get your hands out of the way. I’ll do your cravat or we’ll never get there and Kaymar will run off with Eiren. How much of an arsenal are you wearing today? Going to clink and clank as you dance the holta with your fine lady?” Franz rapidly adjusted Menders’ scarf and then fixed it gingerly with the stickpin-dirk blade.
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“Not as much as usual, if you must know,” Menders answered, unable to keep from grinning. Franz loved to jest with him about the knives he wore at all times.
“Ah, the casual touch. Where’s your little one?”
“Primping. I’m about to get her now,” Menders answered, taking a last look in the mirror. New suit, hair pampered to the point of shining like a raven’s wing, glasses gleaming. Waiting for him on the dresser was a hat he’d spent far too much for. It was worth it, a grey silk topper with a sky blue hatband. He picked it up and went to Katrin’s room, where she was curtseying in front of her mirror.
“All ready?” he asked. She turned and smiled, holding out the skirts of her new dress to their full width.
“You look so fancy!” she breathed.
“And so do you,” he answered, smiling at her in the pink dress he’d brought her from the village dressmaker. Zelia had made a little crown of silk flowers for her hair, which fell to below her waist.
He hadn’t belabored the issue with Katrin, simply told her that Eiren was coming to live at The Shadows with them, and that the party today was a celebration of Eiren moving from one household to another. He knew with Katrin that the less lecturing about a situation, the better. She’d shown a little jealousy and confusion at first when Eiren and he were together. Eiren had counseled patience, ignoring Katrin’s tentative displays of high-handedness, giving her plenty of attention and affection. Katrin had lots of love to go around, and when she understood that Eiren wasn’t trying to replace her in Menders’ affections, the jealousy fled.
“Shall we go to the party, my Little Princess?” he smiled. She beamed back at him and took his hand.
***
At the Spaltz farm, Eiren was moving around the yard, putting final touches on the autumn flowers that had been tied to shocks of grain as decoration. Menders held out his arms for Katrin to jump out of the carriage, swung her high and then set her on the ground so she could go to Eiren.
“Isn’t your dress beautiful!” Eiren cried, bending to hug Katrin. “Who is your escort today?”
“Hemmett. Is he here yet?” Katrin asked.
“Over with the other children by the tables. It’s ‘look, don’t touch’ right now, so no snitching anything to eat,” Eiren said.
“Your dress is beautiful too,” Katrin said. “I like the leaves.”
“All of us worked on them. I thought we would never finish. Go ahead now, find Hemmett and don’t let him eat up the feast either,” Eiren laughed, knowing that Katrin was desperate to join the other children. Katrin ran off and Eiren turned to Menders.
Her dress for this occasion was a tawny shade and simply styled. Eiren, her sisters and mother had converted it to a thing of beauty by embroidering autumn leaves in every shade of red, gold, yellow, orange and russet around the neckline and over the skirt, as if the leaves were cascading into piles at the hem, which was rich with the mingled colors. Her hair was in the upswept style that made Menders desperately want to take it down and she had laced a few brilliant leaves into it. Excitement touched her face with extra color. She looked radiant.
“Aren’t you an autumn sky today,” she said softly as he went to her and took her hands. “All grey with a touch of blue.”
“And you’re the falling leaves,” he answered, putting his arms around her and kissing her. Then she put her arm through his and they went to see what needed to be done before their party began.
It was an unlikely gathering, from farmers to assassins to people from the village and some of the gentry from miles around. Reisa Spartz was there, with her little daughter, Lorein, a white-blonde miniature of her lovely mother, at her side. One of the children opened the chicken pen and the guests either sidestepped the invading birds or herded them, according to their inclinations and their familiarity with chickens, back into captivity. A couple of stubborn old hens refused to be captured, and mingled with the festive group for the rest of the day.
There were dances and jokes and such goodwill that any lingering doubts Menders had about the community’s acceptance of his liaison with Eiren were completely laid to rest. He let his heart soar, danced with his beloved girl with a will, ate like a horse, drank Mister Spaltz’s excellent wine and accepted good wishes and congratulations without reserve.
“She’s lovely, just lovely,” Reisa Spartz said as Menders accepted her invitation to dance. Hemmett had volunteered to watch out for Lorein, proclaiming his years of experience as ‘Katrin’s guard’. He sat on the sidelines amusing the delighted little girl with a barrage of funny faces.
“I’m so glad for you, that you found someone who can take what you can give,” Reisa said, smiling at him.
“And I hope you will be so fortunate,” he smiled.
“I believe I am. I have met someone,” she responded. He squeezed her hand a bit. He’d known she was lonely and overwhelmed by the demands of running her estate. The right man would be a wonderful thing for her and for her little daughter.
Franz and Cook pulled him into a three-handed reel with them, and much teasing took place, then they handed him on to Lucen and Zelia for more. Katrin demanded a couple of dances.
“Hemmett let the chickens out,” she whispered to him as they valtzed across the dance floor.
“I thought it might have been him,” Menders smiled. “Are you having a good time?”
“The best time! Some of the children say Eiren is going to be my mother because she’s coming to live with us,” Katrin smiled back.
“What do you think of that?” he asked.
She nodded. “I think she’ll be like a mother. I’m glad, because now I’ll have a mother like Bumpy does.”
“That’s my girl. Hungry?”
“Yes!”
Eiren saw them coming and had plates ready for them. She found Katrin a place at the little tables for children, then sat beside her while Menders tried to fold himself into one of the diminutive chairs, drawing a cascade of giggles from both of them.
“When you’ve finished eating, Papa wants us up by him,” Eiren said, indicating her father, who was in the midst of calling a figured dance on the wooden floor that had been put down in the barnyard.
“Me too?” Katrin asked.
“I wouldn’t be without you,” Eiren answered, making Menders smile. He had an inkling of what was going to happen and it was so like Eiren not to exclude Katrin.
“Thank you,” he murmured in her ear.
“I love you, I love her,” Eiren responded, stealing a tidbit from his plate.
His fifth plate of the day done and Katrin’s mouth wiped, they waited by the dance floor until the wild stamping dance was done.
“All right quiet down!” Mister Spaltz bellowed through cupped hands. He called several times for quiet and finally yelled to Hemmett to leave off making hooting noises in the loft of the barn. When there was a semblance of peace, he spoke.
“Now then, we’re here today to give Mister Menders and our Eiren a sendoff. They’re starting a new life together, and that’s something to celebrate. Step up here,” he said to them. Menders handed Eiren and Katrin up before climbing the stairs himself.
Mister Spaltz arranged them to his liking and then kissed Eiren, bowed to Katrin and shook Menders’ hand which he then joined with Eiren’s.
“Our blessings on you both for a long and loving life together,” he said distinctly, but with tears in his eyes. “And a special blessing on you, our Princess,” he said to Katrin.
Eiren tightened her grip on Menders’ hand and he knew that he had the next move. He put his arms around her and kissed her to great cooing and adulation and then lifted Katrin onto his hip so she could kiss Eiren as well. Hemmett, realizing that the solemn moment was over, began hooting wildly in the loft while the haphazard band began a holta.
The sun was drawing low when Menders drove his gig into the barnyard. Preparations were being made to build a great fire, and it was obvious that the party would go on for hours, but
he was more than ready to take Eiren home. Her mother had whispered to him that it was time for the formal leavetaking. He was about to put Katrin into the gig when Kaymar intervened, much to Katrin’s relief, as she was unwilling to leave now that the party was in full swing. She had been protesting vigorously.
“She’ll be all right with me,” Kaymar said. “I’m going to stay for a couple more hours and I’ve deliberately not been drinking so that I could do this for you. We have her furs and coat here, so she won’t be cold. You two be on your way. Are you hungry, Katrin? Yes? I am. I’m going to have more of that cake!”
With that, he bore a jubilant Katrin away. Hemmett saw that Katrin was staying and ran across the yard to join the cake eating party.
Eiren came to Menders then, carrying the little box that was symbolic of her possessions. Her belongings had been moved to The Shadows the day before, but this little box had been given to her by her mother, and would contain a few sentimental gifts for them both, as well as two slices of the enormous cake that had been served halfway through the afternoon. Menders stowed it in the gig and then helped Eiren up, before springing into the seat beside her and taking the reins. He made a round of the yard, so that everyone could see them. Then they were headed down the road together, toward The Shadows.
(26)
Cousins’ Dance, Warriors’ Dance, Wedding Dance
One autumn evening, Menders came out onto the front steps where Kaymar was lighting one of the small, fragrant cigars he favored. He passed the cigar to Menders, then took it back and puffed on it contentedly.
“How are you finding it, after a year?” Menders asked quietly, looking around the grounds.
“It’s home. I can think of it as nothing else,” Kaymar answered. Menders nodded.
“I’m glad to hear it. I’m making you my second. There is no-one better suited to the task.”
Weaving Man: Book One of The Prophecy Series Page 31
