It felt so good to be held in a woman’s arms, soft and comforting, and Maggie missed her mother. They didn’t have many moments of closeness together, and she hadn’t cried in front of her mother since she was child. “Maybe I’m having a breakdown,” Maggie muttered, and laughed.
Edithe rocked her slightly. “Not in the conventional terms, but you are breaking down and releasing things you’ve held inside of you for too long. I’m honored you could do it with me.”
“Guess you didn’t figure on inviting me to visit and having me become hysterical on you.”
Edithe chuckled. “Nonsense. You aren’t hysterical. I think you aren’t used to releasing. It can be a scary experience, but—”
“Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, but not express’d in fancy: rich, not gaudy: for the apparel oft proclaims the man.”
Both women froze for a moment, then turned to see Malcolm at the doorway in a ridiculously theatrical stance. He was dressed in maroon tights, a short green jacket with gold piping and puffy sleeves, and a plumed hat atop his head.
Edithe burst out laughing and rose to her feet. “Much Ado About Nothing?”
“Hamlet, m’lady,” Malcolm proclaimed, coming into the room. “Act one, scene three.”
Maggie was stunned. She didn’t know what to say. Wiping at her nose, she started to giggle at the sight of Malcolm, knobby knees and all, in tights.
He took his hat from his head and bowed to them with a deep sweep.
“You look wonderful, love,” Edithe said, then walked up to him and ran her hand over his shoulder, feeling the rich material of his jacket. “Very… courtly this year.”
“Yes,” Malcolm murmured. “About time, too. The jester was wearing a bit thin.”
Edithe giggled, and Maggie couldn’t help smiling at her aunt’s delight. Even though she had no idea what was going on, she could see the couple were enjoying themselves.
Maybe the wacky part was about to begin?
“Well, m’lady?” Malcolm asked, looking at Maggie. “What do you think of my attire?”
Chuckling, Maggie said, “I think you look fabulous. Is this for a costume party?”
Malcolm glanced at Edithe. “You didn’t tell her?”
“Not yet,” Edithe said, and looked down at Maggie. “I mentioned the Renaissance Festival tomorrow, but I didn’t say we’re all going in costume.”
Maggie again wiped at her nose, used her finger to rub the running mascara away from under her lids, and sniffled. “How nice,” she answered, hoping Malcolm wouldn’t ask if she were upset, and then thought she’d feel silly walking next to him and her aunt dressed in period costumes. But what the heck… she didn’t know anyone, and if it pleased Edithe and Malcolm to be in costume, then so be it.
“All of us, Maggie. That includes you.”
She looked at her aunt, smiling Malcolm, and laughed. “I don’t think so. I’m not a costume person. You two have fun.”
“Nonsense,” Edithe said, and sat back in her chair. “It’s the last day of the festival, and everyone will be dressed in the Renaissance period.”
“Well, I don’t have one.” A wave of relief swept through Maggie at the easy out. Costumes. Role-playing. She didn’t even like to play charades.
“Yes, you do,” Malcolm said. “I picked it up this afternoon while you and Edithe were strolling through the garden and getting reacquainted. I laid it out on your bed before I tried on mine.”
Maggie felt her easy out disappearing. “I really don’t think I’d be comfortable.”
Edithe nodded. “Well, we certainly want you to be comfortable, though I must say that most will be in costume. It’s a tradition here, and such fun, Maggie, to get into the magic of that period. It takes place in the woods. There’s a small village built, very authentic, and everyone speaks Shakespearean English. Actually, Elizabethan. There are actors, of course, who will stroll through the town and have an impromptu sword fight and such, yet with everyone dressed the part you never know who’s an actor and who’s a visitor. It can be a bit overplayed by the frustrated thespians, though some are very, very accomplished, but it’s all in good spirit. Won’t you at least look at your costume before you make up your mind?”
Maggie didn’t want to look at any costume. Sleep was suddenly very appealing. “I thought we were going to Stonehenge.”
“We’ll make sure you get there before you leave,” Malcolm said. “But it might be better to wait the five days until that concert is over. If I might make a suggestion, Maggie… Try on your costume. See how you feel. If you aren’t comfortable, then don’t wear it. The Renaissance is a special time for us, and we do enjoy revisiting it. But that’s us. You do what you feel is right for you.”
Smiling, Maggie picked up her cooled tea. “Thanks, Malcolm. I don’t know that much about the Renaissance, except through art.”
Edithe sighed with pleasure. “Ahh… it’s when civilization, at least European civilization, came out of the Dark Ages. When song, poetry, literature, sculpture, chivalry was reintroduced. And love. Romantic love was openly acknowledged. Civilization broke free of those bonds the Church had placed upon it, and thinking, creative thinking, was again allowed.”
She could only nod. Sounded like a good time in history, but she wasn’t about to dress up in a silly costume and pretend she was going back into it. She had enough to do trying to live out her own history right now, let alone playacting four hundred years ago with a bunch of Renaissance fans.
“Just try it on, Maggie. See how you feel in the morning.”
Again she nodded to her aunt, for she wasn’t up to discussing it further right now. She was already embarrassed by her show of emotion, and didn’t intend to humiliate herself any more than she had.
“Shall we take a look?”
Edithe’s expression was so hopeful that Maggie didn’t have the heart to disappoint her. “Sure,” she said, rising from the comfortable chair after her aunt. As she passed Malcolm, she whispered, “Hey… nice legs.”
He chuckled and answered, “Compliments are only lies in court’s clothes.”
Edithe laughed. “Shakespeare again?”
“I don’t know who said it,” Malcolm answered, propping his hat upon his head and walking up to an ornate wall mirror. Pleased with his reflection, he smiled at himself. “I do have a noble bearing, if I say so myself. My legs are another matter entirely.”
Edithe walked up behind him and touched his shoulder. She smiled at him in the mirror, and said, “I would know you anywhere. Whatever our souls are made of, yours and mine are the same.”
Maggie watched as Malcolm turned and touched Edithe’s cheek. “Emily Brontë knew, didn’t she?”
“Yes, love, even though she was termed a spinster, somehow she knew.” Edithe turned her face and kissed Malcolm’s palm. “Now, let me show my niece her beautiful costume.”
Maggie observed the interaction, and her heart constricted. Edithe really was blessed to have found her love, and she was happy for her aunt. So why did she have this sadness, that she might never experience that kind of love herself? Stopping herself from mentally going down that hopeless path, Maggie followed her aunt from the sitting room and up the stairs. She had enough to deal with right here, right now… like how to get out of wearing a costume.
She walked into the guest bedroom and stared at the dress laid out on her bed. Nothing could have prepared her for it. The gown of rich ruby velvet was simply breathtaking. “Oh, my…” Maggie murmured, going closer and touching the material of the wide skirt. “This is… so beautiful.”
“It is,” her aunt agreed. “I’m glad you like it.”
“Who wouldn’t like it?” Maggie insisted, looking at the gown and thinking she probably would look wonderful in it. Damn. Now how was she supposed to get out of wearing it tomorrow? The dress was lavishly trimmed with a gold embroidered and jewel-set border around the square neckline. An undergarment of elaborate gold-embroidery extended upward to a standing collar of thick, white
, starched ruffles, the same smaller white ruffles appearing under the wide and deeply cut sleeves that must hang to the ground, cascading like trains on each side. The waistline slanted downward to form a broad yet deep rounded point and yards upon yards of ruby velvet, studded with hundreds of tiny seed pearls, billowed out to create the skirt.
“Oh, my,” Maggie repeated. “It must cost a fortune. Those jewels look so real around the bodice.”
Edithe laughed. “They aren’t. And we’re only renting it. It’s fairly authentic in style though,” her aunt said, as she picked up the dress by the shoulders and held it in front of Maggie. “Do you want to try it on now?”
Thinking about it for a moment, Maggie shook her head. “Not really. I feel kind of wiped from our healing session. No wonder you have a successful practice. You sure know how to get to the issue.”
Edithe returned her smile. “I understand. Releasing can be exhausting. I’ll just hang it here on the armoire, and you can decide later.” Her aunt took the dress, placed it on a thick wooden hanger, and smoothed the material down. “It is lovely though, isn’t it… oh!… I have something for you. I’ll be right back.”
Maggie sighed, already knowing she wouldn’t be able to resist this dress. “Wow,” she again whispered to the empty room. Never in her life had she worn anything quite so beautiful.
“Maggie, this is to complete your costume.” Edithe returned and placed a twenty-inch strand of small pearls in her hands, then gently closed them around it. “They are very dear to me, child.”
“They’re incredibly beautiful, Aunt Edithe,” Maggie whispered, fingering the tiny smooth beads. “Maybe I shouldn’t wear them to an outside event. I would hate if something happened to them.”
Edithe smiled. “Nonsense. I’m giving them to you. An early birthday present, child. They were given to me many years ago by…” She smiled as though recalling the event. “… by a dear friend, a wonderful teacher. He said to keep them, to hold them, and I would know when it was time to pass them along. It’s time. Besides, they’re perfect for your costume. Wear them in happiness, Maggie.”
She wanted to protest that it was too extravagant a gift, but she saw the deep affection in her aunt’s eyes and smiled with awe and gratitude. “I will treasure them,” she whispered, feeling her throat thicken with emotion again. “Thank you, and thank you for choosing me. I’m honored.”
Edithe fastened the pearls around Maggie’s neck, and the weight seemed to rest at her heart.
“Perfect, Maggie. Look in the mirror. You are radiant, child, simply radiant. I knew you were the one.”
Maggie stared at her reflection and had to admit she did look… younger, peaceful. She’d heard crying was therapeutic, but a beauty treatment?
Edithe walked up to her and placed her hands on Maggie’s shoulders. “Rest well, dear Maggie. May your dreams be sweet.”
Turning, she kissed her aunt’s cheek and hugged her. “Thank you so much for our talk, and for handling my hysterics with such grace. I have a lot to think about.”
Edithe squeezed her in return. “Nonsense, child. We were communicating. Plain and simple. It doesn’t always have to be pretty. We just have to hear what each other is actually saying. I’m glad I heard you.”
Maggie pulled back and looked into her aunt’s eyes. “You really are a remarkably wise woman. No wonder you work well with learning disabilities. I’m feeling a little disabled myself tonight.”
Edithe stroked her cheek and smiled. “We’re humans. We all become disabled once in a while. How else would we learn what we’re really capable of?”
Maggie laughed. “There’s gotta be an easier way.”
“There is, child. It’s simple. Remember.”
“Remember?” Maggie could feel her brows knitting in confusion. “Remember what?”
Edithe smiled. “Remember that this is just a stop on your journey, so throw away your map and just enjoy it. Don’t take it too seriously. Remember that peace is a choice, and you have free will to choose it anytime you want. Do you remember joy, Maggie? What it was like to enjoy life with freedom?”
She thought about it. “Seems like a long time ago.”
“One day you’ll recapture that. When you do, you’ll remember it all.”
“I’m confused,” Maggie said with a laugh.
Edithe joined her laughter. “Curiosity didn’t kill the cat. Boredom did. Allow wonder to work its wonder. Seek peace, Maggie. Stay in the moment. That’s all you need to remember now. Rest well.”
Her aunt left and Maggie turned to look once more at the gorgeous dress. How could she not wear it now, especially after the gift of the pearls? Her aunt was the perfect hostess, and she knew in her heart she wouldn’t disappoint Edithe. Sighing, she walked over to the bed and turned down the thick comforter. Even before she climbed onto the crisp cotton sheet, she knew she was defeated.
She had an adventure awaiting her tomorrow, exactly what she had wished. She just never thought she’d be dressed up like some rich Renaissance lady. Trying to relax, she turned off the light and ran her fingers over the pearls while staring at the shadow of the gown, hanging like a ghost in the moonlight.
She didn’t even have to try it on to know it would look great, and she would wear it.
Giggling, Maggie shook her head and closed her eyes, giving herself over to the comfort of sleep. She envisioned Edithe and Malcolm and sighed… with a bit of yearning. Did she dare believe again… that somewhere, someplace, someone would really love her like she had always wanted? Was it real, or a myth women are fed? Edithe was real. The love she had with Malcolm was real. Maggie had actually felt it. Could it be that her disillusionment was fading, now that she had witnessed the kind of love she had been searching for her entire life? Was she actually opening up to the possibility again? It was scary, and a little exciting. Who knew what waited for her? Maybe she should just be more like Aunt Edithe and stop trying to direct everything. Just go for the adventure.
And she thought her life in the States was ridiculous? According to Aunt Edithe, there was no safety… and she was about to go on an adventure.
Talk about joyriding into the unknown.
Chapter Three
The woods were thick and lush with greenery, a canopy of emerald twinkling with bursts of sunlight. Maggie was in awe as she followed her aunt, whose elegant gown seemed to match the deep green of the leaves. Holding up the skirt of her own gown as she stepped along the dirt path, Maggie had to admit that she looked… well, great. Never in her life had she worn anything so exquisite. Her hair was pulled back into a pearl-studded snood that matched the tiny seed pearls on the dress. She became aware by the glances of those she passed that she must look pretty good, and she knew… even though the costume could be difficult to maneuver, she had never felt so feminine in her life. Almost everyone was dressed for the occasion. Some wore costumes as rich as her own. Others were dressed in shifts with laced girdles, boosting their bared cleavage, as if their breasts were being served up for inspection. There were knights and ladies, peasants and wenches, even children dressed in period costume. And they hadn’t even entered the village yet.
“Good day, m’lady,” a man in a black cloak, tights, and white ruffled shirt said, lifting his feathered cap and bowing deeply in front of her. “Thy beauty is announced by the sweet harmony of the birds.”
The birds were chirping. Maybe it was a sound system, or something.
Even Malcolm’s antics hadn’t prepared her for such theatrical behavior. Slightly taken back by the handsome man, Maggie clutched the precious strand of pearls at her breast and chuckled. “Hello.”
He stood upright and waved his hand toward the woods. “Welcome all, to our humble village faire. If thou would proceed along this beaten path and o’er yonder bridge, thou shalt succumb to many delights such as will tempt thy tongue… and thy purse.”
Edithe laughed. “Why, thank you, kind sir.”
They walked only a few steps more when
they heard the man call. “Noble ladies!”
Both Maggie and Edithe turned back together.
“I dare warn thee… beware the dense woods, for such fine specimens, as yourselves, would certainly be tempting morsels for the villainous hedge-borne miscreants that oft lie in wait.”
Maggie laughed and Edithe nodded sagely. “We shall heed your advice, sir, and we thank you for the kindness you’ve so graciously displayed.”
The handsome man winked at Maggie, bowed to all, and turned to the next arrivals.
Still chuckling, Maggie murmured to her aunt, “They certainly do play the part well, don’t they? Villainous hedge-borne miscreants?”
Malcolm laughed. “Ahh, but that’s the best part, Maggie. The insults. Spongy, rat-faced foot licker, is a favorite of mine. Or mammering clapper-clawed maggot-pie is another that slips easily from the tongue. And then there’s—”
“Malcolm,” Edithe interrupted with a grin, as they approached the bridge. “Enough. Allow Maggie to discover those unique forms of address on her own. Besides, she looks like an angel. Can you imagine those words coming out of her mouth?”
Picking up the hem of her skirt, Maggie walked onto the wooden bridge and muttered, “Mammering clapper-clawed maggot-pie. I’ll have to remember that one the next time my ex calls and asks where his alimony is.”
Edithe overheard her and laughed. “Oh, child… soon you will see the purpose behind it all. For now, just allow yourself to enjoy the day. Oh, look… already there’s a sword fight.”
Maggie saw the village up ahead, and two men were swinging swords as they shouted at each other. Nearing the fight, she could hear more colorful insults that accompanied the clanging of metal against metal.
“Good day, m’ladies, m’lord.” A maker of bows, arrows, and ornate walking sticks held up his wares, as though not in the least concerned that the duelists were rapidly making their way up to his tiny shop.
“Hi,” Maggie answered, still not comfortable with the more formal way of speaking. She kept her eyes on the combatants, marveling at the choreographed fight. They really took this stuff seriously, she thought, but knew it was just role-playing. She turned to see Edithe and Malcolm placing bets as to the victor.
Once and Forever Page 3
