Nancy Atherton Read Online Free

thrilling words were
    met with dead silence and a general air of incomprehension.
    Peggy seemed to speak for the rest of us when she barked,
    “What in heaven’s name are you blathering on about, Calvin?”
    “I’m introducing you to an experience you’ll never forget,” he
    replied, unfazed by Peggy’s bluntness or our blank looks. “For eight
    consecutive weekends in July and August, King Wilfred and his
    loyal subjects will recreate the atmosphere of a great Renais sance
    festival, featuring musicians, acrobats, jugglers—”
    14 Nancy Atherton
    “Like a circus?” Sally Pyne asked hopefully.
    “The fair will be far more entertaining than a circus, my lady,”
    Calvin told her, “because you’ll be allowed, nay, you’ll be encour-
    aged to join in the fun. At King Wilfred’s Faire, all the world will
    be a stage. A hundred—”
    “Excuse me,” Jasper Taxman interrupted. “Who is this King
    Wilfred you keep mentioning? No British monarch was ever called
    Wilfred.”
    “I am King Wilfred,” Calvin said, bowing to Jasper. “My kingdom is not fettered by an oppressive adherence to historical fact,
    good sir. My realm celebrates the imagination. A hundred scintillating performers will roam the fair’s winding lanes. They will
    dress in period costume, speak in period speech, and amuse you in
    ways too varied and marvelous to describe.” Calvin prowled up
    and down the center aisle, gesturing flamboyantly as he spoke.
    “Artists will ply their wares, artisans will demonstrate their crafts,
    wizards will work their magic, and”—he winked broadly—“bawdy
    wenches will work theirs! Our marketplace will overflow with
    unique, handcrafted items: jewelry, glassware, pottery, leather
    goods, and much more. You’ll find food and drink, song and dance,
    pageantry and revelry, and once daily you’ll witness the breathtaking spectacle of noble knights on horse back, competing in a joust!”
    “And you expect us to participate?” Dick Peacock said doubtfully.
    “I’m not getting on a horse,” his wife stated categorically.
    “Perish the thought, good lady,” said Calvin, eyeing Christine’s
    ample figure, “but you can bestow your favor upon a gallant knight,
    if you wish. You can enjoy the varied entertainment and savor the
    food, and you can most certainly come in costume.” He put a finger
    to his lips and studied Christine critically. “I envision you as a noblewoman of the royal court, with a length of rose-colored silk
    trailing from your wimple. Or as a pirate maiden in twelve-league
    boots, with a saber buckled at your waist. Or as a gypsy fortuneteller, with gold hoops in your ears and seven petticoats, each a
    different shade of red.”
    Aunt Dimity Slays the Dragon
    15
    Christine herself turned a fairly shocking shade of red, but she
    did not look displeased. At the same time, faraway expressions
    crossed the faces of several women sitting near her, as if they were
    picturing themselves in twelve-league boots with sabers buckled at
    their waists. Calvin, it seemed, had struck a chord.
    “You’re free to dress up or to come as you are,” he continued jovially, once again addressing the room at large. “If you decide to
    dress up, don’t worry overmuch about historical accuracy. We define the term ‘Renaissance’ with great liberality. In truth, anything
    vaguely medieval will do. Creativity is the key, so let your imagination take flight! Did I mention the petting zoo for the little ones?”
    Jasper Taxman sniffed. “I’m not entirely certain that young
    children should be exposed to, ahem, bawdy wenches.”
    “It’s all in good fun,” Calvin said reassuringly. “Our performers
    are trained to provide good, clean, family entertainment with just
    a hint of spice, and I can tell you from personal experience that the
    children will be having too much fun in the petting zoo to pay attention to the spice.”
    “Where are you planning to hold this fair of yours?” Mr.