There was now in the sword room a half suit of body armor with a sword appropriated from the stand beside it. My friend Templeton with her belief in spirits from the beyond would undoubtedly have declared that one of my ancestors was now wandering about in search of his garment and sword.
If one believed in that sort of thing.
“Her ladyship said as how I could wear it for the party, if I could get the damned chain mail on and carry the sword.”
Lily was somewhere behind the helm that ancestor had once worn.
“Apologies, miss, for the curses. Her ladyship says as how I need to learn to speak proper. Although, she does curse a bit herself.”
I seriously reconsidered choice number one. Then decided it was probably best to assist her as she dragged the sword, before she managed to slice the carpet to shreds.
I grabbed the sword before she managed further damage.
“How do ye do that?” Lily asked as I wielded the sword a safe distance away from her.
“Practice,” I replied. Although it was much heavier than I remembered. A pistol was far more efficient, I thought.
“Oh, excellent!” Came from the opposite end of the hall. “Mr. Symons mentioned there was some sort of commotion.”
My aunt appeared, having stepped from the lift that she’d had installed and had been using since injuring her ankle some months earlier.
“I see that you managed quite well.” This obviously was meant for Lily as we stood in the hall, the sword now propped before me.
“Good morning, dear,” my aunt greeted me.
“Chain mail and a sword for a costume?” I replied, quite taken aback that she would allow such a thing.
“Yes, well it is short notice of course,” my aunt replied. “But the child must have something to wear, and the damned things are only gathering dust.”
Somewhere in the spirit world, if it existed, our ancestor was either rolling with laughter or plotting revenge. I sincerely hoped it was the former.
“Isn’t it a bit over the top?” I suggested. “Lily has only just arrived.” Although admittedly I wasn’t certain what that had to do with it.
“Over the top?” my aunt replied.
This from a woman who was going to appear at her All Hallows party dressed as Marie Antoinette complete with make-up to give the appearance that she had been beheaded. Quite grisly.
“Good heavens, no, not at all,” she replied. “And it does bring back fond memories, don’t you think?”
“Did ye wear the armor?” Lily turned to me, eyes sparkling with mischief.
“Briefly.” I thought it best to avoid any further details.
“Full armor,” my aunt explained. “There are still marks on the wall in the sword room where she practiced with the sword.”
“It’s only very minor,” I attempted to move the conversation past that subject as I noticed Lily’s keen interest.
My aunt smiled as she congratulated Lily on having been successful, for the most part, in donning the chain mail and hefting the sword from the mounting stand.
“Do come along, young lady. We’ll use the lift— marvelous thing. You would have a devil of a time on the stairs with that sword.” She leaned toward me with a mischievous smile as she turned to escort Lily to the lift.
“A bit like the rabbits come home to roost, wouldn’t you say?”
“Chickens,” I corrected the deliberate reference to some of my earlier exploits.
“Yes, of course dear,” she said with a wave of her hand. “Rabbits, chickens— this is going to be such fun. Oh, do remove that frown from your face, Mikaela. It will give you wrinkles.”
This from an eighty-five-year-old woman. Perhaps eccentric was a better description.
