“I left my husband.”
“But why? Was he a bad man?”
“No,” Marigold said resolutely. “He was a very good man.”
They held silence for a time.
“But I have something to do, something to find.”
“And then you will go back to him? When you’ve found what you are looking for?”
“I hope not,” Marigold said. “But don’t worry, I’m not planning to stay here indefinitely. I’ll leave in the morning.”
Finn nodded sternly.
“But thanks all the same for the hospitality.”
“Enforced hospitality,” Finn clarified, which drew a smile from Marigold.
By the time the sun was setting, guests were beginning to arrive. Finn felt a swell of pride when he looked out at his family’s land shown to such beautiful advantage, with a sliver of pink and orange sky overhead. Finn’s other sister, Julieanne, had arrived from her job as a bread baker’s apprentice in town, and Rosemary was going over every detail of what Julianne had learned that day, so as to absorb it for herself.
The Bernard brothers, who helped Finn cut hay, were there, their normally dirt-stained fingernails washed and polished for the occasion. His childhood friends had arrived as well, as had Freddie’s schoolmates, some of whom were married, others not–some seeking jobs as private tutors, others living off their families’ wealth. His brothers Luke and William arrived from their tasks–Luke was helping William to build a house far out on the property, for when William married and had children. All in all, it was a pleasing mix of people. Soon enough Hestia appeared in their doorway, wearing her customary red dress with jewels. She came to take Finn’s arm immediately, and after she did so, Finn looked around for Marigold, feeling so odd about the whole thing–wanting Marigold to meet and approve of Hestia, but also not wanting her to see how possessively Hestia had taken his arm. As if he wanted to leave the door open…for some possibility…
Which was an absurd thought.
No matter, Finn reasoned. Marigold would be gone later, and so it would be useless for him to question any of these strange feelings.
As the numbers mounted and the room became more full, with Rosemary pouring glass after glass of clear white and orange wines for their guests, Finn began to worry that Marigold had left when she had the chance–while Rosemary and the rest were distracted. But then he saw her at the top of the stairs, in a purple frock of a shade that was similar to the cloak Finn had discovered her in. Her hair was down now, long and flowing, and the costume Freddie had put her in evidently discarded.
Heads turned.
She was, Finn had to admit, a beautiful woman. A little older than him, perhaps, which explained the previous husband. But radiant in the sweet spring sunset hour. She had large eyes, shaped like a cat, and gleaming green. Her hair was chestnut brown and it flowed down to her waist.
She stood as if frozen at the top of the stairs. Perhaps Marigold wasn’t used to this kind of small-town life where, Finn reasoned, even at a large party, the outsider would be clocked by everyone present.
In fact, she looked like she was used to being invisible.
There was nothing for it but for her to descend the stairs amid the significantly quieter chatter. Rosemary soon flew to her side and began making introductions, dubbing her “a very good friend passing through on her way elsewhere.” Finn unconsciously inched closer toward their guest when he noticed William, his older brother by one year, making his way toward Marigold with some vigor; other men had joined the throng as well. One of the Bernard brothers was making his excuses to exit a conversation and was just that minute stepping toward the new blood.
Hestia sighed.
“Men are so predictable, aren’t they?”
Finn scoffed.
“Are you upset that they aren’t all gawking at you, as usual?”
Hestia took a sip of her wine.
“Naturally.”
They both laughed at that. Finn had to hand it to Hestia: she knew herself.
When Hestia was distracted, Finn stole a glance back at Marigold, who was in conversation with William. He seemed to be describing the house he was in the midst of building in great detail.
“It looks like you may have a new sister-in-law,” Hestia whispered in his ear, once she deduced what he was looking at.
Finn laughed.
