“Miss. I’m expected to help Lady Louisa this morning.” Meg pulled a face. “She’s going through her entire wardrobe and needs my help.”
“Whatever it is you’re doing, I’m coming.” There was a stubborn set around Arabella’s mouth.
Lucy shook her head. “Ashmore won’t like it.”
“But, Lucy, Ash need not know. He’s too busy with the guests here, and I’m bored. Grandmamma is taking a nap, and Lady Louisa, as Meg says, is busy with her clothes. As are the rest of the ladies.” Arabella looked at Lucy expectantly.
Lucy felt indecisive. Arabella probably wanted to make up after their fall-out. Lucy also felt guilty and owed her an explanation.
“Very well. But no one is to know.”
“Where are we going?”
“To a fair.”
“Splendid!” Arabella clapped her hands.
“A crowded, raucous village fair. There’ll be pickpockets and all sorts ofunsavoury people.”
“Oh, I’ve never been to one! What a fantastic idea, Lucy. You always come up with the best ideas.”
“If we go, we’ll have to go in disguise. I don’t want to be recognised as coming from Ashmore Hall. And let’s not even think about what Ashmore will do when he discovers we’ve gone. You’re supposed to be entertaining your guests, not sneaking off to the fair. It is very improper. Your brother will kill me if something happens to you.”
“Forget about Ash. To the fair. In disguise. Meg, help me find some suitable dresses!”
The girls walkedto the village across the field. The air was redolent of mutton pies, fricassee of chicken, custards, rock candy and biscuits of all variety. There were puppet shows, musicians, harlequins, and acrobats who juggled balls and spat fire.
Arabella was like a little child. She wanted to see and try everything and dragged Lucy by the arm from one booth to another. Arabella pulled Lucy to a candy stand, where they bought two paper bags of sugared almonds.
Lucy didn’t enjoy herself.
“I’m only interested in the theatricals. The travelling troupe of actors called Jollyphus,” she explained as she bit into a rock-hard, sugar-coated almond.
“Oh look. Hot pie. Let’s get some and then go into the mirror cabinet there.”
Lucy sighed.
“I’ve never had such good hot pie before,” Arabella, who was used to caviar and truffle dinners, said with full mouth as she dragged Lucy to the mirror cabinet.
“There they are.” Lucy almost gasped when she saw theworn down wagon with colourful drawings on the side. The faded, red lettersJollyphuswerealmostillegible. Above the name were drawings of two dwarves in harlequin costumes. Lucy pulled Arabella to the makeshift stage. The play was about to begin.
They watched the “Most Resplendid Drama of the Rise and Fall of the Queen of Atlantia,” with a brief break, in which a jester entertained the group.
Afterwards, Lucy lingered as the crowd dispersed.
“Look, Lucy, there is a dancing bear over there.” Arabella pulled at Lucy’s arm.
“Go ahead, I’ll wait for you right here. There’s something I want to ask.” Arabella was more than happy to wait as she watched the bear step on a tiny red ball without squashing it.
Lucy approached the pot-bellied man who seemed to be the head of the troupe.
“Excuse me, sir. I’d like to talk to the Misters Jollyphus, if you please.”
He gave her a dismissive look. “Who’s asking?”
Lucy hesitated. “A former friend.”
He smacked his fat lips. “Not good enough.” He turned and walked away.
