One evening before the fair, she sat with Thomas at the kitchen table after dinner and laid out various items to sell. She listed the price of each one and made Thomas practice sums in his head. The next night she tested his recall and taught him how to subtract sums, which he quickly learned. Thomas had an aptitude for mathematics and was a quick study.
Excited to learn blacksmithing skills, Thomas had remained in awe of Elayne and her father since the first day he came to work at the forge. Her father named the tools and had Thomas fetch them for him. William taught him the qualities and characteristics of the heat of the fire, and when a piece of iron should be removed from the fire and beat into shape.
To Thomas, Elayne was an enigma. and the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. She made the work in the forge look easy, but Thomas soon learned how tiring the work came to be. He quickly realized blacksmithing was more demanding than working as a groom. Filled with curiosity, Thomas asked many questions. He found the blacksmith, although exacting in his work, was a patient man.
Working as hard as ever, Elayne measured the circumference of the inside of the lantern and its height so she could craft pillar candles that provided more light and fit appropriately. So the candle would not slide, she decided to place a spike on the bottom. Thomas was like the little brother she could have had, if he had not died with her parents. Elayne enjoyed his company and desire to please her in his work. After dinner, she keptThomas busy learning how to shape nails or polishing wooden blocks with a rough piece of limestone. When he had finished smoothing and shaping the surface, Elayne used a waxed cloth to polish it to a sheen. At the fair, she hoped to gain a dogfish skin that could polish and show the grain patterns of wood, which enhanced its beauty.
Elayne measured the molds Bessie used for making pillar candles. Many pillar candles were needed for the large lanterns so that, when hoisted and raised above their heads, the lanterns enhanced illumination in larger spaces. Elayne toiled for two days in a row making pillar candles in molds.
The week before the fair, festive banners were hung in the courtyard, and workers placed tables under canopies and tents for the merchants to sell their wares. Elayne encouraged her father, with Mrs. Logan’s help, to secure tables where many people passed by, so everyone could see what they had for sale. Thomas helped her father place items for sale in the crates he’d built. Elayne helped Mrs. Logan by folding items and putting them in crates for her.
Elayne cut heather to place on the table in a ceramic vase to scent the air and capture people’s attention. She put the finishing touches on small embroidered sacks that held dried heather and empty pouches that could hold dried herbs. Elayne was excited to see the variety of wares, while Thomas eagerly anticipated trying the foods.
Elayne explained to Mrs. Logan, “I am looking for fine and everyday fabrics, and I ken we can sew a fine quilt to use or sell. Please be on the lookout for dogfish skins so Thomas can better polish more wooden blocks to hold candles.”
With so many items for sale, they had two tables, and Thomas helped William and Mrs. Logan set them up. Elayne keenlylooked forward to using her bartering skills to buy things she wanted, for which purpose she had kept a few things in reserve. After finally finding the kind of fabric she’d been seeking, Mrs. Logan had finished a second nice dress for Elayne besides her work dresses, and Elayne looked forward to wearing her new dresses to the fair.
Visitors started flooded into the meadow beyond the village and erected tents. Merchants streamed into the courtyard and set up their wares for sale. While they readied their tables, Elayne had an advance opportunity to check their merchandise before the fair opened. Strolling around, she finally discovered the material she’d wanted for so long. Armed with knowledge imparted by Mrs. Logan about the amount of fabric she needed for a dress, she bartered with the merchant. Elayne felt triumphant when she acquired the fabric in barter for nails and two horseshoes. Shortly, she found fabric that would look lovely on Mrs. Logan, and she bought it for her in exchange for an embroidered sack of heather and a small lantern.
Elayne brought the fabric over to show Mrs. Logan, who gasped as she beheld the gift. Tears were in her eyes for Elayne’s tender heart, kindness, and generosity. Elayne also showed her the fabric she had found for herself.
“It will look beautiful on ye, lass. It’s exactly right for ye,” Mrs. Logan complimented.
Beaming, Elayne said, “Now it’s yer turn to shop before it gets too busy. I’ll stay and watch the table.”
“Aye, thank ye, Elayne. I will see if I can find lace and ribbons for our fine dresses.”
Selected warriors from invited clans poured into the keep in search of food, ale, and women. By day, the warriors trainedin the training fields and sparred with men from other clans, assessing their strengths and weaknesses, testing their mettle before the games. Men dressed in a variety of kilts filled the courtyard. Additional food tables under tents tempted the wallets and appetites of men. Game, meat pies, roasted fish and fowl in abundance enticed people to eat with their ale.
Men and lads from the MacPherson clan had gone hunting early in the morning, as they would every morning during the fair, while others fished. Hunting parties returned with huge stags that were dressed and put over massive firepits on spits to roast.
The excitement was palpable as the fair opened. The air was infused with the sweet scent of cinnamon breads and frying bacon. In other areas, the roasting meat, barley, and oat breads met the nose, and later in the afternoon, honey cakes and gingerbread would tempt attendees. In the afternoon and evening, the molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice aromas would beckon with their alluring fragrances. Those who wanted to stretch their coin bought plain bread and a sausage and made their own filling sandwich. The savory and sweet smells enticed customers to spend their hard-earned coins to eat delectable treats. Thomas’s mouth watered at each unique, delicious flavor he anticipated meeting his taste buds.
Business remained brisk at William and Mrs. Logan’s tables. At lightning speed, people snatched nails, horseshoes, large and small lanterns, and plump pillows. Implements, tools, axes, dirks, and swords were in high demand. Many warriors crowd-ed around Elayne’s father’s table to inspect the gleaming swords and dirks. They shamelessly flirted with the widow and the blacksmith’s bonnie daughter. Elayne blushed over their praiseand flirtations with her. Her beautiful face alone enticed men to their tables.
Early in the morning Elayne strolled around the tables and finally discovered the fabric she wanted for a dress.
Soon, more people streamed into the courtyard and flock-ed to Elayne’s table. She glanced over at Thomas, who was enthralled with the spectacle. Earlier, Elayne had bought him a sausage sandwich, and he’d grinned and gratefully accepted it, even though he had broken his fast early this morning with several oatcakes.
Women were eager to buy items before they disappeared. Elayne had become a canny merchant watching people’s behaviors in their weekly markets. Holding items in reserve, she raised prices on the last day of the fair. Elayne explained her strategy to Mrs. Logan, who had agreed to her bold plan.
Thomas got caught up in the excitement of the fair. William had given him coins and time to look around, so Thomas used the opportunity to listen intently to the merchants haggle and barter. He studied how they extolled the virtues of or boasted about their merchandise. Back at the blacksmith’s table, he copied what he had assimilated from the best salesmen, listing the best features of the swords, dirks, and lanterns. His unique blocks of wood with iron spikes to hold candles were a coveted item.
Late in the afternoon, Thomas and William went to the field to watch the warriors spar. The winner would receive a prize of coins. Long lists of men wished to compete. Over the course of the next few days, they would spar with swords, toss cabers, and engage in archery and ax throwing. The following day, Mrs. Logan and Elayne attended for a short time to watch.
When the men returned from watching the sparring, Thomas was excited, having seen them fight each other and demonstrate their weapons skills. “I ken, with working at the forge, my muscles will grow big like yers and the warriors,” Thomas told William, who merely smiled and ruffled his hair.
Elayne felt happy they had taken a break and not worked at the forge today. William intended to work the next morning, making more items to sell. For the first time, they ate in the crowded great hall, decorated with pennants and banners. Her father and Mrs. Logan shared a trencher, and Elayne and Tho-mas shared a trencher. Too excited to eat, Elayne let Thomas devour all her food but a couple of bites of meat.
Elayne glanced around the room. The laird, his lady, their children, and their spouses sat at the high table with visiting lairds and their ladies. Since many had traveled long distances, there would be nae dance tonight. For the rest of the nights, dancing would occur outside under the large tents with musicians. Elayne noted the designs of the dresses the ladies wore and the types and quality of the fabrics.
Outside, children scampered and chased each other in play. Elayne and Thomas carried their few remaining items for sale back to the forge, and then they refilled the crates with more to sell on the following day. Their sales numbers and the coin they made thrilled her father. Mrs. Logan said she and Elayne would split the items they made together in equal measures. Her father escorted Mrs. Logan back to her home while Thomas returned to the farrier’s to sleep. Fatigued by the events and work of the last week, Elayne instantly fell into a deep sleep.
The next day, Thomas helped her carry the full crates to their tables, and they arranged the merchandise strategically. Guards patrolled through the crowds, monitoring things. Whenever themen became rowdy with drink, the guards turned them over to their own clan’s guards.
Mrs. Logan and Elayne watched the men throw axes and long poles of wood on the field. They watched participants fight with claymores and other swords, appreciating the strength and skill of the warriors. Elayne watched them studiously, familiar with many of the moves Cailean had taught her.
Indeed, there were many handsome and strong warriors, but none captured her attention the way Cailean had. She missed him and wanted to dance with him again under the starlit sky.
