The woman’s dark hair spilled forward as she seized Aubrey’s cup and stared into it. She seemed to be nodding to herself before she set the cup down and met Aubrey’s eyes.
“The answer provided by the leaves is not as simple as you would like.” She pointed into the cup. “See the heavy clusters of here, near the handle? That is the immediate, the now. It is strong. But then around the rim and all along the sides. Nothing. In the base, another cluster, much stronger than the first. The answer to your question is yes, but then no. And then again, far into the future. Yes.”
“How far into the future?” Aubrey asked despite feeling his curious stare on her.
“That, my child, I do not know. It could be as short as a dozen new moons, but it could also be in another life.”
With that answer, Aubrey slumped back onto the bench. It meant nothing, she knew. It was foolishness.
Besides, she did not want to think she would have to wait until another lifetime to see him again.
“And you Sir,” The madam had taken Mr. Bateman’s cup and studied it intently. “The leaves form the shape of what would be the wings of a bird, except the wings have been broken.” She frowned. “There is another set of wings in the bottom of the cup, however. Eventually you shall be free.”
And then closing her eyes, she set back in her chair and exhaled a long breath. “The future holds great trials but also, if you are loyal to your hearts, great happiness. Embrace what you have today.”
Mr. Bateman rose from the bench, laying some money on the table. “Many thanks, Madam Nadya.” He did not sound as though he’d heard anything earth shattering. He sounded, rather, as though, he’d just purchased a sack of flour.
“Thank you, Madam.” Aubrey smiled at the woman, wishing the answer to her question had been a different one.
As they moved to exit the tent, though, the woman reached out and clasped her by the wrist. “Have faith. And trust your heart.” She then just as abruptly released her.
Aubrey blinked several times as they stepped back out into the light, her eyes watering from the strength of the sunshine again.
Mr. Bateman took hold of her arm. “There is a booth selling meat pies a little way down. Shall we grab something to eat?”
How could he eat at a time like this?
Trust your heart.
His smile was warm and the light in his eyes, tender.
“Yes, lets!” She responded. She would not mourn their certain parting in the near future while they still had time together. “I’m starving.” She added.
He did not offer her his arm but took her hand in his, threading their fingers together, and with more enthusiasm then she would expect, led the way.
They ate meat pastries and drank ale, and as the village was a small one, were wished happy in their new marriage by several of the merrymakers around them.
“You are enjoying yourselves?” Mr. Wooten joined them at one of the tables that had been set up. “Mr. Keller! Mrs. Keller! These are the guests I told you about. They are just married and traveling to London.” By this time a good deal of ale had been consumed by most everyone and the atmosphere had become somewhat raucous.
The Kellers were a younger couple. They carried tankards of ale in each of their hands and sat down across from Aubrey and Mr. Bateman. “We too, are recently wed.” Mr. Keller announced and then proceeded to gaze lovingly into his wife’s eyes before pressing a kiss to her lips.
The affection between the two of them was a palpable thing and it made Aubrey wish... She shook her head. She was a widow. She’d been married not quite a decade. Who was Aubrey to wish for something so frivolous?
The emotions between the couple did not appear frivolous in that moment. They were powerful, passionate. The couple was obviously very much in love. She’d never seen such a bold display of affection anywhere in Rockford Beach.
When they drew away from one another, the young husband winked and grinned toward Mr. Bateman and then, lifting a spoon, began tapping it against his tankard of ale.
And then his wife began doing so.
And then several others around them.
“It means you must kiss her!” The woman who had just been thoroughly kissed herself shouted from across the table. “It is a village tradition with all newlyweds.”
Aubrey and Mr. Bateman were sitting on the same bench beside one another but had not been touching until he dropped one arm around her shoulders.
They had told the Wooten’s that they were married. They’d told everyone the same and it had been Aubrey who had, in fact, declared that they were newly married.
She turned to stare up at Mr. Bateman in concern, but he didn’t seem overly troubled by their present predicament. In fact, his gaze had dropped from her eyes to her mouth. She watched his lips as he licked them.
