„Look sharp!“ hissed a voice nearby. „Here she comes! Put away your anachronisms!“
„Oh, dear, Mrs. Waterston will be furious that you're still unpacking!“ Eileen exclaimed.
„I still have fifteen minutes,“ I said, turning to see who'd given the warning. Just outside our booth I saw a man, a little shorter than my five-feet ten inches and slightly pudgy, with a receding chin. I had the feeling I'd recognize him if he were in, say, blue jeans instead of a blue colonial-style coat, a white powdered wig, and a black felt hat with the brim turned up in thirds to make it into a triangle – the famed colonial tricorn hat.
„Oh, you look very nice, Horace,“ Eileen said.
Horace? I started, and peered more closely.
„Cousin Horace,“ I said. „She's right. You look great in costume. I almost didn't recognize you.“
Cousin Horace looked down at his coat and sighed. Normally he loved costume parties – in fact, he assumed (or pretended) that every party he attended was a costume party, and would invariably turn up in his beloved gorilla suit. Usually even Mother had a hard time convincing him to take the ape head off for group photos at family weddings. I wondered how Mrs. Waterston had managed to browbeat him into putting on the colonial gear.
„It's just one of the standard rental costumes from Bestitched,“ he said, referring to Mrs. Waterston's dressmaking shop. „You'll see dozens just like it before the day is out.“
„Well, it looks very nice on you,“ Eileen said.
„Meg, you have to talk to Mrs. Waterston,“ he said. „She listens to you.“
News to me; I hadn't noticed that Mrs. Waterston listened to anyone – except, possibly, Michael. What Horace really meant was that no one but me had enough nerve to tackle Mrs. Waterston.
„Talk to her about what?“ I said, feeling suddenly tired. Cannons? Anachronisms? Or had some new problem arisen?
„Now she's going on about talking authentically,“ he added. „Avoiding modern slang. Adopting a colonial accent.“
„Oh, Lord,“ exclaimed Amanda from across the aisle. „Who the hell does that witch think she is, anyway?“
Horace glanced at me and skittered off. Eileen looked pained.
„Who died and made her queen?“ Amanda continued.
„Great-aunt Agatha,“ I said. „Who didn't actually die; she just decided that at ninety-three, she didn't have quite enough energy to continue chairing the committee that organizes the annual Yorktown Day celebration. Mrs. Waterston volunteered to take her place.“
„Yeah, she's got enough energy,“ Amanda said. „It's the common sense she's lacking.“
„We'll probably be seeing a lot of Mrs. Waterston,“ Eileen said. „She's Meg's boyfriend's mother.“
„Oh,“ Amanda said. „Sorry.“
„Don't apologize on my account,“ I said. „You can't possibly say anything about her that I haven't said over the past year. Though not necessarily aloud,“ I added, half to myself.
„Take my advice, honey,“ Amanda said. „Dump him now. Can you imagine what she'd be like as a mother-in-law?“
Unfortunately, I could. I'd spent a lot of time brooding over that very prospect. But for now, I deliberately pushed the thought away, into the back of my mind, along with all the other things I didn't have time to worry about until after the fair.
„Oh, but you haven't met Michael!“ Eileen gushed. „Here, look!“
She walked across the aisle to Amanda's booth, digging into her wicker basket as she went, then pulling out a bulging wallet. She flipped through the wad of plastic photo sleeves and held up one of the photos. Amanda peered at it, her face about three inches from the wallet.
„Not bad,“ she said.
„He's a drama professor at Caerphilly College,“ Eileen said. „And a wonderful actor, and we all think he's just perfect for Meg.“
„If you could lose the mother,“ Amanda said. „Is he going to be around today?“
„Of course,“ Eileen said. „He and Meg are inseparable!“
Well, as inseparable as a couple can be, living in different towns several hours' drive apart and trying to juggle two demanding careers that didn't exactly permit regular nine-to-five hours. Another reminder of problems I was trying to put on hold until the damned craft fair was over and done with.
„Okay, I'll try not to say anything too nasty when 'Blue Eyes' is around,“ Amanda said. „If I recognize him. My glasses are banned,“ she said, with a disapproving glance at me. „Not in period. Only wire rims allowed.“
„Sorry,“ I said; shrugging. „Anyway, Michael's pretty hard to miss.“