Castle of the Winds by Christina Baehr

Author:Christina Baehr
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Christina Baehr
Published: 2024-04-12T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

Without any preamble, I faced the crowd and squared my shoulders. Their faces were expectant.

I took a breath and began to sing, as loudly and clearly as I could manage over my jangling nerves:

“I am the very model of a modern Major-General,

I’ve information vegetable, animal, and mineral,

I know the kings of England, and I quote the fights historical

From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical!”

I have a pleasant singing voice, I have been told. I might have sung some sweet and amiable air, but I thought if I was going to humiliate myself, I might as well do a really thorough job of it. After seeing The Pirates of Penzance performed some years ago, I had purchased a score for myself so that I could amuse myself and my family on long evenings. I practised “The Major-General’s Song” until I could carry it off rather amusingly.

This evening, it was met with no amusement. The crowd of faces before me was blank. Except for one face—the face I tried to keep my eyes fixed on. The furrow had disappeared from his brow, and he was now watching me with something like awe.

“I’m very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical,

I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical,

About binomial theorem I’m teeming with a lot o’ news,

With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse.”

At this supreme example of poetical wit, Simon burst out laughing—the only one who did so.

I was aware of Miss Falconer, as stiff as a board to one side of me, and Arthur, completely frozen in his chair.

The satirical song had brought me completely back to myself. He wasn’t really the Red Dragon, he was just Arthur—a vain, capricious man whom I definitely did not want to marry.

I finished the song and gave a bow to sporadic applause and confused whispers. (To this day, I comfort myself with the thought that many of them did not understand English.)

Emrys made an announcement to the effect that the feast would commence while the Red Dragon made his choice.

I suddenly went all trembly. Thankfully, Simon came and got me. He found me a seat and put a plateful of food in front of me.

“I think…no, I know that was the bravest thing I have ever seen anyone do, Edith,” he said. “You…you didn’t make it up yourself, did you?” His face was a little quizzical.

I snorted with laughter. “Oh, no! Simon, you don’t know Gilbert and Sullivan? Oh, well then, what a great deal of pleasure awaits you!”

“You ought to eat something,” he prompted.

I tried to eat, but I was wondering what else Miss Falconer might have kept from me, and it rather spoiled my appetite. What on earth might I be required to do next?

Emrys approached and leaned to speak with me. “Miss Worms, it is almost time for the Choosing to begin.”

I got up to follow him. Simon put his hand on my arm.

“Edith, if you want to stop this…”

“It’s almost over, Simon. Chin up!” I smiled at him, trying not to wish I was traipsing through the mountains with him in the dark.

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