Harrowing Hats (6 page)

Andre shooed them out of the sales area and personally helped the young woman, who bought a wide-brimmed, apple green bonnet with pink flowers on it. I played cashier, amazed at what people were willing to pay for a hat. It was a very nice hat, to be sure, but it cost more than I made in a month.

After the lady was gone, Andre seemed preoccupied. He kept fingering his fashionable yellow and purple scarf that he wore with his yellow tunic. “I can hardly concentrate for thinking about the death of Cesar Rizzo,” he finally told me. “Have you heard anything about what happened?”

“I was there this morning. The police have decided it was a homicide. That’s about all I know.”

Andre dropped the red hat band he’d been looking at while I spoke. His face became even paler beneath the graying brown hair. “That can’t be true! Who would want to kill Cesar? There has to be some mistake.”

“Were you friends with Cesar?” I asked him.

“No. Not really. But to think of something like that happening here—it’s terrible.”

“I know.” I tried to divert him, looking around the room that was crowded with hats of all types, colors, and styles. “Tell me what I can do to help make hats.”

He nodded and pulled himself out of his funk. “Since we make mostly hats that could be from the Renaissance, we use a lot of satin, lace, and other older materials. Sometimes velvet and felt. I try to stay realistic.”

It was fairly easy to get him talking about his craft. Who knew how much work went into making hats? I’d never been much of a hat wearer myself, but I knew hats were very popular with visitors and residents of the Village.

I tried on a few hats at Andre’s insistence. One of them was very large and made of red satin. It drooped down over my left eye. Andre adjusted the heavy veil across my face.

“Hats were used in the Renaissance to disguise oneself when going out shopping or perhaps visiting a paramour. Madam would adjust the veil so that her face was discreetly hidden. She could go about the town incognito, if she so desired.”

I tried on a somewhat smaller purple velvet hat that fit my head tighter. It didn’t look too bad—except it made the sides of my hair fluff out in a way that was a little too clownlike for me.

“People even believed that veils could protect them from the plague and other diseases.” Andre talked as he fussed over the placement of my hat. “Of course, they may have been onto something, since the masks surgeons wear today aren’t any thicker than a good veil.”

I was about to try on another hat when a page announced that Queen Olivia was there. The queen was always surrounded by her jesters, musicians, ladies-in-waiting, and the rest of her entourage. She never traveled alone—which made for a huge spectacle whenever she walked through the Village. Livy loved the spotlight and people taking pictures of her better than anyone else I knew.

“Good morning, Sir Hatmaker!” The queen sang the words as she floated into the shop wearing a deep rosecolored bodice and a gray and rose-striped hooped skirt. She wasn’t wearing a hat on her bright red hair, but her gold crown was shiny and impressive.

Andre hurried forth to kiss the queen’s hand. The two of them chatted quietly for a while. He turned to introduce me to her, but Livy waved away the introduction. “We are very pleased to see the Lady Jessie again this summer’s day. We acknowledge her, and her rightful place in the castle, which she has not taken as yet.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” I curtsied to her with a full head bow in deference to her position. It was good practice for when the crowds were around and better suck-up points for getting in trouble later. Livy liked to be recognized correctly. “While I appreciate your offer to allow me to live in the castle, I have chosen to spend the summer at the Dungeon with the bailiff. But I am grateful for your invitation.”

It was true. While I was with Chase, nothing could move me out of the Dungeon. But if we weren’t together, I’d be all over that invitation. The castle was awesome—large-screen TVs, Internet, and twenty-four/seven meals brought to your room. It was the height of luxury.

Livy had her closest handmaiden remove her crown and place a large, pink, satin hat on her head. She turned this way and that to study her face in a nearby mirror. “We completely understand your decision, Lady Jessie. Forsooth, if the bailiff asked us to live in vulgar Village housing, we would abdicate our position at the castle immediately.” She giggled a little. “He is a handsome devil, is he not? We noticed him at once when he first came to our Village. He fought for us as our champion for a few years.”

I knew this, of course. Chase had started here as the Black Knight—the bad guy in the jousts. He soon found employment at the castle acting as the Queen’s Protector and Champion. Lucky for me that was over when I got here. Not that Chase noticed me right away. It took him awhile, although we were friends for a long time before we were lovers. Let’s face it—there are plenty of beautiful ladies in the Village, and I’m not talking about the fairies either.

While we discussed hats and the queen’s wardrobe, there was a disturbance outside the hat shop. The queen’s entourage tried to stop the two men from entering, but they thrust their way through the door. A commotion followed as jesters, and even one of the queen’s champions, continued trying to hold them back. But Bernardo and Marco were excellent swordsmen. No one tried
too
hard in the face of their flashing blades.

“We are here to avenge our brother’s death!” Bernardo yelled. “Stand and defend yourself, hatmaker!”

T
he Three Chocolatiers (two, really, now) were always a sight to behold. They did elaborate shows of swordplay in the Village outside their shop each day. All three brothers were handsome, virile specimens of manhood. Wrap that up in red and gold costumes that featured capes, knee-high boots and large, plumed hats, and you have the best chocolate commercial ever.

The chocolate was really good, too. They formed it into cute little shapes. I think the mainstay was hearts wrapped in red foil, but there were also doves, dragons, and the pièce de résistance was the giant chocolate sword. Five pounds and a month’s salary for a Village resident. I’d never had one, but I’d seen plenty of them around the Village, usually devoured by some large Viking or knight.

I wasn’t sure what the brothers would do without the third Chocolatier. Everything was based on the three brothers. Bernardo and Marco looked a little lame without Cesar. And I certainly didn’t understand why they had chosen Andre for vengeance.

But there they stood with their swords pointed at Andre’s chest. Without warning, Andre fell to the cloth-covered floor in a dead faint. A few of his assistants hurried to his side, disregarding the swords still held in his general direction.

I wasn’t sure what would happen next. Fortunately, Livy chose to exert her royal presence with the men. “What do you think you are doing? How dare you threaten our hatmaker and confidant? Have you taken leave of your senses? You have raised your swords in our presence. We have a good mind to call our bailiff and have him put you both in the stocks.”

Bernardo looked at Marco, then they both dropped to their knees, groveling to their queen. “It is the sorrow and grief we feel for our brother who was murdered most violently whilst making chocolate this morning, your majesty,” Bernardo explained.

“And when we learned that the hatmaker was to blame, we, of course, came to avenge our brother’s death,” Marco added. “We beg leave to skewer the culprit, your majesty. We demand justice for Cesar.”

Livy tapped her chin with her bright red fingernail. “You have a grievance, gentlemen. We understand and appreciate your position. But this is neither the time nor the place. My new hats are not as yet ready. Killing Andre would be very bad for my wardrobe. I forbid it.”

Bernardo and Marco argued with Queen Olivia, but the verdict was set. They were welcome to get revenge after the King’s Feast in two weeks when her hats would be ready, but not before. Such are the ways of the Village.

A moment later, Chase was there to sort through what was happening. He had a quick smile for me and a kiss for the queen’s hand, but then he was all business.

Andre had revived but was still sitting on the floor. His suck-up assistants were gathered around him, rubbing his head and handing him a glass of water. I didn’t bother to intrude, but the Two Chocolatiers’ accusation about him was intriguing.

“What’s this all about?” Chase demanded.

“It matters not, my fine bailiff,” the queen told him. “I have forbidden Andre’s death until after the King’s Feast in a fortnight.”

“I beg your pardon, my queen.” Chase put one hand on his heart and bent his head. “But it might be a good idea to clear this up now. It is not only a matter for your majesty to deal with but also for the police.”

Bernardo and Marco took their opportunity. “Andre killed Cesar,” Bernardo claimed, one side of his large hat sliding down his face in his unaccustomed outrage. “We found out there was a hat pin involved. Who else would use a hat pin as a murder weapon?”

“I know a hat pin was found on the body—” Chase began.

“
In
the body,” Marco corrected. “In my brother!”

Livy had her handmaiden start waving her fan to cool her face. “We may not be prepared to hear such delicate information.”

“My apologies, Queen Olivia,” Marco said. “But it is true. One of Andre’s hat pins was found in my brother’s eye.” He broke down in tears and large gulping sobs. “This man has done the most terrible curse known to man. He has stuck a needle in my brother’s eye.”

Livy copied Andre and slipped to the floor unconscious.

T
here was a great deal more fuss about Livy fainting. The small hat shop filled with her personal entourage. They called for Wanda LeFay, the Village nurse, and pulled out smelling salts, waving fans and hats to revive her. Chase, Bernardo, and Marco lifted her to one of the hastily cleared tables—more lace, silk, and netting wafting to the floor around us. As usual, a scene always followed Livy around the Village.

But I assumed that’s why they’d made her queen. At some point, she’d just been plain old Olivia Martin, superstar sales person for Adventure Land along with her husband, Harold. They were able to parlay that status into being the permanent king and queen of Renaissance Village. A sweet job if you liked people bowing to your every command and fulfilling your every whim. They were still Adventure Land employees but with pizzazz.

Queen Olivia was moaning, starting to come around, when Wanda LeFay arrived. She might be the only real English resident here. She and I always had problems. I don’t know if it was her cold, blue fish eyes or the fact that she frequently seemed intent on maiming or killing me.

She smiled at me in an evil manner, making me glad there were several worktables and half the room between us. She opened her medical bag as she approached Livy, the queen’s attendants parting before her like Swiss cheese on the cutting block.

I shivered. Better Livy than me.

“What’s the problem here?” Wanda asked as she reached the side of the table Livy was laid out on. “You look dreadful, dear. You might need to go to hospital. I think you might need a bit of strengthening. Have you been eating those snails as I suggested?”

I put my hand over my mouth to keep from vomiting.

“I tried.” Livy’s voice was weak. “I couldn’t get them down. Especially in the morning after eating the fried eels you prescribed. They’re terrible. Especially with everything going on and everyone depending on me.”

“Well, don’t you fret.” Wanda patted her hand. “I might need someone to run back to the first-aid station with me.” She looked around the room. “Jessie! Why don’t you be a love and come with me?”

There was no way I was going anywhere with that woman. Why did she always pick on me? I didn’t understand. I dropped to my knees. “I can’t leave Andre,” I told her. “He needs me.”