turning on her heel after giving Tobias a look. No wonder the so-called mermaid had given him such a come-hither glance.
He bellowed with laughter, but she paid him no mind.
By four hours later, they had done it all. The Living Skeleton turned out to be a man who was quite thin and mournful too, but the Flying Boats truly were miraculous. The Fat Lady was quite fat, although Genevieve thought that Mrs. Pinkler in the village could have given her a run for her money. They saw the Wild Lion, the Wild Boar, and the Unicorn. They watched acrobats throw each other across the floor and ladies in taffeta dance their way across slender wires.
Finally they found themselves in front of the coconut shy, and Tobias handed over five pence for a pyramid of coconuts.
âYour marksmanship is quite good,â Genevieve said admiringly, watching the coconuts fly through the air and un-erringly strike the mark painted on canvas.
âNonsense,â he said. âAnyone could do it.â
âNot I!â Genevieve assured him. âI think itâs marvelous!â
âYou hit âem all,â the gypsy running the stall said laconically. âHereâs yer prize, then.â
He handed Genevieve a grimy string that trailed to the ground. âWhat?â she asked, confused.
The gypsy kicked at something, and there was a pained little squeal. âOut with you!â he growled, and a tiny pink pig shot out from under the stall, jerking the string in Genevieveâs hand.
âYou canât give us a pig! â she gasped.
âDidnât give it. The flash gent here won it. Itâs yours now.â He was obviously enjoying the spectacle of two persnickety swells becoming guardians to a piglet.
âTake it back!â Genevieve said, holding the string out to him. The piglet was rooting around her slippers, and although it seemed to be pink and in good condition, well, everyone knew how much pigs smelled.
The gypsy leered at Tobias. âIâll take back the piggie if yer missus here can hit a mark,â he said. âNo capsy girlsy can hit a mark.â
There was something in his eyes that made Genevieve stiffen. She grabbed a coconut and threw it as hard as she possibly could. Alas, it didnât head straight toward the canvas targets on the back wall. Instead it bounced off a supporting beam with a crack that signaled broken coconut, ricocheted sideways, and hit the gypsy square on the head.
Genevieve took one look at his enraged face, garnished with streams of coconut milk, and ran away dragging the piglet. Tobias was laughing so hard that they only got as far as the next stall, the Scarlet Swan (which they hadnât bothered to see, as Genevieve was quite certain it would be a normal swan with feathers died in beetroot). For a moment she glared at Tobias, but then a giggle escaped from her mouth. The piglet gave a little grunt at her feet, and finally Genevieve started to laugh, and laugh, and laugh.
Tobias braced his arm over her head, against the wall of the Scarlet Swan, and looked down at her. Genevieveâs eyes were bright with laughter, and her cheeks were pink. Her hair wasnât in its neat braid anymore, although she didnât seem to have realized it. He couldnât help it: He dropped a kiss on her rosy lips, and then, before she could voice any sort of objection, spun her about and said, âRight! Time to buy gingerbread men!â
Genevieve blinked. Heâd kissed her so quickly, not his usual kiss at all. For a moment sheâd thought he meant to push her against the wooden walls of the Scarlet Swan (that would be just in his style), but he hadnât.
Not that she cared, naturally.
Dragging the piglet on his string, they went to the part of the Common where the food stalls were.
âA lady never eats in public!â Genevieve said, with some horror. âIsnât there a proper eating establishment in these parts?â
Tobias rolled his
He bellowed with laughter, but she paid him no mind.
By four hours later, they had done it all. The Living Skeleton turned out to be a man who was quite thin and mournful too, but the Flying Boats truly were miraculous. The Fat Lady was quite fat, although Genevieve thought that Mrs. Pinkler in the village could have given her a run for her money. They saw the Wild Lion, the Wild Boar, and the Unicorn. They watched acrobats throw each other across the floor and ladies in taffeta dance their way across slender wires.
Finally they found themselves in front of the coconut shy, and Tobias handed over five pence for a pyramid of coconuts.
âYour marksmanship is quite good,â Genevieve said admiringly, watching the coconuts fly through the air and un-erringly strike the mark painted on canvas.
âNonsense,â he said. âAnyone could do it.â
âNot I!â Genevieve assured him. âI think itâs marvelous!â
âYou hit âem all,â the gypsy running the stall said laconically. âHereâs yer prize, then.â
He handed Genevieve a grimy string that trailed to the ground. âWhat?â she asked, confused.
The gypsy kicked at something, and there was a pained little squeal. âOut with you!â he growled, and a tiny pink pig shot out from under the stall, jerking the string in Genevieveâs hand.
âYou canât give us a pig! â she gasped.
âDidnât give it. The flash gent here won it. Itâs yours now.â He was obviously enjoying the spectacle of two persnickety swells becoming guardians to a piglet.
âTake it back!â Genevieve said, holding the string out to him. The piglet was rooting around her slippers, and although it seemed to be pink and in good condition, well, everyone knew how much pigs smelled.
The gypsy leered at Tobias. âIâll take back the piggie if yer missus here can hit a mark,â he said. âNo capsy girlsy can hit a mark.â
There was something in his eyes that made Genevieve stiffen. She grabbed a coconut and threw it as hard as she possibly could. Alas, it didnât head straight toward the canvas targets on the back wall. Instead it bounced off a supporting beam with a crack that signaled broken coconut, ricocheted sideways, and hit the gypsy square on the head.
Genevieve took one look at his enraged face, garnished with streams of coconut milk, and ran away dragging the piglet. Tobias was laughing so hard that they only got as far as the next stall, the Scarlet Swan (which they hadnât bothered to see, as Genevieve was quite certain it would be a normal swan with feathers died in beetroot). For a moment she glared at Tobias, but then a giggle escaped from her mouth. The piglet gave a little grunt at her feet, and finally Genevieve started to laugh, and laugh, and laugh.
Tobias braced his arm over her head, against the wall of the Scarlet Swan, and looked down at her. Genevieveâs eyes were bright with laughter, and her cheeks were pink. Her hair wasnât in its neat braid anymore, although she didnât seem to have realized it. He couldnât help it: He dropped a kiss on her rosy lips, and then, before she could voice any sort of objection, spun her about and said, âRight! Time to buy gingerbread men!â
Genevieve blinked. Heâd kissed her so quickly, not his usual kiss at all. For a moment sheâd thought he meant to push her against the wooden walls of the Scarlet Swan (that would be just in his style), but he hadnât.
Not that she cared, naturally.
Dragging the piglet on his string, they went to the part of the Common where the food stalls were.
âA lady never eats in public!â Genevieve said, with some horror. âIsnât there a proper eating establishment in these parts?â
Tobias rolled his
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