Part 26 (1/2)
Max and Connor shot each other a look. Even David smiled.
”Thank you, Cynthia,” said Nolan. ”Did you catch a glimpse of that light?”
Max shut his eyes as he and Connor blurted, ”No,” while Cynthia and David simultaneously exclaimed, ”Yes.” Nolan raised an eyebrow.
”Never seen anything like it before,” he continued. ”Lit up the whole Sanctuary-”
”Oh, Nolan,” Cynthia interrupted, ”couldn't we hear just one more song-a quick one? Old Tom hasn't chimed the dinner bell just yet.”
Nolan hesitated.
”Pleeeaaaaase?” begged Cynthia, tugging on his arm. Connor rolled his eyes and coughed loudly.
”Okay,” said Nolan, looking flattered. ”A quick one, then. 'Daisy Bell,' to get us thinking of spring around the corner.”
Max stopped politely as Nolan began to play. He was anxious to get back to the Manse for dinner. His stomach, his bladder, and the fact that Julie made him queasy led him to look longingly toward the hedge tunnel.
Suddenly, an impossibly magnetic voice, rich and deep, began to sing.
Daisy, Daisy, Give me your answer, do, Give me your answer, do, I'm half crazy, I'm half crazy, All for the love of you. All for the love of you. It won't be a stylish marriage, It won't be a stylish marriage, I can't afford a carriage, I can't afford a carriage, But you'll look sweet, But you'll look sweet, Upon the seat Upon the seat Of a bicycle built for two. Of a bicycle built for two.
Max stood rooted to the spot as the words washed over him. Kettlemouth had hopped away from Lucia and now sat alone on a bale of hay. His blood-red throat was puffed out like a balloon; his head pumped up and down in rhythm to the music.
Kettlemouth was singing.
Nolan got a funny look on his face and picked up the tempo. He struck up the tune again, and Kettlemouth's voice filled the clearing. Cynthia started jumping up and down, clapping her hands in wild applause.
”Oh, Nolan,” she gushed, ”it's beautiful! You're so very talented, Nolan! Really, I mean it. And you have such a rugged rugged way about you!” way about you!”
Max's whole body began to tingle with warmth. He watched as David, with a wry smile, plucked Julie's camera from a nearby chair.
Hoa.r.s.e barking suddenly filled the air. Frigga and Helga, the Scandinavian selkies, were lumbering toward them from the lagoon in ground-shaking ripples as steam rose off their thick blubber. Coming to a skidding stop, the selkies began to b.u.mp each other aside in an effort to gain position next to a handsome Fourth Year boy, who was now in a pa.s.sionate embrace with a redheaded cla.s.smate.
Like a shot, Tweedy bounded off his bale of hay and began to weave mad zigzags through the snow, chasing a spotted rabbit that had been chewing a stray bit of hay. Tweedy's bifocals fell to the ground, where Connor promptly smashed them as he stumbled past to plop down on Lucia's lap. She was now awake and smiled coyly at him, batting her thick eyelashes.
The song began once more; Nolan grimaced as his fingers danced mechanically over the strings. Cynthia began clapping and singing along with an enthusiasm that far exceeded her musical talents. A furious bark erupted from Frigga, who was angrily eyeing the amorous Fourth Years.
”What she she got that Frigga no have?” got that Frigga no have?”
”No winter coat of blubber, that what!” barked Helga.
”Quiet, you!” roared Frigga, thumping her sister with an angry head-b.u.t.t. roared Frigga, thumping her sister with an angry head-b.u.t.t.
Max's heart started beating faster, fluttering like a moth in his rib cage. Julie had risen to her feet and was staring at him with a puzzled expression. As Kettlemouth's voice rose to a fevered pitch, Max took several steps toward Julie and took hold of her hand. She gave his hand a little squeeze in return; her nose was pink, and her breath smelled like peppermint. Max cleared his throat.
”Julie-”
Suddenly, she kissed him, throwing her arms around him and almost knocking him over. Her nose was cold against his cheek, and Max felt weightless....
Old Tom's chimes sounded clear and cold in the winter air. Max opened his eyes in alarm; Julie backed several feet away, her face a deep scarlet. Kettlemouth had abruptly stopped his singing and hopped off the bale of hay. As though they burned him, Mr. Nolan flung his fiddle and bow into the snow and began shaking his cramped hands. A sheepish Connor apologized profusely while Lucia screamed at him in Italian. The Fourth Year boy stood by with a confused and frightened expression on his face as Frigga briskly informed him that ”It not have worked out for us, anyway. You are human and Frigga is selkie.”
”Not a word, you!” Tweedy snapped at Omar, who was giggling in fits as he tried to piece together Tweedy's mangled spectacles. Tweedy whirled to face Nolan, thrusting a paw in the direction of Kettlemouth. a word, you!” Tweedy snapped at Omar, who was giggling in fits as he tried to piece together Tweedy's mangled spectacles. Tweedy whirled to face Nolan, thrusting a paw in the direction of Kettlemouth.
”I demand that such a creature be removed from this Sanctuary! This is an outrage! That amphibian's power is disgusting and irresponsible! It's-it's not dignified dignified!”
Nolan shook his head and retrieved his fiddle from the snow, wiping it clean with his sleeve. Cynthia handed him his bow while staring at her boots.
”Now, now, Tweedy,” cautioned Nolan, ”I grant you I didn't realize Kettlemouth's songs were so...compelling...but it's not his fault. Anyway, his songs just eliminate inhibitions; they don't make you do anything you didn't already want to do.”
Max glanced at Julie, who avoided his eyes and gathered up her things.
Tweedy hopped over to Nolan, his whiskers twitching with incredulous rage.
”Are you insane or simply ignorant, man? Are you suggesting that I wanted wanted to court some unwashed, uneducated floozy from the wrong side of the meadow? That this is some secret desire I harbor?” to court some unwashed, uneducated floozy from the wrong side of the meadow? That this is some secret desire I harbor?”
”Well,” quipped Nolan, giving a casual wave of his hand to slowly extinguish the bonfire, ”it's no secret anymore, is it, Tweedy? But I'll be sure to speak to the Director to see if there are some precautions we should take with Kettlemouth.”
A few students snickered while Tweedy stood on his hind legs, bristling and uncharacteristically speechless. Finally, Tweedy hopped after Nolan, who was now walking with several students toward the Sanctuary tunnel. Omar ran after them, erupting in periodic snickers. Lucia had taken Kettlemouth back into the Lodge, slamming the door in Connor's face. Max s.h.i.+vered, watching it all unfold before running after Julie, who was hurrying up the path with a girlfriend.
”Julie, Julie, wait up,” huffed Max, slowing to a walk next to her. ”I thought maybe you could help me with some homework I have for Strategy-”
”Sorry,” Julie muttered, avoiding his eyes. ”I have a practical in Devices. Gotta run.”
Max watched the two girls disappear into the tunnel. He sighed and started for the tunnel when he heard Cynthia screech behind him.
”Whatever, Connor!”
As David looked on, Connor was doing a funny, albeit cruel, impersonation of Cynthia applauding Nolan's efforts on the fiddle. He jumped up and down, clapping wildly before clasping his hands in a sudden swoon.
Cynthia looked furious and near tears. ”You shouldn't talk, Connor! You were just as big an idiot as any of us!”
”Please,” dismissed Connor. ”Boys, are we going to let Cynthia off the hook so easily?”
Without a word, David took Julie's digital camera out from his pocket. Scrolling through several photos, he stopped at one and thrust the camera before Connor's eyes.
Connor's smirk vanished. He swallowed and blinked.
”Right, then,” he said. ”Well-we're late for dinner, and I'm starving.”
Connor crunched through the snow for the tunnel. David slipped the camera back into his pocket and sauntered after, whistling ”Daisy Bell.” Squealing with delight, Cynthia rushed past Max.
”David Menlo! Let me see that photograph!”
The foyer was wet with small puddles of melted snow and boots that had been cast aside. Sounds of laughter and the smell of meat loaf issued from the stairwell to the dining hall. Just as the four children tossed their boots into a corner, Ms. Richter appeared from the hallway leading to her office. With a small frown, she looked at the mess. Suddenly, the icy puddles evaporated from the tiles while the boots arranged themselves in neat pairs against the wall. Then Ms. Richter's attention abruptly s.h.i.+fted to them.