Harvest Eve part 4

Megan had come into town with a few cousins just after sunrise to help set up tables for the Harvest Eve Dinner. This was Megan’s second year participating, and she was hoping that it would be even better than last year. The townspeople were just starting to welcome her rather large, and often loud Irish family. This year, the Governor himself had come out to speak to Megan’s grandfather and personally invite the clan out. Megan smiled as she adjusted the cloth covering on the table. It had helped that the Governors eldest daughter had threatened to make the Eve a wreck unless he did. Julie and Megan had become fast friends, and Julies support had been crucial in breaking down the towns conservative prejudice against the boisterous farmers.

Megans smile broadened as she recognized the three figures approaching from across the town green. Julie and Susie were particularly tight lipped this morning, and were avoiding each others gaze. Nathan didn’t look particularly happy, but he waved as the group approached and then walked right out of his shoe as the buckle popped off.

Shaking her head, Megan turned to Julie, “What’s got your tongue tied this morning? Still got your morning ‘fuss’ about?”

“No,” Julie looked less sullen but still sounded annoyed. “We were playing our little game when our Preacher happened across us.”

“We nothing, it was you two-,” Nathan was cut off by Julies heated retort.
“Well, it was your fault he caught up to us at all, you trying to fix your wretched shoe.”

Megan coughed into her hand, trying not to laugh at her friends misfortune. “Oh? How did it go?”

Susie looked up now, “As well as can be expected, considering Julie was in the middle of insulting his daughters, collectively.”

Megan couldn’t take much more, her eye were starting to tear and she was biting her tongue to keep her face straight. She did not attend their church, but she was well aware of the Parshall family. The Preacher was indeed an imposing figure, and that was when he wasn’t upset. She did not ever want to find herself on the receiving end of one of his admonishments.

“That is…bad luck. I’m sorry your morning was…so,” but Megan couldn’t contain it any longer. She dropped onto the bench and couldn’t help but laugh as she relived the encounter in her mind.

The other three looked on, determined to be offended by their friends lack of support, but Megans laugh was too infectious. They soon found themselves sitting on the bench and sheepishly admitting it would be fine story to pass on when they were older. As Megan regained her composure, she reached into her apron pocket and produced a bundle wrapped inside a handkerchief.

“Heard from the Sanders about your little "spell" the other day, Grams said to give you this, and the next time you feel woozy you take a pinch and quick stick it under your tongue,” Megan unwrapped what appeared to be a mass of leaves, dirt, and twine.

“You heard? And your whole family knows?!,” Nathan groaned and went face down onto the table.

“Bah, its nothing. My Uncle Seamus worked for a shepherd back in Ireland, but he could never stomach the sight of a birthing, or a killing when a wolf would get ahold on one of them. Grams set him up with her Herb Pinch and set him right as rain. Course the pinch didn’t stop him from falling asleep on the job, so they pitched him anyway,” Megan shrugged and stood up to finish her chore.

Nathan eyed the mass of questionable herbs and tentatively poked it with his finger and slowly brought his finger up to his mouth and tasted it, “Bleh! What is in this? It tastes awful!”
Megan only shrugged and walked to the next table with her arms full of linen. Nathan grimaced as he picked up the ball and brought it up to his nose. “That’s so odd, it actually smells good, kind of reminds me of honeysuckle.” Nathan inhaled again.

“Really? Let me see…,” Susie reached out for it and Nathan obligingly passed it along.

“Its fairly faint, try scratching it a little to get it going,” Nathan suggested.

Susie obediently picked at a small spot on the bundle and inhaled deeply. Nathan looked on in delight as a wicked gleam came into his eye.

Julie called out, “Susie, wait!” But it was too late.

Susie dropped the bundle and screamed, “Aaugh! Nathan! I am going to kill you!” Susies eyes went blood red and her nose started running, as she furiously staggered to her feet and lunged across the table at Nathan. Nathan was too busy laughing at his triumph to run, so he sat there, trying to dodge or swat away the worst of Susies blows.

“How did you smell that without it getting you?!” Susie demanded as she sat down again and attempted to stem the flow of liquids from her eyes and nose.

Julie rolled her eyes before kicked Nathan under the table adn handing Susie a hankie, “he held his finger so close to his nose that it only looked like he was smelling it.”

Nathan rubbed his shin and scowled at Julie now, “oww, its not my fault she keeps falling for the same tricks. You’d think she’d learn by now.”

“This is tiresome, I came to help Megan. You two can continue your childish games if you wish, but I am leaving,” and with that Julie rose to join Megan.

“I’ve got to go clean up now before Elias sees me looking so disheveled. Nathan, I’m warning you, if you pull any stunts once I get my new Eve gown on, and you’ll walk with a limp for the rest of your life, which may not be very long!” Susie dabbed her eyes and with one last threatening gesture in Nathans direction, walked back towards her home.

Megan became a little red as Susie walked away, Julie noticing the flush thought that she was trying to stifle another laugh from the Nathan and Susies antics. But when Megan saw that Julie was looking at her, the blush deepened and Megan looked away. Julie raised an eyebrow and knew there was something else going on.

“Megan, what is it? I can see you’re trying to hide something, you’re red all over,” Julie whispered at Megan.

Megan refused to acknowledge anything was amiss. “I’m fine, it’s just I feel a little warm. I think I need a drink. Are you thirsty? I’m thirsty. Lets go find some water. It is unseasonably warm I think today.” Megan began to nervously look around.

“Megan! What is wrong with you? You are acting very peculiar,” Julie grabbed Megans hand and tried to pull her back to the table, but she was no match for the farmer girls mix of strength and adrenalin and was instead dragged nearly off her feet.

Nathan watched confusedly from his table and decided not for the first time that he really ought to make some male friends. Girls are far too much work to be of any practical good. Just as he was thinking this, he noticed Elias riding pompously by, waving like an idiot to everyone he came across. Maybe girls aren’t so bad. Megan had seen Elias too. She stopped dragging Julie and turned her back to him and immediately started fussing with her hair and adjusting her skirt. Oh no, Nathan had seen this before, and this was not a good sign. The butchers daughter Wendy often did the same thing, so did Susie. In fact, half the female population of New Havenbrookshire found Elias quite handsome, even if he was a liar, and putrid, and a hypocrite. The worst part was, Julie had also realized why Megan had come to such an abrupt stop, as Elias stopped his horse to give Megan an especially low bow.