Page 80 of A Touch of Charm
“No.”
“The country?”
Thea pursed her lips.
“It’s just not very far away from where I lived, so while I like the language, the country and the culture are very close to mine.”
“So you picked England instead?”
Thea leaned back in the chair and scratched her nose. “No.”
“When are you going to Saxony, Bavaria, or Prussia?”
“Why?”
“Because you learned German. You’re learning languages to make friends with the people, right?”
“No.” Thea deflated. It wasn’t brilliant considering it this way. “Mary, I was raised to fit into any of those cultures with great ease because the man my father wanted me to—wants me to marry,” she swallowed bile, “is connected to all these countries.”
“So perhaps he will love you and take you there to explore?”
“No, he won’t. And I ran away because I didn’t want to be with him.”
Mary considered that for a moment. “I’ll make up my own language.”
“What?”
“Rasinu kalatin plomp.” Mary gave a self-assuring smile. “Prumblim.”
“What does that mean?”
“Whatever you want it to mean so it makes you happy.”
“That’s not a language then, Mary.”
“But it should be. What’s the point in learning languages to speak with people who don’t make you happy? In my language, anything I say is something that will make others happy when they hear it.”
She clapped her little hands and hugged Thea.
“Thank you so much for creatingQuinovinumwith me.”
“What’s Quino—”
“Quinovinumis my language now.
“Halikanu Peraton,” Mary added. “I’m hungry.”
So Thea took Mary downstairs in the hope to find a small meal for Mary to tide her over until dinner.
“Oh, Andre!Rasinu kalatin plomp.” Mary ran toward him, lifted her arms, and he instantly set down his cup on the saucer and picked her up. She took his face in both hands and smiled. “Prumblim.”
*
“Prumblim?” Andre’s eyebrowsrose so high they betrayed his questioning whether he should question what she said. But he thought it better not to ask, considering that Thea stood rather stiff in the doorway. It had been such a long day, one emergency after the other, and he was glad to finally see Thea again. Of course he rather wished to be alone with her but he smiled brightly and hugged Mary. “Thank you, Mary.”
“See, he understood!” Mary turned to Thea and slid back down Andre’s arms. Thea had come closer, and Mary now tugged at her sleeve. “He knew exactly what I said, and it made him happy. He smiled!” Mary pointed at Andre’s mouth and Thea gave him a bright smile.
Yes, rather lovely indeed.
