Page 35 of A Family Of His Own
“Look!” Diana pointed out of the window at a row of gaily striped booths. “It must be market day.”
The rest of them peered out of the windows, seeing what they might see.
Soon after, Gunter drew the carriage to a halt along one side of the village square that, today, was hosting the local market.
As Toby descended, then handed Diana down and lifted Evelyn to the cobbles, he reflected that he couldn’t have planned matters better if he’d tried. The boys had already jumped down and were looking in every direction.
“Don’t forget,” he said, keeping his voice low. “In public, we speak Austrian, not English. Not even between ourselves.” Throughout their journey, whenever within hearing of others not of their party, he’d spoken in Viennese-Austrian.
“We’ll remember,” the three chorused in Austrian.
Toby had learned that they were reliably bilingual, although Evelyn occasionally slipped into English when she didn’t know a particular word.
Rows of colorfully striped canvas booths and open stalls, some boasting long trestle tables, stood bathed in the autumn sunshine. They filled the square, luring people into the alleys between the rows with a pervasive and joyful cacophony, gaily hued bunting, and enticing aromas.
It was an auditory, visual, and olfactory banquet.
Bryce was holding Bruno, who was straining against his leash. “Can we buy our lunch at the stalls?”
Toby was aware of Diana glancing curiously his way, but didn’t meet her gaze as he reached for the leash. “Why not?” He remembered markets and fairs he’d attended as a boy. Half the fun was the food.
The children promptly cheered.
Quickly, Toby added, “But you have to stay together, and you must come and get our permission before you ask to buy anything so that we can go with you and pay the stallholder. Agreed?”
“Yes,” Roland said.
“We will,” Bryce assured him.
“We’ll come and get you,” Evelyn said earnestly.
Then she turned and, taking Bryce’s hand, raced with him toward the first stall, with Roland loping behind.
Watching the trio, Diana murmured, “So we can pay and also vet whatever they might think to buy.”
Toby tipped his head her way. “Indeed, but I didn’t think I needed to mention that.”
She laughed, and with a grin, he turned to make arrangements with Gunter and Helga, both of whom opted to remain with the carriage.
After handing Bruno’s leash to Helga, Toby turned and waved Diana to the row down which the children had vanished, and with a smile, she fell in beside him, and they strolled in the children’s wake.
Within minutes, they were called on to approve and effect the purchase of three pastries for the children and elected to sample the delicacies themselves.
They ambled and looked and tasted and, soon, were feeling quite full.
At least, Diana was.
She pointed to a stall selling glasses of fruit cordials, and they all headed that way. Blackberry cordial and lemonade were the most popular; they all sipped and drank, then returned the glasses and continued on their way.
They reached the end of the stalls selling edibles, and Toby pointed at another section of the large market. “There are handicraft stalls over there. Why don’t we take a look at them before returning to the coach?”
The suggestion of further exploration that put off climbing back into the coach was greeted enthusiastically by all.
As he and Diana walked in the trio’s wake, she murmured, “The more they stretch their legs and run before they’re called on to sit for hours again, the better.” She slanted him a glance. “I’ve been surprised they’ve managed so well to this point.”
He nodded. “With luck, yesterday will have been our longest day simply sitting in the coach. I think it being the first day—and that they were still getting used to traveling and all the novel sights—helped to keep them from getting bored.”
Looking ahead, she saw that the children had gathered before a stall selling handmade, handheld musical instruments. She dipped her head toward them. “Alicia, their mother, was a pianist. She loved music.”
