Spirit Magic

by Olivia Swift

  The week of the wedding arrived, and Magda suddenly knew that she was suffering from nerves. Sam confessed that he was terrified as well, and they held on to each other and told themselves that it would be all right on the day. The day before the wedding, the cats moved over to Sam’s house. Magda knew that she would have been lost without them, but Rula and her mom, Melissa, had come to stay until the wedding.

  On the day of wedding, the hair stylist was booked for very early in the morning. Both girls had their hair turned into a confection on top of their heads. Magda had a small and glittering hairpiece that matched her dress. Their makeup completed, Melissa held the dresses as they stepped into them.

  “Oh, my Lord,” Rula said. “I cannot cry with my eye makeup done. Look in the mirror, Magda.”

  Magda gasped when she saw herself in the dress and with her hair swept up. She had white heels that were not too high to walk sensibly in, and Rula looked a picture in the pink-and-plum bridesmaid outfit. Melissa turned them around and around until she was satisfied that there was nothing wrong. Then she answered the door to find Mikey all dressed and ready to drive Rula to the chapel.

  “Girls, you look stunning,” he said.

  “I’ll be waiting,” Rula called as she headed out for the car.

  “Take deep breaths,” Melissa told her. “Here is the stagecoach.”

  The stagecoach was not large, but it gleamed with polish, the silver on the reins shone brightly, and the driver up front was dressed as a cowboy. Her cousin came up the pathway to the house and stepped inside.

  “Wow, cousin. You are awesome.”

  “Not so bad yourself, Branston. The suits are perfect.”

  “You ready?” he asked, and when she nodded, offered his arm.

  “I’ll lock up and drive over,” Melissa said, and watched with a tear as the girl she had always treated like a second daughter climbed into her shining coach and drove off to her wedding.

  Chapter 19

  “Branston, I am terrified,” Magda whispered. He took her hand.

  “You are not trembling, but Sam is. Keep that thought in your head. He’s been waiting since you were fifteen for this day and now he’s weak at the knees.”

  She gave a little giggle and saw that there were folks waving at the stagecoach as it moved down the street. She waved back and started to relax.

  The little white chapel was set back from the main street and had a lovely garden outside. The minister had asked if they would like the ceremony outside and she had said yes, without thinking about it. As the coach stopped at the entrance, she saw with a gasp that it was beautiful. There was a table with flowers, decorations in the trees, and seats set out for the guests. She could see Sam standing at the front with the minister.

  The driver hurried around and opened the door, and Branston came around to help her down.

  “Here we go, cousin,” he murmured. “Enjoy yourself.”

  She took his arm as she heard the organist playing the tune that she had requested on the portable organ.

  “Thanks for doing this, Branston,” she said as they started to walk behind Rula.

  “Wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” he said. “Smile.”

  That did actually make her smile, and she saw Sam turn to see her walk toward him. His face was a picture, and as she knew him so well, she could tell he was in a state of shock.

  As they reached the minister and Sam, Branston stepped away.

  “I love you, Sam Barnes,” she whispered. It was what he needed to hear, and a smile spread across his face that would have outshone the sun.

  “You look good enough to eat,” he told her and took her hand.

  The minister put them at their ease as they went through the service, the guests making a brave attempt at the two hymns. They exchanged gold rings and swore to love and cherish each other until death did they part. The minister declared them husband and wife and told Sam that he could kiss the bride.

  That was when it became real for Magda. Sam Barnes kissed Magda Barnes and they walked together through the crowd of friends and family. Photographs were taken, and then Mr. and Mrs. Barnes climbed into the stagecoach and were swept off to Michele’s restaurant.

  Michele had done them proud and had sectioned off a private space from the regular tables. The décor was lovely with sparkling mirrors and lots of greenery.

  “Let me be the first to say congratulations, little one,” Michele greeted her and shook Sam by the hand. “You are the luckiest man in the country.”

  Sam nodded agreement and allowed Michele to place them, ready to greet everyone who arrived. It was just in time, because people started to move in and were greeted by Magda, Sam, Rula, and Declan in turn, then given a drink, and ushered to tables. Michele was always efficient.

  At last they made their way to the special table, and Magda saw the cake that Michele had told her was his wedding gift. It was covered in fondant roses and violets. She smiled.

  “The cake is superb, Michele. Thank you,” she told him as he held her chair. The staff went into a well-known routine that she knew was run with military precision. She could picture the scene in the kitchen because she had seen it in operation before. Michele did not brook mistakes or delay. Her starter was placed in front of her and the meal was underway.

  Each plate of food was a work of art. There were four courses of pure delight with drinks offered as well. The conversation flowed, and at last everyone sat back and waited for Declan to make his speech. He stood up, resplendent in the cream suit with the dark-plum shirt. By this time, the cream tie had been removed and the shirt was open at the neck. He had a sheet of paper in his hand and a drink in the other.

  “Up to you now,” Sam laughed. “Have another drink.”

  Declan shook his head. “I don’t want to be muddled.”

  As Declan stood, Sam banged on the table. The guests all stopped talking and waited expectantly. Declan said nothing, and Sam was starting to think about helping him out, when he smiled and dropped his papers. He looked across the room, and Magda followed his line of vision. There was nothing there that she could see.

  “Somebody we can’t see helping him out there, I think,” Magda whispered to Sam.

  “I am glad to talk to you today about my workmate, sometime boss, and good friend, Sam Barnes, and his wonderful new wife, Magda.” The audience were hanging on his words as he told several funny stories about the pickles that Sam had been in over several years of working together. There were gales of laughter and shout-outs to him to tell them more. He smiled and said that enough was enough. He told them about Magda and said that they had a cat connection. He had one or two stories that Magda knew he must have heard from Rula, and she grinned at her friend.

  He finished off by admitting that public speaking did not come easily to him, but his gift to the couple would be an enclosed cat play area that he knew Magda wanted for the cats, and which Sam was putting off building.

  “If the cats don’t like it, she can leave Sam in there,” he said to more laughter, and lifted his glass to make the toast. Everyone joined in the toast and wished them well. Declan collapsed onto his seat. Magda leaned across and told him he was fantastic as Sam filled Declan’s glass.

  They cut the beautiful cake and passed it around, but gradually the wonderful meal came to an end. Sam stood up and said that they were delighted everyone came, and all were welcome at the Panhandle Ranch for a hoedown in the evening.

  Sam and Magda stood up and made themselves available for folks to say their goodbyes, and almost all of them said they would be at the hoedown. The wedding party were left in the restaurant and Michele came out to wish them well.

  “You were a star as always, Michele. It was fabulous,” Magda told him.

  Sam had his own car and Mikey would take Rula. Declan said he was glad the speech part was over and would see them later. Branston and Merle were already on their way to organize the evening party. When Magda finally sat in the car with her h
usband, she let out a huge sigh of relief. He reached across and took her hand.

  “You look more beautiful than a movie star. You took away my breath, Magda. I’ll remember the way you looked for ever and ever.”

  “Well I have the most handsome husband in the world. Let’s go home and change into normal clothes. I adore this dress but would like to be in jeans again.”

  He laughed and drove away.

  The cats were delighted and stalked about in the extension as if it had been built especially for them. Abigail had claimed her look-out spot halfway up the spiral staircase but came daintily down when the treats appeared.

  “Do you think the cat area should be outside the doors from the kitchen?” Magda asked. “I had thought maybe the roof terrace, but that might be dangerous.”

  “That entrance from the kitchen would be good, because the doors could be open when it’s hot and the cats would be able to wander in and out,” Sam replied. “I’m glad Declan offered to do that.”

  “This dress is magical, but thank goodness I can wear denim and a checked shirt tonight,” Magda said and put the dress carefully away. “I guess the complicated hairstyle will have to come down as well, or the Stetson won’t fit.”

  Sam made coffee and they sank onto the couch and went over the day’s events.

  “Everything was just perfect,” Magda said. He took her in his arms and let his lips tell her how much he loved her. The cats came and joined them, and for several minutes there was peace and contentment . . . then Crystal looked at the cell phone.

  “Oh no,” Magda said. “Do not start today, you little villain.” The cell phone rang but there was nobody on the other end. Magda sighed and put down the phone. Crystal did what Magda had expected her to do and swiped it onto the floor. She bent to retrieve it and looked at the screen.

  “It’s the longboat again. I thought we had sorted that one out. There have been no signs of Utric or his gusts of wind since he found Racksha.”

  “It might well just be coincidence this time. Crystal knows she gets attention when she knocks things onto the floor,” Sam reasoned.

  Magda settled back into her husband’s arms and decided not to worry about it. They still had some time to recover from the wedding ceremony before getting changed into cowboy outfits.

  A while later, they were all ready for the evening event. “You sure make a handsome cowboy, Mr. Barnes,” Magda said, and thought that it was very true. Sam was tall, dark, and lean with long legs, and he moved with an easy grace that many a woman’s eyes appreciated.

  He twirled his wife under his arm. “Well, Calamity Jane,” he said. “You look good in anything, but the cowgirl skirt and jacket is just right.”

  I went mad and bought these jewelled boots,” she laughed. “Just couldn’t resist them.”

  “Let’s go and dance the night away,” he said.

  “I would like to know how big the settlement was that used to be here,” Sam said.

  “I wonder if they had hoedowns,” Magda grinned as they drew up beside the big barn. The fiddler could already be heard and other cars were dropping off people in cowboy gear into the car park. They found Merle sporting the dress of a saloon lady. She looked amazing.

  “That red satin dress is stunning,” Magda told her.

  “Thanks. We run these affairs and I have to keep a supply of outfits. The caterers have done well. Food is out there for folks to help themselves, and my own staff are running the bar.”

  Sam had already started to move around and talk to friends. Rula and Mikey came looking like something genuinely out of the wild west. Branston was strolling around with the huge Stetson hanging behind his shoulders and a jewelled, red shirt that you needed sunglasses to look at.

  Carrie Starling came over with a huge smile on her face.

  “I brought you a small gift,” she told Magda. “Maybe you can pop it in the car out of the way.”

  “What on earth is it?” Magda asked. “You really did not need to do this.” She unwrapped the parcel, as Carrie told her that she so much enjoyed the seances and being part of it, that she had to say thanks.

  “I do a bit of cross-stitch as a hobby,” Carrie told her, and Magda gasped as she let the material unfold and saw the picture.

  Merle was still with Magda and they held the wall hanging between them as Magda called for Sam.

  “Is something wrong?” he asked and Magda shook her head.

  “Look.” She and Merle held it up and he saw the cross-stitch needlepoint had a figure of a Viking warrior sewn into the design. Rula came to see what the rest were inspecting and was amazed as well.

  “How on earth did you do that, you clever woman?” Rula asked. Carrie was modest and confessed that the piece was already well on the way to completion when she changed the intended centerpiece for the Viking.

  “Genius,” Sam added.

  “You could do this professionally, Carrie. It is exquisite,” Merle said.

  “And,” Magda told them, “you won’t believe this, but Crystal just swiped the phone and showed us the longboat again.”

  Chapter 20

  Merle had run the dude ranch very successfully for quite a few years and they often had hoedowns. Branston had worked for her part time as a pony-trekking guide taking parties out on horseback. He loved the dressing up and playing at being a cowboy, but his horse-riding skills had always been excellent. Magda and he had learned to ride as children. She watched him talking to people in the room. She was glad he had come to work here full time as Merle’s manager. He obviously loved it.

  “And if I am not mistaken, he loves Merle as well,” she thought.

  As she watched the guests in the barn relaxing and enjoying themselves, her cousin leaped onto the stage at the end of the barn where the band was playing. He tapped

  the microphone and told them he was handing over to the best caller in the county.

  “Grab your partners folks, let your hair down, and swing around the floor,” he grinned and held his Stetson in the air and shouted. “Johnny boy is set to go. Kick up your heels and Do-si-do.” Then he gave the mike to the caller and jumped down from the stage. He and Merle went into their usual routine. She was waiting, and they held hands and sidestepped down the length of the barn, calling to everyone to join them.

  There was no hesitation as a throng of couples threw themselves into the dancing.

  “Come on,” Sam shouted and grabbed Magda by the hand. They went into the big circle and the dance progressed. The band played like crazy and everyone danced enthusiastically. Magda went from partner to partner and met Sam again at the end. They held hands and skipped down the archway of hands held in the air, separated again, and met up once more.

  The band was well versed in what was needed and stopped at the point where the dancers were glad to go and find a drink. Magda sat on one of the straw bales provided for seats around the sides of the barn and pulled Sam down beside her.

  “I thought I was up to that, but I definitely need a rest.”

  “I’ll get you a drink,” Sam said, and came back with a beer for himself and a wine for Magda. Rula and Mikey came over and joined them, followed by Katie and Declan. Rula nudged Merle as they saw that Josh had found himself a pretty girl to dance with.

  “Oh, it is so good to see everyone enjoying themselves,” Magda said. “Thank you, Merle and Branston, for laying this on. It is a perfect end to a perfect day.”

  “I think it is the best wedding I have ever been to,” Katie added.

  “We have the best friends in the world,” Sam joined in and grinned. “My wife and I are very lucky.”

  That brought chuckles, and Magda told them that Crystal had been up to her tricks again with the picture of the longboat.

  “Oh, no,” Merle said. “I thought we had gotten that all taken care of.”

  The band finished another fast and furious dance number and then calmed the pace down with some slower music. Josh came to join everybody and leaned over his a
unt to whisper in her ear. She looked across at Magda.

  “Josh says that he keeps getting that feeling of water of some sort. The same feeling he got when we thought the longboat was the key.”

  “Maybe Crystal did know something, after all,” Magda said. “Nothing we can do about it, though.”

  “True,” Sam said. “I quite enjoy this slow and smoochy dance with my wife,” and pulled her to her feet. The others stood up to follow suit. Sam wrapped his arms around her and didn’t actually dance very much. As they stepped around, Magda saw that Carrie Starling had just come in the door and was watching the dancers. Carrie was looking at something above the fiddler’s head. Then all around the band, Magda noticed a pattern of light.

  “Sam, look,” she whispered and they stood still and saw another couple in a trail of golden light, holding hands and dancing together. It started above the band and moved around. It could have been something projected onto the wall from a high-tech computer. The trail looked like the tail of a comet and made patterns in the air. It swooped up and down and made patterns like the waves of the ocean. The Viking and his blonde warrior wife were barely visible but if you knew who they were, they were unmistakable. Their arms were twined around each other and both had long, flowing, blonde hair that merged into the light patterns and seemed to be part of it. The apparition floated down to the dance floor and moved across to Sam and Magda, followed by the trail of light. It circled them several times and the warm wind that was the signature of Utric swirled around them both.

  “Thank you,” Magda whispered.

  Then it swirled once around Rula and Mikey and blew a warm breeze over Merle and Branston. Josh was heading toward Carrie Starling when the light made a circle around him and he stood stock still and held out his hands to Carrie. She took them, and the Viking couple in the beam of light, twirled them around and around—and then with one magnificent sweep of the room—the dancing vision disappeared out the door.