Tallie woke up the next morning with swollen eyes. She was grateful to be all cried out, but still felt miserable. She had hoped to spend the month with Archie, walking on the beach and reminding him of her love for him. She wanted to congratulate him over and over on his book and buy copies for everyone she knew, but instead she decided to leave Outlandish without seeing Archie at all. She knew she was giving in to her fear. She also knew there was a small chance she was wrong about things, but above all, she was afraid of being rejected.
Ultimately what helped her make this decision to leave was her love for Archie. Everything was going so well for him, and she didn’t want to taint his joy by asking him to think of her, especially when his affections seemed to have been transferred to the one who had made his dream of becoming an author come true.
She made the decision to go back to Portland and write to him in a couple of weeks. She wouldn’t mention she’d been in Outlandish. She wanted to do everything in her power to let him off the hook. She knew it wasn’t his fault. She reminded herself over and over again that she was the one who left. She had subjected both of them to the possibility of finding someone else.
She called her mom’s friend, Patrice, to see if she could spend at least some of the holiday with her. She knew it would be too hard to be alone, especially considering the circumstances.
Tallie made a plan to leave Outlandish the next day. She was so tired from her long trip that the thought of getting back on an airplane without at least a day to recover sounded like more than she could handle. Of course, being in Outlandish, and apparently staying in the same hotel as Sybil, she would have to be careful. She knew there was a big risk of running into Archie and his parents if she left the hotel, but she also knew part of recovering from her trip would require she spend some time outdoors, so when she went out to get lunch, she wore a low hat and quickly scanned the area before stepping outside.
After purchasing her pretzel and latte, she sat down by the fountain to eat. She couldn’t help but wish Outlandish were her own hometown. Not only was it a charming place with so many unique things to see and places to go, but she had also built some wonderful memories she would never forget. Everywhere she looked reminded her of Archie.
When she was finished eating her pretzel, she decided to take a stroll on the beach, but when she stood up to throw her wrapper away, she saw Luke Pindabrook walking toward the fountain. She had only met him a couple of times and didn’t expect him to recognize her, but she felt her heart go into a panic when he seemed to quicken his pace toward her.
When he was close enough, he said, “Hello,” but she didn’t respond. She just turned to walk away.
He hollered “Hey! Tallie, is that you?”
She pretended she didn’t hear him and kept walking. She had no idea where she would go, but she really hoped he wouldn’t follow her.
When she had walked all the way out of the circle and into a little neighborhood, she finally looked back and was very glad to see he wasn’t behind her. She sat on a curb and finished her coffee hoping he would be gone when she returned to the hotel.
It was the day of Archie’s book release, and he was attending his very first book signing. It took place at the dinner theater, and a surprisingly large number of the residents of Outlandish stood in two lines. One line was for those purchasing Archie’s book. The other was for those waiting to have their book signed. Because everyone wanted to talk to Archie, the line that he was at the end of was longer and moving much slower.
The theater was decorated with a colorful display of umbrellas, because Archie’s publisher thought it represented the book’s theme in an appropriately fun way, and Archie sat underneath an extra-large, orange umbrella with the title of his book printed on it. While Archie certainly wasn’t comfortable with all the attention, he was enjoying himself. Sybil didn’t sit with him, but instead walked around visiting with the people who came to see Archie.
Flavors of the Earth catered the event with a beautiful display of hors d’oeuvres, so people also stood around in little groups eating while they visited with each other. Albert and Annella were proud of their son’s achievements and moved around the room thanking people for coming and sharing this special day with them.
Luke had already come by to support Archie and had secured his own copy of Archie Underneath, so Archie was surprised to see Luke walk back into the theater. Luke, of course, had come back to tell Archie about Tallie, but every time he leaned over to talk to him, someone would step up and steal his attention, so Luke would step back and wait. This happened over and over again.
Sybil watched this from the other side of the room for a little while and eventually came to Archie’s rescue. “May I help you with something?” Sybil asked Luke.
Luke said, “Oh, I was just waiting to talk to Arch.”
“Would it be too much trouble for you to wait in line? I would hate to upset those who have been waiting.”
“I waited in line earlier. I just had something kind of important to tell him, so I was hoping I could grab his attention for a minute.”
“Are you a friend of Archibald’s?”
“Yeah, we’ve been friends since we were . . .” Luke put his hand out to show that they’d been friends since they were little.
“Oh, how nice,” she said with a warm smile. She put her hand out. “I’m Sybil Schofield, Archibald’s agent.”
Luke shook her hand. “I should have known! He told me his agent was from England.”
“Yes, Doncaster. I moved to San Francisco about a year ago.”
Luke pointed at Archie. “You’re very lucky to be working with that guy right there. He’s been telling me stories my whole life. He was definitely meant for this.”
“You wouldn’t happen to be the friend he mentioned in the book, would you?”
“Of course I am,” he said.
He walked over to a table and picked up a book. He opened it to the illustration of Archie and his black-haired friend, and held it next to his face. Lifting his chin he said, “See the resemblance?”
Sybil laughed. “Actually, I do!”
“I still think he should’ve used my name so there would be no doubt.”
“We talked about that! He tried to use your name, but it just didn’t fit with the text. At least he didn’t change your name to fit the text better. He did consider it.”
“You’re kidding . . .”
“Yes, actually I am kidding.
“So you’re Luke then?”
Luke offered his hand. “Yes. Luke Pindabrook.”
“What do you do, Luke?”
Luke smiled. “Magic. My family performs on the beach and in the dinner theater.”
“Oh, that’s right. Archibald told me. I’ve seen your family perform from a distance, but just haven’t had the opportunity to actually watch the show yet. When do you perform next?”
“Today at four,” he said. “In fact, every day at four, and Saturday evenings, right here in the theater.”
“Well, I’m going to come and see you today. It will be a nice little break from all of this book business.” She smiled a little sheepishly and said, “Not that I don’t love the book business, but this was one of those deals that went really fast and it’s completely done me in. A magic show is just what I need.”
“How about I pull you in as a volunteer. Are you up for that?” Luke asked.
“Sure! What do I have to do?”
“Just follow my lead.”
“Oh no. Is that all I get?”
“When we put the tent over your head and begin throwing things at you, you just say things like, ‘Ouch! Stop!’”
“Oh no. That sounds a little dodgy.”
“I promise, it’ll all be in good fun, and you’ll come out looking just as attractive.”
Sybil raised her eyebrows at his compliment.
Luke went on. “Do you eat? Because if you do, we could have dinner after the show.”
“Actually, I quite like eating and that does sound lovely.”
“Yes, lovely,” Luke said teasingly in a mock British accent, but Sybil didn’t catch his meaning and looked at him blankly.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “This English accent of yours is killing me. I mean . . . I really love it. You sound a lot like Mrs. P.”
Sybil laughed. “Mrs. P? Archie’s mum?”
“Yeah. I’ve called them Mr. and Mrs. P. since I was a kid.”
“They’re wonderful people,” said Sybil. “And it’s been great meeting another Englishwoman in America.” Realizing she’d been distracted much too long, she said, “You know, I really should be getting back to Archibald’s guests.”
“Oh, sure,” Luke said taking a step backward. “I need to get ready for the show anyway.”
“Cheerio!” she said before turning to leave.
Luke smiled and said in a mock accent, “Cheerio!”
Sybil shook her head at his teasing.
“Sorry,” he said walking away, completely forgetting why he’d come to see Archie, “I can’t help myself!”
At four o’clock Archie went home exhausted after the book signing. Knowing he had some long days ahead of him with the upcoming book tour, he decided to take a nap. Sybil, on the other hand, suddenly energized by meeting a certain dark-haired magician, went straight to the beach to catch the magic show.
Not only was Sybil captivated by the show but was also quickly becoming charmed by Luke Pindabrook, whom she found glancing her direction many times during the performance. About halfway through the show, Jeremiah Pindabrook, Luke’s father, asked for a volunteer from the audience. Luke, decked out in his show clothes, walked in the sand through the small crowd in search of his volunteer. About half of the crowd stood for the show, and the other half sat in the chairs. Luke walked between the people and around the chairs and eventually made his way back to the front row where Sybil was sitting. When he put his hand out to her, she took it and let him lead her up front.
While she usually liked attention, she suddenly found herself a little shy and said quietly, “I changed my mind. Fetch another volunteer.”
Luke, used to crowds and loving attention, couldn’t imagine not enjoying being up front, so he really was unsympathetic to her plea and only shook his head. “You’ll be fine.”
“That’s rubbish,” she whispered with a half terrified smile.
Once in front, Luke announced, “People of Outlandish, let me introduce you to the Englishwoman from . . .” He whispered, “Where is it you’re from?”
“Doncaster,” she whispered a little impatiently.
“Oh yes. People of Outlandish, let me introduce you to Sybil, the Englishwoman from Doncaster!”
She turned red and smiled as the crowd clapped for her.
“Sybil from Doncaster has informed me she doesn’t really want to be up here, so I’m going to make it easy for her.”
Two of Luke’s brothers brought over a seven-foot long, lightweight, tubular tent. They walked around revealing the hollow construction to the audience.
Luke announced to Sybil as well as the audience, “Sybil of Doncaster, please, do not move. Stand very . . . very still.” He then whispered in Sybil’s ear, “Remember what I told you to do.”
Sybil froze and his brothers put the tent over the top of Sybil so that all the crowd could see was the covering.
“Does that make it easier to be up here?” he hollered from outside the covering.
“Yes. Thank you,” came her muffled voice.
Luke said to the audience in a British accent, “Sybil said yes, thank you.”
The crowd laughed at him.
At least eight of the members of the Pindabrook family surrounded the narrow tent and began throwing random items over the top. A banana went in as well as a telephone, a small suitcase, a pair of shoes, and many other random items.
From inside the tent, came little noises of discomfort.
“Oh!”
“Ouch!”
“Stop that!”
The crowd oohed and awed and put their hands to their mouths.
Eventually, when at least fifteen items had been thrown into the tent, Luke said, “Sybil from Doncaster, are you well?”
“Yes . . . yes, I believe so!”
“Are you ready to be set free from the tent?”
“Please.”
“What is that, Sybil of Doncaster?”
“I said, yes! Please!”
Quickly and dramatically, Luke and a brother grabbed a hold of the tent and threw it off of Sybil. Sybil stood there smiling, deciding she liked volunteering after all, and the audience broke out in applause because not only was Sybil perfectly fine (after being pelted with the likes of fruit and telephones), but there was not one item inside the tent with her. Everything had disappeared.
Luke showed the audience the open ends of the tent and said in his best British accent, “The British are known to eat some pretty unusual things.”
The crowd roared with laughter, as did Sybil from Doncaster.
After the show was over, Luke hurried over to Sybil. “So how did you like the show?”
“I loved it! Your family is fantastic! But I must know . . . that little trick you did with me in the tent. How did you do it?”
“Ah, I cannot tell you. I’m sworn to secrecy. Family pact.”
“That hardly seems fair. I didn’t even get to see it.”
Luke said, “Then you’ll just have to come to the next show and see if you can figure it out.”
Sybil narrowed her eyes. “Hm.”
“Let me just run home to change before we go to dinner. Meet you back here in fifteen minutes?”
“You must live close!” she replied.
“Yeah, that’s our house over there,” Luke said pointing to a house so large it looked like a five-star hotel.
“Goodness! You live in that mansion?”
“Well, there are eighteen of us.”
“I thought Archibald said there were fourteen children. Wouldn’t that make sixteen of you?”
“Yes, it would, but two of my brothers are married and their wives live with us now.”
“Oh, well, they might as well, as gigantic as that house is.”
“The more, the merrier,” he said through laughter.
“Do their wives perform with you?” Sybil asked. “I don’t think I saw them up there today. Did I?”
“No, but they might someday. It takes a while to learn the ropes. The rest of us have been at it our whole lives.”
Sybil shook her head. “I don’t think I could ever learn it. It’s truly an art form.”
“I’d like to think so,” Luke said with a large smile.
“Well, it was a brilliant show. No wonder you’re so popular around here.”
“Thank you,” he said. “We have ourselves a lot of fun, but it’s a lot of work keeping it interesting. We have to change the show twice a year, and that means coming up with a lot of new material. But it’s what the Pindabrooks do!”
“Well, you do it very well.”
“Thank you,” he said, tipping his ragged top hat. “I’ll hurry!”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be here,” she said, waving him off.
Even with the commotion of the crowd behind her, Sybil was lost in thought. She knew she was feeling something she’d never felt before, and she suspected she was quickly falling for Luke Pindabrook.