Page 25 of Simon Says

“Three pounds.”

The fae laughed then shouted over his shoulder, “Says he’ll give ye three pounds.” He listened then said, “Ten,” to Simon.

Simon looked at his wallet again. He had almost two hundred pounds, but didn’t want to appear to be a pushover. “Five.”

The fae opened the door wide. “Come in. We’re happy to have you for dinner.”

Simon nodded and stepped inside. The house was simple, but clean and cozy. Two more Border Collies came to greet him like he was an old friend.

“This way,” the man said as he walked away. “I’m Angus.”

In just a few steps they arrived in the kitchen. It was the largest room in the house, with a roughhewn dining table in the center of the room, already set for three.

“’Tis Colleen,” he said, motioning to a much younger fae. “My daughter. Visitin’ from king’s town she is.”

Colleen smiled. “From Edinburgh is what he means.” She was fresh-faced and pretty. A strawberry blonde with freckles on her nose, but she had a city girl’s sophisticated air.

“Do no’ normally eat like this,” the fae said. “You happened by on the right evenin’. No’ so much for cookin’ myself. But my lass is a famous chef in the city.”

She shook her head. “I’m only famous in his own mind. I do work as a chef, but ’tis where the similarity to the truth ends. With my da you’ll find there’s frequently a discrepancy between the truth and his version of it. And, by the way, he was just kiddin’ about chargin’ you for dinner,” she said.

Simon looked at Angus. “He was?”

“O’ course.”

Angus laughed like he’d pulled off the best practical joke imaginable.

They chatted amiably during dinner, a repast Simon would be unlikely to forget.

“Colleen, if your father is wrong about you being famous, it’s only because he’s a visionary ahead of his time. You surely will be. Because this is marvelous.”

She blushed a charming and sincerely humble pink. “Thank you.”

“Where did you get the buffalo?” Simon asked.

“Neighbor of mine raises them. Gave it in trade for puppies.” Angus pointed behind him with a thumb. “Just had a litter divided up. This is the mama lookin’ a little lost.” One of the dogs ran over to Angus and seemed to commune with him silently while he cupped the bridge of her nose affectionately.

“I’d like to ask about your sheep. They’re quite large.”

Angus looked confused. “Large? I’ve no’ noticed they’re particularly larger than other sheep.” He gave Colleen a pointed look like he was confused by the question.

“What do you think happened to your friends?” Colleen asked.

“Probably just a misunderstanding about where we were to meet,” Simon replied without missing a beat.

“I’m headed back tomorrow,” Colleen said. “I can give you a ride as far as Edinburgh if you like.”

“That’s very kind of you,” Simon said.

“You can sleep on that sofa over there,” Angus said. “I’ll throw you a blanket.”

“That’s even kinder of you,” Simon said before pulling out his phone. “I’m not getting cell service. Do you have phone service here?”

Colleen held out her hand, asking to see the phone. “I’ve ne’er seen one like this,” she said.

“You haven’t?” he asked, thinking that his phone was the most popular brand on the market.

Even before she produced the brick-sized phone she called her ‘portable’, Simon was starting to put it together.

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