“That is a badly-trained parrot, Lady Viola,” Lady Hightower pointed out. “If one wishes one’s parrot to request almonds, one ought to teach it to say almonds.”
Viola, Cordelia, and Juliet all nodded sadly. Miss Mayton just shrugged.
“We acquired him only recently from a certain Mr. Ladle,” Viola said. “Chester was his wife’s dear bird and when she died Mr. Ladle was trying to sell poor Chester at an inn. Upon becoming acquainted with Mr. Ladle, we fear poor Mrs. Ladle did not have a happy life.”
“And so you purchased the bird,” Lady Hightower said, seeming a bit softened toward Chester.
“We paid nothing, Lady Hightower,” Juliet said. “We told Mr. Ladle that it was certain that Mrs. Ladle and God were watching his shameful behavior from heaven and were disgusted.”
Viola wondered if Juliet ought to have been so bold, but not for long.
Lady Hightower roared with laughter. “Oh, that is good. Mr. Ladle is no doubt creeping through life now, eyes darting everywhere.”
Cordelia nodded gravely. “We hope so, Lady Hightower,” she said.
The lady recovered herself and said, “Well, you Bennington girls do keep one on one’s toes. Though, Lady Viola, perhaps thetonis a little too much on its toes regarding you just now.”
“The rumor that’s gone round,” Viola said. “It is not true, though. A tinker’s boy asked me to run off to Gretna Green and I declined.”
She paused. Then she said, “Eventhatis not true, though it was the story I told. The real truth was he winked at me as he passed by and I thought myself very much in love. I did have some idea that were he to ask me, I would marry him.”
“I advise that you do not send that clarification round,” Lady Hightower said.
“Viola,” Cordelia said, “you keep leaving out the most important point. You were only eight years old, and he was just as young.”
“Eight?” Lady Hightower said, seeming taken aback. “You were a young child? Gracious, that makes all the difference in the world. Who of us has not had some fantastical romantic idea at that age? I used to make eyes at a poor footman and even swore to my father I would run off with him when I was of age.”
“Was he very handsome, then, Lady Hightower?” Miss Mayton asked.
Lady Hightower seemed surprised by the question. “I hardly remember, Miss Mayton, as my father sent the poor fellow to work for a cousin. I would also say that is neither here nor there. The point is, we must send the real facts of the case round theton, chasing this ridiculous story that is currently on wagging tongues.”
“Can that be done?” Viola asked.
“Anything can be done, my dear, when one puts one’s mind to it.”
“I wonder who will even listen to me,” Viola said. “I suppose you are not aware—more than a few of my invitations have been rescinded.”
“I guessed that would be the case. Hostesses in this town are a bunch of jumpy rabbits afraid of their own shadows. No, Lady Viola, I do not expect anybody to listen toyou. I expect them to listen to the oldest bat in the rafters.”
“Who is the oldest bat in the rafter?” Cordelia asked, eyes wide.
“I am.”
“What shall you say?” Juliet said, leaning forward, chin in hand.
Before Lady Hightower could expound on what the oldest bat in the rafters planned to say to the jumpy rabbit hostesses, Tattleton opened the door once more.
“Please excuse the interruption, Lady Viola. Lady Hightower, my apologies. A footman who refuses to say where he is from has come with a package he insists must be handed to Lady Viola directly. I have threatened to fetch a magistrate, but he is quite obstinate. I thought I’d better check before forcibly throwing him to the road, in case there was something in it I did not understand.”
Viola was entirely perplexed. Why would a footman turn up and refuse to say where he’d come from? What did he bring?
“You are Mr…” Lady Hightower said, looking enquiringly at Tattleton.
“Mr. Tattleton, my lady,” the butler said, appearing very honored to be asked.
“Excellent. Mr. Tattleton, show this young man in.” To Viola, she said, “If this is some sort of jest or meanspirited delivery, I will beat the name of his employer out of him.”
She rapped her cane on the carpet and Viola presumed they were all to know that would be her preferred weapon if it came to a beating.
