Lord Denderby paused, as if searching his memory for the recollection of what was gone. “Yes! Yes, that is what it was. An exceedingly large pineapple. It seems someone has made off with it.”
“If it was large,” Lord Rustmont said, “I do not imagine they will get far with it. Rather hard to hide.”
“Who knows what people get up to, though,” Lord Denderby said. “How should I know what happened to it!”
Felicity thought Lord Denderby was exceedingly upset by the missing pineapple. After all, it was nothispineapple that had gone missing.
“I will alert Lady Jellerbey,” Lord Rustmont said. “I need to find her and pay my respects in any case.”
“Don’t tell her!” Lord Denderby cried. “You’ll only upset the lady! It would be very cruel.”
“What do you propose, then?” Lord Rustmont asked.
“Perhaps we ought to search for it?” Felicity ventured.
“Yes!” Lord Denderby practically shouted. He pointed at Felicity. “She knows what’s what. We’ll just have a look round. Who knows, maybe somebody hid it behind a pair of curtains!”
“Good luck to you,” the duke said. “For myself, I’ll pour a glass of brandy and find a comfortable chair. Let me know if you track down that spectacular pineapple—I’ll be up out of my seat like a shot.”
The duke sauntered off, leaving the rest of the party staring at one another. Felicity supposed nobody really knew how to start a search for a missing pineapple.
Lady Denderby hurried into the room. “Ah, there you are,” she said to the viscount. Seeming to notice that something had occurred, she looked enquiringly at Mr. Stratton.
“We are poised to begin searching for a missing pineapple, Mother,” Mr. Stratton said. “Father saw one on the sideboard, a large one mind you, and now it is mysteriously gone.”
“Goodness,” the viscountess said. “Perhaps we ought to inform Lady Jellerbey.”
“Everybody stop talking about informing Lady Jellerbey!” the viscount said.
“I propose we split up and go from room to room,” Mr. Stratton said. “I will insist, of course, on keeping Lady Felicity on my arm.”
Felicity thought that was a very good turn of phrase. She glanced at Lord Rustmont to see how he was affected by it.
She could not read his expression. It seemed to be ever changing, bit by bit, though very subtle. She began to think he was a very deep personality.
Lord Rustmont turned to Lord Denderby. “You are certain you saw a pineapple?”
“Of course I am certain—I am not blind!”
Lord Rustmont sighed. “Very well.” He turned on his heel and strode out.
“Let us follow,” Felicity whispered to Mr. Stratton.
Mr. Stratton nodded and they set off. As they reentered the hall, Lord Rustmont had disappeared. Felicity did not know which direction he’d gone.
In a low tone, Mr. Stratton said, “You do realize there is no pineapple?”
“There is no pineapple?” she asked, turning to him.
“No pineapple,” Mr. Stratton said laughing. “My father used the interesting item on the sideboard gambit to lure me away from your side. Then of course he had to invent something. He leapt at your suggestion of a pineapple like a man lunging toward a life ring.”
“Gracious,” Felicity said. “That sounds like something my father would do. He will be very amused by it. But wait, why shouldyourfather be intent on dragging you away from my side?”
“He does not care for any madness in the family,” Mr. Stratton said.
Madness? What on earth was he saying? “I am sorry, do please explain that point,” Felicity said, her temper beginning to rise.
“Well,youknow,” Mr. Stratton said, as if it hardly need be explained. “Your father, then you having that fit on the ballroom floor. He’s got ideas from it, that’s all.”
