Sky Pirates

Chapter 22

"More peas, Edith," Gladys Wickliffe asked her daughter.

"No, Mother," said the young woman. "So, Father, tell us more."

Mr. Wickliffe looked from his daughter's sparkling eyes to his son's, who was looking more and more like him each day. "Well, the house is simply lovely, as I said. There are plants, paintings, and sculptures everywhere you turn. The young woman, Miss Greene, is a lovely pianist, although her technique is lacking, but we'll take care of that."

"I bet you will, Father. My knuckles are still sore after our last lesson together." Edith wrung her hands and offered her father a knowing wink.

"Don't tease so, Edith," chastised Mrs. Wickliffe.

"And, you there, you met the boy. What's he like?" Edith turned her full attention toward her brother.

"Rather standoffish. It isn't that he was rude exactly, but I do find it disconcerting when a man doesn't look you in the eye when he speaks to you," said Horatio as he pushed his face close to his sister's until their foreheads touched. That made Edith burst into fits of laughter.

The serving maid entered the room and paused at the scene.

"Mary, Mary, please take these plates and bring us the pudding, if you wouldn't mind," said Mrs. Wickliffe in her singsong voice.

"Yes, Mrs. Wickliffe," said the girl with a nod and a quick curtsey.

"Now, now. Please, call me Gladys. I've yet to grow comfortable with all these airs. I'm simply the vicar's wife, not the Queen herself."

The maid curtsied as she took away the plates.

Mrs. Wickliffe waited for the girl to leave the room, straining her neck to be sure she was out of earshot, before speaking in a conspiratorial whisper. "How they must live, the Parkers. All this 'Yes, Miss' and 'No, Miss' all the time."

The girl returned with a small cake that had already been sliced.

"Just one piece for me," announced Gladys to the table. "And, only one slice for Mr. Wickliffe, too."

Everyone at the table grew silent until the girl again left the room.

"Mother, you mustn't poke fun at the girl, or the Parker family for that matter. I just know that Mildred and I will be great, good friends. Horatio and Cole Parker, too. So, we must be very kind in all we say not only to them, but about them." Edith had more to say. She bent her head into the table and whispered, "Especially since our servants are on loan from them. Who knows what tales they'll be traipsing back with?"

All at the table nodded in agreement that they would always be kind when they spoke to or about the Parkers.

"So, tell me more, dear brother. Is Cole Parker very handsome? Will he make some woman a good husband?"

"You mean a good husband for you, don't you dear sister?"

"Heavens no!" she shrieked which delighted her brother.

Horatio reached across his sister and took up the plate of cake, helping himself to two more slices. "I can't tell you what sort of husband he will or won't make. But, I would say he is good looking. A bit shorter than me." Horatio indicated Cole's height with his fork. "But then, who isn't shorter than me?" He raised his fork to the top of his head.

"Stop talking with your utensils, Horatio," chided his mother. "There's little a man can do about his height."

"His hair is gold, not yellow, but gold. And, his eyes are green. He keeps himself clean shaven. Although, he does dress like a common farmhand instead of the son of a Lord."

"He's the nephew of a Lord," corrected Mr. Wickliffe.

"Looks, schmooks. What is he like?" insisted Edith, ignoring her father.

"Well, as I said, he didn't really say much to me. He was covered in grease because of something he was doing to their big, tower clock. Mr. Greene seemed rather preoccupied with that task. I did offer to assist—"

"You, get your hands dirty. How absurd!" chimed Edith.

Horatio continued as if his sister hadn't spoken: "...even though he could easily tell I had no interest in such an occupation."

"Father, you must take me there to call on them. You know I must be properly introduced before I can venture there on my own."

"Miss Canton has invited us there for dinner tomorrow evening. We shall all dress in our finest and be on our best behavior. After that, well, only the Lord himself knows what may occur." Mr. Wickliffe poured more wine into his wife's glass and then into his own as well.

"Edgar, you areright. Your father is always right, isn't he children?" Gladys patted herhusband's hand. Neither of the children responded.

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