Sky Pirates

Chapter 50

"Well, Mr. Willoughby. I must apologize, but I do not know where Cole has gone off to. May I offer you a glass of wine in the parlor while we wait for him?" Mildred was put out. She had wanted to spend time in her garden. She had wanted to practice the piano. She had wanted to accomplish a great many different activities that afternoon. Instead, she'd spent her time showing Mr. Willoughby the grounds of the manor. She had tried to engage him in conversations about her father and Indonesia, but he was a man, while charming to look at, who spoke very few words. She wanted desperately to read the letter of introduction, but that would have to wait until after her brother's return. Mildred considered that Cole might not show her the letter at all, but with two-thousand six-hundred and fifty-five favors due to her from him, including fixing the clock and the mechanical horse, she had decided that if he wouldn't show her the letter that she would call in one of her many chits.

"I do not drink wine, Miss Greene." He eyed the girl suspiciously.

"Then," Mildred thought for a moment. "Tea perhaps? Or coffee?"

"A strong cup of coffee would be nice."

Mildred pulled the knob that rang the servants. She watched Mr. Willoughby as he made the rounds of the parlor, considering perhaps that he would be more comfortable in her father's study. But, that was not a room she was comfortable in and, since she didn't know this man, Mildred had decided it best to stay with him while he was in the house.

A servant girl arrived and Mildred, in a quiet whisper, requested coffee and some sweets. She took advantage of the conversation to tell the girl that there would be three for dinner.

"Do you play, Miss Greene?" Mr. Willoughby caressed the grand pianoforte.

"I do." It felt good to give a short answer, even if it also felt rude.

Was it a request for her to play, Mildred wondered? Or, perhaps he played. She realized that with short answers came a great many other questions and a greater desire for answers. "Do you play, Mr. Willoughby?"

Roland Willoughby further molested the piano with his touch. He didn't look at Mildred, seemingly lost in his thoughts. "My mother played. She was a wonderful pianist. She wanted to be on the stage, but her father wouldn't allow it."

Mildred wanted to ask questions about his mother. She liked to ask others about their mothers, hoping to gain insight into what people thought of them, what these women who cared for children were like, and to better form the image she had been creating her whole life of what her mother would have been like, how she would have treated her and acted toward her, had she been alive. But, knowing it wasn't proper to probe in such ways, or feeling uncertain if it would be acceptable with a stranger to quiz him, she kept silent for a long moment to see if he would say more. It also bothered her that he hadn't answered the question she had asked.

The girl entered the room with a silver tray containing a pot of coffee, cups, sugar, cream, and a small selection of sweets.

Mildred indicated that she should place her burden on the table with a quick flick of her wrist. She was learning the ways of a woman's world from Mrs. Wickliffe and enjoyed trying them out. Each new gesture, such as this flick of her wrist, brought her joy and astonishment when they worked, as so many of the actions had.

"I'll serve," she said to the girl, and dismissed her with another hand gesture. She'd seen the sheep herders offering similar hand motions to their dogs and felt both dismay and excitement that the motions she produced created successful results with her servants. "How do you enjoy your coffee, Mr. Willoughby?"

The man took a long moment to answer, as he continued to fondle the piano. "Black," he finally said, still without giving Mildred any attention.

She poured two cups of coffee; into hers she added a considerable amount of sugar and milk. Mildred picked up Mr. Willoughby's cup and took it to him at the piano. He turned and took it from her, not tasting it. He moved to the stack of music in the cabinet next to the piano, placed his cup on top of the cupboard, and removed several books of music and thumbed through them.