The man led us through the tables toward the head table. As we passed by the fountain, I noticed the round man I’d bumped into earlier seated next to a plump, gray-haired woman in a frothy peach dress much too young for her.
“Excuse me,” I said to the maître d'. “Who is that couple over there?”
The maître d' slid a side-ways glance at the couple. “Ah. That is Sir Eustace Scrubbs and his wife, Lady Scrubbs.”
“Thank you.” I had never heard of Sir Eustace Scrubbs or his wife, nor had I seen them at any society functions. I determined to ask Aunt Butty about them when we had a moment to ourselves. I couldn’t say why I was so curious, but I was. Something just felt a bit off about Sir Eustace.
At last we arrived to be greeted by Captain Blancart who introduced us around the table. “Perhaps you know the Comtesse de Angouleme.”
Aunt Butty gave the older woman a stiff nod. “Antonia.”
The Comtesse sniffed. “Mrs. Trent.”
Aunt Butty’s eyes narrowed and I was half afraid there’d be a brawl right then and there, but the Captain, being a man of vast intelligence, quickly moved on. “Mr. Virgil Brightwell and his son, Mr. Alexander Brightwell, hailing from Texas.”
“How do, ladies?” Mr. Alexander Brightwell was around Aunt Butty’s age, dressed in a western style suit with a string bowtie. I’d bet anything he had cowboy boots on under the table. His son was a few years younger than myself, and dressed with a great deal less...character.
“And finally,” the Captain turned to the young couple at the table, “Mr. and Mrs. Geisel from New York.”
Mr. Geisel had thick, black eyebrows and a rather prominent nose. Mrs. Geisel had short, dark hair and a wide smile. I was seated next to her, with Aunt Butty seated next to Mr. Geisel.
“I’m sorry,” Mrs. Geisel said softy, “but I take it Mrs. Trent isn’t your name?”
“I prefer Lady Lucas,” Aunt Butty said. “But you can call me Butty. Everyone does.”
“And I’m Helen,” Mrs. Geisel offered.
“I prefer to be called ‘Dr. Seuss,’” Mr. Geisel said.
Aunt Butty frowned. “Zeus? Like the Greek god? Oh, I love Greece. When I was in my twenties I met this gorgeous Greek man—”
“No, Aunt Butty,” I interrupted whatever inappropriate story she was about to launch. “It’s ‘Sousa’ — like the American composer.”
Dr. Seuss grimaced. “No, no... just Seuss.”
Aunt Butty laughed. “Oh, we must seem like children who need you to spell that out for us with pictures.”
“Funny you should say that,” Helen said. “Theodor is quite the artist.”
“I draw cartoons, dear,” he said dryly.
“Still, that’s very artistic,” Aunt Butty said generously. “I couldn’t draw a straight line to save my life!”
“Are you travelling to France?” I asked Helen.
“Of course, they’re travelling to France, Ophelia,” Aunt Butty laughed. “We’re all travelling to France.”
I rolled my eyes. “I mean, what is your final stop?”
Helen grinned. “We’re going to travel all over France. That’s the plan, isn’t it, Theodor? We adore exploring new countries.”
“Yes, dear,” Dr. Seuss agreed. “We’ve been to, what? A dozen so far?”
“I’d have to count, but something like that,” Helen agreed. “I can’t wait to drink real French wine in a real French vineyard!”
While Aunt Butty and Helen espoused the virtues of French wine versus Italian wine, I took a moment to address Mr. Alexander Brightwell, who was seated on my left. He was a reasonably handsome young man in a bland, pasty sort of way, as if the colorfulness of the father had been leached right out of the sun, leaving behind a shadow. A pale imitation.
“So, you’re from Texas?” I asked.
“Yes. My father has a small ranch there.”
My guess was that as he was sailing on the Ile de France and seated at the Captain’s table, it was more than a small ranch. “Do you work there also? On the ranch, I mean?”
He didn’t look the sort. His skin was too pale, his suit too neat, and his hands too soft.
“Oh, no, my father wanted me to do something more with my life. I just finished my law degree. And before I sit for the bar exam, my father decided I needed a little reward. Hence this trip to Europe.” He didn’t seem excited.
Frankly, I’d have given my eyeteeth for a chance to tour Europe, but my father wasn’t the sort to do such a thing, even if he’d had the money. And even though Aunt Butty had and would have gladly taken me wherever I wished to go, by the time she’d rescued me from a life of drudgery at the vicarage, it wasn’t long before we were at war and travel was no longer an option.
Since I doubted the younger Mr. Brightwell would appreciate a lecture from me on thankfulness, I murmured something vague and then turned my attention elsewhere. People watching was a favored pastime of mine. I find them so fascinating. What makes them tick. Why one person ends up with another. My mother used to say I had an overactive imagination. I don’t think there’s any such thing.
From where I sat, I couldn’t see Sir Eustace or his wife. The fountain stood in the way. Too bad. It would have been interesting to see how the angry little man got on with his wife. She’d looked frightfully out of place in her too-young gown. Not at all the sort I’d expect to be married to a knight. Perhaps he gained his knighthood late in life and came from a common background. That would explain her lack of taste. Then again, he’d sounded posh enough. Perhaps a third son of a third son or the like.
Curiosity or no, I didn’t want my trip spoiled by Sir Eustace’s nastiness, so I determined to avoid the man at all costs and put him promptly out of my head. I didn’t think about him again for the entirety of the voyage. Although I might have done differently if I’d known what was to come.
COMING FALL OF 2018
Lady Rample Sits In
Lady Rample Mysteries - Book Four
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About Shéa MacLeod
Shéa MacLeod is the author of the bestselling paranormal series, Sunwalker Saga, as well as the award nominated cozy mystery series Viola Roberts Cozy Mysteries. She has dreamed of writing novels since before she could hold a crayon. She totally blames her mother.
She resides in the leafy green hills outside Portland, Oregon where she indulges in her fondness for strong coffee, Ancient Aliens reruns, lemon curd, and dragons. She can usually be found at her desk dreaming of ways to kill people (or vampires). Fictionally speaking, of course.
Other books by Shéa MacLeod
Lady Rample Mysteries
Lady Rample Steps Out
Lady Rample Spies a Clue
Lady Rample and the Silver Screen
Lady Rample Sits In (Coming Autumn 2018)
Viola Roberts Cozy Mysteries
The Corpse in the Cabana
The Stiff in the Study
The Poison in the Pudding
The Body in the Bathtub
The Venom in the Valentine
The Remains in the Rectory
The Death in the Drink
Notting Hill Diaries
To Kiss A Prince
Kissing Frogs
Kiss Me, Chloe
Kiss Me, Stupid
Kissing Mr. Darcy
Cupcake Goddess Novelettes
Be Care
ful What You Wish For
Nothing Tastes As Good
Soulfully Sweet
A Stich in Time
Dragon Wars
Dragon Warrior
Dragon Lord
Dragon Goddess
Green Witch
Dragon Corps
Dragon Mage
Dragon’s Angel
Dragon Queen
Dragon Wars- Three Complete Novels Boxed Set
Dragon Wars 2 – Three Complete Novels Boxed Set
Sunwalker Saga
Kissed by Darkness
Kissed by Fire
Kissed by Smoke
Kissed by Moonlight
Kissed by Ice
Kissed by Blood
Kissed by Destiny
Sunwalker Saga: Soulshifter Trilogy
Fearless
Haunted
Soulshifter
Sunwalker Saga: Witchblood
Spellwalker
Deathwalker
Mistwalker
Omicron ZX
Omicron Zed-X
A Rage of Angels
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Also by Shéa MacLeod
Cupcake Goddess
Be Careful What You Wish For
Nothing Tastes As Good
Soulfully Sweet
A Stitch In Time (A Cupcake Goddess Novelette)
Dragon Wars
Dragon Warrior
Dragon Lord
Dragon Goddess
Green Witch
Dragon Corps
Dragon Mage
Dragon's Angel
Dragon Wars Boxed Sets
Dragon Wars - Three Complete Novels Boxed Set
Dragon Wars 2: Three Complete Novels Boxed Set
Lady Rample Mysteries
Lady Rample Steps Out
Lady Rample Spies A Clue
Lady Rample and the Silver Screen
Notting Hill Diaries
To Kiss A Prince
Kissing Frogs
Kiss Me, Chloe
Kiss Me, Stupid
Kissing Mr. Darcy
Omicron ZX
A Rage of Angels
Omicron ZX - Prequel
Omicron Zed-X
Sunwalker Saga
Kissed by Blood
Kissed by Moonlight
Kissed by Ice
Kissed by Eternity
Kissed by Destiny
Sunwalker Saga: Soulshifter Trilogy
Haunted
Soulshifter
Fearless
Sunwalker Saga: Witchblood
Spellwalker
Deathwalker
Mistwalker
Dreamwalker
Viola Roberts Cozy Mysteries
The Corpse in the Cabana
The Stiff in the Study
The Poison in the Pudding
The Body in the Bathtub
The Venom in the Valentine
The Remains in the Rectory
The Death in the Drink
Write Novels Fast
Write Novels Fast: Writing Faster With Art Journaling
Write Novels Fast: Down and Dirty Draft
Standalone
Ride the Dragon: A Paranormal/Science Fiction Boxed Set
Angel's Fall
Watch for more at Shéa MacLeod’s site.