“Excellent idea, Ella.”
“If I may recap,” Cambridge Sinclair said. “When last we visited Captain Broadbent and Lady Nauticus,Captain Broadbent had a tooth extraction and Lady Nauticus had fallen into the sewers and landed on some toshers. They had then kindly helped her back to the surface. Also, Lady Nauticus had been pursued by the evil Captain Leyland, who has been attempting to kidnap her for several books now.”
The crowd booed.
“The opening scene of this book starts in France,” Cambridge continued.
“What? When did they get there?” Gabe demanded.
Cambridge turned the book over and studied the cover. “No idea, but it starts with bonjour et bienvenue,” he said in faultless French. “It’s like the author is having a joke at our expense. I mean, we were last in Bath,” Cambridge said.
“Were they really?” Plunge said.
“It is the city of love, my darling Dorothea,” Cam said in a deep baritone.
“Oh Horatio—”
“I say—”
“Plunge, we have been over this many times. The names were given to Captain Broadbent and Lady Nauticus by one of us. For the life of me I cannot remember who, but when I do, I shall be having words with them,” Nathan muttered.
“Of course. But as you understand, Mr. Deville, I have reread the books many times, and no such names are present in them.”
“The worrying thing is that he will likely marry as his title suggests he must,” Lord Sinclair said from behind Forrest. “And there is always the extra worry that his children will end up the same, and the cycle will repeat itself.”
“He’s a harmless sort,” Freya said. “If a little dimwitted.”
“Oh, Horatio,” Cam continued, “does this mean that finally you will declare your love to me?”
“Wait a minute.” The Duchess of Raven held up a hand. “Surely he has declared his love for her before. The woman has thrown herself down holes and out windows for the man, for pity’s sake! She’s incurred any number of hideous injuries on his behalf.”
“Do you know, I don’t think he did,” Zach said. He now sat on the step below Cambridge and was eating a dish of lemon-colored ice.
“And isn’t that just typical of a man,” the Duchess of Raven muttered.
“If you are quite done moaning, sister, I shall continue,” Cam said.
“Yes, continue,” his sister said, ignoring the sarcasm.
“We will marry, my sweet lady, but right now we must fight this plague of Gallic roosters.”
Cam read loudly with a lot of hand gestures, and soon had the audience enthralled if they weren’t snorting with laughter.
“Next!” the duchess shrieked.
“Look away,” Forrest whispered to Ruby.
“Why? I will not be asked, surely?”
“Your name was mentioned,” Michael whispered.
“What? Why?” Ruby looked panicked now.
“Ask your charge,” Forrest said.
“I told the duchess you excel at storytelling, Ruby.”
“Well thank you, Ella,” Ruby said in a tone that did not convey any gratitude.
