“That’s Sam. He’s bored,” she explained.
“Sam is your parrot?” Lady Margaret asked with a horrified look on her face.
“Yes, Sam is a macaw.”
A moment later Lady Daphne returned from the other side of the room, parrot riding on her forearm.
“You actually touch that bird?” Lady Margaret said with a horrified look on her face.
“Of course I do.”
“Bloody hell! A stranger,” Sam exclaimed.
“You must excuse Sam’s colorful language. He’s very smart and picks things up easily,” Daphne said before scolding Sam. “Sam, what have I told you about cursing?”
The macaw said nothing and made strange noises as he jumped onto a nearby perch where he could watch them. Harriet wanted to laugh at her mother’s discomfort, but instead she heard her mother ask Lady Daphne if she had a retiring room.
Lady Margaret looked pityingly at her daughter before lifting her skirts and walking across the room and out the door. Harriet picked up her tea and took a swallow.
“I like Sam. Mother was not expecting a talking parrot. She was flustered.” Harriet knew she probably should not say what she was thinking, but it was the truth. Her mother had been upended by a parrot.
“No, she wasn’t. I take it you don’t have any pets?” Lady Daphne asked.
“Absolutely not. Mother thought dogs and cats were filthy. She was not happy when my father brought one of his hunting dogs to stay in the house. I played with him endlessly, but mother was not swayed.”
“I take it the dog went back to the kennel?”
Harriet shook her head. “Oh no. Father overrode her and Rosco stayed a house dog until he died three years ago of old age.”
Lady Daphne was about to say something when the drawing room door opened. She glanced Harriet’s way, not expecting the butler. “I apologize, Your Grace, but Lady Margaret has left. She had trunks unloaded from her carriage before she climbed in. The only thing she said was the trunks belonged to Lady Harriet.”
“Would you place the trunks in the periwinkle guest room?”
“Your Grace.” The older gentleman bowed slightly and closed the door behind him.
The two women stood staring at each other for a moment. “I can’t believe her…no, I take that back. I do believe she left me here. Now I’m not her concern,” Harriet said.
“She didn’t tell you she was going to leave you here today?”
Harriet shook her head. “No. I thought my trunks were packed to bring things I would need when I did come to stay.”
Lady Daphne sat down and motioned to Harriet to sit next to her. She handed her a plate with two sandwiches and a piece of marmalade cake. “I think you’re due a treat or two.”
“Oh, I couldn’t.”
“Of course, you can. There is nothing wrong with your weight. I believe your mother does that as a way to keep you away from sweets,” Daphne replied.
“I was afraid of that.” Harriet accepted the plate. “This looks scrumptious.”
“Enjoy it. Do you have any gowns?”
“Mother made me bring four of the ones I used this last season, but nothing new.”
“I made an appointment with my modiste as I had a feeling from the way your mother talked, she hadn’t had any new gowns commissioned,” Lady Daphne said. “We’re scheduled for day after tomorrow.”
“Thank you.”
“No need. We have plenty of time and you’re going to be the talk of the ton you’re going to be so beautiful.”
