the Zwerge have disappeared.”
Everyone stood en masse, leaving Lucretia
in her chair. “All seven of them? They’ll never catch up with Leibniz you
know.”
“Never a dull moment, and I wouldn’t
bet on it!” Al kissed her head as he ran from the room.
Chapter 6
A Bumpy Ride The Most Important Personage In The
Castle Wodehouse The Royal Family Cat And Mouse
Lucretia stared out of the carriage window
and exhaled noisily, startling Leibniz from his nap on her lap. Orion sat up
with the driver, most likely to scope out the terrain that lay ahead.
She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Though
not prone to tears and fits of feminine fretting, she was really rather upset.
And exasperated. How could he? Because of Freddie she had been summoned to ‘stay’
with the king until the Forty-Foot was completed. It was fine for him, at home
surrounded by Al and the O’s and his lady-love. What about her star
cataloguing? That would suffer as she couldn’t take everything with her.
Oh, but this was useless, this study in
recrimination. She loved Freddie too much to
hold a grudge. Great, now she was feeling nervous.
Lucretia held Leibniz tightly for comfort,
and let her eyes glaze over the passing countryside as she pondered recent events.
*
My Castle at Windsor
Sir–
In a recent letter to your sister, I
emphasised the need for My Telescope to be finished with utmost haste. You have
repaid my monetary Magnificence and loan of Rammstein and the Zwerge with an utter display of
impudence.
Indeed, sir, were I not so keen to see the cosmos
and show my guests my Telescope, your head would have been disposed of before
now.
Good gracious, man! When news of your
so-called scientific paper reached mine ears, I was agog, ‘what has he
discovered now?’ I enquired of my Self.
Imagine the Royal Excitement turning to real
and terrible horror when I read about your lurid thoughts on things impossible!
You, sir, are a laughing stock! To purport that alien races live on our nearby
heavenly bodies, to be so preposterous to suggest that the moon and even the
sun, that shining beacon, are peopled by, well people! It is unimaginable, and
I feel a personal slur against My Most Royal Being.
It is clear that you need some sort of
incentive to complete the task at hand. To this end, I am requiring your sister’s
presence at my Castle until it is finished. Your assistant, one is quite sure,
will be a considerable loss to yourself, and one also imagines, that you will
have more hours now to work on said telescope.
To ensure your co-operation, your sister
will not be permitted to bring her work with her, and you will undoubtedly
suffer the wretched, heart-rending dishonour of reading her pleas in daily
missives.
You may be glad that my Most Royal Self has
not taken more drastic measures, but I have been assured that you, unbelievable
as it seems, are still the best man for the job, sir.
Should you wish to stop your ears against
My displeasure, the surest way of doing so is to send word that the Forty-Foot
is ready and that I may bring personages of great distinction to visit.
Should you wish to have your assistant in
the guise of your sister back to you in the speediest of time, the same holds
true.
Finish My telescope, sir, at once.
The king.
*
Freddie had turned very pale indeed, and
when asked what the matter was, he had passed the letter to Lucretia. Having
read it, just as wordlessly she had turned on her heel and left the room.
Rammstein had calmed her, and professed a
wish to see her again. Al helped her to pack. Mrs. O passed her some fancies
for her journey, baked by the Younger who had been too distraught to give them
to her himself.
Lucretia smiled at the thought of the
Younger, and his amazing wig. Orion brought her back to the present as he
swooped in on the driver, knocking his hat askew, he had never been the best at
landing accurately, and curses reached her ears before said
Everyone stood en masse, leaving Lucretia
in her chair. “All seven of them? They’ll never catch up with Leibniz you
know.”
“Never a dull moment, and I wouldn’t
bet on it!” Al kissed her head as he ran from the room.
Chapter 6
A Bumpy Ride The Most Important Personage In The
Castle Wodehouse The Royal Family Cat And Mouse
Lucretia stared out of the carriage window
and exhaled noisily, startling Leibniz from his nap on her lap. Orion sat up
with the driver, most likely to scope out the terrain that lay ahead.
She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Though
not prone to tears and fits of feminine fretting, she was really rather upset.
And exasperated. How could he? Because of Freddie she had been summoned to ‘stay’
with the king until the Forty-Foot was completed. It was fine for him, at home
surrounded by Al and the O’s and his lady-love. What about her star
cataloguing? That would suffer as she couldn’t take everything with her.
Oh, but this was useless, this study in
recrimination. She loved Freddie too much to
hold a grudge. Great, now she was feeling nervous.
Lucretia held Leibniz tightly for comfort,
and let her eyes glaze over the passing countryside as she pondered recent events.
*
My Castle at Windsor
Sir–
In a recent letter to your sister, I
emphasised the need for My Telescope to be finished with utmost haste. You have
repaid my monetary Magnificence and loan of Rammstein and the Zwerge with an utter display of
impudence.
Indeed, sir, were I not so keen to see the cosmos
and show my guests my Telescope, your head would have been disposed of before
now.
Good gracious, man! When news of your
so-called scientific paper reached mine ears, I was agog, ‘what has he
discovered now?’ I enquired of my Self.
Imagine the Royal Excitement turning to real
and terrible horror when I read about your lurid thoughts on things impossible!
You, sir, are a laughing stock! To purport that alien races live on our nearby
heavenly bodies, to be so preposterous to suggest that the moon and even the
sun, that shining beacon, are peopled by, well people! It is unimaginable, and
I feel a personal slur against My Most Royal Being.
It is clear that you need some sort of
incentive to complete the task at hand. To this end, I am requiring your sister’s
presence at my Castle until it is finished. Your assistant, one is quite sure,
will be a considerable loss to yourself, and one also imagines, that you will
have more hours now to work on said telescope.
To ensure your co-operation, your sister
will not be permitted to bring her work with her, and you will undoubtedly
suffer the wretched, heart-rending dishonour of reading her pleas in daily
missives.
You may be glad that my Most Royal Self has
not taken more drastic measures, but I have been assured that you, unbelievable
as it seems, are still the best man for the job, sir.
Should you wish to stop your ears against
My displeasure, the surest way of doing so is to send word that the Forty-Foot
is ready and that I may bring personages of great distinction to visit.
Should you wish to have your assistant in
the guise of your sister back to you in the speediest of time, the same holds
true.
Finish My telescope, sir, at once.
The king.
*
Freddie had turned very pale indeed, and
when asked what the matter was, he had passed the letter to Lucretia. Having
read it, just as wordlessly she had turned on her heel and left the room.
Rammstein had calmed her, and professed a
wish to see her again. Al helped her to pack. Mrs. O passed her some fancies
for her journey, baked by the Younger who had been too distraught to give them
to her himself.
Lucretia smiled at the thought of the
Younger, and his amazing wig. Orion brought her back to the present as he
swooped in on the driver, knocking his hat askew, he had never been the best at
landing accurately, and curses reached her ears before said
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