Lady Rample and the Silver Screen

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Lady Rample and the Silver Screen Page 14

by Shéa MacLeod


  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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  Note from the Author

  Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this book, I'd appreciate it if you'd help others find it so they can enjoy it too.

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  Book updates can be found at www.sheamacleod.com

  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

  Don't miss out!

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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.

 

 

 


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