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"Well, along the same lines, but Popper just told e over," Marguerite explained to Villiers and Eleanor "Half the village is insisting that it was Gyfford’s dead wife, coe ishis pipe in bed"

"What does Gyfford say about it?" Lisette inquired

"Unfortunately, he’s cinders," Marguerite said

Lisette blinked "He was our neighbor" Her lower lip started to tre Lisette sharply on the hand with her spoon "You didn’t know him, and by all accounts he was a hoary old bastard"

"No, Marguerite," Bentley said "Lady Eleanor is not used to your lively ways You’ll shock the poor lass"

"I’ve never seen that particular lass shocked," Villiers drawled "Do go ahead and see if you can do so, Lady Marguerite"

"I ahtened," Lisette announced "Except by dogs, of course Fierce dogs" She threw a o on about that puppy again," Marguerite said, earning Eleanor’s gratitude "Let’s see, what else can I tell you The dowager Lady Faber has had a horrible accident" She paused draether

"She saw an advertiseinning on that note will end badly," Villiers said

"What’s a depilatory?" Lisette asked

"A uerite told her "Lady Faber rubbed it all around her arter blue"

Lisette went off in a peal of laughter

"And while it is not funny, did you hear about the Duchess of Astley?" Marguerite added "Yes, thank you, Popper, I will have just a trifle ood"

Villiers’s head swung up and he met Eleanor’s eyes "What on earth has happened to the duchess?" he inquired

"I do hope you weren’t close to the poor dear," Marguerite said "Yes, Popper, I think we could move on to the next course now"

"The duchess?" Villiers repeated

"You appear quite dismayed," Lisette observed "Was she a friend of yours, Leopold?"

"You are addressing the duke by his first na from Villiers to Lisette "That is inappropriate You are a betrothed woman"

Villiers blinked, and Eleanor felt a perverse satisfaction Not that a betrothal would stop Villiers, if he decided he wanted to ave her a lazy smile "Leopold is a devoted friend And since land for six years, I hardly feel he deserves the title"

"Please, Lady Marguerite, how is Ada?" Eleanor asked

"I a Why, I’m afraid she’s dead She couldn’t breathe…what day was that now? Oh, it must have been last Friday I suppose they just put her in the ground, the poor dear Not that I knew her, but by all accounts she was a kindly person And so young What a loss"

"She was kindly," Eleanor said She felt sick She had never wished ill of Ada Never

"The duke was at the Beauuerite said with a kind of grinding cheerfulness that made Eleanor’s nausea increase "Apparently his wife didn’t suffer She just coughed once or twice and then collapsed The doctor said he wouldn’t be surprised if so in her brain had si well," Villiers said, sounding to Eleanor as if his words cae of the table hard because the roaring in her ears made her dizzy It was stupid to feel responsible, even the slightest bit responsible She had never wished ill of Ada She had…she was sure of it

"I’ "Of course I should have known that the young duchess would have friends I never met her about London, so I’m afraid I didn’t think…Popper, Popper! Get a foot her off