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"Oh, I hate moles," Iris said

"I find them rather sweet," Cecily put in

"I e for a carriage Or I suppose I could ride over It’s not raining any longer"

"You should eat breakfast first," Sarah said

"She’ll never let you go alone," Cecily replied "Fensmore is a bachelor household"

"He’s hardly by himself," Iris said "He must have loads of servants"

"At least a hundred, I should think," Cecily said "Have you seen the house? It’s enornify" She turned back to Honoria "He still lives alone There is no one to act as a proper chaperone"

"I’ll take someone with me," Honoria said i"

"Take so the breakfast room

Honoria repeated her request to Mrs Royle, who ireed "Absolutely, we must see to the earl’s welfare It would be positively unchristian of us if we did not"

Honoria blinked She had not expected this to be so easy

"I will go with you," Mrs Royle said

A teacup slaainst its saucer When Honoria looked over at the table, Cecily wore a tight sh her teacup

"Mother," Cecily said, "if you go, then I should, too"

Mrs Royle paused to consider this, but before she could reply, Sarah said, "If Cecily goes, I should go, too"

"Why?" Cecily asked

"I am fairly certain," Iris said dryly, "that under no circuo"

"I really don’t care who acco not to sound as snappish as she felt "I would just like to depart as soon as possible"

"Cecily will go with you," Mrs Royle announced "I will stay here with Iris and Sarah"

Sarah was visibly put out at this turn of events, but she did not argue Cecily, on the other hand, jumped to her feet with a wide sy redress your hair," Mrs Royle said "We can’t have – "