The Undoing Of Pippa Fortescue
Whilst out with some of the gells for a stroll across Daddys pastures,we chanced to be within a puck shot of the old sanatorium.Oh how we chuckled gaily as each of us recounted tales heard about some of the past inmates who did not have the forebearance to be patient.
We thought it a fair prank to take a diddy bop towards the forbidding facades,mayhap to spy upon those walled within and thus it was we set about our delightful dalliance.
Afore the sun had made much inroad to our morning,we came across a low wall of sorts,rough hewn from local granite and handed into place by the gnarled knuckles of plain folk and splendid it was to see at first hand the marvel of such hard and irksome toil.As it was so warm and not a breath of wind upon our brows,some of us threw care to the crows,and removed our bonnets,tying them in pretty bows to our waist bunds.
It was in this state of dishab'e that we next and soon enough came across a simpleton of no remark,save the lazy eye and hare lip common to country folk,and he,this rare buffoon,was sat atop the wall just mentioned,for all the world a fishing with his angle pole amid the ditches and trenches of the field beyond his perch.
Well I expect you will well be able to imagine our delight at this well presented interlude of frivolity! Whilst a few of us,the more mannered among,were able to repress our giggles,the younger of our number,and there were three,were scant able to maintain propriety of mirth and let out hoots of shrill chatter laugh.
Of course this was to alert our ignoble fellow,who as said was sat atop the wall and appeared to be perk and bright,fishing.
Esme our leader,stopt abrubt as you may,and fully twenty paces from any danger from this rustic gamester,and the rest of our number clumbered one atop the other into a fair mess of bonnets and bangles and summer frocks,mock derision marking this stop so sudden as to cause such dissarray.My own composure suffered no real dent,and picking myself up with one hand mindful of the dusting I would need to save approbation from my maid at the scorch of earth about my hem,I ventured folly aforethought and urged Pippa to the fore.
Now all who know Pip will know too that in coming forward,she is none too backward,indeed her favourite phrase during clandestine forays into the local inns,peopled largely by the oiks who tend to have no manners at all,is to declare loud and resonant "Make way Peasant!" and it must be added that none have after barred her path.My urging therefore,was not unkindly meant,and of course Pip was at it with aplomb,standing proud despite a small tear to her bodice,and square facing yonder chap,a chap I noted now with dismay,who did not even sport a hat,nor even a doffing cap to his rumpled mane.I d'say had we been menfolk we would have settled this in timely fashion with a spot queensbury flair,yet since we were mere ladies at leisure,this was not a course that to us,was open.
"Ask him what he is about!" declared Esme,with a smile we knew to be twinkling impish,
"Oh do! Do ask!" chorused the Fother -Doune sisters,as is their wont,to talk equally and at the same time exact the one as was the other.
And so it came to pass that our spokeswoman Pippa,cupping hands to moistened lips to hail yon fellow the better,called in sweetly chimed sing song query "My man,yes you! Do pray tell of what it is you are this moment engaged upon,sat there as you are for all to see,angle pole to hand"
The lad who was now bearing the glare of eyes from palest blue to darkest syrup brown,jerked his head to face from whence came pips query.
"Oim fishin' " said he,abrupt and to a point,almost rude.
At this,and our suspicion now confirmed that here was resident from nearby sanitorium,on the loose and excitingly,maybe even dangerous,we broke into a flutter of giggles,the sound of which roused a baleful cow from cud in the very field from which our newfound focus appeared to expect some divine form of piscine bounty.
"Ohh,Fishing is it dear chap?" returned the ever of resource Pip,"And sir,may I enquire as to the number of your catch so far?" and with this last,a turn,and a wink to us,as we held our breath in the face of such unseemly audacity.
"W elll.." Came a mused retort,slow,thoughtful. " you miss,will be the third"
Lizzie XX