“Sleep! I’ll never sleep again in this world,” sighed Cuddles luxuriously, squatting on the floor and snuggling against Pat’s knee while she proceeded to devour some watercress sandwiches. They were getting in the habit of these delightful little gossips by their window, with only the trees and the stars to listen. Tonight the scent of lilacs drifted in and the night was like a cup of fragrance that had spilled over. A wind was waking far off in the spruces on the hill. The robins were still whistling and the silver bush was an elusive, shadowy world breathing mystery. Bold-and-Bad padded in and insinuated himself into Cuddles’ lap, where he lay and purred, tensing and flexing his claws happily. One lap was quite as good as another to Bold-and-Bad.

“I’ve had too many thrills today to be sleepy…some just awful and some wonderful. Wasn’t Lady Medchester lovely, Pat? And not because she was a countess. She had such a finished air somehow. She wasn’t a bit handsome…did you notice how much she looked like Mrs. Snuffy Madison?…and her clothes were really shabby. Except the fox stole of course. But her hat…well, it looked as if Tillytuck had sat on it. But for all that there was something about her that we can’t ever get, Pat, in a hundred years.”

“She wouldn’t care what the Binnies thought,” said Pat mischievously.

“Don’t…I’m blushing. And I’m never going even to mention it to Trix. Have a sandwich, Pat? You must be empty. We neither of us had anything since dinner but a biscuit and a scrap of Bishop’s bread. I was only pretending to eat under Lady Medchester’s eyes. Puss, do stop digging your claws into me. I’m sure Lady Medchester will have an amusing tale to tell when she gets home. The stately halls of England will resound to mirth over Judy and Tillytuck.”

“Tillytuck perhaps…but not Judy. People laugh with Judy, not at her. Our countess liked Judy. Did you notice what a lovely voice she had? It somehow made me think of old mellow things that had been loved for centuries…after I got capable of thinking at all, that is. Cuddles, I’ll never forget the sight as we bounced into the kitchen…Judy Plum and the Countess of Medchester tête-à-tête at our kitchen table, with Tillytuck for audience. Nobody will ever believe it. It will be something to tell our grandchildren…if we ever have any.”

“I mean to have some,” said Cuddles coolly.

“Well,” said Pat, leaning out of the window to catch a glimpse of that loveliest of created things…a young moon in an evening sky,…“there’s one thing the Countess of Medchester will never know she missed…my lemon coconut cake and Judy’s fried chicken. I must write Hilary an account of this.”

THE SECOND YEAR

CHAPTER 13