Rue looked over the railing. The lady in question was standing in an open-topped carriage gesticulating wildly with two parasols as a stream of footmen unloaded an entire other carriage full of baggage.

Rue waved. “Cooey!”

Prim looked up. “Oh, Rue, you wouldn’t believe the bother.”

“Why all the hats?”

Prim gave her an exasperated look, easy to see even at a distance and under the shade of a wide bonnet trimmed with silk butterflies. “It’s the only way she would let me come.”

“Who?”

“Gracious me, Rue. Need you ask? Mother, of course.”

“Of course. Was she terribly difficult to persuade?”

“Terribly. And she only gave me permission when I promised to bring a hat for every possible crisis, land or air, rain or shine, England or India, sweet or savoury. It was a nightmare. I was at Château de Poupes for over four hours last night. Four hours!”

“How is Uncle Rabiffano? Still upset about me stealing his form?”

“Not at all. Much better now actually, as I spent a vast amount of Queen Mum’s money at his establishment. As you can probably tell by all the hats he foisted on me. Mother should never have opened that unlimited purchasing account. Your Uncle Rabiffano takes terrible advantage.”

“Shall we stop yelling? Come aboard. I’ll give you tea. You can tell me all about your shopping woes. We’ve got this marvellous kettle tube thing, mounts above the reserve in engineering and runs directly to the galley. Allows for hot water at any time in a veritable instant, as long as the boilers are running.”

“I’m sure that’s quite a spiffing notion but can it wait? After I’ve supervised the unpacking, I really must make some calls. I’m surprised you don’t have to.”

“In that case I’ll come to you.” Rue made her way down the gangplank, almost knocked off it by two footmen carrying between them another massive trunk. “More hats?” Rue asked, not too surprised.

“Parasols, miss,” grunted one.

“Oh, dear,” said Rue.

She attained the ground safely and went to hand Prim down from the carriage, there being no gentlemen around to perform the obligation, and the footmen all occupied with baggage. Prim looked to tumble out soon, she was waving her parasols so vigorously, as if guiding a floatillah of airships into land.

“Goodness, Prim, you’ll do yourself an injury. Come down from there.”

Prim came down, fanning herself with one hand and prodding at a clumsy footman with her parasol with the other. “Careful with that, Fitzwilliam!”

“You know we are only going for two months at the very most? This is not the Taking of the Fortress of the Fashionless.”