“There will be trunks and luggage arriving from my ship later today. John Bull will take charge of it.” Adam decided to have a word in private with the servants to smooth the way for John Bull and Kirinda, whom he knew would be like fish out of water until they acclimatized. “I’ll come down and meet the staff.” He picked up Rupee’s cage and Fenton led the way downstairs.
Savage decided the best place for the mynah was in the entrance hall where the floor was sensibly tiled and could be easily cleaned up. Then he went into the kitchen and introduced himself.
“My people from Ceylon will no doubt seem strange to you. My man is used to directing a large staff and may come across as high handed. I would ask all of you to do everything in your power to be accommodating, and if any difficulties arise, bring them directly to me without hesitation.”
Mrs. Hogg eyed him apprehensively. He looked formidable in the extreme. She knew a dominant man when she saw one, but it went against her grain to be subservient to foreigners.
“Difficulties, sir?” she questioned.
“Perhaps I am courting trouble where there will be none,” he said affably. “The only area where I can foresee difficulty will be with the food.”
Mrs. Hogg’s mouth formed a grim line. None had ever dared find fault with her cooking in the past.
“In Ceylon the food is highly spiced and we eat a lot of fruit and vegetables. When I lived in London years ago, the only vegetable I recall being offered for consumption was turnips, which I loathe. I would consider it a favor if you would take my man shopping for food supplies and allow him leeway in your kitchen to prepare his native dishes.”
Mrs. Hogg would have refused, if she had dared.
“I’ll be gone on business most of the day. Thank you for your cooperation.”
After he left there was an ominous silence, then all three started talking at once. Fenton, feeling rather foolish that the man he had thought a prince was nothing more than a valet, said, “Well, I for one shall leave everything to his own servants.”
Mrs. Hogg said, “I’ll not tolerate interference in my own kitchen. I ’ate foreigners!”
Dora, her imagination running riot, said, “Ees one ’o them nybobs. I bet she’s out of ’is ’arem!”
Mrs. Hogg who had purchased turnips only that morning, spent the next half hour banging about her pots and pans. Suddenly a voice screeched, “Sodom and Gomorrah!” She ran to the hall to see who was uttering blasphemy.
“Wot’s that?” she demanded of Dora. “It’s their bird.”
“I ’ate birds. Well, it’s not stoppin’ ’ere with its shameful language. I’ll put it in the cellar!”
Dora was filled with curiosity about the new inhabitants. On pretense of dusting she went upstairs to listen at one of the doors and peep through the keyhole. John Bull chose that moment to open it. Seeing the girl upon her knees, he wondered at the custom. “Are you praying?” he asked.
“Prying?” she repeated in broad Cockney.
“I did not accuse you of prying, though I see clearly now that was your intent.”
“I wasn’t prying!” Dora denied.
“Now you add lying to the offense of prying. Why are you staring at my head?”
Dora sniffed and decided an offense was the best defense. “Why do ye wear that thing round yer ‘ead?”
John Bull drew himself up and wondered how to explain to this female who was obviously of the lower orders. “It is my uniform. I wear it for the same reason you wear that rag on your head!”
“Rag?” Dora exclaimed, very much offended. She was wearing next to her best cap. “My caps aren’t rags. This one is linen an’ I even ’ave lyce.”
“Lice?” John Bull looked horrified. “You have lice?” That explained why she covered her hair with the hideous cap!
“I do,” asserted Dora proudly.
“Do not come any closer. You are unclean.”
“Unclean!” she shrieked.
“You are dismissed. Shoo, shoo.”
“You can’t dismiss me … ye only came ‘ere todye!”