Social Testing

Chapter Four

Monica was still helping Millicent to dress when a tap came to her door. It was, she now knew, Lord Bromley‘s style of tap. “I am as yet not dressed Lord Bromley” Millicent announced. “A few more minutes please?”

“Certainly Mrs. Wei” came the bulldogs deep voice. A moment later his heavy steps announced that he was headed back downstairs.

“I wonder what has him so excited” she asked the vixen currently acting as her maid. “This meeting with the upper staff perhaps?”

“Perhaps Mrs. Wei” the vixen agreed, though had the bulldog glanced into her own small room and noted the bed unused, that could be it as well she thought. She had waited so long for last night, how much longer would she have to wait again Monica asked herself. Finishing her work she turned her employer around, studying the effect.

“And” the feline asked.

“Try not to lead too greatly with your best assets” Monica answered. She reached up, tracing a hem in such a way she would never have dared just the morning before. “Or they will see only these, not the mind that grows so strongly behind them. Keep your jacket on at all times, it mutes the power of Gods great gift until you need it.”

“Your speech improves” Millicent noted, gently reaching up to clasp the vixens wandering paw in her own, and against her own yielding breast. “Not when I am clothed, if you would be so kind” she instructed gently.

“Else?” Monica asked, feeling brave this morning.

“I would soon be unclothed. Now I must see what has his Lordship so excited. You of course must clean and air out this room before your breakfast.

“Had mine” the vixen giggled, turning to strip the bed. Her payment for that jest was a short jerk of her tail. She held back a yelp of surprise, humming a bright tune to herself long after Millicent had left.

“You Lordship” Millicent asked when she eventually discovered where Lord Bromley was. “You wished to speak with me?”

Setting aside his morning despatches the bulldog gave his student a smile. “A message from Her Ladyship” he answered, not having to explain of whom he was speaking. “You are found to be quite acceptable. Therefore after the breakfast I shall be taking you to meet some people. Supposable for instruction, actually simply a social gathering. Please insure that your companion will be with us, it is an all male club after all. One must keep up ones appearances after all.”

“I should think not Lord Bromley” the housecat corrected, her tail whipping side to side in her agitation. “A woman, even two women? In a male club. No My Lord, that simply will never do. Why, the mark upon my servant I may disregard. But to be seen entering a Male only club. Sir, that would mark me as a loose woman wither I brought my servant or not. Wither I brought one or a hundred servants.”

Bromley tapped his considerable teeth with the end of his pipe. “You have been listening to your teachers” he noted. “Very well, we will simply meet them here. Please have your servant help mine in preparing for two visitors. Male visitors. And Millicent, be most careful. Lord Carlton is known to be a ladies man and it is suspected that more than once he has not taken no for an answer.”

“And should I carve him a new smile My Lord” Millicent asked sweetly. “Low where it will be remembered.”

“If it should one day come to that. No. You may not dear Mrs. Wei as he is much to closely connected to the Crown. Not by blood, by friendship. Do what you can, but do not harm him unless you fear for your own life. Not simply your honor.”

Millicent considered those words. “That is very open to interpretation Lord Bromley” she told the bulldog. “A base woman will allow much before fearing for her life. A married woman very little. Still I will keep myself away from this ‘Gentleman.’ How will I know him?”

“He is the greyhound” the bulldog answered. “Which is why it is difficult for any woman to outrun him. I fear he believes that if a woman really did not want him, she would simply outrun him. Sadly, that hound has never understood that few women could outrun him even if her soul was the prize. We have tried what we can. Perhaps though, it is time that he met a woman who can teach him. Will your wife be coming soon?”

“I fear not” Millicent admitted. “We are to be parted for up to two years. Perhaps three. And the other ‘gentleman’?”

“Lord Wooten. A bear. Like myself he has long passed the time that he must prove himself. But I warn you, he will try to trip you up, if nothing more than the fun of it. So do watch your words around him. Dear Mrs. Wei, you are intelligent and trained. But you are a child next to Wooten.”

“As I am a child next to you sir. In many things” the housecat agreed. “Did you enjoy standing by my door last night?”

Bromley broke out laughing, eventually slapping his knee before quieting enough to speak. “Few men would not” he admitted. “Is she talented?”

“That remains to be seen” Millicent admitted. “That was our first night. This is your home, thus you may listen Lord Bromley. But I must ask that you never watch.”

“Agreed. Agreed” the bulldog answered. “Now let us have breakfast. I must bring you up to date with the latest despatches before our visitors arrive.” He watched in pleasure as Millicent sat. Whatever finishing school she had attended, it had well taken with his latest ward. Lord Bromley could not know that the majority of Millicent’s social training had come from Madam Maxine’s Cranium Island built sleep instructor.