23 Jun CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT, FANCY THAT!

And Marmaduke had always been curious. Although it occasionally got him into deep water, it hadn’t killed him yet. However, Marmaduke was to learn that not every cat has nine lives.

            Lord Marmaduke Gullantyne looked at himself in the long cheval mirror that stood in the corner of the room. His tall lean outline reflected back at him by its clean silvered shape and highly polished surface, showed him to be a fit specimen of manhood. His jawline being strong and above it his eyes were deep set and of an almost navy blue in colour, were twinkling back at him. Eyes that seemed inclined to see the humorous side of everyday life. Which were now darting from the top of his head of thick, crisp, curly black curls all the way down past the firmly muscled torso and on down his long legs to reach his well shod feet in their highly polished black leather shoes. He permitted himself a small satisfied smile, his only acknowledgement of his perfectly turned out appearance. He was finally ready; but only after a slight brush of his right sleeve, to remove a barely perceptible speck of dust. With that done, he laid own the silver backed clothes brush that he had been using on the dressing station and with a tug on his cuffs to adjust, them he left the room closing the door firmly behind him.

            When he almost fell down the staircase he was descending barely seconds later, Marmaduke, merely told himself that he should make a point of being more careful where he placed his feet in future. At this point he was not thinking of how many lives he would use up if he didn’t! He didn’t even look to see what had caused his mishap. All he had going on in his head was breakfast. His favourite meal of the day. Oh, and what a good cook Bertram’s mother must have. From the smells escaping the morning room and swirling their way up the stairs past his appreciative nose. Delicious aromas of fried sausages, bacon and eggs mingled with kippers and hot buttered toast. He instinctively quickened his pace and with his hand outstretched headed straight for the door handle of the source of his excited response to them. Just as he was about to turn the said door handle, the door was flung open and a highly flushed young female flounced past him swiftly clutching at her skirts and muttering mutinously “I won’t, I won’t do it. Never! I am not going to whatever that man says.” A second later he was admiring her back view as she raced up the grand oak staircase and he assumed that the sound of a heavy door being slammed shut meant that she had reached her destination safely. He then resumed his entrance into the scene of a roomful of people all talking at once and the sound of spluttering rage. Followed very shortly by “She will do what I say whatever she may think!”

            Rather concerned that he should perhaps return to his room while his hosts sorted out their domestic issues but driven by his need to at least try some of the mouth-watering display of morning delights. He was quick to apologise for his tardiness to his hosts. Then assured that he should just help himself to whatever he fancied he took off to the breakfast buffet to do just that…….