The Baron of Latiz (5)

 5

Samh 08.20.1339 17:19

Amoranda was glad when she found herself alone in her parlor a little later. She was about to examine the glove that had been tossed at her more carefully. 

“What are you up to, mistress,” Pethany said, when she entered and saw her looking at the glove in her hand.

“The entire afternoon I have been so curious as to what was in this. It was tossed at me by someone on a solocraft.” She reached into it and found a folded letter. “Well, this must be from some new conquest but it is the strangest way of letting me know he is interested in me that ever was invented. She read:

“This letter, madam, does not come to tell you I love you since that would only create more overabundance of the hundred declarations of that kind you have already received. But, if I tell you I am in pain for your conduct and spend some hours in pitying your present condition, I dare say it will be entirely new to you since none seem to have courage or honesty enough to tell you so. Consider, madam, how unhappy that woman is, who is daily hedged in with self-centered flatterers. These may one day prove to be your ruin. Is it possible for any man to tell you more than you know already about your looks? Does not your mirror display your fine features with much more exactness than a rascal who pretends to die at your feet? Reject them, Amoranda, as you would a disease and believe me rather than any of them when I tell you that you are neither an angel nor a goddess, but a woman, a fine woman. Know there are in this nation ten thousand equally fine women. If this little reprimand meets with a favorable reception from you, you must discard three-fourths of your daily admirers, who like so many locusts are striving to devour you.” 

—V 

“Well, Pethany,” Amoranda said, “Did you ever hear anything so impudent in your life? I have no patience with the brute who sent it. I would give a thousand pounds to know the author, though. How do you think I should seek vengeance for this?”

“Truly, madam, I must admit that if this is an attempt to conquest your heart, it is made with a very insulting and saucy letter. At the same time, I believe the author means well, too.”

“Means well?” Amoranda asked. “What well meaning can he have by persuading me to banish the bees and live in the hive all by myself?”

“No, Madam,” said Pethany, “you mistake him. It is the wasps he would have you discard. They come only to sting and steal from those who have better title to the sweets of your favors. Do you think you would know the person who left this again if you saw him?”

“No, I never saw his face. It was covered in a helmet. I almost thought he was tossing a challenged to some of the gentlemen in the garden with me. What troubles me most is his pity. I always thought a woman of youth, beauty, and fortune such as I am might raise envy in many but pity in none.

Here a groundskeeper entered the room.

“Madam, if you have a moment, I have something important to tell you.”

“Go ahead, let us have it, perhaps it will put this letter out of my head.”

“Madam, I was working this afternoon by the greenhouse, and I happened to hear Mr. Froch and Mr. Galeid set out a plot against you.

“’Mr. Froch,’ said Mr. Galeid, ‘you and I came her upon the same errand. Both of us have met with many rejections. Do you still wish to continue in your fruitless attempt or would you like to try something with more guaranteed success?’

“Mr. Galeid then went on to plan a scheme to abduct you from your own garden, and Mr. Froch said he would provide a coach and two or three villains like himself to assist. As soon as Mr. Galeid was gone, Mr. Froch debated to himself aloud whether to continue along with Galeid or to let you know everything and to use it to try to get you to marry him for his loyalty. However, he eventually decided that no one can change your flippancy. So, he resolved to go along with the plot.”

“Oh, the ill-mannered rogues!” Amoranda wailed. “Well, when they expect to perform this plot? How do they know I will be out there?”

“They know you frequently are out there in the summer. They are specifically counting on you watching the parade as is your usual. If they see you are not alone or not present, they will simply put it off until the next evening.”

“Well, if they are going to start scheming against me, then I will have to enact a counterplot against them. We’ll see who comes off the winner in this game."