“A gentleman caller for your ladyship,” Drooplip announced.
Lockjaw turned to Sensibella: “Give him everything he wants. He says he’s the emissary for the Great Leader who is visiting the City tomorrow. The agent is named Il Signore Incognito and he is masked. And keep your muzzle shut.”
“How intriguing. Have him enter.”
Il Signore filled the greenhouse with mystery and danger. “I venture to present myself, milady,” he said from behind his mask. “Yet following Custom, I will reveal my name indirectly through a display of Wit.”
“Mmft!”
“I have ventured to compose a poem on the subject of your Ladyship’s elegance and beauty.”
“Mmmh?”
“Regrettably, she is unable to speak. She has a disability involving her tongue,” Lockjaw explained.
“Mmmm.”
“It begins thus, milady:
To put in words my love’s Proportions
Is my vain task. Who dares elaborate
The beauty of her thighs, her tail, the torsions
Of her sinews whilst tussling as her mate?
“Mmmpf, mmph!”
“There’s more …”
“She says your poem is not entirely without merit,” Lockjaw said.
“Oi think it sucketh, if yer wants my opinion.”
“Though my poem be unworthy of My Lady’s excellence, I trust that it gains in sincerity for what it lacks in technique. I shall go on …”
“PHOO! PHOO!”
“I’m sorry. I’m not very articulate. I can’t help it. I am a suitor of few words. But it doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate your beauty as much as any stout gentleman. And by beauty, I don’t just mean your eyes which are so wide-set and full of adventure. Or your paws – how so intelligently you ply your fingers. Your …”
“What about her tail?”
“I’m getting to her tail. I have to work my way down. That’s what poets do.”
“Not just poets, oi fancy.”
“Not that My Lady’s tail is the summit of her allure. Only that Poetic Custom requires that the poet treat every detail of the beauty of his beloved. After he has extolled her physical beauty, he may then proceed to contemplate her spiritual assets.” Signor Incognito paused to clear his head. What he had just said had made him dizzy. Where was this stuff coming from? Then he blurted: “You have an Inner Beauty you don’t even know about.”
“Mm mmmh!?”
“Believe me, you do!”
“Mmmmnah!!!”
Lockjaw leaned close to Sensibel to hear her whisper. “She says, if Signor Incognito but remove his mask, she will regain the power of speech by magic.”
“She can speak?” Incognito asked.
“Yes. Provided she is modest in her verbosity.”
“Signor Incognito, what a delight to meet you.” Sensibella curtseyed.
Bandit untied his mask made from a wild grapevine and bowed deeply. “The pleasure is mine, my lady.”
Even starved, bedraggled and in hideous company, Sensibella looked like the spirited girl he knew. That high, proud heart. That energy of affection flowing from her body. She was trying to conceal her tail.
“The Signore pleases me. I would like to speak with him alone.”
“We can go outside. Can’t we, Droops?”
“Suits me fine. Don’t want to be no wet blanket on milady’s pleasure.”
“You could go down to the courtyard and wait there,” Sensibel said. “I shan’t be long.”
Bandit followed them to the greenhouse door to be certain they left the roof.
“Bandy, darling. How kind of you to rescue me from this vulgar couple.”
