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mytea-rooms?”
“Mydear,quiteimpossible,”saidLuciafirmly.“As
ItoldGeorgie,Ishouldhavetobeattended
bymyAldermenandCouncillors,asifitwassome
greatpublicoccasion.ButI’llcomeasMrs.Pillson,and
everyonewillsaythattheMayorperformedthe
openingceremony.But,officially,Imustbeincognita.”
“Well,that’ssomething,”saidDiva.“AndmayIput
upsomeposterstosaythatMrs.Pillsonwillopenit?”
“Therecanbenopossibleobjectiontothat,”said
Luciawithalacrity.“Thatwillnotinvalidate
myincognita.Justsomebigletteringatthetop‘Ye
OldeTea-House’,and,ifyouthinkmynamewillhelp,
biglettersagainfor‘Mrs.Pillson’or‘Mrs.Pillson
ofMallards’.Quite.Anyothernews?Iknowthatyour
Paddyhasn’tgotmange.”
“Nothing,Ithink.Ohyes,Elizabethwasinherejust
now,andaskedmewhowastobeyourMayoress?”
“MyMayoress?”askedLucia.“Aren’tIboth?”
“I’msureIdon’tknow,”saidDiva.“Butshesays
she’ssureallMayorshaveMayoresses.”
“PoorElizabeth:shealwaysgetsthingsmuddled.Oh,
Diva,willyou–Nonothing:I’mmuddled,too.Goodbye,
dear.Alltoocosyforwords.Amonthto-day,then,for
theopening.Georgie,remindmetoputthatdown.”
Luciaandherhusbandpassedonupthestreet.
“Suchanescape!”shesaid.“Iwasonthepoint
ofaskingDivatodineandplaybridgeto-morrow,quite
forgettingthatI’daskedtheBartlettsandtheWyses
andtheMapp-Flints.Youknow,ourcustomofalways
askinghusbandsandwivestogetherisrather
Victorian.Itdatesus.Ishallmakeinnovationswhen
thefirstterrificweeksofofficeareover.Ifwealways
askcouples,singlepeoplelikeDivagetleftout.”
“SoshallIiftheothersdoit,too,”remarked
Georgie.“Look,we’venearlycaughtupSusan.She’s
goingintothepost-office.”
AsSusan,afewyardsahead,steppedponderously
outoftheRoyce,herheadbrushedagainsttheside
