The Elephant Thief by Jane Kerr

Author:Jane Kerr
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

Dinner was served in the grandest room Danny had ever seen. A huge gaslight dripping with glass beads hung over the long table. Hetty said it was a chandelier. Whatever it was called, he’d never seen anything so magnificent. He managed to stop staring only when Hetty elbowed him in the ribs.

Sandev and Crimple had not been invited to eat with them. Instead, they were sent to the Abbeystead kitchens. Danny might have been more worried if he hadn’t heard Mr. Saddleworth’s whispered order to Sandev. “Stay with Maharajah in the stables tonight. Do not leave his side.” As it was, Albright’s presence at Abbeystead was already making Danny uneasy—and he still had to get through dinner.

As guest of honor, Prince Dandip was seated next to Lord Cawthorne; Hetty was on his other side.

Sitting opposite—almost hidden by gold-edged china and a huge vase of flowers—were Mr. Saddleworth and Albright. And at the far end were the two other dinner guests. They were introduced as the local vicar, Reverend Edgar Applerow, and his wife, Beatrice.

Mrs. Applerow was a smaller, softer version of Mrs. Jameson. She had a gentle manner and a kind smile. Danny was more suspicious of her husband. His face was all straight lines, and he bowed his head to pray with a passion that Danny had only ever given to his food. It was the first time he had ever been asked to say grace before a meal, and he fidgeted uncomfortably.

“… and may the Lord make us truly thankful. Amen.”

As several footmen carried in bowls of soup, Danny felt his unease grow. He looked down at the cutlery lined up on the stark white tablecloth. There were so many pieces; he didn’t know which to choose.

“Copy me,” Hetty whispered. She lifted one of the silver spoons, so Danny did the same. In his other life, he would have slipped it into his sleeve and then sneaked out of the house but he couldn’t do that anymore. However tempting.

There were seven courses in all, each one announced by Ogden, the Abbeystead butler, in a heavy, solemn voice. After the pheasant soup came a fish course of turbot and tartare sauce, then a choice of creamed lobster or wild duck, both wrapped in pastry.

As each plate was brought in, Danny watched Hetty carefully to check he didn’t make any mistakes. At last, the main dish arrived; roasted partridge, served with potatoes, peas, and asparagus.

“Shot the birds myself, just this morning,” Lord Cawthorne said proudly, selecting several pink slices. Under the table, he fed scraps to his dogs, while gravy dripped from the curls of his mustache. Occasionally he would turn to Danny and shout slow questions in a booming voice.

“SO WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THE ENGLISH WEATHER, PRINCE DANDIP?”

“I’m afraid he doesn’t speak English, Your Lordship,” Mr. Saddleworth said quietly. “But he can hear. And his understanding is better than most.”

Lord Cawthorne frowned, swiping at his dripping mustache. “How very peculiar. These foreigners must learn the language. Prove they’re not barbarians.

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