“Diva darling, I had to look in a moment,” said Elizabeth, pecking her affectionately on both cheeks. “Such a bit of news!”
“Oh, Contessa di Faradidleony,” said Diva sarcastically. “I heard yesterday. Journey put off.”
Miss Mapp just managed to stifle the excitement which would have betrayed that this was news to her.
“No, dear, not that,” she said. “I didn’t suspect you of not knowing that. Unfortunate though, isn’t it, just when we were all beginning to believe that there was a Contessa di Faradidleony! What a sweet name! For my part I shall believe in her when I see her. Poor Mr. Wyse!”
“What’s the news then?” asked Diva.
“My dear, it all came upon me in a flash,” said Elizabeth. “It explains the portmanteau and the early train and the duel.”
Diva looked disappointed. She thought this was to be some solid piece of news, not one of Elizabeth’s ideas only.
“Drive ahead,” she said.
“They ran away from each other,” said Elizabeth, mouthing her words as if speaking to a totally deaf person who understood lip-reading. “Never mind the cause of the duel: that’s another affair. But whatever the cause,” here she dropped her eyes, “the Major having sent the challenge packed his portmanteau. He ran away, dear Diva, and met Captain Puffin at the station running away too.”
“But did——” began Diva.