“I am sad to say she is under the weather at themoment.”
“Pity.”
They continuedbrowsing.
The couple wandered around the gallery for half an hour but ended up leaving without buyinganything.
After they left, Diana wanted to pop upstairs and get her writing, but just as she was preparing to leave a group of five people wanderedin.
This pattern persisted for another hour, but finally, she caught a break and dashed upstairs to check on her mother who was peacefully napping—the very bestthing.
Diana was headed toward her room to get her writing when her father peeked out of his study as she wentby.
“Oh, Diana, might I have aword?”
“Father, Mother is ill in bed and I am watching the gallery. I really cannot stop now. Come down to the gallery if you need to speak withme.”
Father looked down the hallway toward their bedroom. “Oh, is itserious?”
“I believe it is just a cold, but it might be a good idea if you could fetch Doctor Russhaven to take a look ather.”
“I shall dothat.”
Diana forgot about her writing and started for the stairs when she thought about the post investiture celebration and stopped and turned back to herfather.
“Father, Mother and I got the idea to hold a reception for you and your friends on the Sunday after the investiture. Please stop by when you can so we can discuss the details and the guestlist.”
“What a lovely idea. Let me fetch the doctor and then I will stop by your room tochat.”
“No Father, I am in the gallery until Mother gets better,remember?”
“Ah… yes… the gallery. I will try andremember.”
Diana sighed, trotted down the stairs, and went to the gallery, forgetting her writing onceagain.
