Mattie let out a laugh in agreement – although Miss Enid still seemed a little nervous, even now that her secret was out.
“Well, I suspect it isn’t Mr. Howell,” Mattie chimed in with a giggle of her own, so confident that it couldn’t possibly be the crotchety old head dragonkeeper that she surely couldn’t offend by saying so. Besides, Enid was much too young and – she supposed, begrudgingly – pretty enough not to have caught the eye of someone a little more appealing. “No, no, don’t tell me who,” she continued, amused, tapping her fingertips against the outside of her sketchbook contemplatively. “I’m sure I’ll work it out eventually.” It would be a fun puzzle for the day, or for the future!
Besides, Mattie already had her inklings, if Enid had led with unsociable. It was almost certainly Mr. Orpington. (Perhaps he would happen to be at the Smoke & Scale, and then she would be able to observe them!)
“Well, I suspect it isn’t Mr. Howell,” Mattie chimed in with a giggle of her own, so confident that it couldn’t possibly be the crotchety old head dragonkeeper that she surely couldn’t offend by saying so. Besides, Enid was much too young and – she supposed, begrudgingly – pretty enough not to have caught the eye of someone a little more appealing. “No, no, don’t tell me who,” she continued, amused, tapping her fingertips against the outside of her sketchbook contemplatively. “I’m sure I’ll work it out eventually.” It would be a fun puzzle for the day, or for the future!
Besides, Mattie already had her inklings, if Enid had led with unsociable. It was almost certainly Mr. Orpington. (Perhaps he would happen to be at the Smoke & Scale, and then she would be able to observe them!)
