(no subject)
Carlotta's been flopped on her bed most of the morning, trying to memorise French verbs. Except the telephone has been ringing, over and over again.
Eventually she gets up and goes to lean over the bannister. Harris is on the phone, looking vaguely flustered.
"I'm sorry, I don't understand you. You must have the wrong number."
"Harris! What language is it?"
Harris looks up. "I'm not sure Miss Brown. Probably Spanish."
Carlotta rolls her eyes and slides down the bannister.
"Why not call the fluent Spanish speaker down to ask who it is then?" She takes the phone off him.
"Hello?"
"Aha! Carlotta?"
"That's me. Who is this?"
"Your Auntie Belinda darling. Your Mama's cousin. I wrote to you a couple of years ago inviting you over, then got the measles and couldn't have you?"
"Oh, yes, I remember." Carlotta gives Harris the thumbs up and translates. "It's my Auntie Belinda from Spain."
"So darling, who's the man with the posh voice?"
"Oh, that's Harris, he's my father's butler."
"Butler? Heavens, girl, I bet they combed the mud out of your hair too. Need to get you over here darling, you're losing your beautiful accent. How would you fancy spending some of your summer in Seville?"
"I'll have to ask Father, but I'd love to, thank you Auntie." Carlotta says immediately. "He's away right now."
"If he says no, I'll kidnap you. Got to dash darling, expensive to call from abroad you know. Tell the butler to put me through first time next time."
"Will do. I'll write soon, goodbye."
Eventually she gets up and goes to lean over the bannister. Harris is on the phone, looking vaguely flustered.
"I'm sorry, I don't understand you. You must have the wrong number."
"Harris! What language is it?"
Harris looks up. "I'm not sure Miss Brown. Probably Spanish."
Carlotta rolls her eyes and slides down the bannister.
"Why not call the fluent Spanish speaker down to ask who it is then?" She takes the phone off him.
"Hello?"
"Aha! Carlotta?"
"That's me. Who is this?"
"Your Auntie Belinda darling. Your Mama's cousin. I wrote to you a couple of years ago inviting you over, then got the measles and couldn't have you?"
"Oh, yes, I remember." Carlotta gives Harris the thumbs up and translates. "It's my Auntie Belinda from Spain."
"So darling, who's the man with the posh voice?"
"Oh, that's Harris, he's my father's butler."
"Butler? Heavens, girl, I bet they combed the mud out of your hair too. Need to get you over here darling, you're losing your beautiful accent. How would you fancy spending some of your summer in Seville?"
"I'll have to ask Father, but I'd love to, thank you Auntie." Carlotta says immediately. "He's away right now."
"If he says no, I'll kidnap you. Got to dash darling, expensive to call from abroad you know. Tell the butler to put me through first time next time."
"Will do. I'll write soon, goodbye."