—The Rainy DayRabindranath Tagore “Julia, is that you? What the devil are you doing under that shrub?” demanded my brother. I sighed. It was the fourth interruption of the morning, and if I did not have peace and quiet, I could not hope to catch my prey. “Yes, it is I. Do be quiet, Plum,” I ordered softly. Ignoring my wishes, he clamped his hands around my ankles and dragged me bodily from under the shrub. “Explain.” I dusted off my hands and gave him a cross look. “I am attempting to catch a lizard, and you have just caused him to scuttle off.” “What business do you have with a lizard?” I thought of half a dozen lies, then opted to tell him the truth. “I mean to speak with Robin Pennyfeather about Freddie and I thought the gift of a lizard might loosen his tongue.” His eyes narrowed precisely as Portia’s did when she was suspicious of something, and he put his hands to his hips. “I looked in on Jane last night and she said the investigation was at an end per her request.”
