{"sf1_id":1997784,"sf2_id":"AnKvb3vm","title":"Chapter 12: Entertaining","author":"HeatherOBunn","words":7786,"posted_at":"2023-06-05T23:28:00.000Z","tags":["Chapter","Ferret","Fox","Kidnapping","Mouse","Murder","Novel","Predator/Prey","Stoat","Thriller","Vixen","bath","deception","pine marten"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1997784-chapter-12-entertaining","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/AnKvb3vm","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/a2/6d/a26d8897-270d-49ca-b469-4c7d58c7a4a9","description":"#12 of The Murderess of Maplesburg: Disappearing like Rabbits\n\nWhen Ellie and Jason, private detectives, are asked to find a missing teenage rabbit, they soon become embroiled in a string of grizzly murders. Will they be able to navigate the barriers erected by the hostile police chief and catch the murderess before she strikes again?","content":"Chapter 12: Entertaining  \nWhen they returned home, Rita pulled the jar of mice out of the basket and carried them  \ninside to the kitchen. Wolfgang followed with the basket whilst Johann put away the car. Upon  \nentering the kitchen, Rita looked around for Gustav. She spotted him by the range and waved  \nhim over.  \n\"Gustav, we'll be having guests for dinner tonight. Do you think you could whip up  \nsomething suitable to welcome our little friends here?\"  \nGustav nodded, \"Of course, Your Grace. I'll prepare them a feast to remember.\" The fat  \nstoat leaned his face in close to the jar. \"Greetings, and welcome to Belmont Manor. I trust your  \nstay will be quite exciting.\"  \n\"Thank you, Gustav. I'm sure our guests will remember your hospitality the rest of their  \nlives.\" Rita lifted the jar to her face to address the mice, who were wet and shivering and still  \nwearing expressions of fear. \"Let's locate Bootsy and see what we can do about getting you  \ncleaned up before dinner.\"  \nRita trotted out of the kitchen and back into the entryway. There was one quickest way to  \nfind Boots. Rita set the jar on the stone floor then stood and clapped her hands twice sharply.  \n\"Boots!\"  \nAfter a few seconds, heavy clomping began to echo from down the right corridor to the  \nsitting room, and Boots strode into the entryway.  \nHe bowed low to Rita, \"Yes, Mistress?\"  \nRita crouched to pick up the jar and showed it to Boots, \"We're having guests for dinner,  \nBoots, but sadly, they've fallen into a bit of a pickle.\" She paused.  \nBoots smiled indulgently, \"Very amusing, Mistress.\"  \n\"Thank you, Bootsy. However, we can't be so uncivil as to not allow our guests a chance  \nto clean up before dinner. Run a bath for us, would you, Bootsy? And fetch something for our  \nguests to float on.\"  \nBoots bowed again, \"Right away, Mistress.\"  \nHe headed up the curving stairs, and Rita followed him. They split ways as Boots  \nheaded to the bathroom and Rita stepped into her bedroom. She set the mice on the dresser  \nwhilst she replaced her hat in the closet and then pulled off the pale blue dress. She collected  \nthe mice and marched to the bathroom, which was located at the middle of the long hall. The  \nhall itself was carpeted with a thin carpet patterned with intricate swirling and twisting red  \nbranches on a golden background. The ceiling and walls were painted carmine, and the doors  \nto the rooms were thick oak with bronze handles.  \nRita entered the bathroom, where, in the corner to the right of the door, a large, white  \nporcelain tub with bronze feet was being filled with warm water. The bathroom also contained a  \nwalk-in shower with a transparent glass door at the far end and a sink, a toilet, and a bidet,  \nwhich were also made of white porcelain with bronze fixtures, on the wall to the left of the door.  \nThe floor and walls were white marble, and the ceiling was painted gold and imbedded with  \nseveral circular light fixtures that filled the room with a warm, vibrant glow. Rita inhaled the  \nsweet aroma of lilac-scented shampoo and hand soap that permeated the room.  \nRita unscrewed the lid on the jar and held it so that there was a small crescent-shaped  \nopening. She stepped over to the sink and inverted the jar. The mice squeaked in surprise as  \nthey tumbled to the new bottom. Rita allowed all of the pungent liquid to drain into the sink  \nbefore righting the jar, causing the mice to tumble again.  \n\"Go ahead and remove your clothes,\" Rita instructed. \"I'm afraid we don't have anything  \nelse for you to wear to dinner, but I'll see what Boots can do about washing yours.\"  \nThe mother mouse glared at Rita defiantly, \"Why should we do anything you ask us?\"  \nshe shouted.  \nRita smiled calmly, \"You're certainly welcome to keep wearing your wet, dirty clothes,  \nbut I think you'll feel better in your own clean fur after our bath.\"  \nThe father put his hands on his wife's shoulders and murmured in her ear. She turned to  \nglare at him but then removed her t-shirt, and the rest of the family followed suit.  \nShortly, Boots returned and shut off the water. He was carrying the bottom of a  \nrectangular plastic container such as may be used for carryout.  \n\"Will this work, Mistress?\" he asked, holding out the container.  \n\"That should do nicely. Thank you, Boots. I'll let you know if I need anything.\"  \nRita took the container, and Boots bowed and left the room. Rita placed the container on  \nthe edge of the sink and tilted the jar on its side with the opening over the container.  \n\"Leave your clothes and hop in here. This will be your boat for while we bathe.\"  \nThe mice filed out into the container, and Rita carried it over to the tub and carefully set it  \non the water. The container glided out onto the smooth, warm pool. Satisfied, Rita smiled. She  \nclimbed into the tub herself and slid down until the water was just below the top of her  \nshoulders.  \n\"I do enjoy a nice bath. How about you folks?\"  \n\"It's not much of a bath when you're in a carryout container floating on top of it,\" the  \nmother mouse complained.  \nRita plucked her out of the container and dunked her under the water. The mouse  \nstruggled to escape from her grip, but Rita held her tightly near the bottom of the tub.  \n\"Diane!\" The father cried. He looked pleadingly at Rita, \"Oh please, bring her back up,  \nYour Grace.\"  \nRita smiled reassuringly, \"I'm just making sure she gets to enjoy the water as long as  \npossible.\"  \nAfter a few more seconds, Rita pulled the mouse back out of the water. The mouse  \ngasped for breath.  \nRita grinned toothily, \"Did you get to enjoy the bath as long as you liked, or would you  \nlike to go for another dip?\"  \n\"That's enough!\" the mouse gasped.  \n\"I'm glad you're satisfied.\" Rita placed her back in the container. \"I suppose you'll all  \nneed a bit of a rinse off before you suds up,\" Rita remarked. She picked up the father by his tail,  \n\"Hold your breath.\"  \nShe quickly dunked him, pulled him back up, and replaced him in the container. She  \nrepeated the procedure with each of the children. When all of the mice had been rinsed, she  \nretrieved the lilac-scented shampoo from the bronze rack hooked over the side of the tub. She  \nsqueezed a small amount out into one corner of the container.  \n\"Lather up, and I'll rinse you again at the end,\" she instructed.  \nThe mice obeyed and began rubbing the sweetly scented liquid into their fur. When they  \nall looked like cotton balls, Rita took them one by one and dunked them to rinse them off. She  \nthen dunked her own head and stood up, causing a wave that sent the container skimming  \nacross the water. The water was to her knees, so she only lathered herself down as far before  \ndipping back down under the water to rinse off. Once she was rinsed, she settled back into a  \nreclining position so that the water was only a short distance from her chin. She lifted her left leg  \nand nudged the container back towards her from the far end of the tub.  \n\"Now that we're all cleaned up, we can have a little chat. First, please remind me of all of  \nyour names. I'm afraid I can't quite remember which belonged to whom.\"  \nThe father mouse pointed to himself and his wife, \"Jacob and Diane.\" He pointed to the  \ntwo older children, \"Josh and Nicole.\" Finally, he pointed to the smaller children, \"Suzie and  \nTimothy.\"  \n\"Thank you, I think I've got them now. So what do you two do?\"  \n\"I'm a programmer. Right now, I'm working to improve algorithms to predict consumer  \nbuying behavior,\" Jacob replied.  \n\"How interesting, and you, Diane?\"  \n\"I have four small children; that's my job,\" she answered grumpily.  \nRita nodded, \"A very important job indeed. One can hardly overemphasize the  \nimportance of proper parenting for raising a polite and productive next generation, and I can tell  \nfrom your children's behavior that you're doing a marvelous job.\"  \nDiane's sour expression shifted to a half-smile, \"Thank you.\"  \nRita went on, \"What do you think of my home so far? Lovely, yes? Aren't you glad you  \ndecided to pay a visit after all?\"  \nDiane scowled at her again, \"Considering we've only seen most of it through a pickle jar-  \n\"  \nJacob cut her off, \"What my wife means is that she'd love a full tour of your magnificent  \nhome, Your Grace.\"  \nRita clapped her hands, \"That's a wonderful idea!\"  \nShe stood up and climbed out of the tub. She plucked the container out as well and  \nplaced it on the floor beside her. Boots had left two fresh towels hanging on the bronze rack  \nattached to the wall adjacent to the tub, and Rita gave the smaller towel to the mice and began  \nwiping herself down with the other. When she had removed most of the water, she clapped her  \nhands sharply twice.  \n\"Bootsy!\"  \nThere were a few quick thumping steps from the hall, and Boots stepped into the room.  \n\"Blow dryer, Bootsy.\"  \nHe nodded and walked across the room to retrieve the blow dryer from the glass and  \nbronze cabinet located between the tub and the shower. Rita turned and raised her arms, legs,  \nor tail as necessary while Boots dried her fur with the hot air. Rita then took the blow dryer and  \nturned it on the mice until they looked dry. She handed it back to Boots.  \n\"Thank you, Bootsy. Please prepare one of the bedrooms for our guests.\" Rita glanced  \nat the diminutive folks and around the bathroom of too large appliances. \"And do you think you  \ncould find some way to help our guests access the facilities? Maybe some type of steps or  \nladders. Get Howard and Edgar to help. I'm going to show our guests around the house.\"  \n\"I'll see what I can do, Mistress.\" Boots replaced the blow dryer and left the room.  \nShe turned back to the mice. \"You can continue to ride in the container for now. I'll see if  \nI can find you something nicer in a minute.\"  \nShe lifted them and carried them back to the bedroom. She placed the container on the  \ndresser and began going through the drawers to find a new transport for the mice. She found a  \nsmall, decorated jewelry box with a padded bottom. She dumped the jewelry into the drawer  \nand placed it next to the container.  \n\"I'll carry you in this.\"  \nThe mice climbed out of the container and into the box, parents lifting the children to  \neach other over the high sides. Once the mice were all comfortably arranged in the box, Rita  \nlifted it in both hands and held it in front of her chest.  \n\"Perfect, now let's start your tour.\" She trotted out into the hall and into the room next to  \nhers. \"Most of the rooms up here are just bedrooms, not very interesting, but this is my personal  \nstudy.\"  \nThe walls of the cozy room were lined with full walnut bookshelves except surrounding  \nthe one window at the far end of the room where the dark brown paint was visible. Next to the  \nwindow, a comfy chair with green cushions and walnut arm and legs was paired with a tall lamp  \nwith a silvery base and a white shade. The floor was covered with soft green carpet.  \n\"What's your favorite genre to read?\" Jacob asked politely.  \n\"Horror. Yours?\"  \n\"I like science fiction or sometimes a good mystery.\"  \n\"Mysteries can be fun, but I find science fiction novels to be either boring or implausible.\"  \n\"And horror novels are plausible?\"  \n\"Maybe not the monsters, but the darkness inside each of us that they represent is real  \nenough.\"  \n\"Hmm,\" he sounded unconvinced.  \n\"We'll have time to discuss literature later if you like. Let's continue with your tour.\"  \nRita carried the mice down through the entry hall and into the sitting room. Two light blue  \nsofas and matching armchairs were arranged in a rough rectangle. The walls were light yellow,  \nand the floor was covered with royal blue carpet. There was a fireplace on the left side of the far  \nwall, which also had a doorway to the next room. The room was illuminated by a silver  \nchandelier with inverted candelabra bulbs.  \n\"This is the sitting room. We'll have cocktails here before dinner,\" Rita explained.  \nShe carried them through the doorway in the back into the living room with its dark  \ncream carpet, crimson and gold wallpaper, pink and gold furniture, crystal chandelier, and  \ncarved ceiling. A fireplace was located opposite the fireplace in the sitting room.  \n\"This is the living room,\" she noted as she carried them through to another doorway on  \nthe far side.  \nThey passed through the door and entered a large room with a ceiling composed of  \nglass pains in silver flames. The far wall was also composed mostly of windows. The room  \ncontained more bookshelves, a few maple chairs and a square maple card table, a small brass  \nmirror telescope at the middle of the windowed wall, a grand pianoforte on the left side, and two  \nfishtail palms by the near wall. The floor was varnished pine, and the other walls were painted  \nwhite. The room was filled with the afternoon sun, but several lights in cylindrical silver fixtures  \nwere distributed across the ceiling as well.  \n\"This is the conservatory. It can also serve as a ballroom.\"  \n\"Do you hold many balls?\" Jacob asked.  \n\"Not these days.\"  \nShe carried them through another doorway on the same wall they had entered through  \ninto the dining room, which contained a long oak table with oak chairs. The floor of this room  \nwas also varnished pine while the walls were painted a warm orange. A golden chandelier hung  \nover the center of the table.  \n\"This is the dining room where we'll be having dinner, and through the far door is the  \nkitchen. All that leaves is the basement, but I don't think you'd like it down there so close to  \ndinner,\" she finished.  \n\"Is it very musty or something?\" Jacob asked.  \n\"Something like that. Anyway, let's go back to the sitting room, and I'll see if I can get  \nsomeone to bring us a bottle of wine.\"  \nShe carried the mice back through to the sitting room. Edgar, a pine marten in a black  \nbow tie and black shirt collar, was pacing around the room, trying to look busy.  \n\"Edgar, make yourself useful and fetch a bottle of pinot noir and some fruit juice for us.  \nTell the kitchen we'll need the small cups we brought back from the picnic.\"  \n\"Yes, Your Grace!\" He bobbed his head and hurried out of the room.  \nRita set the box on one of the light blue chairs and sat on the couch to the right.  \n\"So what did you think?\"  \n\"Your house is very lovely as you said,\" Jacob answered politely.  \nRita smiled pleasantly, \"I'm glad you think so. I take it then you're glad you decided to  \npay me a visit rather than whatever you were going to do the rest of the day.\"  \n\"Go home to meet my mother,\" Diane reminded tartly.  \nRita shifted her eyes to give her a withering stare, \"Come now, you don't really plan to  \nkeep up that lie. Think about the example you're setting for your children and be honest.\"  \n\"I'm less concerned about that than putting them into the hands of some random  \npsycho!\" Diane squeaked back angrily. \"You said you were the Duchess, but did you expect us  \nto take you on your word?! And even though it seems you were telling the truth, you still haven't  \ntold us what your intentions are! Are we staying for dinner? Overnight? What? Not to mention  \nhow you've treated us! Kidnapped us and nearly drowned the little ones and me! And now you  \nwant to preach about honesty?!\"  \nRita narrowed her eyes and replied softly, \"Just as I told you, I wanted to convince you of  \nyour vulnerability, but none of you have been in the slightest danger since we met. As for my  \nintentions, I intend for you to be my guests for a little while, perhaps a day or two, no more, and  \nthen I'll send you on your way. And if Jacob's boss asks him where he's been, I'll clear  \neverything up.\"  \n\"And that's it?\" she asked suspiciously.  \n\"That's it.\"  \nJacob had been looking terribly embarrassed throughout the exchange. He added, \"The  \ntruth is we weren't planning to leave until tomorrow morning, Your Grace, but like Diane said,  \nyou could have been lying about who you were. We didn't think it wise to take the risk.\"  \nRita gave him an understanding smile, \"Thank you for your honesty, Jacob. I know it  \nmust be difficult making those kinds of decisions, especially when you have four children to  \nprotect, so I forgive you.\"  \n\"Thank you, Your Grace,\" he breathed, sounding immensely relieved.  \nThere was a soft cough from the door, and Rita turned to see Edgar returned with the  \ndrinks and cups on a silver tray. She motioned for him to enter.  \n\"You may serve the drinks now, Edgar. Wine for me and the larger two and juice for the  \nsmaller four.\"  \nEdgar hurried across the room and started pouring out the drinks. He had considerable  \ntrouble with the mice's small cups, spilling all over the tray.  \n\"Edgar, stop!\" Rita commanded. \"Before you get wine all over the carpet, go back and  \nget a pair of straws to transfer with, and clean off the tray while you're at it.\"  \nEdgar left, and Rita smiled apologetically at the mice, \"Not the most competent of my  \nservants. But his father was a good employee, and he desperately needed the job. I try to find  \nhim tasks where he can't hurt himself.\"  \nAfter a few more minutes, Edgar returned with the addition of the straws.  \nRita held out her hands, \"I'll take care of that, Edgar. Run along and see if Boots has  \nfigured out a solution for helping our guests get where they need to be.\"  \nEdgar handed her the tray then dashed off. Rita used the straws to dispense into the  \nsmall cups by using her index finger to seal the top of the straw after dipping into the respective  \nbottles. She then filled her own glass with the pinot noir and placed the tray on the floor out of  \nthe way.  \nRita took a sip of the wine before addressing the mice again, \"So how long have you  \nbeen staying in the area?\"  \n\"Almost a week,\" Jacob answered.  \n\"Have you been paying attention to the news at all?\"  \n\"A little.\"  \n\"Then I assume you've heard of the dreadful murder we had in Maplesburg just last  \nweek.\"  \n\"Yes, a bit.\"  \nRita shook her head, trying to look distressed despite her inner glee, \"It's just awful what  \nthey did to that poor rabbit. He was only fourteen, you know, not so many years older than your  \noldest, I suppose. Did you hear what they got from the coroner's report this morning? How his  \nlimbs had be-  \n\"Please! Not in front of the children!\" Diane cried, trying to cover Suzie's ears.  \n\"Oh, my apologies. I didn't mean to traumatize the poor dears.\"  \nDiane glared at her, but Jacob waved his hand dismissively, \"I'm sure it's nothing they  \nhaven't heard on tv, but let's change to a less gruesome subject anyway.\"  \n\"Alright, since you're visiting, where are you visiting from?\"  \n\"Hillsboro.\"  \n\"Quite a bit to the South then. If you were trying to escape the heat, you picked the  \nwrong week. It's been sweltering.\"  \n\"Yes, we've mostly stayed to the woods until today to avoid the sun, but it's a lovely  \narea, well worth the trip.\"  \n\"I'm glad you've enjoyed it. Where we met today is actually part of the Belmont Estate,  \nso in a way, you've been visiting me the whole time without my knowing.\"  \nJacob frowned concernedly, \"If we've been trespassing, I apologize. We didn't-\"  \n\"Oh no, my residents are welcome to rent houses to whomever they like so long as they  \nrealize that they'll be responsible for any damage done.\"  \n\"That's a relief, and I promise you we haven't caused any damage or left any trash.\"  \nRita smiled, \"I didn't assume that you did. Like I said earlier, you seem a very charming  \nfamily overall.\"  \nThey sat sipping their drinks for several more minutes. Rita drank hers slowly but  \nencouraged the mice to imbibe, frequently topping off their cups. At length, Diane and especially  \nJacob began to seem quite relaxed.  \n\"You know, when you first shoved us in that jar, I was sure you were going to let us  \nsuffocate just how you described,\" Jacob divulged.  \n\"Oh dear, you must have been terribly frightened then.\"  \nHe nodded, \"Petrified. And then even after the wolverine punched holes in the top, Diane  \nhad put it into my head that you weren't really the Duchess, so I thought you were going to take  \nus to some dark cellar and cut us into little pieces like they did with that rabbit.\"  \n\"Jacob!\" Diane elbowed him.  \n\"Oops, sorry, kids.\" He put an arm around Timothy's back. \"But it turned out we were  \nworried about nothing. You really were the Duchess, and you've been very hospitable.\" He  \nshook his head wryly, \"To think we went for a picnic and bumped into a duchess. My colleagues  \nwill hardly believe it.\"  \nRita smiled kindly, \"The pleasure is all mine. It's not that often that I get to have such  \npleasant company. Most of the nobility are quite intolerable.\"  \nJacob blinked, \"Are they really?\"  \n\"Well, you know the reputation foxes have, I'm sure. To put it lightly, they don't tend to  \nbe the most sociable.\"  \n\"You must be the exception then.\"  \nRita beamed, \"I'm glad you think so.\" Rita gulped the last of her wine. \"Edgar still hasn't  \ncome back to report on Boots' solution. If you don't mind waiting here, I'll go look for him myself.  \nDo you want any more wine or juice before I go?\"  \nJacob shook his head, \"I think we've had enough, and we'll be fine while you're gone.\"  \n\"Okay, but don't wander off, I'd hate to find out that Boots accidentally tromped on one of  \nyou.\"  \nRita trotted out of the room and up the stairs. She found Edgar sulking outside of her  \nbedroom.  \n\"Edgar, what are you doing? Did you locate Boots?\"  \nThe pine marten nodded.  \n\"You were supposed to come report back to me. Do you know where he is now?\"  \nEdgar jerked his head at the bedroom across the hall.  \nRita tried to remain patient with the sullen pine marten, \"I'll talk to him myself, go back to  \nthe sitting room and try to entertain our guests. Be nice!\"  \nEdgar shuffled off down the stairs, and Rita stepped into the room he'd indicated. Boots  \nwas busy making the bed.  \n\"Sorry to disturb you Boots, but did you figure out a solution for our guests?\"  \n\"Yes, Mistress.\" Boots pulled a makeshift rope ladder constructed from match sticks and  \ntwine from his jacket pocket.  \nRita nodded approvingly, \"Excellent work, Bootsy. Fix those around for our guests'  \nconvenience. Did you get any help from Howard and Edgar?\"  \n\"Howard helped. Edgar, uh,\" he pulled a snarled mess of twine out of his other jacket  \npocket.  \nRita sighed. \"I'd better get back to our guests before he manages to make them equally  \nconfused. Good work again, Boots.\"  \nShe trotted out of the room and back down to the sitting room.  \n\"If you think about it, we're all just worm food in the end,\" Edgar was muttering gloomily.  \n\"I don't know why people make such a big deal about how we used to eat each other. I'd rather  \nbe eaten by an eagle than a bunch of writhing worms.\"  \n\"Edgar! I said to be nice!\" Rita rebuked.  \n\"It's okay,\" said Jacob. \"He was just, uh, putting things into perspective.\"  \nRita looked at Edgar sharply, \"Go find some way not to be a nuisance.\"  \nHe got up and shuffled out of the room.  \nRita looked apologetically at the mice, \"Sorry about that. He's in one of his moods. It's  \nalmost time for dinner, so why don't I take you to wash up and then to the dining room?\"  \n\"Okay,\" Jacob answered.  \nRita carried them up to the bathroom. Boots had attached the rope ladders to the sink  \nand toilet with masking tape. Rita set the box on the floor.  \n\"Let's see if you can use the sink without my help.\"  \nThe mice climbed out of the box, glanced up at the rope ladder, and then scurried up to  \nthe sink. Jacob pushed the handle to turn on the cold water, and then he and Diane helped the  \nchildren reach the running water. The mice rubbed their hands on the lilac-scented bar soap  \nand rinsed them again. Jacob pulled the handle to turn the water off, and finally, they climbed  \nback down the ladder. Rita nodded, satisfied. She washed her own hands whilst the mice  \nclimbed back into the box and then carried them down through the kitchen to the dining room.  \nRita sat at one end of the table, and the mice spread out at the other places on that end.  \nGustav and the other kitchen staff had prepared a five-course meal to honor their guests. First,  \nthere was fresh, crusty bread and an assortment of cheeses, which the mice partook in  \nenthusiastically. The second course was creamy potato soup whilst the third was mushroom  \npasty. The main course for the mice was a seasoned squash medley with sides of wax beans  \nand braised beet, and for Rita, it was a fillet of mutton with sides of wax beans and a baked  \npotato. Finally, dessert was peach pie. The mice ate the expertly prepared dishes heartily. At  \nthe end of the meal, Gustav emerged into the dining room.  \n\"Was everything to your liking?\" he inquired, turning to each of them with a confident  \nsmile.  \n\"Everything was wonderful as ever, Gustav,\" Rita complimented.  \nThe mice nodded in enthusiastic agreement. \"It was fantastic,\" added Diane. \"I wish I  \ncould eat here every night.\"  \nThe plump stoat bowed graciously, \"I'm delighted to hear it was to your satisfaction.\"  \nKitchen staff came to remove the dessert plates, and Gustav returned to the kitchen with  \nthem.  \nJacob rubbed his bloated stomach, \"Oof, I don't think I could have eaten another bite!\"  \nRita smirked; the mice were now so round that they resembled furry billiard balls with  \narms and legs. \"I'm pleased that you enjoyed your dinner. Well worth the trip, I hope.\"  \nJacob chuckled, \"Hahaha, I'd ride all the way from Hillsboro in a pickle jar to have a meal  \nlike that again.\"  \nRita giggled, \"Heeheeheehee, in that case, mail yourself over anytime you like.\"  \nThe mice were feeling quite drowsy after the large meal. Rita helped them into the  \njewelry box and transported them back to the chair in the sitting room.  \n\"You've all certainly had a busy day today. With your permission, I'd like to read the  \nchildren a bedtime story, and then you can all turn in early,\" Rita suggested.  \n\"Please do,\" Jacob replied. \"I'm sure they'll enjoy it.\"  \nRita went up to her private study and returned with a book of fairy tales. Rita set the  \nbook on the opposite chair then collected the children from the mice's chair. She placed Josh  \nand Timothy on her right shoulder and Nicole and Suzie on her left shoulder. She carefully  \nwalked back to the opposite chair and sat down gently to avoid disturbing the mice from their  \nperch. She grabbed the book and flipped through until she found the page she wanted.  \n\"This is the story of Little Red Riding Hood,\" Rita began. \"Once there was a little white  \nrabbit who always wore a hooded red cloak. (Her mother tried to get her to wear different  \nclothes occasionally of course, but she was a very stubborn child.) Because of this, she was  \nknown to all as Little Red Riding Hood.\"  \n\"One day, her mother asked her to take a basket of blueberry muffins to her  \ngrandmother, who was ill, and so Little Red Riding Hood set off through the forest to deliver the  \nmuffins. On that same day, a wolf was also taking a stroll through the forest, and he couldn't  \nhelp but smell the sweet and delicious scent of the fresh muffins. He approached Little Red  \nRiding Hood and asked her if he might sample one of the muffins, but Little Red Riding Hood  \nwas a very ill-mannered child.\"  \n\"'Go get your own muffins, Fleabag!' she shouted. 'These are for my grandmother who's  \nill.'\"  \n\"The wolf was taken aback but remained calm. 'I'm sorry if I startled you, Miss,' he said.  \n'I understand if you can't spare any of your muffins, and I'm sorry to hear about your  \ngrandmother.'\"  \n\"Little Red Riding Hood kicked him in the shin by way of response and dashed off down  \nthe path. The wolf was shocked by this uncivil behavior, but he still felt sorry for the sick elderly  \nrabbit, especially if her caretaker was this unpleasant child. So he took a shortcut through the  \nwoods and arrived at her grandmother's house first. He knocked on the door and was answered  \nby a bent, old white rabbit with a cane.\"  \n\"'Hello, Madam,' he greeted. 'I heard that you were ill and thought I'd offer to prepare  \nyou a hearty meal to help put you back on your feet. What do you say I bring it over about six  \nthis evening?'\"  \n\"The old rabbit just glared at the wolf, and then, taking up her cane, she screeched,  \n'Away with you, you filthy creature!' And she whacked the wolf with her cane.\"  \n\"The wolf started to back away from the mad rabbit, but she pursued him, swinging her  \ncane violently. Finally, the wolf had had enough, and he snatched away the cane and bolted the  \nrabbit down on the spot. However, then he heard Little Red Riding Hood approaching, so he ran  \ninto the house to hide. Unfortunately, there were no hiding spots large enough for the wolf. In  \ndesperation, he tried to pull on some of the old rabbit's clothes, which were also much too small,  \nand climbed into her bed to use the covers to hide most of his body.\"  \n\"When Little Red Riding Hood entered, she realized right away that it was the wolf from  \nbefore. (She would have had to be blind to not tell a wolf from a rabbit.)\"  \n\"'You beast!' she shouted. 'I said you couldn't have any of these muffins!' And then she  \nbegan hurling the muffins across the room at the wolf.\"  \n\"The wolf was so upset to see such delicious food go to waste that he leapt out of bed  \nand gobbled up Little Red Riding Hood too. Then he took the remaining muffins home to have  \nfor dessert, and they were just as tasty as he had hoped. The end.\"  \n\"What about the woodsman?\" squeaked Josh.  \n\"Who?\"  \n\"The woodsman who saves Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother by cutting them  \nout of the wolf with his ax.\"  \n\"Dear me, that would certainly be a gruesome end to the story, and it would completely  \nspoil the moral. You see, Josh, Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother were very rude,  \nand that's why they got eaten. The moral of the story is to always be polite.\"  \n\"Are you going to gobble us up?\" squeaked Suzie.  \nRita scooped the tiny mouse off of her shoulder and held her in front of her face, \"Now  \nwhy would you ask a question like that, Sweetie?\"  \n\"You're big and scary, like the wolf.\"  \n\"I'm sorry I frighten you, Sweetie. But do you really think I would want to gobble you up  \nwhen I have so much good food like we just had at dinner?\"  \n\"I don't know,\" Suzie murmured.  \nRita smiled patiently, \"Well, I'll let you think it over.\"  \nShe set aside the book and returned the children to their parents. The mice climbed  \nback into the box, and Rita carried them up to the bedroom Boots had prepared across the hall  \nfrom hers. Boots had taped one of the rope ladders to the end of the bed, and Rita set the box  \nnext to the ladder on top of the bed. The mice walked sleepily to the head of the bed and  \nsnuggled under the blankets where they were pulled back from the pillows. The bed was  \ncomically large for the mice, making the pillows superfluous.  \n\"Don't hesitate to come get me if there's anything you need,\" Rita instructed.  \n\"Goodnight, Your Grace,\" Jacob called as she turned to leave the room.  \nShe turned her head to glance back, \"Sleep tight.\" She exited the room, flipping the light  \noff on the way.  \nAfter brushing her teeth, Rita proceeded to her own room. Rita collected her copy of  \nFrankenstein, which she was rereading, from the top of her dresser, crawled into bed, and  \nturned on the reading lamp that hung over the middle of her bed from a copper and frosted  \nglass fixture that was screwed into the wall. She propped one of the fluffy pink pillows against  \nthe carved walnut headboard and settled down to read. She had been reading for around an  \nhour when she heard a small squeak from beside her bed. She peered over the edge of the  \nhigh bed and saw Suzie shuffling her feet on the floor.  \n\"Do you need something, Sweetie?\" Rita asked.  \nSuzie squeaked something in reply, but Rita had a hard time making it out.  \n\"I'm having a hard time hearing you all the way down there, Suzie.\"  \nRita scooted to the edge of the bed, pushed down the covers, and draped her long,  \nbushy tail over the edge. The tip of her tail brushed against the floor.  \n\"Grab on, and I'll pull you up,\" Rita instructed.  \nSuzie grabbed onto her tail fur, and Rita easily lifted the tiny mouse up onto the bed.  \n\"Now what was it you wanted?\" Rita asked kindly.  \nSuzie looked at her feet and shuffled them on the blanket, \"I wanted to say sorry,\" she  \nsqueaked.  \n\"Sorry for what, Sweetie?\"  \nSuzie looked up at her, \"For saying you were going to gobble us up. That was mean.\"  \nRita scooped the tiny mouse up to hold her in front of her face, \"And you crept all the  \nway through this big, dark, scary house just to apologize. I'd say you're a very brave mouse,  \nSuzie.\"  \nSuzie smiled, \"I am?\"  \nRita nodded solemnly, \"Yes, you are. I wish I had such a brave mouse to protect me  \nduring the night.\"  \nSuzie puffed herself up, \"I'll protect you, Miss Rita.\"  \nRita grinned, \"Will you? I feel safer already. Thank you, Suzie.\" She placed Suzie on the  \npillow next to her. \"I'm going to do a little more reading. You keep an eye out.\"  \n\"Right.\" Suzie sat up staring out at the bedroom door.  \nRita went back to reading. After a few minutes, she glanced back at Suzie. The mouse's  \nhead and eyelids were drooping. Rita smiled and continued reading. When she had finished the  \nchapter she was on, she closed the book and glanced back at the tiny mouse: she was curled  \ninto a ball on the pillow, her side rising and falling gently. Rita carefully slipped the book to the  \nside of the bed where it would be out of the way and readjusted her pillow. Next, she turned out  \nthe light and waited for her eyes to adjust. When she could see by the moonlight filtering in  \nthrough the window, she scooted down until the blankets were to her shoulders. Then she  \ngently scooped up the tiny mouse and nestled her beneath her lower jaw. Suzie stirred slightly,  \nand Rita stroked her with one finger until she settled back to sleep. Finally, Rita lay down the  \nrest of the way and pulled the blankets up so that Suzie was nestled between the blankets and  \nher jaw. Rita breathed deeply before drifting into contented sleep.  \n\\* \\* \\*  \nRita was awoken the next morning by frantic squeaking.  \n\"Your Grace! Your Grace, wake up!\" shouted Diane. \"Suzie is missing! We looked all  \naround our room and the bathroom and didn't see her anywhere.\"  \n\"Diane, don't worry,\" Rita attempted to mollify her. \"Suzie is safe; she spent the night  \nwith me.\" She scooped the tiny mouse out from under her chin and held her up to show Diane.  \nSuzie uncurled and blinked sleepily. She looked down at Diane, \"Mommy? What's the  \nmatter?\"  \nDiane gawked at her daughter, \"I-I'm sorry, Your Grace. I don't know what got into her.\"  \nRita smiled reassuringly, \"It was no problem. She wanted to apologize, and I asked her  \nto stay so that she wouldn't have to wander through the dark house again. Besides, it was kind  \nof nice having a little neck warmer.\" She stroked Suzie with her index finger, \"You were  \ncomfortable, weren't you, Sweetie?\"  \nSuzie nodded, \"Your fur is soft, Miss Rita.\"  \nRita smiled warmly. Cupping the mouse securely in her hands, she crawled out of bed  \nthen leaned down to place her by her mother.  \n\"There you go, Diane; she's safe and sound.\" She stood back up.  \nDiane looked up at her, her expression conflicted, \"Your Grace, I-I think I should  \napologize too.\"  \n\"Oh? What for?\"  \nDiane's expression turned to one of embarrassment, \"I think I misjudged you, Your  \nGrace. When we first met, I was wary because of your being a fox, and when you kidnapped us,  \nI was convinced that you were just as cruel and untrustworthy as the stereotype goes. But now I  \nsee that you never meant us any harm, so I apologize for my hostility up to this point.\"  \nRita smiled warmly, \"Apology accepted, Diane, and I'm sorry if my methods were a bit  \ntoo vigorous at times. I hope we can be friends.\"  \nThe mouse returned a slight smile, \"I'd like that.\"  \n\"Well,\" Rita piped, clapping her hands together. \"I'm hungry. What do you say we collect  \nthe rest of your family and go see what Gustav has prepared for breakfast?\"  \nThey crossed the hall to the mice's room where the rest of the family was still searching  \nfor Suzie.  \n\"I found her!\" called Diane. \"She was sleeping with the Duchess; she's fine.\"  \n\"Oh, what a relief!\" Jacob gasped. He raced over to lift Suzie under the arms. \"You had  \nus worried sick, young lady. You should know better than to disappear like that!\"  \n\"Sorry,\" Suzie muttered.  \n\"It's really my fault,\" Rita put in. \"I could have brought her back to you last night, but I  \ndecided to have her stay instead. I'm sorry you were worried.\"  \nJacob looked up at her, slightly embarrassed, \"No apology necessary, Your Grace.  \nThank you for keeping our daughter safe.\"  \nRita picked the jewelry box up off of the bed and set it on the floor. \"Now that we're all  \ntogether, let's head down to breakfast. I assume you folks are hungry.\"  \n\"Starving!\" Timothy squeaked from across the room.  \nRita turned her head to beam at him, \"Well, then let's go see what Gustav has for us.\"  \nGustav had prepared poached eggs, ham, coffee, and biscuits, which were brought out  \nshortly after Rita and company entered the dining room. Rita spread her biscuit with blackberry  \njam and took a bite of the sweet and savory pastry. She washed it down with a gulp of hot  \ncoffee with cream and sugar and paused to observe the mice tucking into their breakfast.  \nTimothy had already managed to cover his whiskers with yoke, and Jacob was struggling with  \nthe oversized jar of jam. She thought back to when they had met on the sunny hill yesterday at  \nlunchtime. She'd been delighted to find a new set of toys, but she found now that she didn't  \nhave any desire to torment them further. Instead, the idea of refraining from disillusioning the  \nmice of their rosy view of her had growing appeal. Even the suspicious Diane had apologized  \nfor 'misjudging' her; Rita smirked at the notion. Killing them now would certainly have its own  \nflavor of irony, but it was a flavor she had tasted many times before. Allowing them to leave  \nbelieving they had never been in any danger but had merely spent a pleasant day with the,  \nperhaps eccentric, but kindly Duchess would provide a brand-new flavor or irony. My own loyal  \nfans to whom I am above reproach. Rita ate a bite of the salty ham and savory egg before  \naddressing her guests.  \n\"After breakfast, I suppose we should return you folks to your cabin so that you can  \ncheck out and Jacob can return to work. However, if all or some of you ever want to visit again,  \ndon't hesitate to call, and I'll be delighted to accommodate you again.\"  \n\"Thank you, Your Grace,\" replied Jacob. \"We've had a terrific visit, and if I didn't need to  \ngo back to work, I'm sure we'd love to stay longer. But I promise we'll make every effort to take  \nyou up on your offer to visit again.\"  \n\"I don't want to go home yet!\" squeaked Timothy.  \n\"Me neither! I want to stay with Miss Rita longer,\" Suzie added.  \nJacob frowned, \"I'm sorry, kids, but that's the way it is. Besides, we can't impose on the  \nDuchess' hospitality any longer.\"  \nRita contemplated the two tiny mice, \"Actually, if it's acceptable for you, I wouldn't mind  \nkeeping the little ones a few more days. Then I'll have one of the staff drive them home, so you  \nwon't need to come back to get them.\"  \nJacob looked skeptically at Diane before turning back to Rita, \"That's very kind of you,  \nYour Grace, but we can't burden you that way. Like I said, we'll make every effort-\" Diane  \nnudged him and whispered in his ear; he looked at her, surprised, and turned back to Rita,  \n\"Diane says we should let them stay if that's what you all want. I don't want to impose on you if  \nyou're just being polite, but-\"  \n\"It's no imposition at all! I'll be delighted to have them. Count Dubois is visiting tomorrow,  \na real bore, I'd appreciate some company to liven things up.\"  \nJacob glanced from Timothy to Suzie, \"Is that what you want, kids? To stay here with the  \nDuchess a few days while we go home? You'll have to promise to behave and do what she tells  \nyou.\"  \nThe two mice bobbed their heads rapidly, \"We'll behave, promise,\" said Suzie.  \nJacob looked to Timothy, \"Tim?\"  \n\"I'll behave too,\" he answered.  \nJacob turned back to Rita, \"I guess it's settled then. Thank you again, Your Grace. Don't  \nhesitate to send them home early if they're too much trouble.\"  \n\"I'm sure they won't be. Let me take down your address.\"  \nGustav got Rita a scrap of paper and pen, and she recorded the mice's address. They  \nfinished breakfast. Then Johann brought the car to the front, and Rita carried them out in the  \njewelry box. They rode slowly down the private drive with Rita holding the box up to the window,  \nso the mice could tell Johann where to stop.  \n\"This is the place,\" Jacob stated.  \nJohann stopped the car, and Rita climbed out and set the box on the ground. Diane and  \nJacob hugged and kissed Timothy and Suzie and then climbed out of the box with Nicole and  \nJosh and started into the woods.  \n\"Have a safe trip!\" Rita called. \"I promise I'll take good care of your babies.\"  \n\"Good-bye, Your Grace,\" Jacob and Diane both called back with a wave.  \n\"I'm not a baby,\" huffed Timothy.  \nRita smirked, \"I know Timothy, but to your parents, you're still their baby.\" She lifted the  \nbox. \"Let's go back to the house.\"  \nJohann drove them back to the manor. Rita dug out a pack of playing cards, and the  \nthree of them spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon playing Go Fish, War, and Old  \nMaid with Edgar in the sunny conservatory. Around two, Rita carried them up to their room for a  \nnap. When she came back downstairs, she found Boots and Howard, a white ferret wearing a  \nblack tie and jacket, having a conversation in the entryway.  \n\"It's not your place to say who Mistress does or doesn't spare,\" Boots was scolding the  \nferret.  \n\"What's this now?\" Rita interrupted.  \nBoth of them started at the sound of her voice and turned to look at her guiltily.  \n\"We were talking about how you let the mice go,\" Boots admitted. \"It's very unusual for  \nyou, but I know you have your reasons.\"  \n\"Reasons like she's going soft,\" Howard scoffed. \"First, she decides to let them go, and  \nnow she's babysitting two of them.\" He sneered at Rita and went on in a mocking tone, \"Maybe  \nyou'd like to open an orphanage next, Your Grace.\"  \nRita clenched her fists and gave them both a hard stare. \"I don't need to explain my  \nreasons to either of you,\" she growled softly. \"But if you think I've gone soft, Howard, we can  \ndiscuss it downstairs this evening.\"  \nThe ferret's nose went white as he blanched. \"Th-that won't be necessary, Y-Your  \nGrace. I take it back. I'm sorry; I won't question your decisions again.\"  \n\"Let's hope so,\" she murmured dangerously. She took a deep breath and blew it out.  \n\"Right,\" she went on casually. \"I have an errand for you, Howard.\" She handed him a crumpled  \npiece of paper. \"These are Timothy and Suzie's measurements. I want you to go buy them each  \na nice outfit to wear when Old Dullbois is here.\"  \n\"Yes, Your Grace.\" He uncrumpled the paper, glanced at it, shoved it into his right jacket  \npocket, and hurried out the front door.  \nShe watched Howard go then turned to Boots, \"As for you, Boots-\"  \n\"I'm sorry, Mistress, I was just trying to defend you.\"  \n\"I heard, Boots. Think nothing more of it. As I was about to say, after all of that walking  \nyesterday, I could use a nice foot massage.\"  \nBoots grinned and nodded fawningly, \"Of course, Mistress.\"  \nRita gestured with her head toward the right corridor and the living room. \"This way,  \nBootsy.\" She trotted to the living room, and Boots followed close behind.\n\n  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"The Murderess of Maplesburg: Disappearing like Rabbits","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1997563-chapter-11-the-murderer.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1998140-chapter-13-of-dogs-and-rabbits.json"}}