Read 100. A Rose In Jeopardy for Free Online Page A

small voice spoke up from the corner of the room, where Pickle’s cage stood. “ Yes, please !”
    Lord Brockley did not seem to have noticed a thing, but Algernon looked surprised. From his seat on the sofa, he could not see the parrot’s cage.
    “What was that?” he asked and then he hiccupped loudly. “Pardon me!”
    Rosella was just about to explain about Pickle, but Algernon was now being distracted by Mrs. Dawkins, who was standing by his elbow with the teapot.
    “Cream or milk, sir?”
    “ Cake !” Pickle screamed a little more loudly. And then he gave a loud hiccup – exactly like Algernon’s.
    “Quite enough of that, Merriman!” Lord Brockley muttered. “You are being ridiculous.”
    “But I – ”
    Algernon looked rather confused as he accepted a cup of tea from Mrs. Dawkins.
    “ Hic !” Pickle squawked again and gave a raucous laugh. “ Ha ha ha !”
    Lord Brockley’s expression was thunderous now.
    “Merriman, I am not amused.”
    Pickle copied his Lordship’s angry tone, shouting,
    “Stop it! You naughty boy!”
    Algernon jumped up, spilling his tea on the carpet.
    “What the devil – ” he began, and then he saw the parrot cage. “It’s a talking bird! A stupid parrot.”
    He went over to look at Pickle, who jumped off his perch onto the floor of the cage, growling like a dog.
    “He isn’t used to strangers – ” Rosella began, but it was too late.
    “Little devil!” Algernon exclaimed.
    He poked his finger through the bars of the cage.
    Pickle gave a loud scream and bit it.
    Algernon then staggered backwards over the carpet, shaking blood from his finger.
    “Ouch!” he gasped.
    “I’m so – sorry,” Rosella stammered, hurrying over to Pickle’s cage. “I had better take him out.”
    “Yes, and shoot the damn thing, while you’re at it!” Lord Brockley grunted. “Pull yourself together, old man – it’s just a flesh wound.”
    Algernon collapsed on the sofa, mopping his finger with one of the silk cushions.
    Rosella lifted Pickle’s cage down from the table.
    She must take him out of the room as soon as she could before Lord Brockley became any more irritated.
    “Sweetheart.” Algernon sighed in a wheedling tone. “I’m wounded. Leave that horrible bird and tend to me!”
    “Pull yourself together, Merriman,” Lord Brockley snapped.
    Then his Lordship stood up from the armchair and stared at Rosella with his dark hooded eyes and something about his expression sent a little shiver down her spine.
    “You seem a good girl, whatever your name is.”
    “Rosella.”
    Her voice was shaking, but she hoped that he would not notice.
    “Hmm. Modest. Quiet. Sensible.”
    Lord Brockley’s lips twisted in an unpleasant smile.
    “Not exactly what I would have expected. No doubt my silly sister-in-law Beatrice spoiled you dreadfully.”
    “She – was very kind to me.”
    “I daresay, but she is not here now. We must have a little discussion about your future before too long.”
    Lord Brockley was still smiling and Rosella could see that his uneven teeth were stained brown from tobacco and wine.
    “Go,” he said, “and get rid of that wretched bird. I don’t wish to see or hear anything of it ever again. You, Rosella, I shall expect to see at dinner.”
    His eyes glinted at her from under his heavy lids, but he was still smiling, so that she could not tell whether he was angry or amused.
    It was difficult to curtsy while holding the heavy birdcage, but Rosella did the best she could and made her way to the door.
    Algernon looked up from winding his handkerchief around his hand and gave her a swift wink.
    Then he turned to Lord Brockley.
    “I need a brandy,” he asserted.
    Mrs. Dawkins, who had been standing by the door, looked shocked. In all the years she had worked at New Hall, no one had ever asked for brandy in the afternoon.
    “Dawkins!” Lord Brockley’s harsh voice rang out. “Have the butler bring the best brandy. And a card table. We wish to