The Flight to Fanciful Part 5 ~ Of Men and Their Manners

Although the Villa Vesuviana was lovely, the sea called to Lady Leena. Missing the salt air and the breezes, her faithful agent Silas Becker, made arrangements with Don Alfonso for her to move closer to the shoreline on Rocca Sorrentina. It was moving day and to Lady Leena's utter delight Madame Savatier had arrived not long before by ship, having received the previous letter about the balloons while on her travels.

Silas Becker met the ladies at the door of the new apartment and bowed while Madame Savatier returned his kindness with a curtsey.

"Good Day to you ladies. I believe your new apartment will be suitable, my Lady," Becker said.

Madame Savatier answered, "What a pleasure, Mr. Becker!"

"'Tis an honor Madame Savatier, my Lady Leena has told me much about you." Becker replied.

"Why, thank you." Madame Savatier said.

"How was your journey to the island?" asked Becker.

Madame Savatier shakes her head, "Miserable ... the ship was taken over by a huge swell. It was most displeasing."

The small group was about to enter the new apartment and start getting settled when a gentleman approached, later to be known as one Signore Mercury Gandt.

And the gentleman speaks, "Ladies, Signore, what is this commotion at my door?"

The ladies curtsey with polite puzzlement while Becker bows in shock, offering the gentleman a simple greeting.

"Why, I'm moving of course, this is my new apartment Signore." Lady Leena looks on with an odd look on her face.

"Your new apartment? Where I live? Signorina, I would be the most happy man on earth to live together with you, but this is my apartment," says the gentleman.

Lady Leena Fandango with her mouth gaping says, "Begging your pardon?" while Madame Savatier looks totally shocked and offers, "Oh, Mon Dieu!"

The very forward gentleman with a smirk on his face states, "At least it was mine when I left it behind this morning."

Silas Becker, glaring at the gentleman asks him, "Have you paid the bill? You presume much Sir, about my Lady."

"Signore, we haven't met before so I can't take it an as offense only as a misunderstanding. My name is Gandt, at your service, and this is where I live," now the gentleman is finally introduced.

Madame Savatier asks, "Are you sure?" and begins laughing while Signore Gandt laughs along with her and shakes his head in disbelief. "I merely jest with you, Monsieur... there must be some misunderstanding. Monsieur Becker has obviously been misinformed."

Becker raises and eyebrow, "Don Alfonso or myself must have misunderstood Signore, it was thought this was to be Lady Leena's new apartment."

Signore Gandt bows again formally, "Mercurio Gandt, at your service, Mesdames."

Lady Leena Fandango curtsies again, "I am Lady Fandango, Signore. May I present Madame Savatier and this is my agent, Silas Becker."

Madame Savatier curtsies, "Well met, Monsieur."

Mercurio Gandt offers, "Enchanted, Madame and Madamoiselle."

Madame Savatier answers him, "Merci," while Signore Gandt nods politely.

"Well, Madamoiselle Leena, I am sure the gentleman knows where he lives," Madame Savatier states.

Lady Leena Fandango says "Well, this is a dilemma it seems Signore Gandt ... now what?" and looks over at Becker with a small frown. "I'm so sorry Madame this was to be a better afternoon for you than your journey."

Madame Savatier asks, "Perhaps we can allow Monsieur Becker to sort this out while we take coffee and Signore Gandt would like to join us?"

Mercury Gandt with a smile on his face, "I would gladly help, as soon as you tell me where do you want to move."

"Monsieur Gandt, how civilized," laughs Madame Savatier sweetly.

Silas Becker eyes the man up and down and hiding a scowl, finally speaks, "I shall go to Don Alfonso at once, and get this straightenend out," bows and walks away to the office to have a word, "If you'll excuse me."

Mercury Gandt, completely amused by the situation looks over at Lady Leena, "So you are a local here, Mademoiselle? How long? We haven't met yet."

"Perhaps as you two are going to be neighbors, you should get to know each other better," Madame Savatier offers with a bit of a sly smile on her face.

Lady Leena Fandango looking quite horrified at Madame's statement looks back at the gentleman and answers, "Not long Signore ... I was in the Villa Versuviana," then moving her eyes back at Madame with a bright red face, "I don't know Madame, it's not proper for me to get to know any gentleman I think."

Lady Leena stands a bit closer to Madame and watches the gentleman closely while Signore Gandt offers, "It is perfectly proper to introduce myself to a lady in my neighborhood, especially if we will meet in public places."

"After you suggested we perhaps 'live' in the same place Signore?" Lady Leena retorts.

Seemingly unaffected Mercury Gandt asks, "So you lived in the Villa? And why do you leave it?"

"The sea Signore, it called to me .... to be closer to it and the views of the beach," answers Lady Leena and begins tapping her foot wondering where Becker could be.

Madame Savatier watches the exchange and says coyly, "She loves a view..." and turns away stifling a giggle.

"Ah... the salty air, you say .... it's very healthy," Gandt answers as he carefully examines the roses of Lady Leena's face, she doesn't seem to be sick.

Lady Leena Fandango nods, "Yes, and the coffee at Aphrodite's Cafe' is quite enchanting I hear ... along the company."

"We love our cafe au lait," offers Madame Savatier with a beaming smile.

Signore Gandt, looking back and forth between the two women, "Are you sisters, ladies, if I may ask?"

Laughing softly, Madame Savatier answers, "Oh no .... but very close friends."

"Madame is most kind, she is like family to me," says Lady Leena while she looks over at Madame with a large smile.

Madame Savatier blushes and adds, "Indeed, we could have been sisters."

Silas Becker finally returns and bows to the ladies and gentleman, now able to solve the problem before them.

Mercury Gandt looks over and asks, "Well Signore Becker, where to escort the ladies?"

Becker narrows his eyes at Gandt and offers, "Yes ladies, the apartment is indeed Gandt's here. We are just below HIM."

"Thank you very much, sir," quickly trumpets Gandt, looking quite satisfied with himself.

Madame Savatier becoming quite exasperated, "Ahhh, so the gentleman does indeed know where HE lives ... perhaps you've discovered where my friend is to live?"

Lady Leena Fandango quickly states, "Sincere apologies Signore, it was our mistake."

"Oh, it has been my pleasure to meet you," Signore Gandt offers, looking like he just won a card game.

"Such nonsense. Monsieur Becker is surely responsible. But he can redeem himself!" Madame Savatier says with reproach.

Becker, now feeling a bit sheepish, "Rest assured my Lady I shall move your things over to the proper dwelling straight away."

Smiling gently at both Becker and Madame, Lady Leena asks "How can Becker redeem himself Madame?"

Sighing Madame Savatier answers, "By conveying you to your new apartment, of course."

Mercury Gandt can't help himself and adds, "Do you allow me ladies, to escort you? I promise I won't force myself invited in, only escort you till your door is reached."

Madame looks over at Signore Gandt and breathes, "How thoughtful ..."

Becker grimaces and sighs, "If the ladies will allow it, it's this way."

"That will be fine Becker, lead the way," Lady Leena answers, eager to right this obvious wrong.

Mercury Gandt offers his arm to the ladies, which Lady Leena politely declines and moves past him quickly. Madame Savatier did allow his escort and takes his arm. Winding their way through the staircase, they come to the new apartment, the right one this time.

Becker stands in front of the large wooden door, "Here we are my Lady, Number 2 is your new home," and slides the key into the lock.

"Oh, so you will live above the cafe'? It will be a bit noisy," observes Signore Gandt, "Now this is the moment I should say goodbye. Madame, Signore, good luck and Madamoiselle Fandango, enjoy your new home."

"A pleasure," Madame Savatier says as she curtsies and smiles.

Lady Leena curtsies and responds "Thank you Signore," while Becker hastily shuts the door and slides the lock back into place, turning around he has a rather large frown on his face.