Reyna was not disposed to like Miss Titan when she arrived at Skye Castle. When His Grace announced that Miss Titan would be coming, Reyna had been asked to move her things from the gothic bed chamber (the best guest room, intended for the highest ranking visitor) and into the Turkish boudoir (the second best guest bedroom for the second highest ranking visitor). Miss Titan's wealth gave her precedent over Reyna's illustrious family pedigree.
The gothic bed chamber was hung with priceless medieval tapestries. At the center of the room stood a large, four-poster bed with green brocade curtains, gold fringe, and gold moldings.

It was in the older part of the castle, where the rooms all lead into each other via a series of doors instead of being accessed by a hallway. The Turkish boudoir, an oval-shaped space with white walls and gilded moldings, was the next room over from the gothic bed chamber. A small lit à la polonaise had been built into the wall and hung with pale gold curtains.

An inlaid table and serval white brocade upholstered chairs stood against the walls. A red glass pendant lamp hung on either side of the bed.
The two rooms were separated by a thin wall, which did little keep out the noise made by Miss Titan's aviary of exotic birds. Three servants had been needed to bring the massive, palace-like bird cage inside to the castle and up to Miss Titan's quarters.

She kept two pairs of green and pink lovebirds, named Odysseus and Penelope and Sir Francis Drake and Queen Elizabeth respectively, and a large blue and yellow macaw called Bob, who could say "hello" in English, French, and Spanish.

The constant chattering of the lovebirds and Bob's frequent hellos, bonjours, and holas were enough to drive Reyna to madness. She swore that she would one day see the horrid beasts roasted on a spit.
The clatter began at sunrise, when Miss Titan fed the birds. Reyna overheard the servants complaining about having to bring a dish of breadcrumbs and millet up to the gothic bed chamber first thing every morning and return a few hours later to clean the cage. Between the hours of ten and eleven in the morning, the smell was unbearable. The stench did not seem to bother Miss Titan, who, perhaps, was used to it.
Miss Titan cracked open the door between their two rooms and the stench of bird droppings wafted in. Reyna held a handkerchief soaked in lavender water to her nose.
"Good morning, Dona Reyna," Miss Titan said. She was already dressed in a yellow, round-gown, while Reyna was still in her shift and negligee. A large straw hat with red ribbons dangled from one of her tiny, white hands.

"I hope you aren't coming down with a cold."
"No, I'm not," Reyna replied, her voice muffled by the handkerchief.

Being West Indian, Reyna imagined that Miss Titan would be as brown as Miss Levesque, since she assumed that most West Indians were mulattos. But her complexion was as pale as milk and needed the protection of her wide brimmed hat and a Chinese parasol during a stroll through Skye Castle's gardens and follies.
"How charming," Miss Titan said as Lord Skye lead her towards the temple of Neptune. "It reminds me of Vauxhall."
Reyna had visited the Vauxhall pleasure garden a number of times during her stay in London: strolls through its shady lanes, picnics in its meadows, light refreshments at its coffee and tea houses, and evening concerts, plays, and dances hosted in its spectacular pavilions.

The grounds of Skye Castle looked nothing like Vauxhall. Maybe Kensington Gardens or St. James's Park.
Miss Titan's tour ended at Neptune's temple, which stood on a hill overlooking the marshes.

Lord Skye helped her up the steps of the temples. She lifted the hem of her dress, showing off a pair of cream-colored half boots, and practically flew to the top.

"Showing off a little more ankle than is proper, isn't she?" Miss Chase said to a sulking Miss McLean.
Miss McLean was a bit gloomy because of the attention Lord Skye was obliged to give to Miss Titan.
Lieutenant Jackson leaned against the statue of the sea god which glared out over the marshes. His brooding expression matched the one the sculpture had given to Neptune.

He extended a hand to help Miss Chase to the top of the steps. Normally, Miss Chase would have taken offense and insisted that she could make it to the top of the steps by herself but she simply accepted his hand without meeting his eyes.

Reyna assumed that Miss Chase and Lieutenant Jackson had rekindled their attachment but her assumption was proved wrong at dinner that evening. Her theory was that both were too proud to be the one to make the first move. Each waited around for the other to confess that they had been wrong.
Miss Titan wore a gown from London in the new high-waisted style which included a rose colored bodice and a slate blue skirt. Her light brown hair was worn in loose curls, bound with an ivory silk turban.

She looked stunning. Lieutenant Jackson was seated next to her and the two of them were engaged in conversation over mutton broth and onion soup.

"How are you enjoying the food here at Skye Castle?" Miss Titan said before taking a spoon full of mutton broth.
"It greatly exceeds the cookery endured by the crew of the Argo II," Lieutenant Jackson replied. He ripped off a piece from a Yorkshire tea cake and dipped it into his onion soup. "There, we have to make do with maggot-ridden hard tack, watery grog, and meat, salted and smoked till it resembles leather."

"I don't know you can suffer it."
"The Argo II is a fine ship but everything here at Skye Castle is superior: the food, the accommodations, and the company."
Miss Titan, taking this as a reference to herself, blushed. Lieutenant Jackson cast a glance in the direction of Miss Chase to see if she was listening.
Reyna had used this tactic enough times to recognize it: flirting with someone else in order to make the person you're actually interested in jealous.
Footmen brought in the second course on silver platters. It consisted of broiled beefsteak, marinated in mustard, potatoes in tarragon butter, and braised fennel and shallots.
Lieutenant Jackson began recounting his battles with the Barbary corsairs to Miss Titan, who was enthralled to his every word.
"I wouldn't believe a word he says," Miss Chase said. "He never means a word he tells any young lady."
"Are you speaking from experience, Miss Chase?" Miss Titan replied.
"Of course. He told me the same tall tales when I first arrived here."
"Tall tales?" Lieutenant Jackson cut in. "If I wanted to tell tall tales, I'm sure I could come up with better ones."
"Like what?" Miss Titan added.
"That the Corsair Sciron has the filthiest feet imaginable and makes his victims wash them before he kills them."
"Is that true?"
He answered her question with a wink.
As the gentleman who escorted her into the dinning room, Lord Skye served Reyna when the third course was put on the table. Lieutenant Jackson did the same service for Miss Titan, putting a slice of mincemeat pie, a helping of porridge with mushrooms, spinach, and rosemary, and some salad onto her place.

"Amazing," Miss Titan said as she picked at her salad. "However did you get pansies and violets this time of year?"
The salad was made up of lettuce, cabbage, cucumbers, herbs, and edible flowers, tossed about in a vinaigrette.

"There's a building in the garden called a hot house," Lieutenant Jackson replied. "Where the gardener grows plants out of season. It is heated by steam and allows us to have fruits, vegetables, and flowers even in depth of winter."
"We have no use for such things in Jamaica. There, Mother Nature is generous all year round."
Reyna's eyes met Miss Chase's and the two appeared to share the same thought: what a vulgar comment. But what could one expect from someone who'd spent most of their life on some God forsaken island in the middle of nowhere, away from good society.

After a dessert of lemon syllabub and orange fool, they adjourned to the drawing room.

A/N orange fool is an 18th Century dessert. The YouTube channel for James Townsend and Sons posted a video on how to make it a couple of years ago and for some reason it was taken as a veiled insult against Donald Trump. All I can say is that if the shoe fits, wear it.

Miss Chase walked past Lieutenant Jackson closely enough for her skirt to brush against him.
"I see you're continuing to jilt Miss Dare," she said.
"Still beating that dead horse, are we?" He replied.
Miss Chase settled herself on a sofa in a huff. Lord Skye stood up from the sofa where he sat with Miss McLean.
"Mamma, Sir," he said to his parents. The Duke and Duchess turned to listen to him. "Miss McLean and I are in love and would like your blessing to be married."
Miss McLean looked prettily flushed and radiantly happy. At first, Reyna had deluded herself that Miss McLean did not return Lord Skye feelings, though it had always been obvious that the usually shy and modest girl loved him to distraction. And how could she not; his grand title and vast fortune were the least impressive things about him.
The Duke and Duchess looked at each other, unsure of how to react to their son's announcement. Their plot involving the lovely and wealthy Miss Titan had back fired. Lord Skye remained steadfast in his attachment to Miss McLean and Miss Titan seemed to prefer Lieutenant Jackson.
"Congratulations," Reyna said to the newly engaged couple. She kissed both of them on the cheek before fleeing to the warm embrace of a comfortable armchair.
On the table next to the armchair was her copy of A Midsummer Night's Dream. She picked it up and looked over Helena's lament, which she was trying to memorize:
"How happy some o'er others some can be! Through Athens I am thought as fair as she. But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so; He will not know what all but he do know."