@@@@@"All right, I'll bite, ColumWhat's a pooka?
@@@@@"All right, I'll bite, ColumWhat's a pooka? Second
cousin to a leprechaun, I suppose
"The leprechauns would shudder at the suggestionA pooka is a
fearful
creature, malicious and slyHe'll curdle your cream in an instant or
tangle your hair with your own brush
"Or swell my ankles, I guessThat's as malicious as anything I've
ever been throughHow much longer?"
"About three weeksFitzpatrick to clean out a room
for me and order in a bed
"Are you finding her helpful, Scarlett?" She had to admit she wasFitzpatrick wasn't so taken with her position that she minded
working hard herself
Plenty of times Scarlett had found her scrubbing the stone floor and
stone sinks in the kitchen herself to show the maids how to do it
"But Colum, she's been spending money like there's no end to it
Three
maids I've got up there already, just to get things nice enough so that
a cook will be willing to comeAnd a stove the likes of which I've
never seen, all kinds of burners and ovens and a well thing for hot
waterIt cost almost a hundred pounds, and ten more to haul it from
the railroadThen, after all that, nothing would do but to have the
smith make all kinds of cranes and spits and hooks for the fireplace
Just in case the cook doesn't like stove ovens for some thingsCooks
must be more spoiled than the QueenYou'll be glad when you sit down to your first good
meal in your own dining roomI'm happy enough with MrsI ate
three last night
One for me and two for this elephant inside meOh, I'll be so happy
when this is over Colum?" He'd been away, and Scarlett didn't feel
as easy with him as she used to, but she needed to ask him anyhow