Love of Treats

One morning in Kembleford, with the sky overcast, would find Father Brown in the kitchen of the Presbytery in the presence of his most faithful and loyal of followers, Mrs McCarthy, Lady Felicia, Sidney and Miss Elise. The latter pair silently arguing over Miss Elise's jam scone as baked by Mrs McCarthy. Sidney had already enjoyed his own and as the others from the plate sat in the middle of the table had run out, Sidney was trying to partake in the last of the young lady's. Father Brown chuckled at the pair as every time Sidney came close to the plate, Miss Elise would alternate between grabbing his fingers and throwing his hand away and slapping the back of his hand with an eyebrow raised at him.

Eventually, Lady Felicia was watching the two and could not help but smile at them as Miss Elise shifted on her chair with her plate and scone in hand and turned her back to Sidney. She hunched over slightly as she tried to defend her scone from Sidney whilst trying to eat it as quickly as she could so he had nothing to pinch from her.

Just as Sidney was about to reach both hands to her waist to tickle her, she swung around to face them with a triumphant grin on her face with her cheeks puffed out. Easy to deduce that she had stuffed the last bit of her scone into her mouth; as Sidney worked this out, he chuckled and shook his head.

"Will you two stop acting like miscreants! That is not how a lady behaves!" Mrs McCarthy cried.

Swallowing the last bite of the scone, Elise laughed and faced Lady Felicia, "now, Lady Felicia, this is not how a Lady behaves so please do not let me see you doing so. I would rather not have Mrs McCarthy into a heart attack because we are both unladylike!"

Rather than be offended, Lady Felicia freely laughed at the younger woman as Mrs McCarthy's feathers became ruffled at their fun at her expense. The Mrs turned to Father Brown for assistance but was incredulous to discover that he was chuckling as well.

Shocked and highly scandalised, Mrs McCarthy threatened "no more baked treats for any of you!"

Elise laughed hard at the threat knowing that the Mrs wouldn't stop baking. Father Brown and Lady Felicia laughed as well. However, it was Sidney who gave the best reaction as he took Mrs McCarthy's threat seriously.

"You can't do that Mrs McCarthy! You'll be leaving me to starve since Elise can't bake!"

"Oi!"