"Richard, you go sit up by Niles. Daphne and I will have a nice chat back here."
Hyacinth beamed at Daphne, who smiled back awkwardly. She reminded herself that they were doing this for kindly yet put-upon Richard.
"What a lovely car!" Hyacinth exclaimed when she saw the BMW. "So well-polished. Just like our car at home. Richard keeps it in tip-top shape."
She was still pontificating as she buckled her seat belt.
"Of course, we could afford a car like this, but we live in a humble neighborhood, and we wouldn't want it to like as if we were bragging, would we?"
"Do you have family nearby?" Daphne interrupted.
"O-oh, yeees," was the answer, still in that airy voice. "I have three little sisters. Violet has a lovely country house, with a Mercedes and sauna. The rest, poor dears, have fallen away from their sister's loving direction, but I still care for the wayward sheep. My father is still alive. He stays with my sister, Daisy."
"Are all your sisters married?" Daphne asked. Anything to deflect Hyacinth's sanctimonious bragging.
"Well, all but my youngest sister, Rose," Hyacinth said. "Now, Violet picked out a fine husband. A well-to-do turf accountant. I think your—ah—suitor is a good choice. Sharp-dressed and successful. I can tell he's cultured, too. Not one of those types of men who think watching a football [A/N: soccer!] match is an ideal evening out"
Daphne choked back an unladylike fit of laughter. If one of the traits of a 'cultured' man was a disinterest in sports, Niles had to be one of Seattle's elite. He seemed to sense what she was thinking, for he flashed her a playfully stern look before turning his attention back to the road.
Then Hyacinth went on another avenue.
"Now, I'm sure that marriage is in the future for you and your young man, so I have some advice for young wives…"
By the time they got to the Space Needle, Daphne was feeling almost murderous. Hyacinth's ideas of how a wife should behave sounded suffocating. Niles seemed greatly amused, however.
"And lastly, but perhaps most importantly of all," Mrs. Bucket declared, "marriage is meant to cool the flames of romantic frivols, so both partners can focus solely on living a sensible and frugal life."
Daphne had to turn away to hide her grin. Married or not, she knew that she and Niles would never lose the passion they shared.