Sir Thomas of Argyle, Bane of Mice (1)

From THE OFFICIAL TRAVELOGUE OF SIR THOMAS CAT, ESQUIRE
Translated from the Meowish.
Copyright May 1983


This story is dedicated to my husband's Aunt Eleanor Campbell Taylor and Uncle Rumsey Taylor, Sr., of Princeton, Kentucky, USA, in whose home the enchantment of Inveraray is alive and well on this side of the Atlantic. May the rest of us who come along after be able to carry on and never lose that enchantment forever.

[Part 1]

Once upon a time, at Inveraray Castle on the North Sea in Scotland, there lived a handsome, sleek, black cat named Sir Thomas of Argyle, who was the beloved friend and ward of the Duke and Duchess of Argyle. Thomas could be found on any given evening after dinner in the lap of either the Duke or the Duchess. On warm nights they usually sat outside in their white wooden lawn chairs as the sun set over the Argyle Estate. On cold nights the three of them usually sat by the fireplace in the sitting room on the second floor in the deep red velvet loveseat which the Duke had purchased in Ireland. The loveseat, along with a matching armchair and rocker, was the color of aged red roses and was stuffed with lavender-colored Irish heather. Thomas particularly liked the rocking chair which was part of the ensemble, for as he rocked the scent of heather wafted through the velvet cloth and made him dream of his favorite hunts along the hills surrounding Inveraray.

The Duchess was particularly fond of birds and, whenever she worked with tapestry thread, one could bet she was embroidering sparrows, or tufted titmice such as those who often flew to the tree just outside the window of their breakfast room, or hawks, or pheasants. Sir Thomas Cat, on these occasions, kept one eye on the progressing tapestry, one eye on the progress of the fire in the hearth, and both eyes--more often than he realized--in blissful sleep.