The Unseen Guest: Chapter 14–Epilogue

by Maryrose Wood
In the third book of The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series, governess Miss Penelope Lumley and the wolf-children Alexander, Beowulf, and Cassiopeia must go on the hunt for an escaped ostrich. Along the way the children are reunited with their wolf family, and Penelope discovers some of the Ashton family's secrets.

Here are links to our lists for the book:

Chapters 1–2, Chapters 3–4, Chapters 5–6, Chapters 7–8, Chapters 9–11, Chapters 12–13, Chapter 14–Epilogue
15 words 13 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. tintinnabulation
    the sound of a bell ringing
    This poem (which is called, unsurprisingly, “The Bells”) would have perfectly described the noisy tintinnabulation that ensued when the Widow Ashton hit the ground, for all the gentlemen simultaneously ran for help. Every bell pull that could be found was rung and rung and rung yet again, to wake the sleeping servants, call for smelling salts, find someone to run for a doctor, and so on.
  2. insensible
    unresponsive to stimulation
    The insensible widow was carried off to the nearest sofa and made comfortable there, but even after the administration of smelling salts and several stimulating spoonfuls of schnapps, she could not be fully roused.
  3. livid
    furiously angry
    The ballroom was cleared so that all the weird decorations and dead leaves might be swept up, and the rest of the séance’s attendees—the Baron and Baroness Hoover, the Earl of Maytag, Lord and Lady Ashton, Admiral Faucet, and of course, the man known as Quinzy (who now claimed to be Edward Ashton himself)—gathered in a nearby parlor, for the admiral was livid and demanded that no one go to bed until all had been explained.
  4. divan
    a long backless sofa, usually with pillows
    The baroness sprawled on the divan and yawned.
  5. remorseful
    feeling or expressing pain or sorrow
    “I suppose it was at Mother’s expense, and now that she’s ill I feel a bit remorseful. But I couldn’t stand it anymore, all her keening and whinging about Father. And I think it’s rather stupid that he went and got himself drowned in a tar pit—a ridiculous way to expire, in my opinion. Anyway, when Constance told me about this séance nonsense, I wrote to my friend Quinzy and asked if he’d help play a prank.”
  6. squander
    spend thoughtlessly; throw away
    “I did. But only because I know you intended to squander the Widow Ashton’s fortune on your ill-conceived business plans.”
  7. ill-conceived
    poorly thought out
    “I did. But only because I know you intended to squander the Widow Ashton’s fortune on your ill-conceived business plans.”
  8. briny
    slightly salty
    “I come from a long line of sailors. Unmapped seas and the briny deep are practically my middle names.”
  9. principal
    main or most important
    “No reason not to, I suppose. This Quinzy fellow was my principal investor in the ostrich-racing business. He didn’t put much money in to start, but he promised more once I got off the ground, and he coached me all along the way. He was the one who suggested I join the croquet club to meet rich widows—‘the readiest source of capital for a dashing gent like you,’ he said.
  10. recalcitrant
    stubbornly resistant to authority or control
    As usual, the wise old founder was right, for most people tend to trust their own opinions far more than they should and are stubborn, recalcitrant, unyielding, and even obstinate when someone helpfully suggests that they wipe the fog off their pince-nez and have a good look at hard truths that have been staring them in the face all along.
  11. obstinate
    refusing to change one's mind or ways; difficult to convince
    As usual, the wise old founder was right, for most people tend to trust their own opinions far more than they should and are stubborn, recalcitrant, unyielding, and even obstinate when someone helpfully suggests that they wipe the fog off their pince-nez and have a good look at hard truths that have been staring them in the face all along.
  12. balderdash
    trivial nonsense
    To put it bluntly: OOS, OOM is poppycock, balderdash, rubbish, and nonsense.
  13. contemptuous
    expressing extreme scorn
    The slight, contemptuous curl to the lip.
  14. stagecraft
    skill or artistry in the creation or production of plays
    Penelope was not a playwright, like Simon, but she had once attended nearly all of the first act of a show in the West End, so she was no stranger to stagecraft, either.
  15. solicit
    request urgently or persistently
    The trustees have begun to solicit donations to help pay expenses, with mixed success.
Created on Fri Nov 22 09:03:15 EST 2024 (updated Mon Jan 27 19:59:39 EST 2025)

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