Isabelle had always thought Monsieur was a bit of a silly name. Their dogs at home had been named Prince and Brownie, and while they were dogs and not regal birds, Isabelle thought their names much more appropriate for a household pet. She supposed Monsieur was not exactly a typical household pet but even the two other birds known to roam around the grounds had much more appropriate names to Isabelle’s line of thinking (Duchess and Maggie). Plus, as far as she knew neither Uncle Nathan nor his large estate were even French.
With his regal stance and uncomfortable name Isabelle often felt the need to curtsey when she came across Monsieur on her daily meanderings when she visited. Although his name and bearing vexed Isabelle in ways she could not articulate, she often felt a need to” ‘fess up” as their old housemaid Mary had often put it. Isabelle found herself telling Monsieur of the laughs she had stifled when meeting Mother’s beaus, and the time she had kicked Nancy Cumberland in the shins for asking why her father had disappeared.
a part of the story 