The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels

When Cecilia and Miss Darlington arrive at Gertrude Rotunder’s dining room for the gathering, the society has already formulated a plan to draw and quarter the butler who stole the house and display his remains as a warning to other potential thieves. The women are all dressed ornately, with many having taxidermy birds and feathers upon their hats. Lady Armitage is notably absent.

Cecilia feels comforted by the women and by her memories of the women caring for her during her childhood. Miss Darlington remarks upon Gertrude’s hat, asking if it is made of parrot feathers. Gertrude tried to poison Miss Darlington with a parrot after Miss Darlington stole her husband’s wooden leg that was rumored to contain wood from the True Cross, which she then sold to the Catholic black market. Miss Darlington avoids parrots, as she believes they carry syphilis, so the poison attempt failed. Gertrude then stole Miss Darlington’s mahogany cabinet and made a new leg for her husband, and now the women are on neutral terms. Gertrude offers Cecilia a seat on the sofas near the fireplace where the junior women sit, but Cecilia tells her the news of the assassination attempts in hopes of being promoted to full society member.