Page 117 of Storm of Bells
‘So…’ Lady Samantha rubbed her hands like alittle girl about to open a jar full of cookies. ‘Who’s next?’
Good question. Was there someone who wouldhave an even better chance at blowing Mr Ambrose’s top hat off andsetting Karim’s beard on fire? Who could possibly make this guestlist even more explosive?
I glanced over at Adaira.
‘I’m out of ideas. Do you perchance know whoelse we could invite?’
She tugged at her ear, considering—then, adevilish, positively seventh-circle-of-hell-diabolic grin spreadacross her face.
Lady Samantha’s face lit up with interest. Myaunt’s face…
Well, sometimes, it is better to refrain fromdescription so as not to give small children nightmares.
‘What? What did you think of?’ I demanded,leaning forward.
‘It’s not what,’ she told me. ‘It’s who.Guess who I’ve heard is back in England?’ And, leaning over towardsme, she whispered a name.
Lady Samantha clapped her hands. ‘Howwonderful!’
‘Yes, indeed.’ I nodded, deeply impressed.‘You are evil.’
Her grin was almost wide enough to split herface. ‘I know.’
WenchyInvasion
‘There they are! Therethey are!’
Adaira was jumping up and down as if she werestanding on a trampoline instead of the front steps of herbrother’s manor. Her hand was waving wildly in the air, pointing atthe distant cloud of dust approaching up the road. The cloud thatannounced the arrival of the first round of guests.
‘Calm down, will you?’ I patted hershoulder.
‘Is he here already?’ Standing on hertiptoes, she glanced around.
‘I can’t! I can’t!’ She stared at the coachone more time, then turned to glance back over her shoulder. ‘Whereis he? Isn’t he coming?’
‘Isn’t who coming?’ Ella asked, pushingthrough the assembled crowd of females around Adaira andmyself.
‘We’re waiting for my prospective groom,’ Iexplained.
‘Oh, you want to share this precious momentwith him?’ She clutched her hands to her chest. ‘That’s sosweet!’
Adaira coughed.
‘Yes,’ I confirmed, giving her shin a firmkick. ‘That’s why. Precious-moment-sharing.’
‘There they come!’ Lady Samantha called,clapping her hands. ‘I wonder who’ll be first?’
The cloud of dust slowly resolved into a lineof three coaches. The first was a postal coach, the two behind itprivate carriages with crests shining on their doors. The coach inthe front rolled to a stop. Slowly, the door swung open, and out ofit stepped…
I blinked.
‘Lieutenant Ellingham?’
The lieutenant jumped when his name passed mylips. And I really mean jumped, almost back into the coach. Hiseyes darted anxiously from left to right, as if expecting a dark,towering figure to appear out of the shadows and attack him at anymoment.
Right then, the front door of the manoropened and a dark, towering figure appeared out of the shadows. Thelieutenant gave a squeak and leapt backwards.
‘I told theSahibthat you werewaiting for him,Sahiba,’ Karim informed me as he strode outof the manor. ‘He said he would come as soon as—’
