Page 123 of Storm of Bells
‘So…why are you really here? What do youwant?’
‘Glad you asked.’ A grin spread over myfriend’s face. ‘Your dear future mother-in-law took me asideyesterday…’
‘Oh God, no.’
‘…and she was kind ‘nough to tell me that shewould be takin’ all of us shopping this mornin’. She said allexpenses would be taken care of, and she wouldn’t take no for ananswer.’
‘Did you at leasttryto give her a nofor an answer?’
‘Of course not! Do I look daft?’
‘Should I answer that honestly?’
‘Oh, shut your gob! And get dressed, willye?’ Striking a pose, Amy flicked her hair over her shoulder. ‘I’vegot places to be. I’m gonna go shoppin’ with a marchioness.’
‘So sorry to hold up your schedule.’
‘Apology accepted. Now stop wastin’ time.I’ll be waiting downstairs. Come on, girls!’
I started dressing as Amy herded the othertwo out of the room. I continued until the last skirt haddisappeared through the door—then froze in mid-dressing, rushedover, pushed the door shut, and turned the key, twice. Just incase, I went over to the window and checked the latch, twice. ThenI returned to the modesty screen and grabbed the first dress withinreach. I knew better than to keep a girl who had survived growingup in the London East End waiting.
Down in the entry hall, I found my littlesister, the Marchioness Ambrose and her daughter, Lady Adaira,waiting in the company of three more ladies. If, that is, you tookthe term ‘ladies’ to include ladies of the night. And these ladieswere…
No.
Surely my eyes were deceiving me.
‘Too big. Definitely ain’t realistic,’ Corasaid with the voice of an expert.
Lady Samantha joined her beside the nudestatue of the young Greek warrior left over from the days of theAmbrose Emporium for Fine Furniture, her eyes alight with interest.‘Oh, you are a connoisseur of art, are you, Miss Cora?’
‘Cono…cone…yes, definitely!’ Cora noddedenergetically. ‘I’ve seen plenty of those in my time.’
‘That’s lovely!’ Lady Samantha clapped. ‘Sotell me, what is it about this statue that you find unrealistic?Personally, I think the artist did a great job, but I’d love tohear your opinion.’
‘Well, the di—’
‘—didn’t you say it’s time to go, Cora, Amy?’Lunging forward, I grabbed Lady Samantha by the arm. ‘Sorry forkeeping you waiting, Your Ladyship.’
‘Don’t worry, my dear!’ She beamed. ‘We’vebeen having a stimulating conversation with your friends in yourabsence.’
‘Oh yes.’ Amy grinned like a devil who hadmanaged to gate-crash St Peter’s birthday party. She wiggled hereyebrows. ‘Our conversation can be really quite…stimulatin’.’
‘All right, let’s go.’ Grabbing hold of eachof the three troublemakers, an impressive feat for someone withonly two arms, I tugged them across the hall and out the door. Itwas a beautiful morning outside, but even so, an unusually highnumber of people seemed to be on the village high street instead ofout on the fields.
‘Will you look at that?’ Beaming, Ellagestured at the people who walked past us, doing their best, andfailing, to seem inconspicuous. One boy had already walked pastthree times, eyes wide, gawking our way. ‘They already love andadmire their new lady of the manor, and come out to admireyou.’
‘Err…yes. Admire me.’ I glanced sideways justin time to see Jenny wiggle her derrière and throw a passing youngman a flirtatious wink. His eyes followed her like a magnet. ‘I’msure that’s it.’
Fortunately, the main street wasn’t muchlonger than two and a half cucumbers. Soon, we stood in front ofMrs Jenkins’ Clothing & Accessories for Ladies of AllAges.
Ding-dong…
‘Hello? Mrs Jenkins?’
‘Just a minute, I’m in the back…oh! MissLinton…I mean, My Lady. It’s you, how delightful! And…’ Her eyeswidened when, one after the other, my little sister, Adaira, LadySamantha, Cora, Jenny and Amy filed into the shop. One customer?No, two. Three. Four…what was that number after four again? The oldlady’s mouth dropped open. Apparently, it had been a while sinceshe’d had to count so high.
‘Good morning, dear Lady.’ In fulllady-of-the-manor mode, Lady Samantha swept towards the counter.‘These three young ladies of good breeding,’ she gestured at Amy,Cora and Jenny, ‘lost their luggage on the road. They each needthree complete new outfits, as well as any and all accessories andtrinkets that a lady of good breeding may require.’
