Page 156 of Storm of Bells
You want to come for us, Dalgliesh? You wantto try and take all this away from us? Come and try! I’ll be ready!And by the looks of it, I won’t be alone.
Greymail, Act2
‘…and half the villagegirls seem to want to be your flower girl. With the way things aregoing, you’ll either end up with a flower brigade, or no flowers atall, because they’ll strangle each other fighting for theprivilege. I think the best way to settle the matter is—Lilly!Lilly, are you listening?’
‘Hm? What?’
‘Now, really!’ Adaira shook her head. ‘I knowyou have no problems at all with having your bevy of friends andsisters take care of the finer details, but you need to listen nowand again. Tomorrow is your wedding day! What could possibly bemore important than that?’
How about making sure I live long enough tosee it?
Tomorrow might be the day of my wedding—buttoday was the day of battle. Today, I had a rendezvous with myblackmailer.
‘Adaira?’
‘Yes? Have you made a decision about theflower girl?’
‘No. We’ll have to postpone that discussion.I need to take a short walk.’
‘Awalk? Unless you mean one down theaisle, I hope you’re joking. Do you know how many things there arestill to take care of? Your little antics in the village yesterdaymight have been nice and wonderful and charitable, but they alsomeant that the good reverend has been flooded with offers and giftsand God only knows what else. It didn’t exactly help that you endedthe picnic by inviting the entire village to the wedding! We haveto—’
‘Adaira? Not now.’
She must have heard something in my voice,because she lowered the list of chores in her hands and looked atme.
‘Lilly? Is everything all right?’
‘Not entirely.’ I gave her a smile that wasneither very joyful nor very amused. ‘I have a little matter totake care of.’
Please don’t ask what. Please.
She studied my face—and then once againproved what a fabulous friend she was. ‘Can I help in any way?’
‘No. I can handle the matter.’
She gave me another long look—then nodded.‘All right. If you need me, I’ll be behind the manor house, testingcandidates for the post of flower girl.’
My brow furrowed. ‘How do you judge someone’scapability as a flower girl?’
A grin flashed across her face. ‘You give agroup of girls a bunch of flowers. The ones who can hit your auntand twin sisters most often get the job.’
‘Adaira? If I ever get the chance, I’ll forcemy dear future husband to make you the head of his personneldepartment.’
Leaving my capable friend and future sisterin charge of flower ballistics, I returned to my room. Not that I’dspent much time there, particularly during the night, but I hadthought it prudent to obtain a room of my own, if only to keep poorLady Samantha from suffering a coronary. Plus, having a room thatwas off-limits to anybody else did have some additionaladvantages.
Striding over to the bedside table, I pulledopen the top drawer and withdrew my trusty revolver. It had seen methrough many a dangerous adventure. All I could do was hope thattoday would be no different.
‘My Lady?’
A knock came from the door. Hurriedly, I slidthe revolver into the folds of my dress, for the first time in along time thankful for the bulky garments I was forced to wear.
‘Yes?’
Benson entered and performed a perfect bow.‘His Lordship’s, um…auxiliary wedding guests have arrived.’
‘Excellent!’
The butler shifted, as if he wasn’t quite ofthe same opinion. ‘I, um, have provided the new guests withquarters in the barn and stables, as requested, and have not toldthe staff about their presence. Are you sure you would like these,rather, um…well-armed gentlemen to be here during theceremony?’
