Page 207 of Storm of Bells
Behind Ella, the three girls, damn them tothe very deepest pits of hell, were rolling around on the floorlaughing.
‘Err…um…it’s not that I don’t…I mean…’ Crap,crap, crap! How was I going to explain this to my little sisterwithout shattering her happy, shiny world full of rainbows, bunniesand unicorns? ‘Um…it’s not that!’ I smiled up at her desperately.‘It’s just, there are so many presents left, and I don’t want to belate for my wedding.’
Behind my back, I crossed my fingers.Please fall for that stupid excuse! Please fall for that stupidexcuse!
‘Oh.’ Ella’s angelic face broke into abeatific smile. ‘Of course, if that’s all…’
Oh dear. I really, really hoped that when sheand her fiancé got married, she wouldn’t take over the piano tunershop. They’d be bankrupted by swindlers within a week.
‘Well, anyway.’ Her smile broadening, Ellahanded me a small white package with a blue bow on top. ‘Here is mypresent.’
‘Oh.’ Eagerly, I reached out. I had to admit,I was curious. What would my innocent little sister give as awedding present? A handkerchief decorated with birds, because shedidn’t yet know bees were necessary too?
‘Come on! Open it!’ Ella urged. Behind her,the giggling ebbed, and Amy rose far enough from the ground to peekover Ella’s shoulder. Apparently, I wasn’t the only curious one.Tugging at the bow, I opened the little package, and—
Behind Ella, Amy’s eyes went wide. A chokingsound escaped from someone’s throat. It took me a moment to realizethe noise had come from me.
‘What…what isthat?’
Although I didn’t really have to ask. I knew.But…it couldn’t be! It just couldn’t!
‘Glove fingers,’ Ella answered, merrily. ‘Iremembered how much trouble you had making those, and, well…nowthat you’re getting married, you’ll probably be doing moreneedlework, so I thought you could use these.’
‘Y-yes, she d-definitely can!’ Behind Ella,Amy was quivering with suppressed laughter. ‘I b-bet she’ll haveplenty of opportunities to use th-them!’
‘You think so?’ Behind Ella, Edmund beamedproudly at his fiancée, then turned his smile towards me. ‘I boughtthe thread, you know.’
Oh please, ground, swallow me now!
Amy convulsed, trying her best not to choke.I threw her a look dirtier than a mud monster, then smiled at Ellaand Edmund. ‘Err…thanks so much. That’s a most, um…thoughtfulgift.’
‘You really think so?’ Ella beamed. ‘If youwant, I can teach you how to use them any time. It can be a bittricky to attach them to the base of the—’
Behind Ella, Amy fell over and landed on thefloor with athunk, as she tried to muffle heruncontrollable bursts of laughter by biting into her arm.
‘Is something wrong with her?’ Concerned,Ella turned around to gaze down at Amy. ‘Is she sick?’
‘No, no.’ Still somehow managing to keep asmile on my face, I gestured to Jenny and Cora to get Amy undercontrol. Unfortunately, they had collapsed onto a chaise longue,laughing their heads off. ‘She’s just, um…very happy for me.’
‘Oh.’ Stepping closer, Ella pulled me into ahug. ‘So am I. So am I, Lil! Promise me that the two of you will bethe happiest of all happy couples ever?’
Shaking my head, I hugged her tighter. Thatwas so like Ella. ‘I promise!’
‘Really? Pinkie promise?’
Behind Ella, I saw Amy mouth the word‘fingers’ and once more collapse in laughter. I was going tostrangle her!
‘Pinkie promise. Definitely.’
Snivelling and nearly dancing with happiness,Ella bustled off in search of a handkerchief. Behind her, the nextwell-wisher approached.
It was Lord John.
‘Glnk!’ said Cora, who was still collapsed ina disorderly heap on the chaise longue, her face turning a niceshade of tomato red.
Ha! Revenge is sweet!
‘Lord John!’ I beamed at the man. ‘So nice ofyou to come! Cora has really been looking forward to seeing youagain.’
