Page 97 of Storm of Bells
‘That will have to go. Agreed?’
‘Very much so, My Lady.’
‘I can already see that you, my friend, willmake an excellent butler.’
The newly appointed butler gazed at me withthinly disguised adoration. ‘My sincerest gratitude, My Lady. Godbless you!’ He bowed so deeply he almost keeled over. ‘I am at yourservice.’
‘Excellent.’ I rubbed my hands together,smiling. So, I had been upgraded from Miss to My Lady, had I? Agood omen. ‘Because I have lots of services for you toperform.’
‘I shall do my utmost, My Lady.’ A somewhatpained look flickered on his face for a moment. ‘But I’m afraid I’monly one old man.’
‘Your very first task,’ I told him, ‘willtake care of that little problem.’
His eyes went wide. ‘You don’t mean…’
‘Yes, Benson. Go out and tell the big fellowin the turban to get the coach ready. We’re going to thevillage!’
New Lady inTown
‘Miss Linton!’ I wasjust about to climb into the coach when, glancing back, I caughtsight of Mr Rikkard Ambrose marching towards me at full steam.‘What is this I hear about you dismissing all the staff of mymanor?’
You mean the delivery men of Ambrose’sFurniture Emporium?
I refrained from saying it out loud, though.Instead, I gifted him with a cheerful smile. ‘Ah, yes. I’m so sorryabout that. I’m just about to remedy the situation.’
He gazed at me for a moment. ‘So…you’ve seenthe error of your ways?’
‘Definitely. We need staff. And I intend tosee to it that we get it.’
Suspicion glinted in his ice-cold eyes. ‘Youmean you intend to hire back the men you dismissed without mypermission, correct? That is what you are going to do?’
I just gave him another charming smile andswung myself up into the coach. ‘I’m going to do what you’ve alwayswanted me to do: take charge of your house.’
‘Now, wait just a minute!’ Taking a stepforward, he reached out. ‘I forbid you—’
‘Karim!’ I hollered. ‘Now!’
A beautiful Punjabi curse rose into theEnglish country air. A whip snapped. Before Mr Ambrose could grabhold of me, the coach jerked forward and started rolling down thedriveway, away from the manor. Leaning out of the window, I startedto wave at my favourite iceberg.
‘Don’t wait up for me, honey!’ I called.‘I’ll be a while!’
Turning to Karim, I pointed forward, downinto the valley, where, from beyond the trees, I could see thesmoke of a settlement rise into the air.
‘Let’s see if this isn’t the famed village ofCollundale, shall we?’
Karim uttered a half-groan, half-growl. ‘I’mgoing to pay for this later.’
‘You probably are,’ I allowed. ‘But if Imanage to get some staff, at least you won’t have to put on anapron and serve as combined footman, stable hand and scullery maid.Won’t that be nice?’
In response, Karim cracked the whip again andurged the horses to go on faster. I guess the mental of image ofhim in a frilly white apron was an even better motivator than thewrath of Rikkard Ambrose.
It wasn’t long before we rounded the woodsand rolled out onto a winding road that offered a beautiful view ofthe valley and all that lay within. My breath caught for just amoment when I caught sight of the village of Collundale for thefirst time. I had always been a city girl at heart. But somethingabout the little village snuggled up against the side of the hillstugged at my heartstrings.
‘Let’s get down to business, shall we?’
I wrapped my parasol against the roof of thecarriage. ‘Drive, please.’
When, a few minutes later, the massive blackcoach that had more in common with a hearse than with a weddingcarriage rolled into the village of Collundale, the whole villageseemed to freeze. Everyone stopped what they were doing to stare atthe vehicle, clearly expecting it to roll right through, just likeeverything else did.
