Page 114 of Storm of Bells
You didnotjust say that, didyou?
I did not care if his balls were currentlyblue, green or orange. Nobody got to dismiss me! He of all peopleshould know that by now.
He thought I should take care of this ‘littlematter’ myself?
All right. I would.
I gave him a radiant smile. ‘Of course, mydear. You just take care of your important business matters. Yourlittle woman here will deal with all the little, insignificantwedding details. Don’t you worry. Everything will be just fine.After all, with both our families here, I’ll have plenty of help.Till later.’
And I closed the door. Then, I slowly turnedaway and tried to control the urge to start spitting fire.
Little woman indeed! I’ll show him!
‘Adaira? Adaira, where are you?’
I entered my room.
‘Vinnie?’
‘Oh, My Lady!’ My new lady’s maid danced intothe room, her face a picture of delight. ‘Can you imagine? Theyhave cows here! Real cows! And they even leave real dung heaps!Fascinatin’, ain’t it? I’m going for a walk this afternoon to takea closer look at one.’
Normally, Vinnie’s unbridled city-girlenthusiasm would have been entertaining. But right now, I had otherthings on my mind.
‘Vinnie? Do you know where Lady Adairais?’
‘I think I saw her outside.’ The girl’s facebrightened. ‘Perhaps she’s looking at dunghills, too!’
‘Perhaps. Would you be so kind as to fetchher? I have something to discuss with her.’
‘Right away, My Lady, I just have to finishthe needlework on this part of the—‘
‘Now, if you please, Vinnie.’
‘Oh. Certainly, My Lady! I’m on my way!’
Five minutes later, the door to my roomopened, and a familiar head of black hair peeked inside. ‘Yes?’
‘Could you come in for a minute? I need yourhelp with something.’
‘Am I to deduce from the deadly sparkle inyour eyes that this “something” would piss off my brother?’
‘Royally.’
She was in the room before I could blink. Amoment later, she stood before me and saluted. ‘I am at yourcommand! Do with me as you wish.’
‘Have I mentioned I will love having you as asister-in-law?’
‘Yes, but do repeat it as often as you wish.My ego loves a bit of boosting from time to time.’
‘Then you’ve come to the right place. Followme.’
I led her out of the room. Right now, we werestill far too close to Mr Ambrose’s sharp ears. So I steered herdown the corridor and into the….well, I wasn’t exactly sure whatkind of room it was. Drawing room? Breakfast room? Fainting room?Head-scratching room? This place had so many rooms I was lucky notto get lost and die of chocolate-deprivation in a distantcorner.
But right now it didn’t really matter wherewe were. Sinking onto achaise longue, I steepled my fingersand, over the tops, gazed at Adaira.
‘You,’ she told me, ‘really have beenspending too much time with my brother.’
‘Hm. Apparently, he thinks so, too. I askedhim to help me prepare the guest list for the wedding, and it seemsthat Mr Rikkard Ambrose has better things to do with his precioustime.’
