Page 100 of Storm of Bells
Smiling, I reached out to finger one of thegloves the old lady had spread out on the counter for me. ‘I’veseen stranger things.’
‘Well, if he has any interest in ladies, hecertainly doesn’t spend any money on them. There’s a piss-richpenny pincher if ever I saw one!’
I grinned. ‘From your tone I gather he’s notvery beloved by his neighbours around here.’
The old lady snorted. ‘About as well as Iliked the last diet prescribed by my doctor. It was cheap andslimmed me down, but…’
‘But you’d like to take a mallet to yourdoctor’s head if he ever suggests it again.’
‘You take the words out of my mouth, Miss.’Mrs Jenkins sighed. ‘It wouldn’t be so bad if any of the businessfrom his fancy establishment spilled over into the village, but Itell you, the minute that man sees even the hint of a possibilityof a profit, he grabs it and holds onto it for dear life. He evenoffered his own carriage service, and was building a restaurantnext to that soulless mausoleum that used to be the local lord’shouse.’ She shook her head sadly. ‘I pity the poor girl who’ll haveto marry that man one day.’
I cleared my throat, delicately.
‘Um, well…why don’t you show me your bonnetsas well, Mrs Jenkins? And while you’re at it, tell me a little morehow things have been in the village since that cheapskate up in themanor arrived. He truly sounds deplorable! I imagine he doesn’temploy many servants?’
‘Ha! He would pull his own coach if he’d finda way to fit the bit in his mouth.’
I winced. The old lady had no idea how rightshe was. Thank heavens for large bits and heavy coaches.
‘Why do you ask, Miss?’ A hopeful expressionappeared on her face. ‘Are you looking to hire a few people? I knowsome young folks, all good boys and girls, but out of work sincethat son of a bachelor took over. If you’re looking for a maid orstable hand, it would be wonderful if you’d be kind enough to giveone of them a position.’
‘I already have a maid. But still…’ I smiledat myself in the mirror, fitting a fiery red bonnet on my hair. ‘Ihave a feeling I’ll be doing some hiring.’
‘That’s marvellous, Miss!’ Mrs Jenkinsclapped her hands, nearly doing a little dance on the spot.‘Anything you can do will be greatly appreciated. Ever since thatcrazy man up at the manor arrived, many of the tenant farmers havebeen struggling, and some have even lost their homes, poor fellows,and can hardly feed their families. They have it so much harderthan me. It’s past time good fortune came their way.’ She sighed.‘I only wish it were someone powerful enough to take on thatstone-hearted skinflint in the manor.’
‘You never know. Miracles have been known tohappen.’ Winking at Mrs Jenkins, I handed her the red bonnet andtwo pairs of solid leather gloves. ‘I’ll take those. Will you wrapthem for me, please? And please write the addresses of those peopledown for me. The ones that might be interested in a job, I mean.Oh, and those farmers who have lost their houses, as well.’
‘Th-the farmers, too?’
‘Yes.’
‘Certainly, Miss. Right away, Miss.’
Mrs Jenkins hurried to fulfil my request.When she handed me the wrapped package, she grabbed hold of myhand, as if she still couldn’t quite believe I was real. ‘So,you’ll really be staying, Miss? In spite of all the horrible stuffI told you about this place?’
‘Yes, I’ll be staying.’ I pulled open thedoor and turned back one last time to wink at Mrs Jenkins. ‘At themanor, with the piss-rich penny-pincher, to be precise. I’ll makesure you get an invitation to our wedding.’
Whistling, I stepped outside.
***
The news spread through the village likewildfire. The lord of the manor, who had driven the villagepractically to ruin, had arrived with a bride in tow. And, evenmore astounding: she wasnota heartless marble statue withthe conscience of a harpy and the greed of King Midas. She seemed,at first glance, actually to be ahuman being. And she wasbuyingthings. Andhiringpeople. Foractualmoney.
Just a few minutes after I’d made my firstvisit to prospective employee number one, the first people startedpointing and whispering at me. Then, curious bystanders started toassemble, following me as I went on my tour through the village andits surroundings. I couldn’t remember acquiring a fascinatedfollowing this fast since Patsy stuck a ‘kick me for kicks’ sign onmy back last April Fool’s Day. And, just like back then, somewatched me with fascinated horror, others with sincere pity.
‘So…you are the one?’ The old lady steppingtowards me was a total stranger. Still, that didn’t keep her fromclutching my hands and patting my shoulder in sympathy for thetragedy I was about to endure. ‘You’ve got to marry that…person upat the manor?’
‘Well, I plan to marry him, yes, but—’
‘What is it, poor girl?’ She squeezed myfingers a little harder. ‘Does he have something on you? Did yourmother and father talk you into it because they’re hard up formoney? You can tell old Emma, dearie. I know the vicar, and if Iput in a good word for you, he’ll help you get away from thatman.’
‘Um…very generous of you, ma’am. Thank you.But I think I have to decline.’
The old lady gave a sigh, tears shimmering atthe corners of her eyes. ‘So brave. So strong in the face ofhorror.’ She gave my hands another squeeze. ‘You’re a good girl! Ifever you need someone to talk to, I’m here.’
‘Thanks, ma’am. I’ll remember that.’
The old lady peeked around me to throw asuspicious glance at the hulking figure of Karim. ‘Good God! He hasthis behemoth watching you?’
