Page 91 of Once an Angel
"Yet you've never laid eyes on her in all these years?"
His gaze was caught by the hypnotic flick of her needle. She sewed the way he played the piano, all
grace and no hesitation. Justin wondered what she would do if he told her he'd laid far more than his
eyes on Emily.
He was spared from answering by the discordant clang of bells. His mother's hands froze in their motion. Edith jerked her head up to meet Justin's puzzled gaze. Hooves clattered on the drive, adding to the ear-shattering cacophony of the bells.
As Justin sprinted through the foyer, Herbert, Harold, and Harvey came flying down the stairs in their long nightgowns and caps. Lily and Millicent trailed behind, their candles casting wavering shadows on
the wallpaper.
Harold rubbed his eyes. "I do say, can't a chap get a decent night's sleep in this mausoleum?"
"What the devil is it?" Herbert bellowed, tripping over Harvey's hem. "Is the house afire?"
They spilled onto the lawn as a closed police wagon rolled to a halt in the drive. Rusty bars blocked the windows. The Winthrop carriage clattered to a halt behind the wagon, the driver hanging his head in sheepish defeat.
Justin stared as a uniformed bobby climbed off the driver's seat, tipped his tall hat in a crisp greeting,
and moved to swing open the barred door at the back of the wagon.
A demure, white-gloved hand emerged. At least Emily had worn her gloves, Justin thought crazily. The bobby took her hand with obvious deference and Emily descended, favoring him with a regal smile.
Justin started for her, determined to wring an explanation from her charming little neck.
Before he could reach her, a snarling, fanged monster exploded from the back of the wagon and lunged straight for his throat.
Chapter 21
(You should thank God you were blessed
with your mama's eyes; it more than makes up
for being cursed with my hair.)
Justin backed away from the slavering beast, instinctively drawing it away from Emily. The deafening shrill of his sisters' screams was almost drowned out by its bass-throated rumble. Something had come flying out of the wagon behind the creature. It stumbled along for a few steps before Justin realized it
was Penfeld, and he was attached to the monster by Emily's blue velvet sash. The dog's massive spiked collar might as well have been around the valet's neck. The beast dragged him across the slick lawn, eyeing Justin hungrily. The horses whinnied and tossed their heads in terror.
"What is the meaning of this, Penfeld?" Justin said, his voice soft enough not to spook the animal but lethal enough to be heard by them all.
Penfeld dug his heels into the ground and strained against the dog's squat weight. His whiskers stuck
out in matted tufts. His immaculate jacket was torn and his white shirt smeared with mud.
His brown eyes were entreating. "You told me to buy her a puppy, sir."
Justin eyed the thing. White foam dripped from its bared fangs. "That's not a puppy. It's a bull."
As if offended by his words, the dog lunged again, dragging Penfeld flat. The monster's snapping teeth missed Justin's crotch by half an inch.
"A bulldog to be precise," Emily said, waltzing between Penfeld and the dog. She patted the creature's massive head and scratched behind his ears. "There, now. That's a nice Pudding. Down, boy."
The dog sank to its stocky haunches at her feet, drooling adoringly on her slippers. Justin was surprised
it didn't purr.
