Belle (The Daughters of Allamont Hall Book 2) by Mary Kingswood Page B
Authors: Mary Kingswood
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chair, and another who kept valuable items in a false bottom of an ottoman.”
“I should be much obliged to you, Mr Burford.”
“It would be my pleasure,” he said, and so it seemed, for he crawled on the floor and shuffled beneath the furniture with great enthusiasm. Miss Endercott encouraged him by suggesting increasingly unlikely hiding places.
Eventually, their diligence was rewarded. Mr Burford extracted a large, heavy box from a hidden recess beneath the late Mr Allamont’s armchair beside the fire.
“Now that is more like it,” Miss Endercott said. “Your father was sitting upon his fortune. How amusing! That is a very good-sized box. There will be a large sum in there, I warrant.”
Excitedly, Belle tried all the keys. None of them fitted.
In despair, she rested her head in her hands. It was too trying. “Oh, why could Papa not put his money into the bank, like everybody else! I declare, it is too bad of him.”
Miss Endercott patted her shoulder. “There, there, child. Do not be discouraged. We have had a successful morning. We must leave you now, but when we get back to the village, I shall ask Mr Turner to call round.”
“The carpenter? Do you think he can cut through the wood to open this?”
“Well — he might be able to, but I should imagine there is a metal lining which would defeat his saw. However, he makes boxes just like this, and fits locks, so he also knows how to open a lock, if need be. He once unlocked the cellar door at the parsonage when the key had accidentally gone down the well. You shall have all the money you need very soon. In the meantime, you should add up the total amount owed to your creditors. It will be a substantial sum, I expect.”
“So it will. I shall begin at once.”
“Shall I hide the box away again for the moment?” Mr Burford said.
“Oh, please do so! I cannot thank you enough, both of you. I am afraid you have got rather dusty, Mr Burford.”
He smiled. “Indeed I have! You cannot imagine how much I have enjoyed this morning’s adventures, Miss Allamont. If you have any more rooms you wish to be searched, I hope you will send for me immediately.”
She laughed, but shook her head. “I very much hope this is the end of it.”
“Well, I hope you are mistaken on that point. Good day, to you, Miss Allamont.” He followed Miss Endercott into the hall. A moment later, his face, slightly pink, reappeared round the door. “Pray give my regards to all your sisters, Miss Allamont.”
“Indeed I shall. Thank you, sir.”
Then she bent her head to the pile of bills.
6: Locks And Keys
After the subject of Amy’s wedding clothes had been thoroughly gone over, the talk at dinner that evening turned to Grace’s plans for a school in the village. The estate’s former gamekeeper was recently deceased, and since there was no longer any shooting on the Allamont estate, the cottage was not now required for that purpose. Being conveniently located on the edge of the village, it was ideally suited for the provision of a modest village school.
“You should have come with us today, Belle, for it is all fitted up in the most delightful manner,” Grace said. “Everything I wished for has been done, and Mr Ambleside has been most helpful, for it is all modelled on his own school at Higher Brinford. All we need now are furnishings, and a master to teach the children.”
“And books, I hope,” Belle said.
“We will have the Bible,” Grace said. “What else might we need?”
“Some history, I hope,” Belle replied. “Shakespeare, perhaps, and the great poets and philosophers. Books written by travellers so that the children might know of other parts of the world. And what of mathematics and chemistry and astronomy? The great discoveries and principles must be taught.”
“Gracious, Belle, we are teaching the sons of farmers and smiths,” Dulcie said. “What should they need to know of such things?”
“Papa always said that everyone should
“I should be much obliged to you, Mr Burford.”
“It would be my pleasure,” he said, and so it seemed, for he crawled on the floor and shuffled beneath the furniture with great enthusiasm. Miss Endercott encouraged him by suggesting increasingly unlikely hiding places.
Eventually, their diligence was rewarded. Mr Burford extracted a large, heavy box from a hidden recess beneath the late Mr Allamont’s armchair beside the fire.
“Now that is more like it,” Miss Endercott said. “Your father was sitting upon his fortune. How amusing! That is a very good-sized box. There will be a large sum in there, I warrant.”
Excitedly, Belle tried all the keys. None of them fitted.
In despair, she rested her head in her hands. It was too trying. “Oh, why could Papa not put his money into the bank, like everybody else! I declare, it is too bad of him.”
Miss Endercott patted her shoulder. “There, there, child. Do not be discouraged. We have had a successful morning. We must leave you now, but when we get back to the village, I shall ask Mr Turner to call round.”
“The carpenter? Do you think he can cut through the wood to open this?”
“Well — he might be able to, but I should imagine there is a metal lining which would defeat his saw. However, he makes boxes just like this, and fits locks, so he also knows how to open a lock, if need be. He once unlocked the cellar door at the parsonage when the key had accidentally gone down the well. You shall have all the money you need very soon. In the meantime, you should add up the total amount owed to your creditors. It will be a substantial sum, I expect.”
“So it will. I shall begin at once.”
“Shall I hide the box away again for the moment?” Mr Burford said.
“Oh, please do so! I cannot thank you enough, both of you. I am afraid you have got rather dusty, Mr Burford.”
He smiled. “Indeed I have! You cannot imagine how much I have enjoyed this morning’s adventures, Miss Allamont. If you have any more rooms you wish to be searched, I hope you will send for me immediately.”
She laughed, but shook her head. “I very much hope this is the end of it.”
“Well, I hope you are mistaken on that point. Good day, to you, Miss Allamont.” He followed Miss Endercott into the hall. A moment later, his face, slightly pink, reappeared round the door. “Pray give my regards to all your sisters, Miss Allamont.”
“Indeed I shall. Thank you, sir.”
Then she bent her head to the pile of bills.
6: Locks And Keys
After the subject of Amy’s wedding clothes had been thoroughly gone over, the talk at dinner that evening turned to Grace’s plans for a school in the village. The estate’s former gamekeeper was recently deceased, and since there was no longer any shooting on the Allamont estate, the cottage was not now required for that purpose. Being conveniently located on the edge of the village, it was ideally suited for the provision of a modest village school.
“You should have come with us today, Belle, for it is all fitted up in the most delightful manner,” Grace said. “Everything I wished for has been done, and Mr Ambleside has been most helpful, for it is all modelled on his own school at Higher Brinford. All we need now are furnishings, and a master to teach the children.”
“And books, I hope,” Belle said.
“We will have the Bible,” Grace said. “What else might we need?”
“Some history, I hope,” Belle replied. “Shakespeare, perhaps, and the great poets and philosophers. Books written by travellers so that the children might know of other parts of the world. And what of mathematics and chemistry and astronomy? The great discoveries and principles must be taught.”
“Gracious, Belle, we are teaching the sons of farmers and smiths,” Dulcie said. “What should they need to know of such things?”
“Papa always said that everyone should
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