he has been teaching me—”
“How interesting! ” interrupted Isabella. “Now, what do you know of our other cousin—Milo Winterbottom?”
Adele did not get the chance to answer, because Fremantle, a very tall servant with a tiny head, entered the bedroom carrying a gleaming silver tray. With great care he placed the tray on a side table next to the young ladies.
“I hope the snack is to your satisfaction,” he said in a slow flat drawl.
“So do I,” snapped Isabella, lunging at the sourdough like she had not eaten in weeks. “That will be all, servant.”
Before Fremantle could gather his tray and leave, a frantic-looking chambermaid by the name of Hannah Spoon hurried into the bedroom carrying a set of hand towels and stood nervously in front of Isabella.
“They have been warmed just like you asked, Miss.”
“Let me feel them,” she mumbled, her cheeks bloated with bread. “That’s much better. You may put them in the bathroom, and then you can unpack my cases and place my clothes in the closet in alphabetical order according to color.”
“Yes, Miss Winterbottom.”
“Oh, and you with the funny head,” said Isabella, snapping her fingers at Fremantle. “You may help her with the unpacking.”
Before Fremantle had a chance to object, Isabella had grabbed Adele by the hand and disappeared down the lengthy corridor of the eastern wing.
***
In a cloistered piazza at the western end of the garden, Silas and Thorn moved along a path lined with Sweet Brier roses. Thorn lifted his head and emitted a low growl as Moses passed them, shuffling across the patio, carrying a cardboard box full of potted tulip bulbs.
“How are the Phoenix roses?” said Silas. “Have they opened yet?”
“Nearly open,” muttered Moses, not stopping to address his master formally.
“Wait,” said Silas firmly.
Moses stopped in his tracks.
“I’m sure I don’t have to remind you,” said Silas, moving along the path toward the old gardener, “that I do not want any trouble while my nephew and nieces are here.”
“I don’t make trouble,” said Moses gruffly.
“Indeed,” said Silas. “Just make sure you don’t.” He pulled up in front of Moses, turning his chair sharply to face him. “After all, I haven’t much time left, and a great deal depends on this visit. By the way, how is your boy Ezra doing at St. Bernadette’s—I trust the nurses are taking excellent care of him?”
The old gardener’s body stiffened as if the words were a spell that had cast him in granite.
Silas smiled coolly. “Are we clear, Moses?”
A long minute ticked over before Moses finally grunted, indicating that he understood. He then shuffled quickly across the terrace, disappearing into the greenhouse.
8
Under One Roof
Isabella and Adele passed through the vaulted French doors and entered the sun-filled morning room, sitting down by the large windows.
“It’s a beautiful room, isn’t it?” said Isabella, leaning back in the chair and sighing deeply. “I don’t suppose you have ever been in a house as grand as Sommerset?”
Adele shook her head. “I didn’t know they made houses this big.”
“Oh, cousin!” said Isabella brightly. “Compared to some of my friends in London this house is small . My friend Gilda Gettysburg’s house in Kent is three times the size of Sommerset.”
Adele looked uncertainly at her cousin.
“Do you…do you have a lot of money, Isabella?” she said shyly.
“What a thing to ask!” declared Isabella, but she laughed and looked rather delighted by the question. Then the smile vanished and she was suddenly very serious. “But you have asked and I will answer. Yes, it is true, my father has a great deal of money. It is like I was telling Uncle Silas, I have more money than I know what to do with.”
Adele gasped. “You told him that?”
“Oh, yes, cousin. It was obvious he invited us here to pick an heir,” said Isabella matter-of-factly, “and I told him that I had
“How interesting! ” interrupted Isabella. “Now, what do you know of our other cousin—Milo Winterbottom?”
Adele did not get the chance to answer, because Fremantle, a very tall servant with a tiny head, entered the bedroom carrying a gleaming silver tray. With great care he placed the tray on a side table next to the young ladies.
“I hope the snack is to your satisfaction,” he said in a slow flat drawl.
“So do I,” snapped Isabella, lunging at the sourdough like she had not eaten in weeks. “That will be all, servant.”
Before Fremantle could gather his tray and leave, a frantic-looking chambermaid by the name of Hannah Spoon hurried into the bedroom carrying a set of hand towels and stood nervously in front of Isabella.
“They have been warmed just like you asked, Miss.”
“Let me feel them,” she mumbled, her cheeks bloated with bread. “That’s much better. You may put them in the bathroom, and then you can unpack my cases and place my clothes in the closet in alphabetical order according to color.”
“Yes, Miss Winterbottom.”
“Oh, and you with the funny head,” said Isabella, snapping her fingers at Fremantle. “You may help her with the unpacking.”
Before Fremantle had a chance to object, Isabella had grabbed Adele by the hand and disappeared down the lengthy corridor of the eastern wing.
***
In a cloistered piazza at the western end of the garden, Silas and Thorn moved along a path lined with Sweet Brier roses. Thorn lifted his head and emitted a low growl as Moses passed them, shuffling across the patio, carrying a cardboard box full of potted tulip bulbs.
“How are the Phoenix roses?” said Silas. “Have they opened yet?”
“Nearly open,” muttered Moses, not stopping to address his master formally.
“Wait,” said Silas firmly.
Moses stopped in his tracks.
“I’m sure I don’t have to remind you,” said Silas, moving along the path toward the old gardener, “that I do not want any trouble while my nephew and nieces are here.”
“I don’t make trouble,” said Moses gruffly.
“Indeed,” said Silas. “Just make sure you don’t.” He pulled up in front of Moses, turning his chair sharply to face him. “After all, I haven’t much time left, and a great deal depends on this visit. By the way, how is your boy Ezra doing at St. Bernadette’s—I trust the nurses are taking excellent care of him?”
The old gardener’s body stiffened as if the words were a spell that had cast him in granite.
Silas smiled coolly. “Are we clear, Moses?”
A long minute ticked over before Moses finally grunted, indicating that he understood. He then shuffled quickly across the terrace, disappearing into the greenhouse.
8
Under One Roof
Isabella and Adele passed through the vaulted French doors and entered the sun-filled morning room, sitting down by the large windows.
“It’s a beautiful room, isn’t it?” said Isabella, leaning back in the chair and sighing deeply. “I don’t suppose you have ever been in a house as grand as Sommerset?”
Adele shook her head. “I didn’t know they made houses this big.”
“Oh, cousin!” said Isabella brightly. “Compared to some of my friends in London this house is small . My friend Gilda Gettysburg’s house in Kent is three times the size of Sommerset.”
Adele looked uncertainly at her cousin.
“Do you…do you have a lot of money, Isabella?” she said shyly.
“What a thing to ask!” declared Isabella, but she laughed and looked rather delighted by the question. Then the smile vanished and she was suddenly very serious. “But you have asked and I will answer. Yes, it is true, my father has a great deal of money. It is like I was telling Uncle Silas, I have more money than I know what to do with.”
Adele gasped. “You told him that?”
“Oh, yes, cousin. It was obvious he invited us here to pick an heir,” said Isabella matter-of-factly, “and I told him that I had
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