Page 204 of Storm of Bells
‘Lill? Lill!’ My head jerked up abruptly andI saw Ella standing at the door, tapping her foot with aninordinate amount of impatience for a sweet little wallflower.‘Lill, where have you wandered off to in that head of yours? Now’snot the time for daydreaming!’ Grabbing my arm, Ella tugged me outof the room, her face filled with joy. ‘There’s plenty of time forthat tonight.’
I cleared my throat, and suddenly Amy wasbeside me, a look on her face as dirty as a three-hundred-year-olddoormat. ‘Oh, I don’t think she’ll do much daydreaming tonight.She’ll be otherwise occupie—ouch!’
I smiled with pride. So, even in a weddingdress, my feet-stomping skills were still at their best.
‘Come on, Lill! We have something to showyou!’ Grabbing my hand, Ella pulled me down the hallway until westood at the top of the stairs.
My heart leapt in my chest.
Something to show me?
The very first thing that came into my mindwas Dalgliesh. Had it already happened? How fast did that fiend’snewspapers work?
But no. There was a joyous smile on Ella’sface. Besides…
Mr Ambrose’s whispered words from earlierflashed through my mind:‘Soon, we’ll be one. Together, we’ll bestronger than ever. I’ll make sure that Dalgliesh will never beable to touch you.’
Warmth rose inside me.
I’m not walking into danger. I’m walkingtowards my future.
‘Come on!’ Ella’s eyes twinkled as she tuggedon my arm again. ‘You won’t believe the spiffing surprise we havein store for you!’
Reaching the top of the luxurious staircasethat led down into the entrance hall, Ella pointed downtowards…
‘What the heck?’
VeryPresentable
My jaw nearly hit thefloor. Had someone started landscaping in the entrance hall? Amassive hill had suddenly appeared in the middle of the room,surrounded by an even bigger crowd of beaming and waving villagers,servants and assorted friends and family. Abruptly, they all brokeinto cheers and applause.
‘What is this?’ I demanded. ‘What’s going onhere?’
‘Well now, don’t be so modest!’ Amy slappedmy back, nearly sending me flying down the stairs. ‘Have youforgotten all about your wedding presents?’
‘P-presents?’
Wide-eyed, I stared down into the entrancehall. Presents.Presents? Growing up with Uncle Bufford I’dnever really experienced those fabled items that were said to existin a mythical realm beyond my reach. And as for receiving them frommy bridegroom…
Well, enough said.
Still, Amy was right. The hill that rose downthere in the big hall was composed entirely of rectangular packageswrapped in shiny wrapping paper. They looked very much like thep-word. But there were so many! They couldn’t possibly all be…
‘For me?’ I breathed. ‘All for me?’
‘That’s the idea.’ Adaira grinned. ‘Unless ofcourse you’d like to hurry on to your wedding ceremony and leavethe presents to the rest of u—’
‘Forget it!’
Weddings were one thing, but this…this wasspecial!
With gleaming eyes, I raced down the stepsand grabbed the first package in range. The wrapping paper wasdecorated in pretty blue flowers. And red ones. And pink, andwhite, and golden ones.
‘Let me guess…’ My eyes swept across myfriends, finally settling on one. ‘Flora?’
The girl’s eyes went wide in total shock atmy clairvoyance. ‘How did you guess?’
‘Err…Just a little hunch.’
