Anyway, the new Lady Georgie book is progressing nicely and here's a sneak peek at what I was writing this week. If you don't like any spoilers, please don't read!
Eventually I must have fallen asleep and I awoke to a wild
morning with clouds racing across a sky heavy with the promise of rain. The
fire was already burning merrily in my grate, having been lit by an unseen,
unheard housemaid, but the prospect outside was so unappealing that I lay under
the covers until Queenie eventually arrived with my tea.
“Sorry
miss. It’s so bloomin’ dark that I overslept again,” she said. “Shall I run you
a bath? And what will you be wearing?”
“My kilt again with a jumper, I
think, and yes, please do run me a bath.”
The clock
in the great central foyer was chiming nine as I made my way down to the
breakfast room. My nanny back in Scotland would say that I was heading down the
slippery slope getting up at such a late hour. The three sisters were sitting
together at one end of the table, but there was no sign of the others. They nodded to me as I came in, then went
back to devouring kidneys. I must say they all had healthy appetites.
“Beastly
day,” Edwina said at last. “Serve Cedric right for bringing down the architect
chappy for his wretched amphitheater. I hope they both get soaked to the skin.”
“I can’t
think what the boy was thinking,” Princess Charlotte said. “Hordes of people
tramping over the estate. Not a moment of privacy. Didn’t you try to talk him
out of it, Edwina?”
“Of course
I did, but he wouldn’t listen. I’m utterly appalled by the whole thing,
especially by his callous attitude toward those cottages. People have lived
there for generations—our estate people and he simply couldn’t care a fig. I
don’t know how I could have raised such a selfish son. His father would give
him a good talking to if he were alive.”
“Maybe we
should have summoned his father during the séance last night,” Virginia
suggested.
“I don’t
wish to hear any more about that séance,” Edwina said. “News of it has quite
upset the servants. In fact—“ she broke off at the sound of an anguished wail.
“Now what?” she demanded. Far off we could hear what sounded like a hysterical
outburst.
“You see
what I mean, Charlotte?” Edwina said. “You’ve got them all frightened.”
We sat
there, poised as in a tableau until we heard the sound of feet running in our
direction. Elsie, the head parlormaid came bursting into the breakfast room.
“’Beg pardon, Your Grace, “ she said.
“What is
it, Elsie?” Edwina had risen to her feet. “Who is making that ridiculous
noise?”
“It’s Lady
Irene’s maid, Your Grace. She says she can’t wake Lady Irene.”
