unpleasantness. And with your background-''
'Have you received any more notes?' James interrupted. His aunt knew that he had once worked for the War Office. There was no harm in that, as he was no longer an active operative, but Agatha was ever curious, and always asking him about his exploits. And there were some things one just didn't want to discuss with one's aunt. Not to mention the fact that James could get himself hanged for divulging some of the information he'd learned over the years.
Agatha shook her head. 'No. No notes.'
“I’ll do a bit of preliminary investigating, but I suspect we won't learn anything until you receive another letter.'
'You think there will be another one?'
James nodded grimly. 'Blackmailers don't know how to quit while ahead. It's their fatal flaw. In the meantime, I shall play at being your new estate manager. But I do wonder how you expect me to do this without being recognized.'
'I thought not being recognized was your particular forte.'
'It is,' he replied easily, 'but unlike France, Spain, and even the south coast, I grew up here. Or at least I almost did.'
Agatha's eyes suddenly lost their focus. James knew that she was thinking of his childhood, of all the times she'd faced his father in silent, angry showdowns, insisting that James was better off with the Danburys. 'No one will recognize you,' she finally assured him.
'Cribbins?'
'He passed on last year.'
'Oh. I'm sorry.' He'd always liked the old butler.
'The new one is adequate, I suppose, although he had the effrontery the other day to ask me to call him Wilson.'
James didn't know why he bothered, but he asked, 'That wouldn't be his name, would it?'
'I suppose,' she said with a little huff. 'But how am I to remember that?''
'You just did.'
She scowled at him. 'If he's my butler, I'm calling him Cribbins. At my age it's dangerous to make any big changes.'
'Agatha,' James said, with far more patience than he felt, 'may we return to the matter at hand?'
'About your being recognized.'
'Yes.'
'Everyone's gone. You haven't visited me for nearly ten years.'
James ignored her accusing tone. 'I see you all the time in London and you know it.'
'It doesn't count.'
He refused to ask why. He knew she was dying to give him a reason. 'Is there anything in particular I need to know before assuming my role as estate manager?' he asked.
She shook her head. “What would you need to know?
I raised you properly. You should know everything there is to know about land management.'
That much was true, although James had preferred to let managers watch over his estates since he'd assumed the title. It was easier, since he didn't particularly enjoy spending time at Riverdale Castle. 'Very well, then,' he said, standing up. 'As long as Cribbins the First is no longer with us-God rest his eternally patient soul-''
'What is that supposed to mean?'
His head fell slightly forward and to the side in an extremely sarcastic fashion. 'Anyone who butlered for you for forty years deserves to be canonized.'
'Impertinent bugger,' she muttered.
'Agatha!'
'What's the use of holding my tongue at my age?'
He shook his head. 'As I was trying to say earlier, as long as Cribbins is gone, being your estate manager is as good a disguise as any. Besides, I rather fancy spending some time out-of-doors while the weather is fine.''
'London was stifling?'
'Very.'
'The air or the people?'
James grinned. 'Both. Now, then, just tell me where to put my things. Oh, and Aunt Agatha'-he leaned down and kissed her cheek-'it's damned fine to see you.'
She smiled. 'I love you, too, James.'
By the time Elizabeth reached her home, she was out of breath and covered with mud. She'd been so anxious to be away from Danbury House that she'd practically run the first quarter mile. Unfortunately, it had been a particularly wet summer in Surrey, and Elizabeth had never been especially coordinated. And as for that protruding tree root-well, there was really no way to avoid it, and so, with a splat, Elizabeth saw her best dress ruined.
Not that her best dress was in particularly good condition. There certainly wasn't enough money in the Hotchkiss coffers for new clothing unless one had completely outgrown one's old garments. But still, Elizabeth had some pride, and if she couldn't dress her family in the first stare of fashion, at the very least she could make certain they were all neat and clean.
Now there was mud caked onto her velvet sash, and even worse, she'd actually stolen a book from Lady Danbury. And not just any book. She'd stolen what had to be the stupidest, most asinine book in the history of bookbinding. And all because she had to auction herself off to the highest bidder.
She swallowed as tears formed in her eyes. What if there were no bidders? Then where would she be?
Elizabeth stamped her feet on the front stoop to shake off the mud, then pushed her way through the front door of her small house. She tried to sneak through the hall and up the stairs to her room without anyone seeing her, but Susan was too fast.
'Good heavens! What happened to you?'
'I slipped,' Elizabeth ground out, never taking her eyes off of the stairs.
'Again?'
That was enough to make her twist around and stab her sister with a murderous glare. “What do you mean, again?'
Susan coughed. 'Nothing.'
Elizabeth swung back around with every intention of marching to and up the stairs, but her hand connected with a side table. 'Owwwww!' she howled.
'Ooh,' Susan said, wincing in sympathy. 'I'll bet that hurts.'
Elizabeth just stared at her, eyes narrowing into angry slits.
'Terribly sorry,' Susan said quickly, clearly recognizing her sister's bad mood.
'I am going to my room,' Elizabeth said, enunciating every word as if careful diction would somehow remove her to her private chamber more quickly. 'And then I am going to lie down and take a nap. And if anyone bothers me, I shall not answer to the consequences.'
Susan nodded. “Jane and Lucas are out playing in the garden. I shall make certain they are quiet if they return.'
'Good, I- Owwwwwwww!'
Susan winced. 'What now?'
Elizabeth bent down and picked up a small metal object. One of Lucas's toy soldiers. 'Is there any reason,' she said, 'that this is sitting on the floor where anyone may step upon it?'
'None that I can think of,' Susan said with a halfhearted attempt at a smile.
Elizabeth just sighed. 'I am not having a good day.'
'No, I didn't think you were.'
Elizabeth tried to smile, but all she did was stretch her lips. She just couldn't manage to get the corners to turn up.
