I lived here.”
“No, you wouldn’t,” Andre said. “Being a toff is not your style.”
I took that as a compliment.
We stepped out of the car, and while Andre unloaded his equipment bags, I stared up at the four-story, pointy-roofed mansion with awe. A stone angel peered down at me from the third floor. Its chubby face was so much more pleasant than the sharp-beaked raven on top of Mim’s wardrobe that I made a mental note to see if the raven could be carved to look more like a fat cherub. Viv would never go for it, of course, but it made me smile to think of it.
The front door was recessed within a stone archway. A thick wooden door was set back, and I led the way up the three short steps into the alcove with Andre on my heels hoisting his bags onto his shoulder as we went.
I rang the bell, which I could hear echoing in the house. Andre rocked back and forth on his heels while we waited. I had to curb the urge to hum or whistle. I’m not very good at waiting, Harrison would probably say this was another sign of my lack of impulse control.
The door opened and a stout woman in sensible black shoes and a severe black dress that covered her from neck to knee greeted us.
“Good morning,” she said. She peered at us through rimless glasses that perched on the end of her long, thin nose. “You are the photographer and the hat-shop girl.”
It was dismissive the way she said it, and it wasn’t just her broad accent that made it sound so. Calling me a “hat-shop girl” made me feel as if she was calling me a “coat-check girl,” and I wondered if she thought we should have used the servants’ entrance.
“I’m Ms. Parker and this is my associate Mr. Eisel,” I said. “I believe Lady Ellis is expecting us.”
The woman reared her head back as if surprised that I wasn’t as easily intimidated as she’d thought. I felt like telling her that in the hotel I once worked in I was in charge of an entire fleet of chambermaids and I certainly was not going to take any attitude from a housekeeper, but I refrained.
“Follow me,” the woman said, and turned on her heel to lead the way.
I gestured to Andre to go first, so I could shut the door behind him. For such a stout lady, the housekeeper moved at a solid clip, and I had to hurry up the short steps and across the marble floor of the reception hall to catch up to her. I barely had a chance to take in the white walls, which were rectangles of wainscoting that reached from floor to ceiling with a brilliant crystal chandelier overhead.
The housekeeper, gargoyle, what have you, led the way into a narrow lift. Andre and I squeezed in after her and she pushed the button for the second floor. I expected it to lurch and creak but it was a smooth ride, and we arrived in seconds on the second floor.
“Wait here, please, whilst I announce you,” she said.
We waited in another receiving area while she went through a large door on the left.
“Cheery old gal, isn’t she?” Andre asked.
“A regular beam of sunshine,” I agreed.
Again, Andre rocked on his heels. This time, I did hum. It was equal parts nerves and boredom. I was stressed that the shoot go well and Lady Ellis be satisfied, but I was also anxious about being gone from the shop all morning and leaving Fee in charge.
Of course, if Viv were here, I would not be feeling so edgy. In fact, if Viv had been here from the beginning, we never would have had the kerfuffle of me not being able to find Lady Ellis’s hat and getting roped into this photo shoot.
Honestly, I was becoming torn between rage at and worry for Viv. My Aunt Grace had forwarded the e-mail that Viv had sent her, but of course, it didn’t say where she was or when she’d be back, just that her phone was out of range and she had little to no access to the Internet. I swear I could just wring her neck.
Just when I was about to ask Andre what he thought might be taking them so long, a shriek sounded from the door the housekeeper had
“No, you wouldn’t,” Andre said. “Being a toff is not your style.”
I took that as a compliment.
We stepped out of the car, and while Andre unloaded his equipment bags, I stared up at the four-story, pointy-roofed mansion with awe. A stone angel peered down at me from the third floor. Its chubby face was so much more pleasant than the sharp-beaked raven on top of Mim’s wardrobe that I made a mental note to see if the raven could be carved to look more like a fat cherub. Viv would never go for it, of course, but it made me smile to think of it.
The front door was recessed within a stone archway. A thick wooden door was set back, and I led the way up the three short steps into the alcove with Andre on my heels hoisting his bags onto his shoulder as we went.
I rang the bell, which I could hear echoing in the house. Andre rocked back and forth on his heels while we waited. I had to curb the urge to hum or whistle. I’m not very good at waiting, Harrison would probably say this was another sign of my lack of impulse control.
The door opened and a stout woman in sensible black shoes and a severe black dress that covered her from neck to knee greeted us.
“Good morning,” she said. She peered at us through rimless glasses that perched on the end of her long, thin nose. “You are the photographer and the hat-shop girl.”
It was dismissive the way she said it, and it wasn’t just her broad accent that made it sound so. Calling me a “hat-shop girl” made me feel as if she was calling me a “coat-check girl,” and I wondered if she thought we should have used the servants’ entrance.
“I’m Ms. Parker and this is my associate Mr. Eisel,” I said. “I believe Lady Ellis is expecting us.”
The woman reared her head back as if surprised that I wasn’t as easily intimidated as she’d thought. I felt like telling her that in the hotel I once worked in I was in charge of an entire fleet of chambermaids and I certainly was not going to take any attitude from a housekeeper, but I refrained.
“Follow me,” the woman said, and turned on her heel to lead the way.
I gestured to Andre to go first, so I could shut the door behind him. For such a stout lady, the housekeeper moved at a solid clip, and I had to hurry up the short steps and across the marble floor of the reception hall to catch up to her. I barely had a chance to take in the white walls, which were rectangles of wainscoting that reached from floor to ceiling with a brilliant crystal chandelier overhead.
The housekeeper, gargoyle, what have you, led the way into a narrow lift. Andre and I squeezed in after her and she pushed the button for the second floor. I expected it to lurch and creak but it was a smooth ride, and we arrived in seconds on the second floor.
“Wait here, please, whilst I announce you,” she said.
We waited in another receiving area while she went through a large door on the left.
“Cheery old gal, isn’t she?” Andre asked.
“A regular beam of sunshine,” I agreed.
Again, Andre rocked on his heels. This time, I did hum. It was equal parts nerves and boredom. I was stressed that the shoot go well and Lady Ellis be satisfied, but I was also anxious about being gone from the shop all morning and leaving Fee in charge.
Of course, if Viv were here, I would not be feeling so edgy. In fact, if Viv had been here from the beginning, we never would have had the kerfuffle of me not being able to find Lady Ellis’s hat and getting roped into this photo shoot.
Honestly, I was becoming torn between rage at and worry for Viv. My Aunt Grace had forwarded the e-mail that Viv had sent her, but of course, it didn’t say where she was or when she’d be back, just that her phone was out of range and she had little to no access to the Internet. I swear I could just wring her neck.
Just when I was about to ask Andre what he thought might be taking them so long, a shriek sounded from the door the housekeeper had
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