of brooding menace emanating from the walls. She gave herself a mental shake. Mannerling was a large house, nothing more. It was unlike her to let her fancies get the better of her.
And then, as she reached the hall, the grandfather clock against the far wall boomed out five hours and from all over the house came the clamour of chimes, until all the tinkling and booming and chiming seemed to merge together in one great mocking, triumphant sound.
Miss Trumble wrenched open the great front door and went out into the sunlight and took a deep breath. The carriage swept up to the front of the house and a footman ran out and let down the steps. Miss Trumble climbed in, feeling shaken.
She felt suddenly that Mannerling was no place for those little children. Perhaps the menace she had felt came from Minerva’s presence.
Her fancies apart, someone had tried to frightenMark. What kind of person would play such a trick on a child?
Perhaps when the eldest sister, Isabella, arrived, she could arrange for the children to spend much of their time between Brookfield House and Perival, away from the menace of Mannerling.
Sanity, like a breath of fresh air, blew into Miss Trumble’s worried life with the arrival of Isabella, Lady Fitzpatrick, her husband, and his aunt, Mrs. Kennedy.
At first Miss Trumble thought Isabella might be a trifle haughty, but then Isabella had taken her aside and asked anxiously, “And how goes Barry?”
“Do you mean our odd man? Very well, and a comfort to us all.”
“He was a very great comfort to me with his kindness and good sense.”
“Would you like to see him? We could take a turn in the garden.”
“I would like that above all things.”
When they were outside, Miss Trumble received another surprise, for the tall and elegant Isabella linked her arm in that of the governess in a companionable way and said, “Barry writes to me from time to time. I hear great things of you.”
Miss Trumble actually found herself blushing for the first time in years. “That is very gratifying.”
Barry walked across the back lawn to greet them, his cap in his hand, a broad smile on his face.
“Well, well, well, my lady, you do be a sight for sore eyes.”
“Does all go well, Barry?”
“Very well, my lady. Are the children with you?”
“They are with their nurse, but you shall visit us and see them for yourself. I do not want to deprive the excellent Miss Trumble or my sisters of your help, Barry, but I do wish you would return with us to Ireland.”
“Maybe soon, Miss Isabella, I mean, my lady.”
“You may call me Miss Isabella if you wish.”
If only my three girls could turn out like this eldest sister, thought Miss Trumble. If only they, too, could escape Mannerling.
“So I believe there is a new owner at Mannerling,” said Isabella, “but fortunately of an age too old to tempt my sisters.”
“As to that,” said Barry cautiously, “he do be a remarkably handsome man and don’t look a bit his age.”
“Aha!” Isabella looked quizzically at Miss Trumble. “And when I asked Rachel why she had not gone to London for a Season, she hummed and hawed and then said it was because of my impending visit.”
“Perhaps that was indeed the case,” said Miss Trumble evasively.
“And Mama seems in alt over the father, General Blackwood. Never say she has hopes in that direction.”
“That is not for me to say,” said Miss Trumble primly. “But the carriage from Mannerling will be here shortly to collect the children and I must not be found neglecting my duties in case Mr. Blackwood comes himself. Mark has extra lessons as a punishment for an impertinence.”
She curtsied and left.
“Miss Trumble is as you described her to be,” saidIsabella to Barry. “But I was not prepared to find such a grand lady. Her style and clothes are modish. Where did she come from?”
“Ah, that’s a mystery,” said Barry. “I believe she gave Lady Beverley references at last.”
“Perhaps
And then, as she reached the hall, the grandfather clock against the far wall boomed out five hours and from all over the house came the clamour of chimes, until all the tinkling and booming and chiming seemed to merge together in one great mocking, triumphant sound.
Miss Trumble wrenched open the great front door and went out into the sunlight and took a deep breath. The carriage swept up to the front of the house and a footman ran out and let down the steps. Miss Trumble climbed in, feeling shaken.
She felt suddenly that Mannerling was no place for those little children. Perhaps the menace she had felt came from Minerva’s presence.
Her fancies apart, someone had tried to frightenMark. What kind of person would play such a trick on a child?
Perhaps when the eldest sister, Isabella, arrived, she could arrange for the children to spend much of their time between Brookfield House and Perival, away from the menace of Mannerling.
Sanity, like a breath of fresh air, blew into Miss Trumble’s worried life with the arrival of Isabella, Lady Fitzpatrick, her husband, and his aunt, Mrs. Kennedy.
At first Miss Trumble thought Isabella might be a trifle haughty, but then Isabella had taken her aside and asked anxiously, “And how goes Barry?”
“Do you mean our odd man? Very well, and a comfort to us all.”
“He was a very great comfort to me with his kindness and good sense.”
“Would you like to see him? We could take a turn in the garden.”
“I would like that above all things.”
When they were outside, Miss Trumble received another surprise, for the tall and elegant Isabella linked her arm in that of the governess in a companionable way and said, “Barry writes to me from time to time. I hear great things of you.”
Miss Trumble actually found herself blushing for the first time in years. “That is very gratifying.”
Barry walked across the back lawn to greet them, his cap in his hand, a broad smile on his face.
“Well, well, well, my lady, you do be a sight for sore eyes.”
“Does all go well, Barry?”
“Very well, my lady. Are the children with you?”
“They are with their nurse, but you shall visit us and see them for yourself. I do not want to deprive the excellent Miss Trumble or my sisters of your help, Barry, but I do wish you would return with us to Ireland.”
“Maybe soon, Miss Isabella, I mean, my lady.”
“You may call me Miss Isabella if you wish.”
If only my three girls could turn out like this eldest sister, thought Miss Trumble. If only they, too, could escape Mannerling.
“So I believe there is a new owner at Mannerling,” said Isabella, “but fortunately of an age too old to tempt my sisters.”
“As to that,” said Barry cautiously, “he do be a remarkably handsome man and don’t look a bit his age.”
“Aha!” Isabella looked quizzically at Miss Trumble. “And when I asked Rachel why she had not gone to London for a Season, she hummed and hawed and then said it was because of my impending visit.”
“Perhaps that was indeed the case,” said Miss Trumble evasively.
“And Mama seems in alt over the father, General Blackwood. Never say she has hopes in that direction.”
“That is not for me to say,” said Miss Trumble primly. “But the carriage from Mannerling will be here shortly to collect the children and I must not be found neglecting my duties in case Mr. Blackwood comes himself. Mark has extra lessons as a punishment for an impertinence.”
She curtsied and left.
“Miss Trumble is as you described her to be,” saidIsabella to Barry. “But I was not prepared to find such a grand lady. Her style and clothes are modish. Where did she come from?”
“Ah, that’s a mystery,” said Barry. “I believe she gave Lady Beverley references at last.”
“Perhaps
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