wryly, “it’s the famous ghost.”
Hearing no sound, she walked into the hall. Like the rest of the house it was in a very bad way, with dust up the stairs that was so obvious that she looked away from it immediately. The passage which she reached at the end of the hall was not much better. The carpets were grey with dirt and so was the furniture.
“Ugh!” she thought.
There was only silence around her.
Then she thought she heard a slight sound on her left, which was the way to the dining-room and beyond that the kitchen. For a moment she hesitated. Propriety dictated that she return to the front door and ring the bell.
But curiosity urged her forward, along the passage. Curiosity won.
As she moved quietly through the dining room she couldn’t help noticing that the table wanted polishing and the top of the fireplace was thick with dust. Probably the glass vases on the sideboard were half full of dust she decided. Really this place needed the touch of a good housekeeper.
Then she heard a sound behind the door that led to the kitchen and the pantry. Now she knew there must be someone in the kitchen.
Quietly she opened the door and crept along the passage which led to the pantry, then to the kitchen, from where the noise seemed to come. The door was ajar and she pushed it open. To her surprise she saw a man struggling to light a fire, and obviously not succeeding.
She could see only his back, but the very shape of it was redolent of exasperation and frustration. He’d stripped off his jacket, revealing a tall, well-made frame in breeches, shirt and waistcoat. She contemplated him.
Then something seemed to make him aware of her presence and he spoke sharply, without turning round.
“Perhaps you can make this damned fire burn! I want some breakfast and the coal and wood are conspiring to prevent me from having it.”
There was so much resentment in his voice that Rena could not help laughing.
“Let me do it,” she said. “These old fires are very troublesome at times.”
The sound of her voice made the man turn round. He was young and unexpectedly good-looking, although his face was partly hidden by a smudge of coal. For a moment they both looked at each other with interest and pleasure.
Then he rose and said, “I do apologise. I don’t know who you are, but if you could make this fire burn I could have something to eat. I’m ravenous. I’ve eaten all the food I brought with me last night, and this kitchen has defeated me. In fact the whole house defeats me. Wretched place!”
She couldn’t help laughing again, and assumed a shocked tone. “Do you know, sir, that this house has been called one of the most beautiful houses in the whole of England.”
“I could think of several things to call it, but that wouldn’t be among them.”
“Don’t let the new owner hear you say that!”
“It’s all right. I am the new owner.”
“Oh heavens!” she cried. “And I thought you were a ghost!”
He grinned. “A pretty solid sort of ghost. A pretty filthy one, too. Perhaps we should introduce ourselves. My name is John and I’m the Earl.”
“The Earl? You mean – Lord Lansdale?”
“Yes. I don’t look much like an Earl do I? More like a pot boy, I suppose.”
“My name is Rena Colwell. My father was the vicar here until his death. He brought me to this house several times when the old Earl was still alive. It’s such a beautiful place, and I’ve always loved it. Is something wrong?”
For his face had fallen.
“Only that if you’re the vicar’s daughter it wouldn’t be quite proper for me to let you light the fire.”
“Oh never mind what’s proper,” she said at once. “Let’s just do what we want.” Then her hands flew to her mouth. “No – at least – what I meant was – ”
“Don’t,” he begged. “Don’t change it. I preferred the first version.”
“Well, so did I,” she admitted, “but it was the sort of thing Papa used to reprove me for saying. Now, let me do your fire. I shall need some paper – there should be some in one of the drawers of the table. Then I must have some small pieces of wood and matches with which to light the fire.”
“I suppose it is what I should have known,” the man answered ruefully. “But quite frankly I’m not used to making my own fire or cooking my own breakfast.”
“I promise that you won’t be hungry for very much longer.”
She had to chase some beetles out of the range before she could do anything else. But at last she got the fire burning and the water in the saucepan was hot enough to cook some eggs. The Earl had some provisions, coffee, a little milk, half a loaf of bread and a large pat of butter.
“I have an uneasy feeling that politeness dictates that I should ask you to share my breakfast,” he said. “But – forgive me, I’m too hungry to be polite.”
“I’m not hungry. I ate my breakfast before I left home.”
This was not quite true, because she had merely picked up some pieces of ham left over from her supper the night before. She was making her few remaining scraps of food last.
“I don’t think you can be real,” he said. “You’re a fairy creature who came by magic to save me from starving to death. What is it? What did I say?” He’d seen a sudden change in her face.
“Nothing,” she said hastily. His innocent remark had reminded her of the reality of her situation. “I just – thought of something. Go on with what you are saying.”
He raised his coffee cup to her in salute. “To the fairy who saved me. I’m very lucky to have found you.”
Rena smiled. “I thought actually I had found you. Whenever I’ve been here before the house has been completely empty, unless someone was thinking of becoming a tenant. Mind you, they always changed their mind as soon as they saw how much had to be done.”
“And now you expect me to do it,” the man remarked wryly. “But this place is too big and too expensive for me even to contemplate living in.”
Rena sighed.
“Oh, must you say that? I have often thought it would be very exciting if the house came alive again and was not left as it is now gradually to crumble until there is nothing left of it, or its beautiful gardens.”
“That’s a beautiful hope,” he said, “But there is one grave difficulty.”
“What is that?”
“I can say it in one word. Money! Money to make the house habitable. Money to employ gardeners, farmers, money for horses to fill the stables.”
“That would
