Free 108. An Archangel Called Ivan by Barbara Cartland

in the housekeeper’s room. It’s difficult when you are new to find out who works where.”
    “I’ll tell you,” Ann said eagerly, “and this place has been as dull as ditch-water until you arrived ’ere, miss. But now it’s all buzzin’ and quite different from what it were yesterday.”
    She looked round to make sure that the door was closed before she added,
    “To tell the truth I were thinkin’ of leavin’ because it’s so dull and grim. As I says to me Mum, it be like livin’ in a tomb, but now things are movin’ I want to stay.”
    “Oh, please stay and help me,” Arliva begged. “I need a lot of help and, as you know, it’s difficult to change anything that has been always done in exactly the same way, especially in houses like this.”
    “You’ll change ’em,” Ann said. “I’ve never seen Mr. Evans and Mrs. Lewis in such a state of excitement as they be now. When I left the kitchen, cook were talkin’ of what cakes she’s made for the young’uns and I can tell you she’s not bothered to make any for weeks.”
    Arliva smiled, but made no comment.
    Instead she asked Ann numerous questions which told her better than anything else what had been happening in Wilson Hall since the heir to it had been drowned.
    It did not take her long to put on her riding clothes, although they were, she felt, far too smart for this place.
    But it was all she had and she could not bear to leave them behind in London.
    When she was dressed, she went to the children’s bedrooms to find that Johnnie’s breeches were rather tight and he really needed new ones, as well as some new boots.
    ”We will make a long list of all the things you need tomorrow,” she told him, “but now let’s find the horses, which is far more exciting than anything else.”
    Johnnie ran off ahead of the two girls, who held Arliva’s hand as they crossed the corridor.
    Evans then showed them a side door, which was the quickest way to the stables.
    He came along too as if he could not bear to miss the excitement which he anticipated was inevitable.
    He was quite right.
    The Head Groom who had been informed that they were riding, was waiting with a supercilious expression on his face.
    Arliva greeted him with a handshake and enthused,
    “This is very thrilling for me, as I have heard about your superb thoroughbreds and, of course, I am longing to try them.”
    She was well aware, as he approached them, that he looked at her riding clothes and realised that she was not only smart but dressed in just the right way for someone who was used to being on a horse.
    The Head Groom took her into the stables and she saw at once that the ponies for the two girls were old and slow.
    “How well can you ride?” she asked them.
    “Very well if we have good horses,” Rosie replied. “But the Governess before you always said, as we were so young, we had to go on the oldest and slowest pony and it was very very dull.”
    “We do ’ave larger ponies,” the Head Groom said slowly, as if he had been keeping it a secret, “but, as the Governess afore you were scared the girls might fall orf, I were afraid to suggest ’em.”
    “Of course they will not fall off,” Arliva asserted. “I rode quite big ponies when I was their age and please, please let’s see the ones you have hidden away.”
    They had been bought, apparently, by the children’s father and mother just before they left on the ship which was to sink so that they never returned.
    They had grown a little last year, but were still very suitable ponies for children who could ride without being afraid.
    The twins were thrilled with them and, from the way they patted the ponies and talked to them and the way they held the reins when she lifted them into the saddle, Arliva knew that they really could ride well.
    Johnnie had found a horse he had ridden before, which the last Governess had said was too large for him.
    “I want this one,” he said in a way that told Arliva without words