The Lost Heir (The Gryphon Chronicles, Book 1) (20 page)

Derek Stone and the boys did not pay attention to such things, but she had noticed the second glance that Miss Helena had cast her. She wished she would have had at least a moment to comb her hair. On second thought, she supposed she should just be happy to be alive after all that had happened to her last night.

“Her Ladyship is in the morning room,” the governess informed them as she led the way, her head high, her shoulders back, her step confident and graceful.

Dani was in awe of Miss Helena’s sublime respectability.

“Do you smell that?” Jake whispered as they went down the main corridor.

She nodded eagerly.
Food!

Then Miss Helena stepped into the morning room ahead of them. It had light yellow walls, white trim, and a pretty floral rug over the hardwood floor. “Your Ladyship, Guardian Stone is here. He has brought the boy.”

The second Dani saw the stern-looking old woman, she understood her at once to be a Formidable Personage, the sort commonly known as a dragon-lady.

Her gray hair was arranged in an elegant bun atop her head. She had high cheekbones and the most intensely piercing eyes as she took the small reading spectacles off the bony bridge of her nose and let them dangle from the ribbon around her neck. “Quickly!” she ordered, beckoning. “Let me see him.”

Derek grasped Jake’s shoulder and steered him firmly into the room.

Dani hid behind Archie. They exchanged a glance: she, underdressed; he, soaking wet. They both knew they were in for it.

Even Jake seemed a little less cocky as he was presented to this intimidating grand-dame. “Ma’am.”

“Lady Bradford,” Derek said, “allow me to present Jacob Everton, the seventh Earl of Griffon. Jake, this is your great-great aunt, Ramona, the Dowager Baroness Bradford.”

Dani peeked around Archie to see how her friend would fare. She winced as Jake attempted an awkward bow.

But then her eyes widened when she noticed that Lady Bradford’s sewing needle, which she had set aside, was still working on the embroidery by itself.

The embroidery hoop floated in midair while the enchanted needle, pulling colored thread, darted back and forth through the white fabric, working on the pattern.

Pursing her lips, Her Ladyship set her spectacles on her nose again, as if to hide the tears that the missing boy had been returned to their family. Instead, without a whit of sentiment, she inspected Jake, frowning.

“Yes, you are an Everton, all right,” she confirmed with a nod. “But you’ve got our Bradford nose. Indeed, the family likeness is all there—beneath the grime. Gracious, boy, but you are bedraggled! What is the meaning of this? Helena, call Henry in at once to see to him. I cannot interview the lad in this uncivilized condition.”

“Aunt Ramona,” a soft voice spoke up from over by the window nook.

Only then did Dani see the lovely blond girl standing in the sunlight with a book on her head, as if she had just paused in her practice of ladylike walking. She was slightly older, perhaps fourteen, with golden-blond ringlets and sky-blue eyes that matched the satin sash around her waist.

The old woman turned to her, her sternness melting almost to indulgence for a heartbeat. It was instantly clear this gentle-voiced creature was a great favorite with her. “Yes, Isabelle, what is it, my dear?”

“They are hungry,” the girl replied.

All of a sudden, Teddy jumped out of Dani’s arms and ran to this stranger with the golden ringlets. Isabelle took the book off her head and bent down gracefully, picking Teddy up. “Hello to you, as well, little one!”

Teddy was wagging his tail as if he had known her all his life. Dani was nonplussed. Her dog began making odd little noises, playful growls, half-yips, almost warbling, as if he were talking to Isabelle.

“My, my, did she really?” she murmured, shaking her head.

Dani looked on, staring at her dog in dismay. She knew it was silly of her, but she felt a bit betrayed, if not abandoned. If she had been jealous before, when Jake had made instant best friends with his cousin Archie, now she was bereft. Even her dog preferred these rich, fancy people over her! It wasn’t fair.

“Teddy!” Dani clapped her hands to her terrier. “Teddy, come back here! Don’t bother the young lady! Sorry about that—”

“Oh, he is not bothering me at all.” Miss Isabelle turned with an angelic smile. “He could never bother anyone, could you, Teddy? I can tell he’s a very good dog.” Isabelle put Teddy down and he ran back to Dani, and it was then, as she scooped her dog back up in her arms that the dragon-lady noticed her.

“Pray tell, Guardian Stone, what is this you have brought me? A second disheveled urchin?” Lady Bradford’s piercing stare homed in on Dani as Archie stepped aside.

“She saved Jacob’s life last night,” Isabelle informed her great-great aunt. “She is his closest friend.”

“How did you know that?” Dani exclaimed.

“Teddy told me, of course.”

“She did, it’s true,” Jake spoke up. “Her name is Dani O’Dell.”

“O’Dell?” Lady Bradford grimaced.

“Teddy is right,” Derek spoke up with a fond nod of greeting to Miss Isabelle. “Miss O’Dell did save your nephew’s life last night, Your Ladyship. We had a spot of bother in Town, but I’ll tell you about it in a bit, if you don’t mind, my lady. In the meanwhile, these children have not eaten yet today.”

“Well, they cannot come to my table looking like that,” the baroness said with a sniff. “Helena, make Miss O’Dell as presentable as you can. Henry can see to the boys. Both of them,” she added, sending Archie a stern arch of her silvery-gray eyebrow from across the room.

“Sorry, Aunt Ramona,” the young inventor mumbled.

The baroness lifted her chin, as though trying not to smile. “Did the glider work this time?”

Archie burst out with a grin from ear to ear. “It did! Looks like I’m ahead of schedule for the science conference in Norway!”

“Humph! Prodigies,” she said with a snort. “Run along, then. Do sit down, Guardian Stone. We have much to discuss. I wish to hear all about how and where you found the boy.”

As Derek sat down with the old baroness, a young man in a brown tweed coat and polka-dotted bowtie bobbed into the doorway with an easygoing smile. “Did you call for me, sis?” he asked Miss Helena.

“Ah, Henry. There you are.” Miss Helena went over to him and quietly explained their assignment.

Henry’s eyes widened as he saw the task he had ahead of him with Jake.

A lifetime of grime would somehow have to be removed before the notorious pickpocket could begin to be turned into anything resembling a young gentleman about to inherit his father’s title and fortune.

Dani soon learned that Henry and Helena du Val were twins; Helena served as governess to Miss Isabelle, while Henry was in charge of Master Archie as his tutor and valet.

Tutor and governess exchanged a look of private dread at the challenge before them with Dani and Jake. Then the boys were marched up one set of stairs and the girls were led up another, and they all got to work.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Gentleman and Lady

Somehow Jake survived the next hour, though Henry’s battle to make him resemble something like a gentleman was more alarming than any attack by Uncle Waldrick’s minions.

At first, Jake had been impressed with the mansion’s hot running water; Cousin Archie hastened to explain how it worked and had not stopped talking since.

Fidgeting in the next room, Archie prattled on through the open door while Jake was dunked again in the torture device they called a bathtub, half drowned under mounds of bubbles. He came up sputtering once more and heard Henry barking orders at the footmen.

“We’re going to need stronger soap than this! Bring scissors for his hair. And cologne, please. Ugh, throw out this washrag. We’re going to have to change the water again. It’s as brown as the Thames. Blazes, lad, have you never cut your toenails in your life? They’re as thick as a goat’s hoof.”

Then the heartless scoundrel dunked him again.

But an hour later, Jake stared at his reflection with an odd mix of shock, vanity, and embarrassment.

“Very handsome, my lord,” Henry congratulated him, exhausted but pleased with his work.

That well-dressed kid in the mirror couldn’t possibly be him, Jake thought, but the reflection moved as he did, swiveling his head to the side to inspect his hair. To his surprise, it turned out to be a shade lighter once it was clean, more of a sandy gold like his father’s in the portrait. The front part that usually fell in his eyes had been trimmed, then slicked back and smoothed into place with some pleasant-smelling cream. And his clothes! He’d long since grown accustomed to wearing rags.

Lucky for him, Henry said, Master Archie grew so fast these days that he had already ordered larger clothes for him from his tailor in London.

Jake could not believe his eleven-year-old cousin had a Bond Street tailor.

With a few quick adjustments, the fine clothes were made to fit Jake: a crisp white shirt and a neat black neck-cloth; a pin-striped vest and a short, dark-blue jacket that Henry said was
de rigueur
(whatever that meant) for boys his age. On the bottom, he wore tan-colored trousers and a pair of black ankle-boots.

Staring into the mirror at the finished product, Jake thought he looked like a different person. Only the rascally glint in his eyes remained the same. He couldn’t help wondering what grand sort of heists he could get away with in these clothes—but no, he thought, remembering Newgate. That sort of mischief was behind him.

Besides, there was no need to steal anymore. He owned a bloody goldmine (with dwarves) and a castle, or he soon would—once everything that was rightfully his had been pried out of Uncle Waldrick’s clutches.

Provided Uncle Waldrick didn’t kill him first.

Well, he felt quite safe here, especially with Derek Stone in the house. His only real fear at the moment was how hard Dani was going to laugh at him when she saw him dressed like this.

Standing behind him before the full-length mirror, Henry flicked a piece of lint off Jake’s shoulder. “There,” he said proudly. “Now you may go down to breakfast, my lord.”

“Thank God,” Jake muttered, though he gave Henry a grateful smile, secretly rather pleased with his transformation.

Henry folded his hands behind his back and bowed to the boys as they left Archie’s dressing room and headed down the corridor. Jake’s stomach growled.

Archie chattered on. “I don’t actually have any magical powers. At least not yet. I don’t think I will, though. I hope not. Being a genius is hard enough. You should see what Isabelle goes through. She’s an empath.”

“Huh?”

“She can communicate telepathically with animals.”

“What about people?”

“Sort of. She can’t read other people’s thoughts—who’d want to?—but she can sense their feelings. That’s why she stays away from crowds. Too many people. All their emotions swirling around. It overwhelms her. Aunt Ramona took her to London once. Big mistake,” Archie confided. “Poor Izzy was in agony, nearly went mad. She’s been a total recluse ever since. Thank gosh she’s got her animals, for she hardly ever sees anyone else. No, you all can keep your magical powers, thank you very much. I’m happy with my brains.”

“So how exactly are we related?”

“First cousins,” he replied. “Your mum was the big sister of my dad. Bradford Park was their house when they were kids. This is where they grew up. It’s been in our family for generations, of course. My dad owns it now. He’s Baron Bradford. Your mum was Lady Elizabeth Bradford, but she became the Countess of Griffon when she married your father and moved down to the castle.”

“So are your parents alive?” Jake asked awkwardly.

“Oh, sure!” Archie exclaimed. “Of course, they’re very busy. We don’t see them much. They travel a lot for the Order.”

“Are they Lightriders?” Jake whispered.

“No, they just do boring stuff. They’re not the adventurous type. We mostly stay here with Aunt Ramona and the twins to look after us. I expect that’s what you’ll do, too, now.”

“Really?” Jake glanced at him uncertainly as they walked down the wide, marble steps.

“Well, you can’t stay at Griffon Castle all by yourself. You’re a kid!”

Jake snorted. “I’ve been looking after myself for a long time,” he informed him.

“Well, who cooks for you? Who makes your bed?”

“I don’t have a bed,” he drawled.

Archie scrunched up his nose and for all his genius appeared unable to comprehend this.

But Jake was bothered by something his cousin had said. “Why would you think I’d be at the castle by myself? Didn’t the Order send Derek to protect me?”

“Well, he can’t stay forever,” Archie said with a shrug. “He’s a Guardian. They’re always on the move, like the old knights errant. He’ll stay with you as long as he’s allowed, until he’s sent off on his next mission.”

“Oh,” said Jake, unsure why this news struck him like a punch in the gut.

“Don’t worry, he can still come visit you. And besides, you’ve got us now! We’re your family.” With a cheerful grin, Archie slung an arm around his shoulder.

Jake was taken off guard by his cousin’s show of affection. It was altogether un-rookery-like to be so trusting and so genuine.

“Right,” he murmured. “How am I related to Her Ladyship, anyway?”

Archie stopped and frowned. “You know—I don’t think I know the answer to that! She’s always been Aunt Ramona to everyone. Even my parents call her that, and their parents did, too. She’s very old,” he confided, lowering his voice. “I mean
old
. Like two, three-hundred years old.”

“What?”

“She’s an Elder of the Order, a great witch. Thing is, she doesn’t like using magic anymore. Don’t know what happened. Some sort of tragedy. She had a husband ages ago, but something happened. Don’t know what. Nobody ever talks about it. Family secret. You’ll find we have a lot of those—well, not me. I hate secrets. Have a dashed hard time keeping them, actually. So they try not to tell me anything ‘cause they know I’ll blab. Can’t help it. If I think something, I say it.”