Belle (The Daughters of Allamont Hall Book 2) by Mary Kingswood Read Free Book Online Page B

not your place to comment on a gentleman’s behaviour,” her mother said.
    “There is a great deal of truth in Miss Hope’s observation, however,” Ambleside said. “Many of the clergy are sadly neglectful of their duties, and give themselves over entirely to pleasure, although I have not heard any criticism of Mr Endercott or Mr Burford.”
    “No, indeed,” Hope said. “I am sure no accusation of neglect could ever be lodged against Mr Burford, for he seems always to be out and about on parish duties whenever I have enquired.”
    “Enquired?” Lady Sara said in her most reproving tones.
    Hope blushed, but said, “It is natural to enquire after an acquaintance, Mama, I am sure. Belle, are you to go again to Brinchester? Perhaps I may go with you on the next occasion, for you have had a most entertaining time of it, and I am sure that a day away from the house would do me a world of good. We are so confined here, and I have not been anywhere for days and days, with all this rain.”
    “I have no thought of going to Brinchester again soon,” Belle said.
    “Oh, but you have books from the circulating library, so you have to go,” Hope said. “And next time, I shall go with you.”
    “Mr Burford has offered to return my books.”
    “Oh. Mr Burford is to do it. How obliging he is to you, sister.” Hope said not another word all evening.
    ~~~~~
    Two days later, when Lady Sara had taken Amy to Brinchester to see about wedding clothes, and her other sisters had decided it was dry enough to walk to the village, Belle felt it was time to deal with the money she had obtained from the bank, and decide how best to distribute it to the tradesmen and servants with accounts outstanding.
    Accordingly, she took her reticule, with its deliciously heavy bag of money, and the bills her mother had given her, and went down to her father’s book room. It seemed appropriate, when looking into the household accounts, to sit in her father’s chair and employ his desk, as if in that way some of his method and competence would fall into her inexpert hands.
    Her first task was to find the account books, but a search of the bookcases brought no success. There were a couple of shelves of sermons, histories and the like, most of which Belle had read many times. One whole shelf was given over to the notebooks wherein her father had recorded every detail of his daughters’ lives from birth. A few ornaments were scattered about, but still the bookcase looked very empty. A cupboard contained nothing but a bottle of brandy and a single glass.
    There was nowhere else to look except the drawers of the desk. And yet she hesitated. Sitting in his chair, she felt her father’s spirit very close, as if he were watching her. She could almost imagine his face darkening at her presumption in even being in his room without him. And what private papers might be revealed by a search of his desk? What secrets might she find, if she looked?
    Yet she could hardly ask one of the servants to search on her behalf, and she had to have the account books. Perhaps she would find a sum of money secreted there, too. Her father always seemed to have money available, and where else would he keep it but in his desk? Her hand reached for the nearest drawer, then drew back again. Taking a deep breath, she slid open first one drawer, then another.
    There were many items of little interest — some writing equipment, a leather strap, some lozenge boxes. A drawer of bills, each marked in her father’s tiny handwriting: ‘Paid’ and the date. No personal letters at all. She found a book at the back of one drawer which she did not recognise, so she set it on top of the desk to read later. Her search was partially successful, yielding a pile of account books, each neatly labelled with the dates, and a set of keys. Three drawers remained locked, but no key fitted. She sighed in vexation. 
    However, there was no point in repining. The missing keys would surely be found