Read Online 108. An Archangel Called Ivan by Barbara Cartland - Free Book Online Page B

you’ve certainly altered a few things since you arrived.”
    “I think, actually, I have saved not only your legs but your lives,” Arliva carried on, “and please understand when I say I am dying for my luncheon!”
    They laughed at this and told her to go downstairs with the children as soon as she had taken off her hat and coat.
    By the time she had done so and her case had been placed in a comfortable and well-furnished bedroom, it was almost one o’clock.
    The children had been exploring their rooms and the twins had chosen one with a communicating door.
    Johnnie had been allocated a room meant for a man and the pictures on the walls were all of horses and this delighted him.
    “Now come along and have luncheon,” Arliva said. “Then we must change so that we can go riding. It’s such a lovely day and I do want to see your beautiful grounds before we go to bed.”
    The room Evans had decided was to be their dining room had, she found, once been a breakfast room when there had been large families in the house and they had kept the dining room for luncheon and dinner.
    The breakfast room was very cosy and the children were thrilled to sit at the square table in the centre of it and be able to look out on the flowers in the garden as they ate.
    They were so excited at what was happening that they all wanted to talk at the same time during luncheon.
    Arliva listened to them, but did not try to explain anything until she was quite certain that they would not all be sent back in disgrace by Lord Wilson when he heard of the alterations.
    She learnt, however, that he was in ill-health and seldom left his bedroom.
    In fact there would be no reason for him to know what was happening in his house unless Arliva herself told him what changes she had made.
    She had a few words with Evans before she went upstairs to change, having sent the children to put on their riding clothes with a young maid, who had apparently been looking after them.
    “His Lordship’s lost interest and feels too weak to attend to what’s happening on the estate,” Evans told her. “He leaves it all in the hands of his manager. He just sits in his bedroom and his valet looks after him as good as any nurse could do.”
    He paused for a moment before he went on,
    “But it’s a lonely life for him and he’s never been the same since his son drowned and his wife with him.”
    “It must have been a terrible shock,” Arliva said.
    “It were indeed,” Evans agreed. “Now he just lets everything pass by, so to speak. It’s been up to us to keep things going as they should be.”
    “I think you have been absolutely splendid,” Arliva told him. “Now you must forgive me if I try to make the children much more interested in life than they are at the moment.”
    “I can tell you one thing,” the butler informed her. “The Governesses as came here never taught them as much as the alphabet or else they wouldn’t learn it. If you asks me, she didn’t like them and they didn’t like her.”
    “Well, let’s hope they will like me,” Arliva replied. “They are certainly excited at being allowed to ride.”
    “I thinks myself it were a silly idea to stop them, but it wouldn’t do for us to interfere with the Governess as you know.”
    “I don’t want you to interfere with me,” Arliva told him, “but I want you to help me and that is what I know you are doing now and I am very grateful.”
    ”It’s like having a whirlwind in the house, I can tell you that,” Evans said. “We’ve not had a new idea here for years and it’s good for all of us to have a shake-up.”
    He laughed and Arliva laughed with him.
    She ran upstairs to her new bedroom to change into her riding clothes.
    The housemaid, obviously on the instructions of the housekeeper, had already unpacked for her.
    She thanked the housemaid and found out that her name was Ann.
    “You will have to tell me, Ann, who everyone is in the household and how many are in the kitchen or