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Authors: James Anderson
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fifth Earl, who was very mechanically minded. Before that it was just a matter of sliding the panel aside with your hands - as you still do this end. Incidentally, I hope you're both paying attention. You will be examined on the subject before you leave.'
CHAPTER NINE
Friday Morning
Friday dawned another glorious day.
At ten a.m. the official talks commenced in the small music room, which was soundproof and had been set aside for the discussions. At the same time Lord Burford finished breakfast and ambled somewhat gloomily out to the terrace, where Hiram Peabody, who'd breakfasted earlier, was reading.
Lord Burford spoke heartily. 'Mornin' Peabody. Lovely day.'
'Good morning, Earl. It sure is.' He folded up his paper.
'Sleep all right?'
'Fine, thank you. Actually Carrie and I are both notoriously heavy sleepers. But who wouldn't sleep well in at place like this?'
'Where's your missus got to?'
'Oh, she's exploring the house. The Countess kindly told her to feel quite free to go anywhere. She'll be happy as a cricket for hours just poking round on her own. It'll be the furnishings chiefly that'll take her attention, I guess.'
'Capital, capital.' Lord Burford coughed. 'I was thinking, p'raps you'd like to come and take a dekko at my little collection now.'
Peabody got to his feet with alacrity. 'Lead me to it, sir. This is something I've been looking forward to ever since we arrived in Europe.'
'Well, I hope it comes up to expectations, that's all. Come along, then. I'll take you up.'
He led the way up the stairs and turned right. They went along the main corridor and at the end turned left into the east corridor; about half-way along it, Lord Burford opened a pair of imposing double doors on the right and went through. Peabody followed. They were in a long gallery, which ran most of the outer side of the east wing. It was lined with paintings.
Lord Burford said: 'These are our pictures. Supposed to be very fine, if you're interested.'
'Oh, I'm sure they are. They certainly look beautiful. But I'm afraid I don't - I'm not . . .'
'Nor me. Come along.' He crossed the gallery to another door, almost exactly opposite. This was the entrance to the top floor of the eastern extension, the ground floor forming the ballroom. Lord Burford took a bunch of keys from his pocket, unlocked the door and opened it. Four feet beyond this was another door. This was not locked. Lord Burford opened it, then stood back and ushered his guest in. Peabody went through - and stopped dead.
He was at the end of a long, high-ceilinged and delightfully-proportioned room, with tall french doors leading onto a balustraded balcony at the far end. Through these could be seen the beech copse and the lake. The room had a finely-moulded gilded ceiling, elaborately panelled walls, and a highly-polished floor.
But Peabody had eyes for none of this. For the room was crammed from end to end with hundreds of guns. They were of every shape and size, from tiny pistols up to several huge cannon at the far end. He looked round reverently for ten seconds, before turning to his host.
'Earl,' he said. 'During the last four months I've seen most of the sights of Europe - the Parthenon, St Peter's, Notre Dame, the Tower of London - you name it. But this for me is the highlight. Now, where do we start?'
'Well, suppose first we have a quick survey of the whole collection, then later on you can examine the pieces that particularly interest you in greater detail.'
'Lead on,' said Peabody.
* * *
While Lord Burford was showing his collection, his wife had begun her task of impressing the glories of Alderley on Giles Deveraux. Determined he should miss none of the finer points, she had swooped on him shortly after breakfast and swept him off on the start of a detailed guided tour.
They commenced in the hall. 'Right,' the Countess said, 'let's first take a look at the staircase. We're quite proud of it. It's an early example of a type introduced at about the time
CHAPTER NINE
Friday Morning
Friday dawned another glorious day.
At ten a.m. the official talks commenced in the small music room, which was soundproof and had been set aside for the discussions. At the same time Lord Burford finished breakfast and ambled somewhat gloomily out to the terrace, where Hiram Peabody, who'd breakfasted earlier, was reading.
Lord Burford spoke heartily. 'Mornin' Peabody. Lovely day.'
'Good morning, Earl. It sure is.' He folded up his paper.
'Sleep all right?'
'Fine, thank you. Actually Carrie and I are both notoriously heavy sleepers. But who wouldn't sleep well in at place like this?'
'Where's your missus got to?'
'Oh, she's exploring the house. The Countess kindly told her to feel quite free to go anywhere. She'll be happy as a cricket for hours just poking round on her own. It'll be the furnishings chiefly that'll take her attention, I guess.'
'Capital, capital.' Lord Burford coughed. 'I was thinking, p'raps you'd like to come and take a dekko at my little collection now.'
Peabody got to his feet with alacrity. 'Lead me to it, sir. This is something I've been looking forward to ever since we arrived in Europe.'
'Well, I hope it comes up to expectations, that's all. Come along, then. I'll take you up.'
He led the way up the stairs and turned right. They went along the main corridor and at the end turned left into the east corridor; about half-way along it, Lord Burford opened a pair of imposing double doors on the right and went through. Peabody followed. They were in a long gallery, which ran most of the outer side of the east wing. It was lined with paintings.
Lord Burford said: 'These are our pictures. Supposed to be very fine, if you're interested.'
'Oh, I'm sure they are. They certainly look beautiful. But I'm afraid I don't - I'm not . . .'
'Nor me. Come along.' He crossed the gallery to another door, almost exactly opposite. This was the entrance to the top floor of the eastern extension, the ground floor forming the ballroom. Lord Burford took a bunch of keys from his pocket, unlocked the door and opened it. Four feet beyond this was another door. This was not locked. Lord Burford opened it, then stood back and ushered his guest in. Peabody went through - and stopped dead.
He was at the end of a long, high-ceilinged and delightfully-proportioned room, with tall french doors leading onto a balustraded balcony at the far end. Through these could be seen the beech copse and the lake. The room had a finely-moulded gilded ceiling, elaborately panelled walls, and a highly-polished floor.
But Peabody had eyes for none of this. For the room was crammed from end to end with hundreds of guns. They were of every shape and size, from tiny pistols up to several huge cannon at the far end. He looked round reverently for ten seconds, before turning to his host.
'Earl,' he said. 'During the last four months I've seen most of the sights of Europe - the Parthenon, St Peter's, Notre Dame, the Tower of London - you name it. But this for me is the highlight. Now, where do we start?'
'Well, suppose first we have a quick survey of the whole collection, then later on you can examine the pieces that particularly interest you in greater detail.'
'Lead on,' said Peabody.
* * *
While Lord Burford was showing his collection, his wife had begun her task of impressing the glories of Alderley on Giles Deveraux. Determined he should miss none of the finer points, she had swooped on him shortly after breakfast and swept him off on the start of a detailed guided tour.
They commenced in the hall. 'Right,' the Countess said, 'let's first take a look at the staircase. We're quite proud of it. It's an early example of a type introduced at about the time
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