Chapter 20
TWENTY
“Let me crank her up for you, my lady,” Grady said as he followed her into the garage.
He had been the Bellamys’ chauffeur since before the war, one of the few men to remain behind when nearly everyone else either enlisted or was later called up.
Grady was a conscientious objector, and, although he had endured no small amount of abuse—both verbal and physical—for his refusal to fight, he had never once wavered in his convictions.
“I can do it,” Geneva replied chirpily.
“Come now, Lady Geneva,” Grady chided her. “Allow me to help you while I still can.”
She turned to look at him. “Whatever do you mean?”
Grady smiled regretfully. “I don’t suppose his lordship has told you, but I’ve handed in my notice. I leave in a fortnight.”
“Leave? But where are you going?”
“I’ve accepted a position in Ulverston, my lady, as a chauffeur for Mr. Bolton. The gentleman is afflicted with gout and can no longer get around on his own. I reckon the job will see me through until I’m ready to retire.”
“I will be sorry to see you go,” Geneva said.
And she would be, but she could understand.
Her father had not left the house in weeks, and Geneva preferred to drive herself and Honor when they went out.
These days, Grady’s only passengers were the housekeeper and the cook, whom he drove into the village on their days off for a spot of shopping and a chinwag with their lifelong friends.
“I heard about the entailment, my lady,” he said. “I expect everyone will be forced to leave before long.”
“Mr. Bellamy might wish to keep the current staff,” Geneva replied, but the reassurance sounded hollow, even to herself.
Why would a young American businessman wish to keep her father’s aging retainers when he could bring in his own people? And that was assuming he even opted to stay. What if he sold the lot as soon as Douglas breathed his last and returned to the States?
“Nah, I doubt that,” Grady said, echoing her own thoughts. “The young gentleman will want to bring in his own people, and rightly so, my lady. In time, you’ll come to see it his way.”
Geneva supposed the staff had speculated about the outcome of Jesseph’s visit and her own role in the future of Bellamy Hall.
It was inevitable. It was nearly impossible to keep anything from the staff, and, whereas some might choose to ride it out and see what happened, others would see to their own futures and seek a new situation.
“I wish you the best of luck, Mr. Grady,” Geneva said once he’d cranked the engine and stowed the crank in the glovebox.
“And I you, my lady. You be careful now.” Grady tipped his cap and stood aside as Geneva got into the car and prepared to leave.
As she pulled out of the garage, she saw Honor at her bedroom window.
Even from a distance, her sister looked angry, and she stuck out her tongue and turned her back as Geneva drove past. Her sister’s juvenile reaction made her feel awful.
She was the one behaving like a child and sneaking out before Honor was up and could ask to come along.
It was selfish and unkind. She’d take her out on Saturday.
And maybe buy her a pre-Christmas present to cheer her up and also to apologize for her insensitive behavior.