And so all of Valentina’s gang had been found homes. Valentina (and Barkis) had gone to live with Lady Sibyl, and Tobias with Lord Percy. Mrs Crawley’s cousin, the owner of Surprising Supplies, had volunteered to adopt Tim and Tilly, and Beguildy and Prudence Beguildy had taken on the boy who’d impersonated Vonk. The rest of the Hard Times Hall orphans were adopted by various other magicians. As for Becky, she had resolutely said she wanted to stay where she was and continue working as a maid at Grave Hall. This had naturally surprised everyone, but Lucy suspected that deep down Becky was fond of Vonk and Mrs Crawley, and maybe even Violet, and saw them as her family.
Lord Grave’s drawing room was warm and cosy after the chill of the November afternoon. A fire burned brightly in the grate, and Bathsheba was stretched out on the hearth rug. Mrs Crawley soon arrived with the cocoa jug and to everyone’s relief there were no spider body-parts to be found floating in their drinks.
When the cocoa was finished, the servants went back down to the kitchen, but Lord Grave asked Lucy to stay behind with him, Bertie, Lady Sibyl and Smell. Lady Sibyl kept beaming at Lucy. Bertie was grinning too. Even Smell looked as though he was happy about something. Being a cat, he couldn’t smile, but he kept slowly blinking his eye at Lucy in an affectionate sort of way.
“Come with me,” Lord Grave told Lucy, beckoning her out of the drawing room. As she followed him into the hallway and then upstairs to the first floor, Lucy grew more and more nervous, worried that she’d done something wrong. Lord Grave strode off down the east-wing corridor, past the statue of his great-grandmother, which had been magically restored, past the Room of Curiosities and round the corner to the bedrooms that Lucy had searched when she’d gone looking for Violet a few weeks before. Lord Grave opened the door to one of these and waved Lucy inside. Bertie and Lady Sibyl followed her, with Smell trotting at their heels.
It was a beautiful room. The bed was hung with heavy red curtains. Floor-to-ceiling windows looked out over the grounds of the Hall and the wildlife park. Thick rugs stopped the draughts blowing up between the floorboards. A fire had been lit in the large fireplace, and crackled in a most inviting way.
Lord Grave coughed and said, “Welcome to your new room, Lucy.”
Lucy stared at him. “This is for me?”
“Yes!” Bertie said, his voice high with excitement. “You’re living with us now, as a proper member of the Grave family! You don’t have to share that poky little bedroom with Becky any longer!”
“Congratulations,” Lady Sibyl said. She bent down and gave Lucy a quick kiss on the cheek. “You deserve it, after everything you’ve done.”
“You see, Lucy,” Lord Grave explained, “I felt it wasn’t fair for you to carry on being a servant when all the Hard Times Hall orphans have been given homes where they live as one of the family. Except for Becky, of course, but that was her choice.”
“But I’m not an orphan. I still have a family.”
“I know that. But what’s happened recently has made me rethink some of my ideas, which I admit can be rather old-fashioned. It’s about time you stopped being a servant. I want you as my right-hand woman full time. I should have done this before. I’m very sorry I didn’t.”
Lucy gazed around the room again. Was it really all hers? And to be Lord Grave’s right-hand woman, a full-time member of MAAM, well, she couldn’t think of anything better. Although, on the other hand, she’d miss Mrs Crawley and the others.
As if he guessed what she’d been thinking, Lord Grave said gently, “You can still go down to the kitchen to see Mrs Crawley and the rest of them. Any time you wish.”
“Luce, I think you’d better let me test out this ’ere mattress for you,” Smell said. He jumped up on to Lucy’s new bed and began kneading the satin quilt before settling himself down. He closed his eye and was soon snoring gently. A few moments later, everyone was holding their noses as a vile smell began wafting about the room.
“Oh dear,” Lucy said, her eyes watering. “I think Smell must be dreaming a bit too hard!”
Huge thanks to …
As ever, my awesome agent, Kate Shaw. Harriet Wilson, whose editorial wisdom has taught me so much, and the rest of the team at HarperCollins for their hard work on Goodly and Grave. I’m so proud of what we have created together. The supremely talented Becka Moor, for her always brilliant and witty illustrations.
All my family and friends for their enthusiasm and support, especially Nikki Malcolm, Amanda Harries, Claire Lawton, the Wards, Leo and Vanessa Mantini (we miss you guys!) and The Writing Asylum lunch club, Chris Curran, Tricia Gilbey, Claire Whatley, Jo Reed and Susan Howe.
My husband. I couldn’t do any of this without you.
Finally, a special thanks to you, the reader! I hope you’ve enjoyed Lucy’s adventures.
DON’T MISS THE FIRST TWO ADVENTURES!
Could the mystery of the missing children be linked to the strange goings-on at Grave Hall? Lucy is determined to find out …
Click on the cover to read more.
Magical objects are going missing, there’s a break-in at Grave Hall and, strangest of all, someone is stealing soil from churchyards. When Lucy digs a little deeper, she starts to suspect these crimes are part of one deadly dangerous plot.
Can she stop a killer in their tracks?
Click on the cover to read more.
Books by Justine Windsor
The Goodly and Grave series in reading order
GOODLY AND GRAVE IN A BAD CASE OF KIDNAP
GOODLY AND GRAVE IN A DEADLY CASE OF MURDER
GOODLY AND GRAVE IN A CASE OF BAD MAGIC
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Goodly and Grave in a Case of Bad Magic Page 14
