That was an expression their mom sometimes used. It meant that everything was delayed, which in this case was actually true, as Aunt Evie had informed them, when she picked them up at Heathrow Airport, that their parents’ plane from Berlin had been delayed due to stormy weather—so delayed, they hadn’t even waited at the airport since nothing was taking off or landing. They had told Aunt Evie they would try to get another plane tomorrow. Tess and Max didn’t mind that much although they were looking forward to seeing their parents. It was always lovely to spend time with Aunt Evie.

Aunt Evie wasn’t in the mood to wait. She saw an old-fashioned carriage parked at the curb with a white horse whose well-brushed mane also seemed to sparkle when the snowflakes landed on it.

Aunt Evie smiled impishly at Tess and Max and took both their hands. “Be careful. It’s slippery,” she said as she walked quickly with them to the corner.

The carriage driver just stared straight ahead.

“Are you hired, Sir?” Aunt Evie asked, tipping her big hat with the flowers slightly to the side as if she was enticing him to look at her.

The driver turned to look at Aunt Evie and at Tess and Max. “Of course, I am,” he said slyly, “I’ve been waiting for you for half an hour.”

“You don’t mean us?” said Aunt Evie.

“Of course, I do,” he answered immediately. “You must be Aunt Evie. And you I suppose must be Tess and Max.”

“Well, isn’t that a nice surprise,” she said. “Your dad must have hired him, don’t you think?” she asked Tess and Max.

Tess and Max weren’t sure that was true.

But before they could answer, the carriage driver tied the reins and jumped down from his seat. He ceremoniously, with a quiet bow, opened the carriage door, and Aunt Evie stepped delicately and elegantly in and sat in the seat facing backwards, and Max and Tess had no choice except to join her, step in, and sit on the opposite seat facing Aunt Evie.

“Anthony Cortland, M’Lady,” the driver said, “at your service.” He must have been talking to Aunt Evie but oddly he was looking at Tess.

Tess thought it was a funny coincidence, to be called Missy and M’Lady in the space of five minutes. Remembering her manners, Tess replied instantly, “Pleased to meet you.”

Aunt Evie interrupted her and said, “I’m delighted to meet you, too, Mr. Cortland.”

Tess realized it probably was Aunt Evie he had been speaking to. Except, he was wearing a herringbone cap. It reminded Tess of the herringbone cap that Barnaby always wore. Barnaby was the caretaker at their friend William’s house (actually it was more like a castle) next door to their aunt’s country house in Hampshire. Barnaby had always called her “M’Lady.”