The Downstairs Maid (22 page)

‘Well, you won’t have time to be idle today,’ Cook told her. ‘The circumstances have cast a cloud over things here and no mistake. We were all looking forward to the wedding.’

‘I wonder what will happen to Sir Arthur – will he go to prison?’

‘I should hope not. I heard he’d gone up to London.’

‘I saw Miss Amy in the garden when you sent me for some vegetables earlier. I took the wrong turning into the rose garden again and she was picking dead heads off the flowers, and cutting the best ones.’

‘You didn’t get lost again?’

‘It’s just that I get muddled which is left and which is right,’ Emily made a wry face. ‘Miss Amy saw me and I apologised. She told me to turn right by the water butt.’

Miss Amy had been cutting flowers, placing them into a shallow shrug and had seemed to be enjoying the sunshine. Outwardly, she was serene, but Emily had caught an expression in her eyes, which told her Miss Amy wasn’t as calm as she appeared.

‘Was she annoyed with you for disturbing her?’

‘No, not at all.’ To Emily’s surprise Miss Amy had smiled and asked her how she liked being at the manor.

‘I hope you apologised for being in the wrong place?’

‘She said it didn’t matter but I was not to make a habit of it because Lady Prior might be annoyed if she saw me.’

‘If you’ve finished that asparagus, you can help me by fetching the things on that list from the pantry.’

Cook had begun to cut out fancy shapes to place around the lid of her chicken and ham pie. She didn’t look up as she spoke, concentrating on her work as always. Emily had never seen things done in quite Mrs Hattersley’s way and admired her skill. All the other servants respected her, because she was such a good cook and also because she’d been here since she was a girl. She had a vast repertoire of stories about the family and, sometimes, when they had a quiet moment, she would tell Emily about her early years at the manor. She had been a young woman when Lady Barton was married and she’d known all the younger members of the family from the time they were born.

Emily picked up the list of ingredients Cook wanted and walked to the far end of the kitchen, opening the pantry door. She saw Tomas immediately. He’d entered through the far door, which led into the butler’s pantry. Tomas had obviously been cleaning silver and he was wearing gloves, carrying a tray of cutlery and fancy dishes, used for sweets and fancy cakes.

‘A present for you,’ he said. ‘This lot needs washing. I’ll take it into the scullery and then I’ll give you a hand with polishing it dry. You’ll need hot water and soda to get this off, Em – and a lot of washing.’

‘I’ve got a list of things to fetch for Cook first. You’ll have to make a start yourself if you’re in a hurry. Cook’s very busy this morning and …’ Emily gave a little shriek as he aimed a kiss at her cheek when he squeezed past her. ‘You watch what you’re doing, Tomas Phillips, or I’ll box your ears.’

‘You can’t blame a man for taking advantage of an opportunity. I fancy you, Emily Carter. I reckon it was a stroke of good luck for me when you came to work here.’

‘Don’t you believe it,’ she retorted but his kiss had not been malicious and she wasn’t afraid of him, as she had been of Derek. ‘I’ve got my heart set on being a farmer’s wife.’

‘My father’s father was a farmer, but not a very good one. They had some bad luck – three rotten harvests on the trot and then the sheep and pigs took sick and they lost everything. I’ve thought about going into business for myself, but not farming.’

‘What do you want to do?’ Emily asked. She didn’t stop what she was doing, but gathered the bits and pieces she needed as she waited for his answer.

‘I’ve thought about running a little shop – newspapers and sweets, tobacco. I think there’s more to be had out of working for yourself in a business like that than being in service or running a farm.’

‘Not if you’ve got enough acres. I know a rich farmer.’

‘You’d be better off with me, Emily.’

‘You’d best take that lot to the scullery,’ Emily warned. ‘Cook will have my hide if I don’t get these things back to her.’

Emily tossed her head as she filled her tray with all the spices and bits and pieces Cook needed for the next stage of her work. She liked the young footman but she had her own ideas about the future and she didn’t think she would want to be stuck behind a counter in Tomas’s shop. She wasn’t sure what she wanted to do in the future. It was all right here for the moment, but as soon as Pa could manage things himself again, Emily would leave. She would try to find herself another job, something different – something that would get her somewhere. She saw herself working in a high class shop, wearing a smart suit and fancy shoes, but that was probably ever going to be only a dream. Maybe she would do better to be a cook like Mrs Hattersley, who was respected by the staff and family.

Returning to the kitchen, she saw that Mary was sitting by the range and sipping a hot drink Cook had given her. She made a moaning sound and held a hand to her right cheek, which looked swollen and painful.

‘Why did this have to happen today of all days?’

‘Is something wrong?’ Emily asked.

‘I’ve got terrible toothache,’ Mary said. ‘I asked Mrs Marsh if I could go off to have my tooth seen to but she said I must wait until tomorrow, because I can’t be spared.’

‘Couldn’t June take your place for a while or Anne?’

‘Anne is helping Lady Barton, because Mrs Marsh has so much to do. June and I will both be needed when the guests start arriving. The ladies will want someone to take them upstairs and to attend to their needs, and then Cook needs June to take the food from the serving hatch and place it on the side tables so that she can send up more. June will be setting out the cold dishes while the guests are arriving and then we’ll both be on hand when the hot dishes start coming up.’

‘Couldn’t Mrs Marsh help out? Or one of the footmen?’

‘Mrs Marsh will be helping the ladies upstairs, and the footmen will open the door, take the guests to the drawing room and circulate with drinks. They’ve all got their jobs to do. I’ll be seeing to the ladies’ coats and hats when they come in, taking them upstairs to tidy themselves. Then I’ve got to help June with the dishes. Mrs Marsh oversees it all and helps the guests if they need anything. Mr Payne will be looking after the gentlemen and Mr Hattersley sees to the wine and makes sure the table is perfect, the silver all in place. The footmen serve and fill glasses so don’t ask why they can’t do my job.’ She moaned again. ‘I’m not sure I can do it, Mrs Hattersley. I’m in too much pain.’

‘I could help June,’ Emily said. ‘If she told me where things go, I could help – once we’ve finished down here.’

‘You don’t have the right uniform,’ Mary objected. ‘If you were seen upstairs in what you’re wearing there would be ructions, especially when they have company.’

‘I bet I could wear your uniform,’ Emily said. ‘If June shows me what to do and then goes downstairs to take your place I could manage until she came back.’

‘Do you think you could manage?’ Mrs Hattersley asked her. ‘I shall need you here for a bit longer, then you can change into Mary’s uniform and June will show you what to do. If Mary gets off now she’ll likely catch the bus into Ely.’

Mary left the kitchen hastily, before she could change her mind. Mrs Hattersley looked at Emily. ‘It will mean extra work for you. Once we’ve finished down here you should be having a cup of tea and a bite to eat – and I’ll need you here when the dirty dishes start coming back. It’s times like these when we need more help. In the old days we had six maids in the laundry room and another six in the house.’

‘I don’t mind going without my lunch for once,’ Emily said. ‘Do you need me for a few minutes? Tomas said he wanted me to wash the silver he’s been cleaning.’

‘No, I can manage for a while, but don’t let him keep you talking. You won’t have time if you’re going to change into a different uniform and be ready when they all start to arrive.’

‘I promise to be as quick as I can,’ Emily said. ‘I won’t let you down, Cook. It can’t be that difficult to lay some dishes out, can it?’

‘Mrs Marsh likes them just so. She will come to inspect your work, but if she asks what you’re doing there just tell her I sent Mary off and told you to take her place.’

Emily had just finished washing the silver when Mrs Hattersley called to her from the kitchen, and she rushed in to discover that Anne was there looking flustered.

‘Miss Amy asked for Mary,’ she said. ‘She wants some hot water. I can’t take it because I’ve got to iron this dress for Lady Barton. You’ll have to go, Emily. You can’t make a mistake with that …’

‘But Mrs Hattersley needs me …’

‘I can spare you for ten minutes,’ Mrs Hattersley said, ‘but come back as quick as you can.’

Emily wiped her hands on a towel, and filled a brass can with hot water from the kettle on the range. She followed Anne from the kitchen, up the back stairs and along the landing to the bedrooms used by the family.

‘It’s just along there,’ Anne said. ‘Knock before you go in, and don’t forget she’s upset.’

Miss Amy hadn’t dined downstairs since she’d been forced to break her engagement to Sir Arthur, though she did go into the garden sometimes. She’d sent back the trays Mrs Hattersley sent up to her, the food untouched. Emily knocked cautiously and then entered when she was told. She’d thought Miss Amy might be crying but she was sitting on a stool looking at herself in the dressing mirror.

‘Put the water down, Mary, and then you can do my hair for me.’

‘It’s Emily, miss. Mary had toothache and went to the dentist.’

Miss Amy turned to look at her, an expression of annoyance in her eyes. Emily thought she
had
been crying earlier, because her nose looked red and her skin was blotchy.

‘I could try to do your hair, miss. I’m not as good as Mary, but I could put it up in a simple knot – if that would do?’

‘Just do the best you can with it then.’

‘Yes, miss.’

Emily took up the brush and began to stroke it over Miss Amy’s long dark hair. It had a slight wave in it and seemed to fall into place naturally at the sides of her face when Emily gathered it into a knot and fastened it with pins from the glass tray on the dressing table.

‘Be as quick as you can. I was tardy in dressing and my father will not be pleased if I’m late.’

‘I’ve finished, miss.’ She handed her the silver hand mirror. Miss Amy glanced at herself and then in the dressing mirror at the back. ‘It will do for now I suppose. Can you fasten my dress at the back?’

‘Yes, miss.’

Emily did as she asked and was dismissed. She ran down the stairs, knowing that the cook was rushed off her feet and that she would be needed upstairs in twenty minutes. Mrs Hattersley would not be very pleased with her, but she’d had to do what Miss Amy asked, and she’d felt a bit sorry for her. If she was forcing herself to go downstairs and greet her father’s guests she must be very brave. Emily admired her for that even though she was a bit of a snob.

‘There is a lot of food left over from the luncheon,’ Mrs Hattersley said the next morning. ‘We can eat most of it ourselves, but some is going to be wasted. Do you fancy a walk to the village, Emily? The vicar is holding a little supper at the church hall. He gives free food to anyone who attends his Bible readings.’

Emily had just finished scrubbing the pine table-top. She took the dirty water through to the little scullery at the back and tipped it into the deep stone sink, then came back.

‘Yes, I know about the vicar’s tea parties. Ma used to send me when I was small. We all had cakes and trifles, things most of us never have at home.’

‘I dare say they were sent down from the manor. Lady Prior has always been generous that way. She may be a tartar to her family, but the poor of the village can always rely on her to send food and money when they’re in trouble.’

‘Shall I go alone? I can carry two baskets.’

‘Pop upstairs and put your coat on, Emily. The sun is warm but you’ll find the wind cold.’

‘Is there anything you want me to do here before I go?’

‘Not that I can think of. If I need her, Mary can help. You did her work yesterday and so it won’t hurt her to do some of yours.’

‘I didn’t mind. It was interesting to see the lovely dishes and the silver they use upstairs all set out instead of when they come back dirty. Miss Amy’s room is lovely, but a bit dark because of the colours. I enjoyed helping her, but I wasn’t able to do her hair the way Mary does.’

‘There was talk of Mary being Miss Amy’s personal maid but I’m not sure what will happen now the wedding’s off.’

‘Mary would go to London and various places with Miss Amy then, wouldn’t she?’

‘I’ve got no use for travelling all over the show,’ Mrs Hattersley said with a sniff. ‘Don’t you go getting ideas above yourself, Emily. It takes years to learn how to look after a lady’s things properly.’

‘Ma was a lady’s maid before she married. She taught me how to care for silk and lace, even though we didn’t have much, except second-hand stuff, and how to get stains off a skirt.’

Cook had finished packing the baskets. She set them down on the table with a bang, as if annoyed.

‘Stop that dreaming, girl, and take these baskets to the vicarage. Don’t dally on the way. I know how long it takes so no dawdling with young men.’

‘I don’t have any young men to dawdle with,’ Emily laughed. ‘Maybe I’m not clever enough to be a lady’s maid yet, but I intend to be more than I am one day.’

‘You’ll do well enough with me. If I teach you to cook you’ll be able to find a job anywhere. Take my advice and stick to cooking. Being a lady’s maid is hard work and even longer hours than ours sometimes.’

Emily picked up her baskets and left the kitchen, walking through the small, enclosed courtyard and the large vegetable gardens behind it. She was glad of her coat because the wind was icy, though the sun felt lovely on her face. The weather had been cool lately, except for the odd warm day. She thought about what Mrs Hattersley had told her about working hard and becoming her assistant. If she learned how to cook delicious food the way Mrs Hattersley did she might stand a chance of a better job – perhaps in a hotel or even her own small teashop. It would be a good life, better than scrubbing the scullery floor each morning before six.