stammered. It was an extraordinary amount of money.
‘Now, don’t you go mentioning this to any of the staff. Don’t want them thinking I’m going soft.’
‘No, sir,’ I said and curtsied.
‘Oh, and no reason to mention to anyone what that man said. Only upset me wife and daughter. Least said and all that. Understand, girl?’
‘Of course, sir.’ I was now burning with curiosity.
‘Excellent! Excellent! Don’t think this is a case of ideas above her station, Jenny. Strikes me the girl has unusual intelligence. Long as you don’t find her in me son’s bed, she’ll do. Do you good to have a sensible pair of hands to help you rather than those yokel blockheads you normally employ.’
Mrs Wilson gave me a look of pure bile. ‘As you say, sir. Perhaps Euphemia should leave us now?’
‘What? What? You still here, girl? Off about your work. No dillydallying in my house,’ and he gave me what I can guess he meant as a roguish wink. Fortunately, breakfast had been some time earlier.
I made my way back to the kitchen, my head in a whirl. A whole half-sovereign! I knew a bribe when I was given one. There were more secrets in this household than nails in a coffin. An unfortunate simile, but as I stepped out into the bright, warm realm of Mrs Deighton I could not shake a deep-seated fear that there was more evil to come.
A Clandestine Meeting
I should have somehow sealed the half-sovereign to the paper. I should have begged a stamp from Mrs Deighton. I should never have accepted the money in the first place. But as my father would often say, hindsight is the clearest vision of all.
I had not had the forethought to pack paper and ink with me. I was lamenting this fact in the kitchen when Merry amazed me.
‘I have a leaf or two you could borrow if you have to write to your ma.’
I garbled a thank you and promised to replace whatever I used. Merry flushed. ‘I can write, you know,’ she said lifting her chin high.
‘Of course,’ I muttered embarrassed she had read my thoughts.
‘Writes something lovely, she does,’ chimed in Mrs Deighton. ‘Makes checking the stores that much easier.’
‘I’ll get it for you,’ said Merry.
‘Oh dear,’ said the cook. ‘Now, I’ve offended her. I was ever so pleased to help her when she decided she wanted to better herself. But she’s so sensitive about it. I keep telling her she’s good enough for any nice young bloke, but I don’t know …’ Mrs Deighton trailed off. ‘I’d been worried she’d got herself entangled in something. You’ve got to be careful in this house, dearie. Have a word with her, Euphemia. She likes you and Merry, for all her smiles, doesn’t take to everyone.’
‘I’ll go after her. I’d rather write my letter upstairs anyway.’
‘If you’re quick about it you’ll have time to run down to the post office in the village. I’ll tell Mrs W I’ve sent you for some extra currants. Not much of a lie as someone’s been picking at ’em. I reckon Holdsworth has a secret sweet tooth.’ We both laughed at the thought of the butler covertly nibbling dried fruit. ‘Here’s a couple of pennies. Now, you be quick. You’ll only have time to pen a line or two, but your mother will be pleased to know you’re safe.’
I took the pennies and scampered up the stairs. Merry met me halfway along the attic corridor. ‘Here,’ she said handing me a couple of tissue-thin sheets, a small bottle of muddy ink and a rough pen. ‘Will this do?’
‘It’s lovely,’ I lied.
‘Do you want an envelope too?’
I nodded. ‘I’ll replace them.’
Merry shrugged. ‘You get writing and I’ll bring you one.’
I went into my room and sat looking at the paper in dismay. It had been my intention to send the half-sovereign to Mother, but the paper was too thin to support my sealing it on and I suspected the envelope would be of similar quality. Worse yet Merry had liberally sprinkled the pages with lavender water. On the positive side
‘Now, don’t you go mentioning this to any of the staff. Don’t want them thinking I’m going soft.’
‘No, sir,’ I said and curtsied.
‘Oh, and no reason to mention to anyone what that man said. Only upset me wife and daughter. Least said and all that. Understand, girl?’
‘Of course, sir.’ I was now burning with curiosity.
‘Excellent! Excellent! Don’t think this is a case of ideas above her station, Jenny. Strikes me the girl has unusual intelligence. Long as you don’t find her in me son’s bed, she’ll do. Do you good to have a sensible pair of hands to help you rather than those yokel blockheads you normally employ.’
Mrs Wilson gave me a look of pure bile. ‘As you say, sir. Perhaps Euphemia should leave us now?’
‘What? What? You still here, girl? Off about your work. No dillydallying in my house,’ and he gave me what I can guess he meant as a roguish wink. Fortunately, breakfast had been some time earlier.
I made my way back to the kitchen, my head in a whirl. A whole half-sovereign! I knew a bribe when I was given one. There were more secrets in this household than nails in a coffin. An unfortunate simile, but as I stepped out into the bright, warm realm of Mrs Deighton I could not shake a deep-seated fear that there was more evil to come.
A Clandestine Meeting
I should have somehow sealed the half-sovereign to the paper. I should have begged a stamp from Mrs Deighton. I should never have accepted the money in the first place. But as my father would often say, hindsight is the clearest vision of all.
I had not had the forethought to pack paper and ink with me. I was lamenting this fact in the kitchen when Merry amazed me.
‘I have a leaf or two you could borrow if you have to write to your ma.’
I garbled a thank you and promised to replace whatever I used. Merry flushed. ‘I can write, you know,’ she said lifting her chin high.
‘Of course,’ I muttered embarrassed she had read my thoughts.
‘Writes something lovely, she does,’ chimed in Mrs Deighton. ‘Makes checking the stores that much easier.’
‘I’ll get it for you,’ said Merry.
‘Oh dear,’ said the cook. ‘Now, I’ve offended her. I was ever so pleased to help her when she decided she wanted to better herself. But she’s so sensitive about it. I keep telling her she’s good enough for any nice young bloke, but I don’t know …’ Mrs Deighton trailed off. ‘I’d been worried she’d got herself entangled in something. You’ve got to be careful in this house, dearie. Have a word with her, Euphemia. She likes you and Merry, for all her smiles, doesn’t take to everyone.’
‘I’ll go after her. I’d rather write my letter upstairs anyway.’
‘If you’re quick about it you’ll have time to run down to the post office in the village. I’ll tell Mrs W I’ve sent you for some extra currants. Not much of a lie as someone’s been picking at ’em. I reckon Holdsworth has a secret sweet tooth.’ We both laughed at the thought of the butler covertly nibbling dried fruit. ‘Here’s a couple of pennies. Now, you be quick. You’ll only have time to pen a line or two, but your mother will be pleased to know you’re safe.’
I took the pennies and scampered up the stairs. Merry met me halfway along the attic corridor. ‘Here,’ she said handing me a couple of tissue-thin sheets, a small bottle of muddy ink and a rough pen. ‘Will this do?’
‘It’s lovely,’ I lied.
‘Do you want an envelope too?’
I nodded. ‘I’ll replace them.’
Merry shrugged. ‘You get writing and I’ll bring you one.’
I went into my room and sat looking at the paper in dismay. It had been my intention to send the half-sovereign to Mother, but the paper was too thin to support my sealing it on and I suspected the envelope would be of similar quality. Worse yet Merry had liberally sprinkled the pages with lavender water. On the positive side
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