party!’
‘Barky might be better left here with me,’ Gabriel added.
‘No! No! No!’ screamed Squashy. ‘Barky loves parties. Barky must come!’ He burst into tears and lay on the floor hugging poor Barky tightly to his chest. The popping eyes of the little dog pleaded deliverance.
‘Of course he’ll come,’ Lily said, prising him free. ‘You can make him a party collar with that bit of red stuff in my bedroom, like a little scarf.’
She had been trying to work out something pretty to wear from the minimal contents of her cupboard. Modern dresses just seemed to hang down straight from what she had seen of them, not very complicated, but most smart girls now had short hair and there was no chance of her getting hers cut, not without incurring her father’s wrath. She had been practising tying it up in some way, but it slithered all over the place; she was not a natural lady’s maid. Anyway, she reminded herself, she was only a servant. Her hair was clean and shining and would hang free as it always did. The worst thing was that she had no shoes, only work boots, and broken slippers for the house. She should have asked Cedric to borrow a pair for her from his sisters: he had two sisters, as well as several younger brothers. It wasn’t too late; she must ask him this morning. The rest she could manage. There were so many things to do!
The weather was perfect, as Antony had commanded. Some of his friends had arrived the night before and weremaking breakfast in the kitchen. Lily went there to start seeing to the food, but stopped in the doorway as she saw the strangers who had taken over, some six or seven lanky youths pinging bread pellets at each other. The table was strewn with dirty plates and cups and saucers and the boys sprawled in their chairs, two with their feet on the table. Antony wasn’t there.
Lily froze with embarrassment. Squashy was right behind her with Barky, who lived up to his name, taking immediate exception to the strangers. Lily felt the same. She obviously did not impress them for none of them got to their feet as she knew gentlemen should when a lady entered the room.
‘Sorry, I’ll come back later.’
‘No, stay, sweetheart. Have a cup of tea.’
‘I’m here to work, but obviously the kitchen is still in use. I’ll come back later.’
She turned abruptly and swept Squashy before her. Barky stayed behind yapping, and one of the boys threw an egg at him. Barky fled. Squashy tried to turn back to punch the aggressor but Lily marched him firmly out, down the corridor and out into the yard.
‘Pigs!’
Surely not all Antony’s friends were like this? Of course, having the run of a stately home with no adults on hand was going to prove very attractive: she feared the worst. But that was not her department. Thank goodness Simon and Cedric were down by the lake, testing the electrics in the trees, and she went to them with relief.
‘There’s some beastly boys in the kitchen. I came away.’
Simon said, ‘Those beastly boys are going to get jobs to do, don’t worry. You’ve done your bit, Lily. All the food will get carried out to the grotto – not your responsibility any more. There’ll be plenty of manpower around today. You enjoy it all now, and stop worrying.’
‘I can’t help it. It’s been—’ Everything had led up to this, for so long; when it was over, how strange … ‘I’ve got no shoes to wear. I wondered if one of your sisters could lend me a pair, Cedric?’
‘Yeah, why not? Go and ask. Did you see Ant in the house?’
‘No.’
Simon said, ‘You know he’s promised to take his pals up for joyrides today if they want it? So we’re not going to get much sense out of him. If you see him, tell he’s got to organize getting everything down to the grotto for tonight. That’s not our job. We’re boats and lights and things electric.’
‘And Helena?’
‘He’s doing Helena. He’s the boss there. We just wish that wasn’t
‘Barky might be better left here with me,’ Gabriel added.
‘No! No! No!’ screamed Squashy. ‘Barky loves parties. Barky must come!’ He burst into tears and lay on the floor hugging poor Barky tightly to his chest. The popping eyes of the little dog pleaded deliverance.
‘Of course he’ll come,’ Lily said, prising him free. ‘You can make him a party collar with that bit of red stuff in my bedroom, like a little scarf.’
She had been trying to work out something pretty to wear from the minimal contents of her cupboard. Modern dresses just seemed to hang down straight from what she had seen of them, not very complicated, but most smart girls now had short hair and there was no chance of her getting hers cut, not without incurring her father’s wrath. She had been practising tying it up in some way, but it slithered all over the place; she was not a natural lady’s maid. Anyway, she reminded herself, she was only a servant. Her hair was clean and shining and would hang free as it always did. The worst thing was that she had no shoes, only work boots, and broken slippers for the house. She should have asked Cedric to borrow a pair for her from his sisters: he had two sisters, as well as several younger brothers. It wasn’t too late; she must ask him this morning. The rest she could manage. There were so many things to do!
The weather was perfect, as Antony had commanded. Some of his friends had arrived the night before and weremaking breakfast in the kitchen. Lily went there to start seeing to the food, but stopped in the doorway as she saw the strangers who had taken over, some six or seven lanky youths pinging bread pellets at each other. The table was strewn with dirty plates and cups and saucers and the boys sprawled in their chairs, two with their feet on the table. Antony wasn’t there.
Lily froze with embarrassment. Squashy was right behind her with Barky, who lived up to his name, taking immediate exception to the strangers. Lily felt the same. She obviously did not impress them for none of them got to their feet as she knew gentlemen should when a lady entered the room.
‘Sorry, I’ll come back later.’
‘No, stay, sweetheart. Have a cup of tea.’
‘I’m here to work, but obviously the kitchen is still in use. I’ll come back later.’
She turned abruptly and swept Squashy before her. Barky stayed behind yapping, and one of the boys threw an egg at him. Barky fled. Squashy tried to turn back to punch the aggressor but Lily marched him firmly out, down the corridor and out into the yard.
‘Pigs!’
Surely not all Antony’s friends were like this? Of course, having the run of a stately home with no adults on hand was going to prove very attractive: she feared the worst. But that was not her department. Thank goodness Simon and Cedric were down by the lake, testing the electrics in the trees, and she went to them with relief.
‘There’s some beastly boys in the kitchen. I came away.’
Simon said, ‘Those beastly boys are going to get jobs to do, don’t worry. You’ve done your bit, Lily. All the food will get carried out to the grotto – not your responsibility any more. There’ll be plenty of manpower around today. You enjoy it all now, and stop worrying.’
‘I can’t help it. It’s been—’ Everything had led up to this, for so long; when it was over, how strange … ‘I’ve got no shoes to wear. I wondered if one of your sisters could lend me a pair, Cedric?’
‘Yeah, why not? Go and ask. Did you see Ant in the house?’
‘No.’
Simon said, ‘You know he’s promised to take his pals up for joyrides today if they want it? So we’re not going to get much sense out of him. If you see him, tell he’s got to organize getting everything down to the grotto for tonight. That’s not our job. We’re boats and lights and things electric.’
‘And Helena?’
‘He’s doing Helena. He’s the boss there. We just wish that wasn’t
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