A Change of Fortune (9 page)

‘Put your jackets on, boys.’ Their mother swept into the drawing room. ‘And stand up. It’s time to give the staff their gifts.’

Her husband groaned. ‘Do we have to go through this performance every year?’

‘We most certainly do.’ She chivvied him out of his chair and herded her sons into line. ‘We must show our appreciation. They work well for us all year. We hardly know they’re around.’

‘You’re right as usual, my dear. Are those the presents?’ He indicated a pile of brightly wrapped packages on a side table.

‘Yes, they have the names on them. When Mrs Douglas introduces each one, you will give them the gift.’

‘I know the routine.’ He sighed again. ‘We do it every year, but couldn’t you hand them out this time?’

‘You are the head of this house, Gilbert. It’s your job.’ She smiled encouragingly. ‘It will only take a few minutes.’

He kissed her cheek. ‘Of course, Louise. I don’t know how you put up with a grumpy old devil like me.’

There was a tap on the door and the housekeeper came in.

‘We’re all ready, Mrs Douglas,’ Louise said. ‘Send them in.’

Matt watched the staff file in. Most of them had been with them for a long time, except for the young girl last but one in the line. She had her head bowed and was obviously uneasy about being in the presence of the entire family.

‘Who is that?’ Luke whispered in his ear.

‘From her position in the line I would say she’s the under housemaid.’

‘Hmm. She’d be quite pretty with a touch of rouge and better clothes.’

Matt was about to tell his brother to keep his eyes off her, but didn’t have a chance, because the servants were walking along the line and bowing to each of them before leaving the room. He was well aware of Luke’s tendency to chase any pretty girl he saw. He would have to keep an eye on him, because this girl was too young and shy. She hadn’t looked up once. She curtsied gracefully in front of his parents and accepted her gift with a hesitant smile. Still she kept her eyes lowered. Why? They weren’t that frightening as a family, surely? For some strange reason he didn’t think it was because she was shy. There was something else. It was almost as if she didn’t want to be seen.

She reached Luke and he said, ‘I haven’t seen you before.’

‘No, sir, I only started two months ago.’

‘I hope you are happy here?’ Luke persisted in trying to gain her attention, without success. She still had her gaze lowered.

‘Yes, thank you, sir.’

She moved along to Matt and the words he spoke surprised him as much as her. ‘I wish you a happy and safe New Year.’

Her head came up and what he saw made him draw in a deep breath of appreciation. What beautiful eyes; she was going to be a real beauty in a couple of years.

‘What have you got, Jen?’ Edna asked.

She unwrapped her parcel, trying to stop her hands from shaking. That had been an ordeal. She felt safe down here with the servants, but was terrified she would meet someone upstairs who might guess who she really was. The deception was a constant worry in case she slipped and said something revealing. In a way the hard schedule of work she had to do every day was helping to push the fear to the back of her mind, but at times like this it came rushing back.

‘Oh, that’s lovely,’ the cook said as Jenny held out a bright red scarf and matching gloves.

They all showed their gifts, smiling with pleasure as they inspected each one. All were things servants would not have been able to buy for themselves. Jenny
couldn’t help wondering if her mother had been this kind …

‘Back to work,’ the housekeeper ordered. But there was a smile on her face for once. ‘Edna, Jenny, cook will need your help today.’

The time flew as they hurried from one job to another. It was nearly eleven that night before the final clearing up had been done. It was then they had a party of their own in the servants’ hall. They had a wind-up gramophone and some records, and this was played after they had eaten their fill of the Christmas food. They danced to and sang the popular tunes of the day. Tomorrow was still a working day for them, so at midnight they began to bring the party to an end. The footman put on a record by Jenny’s favourite singer, Al Bowlly. He told them that it had only been recorded the month before, and he’d bought it last week. It was called ‘S’posin I Should Fall in Love with You’. It was a sentimental song and touched Jenny’s heart, as she listened to his lovely voice. It brought back such happy memories of their dancing lessons at Templeton. Her friends would all be enjoying a family Christmas now. For a moment sadness tried to overwhelm her, but she fought against it. She was doing well on her own, and mustn’t dwell on the past.

Jenny joined in the laughter as they washed their plates and glasses, feeling much more relaxed. It had been silly to get in a panic about meeting the family upstairs. No one would see her as anything but a lowly under housemaid. She was safe here.

7

They were even busier on New Year’s Eve, when they prepared the house for a lavish dinner party in the evening. Mrs Douglas didn’t scold as Edna, Jenny and the footman, Ron Stokes, ran up and down the servants’ stairs.

The family had a late breakfast at ten o’clock, which was a blessing, and by the time they’d finished eating, the fires were burning, floors cleaned, guest rooms prepared and everything was gleaming without a speck of dust to be seen.

Edna leant on the banister at the bottom of their stairs and mopped her brow, still grinning broadly. ‘We made it.’

Jenny was beginning to wonder if anything put her friend in a bad mood. No matter how hard the work, she seemed to sail through it with a smile on her lips and a joke or two.

The footman, Ron, slithered down the stairs. ‘Is that all you’ve got to do?’ he joked.

‘Just catching our breath. Look at poor old Jen, she’s gasping for air.’

Jenny giggled, enjoying the friendly banter. There was a strict order of rank among servants and, being very low in the order of things, she hadn’t expected it to be this friendly. But it was. It never ceased to amaze her
and she couldn’t help wondering if this household was unique in that way. If it was, then she had been very lucky to get this job. She didn’t always feel like that of course. Many nights, as she crawled into bed absolutely exhausted, she felt anything but grateful.

‘Well, make sure you recover by tonight because while the Stannard family are enjoying themselves we’re going to have a knees-up of our own.’ Then he was off as Mrs Douglas appeared at the top of the stairs.

‘Jenny, collect the tea tray from the library. The family have just retired to the drawing room.’

‘Yes, Mrs Douglas.’ She waited for the housekeeper to come down and then sped up to carry out her task.

Finding the library empty, she stood in the middle of the room and gazed at the shelves of books, breathing in the lovely smell of leather. This was something she missed so much. She walked over to a small table, picked up a leather bound book and ran her fingers over it, her eyes dreamy. She’d always loved reading, but now there wasn’t time for such things. When she reached her bed at night she was too tired to do anything but sleep. Again her thoughts turned to her friends at school, remembering how they had read at night using their torches. They’d had such fun.

She was angry with herself. It was pointless to yearn for those days. They were gone for ever. And she shouldn’t be moping for the past; she should be proud of herself. She’d had the courage to make a new life, and she had done pretty well. It had all come as a terrible shock at first, but she had adjusted and fitted in
with the other servants, working hard. Mrs Douglas never had cause to complain. After finding out about her father, Jenny had felt unloved and unwanted; now she was a part of this household, accepted by them all.

She was about to put the book down when a voice said, ‘Do you like reading?’

She jumped violently, not realizing that anyone had come into the room. The thick carpet must have muffled his footsteps.

One of the Stannard sons took the book from her hands and put it on the shelf. ‘I didn’t mean to startle you. You were looking at that book with such longing. Why don’t you borrow it?’

‘I couldn’t do that, sir.’ She edged away from him.

‘Of course you could. No one would mind.’

‘No, sir.’ She reached to pick up the tray, but he blocked her path.

‘What’s your name?’

‘Jenny Baker, sir. I must get on with my work.’

He laughed. ‘I’m sure you can spare ten minutes to talk to me.’

Trying to remain calm, she edged past him, but he moved in front of her again.

‘Please, sir, I’ll lose my job if I don’t go back downstairs at once.’

‘Luke! Let her go.’

He stepped aside, hands in the air and a wide grin on his face. ‘Ah, the voice of reason. I’m only talking to her, Matt.’

‘Don’t you realize that with over twenty guests
arriving tonight, the staff are rushed trying to get everything ready in time?’

Still smiling and in obvious good humour, Luke said to her, ‘Sorry, it was thoughtless of me.’

She grabbed the tray and fled, giving the other brother a grateful glance as she rushed past him.

‘What took you so long?’ the housekeeper scolded.

‘Sorry, Mrs Douglas, I was detained.’

‘By whom?’

‘Mr Luke.’

‘You want to watch that boy,’ Mr Green, the butler, said. ‘Full of devilment and too fond of the young ladies.’

‘Did he take liberties?’ Mrs Douglas didn’t look at all pleased.

Jenny shook her head. ‘He said he only wanted to talk …’

The cook snorted in disbelief.

‘His brother came in and made him let me leave. The tallest one of the three.’

‘That was Matthew.’ Edna breezed in. ‘I’ve just passed the library and he’s really having a go at his brother now.’

‘Don’t be so familiar,’ the housekeeper scolded. ‘It’s Mr Matthew to you.’

‘Sorry, Mrs Douglas, I meant Mr Matthew. Just a slip of the tongue.’ Edna gave Jenny a sly wink.

The housekeeper accepted the apology, but didn’t look as if she believed it was sincere. She glanced at the watch pinned to her dress. ‘Jenny, you are to come to me at once if you have any trouble with the young
gentlemen. Now everyone back to work. All must be perfect for this evening.’

The dinner party was under way and it was bedlam in the kitchen. Jenny was amazed that they didn’t keep colliding with one another, but each person seemed to know what they were doing – except her. This was her first experience of a large house party from below stairs. She had never realized just how hard the staff had to work to make the serving of food and drink go without a hitch.

‘Jenny.’ Even the housekeeper appeared flustered as she sailed into the kitchen. ‘You’ll have to take this dish of vegetables up. Hurry now.’

She lifted the heavy silver dish and climbed the stairs as quickly as possible. Then only two steps into the dining room and it seemed as if her heart stopped beating for a moment. From the hub of chatter coming from the guests one voice stood out. Suddenly she was running from the room, still clutching the dish, without even knowing that she was doing so.

‘Jen!’ Edna caught her arm. ‘Stop. Where are you going?’

‘I can’t go in there,’ she gasped, thrusting the dish at her friend. ‘You take it. Please!’

‘What’s going on here?’

‘I don’t think Jenny’s well, Mrs Douglas.’

The housekeeper placed her hand on Jenny’s forehead. ‘Feels like she’s running a fever. Go and ask cook for a drink of water and one of her remedies. She’ll
have you right in no time. Edna, you take the vegetables in. Quickly now.’

Jenny struggled down to the kitchen on legs so weak they would hardly hold her. Once there, she sat on a stool in the corner out of everyone’s way, and bowed over as if in pain. Dear God, that was her worst nightmare come true. She’d been feeling safe, but she wasn’t. Discovery could come at any time. Gloria Tremain was upstairs. She had been the head girl at the school for two years and knew Jenny well. Even her disguise as a servant wouldn’t have fooled Gloria. Had she seen her?

At that moment someone pushed her head down between her knees and held her there. When she sat up again, cook thrust a glass of pale green liquid into her hand.

‘Drink that. It’ll bring some colour back to your face.’

Jenny was so disorientated with shock that she emptied the glass without even noticing what it tasted like.

‘There now, you sit quiet for a few minutes.’ The cook smiled kindly.

‘Thank you, Mrs Peters.’

Slowly she became aware of her surroundings and her heart slowed to a more normal rate. She was dismayed to see everyone rushing around while she did nothing. This wasn’t right; they were frantically busy. She forced herself to stand.

Mrs Douglas was working as hard as everyone else in an effort to keep the dinner party running smoothly. With so many guests, each of them needed to pitch in
and do whatever was necessary. ‘Stay where you are, Jenny, until you feel well again.’

‘I’m all right now. Please let me do something down here. I’m sorry, Mrs Douglas, I don’t know what came over me.’