Dorothy noticed his new coat and breeches, cream with mother-of-pearl buttons.
‘There is something I wish to say.’ He pulled out his handkerchief, blew his nose, and delivered his news. ‘Ann, I am delighted to inform you that I have employed a new lady’s maid on your behalf. Miss Johnson is an accomplished girl, and she will be of great service. Above all, she will release you from the burden of responsibility towards our dearest daughter.’
There was a stunned silence.
‘Excuse me, William, but am I hearing you correctly? I don’t wish for any extra assistance with Elizabeth; her nurse gives me all the help that I need.’ Dorothy noticed her mother’s hands turn white as she gripped the back of the chair. ‘I am capable of finding my own lady’s maid. If I wanted your help in household matters, I would ask you. Mrs Selley leaves two months from now, which gives ample time to find someone that suits me.’
‘But my dear, you will like Molly. She is competent and reliable. She is also the daughter of a loyal constituency member. Her father has agreed.’
‘I can see you are on first-name terms with this girl. It’s most irregular – indeed, it undermines my own position within this household. Looking at you, however, it’s obvious that you have made up your mind. I am sorry that we have come to this. So be it, but do not expect my sanction in what I consider to be a blatant disregard for my feelings.’ Lady Keyt smoothed her dress, lifted her shoulders and, with a straight back, left the room.
‘For heaven’s sake, Thomas, why are you fidgeting? Stand still,’ Sir William snapped, turning on his son.
‘I am standing still, sir. It is you who is agitated, not I. If you will excuse me, I’ll go and look after my mother.’
‘Well, Dotty, follow your brother. I realize I can do nothing right in this infernal household!’
Dorothy fumed. Molly Johnson was the landlord’s daughter that her father had likened to Dorothy.
‘Don’t ever call me Dotty. Your right to that name went a long time ago. If you bring this girl to Norton, I shall never speak to you again. Never.’
She glared at her father, picked up her skirts and ran after her brother.
The following morning they ate in silence. When Lady Keyt had finished her breakfast, she folded her large linen napkin and rose to go.
‘Dorothy, I would be grateful if you would spend a little time with Lizzie. I have a slight headache.’
‘Of course, Mama.’
Dorothy looked in on Lizzie on her way upstairs but she was still asleep. She would go to her later. Climbing the stairs to the attic, she passed Annie at the linen cupboard. Sheets lay across her arm, and a jug of water balanced on a china tray.
‘Morning, miss,’ she said. ‘Just going to do the room for the new girl.’
‘Would you do my room first, Annie? I would like five minutes alone.’
Dorothy paused on the threshold of Miss Byrne’s room for the last time. New sheets would cover the bed and somebody else’s clothes would fill the cupboard. She knelt down, prised open the floorboards and removed the book, cradling it in her arms.
Dorothy found Lizzie in her usual place on the half-landing. She was reading, her brow furrowed in concentration. ‘Dotty,’ she raised her head. ‘We must give Miss Johnson a chance. She may be just what we need.’
Dorothy was about to reply when Elizabeth leant forward and stared into the rose garden, the book falling from her lap.
‘Dotty, can you see the boy in the garden? He is looking this way. His clothes are most unusual.’ Dorothy looked outside; the garden was empty and still, save for the leaves eddying around Ophelia’s statue.
‘I can’t see anyone,’ she said gently.
‘Oh, Dotty, I can see that you don’t believe me. Perhaps it is my medication. Now even my mind is going. For just one moment I want to be normal.’ She grimaced, the small scar twisting in her cheek. ‘Can you imagine what it’s like?’
Dorothy
‘There is something I wish to say.’ He pulled out his handkerchief, blew his nose, and delivered his news. ‘Ann, I am delighted to inform you that I have employed a new lady’s maid on your behalf. Miss Johnson is an accomplished girl, and she will be of great service. Above all, she will release you from the burden of responsibility towards our dearest daughter.’
There was a stunned silence.
‘Excuse me, William, but am I hearing you correctly? I don’t wish for any extra assistance with Elizabeth; her nurse gives me all the help that I need.’ Dorothy noticed her mother’s hands turn white as she gripped the back of the chair. ‘I am capable of finding my own lady’s maid. If I wanted your help in household matters, I would ask you. Mrs Selley leaves two months from now, which gives ample time to find someone that suits me.’
‘But my dear, you will like Molly. She is competent and reliable. She is also the daughter of a loyal constituency member. Her father has agreed.’
‘I can see you are on first-name terms with this girl. It’s most irregular – indeed, it undermines my own position within this household. Looking at you, however, it’s obvious that you have made up your mind. I am sorry that we have come to this. So be it, but do not expect my sanction in what I consider to be a blatant disregard for my feelings.’ Lady Keyt smoothed her dress, lifted her shoulders and, with a straight back, left the room.
‘For heaven’s sake, Thomas, why are you fidgeting? Stand still,’ Sir William snapped, turning on his son.
‘I am standing still, sir. It is you who is agitated, not I. If you will excuse me, I’ll go and look after my mother.’
‘Well, Dotty, follow your brother. I realize I can do nothing right in this infernal household!’
Dorothy fumed. Molly Johnson was the landlord’s daughter that her father had likened to Dorothy.
‘Don’t ever call me Dotty. Your right to that name went a long time ago. If you bring this girl to Norton, I shall never speak to you again. Never.’
She glared at her father, picked up her skirts and ran after her brother.
The following morning they ate in silence. When Lady Keyt had finished her breakfast, she folded her large linen napkin and rose to go.
‘Dorothy, I would be grateful if you would spend a little time with Lizzie. I have a slight headache.’
‘Of course, Mama.’
Dorothy looked in on Lizzie on her way upstairs but she was still asleep. She would go to her later. Climbing the stairs to the attic, she passed Annie at the linen cupboard. Sheets lay across her arm, and a jug of water balanced on a china tray.
‘Morning, miss,’ she said. ‘Just going to do the room for the new girl.’
‘Would you do my room first, Annie? I would like five minutes alone.’
Dorothy paused on the threshold of Miss Byrne’s room for the last time. New sheets would cover the bed and somebody else’s clothes would fill the cupboard. She knelt down, prised open the floorboards and removed the book, cradling it in her arms.
Dorothy found Lizzie in her usual place on the half-landing. She was reading, her brow furrowed in concentration. ‘Dotty,’ she raised her head. ‘We must give Miss Johnson a chance. She may be just what we need.’
Dorothy was about to reply when Elizabeth leant forward and stared into the rose garden, the book falling from her lap.
‘Dotty, can you see the boy in the garden? He is looking this way. His clothes are most unusual.’ Dorothy looked outside; the garden was empty and still, save for the leaves eddying around Ophelia’s statue.
‘I can’t see anyone,’ she said gently.
‘Oh, Dotty, I can see that you don’t believe me. Perhaps it is my medication. Now even my mind is going. For just one moment I want to be normal.’ She grimaced, the small scar twisting in her cheek. ‘Can you imagine what it’s like?’
Dorothy
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