concentrating on what the older woman was teaching her. She was a diligent child, she only rarely frowned, her cheerful mien part of her charm. She loved helping Cook and endeavoured to take each task seriously. Her other duties in the laundry and around the house she undertook with relish, as if the discovery of new things was life’s purpose.
Elizabeth took the knife from Jessie and continued with the task.
‘You ken the mistress is wanting you to start serving at table, maybe next Sunday when they’ve got the minister for dinner. What d’you think tae that?’
Elizabeth’s expression was eager as she looked up. She smiled at the diminutive woman who had become a mother figure to her since her arrival at Strathmartine the previous year. ‘Aye, if that’s what the mistress wants. I’ll need to hae some lessons on how it’s a’ done, mind. I’ve never served in the big dining room before.’
‘You’ll be fine, she’s been wanting you to serve at table for ages now, so we’ll maybe get you started tomorrow morning in the breakfast room. But when there’s visitors, just remember if anyone asks your age, you’re fourteen.’
‘Aye, you telt me, I’m not to tell anyone I’m only twelve.’
‘Just as well you’re sae tall, Elizabeth, you could pass for eighteen almost. And your mother’s no bigger than me; dinnae ken where you got your height from.’ Jessie shook her head. ‘You’re lucky, though you’ll need tae find a giant o’ a man to marry, they dinnae like to look up to us women.’
‘Dinnae want tae marry, men are stupid.’ Elizabeth put down her knife. ‘Well, no’ the master of course, but a’ the others are.’
Jessie laughed and began to wrap the butter up in squares of cheesecloth.
‘Will the mistress be playing the piano after dinner like she does sometimes?’
‘Aye, she likely will.’
‘It’s just that, maybe I could be allowed tae turn the pages for her? She cannae really dae that herself, can she?’
Jessie looked at her, frowning. ‘Now, what would a lassie like you ken about the piano?’
‘I ken a bit, enough to follow the music. I like the piano, I really do.’
‘Well, well, fancy that. I can mention it tae her if you like.’
‘Thanks. Shall I go and fetch the eggs now for the bairns’tea?’
‘Aye, out you go. Mind and fasten everything up tight in the henhouse, I heard that fox roaming around again last night,’ said Jessie, wiping down the scrubbed wooden table as she watched Elizabeth skip off towards the henhouse.
Chapter Thirteen
2014
‘Don’t think I’ve ever seen you eat a fried egg, Chris,’ said Mags, ‘and you’ve got three on your plate.’
‘Have I?’ Christine was in a daze as she sat down in the hospital café. ‘The woman at the servery just gave them to me. I can’t remember what I asked for.’
‘They’ll be good for you,’ said Gerry. ‘Here’s your coffee.’
Christine took the cup from her husband and nodded her thanks without looking at him.
It was the morning after the accident and Christine, Gerry, Mags and Doug sat around the table, eating. Very few words were exchanged. They all looked up as Lottie joined them with her tray. ‘So we’re getting Anna out after breakfast, Auntie Chris?’
‘Yes, sweetheart.’ She stroked Lottie’s wavy brown hair and looked down at her plate. ‘It’s Jack we just don’t know about.’ She cut into an egg and stared at the yolk as it oozed over the plate.
‘Sounds like it’s just concussion now. He looked better this morning.’ Gerry rammed a large bap with two sausages into his mouth.
‘He looked just the same, Gerry, and he was sound asleep. We have no idea how he really is.’ Christine winced as she watched her husband wipe a splatter of sausage grease off his beard.
‘I’ll go up with you after breakfast, if that’s okay,’ said Mags. ‘I never saw him last night.’
She turned to Lottie, who was spooning yoghurt on herfruit salad. ‘Is
Elizabeth took the knife from Jessie and continued with the task.
‘You ken the mistress is wanting you to start serving at table, maybe next Sunday when they’ve got the minister for dinner. What d’you think tae that?’
Elizabeth’s expression was eager as she looked up. She smiled at the diminutive woman who had become a mother figure to her since her arrival at Strathmartine the previous year. ‘Aye, if that’s what the mistress wants. I’ll need to hae some lessons on how it’s a’ done, mind. I’ve never served in the big dining room before.’
‘You’ll be fine, she’s been wanting you to serve at table for ages now, so we’ll maybe get you started tomorrow morning in the breakfast room. But when there’s visitors, just remember if anyone asks your age, you’re fourteen.’
‘Aye, you telt me, I’m not to tell anyone I’m only twelve.’
‘Just as well you’re sae tall, Elizabeth, you could pass for eighteen almost. And your mother’s no bigger than me; dinnae ken where you got your height from.’ Jessie shook her head. ‘You’re lucky, though you’ll need tae find a giant o’ a man to marry, they dinnae like to look up to us women.’
‘Dinnae want tae marry, men are stupid.’ Elizabeth put down her knife. ‘Well, no’ the master of course, but a’ the others are.’
Jessie laughed and began to wrap the butter up in squares of cheesecloth.
‘Will the mistress be playing the piano after dinner like she does sometimes?’
‘Aye, she likely will.’
‘It’s just that, maybe I could be allowed tae turn the pages for her? She cannae really dae that herself, can she?’
Jessie looked at her, frowning. ‘Now, what would a lassie like you ken about the piano?’
‘I ken a bit, enough to follow the music. I like the piano, I really do.’
‘Well, well, fancy that. I can mention it tae her if you like.’
‘Thanks. Shall I go and fetch the eggs now for the bairns’tea?’
‘Aye, out you go. Mind and fasten everything up tight in the henhouse, I heard that fox roaming around again last night,’ said Jessie, wiping down the scrubbed wooden table as she watched Elizabeth skip off towards the henhouse.
Chapter Thirteen
2014
‘Don’t think I’ve ever seen you eat a fried egg, Chris,’ said Mags, ‘and you’ve got three on your plate.’
‘Have I?’ Christine was in a daze as she sat down in the hospital café. ‘The woman at the servery just gave them to me. I can’t remember what I asked for.’
‘They’ll be good for you,’ said Gerry. ‘Here’s your coffee.’
Christine took the cup from her husband and nodded her thanks without looking at him.
It was the morning after the accident and Christine, Gerry, Mags and Doug sat around the table, eating. Very few words were exchanged. They all looked up as Lottie joined them with her tray. ‘So we’re getting Anna out after breakfast, Auntie Chris?’
‘Yes, sweetheart.’ She stroked Lottie’s wavy brown hair and looked down at her plate. ‘It’s Jack we just don’t know about.’ She cut into an egg and stared at the yolk as it oozed over the plate.
‘Sounds like it’s just concussion now. He looked better this morning.’ Gerry rammed a large bap with two sausages into his mouth.
‘He looked just the same, Gerry, and he was sound asleep. We have no idea how he really is.’ Christine winced as she watched her husband wipe a splatter of sausage grease off his beard.
‘I’ll go up with you after breakfast, if that’s okay,’ said Mags. ‘I never saw him last night.’
She turned to Lottie, who was spooning yoghurt on herfruit salad. ‘Is
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