away or his mind ain’t on
the subject at hand. It’s a blessing, I say, that he’s finally come to his
senses and got this house a fine lady to look after things. Now mind you, I
ain’t never heard of a woman being paid to run a place the way a wife or mother
might, but I reckon it’s a fine idea and I can’t think of why nobody’s thought
of it before."
Mrs. Fitzsimmons finally paused to sip her tea. Thankfully
Delores walked in just then with a fresh pot and scones. Sabrina was grateful
that she had a moment to consider the housekeeper’s words before responding. So
far things were going smoothly, it was almost too easy.
"So, dearie, what have you planned for the master’s
schedule?" Mrs. Fitzsimmons took a scone and liberally spread it with jam
and clotted cream.
"Well," Sabrina said cautiously, as she took a cup
of tea and stirred in lemon and sugar. "I was hoping that you and Mr.
Roland would have some ideas there. Tell me how things are operating now and
then I’ll better be able give instructions for everyone’s benefit."
Mrs. Fitzsimmons took a bite of her scone and chewed on it
while appearing to think about what Sabrina had just said. After swallowing and
then taking a sip of tea, she finally responded. "But don’t you see, Mrs.
Tremaine, that’s what we got you for. We all know how to do our jobs, it’s just
the knowing how to do our jobs to the satisfaction of Mr. Northcliffe that
we’re a bit confused about. He lives in a different world than the likes of us.
But you, being a lady and all, you know how his kind thinks. And being a woman,
you can pass the instructions on to the staff in a manner that we can
understand."
Sabrina was worried now. There were a lot of people under
this roof that expected her to accomplish what seemed to be the impossible. But
their faith in her was invigorating. She pulled her thoughts together and tried
to move herself back in time when she had been the lady of a large staff before
Edward had left them without the funds to keep more than a few servants.
This was different though. A year and a half ago, she would
have simply called Mrs. Fitzsimmons to her side and given instructions on
menus, guests, and the family schedule. The servants knew their place and their
jobs, because things were done a certain way. It had been ten years, at least,
since she’d had to train a staff in the needs of the family in residence. This
was not going to be as easy as Mrs. Fitzsimmons, Delores and Mr. Roland seemed
to believe. This staff had no direction and apparently, since the passing of
Ford’s mother, did not seem inclined to even pretend to know what might be
expected of them.
Sabrina finished her tea and nibbled daintily at her scone. "We
should start with the basics," she finally stated with as much authority
as she could muster. "The house needs to be presentable. Mr. Northcliffe
wants to resume his station in society."
"So you wants us to clean it up a bit?" Mrs.
Fitzsimmons was at least on the same track now.
"Yes, the house needs to be presentable for social
calls and dinner parties. Maybe even a ball." Sabrina was beginning to
wonder if the place had ever seen such things, even when Ford’s mother, Mrs.
Northcliffe had been alive.
"Well, I’ll be," the housekeeper said, slapping
one pudgy hand on her thigh. "We’re really going to open the place up. We
ain’t seen such a thing since the little miss died. Glory be!" The rotund
woman pushed herself up and went over to the butler’s bell, and began pulling
it with a vengeance.
Chapter Five
Frankincense filled the air as cards slipped through her
fingers like water from a fountain. The spirits were trying to speak to her,
but their messages were garbled. Madame Lou couldn’t decide whether or not it
was time to interfere or allow the fates to run their course. And then there
was the Mother. She had been pestering Madame Lou for months, and for the last
few nights, had even gone so far as to
the subject at hand. It’s a blessing, I say, that he’s finally come to his
senses and got this house a fine lady to look after things. Now mind you, I
ain’t never heard of a woman being paid to run a place the way a wife or mother
might, but I reckon it’s a fine idea and I can’t think of why nobody’s thought
of it before."
Mrs. Fitzsimmons finally paused to sip her tea. Thankfully
Delores walked in just then with a fresh pot and scones. Sabrina was grateful
that she had a moment to consider the housekeeper’s words before responding. So
far things were going smoothly, it was almost too easy.
"So, dearie, what have you planned for the master’s
schedule?" Mrs. Fitzsimmons took a scone and liberally spread it with jam
and clotted cream.
"Well," Sabrina said cautiously, as she took a cup
of tea and stirred in lemon and sugar. "I was hoping that you and Mr.
Roland would have some ideas there. Tell me how things are operating now and
then I’ll better be able give instructions for everyone’s benefit."
Mrs. Fitzsimmons took a bite of her scone and chewed on it
while appearing to think about what Sabrina had just said. After swallowing and
then taking a sip of tea, she finally responded. "But don’t you see, Mrs.
Tremaine, that’s what we got you for. We all know how to do our jobs, it’s just
the knowing how to do our jobs to the satisfaction of Mr. Northcliffe that
we’re a bit confused about. He lives in a different world than the likes of us.
But you, being a lady and all, you know how his kind thinks. And being a woman,
you can pass the instructions on to the staff in a manner that we can
understand."
Sabrina was worried now. There were a lot of people under
this roof that expected her to accomplish what seemed to be the impossible. But
their faith in her was invigorating. She pulled her thoughts together and tried
to move herself back in time when she had been the lady of a large staff before
Edward had left them without the funds to keep more than a few servants.
This was different though. A year and a half ago, she would
have simply called Mrs. Fitzsimmons to her side and given instructions on
menus, guests, and the family schedule. The servants knew their place and their
jobs, because things were done a certain way. It had been ten years, at least,
since she’d had to train a staff in the needs of the family in residence. This
was not going to be as easy as Mrs. Fitzsimmons, Delores and Mr. Roland seemed
to believe. This staff had no direction and apparently, since the passing of
Ford’s mother, did not seem inclined to even pretend to know what might be
expected of them.
Sabrina finished her tea and nibbled daintily at her scone. "We
should start with the basics," she finally stated with as much authority
as she could muster. "The house needs to be presentable. Mr. Northcliffe
wants to resume his station in society."
"So you wants us to clean it up a bit?" Mrs.
Fitzsimmons was at least on the same track now.
"Yes, the house needs to be presentable for social
calls and dinner parties. Maybe even a ball." Sabrina was beginning to
wonder if the place had ever seen such things, even when Ford’s mother, Mrs.
Northcliffe had been alive.
"Well, I’ll be," the housekeeper said, slapping
one pudgy hand on her thigh. "We’re really going to open the place up. We
ain’t seen such a thing since the little miss died. Glory be!" The rotund
woman pushed herself up and went over to the butler’s bell, and began pulling
it with a vengeance.
Chapter Five
Frankincense filled the air as cards slipped through her
fingers like water from a fountain. The spirits were trying to speak to her,
but their messages were garbled. Madame Lou couldn’t decide whether or not it
was time to interfere or allow the fates to run their course. And then there
was the Mother. She had been pestering Madame Lou for months, and for the last
few nights, had even gone so far as to
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