Read Online Lady Jane by Norma Lee Clark - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Norma Lee Clark
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closed doors. Jane half-expected to hear the sound of the little boy laughing, or even crying, but it was as still and hushed as a cathedral.
Lady Payton’s apartment was at the very front of the house overlooking the drive. When they were bid to enter, Jane gaped at the elegance of the room before her, all furnished in white and gold and blue silk Lady Payton lay on a chaise before the deep windows with a book in her hand, and as she looked up inquiringly, a small honey-coloured bundle of fur that had been nestled beside her erupted from the chaise and leaped down, barking ferociously.
Jane backed away in terror, but Mrs. Plummer only reached down, lifted the dog in her arms, and put her hand around its muzzle. “Here’s the young person, m’lady.”
“Oh yes, Jane Coombes. Welcome to Larkwoods, child.”
“Oh—thank you, m’lady,” Jane said, giving her a deep curtsy and a large grin in return for the kindest words she’d heard since she’d arrived.
Lady Payton smiled back warmly, though her heart sank when she saw how pretty the girl was. This one won’t last even as long as the others, she thought, with no young men around to flirt with. Such a girl would be used to a lot of attention.
“I’m afraid you’ll find us very dull here after London,” she said, resignation tinging her voice, for it would be nice, she thought, to have this pretty child to liven up the household.
“Oh, not to worry, m’lady, I shall find plenty to do. This is a very big house to have the cleanin’ of, and then I can help with the poor little boy.”
Lady Payton stared at her speechlessly for a moment, trying to cope with her bewilderment. She turned to Mrs. Plummer, but saw immediately that there was no enlightenment to be had from that quarter, for Mrs. Plummer looked as totally befuddled as Lady Payton felt “Coombes, I’m afraid dear Caroline did not explain to you your duties. You will not be required to clean. We have women come in every day from the village for that. What you will be doing is taking care of me.”
“Oh, m’lady!” Jane gasped, “do you mean I’m to be your abigail?”
“Well, yes, though of course I go about very little, so I’m afraid it will be more in the nature of waiting on me.”
Jane could only stare at her, eyes like saucers, speechless with happiness at this unexpected rise in status that was being handed to her. From backstairs maid to lady’s maid in one step! Why, she’d be almost on a par with the housekeeper in the servants’ hall. If only her mam were alive to know this glory.
The glow of self-importance combined with the determination to justify Lady Payton’s trust in her, filled her mind to the exclusion of all else for the first few days. She was awake every morning long before it was necessary, and waiting in the kitchen for Lady Payton to ring for her morning chocolate. After that she helped her into a morning robe, brushed her hair and helped arrange it, and cleaned the room. Later she carried up m’lady’s breakfast tray, for Lady Payton never left her room in the mornings. On some days, when she was not feeling well, for she suffered from heart spasms, she kept to her room all day. But when she felt well enough, she dressed and came down in the early afternoon to read, or play the pianoforte, or receive a visit from a friend who lived nearby, and seemed to be her only caller, Miss Angela Gilbert, daughter of the parson.
In the late afternoon Lady Payton went to her room to change for dinner, which she ate in solitary splendour, attended by Jane. Jane supposed the invalid son to be either away or too ill to leave his room. She could not bring herself to ask, for at any mention of him Lady Payton’s eyes would become sad, and sometimes she would whisper “Poor Sebastian,” in such heartrending tones that Jane would feel the tears start in her own eyes.
Neither did she feel that she could ask Mrs. Plummer or Mrs. McKirk. They were still as unbending and
Lady Payton’s apartment was at the very front of the house overlooking the drive. When they were bid to enter, Jane gaped at the elegance of the room before her, all furnished in white and gold and blue silk Lady Payton lay on a chaise before the deep windows with a book in her hand, and as she looked up inquiringly, a small honey-coloured bundle of fur that had been nestled beside her erupted from the chaise and leaped down, barking ferociously.
Jane backed away in terror, but Mrs. Plummer only reached down, lifted the dog in her arms, and put her hand around its muzzle. “Here’s the young person, m’lady.”
“Oh yes, Jane Coombes. Welcome to Larkwoods, child.”
“Oh—thank you, m’lady,” Jane said, giving her a deep curtsy and a large grin in return for the kindest words she’d heard since she’d arrived.
Lady Payton smiled back warmly, though her heart sank when she saw how pretty the girl was. This one won’t last even as long as the others, she thought, with no young men around to flirt with. Such a girl would be used to a lot of attention.
“I’m afraid you’ll find us very dull here after London,” she said, resignation tinging her voice, for it would be nice, she thought, to have this pretty child to liven up the household.
“Oh, not to worry, m’lady, I shall find plenty to do. This is a very big house to have the cleanin’ of, and then I can help with the poor little boy.”
Lady Payton stared at her speechlessly for a moment, trying to cope with her bewilderment. She turned to Mrs. Plummer, but saw immediately that there was no enlightenment to be had from that quarter, for Mrs. Plummer looked as totally befuddled as Lady Payton felt “Coombes, I’m afraid dear Caroline did not explain to you your duties. You will not be required to clean. We have women come in every day from the village for that. What you will be doing is taking care of me.”
“Oh, m’lady!” Jane gasped, “do you mean I’m to be your abigail?”
“Well, yes, though of course I go about very little, so I’m afraid it will be more in the nature of waiting on me.”
Jane could only stare at her, eyes like saucers, speechless with happiness at this unexpected rise in status that was being handed to her. From backstairs maid to lady’s maid in one step! Why, she’d be almost on a par with the housekeeper in the servants’ hall. If only her mam were alive to know this glory.
The glow of self-importance combined with the determination to justify Lady Payton’s trust in her, filled her mind to the exclusion of all else for the first few days. She was awake every morning long before it was necessary, and waiting in the kitchen for Lady Payton to ring for her morning chocolate. After that she helped her into a morning robe, brushed her hair and helped arrange it, and cleaned the room. Later she carried up m’lady’s breakfast tray, for Lady Payton never left her room in the mornings. On some days, when she was not feeling well, for she suffered from heart spasms, she kept to her room all day. But when she felt well enough, she dressed and came down in the early afternoon to read, or play the pianoforte, or receive a visit from a friend who lived nearby, and seemed to be her only caller, Miss Angela Gilbert, daughter of the parson.
In the late afternoon Lady Payton went to her room to change for dinner, which she ate in solitary splendour, attended by Jane. Jane supposed the invalid son to be either away or too ill to leave his room. She could not bring herself to ask, for at any mention of him Lady Payton’s eyes would become sad, and sometimes she would whisper “Poor Sebastian,” in such heartrending tones that Jane would feel the tears start in her own eyes.
Neither did she feel that she could ask Mrs. Plummer or Mrs. McKirk. They were still as unbending and
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