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Authors: Anne Herries
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door within a few seconds.
‘What is your business, mistress…your Grace?’ The woman looked startled and dipped a hasty curtsy. ‘Forgive me. I did not realise…Please come in, my lady.’
‘Is your master at home?’
‘Yes, my lady.’
‘I would see him at once.’
‘Had you sent for him, he would have attended you, my lady.’
‘No matter, I am here and my business is urgent. Please take me to your master now.’
‘Yes, of course. Please come this way, my lady.’
Lucinda followed, her heart thudding. She must be very careful in her deportment. Concern for the child of a cousin was acceptable, but she must do nothing to make him suspect that she was Angela’s mother and not merely her second cousin.
* * *
Lucinda was late returning to Avonlea that afternoon. The doctor had taken his time examining Angela and then questioned her severely about the child’s nutrition. She had explained that her cousin had fallen on hard times and that she had known nothing of their poverty until her cousin became ill and subsequently died.
‘I was called away unexpectedly to her deathbed,’she lied. ‘I had some trouble in sorting out her affairs after the funeral and in finding a good woman to look after her child, who still cries for her mother.’
As Angela had woken and clung to her, weeping and crying, the doctor had seemed to accept her story. He said that her sickness was merely a tummy upset and suggested that perhaps her diet was too rich.
‘If she has not eaten well for a long time, too much food may have upset her digestion. You should give her plainer fare and introduce meat and puddings slowly.’
‘It may be my fault for giving her sweet biscuits and cakes. I wanted to spoil her,’ Lucinda said. ‘We shall follow your advice, Doctor.’
‘She does have a little chill, which may have made her feverish,’ the doctor said. ‘I shall give you a mixture for her—if you can spare the time to return with me to fetch it?’
‘Yes, of course.’
* * *
Lucinda knew that another journey would make her late for her appointment with Mrs Mann, but she had no choice. The look the housekeeper gave her was one of reproach, but she apologised, saying that she had forgot the time.
‘Well, I’m sure your Grace may do as you please. However, the matter of the rooms in the west wing is something that you ought to attend, ma’am. It is more usually for the mistress of the house to make a decision on the servants’ welfare.’
‘Yes, of course. It may seem to you that I have neglected my duties.’
‘It is not for me to tell you what to do, my lady.’
‘No, but perhaps I should have consulted with you on menus and things? I prefer to wait until the duke returns so that I may be certain of his preferences.’
‘Yes, of course, ma’am. Do you know when his Grace intends to return?’
‘In a few days,’ Lucinda said airily. ‘He has business and will be back when he is ready.’
‘Yes, ma’am, as you say.’
‘Very well, please take me to these attic rooms—and anywhere else that concerns you.’
‘His lordship has had much of the house done, my lady, but the attics seem to have escaped his notice.’
‘I dare say he was not aware that the maids are overcrowded in the east wing.’
Lucinda followed the housekeeper up a narrow staircase, which was conveniently hidden behind a door, concealing it from the casual eye. As the west wing was kept for guests they would not notice the door leading to the attics, but it was usual for the servants to come and go by way of a back staircase. It made it easier for them to service the guests’ rooms and reach their own without intruding.
Looking round the various attic rooms, Lucinda saw what Mrs Mann meant about their needing refurbishment. In some places the ceilings had crumbledand it looked as if the plaster might fall, though two of the rooms needed only some decoration.
‘I think it may be necessary to have a repair to the roof here,’
‘What is your business, mistress…your Grace?’ The woman looked startled and dipped a hasty curtsy. ‘Forgive me. I did not realise…Please come in, my lady.’
‘Is your master at home?’
‘Yes, my lady.’
‘I would see him at once.’
‘Had you sent for him, he would have attended you, my lady.’
‘No matter, I am here and my business is urgent. Please take me to your master now.’
‘Yes, of course. Please come this way, my lady.’
Lucinda followed, her heart thudding. She must be very careful in her deportment. Concern for the child of a cousin was acceptable, but she must do nothing to make him suspect that she was Angela’s mother and not merely her second cousin.
* * *
Lucinda was late returning to Avonlea that afternoon. The doctor had taken his time examining Angela and then questioned her severely about the child’s nutrition. She had explained that her cousin had fallen on hard times and that she had known nothing of their poverty until her cousin became ill and subsequently died.
‘I was called away unexpectedly to her deathbed,’she lied. ‘I had some trouble in sorting out her affairs after the funeral and in finding a good woman to look after her child, who still cries for her mother.’
As Angela had woken and clung to her, weeping and crying, the doctor had seemed to accept her story. He said that her sickness was merely a tummy upset and suggested that perhaps her diet was too rich.
‘If she has not eaten well for a long time, too much food may have upset her digestion. You should give her plainer fare and introduce meat and puddings slowly.’
‘It may be my fault for giving her sweet biscuits and cakes. I wanted to spoil her,’ Lucinda said. ‘We shall follow your advice, Doctor.’
‘She does have a little chill, which may have made her feverish,’ the doctor said. ‘I shall give you a mixture for her—if you can spare the time to return with me to fetch it?’
‘Yes, of course.’
* * *
Lucinda knew that another journey would make her late for her appointment with Mrs Mann, but she had no choice. The look the housekeeper gave her was one of reproach, but she apologised, saying that she had forgot the time.
‘Well, I’m sure your Grace may do as you please. However, the matter of the rooms in the west wing is something that you ought to attend, ma’am. It is more usually for the mistress of the house to make a decision on the servants’ welfare.’
‘Yes, of course. It may seem to you that I have neglected my duties.’
‘It is not for me to tell you what to do, my lady.’
‘No, but perhaps I should have consulted with you on menus and things? I prefer to wait until the duke returns so that I may be certain of his preferences.’
‘Yes, of course, ma’am. Do you know when his Grace intends to return?’
‘In a few days,’ Lucinda said airily. ‘He has business and will be back when he is ready.’
‘Yes, ma’am, as you say.’
‘Very well, please take me to these attic rooms—and anywhere else that concerns you.’
‘His lordship has had much of the house done, my lady, but the attics seem to have escaped his notice.’
‘I dare say he was not aware that the maids are overcrowded in the east wing.’
Lucinda followed the housekeeper up a narrow staircase, which was conveniently hidden behind a door, concealing it from the casual eye. As the west wing was kept for guests they would not notice the door leading to the attics, but it was usual for the servants to come and go by way of a back staircase. It made it easier for them to service the guests’ rooms and reach their own without intruding.
Looking round the various attic rooms, Lucinda saw what Mrs Mann meant about their needing refurbishment. In some places the ceilings had crumbledand it looked as if the plaster might fall, though two of the rooms needed only some decoration.
‘I think it may be necessary to have a repair to the roof here,’
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