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Authors: Yelena Kopylova
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standing in the middle of the hall, wearing a clean white bib bed apron, and a tiny cap, which he had never seen before, resting on the top of her grey hair, and for a moment he felt qualms, thinking that she was about to bend her knee and turn the whole thing into a farce. But no: she stood waiting, as a housekeeper might have done, and
he said, pointing first to the beaming woman, "Annie, this is Mrs.
Killjoy. Mrs. Killjoy, this is Mrs. Compton, who has been with the family for years; in fact, she is one of the family, and she has looked after this house and me since my parents died."
"How do you do, Mrs. Compton?" Mrs. Killjoy was at her theatrical best;
she held out her hand, and, with a slight hesitation, Annie took it.
Then Mr. Killjoy was introduced, and, as Annie said to Billy later that night, "How I kept me face straight. God only knows. Her like a house end and him only as big as a pea on a drum. And when he bowed over my hand ... it was like a play."
And now. Ward's voice was level as he said, "This is Miss Stephanie McQueen, Annie."
"I am very pleased to meet you, Mrs. Compton."
And what Annie said, as she took the thin hand in hers, was, "And you, miss. And you." And as she also remarked to Billy later, "Well, I admit I was staggered, for anything unlike a stage piece I never did see or imagine."
There were no outer clothes to be taken off, and as one wouldn't dream of taking off one's hat to partake of tea, they allowed themselves, accompanied by the four dogs, to be led by Ward to the parlour where, at a round table placed near the window, was set, on a lace hand-worked cloth, a tea surpassing anything that Ward had expected to see served to his guests.
Then a diversion was caused by Mrs. Killjoy's directing her family to the hearth and informing them to be seated on the rug before the empty fire grate; admonishing them, meanwhile, to behave; and one after the other they lowered themselves, head on front paws, eyes directed
towards their mistress, or their mother, as she termed herself, as whom, in their doggy world, they accepted apparently gladly.
Amid laughter the company were now seated at the table, and while Ward did his duty in handing round the plates of eatables, Annie stood at the side-table and poured tea.
What was surprising Ward more than anything at this moment was Annie's attitude towards the whole affair:
she was acting as he imagined she might if in service in a big house as the housekeeper, or even the butler, and this, he knew was certainly not in her character. Was she determined to show the future mistress of this house where she stood? Ah yes, that was likely what was in her mind, for even during his parents' time she had never been relegated completely to the kitchen ..
The tea over, and the dogs having been given their tit bits Ward now enquired if they would like to walk around the farm; and at this, Mrs.
Killjoy exclaimed in her unique way, "No offence meant, Mr. Ward, but if you were asking me what I would enjoy, I would say a nice sit-down and talk with the good lady housekeeper here, as would my husband.
Wouldn't you. Ken? " and obediently Ken answered, " I would. "
Ward slanted his gaze downwards: one up to Mrs. Killjoy. She was a diplomat of diplomats, was this lady:
she wasn't only getting into Annie's good books, but was leaving open the opportunity for him to have Fanny to himself. And this he took immediately by turning to her and saying, "Well, would you like to see around my farm, Miss McQueen?" He stressed her name. And she answered in the same vein, "Yes, Mr. Gibson, I'd be delighted to." And with exaggerated ceremony, he offered her his arm, and together, amid
laughter, they walked from the room.
Ward showed her, first, the cow byres which, at the moment, were empty and pointed out the cow-stands, each bearing the name of an individual cow: Dolly, Mary, Agnes, Jessie, Beatrice, Flora, and so on; and she laughed gaily, saying, "I can't believe it! Cows
he said, pointing first to the beaming woman, "Annie, this is Mrs.
Killjoy. Mrs. Killjoy, this is Mrs. Compton, who has been with the family for years; in fact, she is one of the family, and she has looked after this house and me since my parents died."
"How do you do, Mrs. Compton?" Mrs. Killjoy was at her theatrical best;
she held out her hand, and, with a slight hesitation, Annie took it.
Then Mr. Killjoy was introduced, and, as Annie said to Billy later that night, "How I kept me face straight. God only knows. Her like a house end and him only as big as a pea on a drum. And when he bowed over my hand ... it was like a play."
And now. Ward's voice was level as he said, "This is Miss Stephanie McQueen, Annie."
"I am very pleased to meet you, Mrs. Compton."
And what Annie said, as she took the thin hand in hers, was, "And you, miss. And you." And as she also remarked to Billy later, "Well, I admit I was staggered, for anything unlike a stage piece I never did see or imagine."
There were no outer clothes to be taken off, and as one wouldn't dream of taking off one's hat to partake of tea, they allowed themselves, accompanied by the four dogs, to be led by Ward to the parlour where, at a round table placed near the window, was set, on a lace hand-worked cloth, a tea surpassing anything that Ward had expected to see served to his guests.
Then a diversion was caused by Mrs. Killjoy's directing her family to the hearth and informing them to be seated on the rug before the empty fire grate; admonishing them, meanwhile, to behave; and one after the other they lowered themselves, head on front paws, eyes directed
towards their mistress, or their mother, as she termed herself, as whom, in their doggy world, they accepted apparently gladly.
Amid laughter the company were now seated at the table, and while Ward did his duty in handing round the plates of eatables, Annie stood at the side-table and poured tea.
What was surprising Ward more than anything at this moment was Annie's attitude towards the whole affair:
she was acting as he imagined she might if in service in a big house as the housekeeper, or even the butler, and this, he knew was certainly not in her character. Was she determined to show the future mistress of this house where she stood? Ah yes, that was likely what was in her mind, for even during his parents' time she had never been relegated completely to the kitchen ..
The tea over, and the dogs having been given their tit bits Ward now enquired if they would like to walk around the farm; and at this, Mrs.
Killjoy exclaimed in her unique way, "No offence meant, Mr. Ward, but if you were asking me what I would enjoy, I would say a nice sit-down and talk with the good lady housekeeper here, as would my husband.
Wouldn't you. Ken? " and obediently Ken answered, " I would. "
Ward slanted his gaze downwards: one up to Mrs. Killjoy. She was a diplomat of diplomats, was this lady:
she wasn't only getting into Annie's good books, but was leaving open the opportunity for him to have Fanny to himself. And this he took immediately by turning to her and saying, "Well, would you like to see around my farm, Miss McQueen?" He stressed her name. And she answered in the same vein, "Yes, Mr. Gibson, I'd be delighted to." And with exaggerated ceremony, he offered her his arm, and together, amid
laughter, they walked from the room.
Ward showed her, first, the cow byres which, at the moment, were empty and pointed out the cow-stands, each bearing the name of an individual cow: Dolly, Mary, Agnes, Jessie, Beatrice, Flora, and so on; and she laughed gaily, saying, "I can't believe it! Cows
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