Happen his lordship will be in a better frame o’ mind now.’
Martha hesitated but Granny stood firm. ‘Go on now an’ do as yer told. The further away from them hussies that have just arrived you are, the happier I’ll be. I doubt as they’ll even touch the meal anyway, they’re all too busy gamblin’ an whorin’ to worry about food.’ She shook her head in disgust as Martha bent to kiss Grace before scuttling away to her room. It had been a long day and in truth she was glad of a chance of an early night.
‘Goodnight, love,’ Bertie said as she passed him at the door to the hallway.
‘Goodnight.’ Martha hurried through the long hallway and once she had reached the first landing was just in time to see one of the Master’s guests disappearing off into a bedroom with one of the gaudily dressed women who had just arrived. She stifled a grin as she thought of what her granny’s reaction would have been. Up in the attic, she opened the small window and breathed in the muggy night air. The room was baking hot and she could see dark clouds building. It looked like they might be in for a thunderstorm, but Martha thought that would be no bad thing. At least it might clear the air and cool things down a little. It had been unbearably hot working in the kitchen today. They had all been hard at work since first light, and only now did she realise just how tired she was.
Shrugging out of her skirt, she then unfastened the row of tiny buttons down the front of her blouse and folded it neatly over the back of the small chair. She then hastily washed in the cold water in the bowl on the washstand and pulled her nightshirt on before releasing her hair from its long plait and falling into bed. She could faintly hear the sounds of laughter and shouting coming from the floor below, but she was so tired that in no time at all she was fast asleep.
The Master’s guests stayed for three days and as the last carriage pulled away, Granny heaved a sigh of relief. ‘Thank God that unholy lot ’ave gone,’ she muttered. ‘Though Lord knows ’ow much the Master must ’ave gambled away, an’ lookin’ at the state o’ the house, it’ll take us another three days at least to put it to rights. Why, they were worse than animals.’
‘Aw well, that’s what we’re paid for,’ Grace pointed out in her usual gentle way. ‘An’ at least now Bertie can start sortin’ through the stuff in the attics again to see if there’s anythin’ else he can salvage for our rooms.’
The Master had given the young people permission to help themselves to any old pieces of furniture they found in the attics, which Bertie was only too happy to do.
‘Yes, and we’ve got the fair at the Pingles Fields to look forward to on Saturday an’ all,’ Martha piped up with a grin, her lovely blue eyes sparkling.
Grace laughed. ‘Well, I just hope they haven’t still got that great bear chained up this time,’ she commented teasingly. ‘You didn’t stop crying all the way home after you saw him last year.’
Martha tossed her head indignantly. ‘So what if I did? It was cruel,’ she retorted.
‘That’s enough chit chat, me gels,’ Granny commented drily. ‘Off you go an’ get them mucky beds stripped. It’s a good dryin’ day today wi’ this bit o’ wind if you get a shufty on.’
‘I’ve already got the coppers heatin’ up,’ Grace replied as she followed Martha, and soon the sisters were busily stripping the soiled linen from the beds, the fair forgotten for now as they worked side by side to get the house back to rights.
The day of the fair dawned bright and sunny, and Martha worked with a will to do her chores so that she could get ready.
‘Eeh, yer look a rare treat,’ Granny Reid remarked when she entered the kitchen all ready to go out later that afternoon. Martha’s hair was free of its plait today and she had tied it back with the pretty red velvet ribbon. She was wearing her Sunday best dress, which Granny
Martha hesitated but Granny stood firm. ‘Go on now an’ do as yer told. The further away from them hussies that have just arrived you are, the happier I’ll be. I doubt as they’ll even touch the meal anyway, they’re all too busy gamblin’ an whorin’ to worry about food.’ She shook her head in disgust as Martha bent to kiss Grace before scuttling away to her room. It had been a long day and in truth she was glad of a chance of an early night.
‘Goodnight, love,’ Bertie said as she passed him at the door to the hallway.
‘Goodnight.’ Martha hurried through the long hallway and once she had reached the first landing was just in time to see one of the Master’s guests disappearing off into a bedroom with one of the gaudily dressed women who had just arrived. She stifled a grin as she thought of what her granny’s reaction would have been. Up in the attic, she opened the small window and breathed in the muggy night air. The room was baking hot and she could see dark clouds building. It looked like they might be in for a thunderstorm, but Martha thought that would be no bad thing. At least it might clear the air and cool things down a little. It had been unbearably hot working in the kitchen today. They had all been hard at work since first light, and only now did she realise just how tired she was.
Shrugging out of her skirt, she then unfastened the row of tiny buttons down the front of her blouse and folded it neatly over the back of the small chair. She then hastily washed in the cold water in the bowl on the washstand and pulled her nightshirt on before releasing her hair from its long plait and falling into bed. She could faintly hear the sounds of laughter and shouting coming from the floor below, but she was so tired that in no time at all she was fast asleep.
The Master’s guests stayed for three days and as the last carriage pulled away, Granny heaved a sigh of relief. ‘Thank God that unholy lot ’ave gone,’ she muttered. ‘Though Lord knows ’ow much the Master must ’ave gambled away, an’ lookin’ at the state o’ the house, it’ll take us another three days at least to put it to rights. Why, they were worse than animals.’
‘Aw well, that’s what we’re paid for,’ Grace pointed out in her usual gentle way. ‘An’ at least now Bertie can start sortin’ through the stuff in the attics again to see if there’s anythin’ else he can salvage for our rooms.’
The Master had given the young people permission to help themselves to any old pieces of furniture they found in the attics, which Bertie was only too happy to do.
‘Yes, and we’ve got the fair at the Pingles Fields to look forward to on Saturday an’ all,’ Martha piped up with a grin, her lovely blue eyes sparkling.
Grace laughed. ‘Well, I just hope they haven’t still got that great bear chained up this time,’ she commented teasingly. ‘You didn’t stop crying all the way home after you saw him last year.’
Martha tossed her head indignantly. ‘So what if I did? It was cruel,’ she retorted.
‘That’s enough chit chat, me gels,’ Granny commented drily. ‘Off you go an’ get them mucky beds stripped. It’s a good dryin’ day today wi’ this bit o’ wind if you get a shufty on.’
‘I’ve already got the coppers heatin’ up,’ Grace replied as she followed Martha, and soon the sisters were busily stripping the soiled linen from the beds, the fair forgotten for now as they worked side by side to get the house back to rights.
The day of the fair dawned bright and sunny, and Martha worked with a will to do her chores so that she could get ready.
‘Eeh, yer look a rare treat,’ Granny Reid remarked when she entered the kitchen all ready to go out later that afternoon. Martha’s hair was free of its plait today and she had tied it back with the pretty red velvet ribbon. She was wearing her Sunday best dress, which Granny
Similar Books
