The Housekeeper's Daughter

by Rose Meddon

  Naomi gave a wry smile. ‘Faced with the determination of his brother, I shouldn’t think poor Lawrence would get a look-in.’

  ‘No, miss. It does sound unlikely.’

  ‘Actually, do you know what?’ Naomi said, unexpectedly spinning about to face her.

  Plumping the cushions on the easy chair, Kate shook her head. ‘No, miss?’

  ‘I do believe the time has come to take a leaf out of Aunt Diana’s book. She’s never given a hoot for other people’s opinions and so, neither shall I. Listening to her talking just now has made me realize that where Aubrey is concerned, I’ve had quite enough. I should like to get to know Lawrence. And I’m not going to let either Mamma or the dogged determination of his brother prevent me. This evening, I shall, of course, abide by Mamma’s request. But, tomorrow, I shall make a plan. Indeed, I shall enlist you to help me with it.’

  ‘Me, help you, miss?’

  ‘Yes, you strike me as a resourceful girl. So, tomorrow morning, you and I shall put our heads together and work out not only how best to give Aubrey the slip but also, how I might respectably go about spending some time with Lawrence.’

  ‘Very well, miss,’ Kate replied, flattered that Miss Naomi should think to call upon her for help. Plotting such a thing would certainly liven up her days. Not only that, but who knew when having Miss Naomi feel indebted to her might prove useful? One day, she, too, might need help. Besides which, it sounded like fun. ‘Between us, I’m sure we will come up with something,’ she said, determining not to let Miss Naomi down – nor let her see quite how much she was already looking forward to it.

  ‘Good. I knew you would understand. But now, I suppose I had better go down and act as though fascinated by Aubrey.’

  ‘Yes, miss,’ she said, holding open the door for her to depart and then closing it behind her.

  Contrary to her initial impressions of Miss Naomi Russell, and irrespective of their different stations in life, she realized that she had begun to warm to her; she admired her spirit and her determination, both traits she wouldn’t mind more of for herself. It was true that, as young women about to make their way in the world, their lives were as different as chalk and cheese, but since insistent men and over-bearing mothers were something they seemed to have in common, perhaps they would benefit from sticking together. Moreover, if Miss Naomi could set her sights on something and go after it, then why couldn’t she do the same? The truth of the matter was that she probably could. Unlike Miss Naomi, though, the biggest hurdle she faced was not only deciding whether or not she wanted to spend her life wed to Luke but, if she didn’t, what it was that she wanted instead.

  Chapter Three

  The Chaperone

  ‘So, what do you think? Is Aunt Diana’s idea a helpful one?’

  Lifting the breakfast tray from Miss Naomi’s lap, Kate withheld a sigh. Last night, she had lain awake for hours, her head filled with fledgling thoughts of how Miss Naomi might get to know Mr Lawrence, only to learn this morning that Aunt Diana had already come up with the perfect plan. Yes, as ideas went, it did sound like a helpful one. But it was also annoying, Aunt Diana’s ingenuity having denied her the chance to impress Miss Naomi with her own inventiveness. Moreover, it probably removed any chance of a role for her in the unfolding excitement.

  Setting the tray on the side table, she fought to conceal her frustration. ‘I suppose her plan could be made to work.’

  Heedless of Kate’s disappointment, Naomi swung her legs over the side of the bed and slipped her feet straight into the slippers waiting for her on the rug. ‘I mightn’t go so far as to call it a plan just yet – more the bones of an idea. At the moment, it rather lacks finesse. I mean, while Aunt Diana’s suggestion of going into the village on the pretext of buying a new hat is fine as far as it goes, clearly, it isn’t something I can do alone. Nor does it explain where Lawrence comes in.’

  No, Kate thought, but, when it came to finding a suitable chaperone, the full-of-ideas Aunt Diana, whose incredible scheme this was, would surely be the perfect choice. After all, she was Naomi’s aunt – Pamela Russell’s own sister. Who could possibly be more suitable? And, once that was agreed upon, Diana Lloyd’s “bones of an idea” would almost certainly go ahead, leaving no part for her in the adventure at all – curse the woman.

  ‘No, miss,’ she belatedly agreed.

  ‘But neither can I really go with Aunt Diana.’

  Holding out Miss Naomi’s bathrobe and waiting while she pushed her arms down through the sleeves, Kate frowned. ‘You can’t, miss?’ With luck, Miss Naomi would go on to explain why – not that it was likely to alter the outcome.

  ‘Not really. You see, whoever comes with me will be complicit in the thing. And, while it’s one thing for Aunt Diana to offer to buy me a hat, it’s quite another to ask her to deceive Mamma. And anyway, talk about putting the carriage before the horse, we don’t even know whether Lawrence would entertain being party to such a ruse.’ But he will, Kate thought. ‘After all,’ Naomi continued, tying the sash of her robe about her waist, ‘he’s terribly decent.’ He’s also a man, Kate thought but decided not to say. ‘Even the very thought of doing such a thing might horrify him.’

  To Kate’s mind, Miss Naomi couldn’t have it more upside-down. But her observation did trigger an idea. ‘Maybe he needn’t know that you even have a plan.’

  With a thoughtful look, Naomi sat back on the side of her bed. ‘He needn’t know? I don’t understand. If he doesn’t know, then doesn’t the whole thing fall apart before it even starts?’

  Handing Miss Naomi her toiletries bag, Kate began to smile, what had been little more than a fleeting thought was now beginning to feel more properly formed. ‘No,’ she said, ‘it doesn’t.’

  Naomi patted the space beside her on the eiderdown. ‘Come. Sit here. I’m intrigued. Explain to me what it is you have in mind.’

  Kate sat down. ‘Mr Lawrence needn’t know of the plan at all. All he needs is to be in Westward Quay at the same time as you.’

  From Naomi’s face, Kate still read only puzzlement.

  ‘But…’

  ‘In fact,’ she said, warming to her idea, ‘it might be for the best if he didn’t know.’

  ‘So that he might not feel uneasy about the deception, is that what you mean?’

  ‘That’s right, miss.’ More importantly, Kate realized, so that he could neither decline to go along with the idea in the first place, nor change his mind at the last minute, the latter possibility feeling downright cruel.

  ‘Hmm. So… precisely how, then, do you propose we go about this?’

  Having secured Miss Naomi’s interest, Kate sensed that she might now have the chance to make it sound as though the whole plan had been her idea all along. ‘Well, you’d set off with your chaperone to go to the milliner’s—’

  ‘Where I proceed to buy a hat.’

  To Kate, the purchase of a hat – or not – was neither here nor there; it was the rest of her plan that was of the greatest interest to her. But she knew to remain calm and present her scheme as dispassionately as possible: nonchalantly, as she’d heard Diana Lloyd saying of someone yesterday evening. At the thought of such an unlikely word applying to her, she laughed. ‘Well, you did say your aunt has offered to buy you one. So, why not let her?’

  ‘Why not indeed? One can never have too many hats, especially not during the Season.’

  Slowly, Kate nodded her agreement. ‘And it would back up the story of why you’d been to Westward Quay – if, later on, someone was to ask.’

  ‘Such as Mamma, did you mean?’

  Kate shrugged. While years of practising subterfuge had made her something of an expert, advising someone else on how to go about it was new to her. And it was beginning to make her feel uneasy. ‘I suppose so, yes.’

  ‘All right. Go on. Then what?’

  Naomi Russell’s growing enthusiasm for a plan that was nowhere near ready for scrutiny made Kate wish she’d kept quiet until she’d
properly thought it through. That she hadn’t done so was hardly surprising: how often, just lately, had she opened her mouth and spouted something half-baked, only to instantly regret it?

  ‘Well,’ she ventured, still struggling to picture the rest of her plan, ‘as I said, you go with your chaperone—’

  ‘Not Aunt Diana. As I said a moment ago, it can’t be her. Nor Mamma.’

  Heaven forbid. ‘No, neither of them,’ Kate said. Unexpectedly, she spotted the missing piece of the plan. ‘Miss Naomi, do you trust your brother?’

  To her question, Naomi Russell raised an eyebrow. ‘Of course I do – utterly. But he can’t be my chaperone—’

  Growing impatient, Kate laughed. ‘But he could be Mr Lawrence’s.’

  ‘Lawrence doesn’t need a chaperone!’

  ‘No, I know that. But you see, I’ve had a thought.’

  Naomi Russell nodded. ‘Go on.’

  ‘Confide your plan to your brother. Then, while you and your chaperone go to the milliner’s, Mr Edwin suggests to Mr Lawrence they make an outing to the village – perhaps to take a look about. Westward Quay is quite interesting, you know – there are some pretty sights around the harbour and what-not.’

  ‘Right…’

  ‘And then, since your brother knows where you’ll be—’

  ‘At the milliner’s.’

  ‘—it shouldn’t be too hard for him to accidentally bump into you.’

  ‘Kate, that’s it! Then, when, apparently quite by chance, we come across one another, I tell him that we were thinking of going to take afternoon tea.’

  ‘Yes. At Mrs Hunnicutt’s Harbourside Tea Rooms. They’re by far the nicest – not that I’ve ever been, of course. But Mrs Latimer always used to say they were most acceptable.’

  ‘Ned could say that he’s starving – because he always is – and then suggest they join us.’

  Surprised by the satisfaction she felt, Kate smiled warmly. ‘Yes. Yes, that’s it.’

  ‘Kate, you’re a genius.’

  ‘Thank you, miss.’

  ‘Very well,’ Naomi went on, her expression thoughtful, ‘I’ll ask Aunt Diana whether she might loan me her motor and her chauffeur for the afternoon. I’m sure she’ll agree.’

  ‘Good idea, miss.’ It was then that in Kate’s mind, the final piece of the plan slotted into place. She’d need to be careful, though: she couldn’t afford to appear too pushy. And so, to that end, she said, ‘But you still need to decide who to take as your chaperone. Without that, Mrs Lloyd’s car and driver will be neither here nor there.’

  For a moment, Naomi Russell looked puzzled. ‘I don’t understand.’

  ‘Without a chaperone, you can’t go anywhere—’

  ‘Oh, my dear Kate, I’ve already decided that. That was the easiest part of all.’

  Crestfallen: that was probably how her face would look if she could see it at that precise moment.

  ‘Oh. Well. Good,’ she said anyway. After all of that effort, it seemed she was still destined to miss out. ‘Then you’re all set.’

  ‘Kate, you ninny – it’s you. I’ve decided you shall be my chaperone.’

  Kate swallowed noisily. Dare she trust her own ears? ‘Me, miss?’

  ‘Of course, you. With whom else might I embark upon an undertaking of such daring?’

  ‘Umm…’ Goodness. Now that this was really going to happen, she felt petrified.

  ‘Please, Kate, do say you’ll do it. I promise you nothing will go awry – Ned and I will make certain of it. In any event, were there to be any sort of… repercussion, I should see to it that none of the blame fell upon you. You would merely be following my instructions – an entirely reasonable state of affairs. And anyway, as far as everyone else is concerned, we will simply be going to see about a new hat – one being given to me by Aunt Diana as a generous gift. And she never lets us down.’

  Despite feeling thrilled by this turn of events, there was one more thing of which she felt it best to make certain; having now claimed the idea as her own, what she couldn’t afford was for it to fail. ‘And Mr Edwin will go along with it – play his part?’

  ‘Of course he will. Ned and I would do anything for each other.’

  ‘Then, yes, miss. I shall gladly accompany you.’

  Still marvelling at the relative ease with which this had finally come about, Kate allowed herself the briefest of smiles. She was going on an outing – for once, she was going to be a part of something colourful and exciting!

  * * *

  Oh, if only she didn’t feel so fidgety!

  It was the day of the trip into Westward Quay, Kate having awoken with the sunrise to face the prospect of having the entire morning – with its myriad distractions and grievances – to get through first. And deceits, too – the worst of which arose at staff dinner when, across the table from her, Edith kept staring at her as though suspecting that something was afoot. Surely, she couldn’t know, could she? Surely, her trembling wasn’t so obvious that her sister had deduced she was up to something?

  Directing her attention down to the unwanted food on her plate, she took her fork and stabbed distractedly at a pea.

  ‘What?’ she asked, looking back up and catching her sister glancing in her direction yet again.

  ‘Nothing,’ came Edith’s reply. ‘I was merely wondering what could be making you look so uncommonly flushed.’

  ‘Not that it’s any business of yours,’ Kate responded, placing her hands in her lap to conceal just how much they were now shaking, ‘but I’ve got the bellyharm.’ More lies. And they were making her so nervous that if she wasn’t careful, she would give herself away! She had to do something. And then she was struck by an idea. ‘Ma,’ she said tentatively, looking along to the head of the table, ‘might I be excused. I need some air.’

  When her mother merely nodded her agreement, Kate gathered up her plate and cutlery, scraped back her chair and fled along the corridor, dumping her unfinished meal by the scullery sink. Golly, she felt sick! How she had got herself into such a state, she didn’t know. It was only an outing to Westward Quay, albeit one she had to keep secret for fear of both her and Miss Naomi being forbidden to go. Yes, she reminded herself: pull yourself together. This is important; Miss Naomi is relying on you.

  Taking a few steps away from the yard, she raised her hand to her eyes and surveyed the lawns. There was someone on the bench under the cedar tree; it looked to be Cicely Colborne, getting to her feet and opening her parasol as she did so. Nevertheless, to avoid any chance of being seen, she ducked back out of sight.

  ‘Seems you found the chance to get away, then.’

  Having considered herself to be alone, she felt her shoulders sag. Luke: someone else she was going to have to deceive. Slowly – and with the greatest of reluctance – she turned about and let him draw her into an embrace. Against her face, the unyielding canvas of his overalls smelled of earth and vegetables and sweat. ‘Hello,’ she said flatly.

  ‘Funny I should just be thinking about you.’

  It didn’t strike her as funny; by his own frequent admissions, not a moment went by when he wasn’t thinking about her.

  Despite not wanting to talk to him, she did her best to feign interest. ‘Oh?’

  ‘Aye, just this very minute.’

  ‘Oh.’

  ‘You had your dinner?’ he asked.

  ‘Wasn’t hungry.’

  ‘You? Not hungry? Ordinary times you’re starving.’

  ‘I’ve got the cramps.’

  To this, she felt his embrace loosen. ‘Ah.’

  ‘I’ve been excused for a moment to try and walk it off.’

  His arms loosened further still. ‘Ah.’

  ‘That being so, if you don’t mind, I should like to take a few more steps before I have to get back indoors.’

  ‘‘Course,’ he said, releasing her entirely. ‘Everything else all right, though?’

  Her impatience getting the better of her, she tapped her foot.
‘Perfect.’

  ‘You’ve not been put to helping out in the kitchen?’

  She frowned back at him. ‘In the kitchen? No? What would make you say so?’

  ‘On account of your hair smelling like you’ve been picklin’ cucumbers.’

  Her hair smelled of pickles? Oh, good grief.

  Withdrawing her eyes from his, she tried to think how best to explain it away. ‘Must have picked up the smell from walking through.’ To her unconvincing offering, she saw him raise an eyebrow.

  ‘Must have.’

  Mercifully, it would be difficult for him to prove otherwise.

  ‘Anyway,’ she said lightly, ‘I can’t dally. Happen I’ll see you later, though.’

  His exasperation was unmissable. ‘A man can but hope.’

  When he started back across the gravel, his stride long and loping, she stood watching him go. Poor soul. She did hate being mean to him. Truth was, at that precise moment, she simply didn’t have the wherewithal to fend off his advances; remaining calm and acting normally was taking all of her powers of concentration.

  Even an hour or so later, calmness was still in short supply, helping Miss Naomi – in her state of nervousness – serving only to heighten her own apprehension.

  ‘Do you not think it too dreary?’ Naomi asked of her chosen frock: a simply-cut, linen batiste affair with a lilac stripe on an ivory background.

  ‘It’s very flattering, miss,’ Kate observed of the summery, but admittedly rather ordinary gown. ‘After all, you’re not supposed to be dressing for tea, are you? You’re supposed to be going to choose a new hat. Going for afternoon tea is an afterthought, if you will.’

  Naomi Russell let out a long sigh. ‘You’re right, of course. But, if I only dress for the milliner’s, might I not be doing myself a disservice?’

  With a smile, Kate shook her head. ‘Mr Lawrence already sees you several times a day, miss, including when you’re all done-up in your finest for dinner.’

  ‘I suppose…’

  ‘And anyway, isn’t this afternoon supposed to be just the start?’

  Drawing her eyes away from the looking-glass, Naomi Russell turned slowly about. ‘The start? I’m afraid I don’t follow.’