The Little Angel

by Rosie Goodwin

  ‘I do, as it happens,’ she answered as she served herself with second helpings, making Miss Fox sniff with disapproval. ‘Why do you ask?’

  ‘Well …’ Kitty chose her words carefully. ‘I just happened to bump into an old friend of mine earlier today when I was out walking. She’s recently moved to London and is looking for a job – and I think she’d be perfect for me.’

  ‘Has she had experience of being a lady’s maid?’

  ‘Not exactly,’ Kitty answered cautiously. ‘But we get on famously and she’s a very quick learner. I think I would feel more comfortable with someone I know rather than a stranger.’

  ‘Hmm … I dare say that’s a point,’ Ruby conceded. After Kitty’s success the night before, pound signs were flashing in front of her eyes, and she was keen to keep the girl happy.

  ‘Would this friend of yours want to live in? It would be preferable.’

  ‘I think she’d agree to that – if there’s a spare room for her, that is,’ Kitty answered, trying to conceal her delight. This was turning out to be a lot easier than she had anticipated.

  ‘There is one empty room as it happens, up in the servants’ quarters, so why don’t you bring her along to meet me?’ Ruby suggested. ‘We can discuss her wages and time off, et cetera, then.’

  Kitty beamed. ‘When would be best for you?’

  ‘Not tomorrow because we’re going shopping with Max to get you another new outfit,’ Ruby reminded her. ‘But I could see her the day after. Not too early though. Shall we say at three o’clock in the afternoon?’ Then suddenly remembering something, she reached into the pocket of her gown and pushed a one-pound note across the table to Kitty. ‘Your fee for last night,’ she told her.

  Kitty was silent with amazement, although Miss Fox grimaced. ‘Is that all she earned? One pound?’

  Ruby pouted. ‘Now, Foxy, don’t get interfering in that side of things. Max, as her agent, has to take his share – and then there are expenses, not to mention the money we need to spend on clothes for her until she has a decent selection of stage outfits in her wardrobe. They don’t come cheap, as you well know.’

  Miss Fox did know, but she also knew that Kitty would have earned at least ten times that amount the evening before.

  ‘I’m more than happy with this,’ Kitty said, hoping to prevent an argument between the two women. She had taken the five shillings for Arthur’s mother from the money that Sunday had given her when she left Treetops, but now she would be able to put it back. Sunday had asked her to keep that as an emergency fund and that was exactly what she intended to do.

  Sometimes she wondered again at the relationship between Miss Fox and her mother. Miss Fox didn’t talk to Ruby as one would expect a maid to speak to her mistress, but then as Cook had told her one day when she had commented on it, the woman had been with Ruby for years.

  Scraping her chair back from the table, she yawned then excused herself and went up to her room. It had been a very long day, one way or another, after a very long night and all she wanted to do now was sleep.

  Over in Arthur’s house in Pimlico, Maggie was preparing to sleep in a room very different to Kitty’s. Arthur’s mother, Clemency, had welcomed Maggie when her son explained the situation, even before he had given her the money for Maggie’s keep. Mrs Patridge might not have much herself but she was always willing to help those worse off, and from the moment she set eyes on Maggie she sensed that here was a very troubled young woman.

  ‘You’ll ’ave to share a bed wiv my girls, an’ I’ve no doubt it won’t be as posh as what yer used to, but yer welcome, luvvie,’ she told her, and Maggie was grateful for her kindness. She had shared the family’s meal with them – a thin stew of some sort with lumps of meat which were rather gristly – and then she had shared their fireside as they all chatted about what they’d done that day. The house was a tiny terraced two-up two-down in a grimy little courtyard that was bulging at the seams with bodies, and yet within minutes of being there Maggie felt herself beginning to relax. There was no standing on ceremony here, no strict regimes to follow as there had been at The Gables. Thank God she had bumped into Kitty when she had, or goodness knows what might have happened to her. She’d been at the end of her tether. Arthur’s brothers and sisters ranged in age from a toddler to some older children but the banter between them was pleasant to behold.

  After the meal, Maggie helped Mrs Partridge clear the table and wash up in the deep stone sink.

  ‘I know this ain’t what yer used to,’ the woman apologised, for she sensed that Maggie had come from good stock and was upper class. ‘And it ain’t as clean as it could be neither, but it’s hard with so many of us in the ’ouse to keep on top of it all. I take in washin’ an’ ironin’ to ’elp make ends meet, so there never seems to be enough hours in the day. My Bert works as a wherryman – when he ain’t in the pub, that is!’ She snorted with laughter. ‘But he ain’t got a bad ’eart, not really.’

  Maggie was amazed that anyone who clearly had so little could be so cheery, and yet the woman was obviously happy with her lot, and the love she felt for her family shone out for all to see. Clemency was a tiny little thing, as thin as a rake, in fact, with greying hair, but her blue eyes brimmed with laughter and Maggie guessed that she must have been a beauty in her time. Sadly, hard work and the births of numerous children had made her old before her time.

  Maggie did what she could to help and eventually Mrs Partridge told one of the younger girls, ‘Nellie, take Miss Maggie up to your room. She’ll be sleepin’ in wiv you lot tonight, so don’t get chatterin’ and gigglin’ an’ keepin’ her awake ’alf the night now, do yer hear me?’

  ‘Yes, Mum.’ Nellie led Maggie upstairs, and when she showed her where they were to sleep Maggie’s eyes widened with shock. There were two iron-framed double beds side by side, with hardly an inch between them.

  ‘You can sleep in whichever yer choose,’ Nellie told her generously. ‘An’ if yer get in now, yer can sleep on the edge before the others all come up. It’s worse if yer squashed in the middle, though it ain’t so bad in the winter ’cos the middle bit is the warmest then, see?’

  Maggie gulped then managed a smile as Nellie skipped out of the room. She had no nightclothes so she quickly removed her dress, deciding that she would just have to sleep in her petticoat. She then looked around for somewhere to put it but every inch of space was taken up with the beds so eventually she just laid the dress on the floor, then she hastily used the chamber pot and got into bed. Tears leaked out of her eyes and slid down her cheeks as she thought of her predicament. But at least there would be no chance of the Daweses finding her here. Even so, she was sure that she would never be able to sleep. The flock mattress was lumpy, the springs dug in, and the blankets were scratchy, but surprisingly swiftly, exhaustion claimed her and her eyes closed.

  ‘Sorry to disturb you so early, miss, but these were just delivered an’ the lad who brought ’em is at the door askin’ if there’s a reply.’

  Kitty blinked awake and was shocked to see Mabel standing there clutching a beautiful bouquet of pink tulips, wrapped in a pink satin bow. A little card was tucked in amongst the blooms and after plucking it out Kitty quickly read it.

  Dearest Kitty, could you bring yourself to dine with me this evening? If the answer is yes I’ll pick you up at seven, Yours, Richard xxx

  Kitty was suddenly wide awake. ‘Tell the boy to wait while I just scribble a quick reply, would you, Mabel? Oh, and do you think you could put those in water for me, please?’

  Mabel chuckled as she went to do as she was asked. No wonder Miss Kitty was in such a good mood. So would she be an’ all if she were to be woken with a bunch of flowers such as these. She wondered who they might be from as she went to find a vase big enough to accommodate them all.

  Kitty’s mood improved further when Max arrived while she and Miss Fox were breakfasting to tell her triumphantly, ‘I have you a booking for next week at the Gaiety Theatre in Westminster
.’

  ‘Really?’ Kitty leaped out of her chair and did a little twirl. After the success of her first performance she could hardly wait. Miss Fox merely looked on, saying nothing, and sensing her disapproval, Max left soon afterwards, promising to return that afternoon to take Kitty and Ruby shopping.

  ‘You know, you mustn’t get carried away by all this,’ Miss Fox said stiffly when Max had gone.

  ‘What do you mean?’ Kitty dared to ask.

  ‘The adulation soon passes,’ the older woman warned like a prophet of doom. ‘And then you could find yourself alone, like your mother. She should have married a decent man while she was younger and had the opportunity, but she was too busy having her head turned.’

  ‘But singing is so enjoyable!’

  ‘It may well be, but there’s more to it than that. It’s the whole way of life. The late nights, the sound of the applause, the men who queue up to pay court to you – most of them married, by the way – it can become addictive.’

  Kitty thought for a moment before asking tentatively, ‘Did you know my father well?’ All she had been told about him so far was that he had been a well-known politician and married into the bargain, but she was curious to know more.

  As always when the girl asked any questions about her father, Miss Fox closed up like a clam. ‘The least said about that the better,’ she muttered and without another word on the subject she left the room.

  Kitty felt a little annoyed. She had only been trying to find out a little more about her father, after all. She didn’t even know his name – and if it was left up to Miss Fox, no doubt she never would! Still, she had all the time in the world to discover who he was, she consoled herself, and humming merrily she tripped away to find Arthur and ask how Maggie was before getting ready for the next shopping expedition.

  She found him in the shed cleaning his tools.

  ‘Your mate is right as rain,’ he told her, before Kitty could even ask. ‘When I left this morning, Mum was just doing her a bit of breakfast. She’s been very quiet though. Mum reckons there’s something on her mind that’s troubling her.’

  ‘I think your mother is right, but I’m hoping there will be a position here for her. My aunt has promised to meet her tomorrow afternoon, after which Maggie may be set on as my lady’s maid. Will your mother mind her staying another night?’

  He shook his head. ‘Not at all.’ He glanced up to see the housekeeper watching him from the landing window then and told her, ‘I’d best get on, miss.’

  ‘Yes, of course. Goodbye for now, Arthur, and thank you.’ At least she could enjoy the rest of the day knowing that Maggie was being taken care of. But she couldn’t stop herself from wondering what it was that had made her friend run away from home. It must have been something very bad indeed, she decided.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Once again that afternoon, Kitty found herself being dragged from one large emporium to another in search of a suitable gown for her next performance. Ruby was just declaring that it might be best to use the services of a dressmaker who was used to designing for the stage, when they found it. The dress was a beautiful sea-green shot silk, which clung to show off her slender figure, but again, it was very simple. Kitty fell in love with it on sight and when she tried it on, it fitted as if it had been made for her.

  ‘Perfect!’ Ruby declared. ‘And the gloves and the satin slippers you already have will complement it.’ Turning to the assistant who was hovering nearby she told her imperiously, ‘We’ll take it. See that it’s wrapped for us, please.’

  The girl was only too delighted to do as requested. The gown was very expensive and the shop-floor manager would be pleased with the sale. Ruby then treated herself to a gown in a striking royal blue, but this one had so many frills and flounces on it that Kitty barely knew what to look at first when Ruby tried it on. But then as she was discovering, Ruby was very flamboyant and loved to stand out.

  By then Kitty was impatient to get home. She wanted to get ready for her evening out with Richard to ensure that she looked her best, and she could hardly wait to see him. Just the thought of his handsome face was enough to make her heart flutter. Luckily, Max had an appointment with a client, and he drove them home soon afterwards. Ruby looked none too pleased at having the trip curtailed. Kitty was sure she would have shopped all day every day if she could.

  The moment they arrived back at Brunswick Villa, Kitty shot off to her room. Mabel ran a bath for her and after slipping into the sweet-scented water Kitty scrubbed herself from head to toe and washed her hair. When she was done, she went to sit by the open window to let her hair dry in the breeze as she looked out across the streets of Chelsea. She still missed the wide-open spaces that surrounded Treetops. There was nothing to be heard there but the sounds of birds and the wind in the trees, whereas here there was a constant hurly-burly. But even so she was beginning to enjoy her new life and felt more than a tiny bit peeved that none of her former family had taken the trouble to write to her. Perhaps it’s a case of out of sight out of mind, she mused and tossed her head defiantly. She certainly didn’t intend to write to them again until they wrote back to her.

  ‘So what would you like me to lay out for you to wear, miss?’

  Mabel’s voice brought her thoughts firmly back to the present and she started. ‘Oh, I err … I’m not sure. What do you think, Mabel? Mr Fitzherbert is taking me out for a meal so nothing too fussy, I think.’

  ‘What about this one?’ Mabel held up one of the new gowns Ruby had bought for her in a soft blue colour. ‘This one would look lovely with the new coat you bought the other day, and it’s smart rather than dressy.’

  Kitty nodded in agreement. The dress was pretty but not overly fussy so Mabel carefully laid it out on the bed without a word although Kitty sensed that there was something she wanted to say. When she caught her eye, Mabel flushed and Kitty asked, ‘Is there anything bothering you, Mabel?’

  ‘Well, it’s just … be careful, miss. Mr Fitzherbert has a reputation with the ladies, and I wouldn’t like to see you get hurt. I mean, you’re only seventeen, miss, and well, he’s all of thirty. Oh dear. I hope I haven’t spoken out of turn, miss.’ Mabel looked mortified.

  Kitty sniffed. As far she was concerned it was nothing to do with Mabel who she chose to go out with, and yet deep down she knew that the girl was only trying to look out for her so she forced a smile.

  ‘I’m only going out for a meal with him,’ she said quietly. ‘It’s not as if I’m going to marry him.’

  ‘Huh! From what I’ve heard of him, no one will ever get him to put a ring on their finger. Mr Fitzherbert is the love ’em an’ leave ’em type o’ chap,’ Mabel snorted, then remembering who she was talking to again she blushed an even deeper shade of red and said quickly, ‘Looks like your hair is dry now, miss. Shall I dress it for you?’

  The atmosphere was somewhat strained between them as Mabel helped her to get ready and Kitty found herself thinking what a good idea it might be to have Maggie as her maid, after all. She was sure that Maggie wouldn’t go poking her nose in where it wasn’t wanted, but it would all depend on the outcome of her interview with Ruby the following day. She could only cross her fingers that all would go well.

  As soon as Kitty was ready she made her way downstairs where she found Miss Fox waiting for her in the hall ready to put in her two penn’orth.

  ‘Now don’t get staying out too late.’

  Kitty eyed her coldly. Here was yet another servant trying to tell her what she could or couldn’t do.

  ‘Please don’t concern yourself, Miss Fox. We’re only going for a meal, not planning to elope.’ She couldn’t keep the sarcasm from her voice but Miss Fox appeared unfazed.

  ‘That’s as may be, but Richard Fitzherbert eats little girls like you for dinner and spits them out afterwards – so just be mindful of that.’

  Ruby swept out of the drawing room then. She too was going out for dinner with her gentleman admirer that evening and wa
s surrounded by a cloud of expensive perfume. Sensing immediately what was going on, she wagged her finger at Miss Fox.

  ‘I hope you’re not giving our girl a hard time, Foxy,’ she scolded. ‘She is entitled to enjoy herself, you know. Kitty is a very beautiful young woman and she’s bound to attract admirers.’

  ‘I know that well enough.’ Miss Fox glared right back at her. ‘And you shouldn’t scowl. It gives you wrinkles.’

  Ruby instantly composed herself and gave a charming smile as a knock sounded on the front door.

  ‘Ah, that will be dear Hector. He’s always so punctual.’ Then glancing at Kitty, she giggled. ‘Do have a good evening, my dear, but don’t do anything that I wouldn’t do.’

  ‘Well, that gives her plenty of scope,’ Miss Fox muttered.

  Ruby glided towards the door just as the maid answered it – and sure enough, Hector Smethwick was standing there clutching an enormous box of expensive chocolates.

  ‘Oh, Hector, you really shouldn’t have,’ Ruby simpered as she took them off him and handed them to the maid. ‘A girl must watch her figure, you know.’

  ‘Your figure is perfect, my dear.’ He smiled at her adoringly and proffered his arm, and as the door closed behind them, Miss Fox rolled her eyes towards the heavens.

  ‘She never learns,’ she sighed, but Kitty had no time to answer before another knock sounded. Once again the little maid tripped away to answer it, and this time Kitty’s heart skipped a beat as she saw Richard Fitzherbert on the step, looking so handsome that he almost took her breath away.

  ‘I don’t want her late back – do you hear me?’ Miss Fox said rudely and Kitty wished the ground would just open up and swallow her. Richard, however, took it in his stride as he doffed his hat in her direction.

  ‘I wouldn’t dream of keeping her out too late,’ he said smoothly, and then he and Kitty left too, and Miss Fox watched them go with her hands on her hips, looking none too pleased.