Mary looked at the crumpled piece of paper that she had held tightly in her hand for the whole journey.
Directions to Tay View House from Broughty Ferry Station
Take the stairs from the platform
Left at the top
Walk 200 yards until you reach the Dundee Road……..
Once she reached the main thoroughfare leading to Dundee she was to turn left again, and follow this road for about a mile, before turning up the hill and left into Stathern Road
Broughty Ferry was a small seaside village on the outskirts of Dundee. In this eastern boundary of the city, around the Strathern Road, was to be found one of the richest square miles on the planet at this time. This was where many of the rich, jute barons, who owned the mills in Dundee, built their own palatial mansions, away from the grime and smell of industrial Dundee. It was here that Mr Muir, her new employer, had built his grand home, far removed from his ugly jute mill with its tall chimneys belching out dirty, black smoke and the filthy living quarters of his hundreds of workers.
As Mary headed along Strathern Road she passed with wonder the many stunning mansions, all protected behind large gates and high walls. It was like another world to Mary. She had never seen anything like them before, and even in the stories she had read, these were beyond anything she had ever imagined.
Mary at last came across the imposing gates of Tay View House. The double, ironwork gates towered above her and to the side was a single gate for pedestrians to pass through. Inside the gates she saw a large, sweeping, circular driveway leading up to the magnificent front entrance. At first sight Mary was stunned – would she really be living in this house?
The house itself had been built six years previously in 1865 for Mr Muir, the jute mill owner by the architects James MacLaren and George Shaw Aitken. It was an asymmetrical French chateau style house with extensive accommodation over two floors, along with a basement and plenty of attic space for the servant’s quarters. It had a slate roof with many pointed stacks. The inside boasted 14 bedrooms and five reception rooms with extensive manicured gardens and stables where the horses and carriages were kept. Each room had beautiful decorative cornices and fireplaces, and all the main rooms had large bay windows. The large wood-panelled reception hall, as you entered the main front door, had a beautifully tiled floor and there was an impressive central staircase which led from the hall to the upper floor. There were wonderful views from the house over Broughty Ferry and across the River Tay to Fife.
The extensive gardens ran all around the house, and to the front there was a large level lawn extending 20 yards until it reached a steeply sloping wooded bank that ran down the hill, until it met the road and the 3 pier gate.
Mary pulled herself together and carried on past the main gate as instructed, where about 200 yards further along, she found a narrow green door in the high wall that surrounded the boundary of the house. She pushed the door open and stepped into the grounds. Here, she followed a narrow path which led up the incline, through some trees around to the side of the huge house where eventually she came to a black door with a large, brass knocker.
She hesitated, suddenly feeling very small and alone. She was frightened of what might be on the other side of the door. She had never been in a house of this size before. What sort of people would be living on the other side?
Eventually, Mary lifted her arm, which felt like it was made of lead, grabbed the knocker and rapped twice. The door was opened immediately as if the person had been standing behind the door waiting for her to knock.
She was unceremoniously pulled inside by an older woman in a blue gingham dress and apron.
“Yer here at last. Come awa in noo. The mistress has been askin and askin where you’ve been” the woman said.
“But... but the train just arrived and I came straight here as quickly as I could” started Mary.
“No buts, missy, come along. Here ye are. Here’s a quick cuppa tea. I’ll get Bessie for you” and she was ushered into a small room off the hallway.
“B E S S I E!” the woman bellowed.
Mary could see some young men and women, dressed in the uniform of the house, in the kitchen at the end of the corridor. They were peering through the doorway at her and covering their mouths with their hands and laughing. She felt very self conscious – was it her old tattered dress and worn coat? She felt the tears welling again, which made them laugh even louder.
“Shuddup you lot” shouted a young, thin, fair-haired girl, dressed in a grey dress with a dazzling white apron and bonnet on. “Don’t mind them. You must be Mary, Miss Lucy’s new maid. I’m Bessie, lady’s maid to Mrs Muir. I’m going to show you the ropes and give you a hand for the first few days, until you get used to the routine”.
Mary was so grateful to see a smiling, friendly face and she gave a watery smile back as best she could.
“Look at the state of you though. There’s no time to be wasted. Let’s get you upstairs and ready.”
Mary was bustled up a wooden spiralling staircase - up and up until they came to the attic rooms in the eaves of the house.
Bessie showed Mary where to dump her bag, in a little room with 2 single beds squeezed in.
“You’ll be sharing this room with me” Bessie informed her.
All Mary wanted to do was to lie down on the bed and shut out everything. Things were moving too fast, there were too many new things to take in.
“Come Mary” Bessie said. “You need to get ready to meet the mistress and her daughter Lucy. I’ve been looking after both the mistress and Miss Lucy since Edie left so suddenly. But Miss Lucy is so keen that you start straight away. You were highly recommended you know. Miss Lucy likes her maid to be able to read to her fluently and she does love to discuss her novels, does our Miss Lucy. Goes right over the top of my head, so it does. She wouldn’t have any of the girls here to help. You’ll be expected to read aloud to her in the evenings. She has been getting quite frustrated at my attempts, so I am very glad that you are here Mary”.
Bessie showed Mary into another tiny room, two doors down from their bedroom. Mary was amazed; there was a toilet bowl and sink inside the house, as well as a bath tub.
“That will be hard work lugging the water up all these narrow stairs for a bath” thought Mary to herself.
“Right, I’ll leave you to get washed Mary, then I’ll check your hair for nits. Usually we are allowed one bath a week on our day off, however Mrs Smythe has said you are to be allowed a bath today to wash off the grime of your journey.”
“Thank you for being so kind Bessie, but I would just like to lie down for now if that is fine with you” Mary managed to stutter.
“Sorry Mary, but there is no time. The mistress is expecting you and it is best not to keep her waiting. You’ll find that out soon enough” Bessie replied ominously.
Mary sighed and resignedly asked Bessie “All right then, but where do I get the water from. I don’t know if I will have the strength to carry it up all these stairs”.
Bessie burst out laughing “Carry it up the stairs. What are you talking about? You are funny Mary. You just turn on them taps there” And she brushed past Mary, leaned over the bathtub, and turned the brass coloured knobs that were attached to the end of the bath. Mary was amazed, they had running water inside the house.
“Right, you’ve got five minutes to get washed, so you’d better get undressed and into the tub” Bessie ordered.
When Bessie had left the room and Mary looked in the mirror at herself, she saw what everyone had been laughing at – her face was all covered in puffs of black soot from the train journey, with tear tracks running down from her eyes to her chin. She sighed resignedly and shook her head in dismay.
Once the tub was full of hot, steaming water and Mary had stripped off her dirty clothes, she climbed into the small bathtub. She sighed again, but this time with pleasure as she sank into the warm water. This felt like bliss, and she closed her eyes and let her thoughts drift
away towards George and his proposal. She wondered if he had got her letter yet and what he was thinking. She knew he would wait the year. It wasn’t much longer than they had planned to wait anyway. Mary felt her body tingle all over as she thought of her handsome George, with his floppy brown hair. During the summer months, she had often seen him working in the field alongside his father, with his shirt stripped off. And she remembered vividly, the rippling muscles across his broad back, his lean, tanned arms and his strong capable body.
She felt her nipples harden and an ache began to build in her groin.
“Time’s up Mary. Get a move on. The mistress wants to see you in half an hour in the drawing room” shouted Bessie through the door.
Mary was reluctantly dragged back from her reverie and hurriedly grabbed the bar of soap and wash cloth that Bessie had left for her, and washed herself.
Back in the cramped bedroom, Bessie checked Mary’s hair for lice before helping her to dress in her new uniform. Like Bessie’s, it was a grey woollen dress with a white starched apron nipped in the centre so that it showed off her tiny waist. Bessie helped her tie up her long, unruly chestnut hair onto the top of her head, before pulling the white bonnet over it.
Mary’s thoughts drifted to George again. He had told her he loved her hair. Whenever they had been alone together he had asked her to unpin it and he would stare at her with such longing, that it took all of her strength not to show him how much she loved him. But Mary knew she had to wait for her wedding night to lose her virginity. She had seen what had happened to the other girls who didn’t wait. Usually they were left holding the baby with no wedding day to look forward to. That wouldn’t be happening to Mary Johnston, because she knew that George loved her and respected her, and they would wait until their wedding night.
“Come on then, Mary. Stop day-dreaming and let’s go down and meet the dragon.” Mary gasped in shock at Bessie’s description of the mistress.
“Don’t look so shocked Mary. As I’ve said already, you’ll find out soon enough that she breathes fire. Just always be attentive around the mistress and you’ll be all right though.”
They travelled back down the spiral staircase, however this time entering through a door into the magnificent reception hall. Mary gaped in awe until Bessie dug her elbow into her ribs. She hurried her over to an ornate, wood-paneled door and before Mary had time to start shaking, they knocked and entered the room.
“Ah Smith, come in and stand over here” boomed an elegantly dressed lady, sitting in an armchair near the window. Bessie in her role as personal maid to the most important female in the house, namely Mrs Muir, was called by her surname, whilst Mary would be called by her first name to show she was a maid to a lesser female in the house, namely the daughter, Lucy. “Lucy dear, here is your new maid, Mary”. Mrs Muir peered over the rim of her spectacles and pursed her lips as if baffled at the sight before her.
“Now Mary, I know you have a lot to learn about the workings of a fashionable house, but I trust that you will learn quickly and efficiently.” Mrs Muir trilled before adding “We do not like slatterns here.”
Mary was shocked by the insinuation, however she managed to mutter a “Yes Ma’am.”
“Speak up please” Mrs Muir boomed again.
“Yes Ma’am” she replied louder this time.
Lucy gushed “Oh Mary, we will have so much fun. I can’t wait until this evening – you shall read some Bronte to me. Oh Mama, you were so clever to find me such an adorable maid”.
Later, Bessie explained to Mary that the other housemaids did not get the job of ladies maid as they had expected. Lucy had wanted more of a companion, a maid who could discuss the literature with her when they read together. Mary had come highly recommended from her former school teacher. Bessie warned Mary that the housemaids however may be disgruntled with her to begin with, but they would soon get over it.
As they left the drawing room, the front door opened and two tall, slender gentlemen entered, one older with hair greying at the temples and one younger, with raven black hair like Lucy’s. Bessie curtsied immediately and tugged at Mary to do the same.
“Sir” Bessie said curtsying as she tugged on Mary’s arm to follow her “and Master Edward.”
As she copied Bessie’s curtsy, she could feel the younger man’s eyes boring into her. When she looked up, he was staring with an appreciative look and a slight grin on his face. She stood rooted to the spot until Bessie grabbed her arm and pulled her away through the door, towards the back staircase and down the stairs.
“That was the master of the house, Mr Muir and his son Edward” said Bessie. “That’s you met the whole family now”. The family of four lived in this huge house with a large array of servants to look after their every whim. The servants consisted of a housekeeper, Mrs Smythe; the head butler Giles; the cook, Mrs Bean; a valet for each of the gentlemen; the ladys’ maids; housemaids; as well as the groomsman and the carriage driver. Mr Muir was the owner of one of the largest jute mills in Dundee and the world.
~~~
Mary quickly settled into the routine of the house, and although she dearly missed home, she never had enough time to herself to reminisce about George. Every night she fell into bed exhausted and was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. Even although she had been used to getting up early in the mornings at home in Aberdeenshire, here she always had to be shaken awake by Bessie at 5am to get up and ready for the day.
After washing and dressing herself, then making her bed, Mary would hurry down to have some breakfast in the housekeeper’s room, before taking Miss Lucy her early morning cup of tea. She would then arrange Miss Lucy’s room and prepare her bath. While Miss Lucy was bathing, Mary would lay out all the items in readiness for dressing and remain in the room to help Miss Lucy dress.
Firstly Mary would heat the curling irons and dress Miss Lucy’s hair. Then she would help her into her first outfit of the day.
Miss Lucy would put on her drawers and chemise and then Mary would help her with her corset, petticoat and her corset cover. Once the bustle had been arranged, Miss Lucy would step into her underskirt and she would then be ready for the main outfit which was the one on show to the world. This usually consisted of a matching silk skirt and bodice.
Once dressed, Miss Lucy would descend for breakfast and Mary would again tidy the room and help the housemaid make the bed. Mary hated this part of day, for it did not matter how hard she tried to be friendly with Elsie, the housemaid, she was given the cold shoulder. As Bessie had explained to Mary on her first day, Elsie believed she should have been given the job of lady’s maid, having worked in the house for five years since she was twelve.
Mr Muir and Edward would leave the house around mid morning to head to the factory. Edward was being mentored by his father in the business of jute. There was a rumour in the house that he would be going to Calcutta soon, to set up a new jute factory there, for the family. Mary and Bessie rarely saw the gentlemen of the house.
During the day, guests would come and visit Mrs Muir and Lucy or else they would order the carriage and visit some of the other jute owner’s wives. Mary would be called upon, perhaps six times, during the day to help Miss Lucy change her attire and to redress her hair.
The Groomsman
On the days when Miss Lucy accompanied her mother to visit the wives and daughters of the other mill owners, Mary was allowed an hour to herself, to go out for a walk. Mary would hurry down the hill to Broughty Ferry, and walk along the esplanade to the harbour and the little castle that stood at the mouth of the Tay.
She would watch the sun bounce off the water of the vast river, and Mary could see across to the sands that fringed the edge of Tentsmuir Forest ,which lay on the other side of the river, in Fife.
Mary was also given every fourth Sunday afternoon off. On these mornings, she would help to dress Miss Lucy as usual. However, after the family had attended church, they would then travel to Forfar to visit Mrs Muir’s parents, no
t returning to Tay View House until 8pm. Mary would then help an exhausted Miss Lucy up to her room and get her ready for bed. On these evenings Miss Lucy was always too tired for Mary to read to her, and so Mary herself was able to retire on these evenings by nine thirty.
On her first such afternoon off, Mary didn’t feel too adventurous, and decided she would walk as usual down to the esplanade at Broughty Ferry and walk along to the castle. Bessie had told her that there were beautiful sand dunes further along the shore and as she had the afternoon to herself, Mary was keen to take a look at them. So she would continue her walk past the castle and along by the sand dunes.
She was in good spirits as she tied her bonnet on, tucking in all the stray bits of her chestnut hair, then she buttoned up her coat as it was a rather blustery day. When she got downstairs, the other maids were heading out together, but they all ignored Mary and headed off down the path. The cook, Mrs Bean, was just doing up her coat as she was going to visit her sister in Dundee.
“What are you going to do on your afternoon off, love” Mrs Bean asked kindly.
“Oh, I want to walk down past the castle and see the dunes” said Mary “ Bessie says they go for more than a mile”.
“Och you could probably follow them all the way up the coast to Aberdeen. Well, I hope you have a crackin day, Mary my lass. But make sure you’re home by seven, ready for the family to return” she warned.
“Yes Mrs Bean” said Mary and she headed out the door.
She hurried down the path towards the small green door in the wall. As she stepped through the doorway, a hand grabbed her, and Mary pulled away instinctively. “Mary doll, how are you? Where are you off too? Come with me on the steamer to Newport. It will be so much fun.”
Trapped In She Town : A Romantic Novella (The Jute Mills Series) Page 2