by Dilly Court
Miss Bradbury tossed her head. ‘I don’t know what things are coming to when juniors speak to senior staff in such a way.’ She picked up a tea tray and left the kitchen heading in the direction of the back stairs.
‘She is a stuck-up cow,’ Mrs Hawthorne said in a low voice. ‘But don’t get on the wrong side of Bradbury. She’ll whisper in her ladyship’s ear and cause trouble for anyone who upsets her. We’ve learned to avoid trouble, Stella. So take my tip and hold your tongue when she goes for you, which she will.’
Annie slumped down in a chair at the table. ‘Well, I’ll be out of it come September when I marry Jacob.’ She winked at Stella. ‘That’s right. He popped the question last night and I said yes. We’re moving into the cottage near the forge on our wedding day.’
‘I’m so happy for you,’ Stella said, smiling. ‘Jacob is a good man.’
‘I can’t wait to be Mrs Jacob Smith.’ Annie cocked her head on one side. ‘What about you, girl? Have you got a gentleman friend?’
Stella felt the colour rise to her cheeks but she shook her head. ‘Not I.’
Annie let out a whoop of laughter. ‘I don’t believe you.’
‘Stop teasing her, Annie, and make us a pot of tea.’ Mrs Hawthorne opened the oven and placed the cake inside, closing the door carefully. ‘I’m parched.’
‘I need some to take up to my mistress, and I think a dose of laudanum would help her to sleep.’ Stella uttered the words with great reluctance, but she could not bear to see her mother suffer. Surely it would be better to lower the dosage gradually than to deny her the comfort of a soothing sleep? She did not know, but the sight of her mother’s pinched and drawn face would haunt her dreams. The mother she remembered had been young and beautiful. Her eyes had been dark and lustrous and her black hair had shone like coal. Now there were threads of silver at Jacinta’s temples and dark shadows underlined her eyes. It hurt Stella to look at her.
‘I’ll make a pot of her ladyship’s favourite tea. That’s guaranteed to make the lady feel better,’ Annie said, leaping to her feet and rushing into the larder. She came out holding a locked caddy. ‘May I have the key, please, Cook?’
Mrs Hawthorne frowned. ‘I’m not sure her ladyship would approve.’
‘I’m sure that ordinary tea would be just as welcome, and perhaps a few drops of laudanum in some water?’ Stella could see that Mrs Hawthorne was fast losing patience. ‘Let me do it, Annie. I can’t expect you to wait on me.’
‘Sit down and take the weight off your feet,’ Annie said sternly. ‘You’re a guest in this house no matter what snooty Miss Bradbury thinks. I’ll see to the tea and you can cut some nice thin slices of bread and butter to go with it. That’s all right, isn’t it, Cook?’
Mrs Hawthorne made a huffing sound and nodded her head. ‘You’ll have to ask the mistress for laudanum, Stella. I don’t keep any in the kitchen. Or maybe Mrs Dunkley will oblige. It’s not like the old days when Mrs Fitzroy was the housekeeper. We didn’t have to account for every penny spent and every ounce of flour used in those days. You’d think Mrs Dunkley paid the tradesmen out of her own pocket the way that woman carries on.’
Stella took the tea to her mother and found her lying in bed staring at the ceiling. ‘I need my medicine, Stella. Have you brought it for me?’
‘No, Ma. Not yet. I have to ask the housekeeper or her ladyship, but I will, I promise.’ Stella placed the tray on a side table before helping Jacinta to a sitting position and plumping up the pillow behind her. She placed a cup in her hands. ‘Sip this and you’ll feel better. When did you last eat?’
‘Eat?’ Jacinta said vaguely. ‘I – I can’t remember. Gervase gave me wine and that helped ease the pain.’
‘Gervase Rivenhall was killing you slowly with laudanum, Ma. He’s a bad man, and I believe that he and Ronald Clifford were involved in a shady business.’
Jacinta sipped and swallowed. ‘Ronald used to visit Heron Park every week with Silas. I wish I’d never gone to him for help in the first place.’
Stella took the cup and gave her mother the plate of thinly sliced bread and butter. Jacinta nibbled a piece of bread, frowning thoughtfully. ‘I think that Ronald was one of the men who were present when the accident happened. He wanted money to keep quiet or he threatened to go to the police and tell them all he knew. Gervase was very angry.’ She fell back against the pillows, abandoning her attempts to eat. ‘My head hurts, Stella love. For pity’s sake give me something to take away the pain.’
Stella took the plate and replaced it on the tray. ‘I’ll go and find Mrs Dunkley, Ma. But you must not breathe a word of this to anyone. I’m certain that Gervase had Ronald killed. He’s a dangerous man and you know too much. He mustn’t find out that you’re here.’ She broke off, realising that her mother was not listening. She left the room and went in search of Mrs Dunkley and a bottle of laudanum.
Stella did not get a chance to speak to Rosa until very late that evening when she was summoned to her room to help prepare her for bed. Miss Bradbury passed her on the stairs. ‘Are you sure you’re a trained lady’s maid, Barry? You look more like a kitchen maid to me.’
‘If my employers are satisfied with my performance I don’t see it’s any of your business, Miss Bradbury.’
‘Don’t make an enemy of me, Barry.’ Miss Bradbury barred her way. ‘I am a good friend but a dangerous foe.’
‘I don’t think we’ll be here long enough for me to make an enemy of anyone. Now let me pass. My mistress does not like to be kept waiting and I suspect that Lady Langhorne is the same.’
‘Don’t presume to tell me my job, you little upstart. I can make your life very difficult if I so choose.’
Stella pushed past her. ‘I’m not afraid of you, Miss Bradbury, so leave me alone.’
‘You’ll regret this, Barry. I’ll be keeping a strict eye on you while you’re in this house.’
‘Wretched woman,’ Stella said as she burst into Rosa’s room. ‘Who does she think she is?’
Rosa had been sitting at a dressing table brushing her long golden hair but she swivelled round on the stool to stare at Stella in surprise. ‘Who on earth are you talking about? It’s not like you to be so cross.’
‘I’m sorry. It’s that Bradbury woman; Lady Langhorne’s new maid. She wasn’t here when I worked for the family but she’s taken a real dislike to me.’
‘Don’t take any notice of her, Stella. If she tries to make trouble for you I’ll soon put a stop to that. I’ll tell Lady Langhorne what she’s doing and she’ll put her in her place.’
Stella moved to her side and took the brush from her hand. ‘I suppose this is what I should be doing,’ she said, smiling. ‘Brushing your hair and helping you get dressed, as if you couldn’t do it for yourself.’
‘I used to have a maid when I lived at home.’ Rose sighed and her blue eyes clouded. ‘That seems such a long time ago now. I don’t think we’ll ever get the better of Uncle Gervase.’
‘Kit will find a way. He’s got Perry to help him.’
‘And Spike,’ Rosa added with a mischievous grin. ‘He did look funny wearing a skirt, but you looked quite dashing in breeches, Stella. I think we women ought to be allowed to enjoy the freedom of comfortable clothes on some occasions. If men had to wear stays and bustles they might be more sympathetic.’
‘I doubt it, but it did feel good to stride about free from petticoats. However, I’ve got to pretend that I’m your maid so you’d better tell me what my duties are.’
‘I’m not a baby who needs dressing every day. The most important thing at the moment is to look after your mother. I feel somewhat responsible for her plight.’
‘It had nothing to do with you, Rosa.’
‘Not directly, but it was my family who caused her to end up in this state. First it was Uncle Silas and then Uncle Gervase. I’m ashamed to be related to them.’
‘You uncle made her dependent on laudanum, Rosa. It’s going to be difficult weaning her off the wr
etched stuff, but I have a plan. As soon as she’s well enough I want to take her to the Hendys’ farm to see Belinda.’
‘I’m sure I can persuade Tommy to drive us there.’ She turned her head to look at Stella. ‘I really like him. Do you think he likes me?’
‘Of course he does. He would be a complete fool if he didn’t see you for what you are, but Tommy is not a reliable person, Rosa. He’s never serious about anything.’
‘He’s fun and he makes me laugh.’ Rosa studied her reflection with a critical eye. ‘No wonder I looked haggard.’ She sighed. ‘Life hasn’t been easy since we were turned out of our old home. I love it here and I feel happy for the first time in ages. Is that so wrong?’
‘Of course not,’ Stella said gently. ‘But all I was going to say was . . .’ Her words were drowned out by the sound of someone hammering on the door.
‘Miss Rivenhall, open the door, please.’ Mrs Dunkley’s voice rose to a screech. ‘Such goings-on in the kitchen.’
Stella rushed to the door and opened it. ‘What’s the matter?’
‘Miss Rivenhall’s aunt is creating havoc. Come quickly.’
Chapter Seventeen
STELLA AND ROSA arrived in the kitchen to find Jacinta tearing things off the shelf in the larder. Mrs Hawthorne had slumped in her chair by the fire in a swoon and Annie was fanning her with a duster, while Ida had hysterics in the corner of the room. Stella ran to the cupboard and had to physically restrain her mother. ‘Stop it, Ma,’ she whispered. ‘Stop this at once.’
‘There must be some in here,’ Jacinta moaned. ‘I need my medicine, Stella. Get it for me.’
‘What is it she wants?’ Rosa asked in a low voice. ‘Is it laudanum?’
Stella nodded, using all her strength to pin her mother’s arms to her side. ‘She’s desperate. I think perhaps she ought to have a little just to keep her quiet.’
‘This is all Uncle Gervase’s fault.’ Rosa stepped back into the kitchen, holding up her hands. ‘It’s all right. Everything is under control. My poor aunt was sleepwalking and having night terrors.’
‘I never seen nothing like it,’ Annie said, waving the duster energetically in front of Cook’s face.
Mrs Hawthorne sat up with a start. ‘You nearly had me eye out, girl. Give me that rag and stop fussing.’
Rosa stepped over the broken shards of a jam pot. ‘I am so sorry for the mess, Cook. My aunt doesn’t know what she’s doing.’
‘I had a cousin who had night terrors.’ Mrs Hawthorne rose to her feet. ‘Poor Flossie walked into the duck pond.’
‘Poor thing,’ Annie said sympathetically. ‘Did she catch cold?’
‘She drowned.’ Mrs Hawthorne shook her head. ‘They fished her out next morning with waterweed in her hair. She’d never looked so clean.’
Stella helped her mother to a chair. ‘Is there any laudanum, Mrs Dunkley? I asked earlier but no one seemed to know.’
‘I keep some in my medicine chest.’ Mrs Dunkley took a chatelaine from her waist and selected a key. ‘Wait here and I’ll fetch it. Then perhaps we can all get to bed. This is very irregular, miss.’
‘I know,’ Rosa said humbly. ‘I’m very sorry that you’ve all been so disturbed, and for the mess.’
‘That’s all right, miss.’ Mrs Hawthorne marched across the room and slapped Ida’s face, which had an immediate effect, and with a great hiccuping sigh she stopped crying. ‘Get a dustpan and brush and clear everything up before you go to your bed. I want my kitchen spick and span when I come down in the morning.’ She walked off towards the servants’ staircase. ‘I’m going to my bed. I’m getting too old for this sort of carry-on.’
Minutes later Mrs Dunkley reappeared, bringing with her the bottle of laudanum. She measured a few drops into a glass of water and handed it to Rosa. ‘You’d best get your aunt back to bed before she takes this, but it should have the desired effect quite quickly.’
‘Thank you, ma’am.’ Rosa gave her a tremulous smile. ‘I hope this will remain within the kitchen walls. I wouldn’t like to distress her ladyship with my family problems since we’re guests in this house.’
‘I wouldn’t count on that.’ Miss Bradbury had entered the kitchen unnoticed and she stood in the doorway, taking in the scene with a sneer on her thin lips. ‘I think my mistress ought to be told about the behaviour of the persons to whom she has offered hospitality.’
‘I don’t think it’s your place, Bradbury,’ Rosa said coldly. ‘I will explain things to her ladyship in the morning, and I’ll be very displeased if I find that she has heard it from you first.’ She gave the glass to Stella. ‘Perhaps a little now and the rest when my aunt is safe in bed.’
They managed to get Jacinta up the stairs to her room, and having taken the whole dose she grew calmer and lay back in bed closing her eyes.
‘This can’t happen again,’ Rosa said softly. ‘We must do something or she’ll ruin everything, Stella.’
Jacinta remained unwell for the best part of a month. Stella nursed her devotedly, cutting down daily on the amount of laudanum that she took. She sat by her mother’s bedside for hours at a time, having a one-sided conversation with her, or reading aloud from books borrowed from the Langhornes’ library.
Rosa and Tommy had become inseparable, which apparently delighted Lady Langhorne but made Stella feel anxious. Much as she liked Tommy she was only too well aware of his faults and she worried for Rosa’s future happiness, but she was quick to realise that there was nothing she could do or say that would make any difference. Tommy showed all the signs of a man deeply in love and Rosa was equally smitten.
There had been no news from London, and although Rosa was confident that Kit had matters in hand, Stella was not so sure. She studied the daily newspapers after they had been discarded by Sir Percy. She uttered sighs of relief when she scoured their pages for articles concerning the Rivenhall family and Heron Park and found nothing. Even so, she could not understand why Kit had not returned or at least sent word of his progress or otherwise.
The spring weather had warmed and brightened into a typically hot June and at last Jacinta was well enough for Stella to suggest that a drive in the country might be beneficial to her health. She had been longing to tell her mother that Belinda was living just a few miles away, but she had resisted the temptation, keeping the secret close until she was certain that Ma was in a fit state to withstand the shock. Even on the day she said nothing, keeping up the pretence that it was just an outing intended to bring the colour back to her mother’s cheeks.
Rosa had persuaded Lady Langhorne that an outing would be beneficial to her Aunt Jacinta and speed up her recovery, and the brougham was duly brought round to the main entrance. James, the footman, assisted Jacinta into its commodious depths and Stella climbed in beside her. It was all she could do to stop herself from blurting out the real reason for their journey during the drive, but Jacinta settled against the luxurious leather squabs and gazed out of the window. Stella could only compare the calm, healthy-looking woman who sat opposite her with the drugged, sallow-faced person they had rescued from Heron Park. Now Ma looked much more like her old self, and there was a light in her dark eyes when she smiled, and a spring to her step. When Stella had first found her she had been shocked by her appearance, but now she looked like a beautiful woman in the prime of life, and soon she would be reunited with her younger daughter. The only thing that would have made the day perfect would have been if Freddie had been there too.
It was not until the coachman drew the matched pair of bays up outside the farm that Jacinta showed any sign of curiosity. ‘Why have we stopped here?’
‘I have friends who live on the farm, Ma. I thought you would like to meet them.’
Jacinta’s eyes widened and she shook her head. ‘I’m not sure I’m ready to socialise, Stella. I’ve been very poorly.’
‘But you’re better now, Ma. I think you’ll find these people very much to your liking.’ Stella moved forward making ready to a
light as the coachman opened the door and put down the steps. ‘Thank you, Collins,’ she said as he handed her from the carriage. ‘We’ll be ready to return to Portgone Place at about three o’clock.’
He tipped his hat. ‘Yes, miss.’
‘Are you sure it’s all right to turn up like this, Stella? What do we do if they are otherwise engaged or too busy to see us?’
‘It’s a farm, Ma. There’s always someone about and I sent word yesterday for them to expect us, so don’t worry.’ Stella took her mother’s arm and led her into the yard. ‘Come along. I have a wonderful surprise for you.’
They crossed the yard and the joyous barks of the farm dogs brought Mr Hendy to the door. He came to meet them, smiling broadly. ‘Stella, my dear, it’s wonderful to see you again.’
‘Mr Hendy, may I introduce you to my mother, Mrs Gervase Rivenhall?’ Stella turned to her mother. ‘This is Mr Thaddeus Hendy, the gentleman who has been so kind to me in the past. I don’t know where I would have been without him.’
Jacinta took his hand. ‘I thank you from the bottom of my heart for looking after my little girl, sir.’
He squeezed her fingers, holding on to her hand for longer than was strictly necessary. ‘Not just the one daughter, Mrs Rivenhall.’ He turned towards the house and beckoned to the girl who had appeared in the doorway. ‘Come here, Belinda. There is someone very special who has come to see you.’
Belinda walked slowly towards them and Stella noted with satisfaction that she too looked much healthier than at their last meeting. Her skin glowed with youth and vitality and her eyes were bright. ‘Ma?’ she whispered as she drew nearer. ‘Is it really you?’
‘I didn’t tell her,’ Mr Hendy said in a low voice. ‘I thought it best just in case you didn’t turn up as arranged.’
The sight of her mother’s happy face had momentarily robbed Stella of speech and she nodded wordlessly. Jacinta held out her arms and Belinda walked into them. ‘Ma.’ They clung together sobbing.