Mistress Agnes

by Kirsten Bij't Vuur

  I'm not afraid, Patrick, I think we will be all right, all of us. He loves us, and though he may start to assert himself even more, which I hope he will, I don't think he wants to rule either of us just for the feeling it gives. Call tonight his first test, his reaction to Dick's remark was not indignation, just surprise. I guess they have made up by now, and are still fast friends.'

  'But once you're married he owns you, Agnes.'

  'I think that is not entirely true, dear Guy. Most women accept that, have been raised to the idea. I have conquered that, and I think Dennis knows I will not turn into an obedient, humble wife all of a sudden. I think he will rise to the occasion and become a solid partner for me to trust in. And he may step in and influence the household every so often, but that is his right if he starts taking responsibilities. Are you afraid he'll start bossing you around?'

  Patrick and Guy thought about that for some time, and finally shook their heads.

  'I cannot imagine Dennis abusing power,' Guy observed, 'I think he never did, he just used it to save himself and others. And I'm glad you are going to get married, I was so afraid to lose everything we have here, Mrs Beauchamp.'

  So Guy was back to his usual address.

  'I trust Dennis with my life, mistress,' was Patrick's comment, 'he may boss me around any day. I'll obey him without question and relish doing it. I was

  just worried for you.'

  It was a week later that Maria finally dared to ask Guy for advice. Dick had settled comfortably in his old routine; respectful of his friend, Dennis had not hired anyone to help Dick to catch up with the work, but rather had convinced Dick to accept Dennis' own assistance. And Dick had done so gracefully, even eagerly, he truly loved Dennis and working together was great fun.

  But Maria herself was not happy at all anymore, working for her father. She did not want to spend her life hemming and sewing buttonholes, and her father really did not want to hear of any change in the products they made.

  He was too old to start something new, and he wouldn't even share the more interesting work fairly.

  'I cannot let you fit coats, Maria,' he argued, 'my customers will not stand for a girl fitting men's coats. It's just not done. And I cannot let you take orders for dresses, either, I'm a tailor, not a seamstress. We're doing just fine, aren't we? Living at the manor you can save all you earn, and once I retire you can do with the business whatever you like.'

  Her father's retirement was at least a decade away, and with a baby coming, Maria had no time to lose, if she wanted to start her own business this was the time. There were no household tasks to take up her time, there were no household expenses to demand a steady income, any risk she was going to take, she should take now. And if she dared ask, there might even be someone to help her plan her business, teach her about finances, and help her obtain some publicity for her products.

  When they had finished another excellent dinner, Maria having enjoyed a roasted chicken leg and the others a creamy ragout based on the same chicken meat, everybody got up and Dick started gathering the dishes in a large basin, ready for the scullery. Maria steeled her nerves and walked towards Guy.

  'Please, Guy! May I ask you for some advice?'

  He turned around, a bit surprised but friendly enough, Maria had no idea what Guy usually did after dinner, maybe it was something important.

  'Sure, Maria. Is it a private matter, or can we have Patrick bring us some coffee?'

  He wás nice, and he didn't sound at all as if it was a bother to him.

  'It's not private, no, in fact I'd love Patrick's opinion as well.'

  Dick said Patrick had been a valet before he worked for Mrs Beauchamp, and

  any time his mistress needed to look her best he acted as her personal maid, curling her hair, perfecting her dress. He knew fashion and clothing, he would certainly have something sensible to add to the discussion.

  'You're making me curious, Maria. Shall we use my little study?'

  That was fine, though the library would have suited just as well. But she supposed Guy was used to sitting in his study, and this was a matter of business, though Guy didn't know that, yet.

  Guy's study was indeed small, but very practical. There was a large desk, similar to Mrs Beauchamp's writing desk but without the lid or the little drawers. It was just as neat, though, as was the one bookcase containing books that looked like ledgers, and a few stacks of loose papers. It was clear Guy felt very much at home here, he invited Maria to sit down in a chair on the near side of the desk, then seated himself on a worn and comfortable chair on the other side.

  'Welcome to my domain, Maria. What can I do for you?'

  Maria suddenly felt all her initial awe of Guy, he was so incredibly handsome, and sitting at the desk he looked like the landlord himself. What had gotten into her to think this man had time to spare to help her start a business of her own? He had more important work to do, all Mrs Beauchamp's assets and investments were his responsibility. Shyness tied her tongue, and the carefully framed question was completely forgotten.

  'It's just me, Maria,' a warm voice said from across the desk.

  She looked up and saw Guy getting up and walking around the desk until he kneeled before her and took her hand.

  'I know I look like a magistrate, Maria, but I'm actually quite an ordinary fellow, and quite likable. Maybe we should have gone to the old haystack to talk, I feel very much at home in this study, making me seem much more impressive than I really am. But I guessed you needed some advice of the mind, and this is the place where I do my best thinking.'

  He knew she needed business advice?

  'Well, I know you're still a bit afraid of me, I didn't think you'd come to me for advice in a matter of the heart. You'd go to Dennis, or Patrick. Will you tell me about it?'

  He was so sweet, and didn't look nearly as dignified kneeling down, so she nodded and told him.

  'I'm not happy working for my father. He never lets me do anything but the

  meanest, most boring jobs. I have some great ideas but they'll never come to fruition working for him, he's afraid to spoil his reputation and I don't think he believes I am capable of much more than he allows me to do.'

  'So you want to start your own business, and you want me to go over your ideas?'

  By now, Guy had gotten up and gone back to his seat, but he was not sitting back as he had been, he was showing his interest by leaning over the desk towards her.

  'Yes, please. And maybe you know what things cost, like advertising, and bringing goods to town to sell, and a place where I can work. I was hoping to get our little cottage with a spare room to make into a workshop, but I'm not going to risk Dick's happiness moving to a village where we're not wanted.'

  'I'm so sorry Maria, I heard. I thought city people were bad for talking, but these villagers seem even meaner. But I guess you'll manage right here for some time, and they'll find out he's not that bad pretty quickly. They just have no idea who Dick Parsons really is.

  So what's your idea?'

  'I want to make nice clothes for children that they can still play in. Not stiff and starched, but not shapeless either. Trousers and little coats for the boys instead of those shapeless dresses and tunics they are wearing now, but shorter coats and looser trousers than their dads wear, for comfort. And lower-waisted dresses for the girls, like their mothers wear, but of course without the corsets and much shorter or they'd trip. And I've heard that in town, girls wear pantaloons under their dresses these days, underwear that looks like long trousers but is much softer. That is so much nicer than petticoats, and I suppose much warmer in winter.'

  'And will you sew all this yourself?'

  'I will. I'll have to buy fabrics for a few samples, and I suppose I'll need to make patterns and drawings to help sell them.'

  'I think it's a great idea! As a little street kid I never had nice clothes, but I remember feeling sorry for richer children that they had to wear such uncomfortable things to church. I didn't env
y them their riches, somehow I knew they were never allowed to go outside and have fun.'

  Patrick had come in without Maria noticing, and he was talking and pouring coffee at the same time. Guy nodded, and observed, 'I did feel envious of those kids in church, and they weren't even very rich, merely well-to-do, but I was hungry sometimes and my clothes were so worn I was often cold.'

  At Maria's shocked look, were all townspeople poor?, Guy laughed and said soothingly, 'but I had sweet parents, Maria, I could always go home to be warm inside, and they loved all of us. They just had too many children, and I was the youngest, so by the time the clothes were handed down to me there was not much left.'

  'I had plenty of love, too. My parents had just my sister and me, and they worked hard to provide us with everything we needed. They live with my sister now. It was hard to leave them behind but I just couldn't deny myself the chance of being loved. They still don't know why I left, I had a good position with the mistress' uncle as a valet. I would have been butler if Guy hadn't been so damned clever, did you know he rose from scullery boy to butler in five years? Just by being smarter than anyone else?'

  'Yes, Guy, how did you manage to get an education when you were from a poor family?' Maria wanted to know, business forgotten for a few moments.

  'Pure good luck, Maria. My parents weren't stupid and neither were my older siblings, I learned a lot from them. Then my parents got me into a church program to educate boys, but I knew from a very early age I shouldn't be around men of religion all the time, I knew I had feelings for men that would not be tolerated in such an environment. So when they started to talk about monasteries and the cloth as a career option I took the first opportunity to get out, which was accepting a low position in a great house.

  'I was in luck, for the resident butler took to me and in our spare time he taught me all he knew, and he encouraged me to read and educate myself. I climbed the domestic ladder steadily, until the butler retired and suggested me as his replacement. By then I had met Patrick and fallen head over heels in love with him, it took us six months to work up the courage to find out our love was mutual, and after that we met in secret and in great fear for two years until Mrs Beauchamp's husband died and her aunt and uncle invited her to the first social occasion after his passing. The rest is history.'

  Drinking coffee together, the two men told Maria about the arrangement Patrick made with Mrs Beauchamp, and to her it was mighty interesting to have several more pieces of the puzzle fall into place. It was just incredible that Mrs Beauchamp's husband had managed to have her inherit all his own assets as well as the fortune she had brought into their marriage.

  'Mr Beauchamp had a cousin from his father's younger sister, who would have gotten the estate if Mr Beauchamp hadn't been so clever and so fond of the love of his life. They were so close, even before Mr Beauchamp caught

  the devastating disease.'

  And still Mrs Beauchamp had been so afraid of being ruled by a man that she decided to keep one in chains. It was hard to understand, so Maria didn't even try. The affairs of Mrs Beauchamp were none of her concern.

  'Of course the cousin still expects to inherit the estate after her death, though he is about Mrs Beauchamp's age. He will be livid when he finds out she's not only going to be married again, but will have an heir after all. That's his inheritance slipping through his fingers.'

  'Is he a rich man himself?' Maria asked, curious how these things worked. It was Guy who replied.

  'He isn't. His mother had a small fortune, but not as large as Mrs Beauchamp had. And she married an officer from the army, a love-match her parents disapproved of, but allowed anyway, I guess because their daughter was so much in love. And rightfully so, for Captain and Mrs Avery were as happy a couple as ever lived, the captain made quite a nice fortune in the war, though not enough to provide their children with an independence. The current Henry Avery followed in his father's footsteps and is also a captain in the army, who has distinguished himself in the war against the French.

  But enough family-history for now, we were talking of a business. Do you think there is money in childrens' clothing, Patrick?'

  'I certainly do. People are getting richer all over the country, and they all love their children and want them to be dressed well. Maybe not in the same small area your father services, Maria, but if you include one decently sized town in your efforts I think you will be set. And if your clothes are popular, who knows, you may even be able to sell the patterns to other seamstresses.

  How many garments can you make in a week?'

  They proceeded to discuss Maria's ideas, and with her estimation of the cost of fabric for the samples, and several other investments she would have to make, Guy made a calculation of what she needed to earn to make a living.

  'Can't you work from here?' he asked.

  'At first I can, if Mrs Beauchamp doesn't object. Our table is perfect for sewing, and she let us have so many rooms, we don't really need so much space until our baby is born.'

  Oh, they hadn't told anyone about that yet, not even her parents, not that it mattered much, they were planning to tell soon, anyway. But the men suspected nothing.

  'I'm sure the mistress will let you have another room if you are still living

  here when you have a baby,' Patrick said soothingly.

  'There are all these rooms standing empty in the servant's quarters, you know your Dick does the work of at least a maid and a scullery boy, and quite possibly another half a maid. He is a relentless worker. And we both have double duties, I am lady's maid and valet in one, and discharge some housekeeper's responsibilities. And Guy is steward and butler and the rest of the housekeeper. The mistress wanted it thus to save on the wagging tongues, but it also saves a lot of space. She does some of a steward's duties herself, besides writing fiction.'

  They spent some more time discussing the possibilities, and when they were done Maria not only had a much clearer picture of what she would be getting herself into, she also had an idea of where to start. And she was no longer afraid of Guy, Dick and Dennis had been right, he was sweet, and incredibly smart as well. To think he had never gone to school, Maria could hardly believe it, some people apparently could not be stopped.

  That night in bed she asked Dick, 'What would you say if I gave my father a month's notice, then in that month developed my own collection of childrens'

  clothing and made a sample of each to fit one of my nieces or nephews?'

  'So you finally talked to Guy about starting your own business? I suppose he thought it was a good idea?'

  'Patrick, too. And if my childrens' clothing does not sell, Dick, I can always make conventional dresses, I am an excellent seamstress, I can't do my father's hemming any longer, I want my work to be challenging.'

  Dick did not look anxious at her suggestion to take such a step, he seemed proud more than anything.

  'As long as we live here I can keep both of us, dear Maria. I felt very bad that no-one wanted me on the other side of the valley, forcing you to live in a servant's quarters. Now I can make it up to you, if you have to live here because of me, you can at least do the work you want.

  I'm sure children will love your clothes!'

  Poor Dick! He hadn't told her he felt so bad, frankly Maria suspected he was a bit relieved to stay with his friends. He was so cute, how could people not see that? How could they believe those rumours, even after meeting him in person? Was it merely his size? In that case, they'd have to start walking Pixie across the river, seeing the huge man with his tiny dog just had to melt their hearts, how could it not?

  'I kind of like living here, Dick, please don't feel bad over that. It's quite

  convenient to not have to cook or clean, or get groceries, it will give me time to work on my collection. But once I'm no longer working with my father, I want to do a share of the chores, I feel lazy letting you do all the work in the evening.'

  'Won't you feel like a servant then, Maria? You've always been a fr
ee spirit, I don't want to take that from you.'

  That was so thoughtful of Dick, and true, for working for one's father was somehow different than working for a boss.

  'If we had a home of our own I'd have to cook and clean and wash up anyway, Dick. I can do a few household chores every week, if only to keep me from forgetting how to do them. What if we do find a little cottage, and I'm too spoiled to do the work?'

  'I can teach you again, dear Maria. Except cooking, I've never learned how to do that.'

  Maria just had to hug and cuddle her large husband, he was so uncomplicated and honest, and just incredibly loveable. And his approval of her plan need not be doubted, so tomorrow she would give her father her month's notice and start working on their future.

  It didn't take long for Agnes to notice Maria's absence in their nightly gatherings in front of the house. The weather was still balmy and they all preferred to sit outside, Dick no longer protesting Dennis' serving the after-dinner coffee and tea.

  Dennis had told Agnes all about his time with Maria and Dick, and Agnes couldn't help feeling a thrill at the memory of making love to the two men at once. Riding Dick that day had been one of the craziest things she'd ever done, but such great fun! And imagine Maria already being with child, they had been married for less than a month, though of course they had followed the local tradition of 'practising' at the outcrop during their engagement.

  After three days, she asked Dennis what was going on.

  'Why is Maria staying indoors, Dennis?' she asked her beloved, almost certain he'd know the answer.

  'She's not sick, is she? Did she and Dick quarrel?'

  Her voice must have reflected she did not really believe the last, Dick was not the kind to quarrel with anyone, and certainly not his beloved wife. He worshipped the ground she walked on, even more so since Maria had told him she was already expecting a baby. Secretly, Agnes was thrilled to have

  someone to share her situation with, somehow she felt much less vulnerable and less conspicuous with another pregnant woman about. But not if she was nowhere in sight, Agnes had hoped to congratulate Maria and have a little chat, she worried a little that the lively, free-minded woman objected to the obvious difference in class within Agnes' household.