After his father passed away and his mother remarried and moved to Wales, James’s visits to Four Oaks became more frequent. Since the death of her beloved husband, Ruth’s mother had gradually become more interested in her daily intake of gin than the family’s business affairs, and she began to rely on James’s financial advice. James loved Four Oaks, and although his reasons for proposing to Ruth were partly honourable, the thought of becoming the master of such an imposing estate was irresistible.
The marriage was celebrated, in accordance with the wishes of both the groom and bride, with little pomp and very few guests. A week in London was planned as a honeymoon, but after two days of crowded streets and foul air, the newlyweds agreed that they preferred the tranquil surroundings of Four Oaks and the Sandwich countryside.
Although the marriage was consummated, the lack of ardour from both parties rendered the act dissatisfying; they readily agreed that respect for each other’s privacy was all they required to enjoy a happy life together. Their brief honeymoon resulted in the birth of their son, Horace, or they would have remained childless.
James’s marriage to Ruth made him the very wealthy master of Four Oaks. This allowed him to fulfil another of his aspirations and buy a shipyard in London. Not long after he bought the shipyard, one of his London lawyers told him about a flat for lease in the same neighbourhood as his own flat, close to James’s office. The flat had three stories, with a sitting room on the first floor and two large bedrooms on the second. A middle-aged couple, who had worked for the former owner as caretaker and housekeeper, were living in the small apartment on the third.
Knowing that flats in London were seldom for sale, James purchased it sight unseen. Fortunately, it was very spacious, and he was so pleased with the cleanliness of the rooms that he hired the middle-aged couple, who were overjoyed.
Having his own place in London was quite a novelty, and whenever James stayed there, he experienced a heady feeling of sophistication. Thus, he began spending more time at the flat than he did at Four Oaks. As for Ruth, she seemed unaware of her husband’s absence. Since the birth of her son, both she and her mother took little notice of anything but the baby’s welfare.
Perhaps because of their liking for solitude, he and Ruth found the act of lovemaking awkward and embarrassing during their first and only time. Love had not blossomed between the couple, and their solitary natures had not allowed friendship to blossom either. Ruth had no idea what it was like to truly love someone until the first time she held their baby boy in her arms.
The joy she felt every time she kissed his fuzzy little head or touched his soft skin began to erase her cheerless expression. Even James noticed the difference and was happy for her. But the bold and uncouth behaviour she had of breastfeeding the infant in front of him and the servants embarrassed him. Rather than make an issue out of it, he spent most of his time in his library or in London.
James’s obvious revulsion toward breastfeeding either didn’t bother Ruth, or she chose to ignore it, and she breastfed Horace until he was three. He was a bright little boy. By the time he was three, he had an extensive vocabulary, thanks to a very adroit mother, grandmother, and nanny. His precocious nature would have pleased James more if he hadn’t witnessed the child jump up on his mother’s knee every time he became thirsty, pull one of her breasts out of her dress and say, “Suck, suck, Mommy.” James soon began taking his meals alone. Sadly, he never established a bond with his son.
Now, as he sat in his library, he wondered if he was making a mistake by hiring a woman with a child. He knew he could dismiss them if the arrangement proved unsatisfactory, but he had never fired a person before and didn’t think he could. He decided that if Gladys was not up to the job, he would give her an excellent referral and have his butler Jenkins do it. Jenkins’s frown when James told him he had hired Gladys as the new housekeeper was enough to signify his disapproval, and he would probably welcome the opportunity.
Chapter Five
The next morning, the entire female staff was lined up in the dining room waiting for Gladys’s inspection: two housemaids, Rita, the girl who had helped Gladys clean her room the night before, and Betty, a short, chunky, dark-haired, pleasant-looking girl of fifteen; the scullery maid, Lorain, a pretty fourteen-year-old girl with curly dark hair and bright blue eyes; Little Ines, a petite, twenty-year-old parlour maid; Molly, a plain and sulky-looking fifteen-year-old kitchen maid; and Freda, the seemingly good-natured cook, whose plumpness portrayed her fondness for the excellent food she served.
Since there was no longer a Mrs Hornsby, Gladys, as housekeeper, was now in charge of these six servants. It was her duty to see that the female staff did their jobs well and were well spoken.
Although they were called servants, the title of slave would have been more fitting with the austere rules they were expected to follow. The maids were not permitted to speak to a lady or gentleman unless delivering a message or answering a question, and they were told to avert their eyes by turning away whenever they met a person of higher quality. There were so many demeaning regulations that Gladys realized she hadn’t been treated as unfairly as she thought when she worked as a maid for Laura Watt at the inn.
It was up to the housekeeper to see that the maids kept the master and the staff supplied with fresh linens and bedding. She had to ensure that all the furniture was cleaned and polished and attend to the details of purchasing goods for the household, from the market and from tradesmen. One of her other duties was to keep an account of all expenses. And the accounts had to be in good order, because they were examined from time to time by the master of the house.
She had no idea what her wage would be until she looked at the ledger and was surprised to see that she was the highest paid employee on the staff at fifty-three pounds a year. Compared to the other servants, who only received ten to twenty pounds a year, it was a generous amount, but to Gladys, who had received a monthly allowance of fifty pounds from her father-in-law for the past seven years, it seemed like a pitiful amount. It depressed her to think of how many years it would take for her to save enough money to purchase a dressmaking shop.
Gladys talked to each of the girls in order to find out how old they were and what their duties were. She was very disappointed in their appearance. Their pinafores and caps were soiled and their personal hygiene left much to be desired, but because she didn’t want to begin her job with criticism, she made no comment.
She remembered Millie telling her that a cricket player would play all day in the sun without complaining just on the chance he might win a silly trophy. It only took a second for Gladys to think of what she could use for a trophy, but she decided to do nothing until she had a chance to make a list of all the changes she intended to make. She told the girls to carry on as usual and decided she would address them all again the following morning.
Gladys retired to her office, a small room under the staircase, and had begun sorting out papers when James knocked at the door. He asked if she found everything satisfactory, and she said she would know more in a few days.
“I suppose Jenkins has introduced you to his footmen?” he asked.
“No, but one of them was very helpful in assisting my friend when we arrived.”
“Ah, that would be the second footman, Rex. However, I think you should have a proper introduction. I shall send Jenkins to see you in a few minutes, but before I leave, I wanted you to know that I am leaving for London today and shan’t be back for a few days. I shall instruct Jenkins to be at your disposal if you need anything before I return.”
Ten minutes later, Jenkins and his two footmen arrived.
Jenkins’s posture was amazingly youthful considering he was in his late sixties. Gladys could tell by his demeanour that he was, in all respects, a proper gentleman. His features were decent enough, but they appeared to be chiselled in granite and lacked expression. From his restrained greeting when she ha
d first met him, it was obvious that he had made up his mind she was far too young to run a decent household. Nevertheless, he had his orders and introduced the two footmen in a polite manner.
Since height and a pleasing appearance were the most important requirements regarding a footman’s rank, John, a six-foot-two, blue-eyed, fair-haired man, was given the rank of first footman. Rex, the second footman and the one who had helped carry Gladys’s belongings up to her room, was two inches shorter and had a darker complexion. Gladys found him to be far more attractive.
Jenkins’s scepticism toward Gladys was disappointing, but since they ruled different realms of the household and servants, she thought it unlikely they would interfere with one another. A butler’s duties were to supervise all the indoor male servants, arrange the dinner table, announce dinner, carve the meat, and serve the wine. He was expected to always be well dressed in the proper gentlemen’s style of the day and was required to buy his own clothes. His wages amounted to forty-five pounds a year, quite a bit higher than all the other servants, and he was allowed to collect the ends of the candles and received one bottle of wine for every six opened.
The first footman was usually referred to as John or James, regardless of his real name. His duties were varied and included waiting on the mistress of the manor, accompanying her whenever she went out in her carriage, and brushing the mud off her boots, the hems of her dresses, riding habits, and cloaks. Because there was no longer a mistress at the Hornsby residence, the first footman waited on James, bringing him his breakfast in the mornings and looking after his personal needs. If there had been a mistress, these duties would have been allotted to the second footman, but, as it was, the second footman had the responsibility of cleaning mirrors, laying the table, bringing in coal and wood, and many other tasks. If there had been a third footman, he would be obliged to take over the most menial jobs.
Once Gladys had gathered all the girls and the cook together the following morning, she began by saying that the entire house needed a thorough cleaning. Even the cook couldn’t mask her feelings of apprehension, so Gladys did her best to ease their fears by stating that she intended to ask the master to hire more help. They looked even more dismayed when she said she expected them to keep their clothes clean, until she added that, once a week, they would be given allotted times in which to bathe and wash their hair and their underpinnings—an unusual and pleasant surprise for everyone.
She knew from her own experience how difficult it was to work long hours and still find time to wash and dry one’s clothing in time to wear the following day, so she also promised them a change of work clothes. She was rewarded for that with broader smiles. Then it was time for her to activate her plan.
“How many of you noticed the machine that the footman and my friend took up to my room?”
All the women except Freda nodded.
“Do you have any idea what it is?”
They all shook their heads.
“It’s a wonderful invention called a sewing machine. All I have to do is sit down and turn the wheel, and the machine does the sewing. A pinafore can be made in a few hours and a dress in two days. As it happens, I have some lovely pieces of material and I shall make a new dress for whomever I think deserves it by the end of this week.” She had found her trophy.
After allowing them a few seconds to think about it, she added, “Now ladies, shall we get to work?”
The girls, delighted to be called ladies, were so excited about the prospect of having a new frock, that they began the chores she gave them with enthusiasm. By the end of the day, however, they began to wonder if a new frock was worth suffering with sore backs and calloused hands. They took down and carefully washed the drapes—exposing patterns not seen for years—washed windows clean of winter soot, beat carpets, scrubbed floors, polished brass to mirror brightness, and washed ornaments instead of dusting them.
By the end of the third day, they had only cleaned three rooms: the parlour, the dining room, and the library; but what an accomplishment it was. Instead of emitting odours of age-old grime, the three rooms now offered pleasant aromas of polish, soap, and freshly picked flowers. The clean drapes on all the large windows were pulled back and tied with braided cord, allowing the sun to enter, which gave the rooms a warm and cheery ambience.
James returned the evening of the third day, and when he entered the parlour, he was amazed. He sent a footman to fetch Gladys. “You have done wonders with this room,” he exclaimed. “Tell me, how did you manage to buy new drapery without going to town?”
“I didn’t, sir. Those are the same drapes.”
“Nonsense; these are a different colour, and they are patterned.”
“It is amazing what a little soap and water can do.”
“I cannot believe what you have accomplished in only three days.”
“Not I, sir. It’s the girls who are responsible; they worked very hard. However, because of past neglect, they could only finish three rooms. There is much to do in order to have your house in order, and I fear it shall require two or three more chambermaids to keep it this way.”
“If the other two rooms are as immaculate as this one, it will be well worth the extra expense. I shall see to it tomorrow. There are always a number of young girls in Sandwich who are looking for employment, and I shall see that you have them before the week is out.”
Feeling sorry for Rex, the second footman, inspired Gladys to make an additional request. Hoping she wasn’t being too demanding, Gladys asked James if he could hire a boy to clean out the fireplaces, carry in fuel, and do other heavy and dirty jobs about the house. James’s answer wasn’t as hearty this time, but it was still affirmative.
Two days later, James brought three girls to Four Oaks for her to interview. There were twins, Pearl and Polly, and a girl named Mary. All three were fifteen and appeared to be strong and accustomed to hard work. They were pleased when Gladys hired them, and it didn’t take long to prove she had made the right decision.
Pete, the young lad James hired to help with the heavy chores, was the son of one of James’s tenants. He wasn’t a very bright or lively boy, but once he learned his duties, he was dependable.
As the weeks went by, Gladys found her work much easier than she had anticipated, although it was time consuming. Her subordinates now took pride in their accomplishments and their appearance. Except for Molly, they all seemed happy with their new “missus.”
Rita won the dress at the end of the first week, perhaps because she had previously worked with Gladys and understood what was expected of her. Rita had little time and almost nowhere to wear such a frock, but Gladys knew that every young girl liked having a pretty dress, so she made the skirt and sleeves out of a length of green and wine-striped sateen and the bodice of dark green velvet with a heart-shaped neckline trimmed with ruffles made of the same material as the skirt and sleeves. Rita had never owned such a treasure, and it was the envy of all the girls.
After seeing the look of longing on the cook’s face, Gladys offered to make her a frock as well.
“Land’s sake, missus, it’ll take a good deal more’n a yard or two to go round my middle. And besides, I wouldn’t know what to do with a fancy dress the likes o’ Rita’s. She’s going to keep hers to get married in, but I don’t think there’s much chance of me getting a man now I’m near forty,” Freda declared.
It was such fun sewing on her new machine that Gladys didn’t stop until she had made each one of the girls a new frock, and she even surprised Freda with a coat that she had fashioned out of one of Millie’s. It had fur trim on the collar and cuffs, and Freda cried tears of joy when she saw it. James also found the sewing machine a fascinating invention and came to her apartment twice to watch her sew.
Gladys was unlike any housekeeper the staff, or James, had ever known. She ran the household more efficiently than the previous housekeeper, and the rich life s
he had led for the past seven years showed in her bearing. Unaware she was doing it, she often burst out in song as she went about her duties, and the sound of her voice made everyone’s chores seem less arduous.
Gladys had been certain she would never be happy again after losing Oaken Arms, but in a few short months, she was almost content. Having such an authoritative position had a lot to do with her recovery.
Dolly had made friends with Blossom, the eight-year-old daughter of Ruby the stableman, and seemed happy with her new surroundings. Ruby often allowed the two girls to ride on an elderly pony that had belonged to James’s son Horace when he was a young lad. Although she rarely saw the master of the manor, Dolly never forgot his words from their first meeting, and whenever they did chance to meet, she would nod, smile politely and quietly, but swiftly pass him by.
Surprisingly, he felt more disappointed with her behaviour than pleased. There was an unusual maturity about the young girl that intrigued him. She was the only child he had ever had a sensible conversation with, and he thought it might be interesting to talk to her again.
Two months after they left Dover, Dolly asked her mother when they were going to have her grandfather’s graveside service. Gladys was dreading going back to Dover, but she knew how disappointed Dolly would be if she broke her promise. She had told James that Peter had forbidden them to attend Andrew’s funeral. He understood their need to have a service of their own and not only insisted she take a day off but offered to accompany them, having been a friend of Andrew’s. Gladys sent off a letter to the Grimsbys and one to the Reverend and Mrs Mason, asking them to join her at the graveside at two in the afternoon on the twenty-second of April. She also asked the Reverend if he would say a few appropriate words.
She had no idea if the Masons would come, but not only were they there, but also the Grimsbys and over two dozen other parishioners. They were about to proceed with the service when, much to Gladys’s surprise, Lord and Lady Sorenson arrived. It was a warm spring day, and a good showing of Mr Grimsby’s spring flowers were in bloom. Reverend Mason gave a short but heart-warming talk, mostly to do with Andrew’s benevolent accomplishments, and followed it with a prayer. Then Gladys led them in singing, “Amazing Grace.” When the song ended, Mrs Mason announced that refreshments would be served in the church hall. Gladys couldn’t refuse, but she was on edge worrying that Rose or Peter might come by and see what was happening.
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