A Loving Family (28 page)

‘How are you travelling, old man?'

‘He's driving back to London,' Stella said boldly. ‘Persuade him to stay at least for tonight, Tommy.'

He eyed her with a humorous twist to his lips. ‘I see you've got a staunch supporter here, Rivenhall. Our little Stella is not easily impressed.'

Kit frowned. ‘You seem to be on very familiar terms.'

‘We were childhood friends, old chap. No need to be jealous. Stella repulsed my attempt to seduce her.'

Kit's eyebrows snapped together in a frown. ‘That's no way to talk about a lady, Langhorne.'

‘Ah, but she's just a servant, Rivenhall. She's a splendid girl but not from our class.' He pinched Stella's cheek. ‘We all have our place in society, don't we, my pet?'

‘I'm leaving now, Stella.' Kit gave her an encouraging smile. ‘I'll be back as soon as I've settled matters in London.' He acknowledged Tommy with a brief nod of his head and strode off.

Stella watched him go with a feeling of loss mixed with anger at Tommy's behaviour. ‘You're just as objectionable as you ever were, Tommy Langhorne,' she said angrily.

‘That's more like the Stella I know. You were always a bit of a rebel.'

‘I was just a child when I came to Portgone Place.'

‘And we had some fun, didn't we? Admit it, Stella. We were good friends.'

‘Yes, we were until you forgot yourself and tried to seduce me. Have you any idea how hard it is for a single woman to find work without a reference? I might have starved on the streets but for good friends.'

He looked away as if unable to meet her angry gaze. ‘I'm sorry.'

‘And so you should be. Do something useful for once in your life, Tommy. Keep an eye on Mrs Rivenhall while I go to look for the housekeeper.'

She returned minutes later with Mrs Dunkley. Tommy was seated beside Jacinta, holding her hand and chatting as if they were old acquaintances. Jacinta for her part was wide awake and staring at him entranced. ‘We're the best of friends,' Tommy said, patting her hand. He stood up, smoothing the creases from his immaculate trousers. ‘She's a little off colour, but nothing that a good night's sleep won't cure.' He winked at Jacinta. ‘She's a woman after my own heart, aren't you, my dear lady?'

Mrs Dunkley folded her arms across her ample bosom, staring at Jacinta with overt disapproval. ‘Are you able to stand, ma'am?'

Stella leaned over to help her mother to her feet. ‘I'm sure that Mrs Rivenhall will be better for a good rest. Allow me to help you to your room, ma'am.' Supporting Jacinta's weight, Stella helped her to mount the stairs.

Mrs Dunkley led the way to a pleasant room on the second floor. ‘I hope you'll find this to your liking, Mrs Rivenhall.' She left, closing the door behind her.

‘I don't understand,' Jacinta murmured as Stella helped her to undress. ‘Why is everyone calling me Mrs Rivenhall? What are we doing here?'

‘You are Mrs Rivenhall, in case you've forgotten, and we're lying low for a while because we don't want Gervase to find you.'

‘No,' Jacinta said dully. ‘I don't want to see him ever again, but I need my medicine, Stella. Can you get it for me?'

‘I'll see what I can do.' Stella helped her into bed. ‘Don't leave the room. I'll be back as soon as I can.'

‘I need medicine.'

‘I'll fetch some now, but you must stay in bed.' Stella tucked her in and hurried from the room. She had little knowledge of addiction to laudanum, but she knew that she had to try to wean her mother off the drug and it was not going to be easy. She made her way downstairs to the kitchen.

‘So you're back again, are you?' Mrs Hawthorne looked up from the mixture she was stirring. ‘I hope you've come to give me a hand. I'm rushed off my feet.'

‘Who is this person?' A thin, middle-aged woman dressed all in black stared at Stella in a way that was not friendly.

‘This is Stella Barry, Miss Bradbury.' Mrs Hawthorne gave Stella a knowing wink. ‘Miss Bradbury is Lady Langhorne's new maid.'

‘I'm pleased to meet you, Miss Bradbury.'

‘Stella came here as a child, and worked her way up from scullery maid to assistant cook,' Mrs Hawthorne said proudly. ‘I taught her everything she knows.'

Stella smiled. ‘Yes, you did, but I'm not here to work in the kitchen; I'm Mrs Rivenhall's maid and I look after Miss Rivenhall too.'

‘What sort of garb is that for a lady's maid?' Miss Bradbury demanded, looking Stella up and down with a critical eye. The tip of her long nose quivered with disapproval, giving her the appearance of an angry ferret. ‘Your mistress cannot be very well placed if she allows you to dress like a common peasant.'

Stella stared at her in amazement. She had not expected to meet such overt hostility in the kitchen where she had grown from child to womanhood and considered herself to be amongst friends. A sharp intake of breath made her turn to see Annie standing at the foot of the steps. ‘At least Stella isn't a stuck-up cow who looks down on the rest of us,' she said angrily. She held her arms wide. ‘Come and give us a hug, Stella. It's good to see you again.'

‘That's as maybe, Annie Fox.' Mrs Hawthorne rapped the table with the wooden spoon. ‘But we'll have some decorum in my kitchen if you don't mind.'

‘I'm a big girl now,' Stella said, returning Annie's embrace with enthusiasm. ‘I can fight my own battles.' She turned to Miss Bradbury, who was glaring at her. ‘We were travelling as it happens, and my mistress was taken ill. Not that it's any business of yours.'

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 wretched 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?'