A Loving Family by Dilly Court

baize door at the top of the stairs creaked as she opened it and it closed again with a soft thud.
    Stella moved to the range and ladled soup into a bowl. She placed it on a tray with a plate of bread and butter. ‘Take this to Mrs Hawthorne’s room, please, Jane.’
    â€˜Why is it always me what has to run errands? Why can’t Ida do it?’
    â€˜Because I asked you first and I’m cook while Mrs Hawthorne is indisposed. If you’ve got a problem with taking orders from me you’d better go and see Mr Mason. I’m sure he’ll put you right.’
    â€˜He’ll sack you on the spot,’ Ida shouted over the noise of the gushing tap.
    Mumbling beneath her breath Jane picked up the tray and headed for the back stairs. Stella shook her head. For the first time in her life she was beginning to feel quite sorry for Mrs Hawthorne, who had the demanding job of satisfying the family above stairs and making sure that everything ran smoothly in the kitchen. She was about to clear the table when she heard the baize door open and the sound of heavy footsteps on the stairs.
    Tommy Langhorne erupted into the kitchen holding out his arms and hallooing as if he were on the hunting field. ‘Stella, my darling, I’m so hungry I could eat you.’ He pulled up a chair and sat down at the table. ‘What’s for luncheon? No, don’t answer that. I’ll have a bit of everything, but not that beastly jelly I saw going into the dining room. I hate jelly and they serve it up regularly in Hall.’
    Trying hard to keep a straight face, Stella shook her finger at him. ‘Now, Master Tommy, this is no way to behave. Of course I’ll serve you some luncheon, but you can’t eat in the kitchen.’
    He stared at her with a look of genuine surprise. ‘Why ever not? They’ve finished their meal in the dining room and anyway, I’m not the most popular person in the house at this moment. I should think that Papa would be quite happy for me to eat in the stables rather than take my place at table.’
    â€˜In that case Annie will bring your meal to the morning parlour.’ Stella lowered her voice so that Ida could not eavesdrop. ‘You mustn’t upset your mother, Tommy. You know she has a delicate constitution.’
    â€˜Mama trades on her nerves so that nothing unpleasant disturbs her serene life, but I’m not like that, as you very well know.’
    â€˜Yes, I do. And you should be ashamed of yourself for giving her cause to worry. Now please, go upstairs and behave like a young gentleman instead of a spoiled brat.’
    He rose to his feet, his smile fading. ‘You can’t speak to me like that, Stella. Are you forgetting who I am?’
    â€˜No, sir. But perhaps you are forgetting your place. It most certainly isn’t in the kitchen with us.’
    His handsome features were marred by a scowl. ‘I could have you sacked for speaking to me in that tone, and by God I think I will. Why should I allow a skivvy to insult me in front of all and sundry? Consider yourself discharged, Stella Barry. You’ll leave here without a character. You can join your family in the gutter where they belong.’

Chapter Four
    â€˜ I CAN’T ALLOW you to speak to my son in such familiar terms, Stella.’ Lady Langhorne clasped her hands in an agitated manner. ‘I know that you and he were friendly as children and I turned a blind eye to it, knowing that you were a good and sensible girl, but things are different now.’
    â€˜I am sorry, my lady.’ Stella bowed her head. ‘It won’t happen again.’
    â€˜I’ve told Thomas that he is not, under any circumstances, to enter the servants’ quarters, and even if he should address you in passing I want you to remember your place.’
    â€˜Yes, my lady.’
    â€˜Don’t disappoint me, Stella. You are due for promotion to head cook when Mrs Hawthorne