shirt with an equally perfect tie and the lapels of a black jacket.
Anna squared her shoulders. ‘Yes. Anna Millington.’
‘Get in the front of the car. Only Lady Ashcroft rides in the back. And I hope your shoes are clean.’
Who did he think he was, Anna thought, for she had decided he must be some sort of servant? Resentment brewed up inside her, but she supposed she would have to swallow her pride. She needed this job to get away from her dad, if only for a short while until she had saved enough to go further afield.
‘Yes, they are,’ she answered frostily.
‘Good. Now get in and mind your tongue.’
Anna felt like telling him where to stuff the job, and the thought of the colourful language Ethel might have usedto tell him so made her smile to herself. So she obediently climbed into the front seat of the car, a huge, black, elegant affair polished so that the sun dazzled on it. Anna had never been in a car before so, if nothing else, she would enjoy the experience – and in such a splendid one, too! It moved so smoothly, the engine purring as they left the exposed village of Princetown behind.
Anna vowed not to utter another word unless spoken to, and gazed out of the window instead. As from the train, the views were stunning, although over to her left rose the bleak and daunting buildings of Dartmoor Prison. All around, though, the moor stretched to the horizon, the rough ground dotted with sheep, cattle or ponies left to roam free. Well, Anna thought, even if she didn’t get the job, she’d have had a lovely day out!
They turned off the road into a wide, tree-lined avenue. Anna hardly had time to notice Ashcroft Hall, the large, imposing house at the end, as the car was driven round to the side and she was ushered in through a small side door and along a dark, narrow, low-ceilinged corridor. A maze of small rooms led off to either side and she tried to peer in to those whose doors were ajar, but she couldn’t if she was to keep up with the taciturn devil who led the way! Up a short flight of steps and they emerged into a kitchen – oh, it was enormous and—
But the man tutted irritably and so she trotted after him and soon found herself in a vast entrance hall with a grand, sweeping staircase. And it was beside this that the fellow stopped so abruptly that Anna nearly collided into his back.
‘You wait here and I’ll see if Lady Ashcroft is ready for you.’
Oh, help. Anna’s courage shrank as he knocked on the door and waited for an imperious ‘Come’ before entering the room. Anna heard a few muted words above her hammering pulse, and then the man reappeared.
‘Lady Ashcroft will see you now. And make sure you stand up straight.’
Anna flashed him a glance, wondering why she felt grateful for his advice. Clutching at straws, she supposed. But why should she be nervous? Lady Ashcroft could only be flesh and blood the same as she was, and she bet she had never witnessed the violence that Anna had. Seen her mother tumble to her death before her eyes. What could be worse than that? Not an interview. So she stepped purposefully into the room.
Lady Ashcroft was seated behind a small but very fine desk. She held herself erect and proud, her greying hair swept up and held in place with pins. A handsome woman, Anna considered, and she noticed the tailored, fine-checked jacket and cashmere jumper beneath. Beside her stood a tall, gaunt woman dressed in black whose icy gaze tried to freeze Anna to the core.
But she wouldn’t let it. ‘Your Ladyship,’ she said clearly, and dipped her knee slightly. She noticed the shadow of a smile flit over Lady Ashcroft’s face, but the other woman’s expression remained inscrutable.
‘Miss Millington,’ Prudence Ashcroft spoke at last. ‘You had a satisfactory journey?’
The tone was expressionless and Anna wasn’t sure how to judge her. The least said, the better, perhaps. ‘Thank you, Your Ladyship.’
‘Good. Now I understand that you have
Anna squared her shoulders. ‘Yes. Anna Millington.’
‘Get in the front of the car. Only Lady Ashcroft rides in the back. And I hope your shoes are clean.’
Who did he think he was, Anna thought, for she had decided he must be some sort of servant? Resentment brewed up inside her, but she supposed she would have to swallow her pride. She needed this job to get away from her dad, if only for a short while until she had saved enough to go further afield.
‘Yes, they are,’ she answered frostily.
‘Good. Now get in and mind your tongue.’
Anna felt like telling him where to stuff the job, and the thought of the colourful language Ethel might have usedto tell him so made her smile to herself. So she obediently climbed into the front seat of the car, a huge, black, elegant affair polished so that the sun dazzled on it. Anna had never been in a car before so, if nothing else, she would enjoy the experience – and in such a splendid one, too! It moved so smoothly, the engine purring as they left the exposed village of Princetown behind.
Anna vowed not to utter another word unless spoken to, and gazed out of the window instead. As from the train, the views were stunning, although over to her left rose the bleak and daunting buildings of Dartmoor Prison. All around, though, the moor stretched to the horizon, the rough ground dotted with sheep, cattle or ponies left to roam free. Well, Anna thought, even if she didn’t get the job, she’d have had a lovely day out!
They turned off the road into a wide, tree-lined avenue. Anna hardly had time to notice Ashcroft Hall, the large, imposing house at the end, as the car was driven round to the side and she was ushered in through a small side door and along a dark, narrow, low-ceilinged corridor. A maze of small rooms led off to either side and she tried to peer in to those whose doors were ajar, but she couldn’t if she was to keep up with the taciturn devil who led the way! Up a short flight of steps and they emerged into a kitchen – oh, it was enormous and—
But the man tutted irritably and so she trotted after him and soon found herself in a vast entrance hall with a grand, sweeping staircase. And it was beside this that the fellow stopped so abruptly that Anna nearly collided into his back.
‘You wait here and I’ll see if Lady Ashcroft is ready for you.’
Oh, help. Anna’s courage shrank as he knocked on the door and waited for an imperious ‘Come’ before entering the room. Anna heard a few muted words above her hammering pulse, and then the man reappeared.
‘Lady Ashcroft will see you now. And make sure you stand up straight.’
Anna flashed him a glance, wondering why she felt grateful for his advice. Clutching at straws, she supposed. But why should she be nervous? Lady Ashcroft could only be flesh and blood the same as she was, and she bet she had never witnessed the violence that Anna had. Seen her mother tumble to her death before her eyes. What could be worse than that? Not an interview. So she stepped purposefully into the room.
Lady Ashcroft was seated behind a small but very fine desk. She held herself erect and proud, her greying hair swept up and held in place with pins. A handsome woman, Anna considered, and she noticed the tailored, fine-checked jacket and cashmere jumper beneath. Beside her stood a tall, gaunt woman dressed in black whose icy gaze tried to freeze Anna to the core.
But she wouldn’t let it. ‘Your Ladyship,’ she said clearly, and dipped her knee slightly. She noticed the shadow of a smile flit over Lady Ashcroft’s face, but the other woman’s expression remained inscrutable.
‘Miss Millington,’ Prudence Ashcroft spoke at last. ‘You had a satisfactory journey?’
The tone was expressionless and Anna wasn’t sure how to judge her. The least said, the better, perhaps. ‘Thank you, Your Ladyship.’
‘Good. Now I understand that you have
Similar Books
