pudding Maddie had made for us. It was delicious. Sarah didnât know what she was missing. At the head of the table, Ivy was now pretending to be Mrs Smithson. I felt a bit sorry that sheâd picked her. I liked Mrs S, but Ivy couldnât, judging from the performance she was giving. Maybe she had had a proper wigging the day sheâd arrived. Or maybe she just hated authority. She rolled her eyes and clasped her hands together. âOh Mr Barrett, sir, you are so âandsome⦠You make me skin go all goosey.â
Robert guffawed.
âCanât think what they find so funny,â muttered Maddie, pushing back her chair. By they I knew she meant Robert. She reached for Sarahâs plate, which was barely touched. âDidnât you like it?â she asked. She sounded hurt but Sarah didnât answer. She was gazing at the door â all smiles. I didnât need to look at it to know that Fred had come in. He was leaning against the doorjamb, arms folded. Sarah got up and slipped round the table to join him. She looked up at him and he looked down at her. They were looking at each other as if they were the only people in the room. I was relieved, but it made me feel lonely too. If I dropped down dead in front of them now they wouldnât notice.
Maddie and Maisie were making their way down the table, stacking plates and glasses. âIâll have your plate, Robert,â Maddie said, leaning in close to him in a desperate bid to draw his attention away from Ivy. âRobert,â she said again, loudly when he didnât respond. I felt myself cringe. Couldnât she see that she was wasting her time? Even if she had got up and danced on the table, Robert wouldnât notice. If only she would find someone else. Jim now, the second footman, was blushing as Maddie leaned across the table. But Jim blushed if a girl even looked at him.
Robert pushed the plate over to her, but his eyes never left Ivy. A flush crept up Maddieâs face. She slammed down the plates, and turned to Ivy, who was still prancing up and down at the end of the table. âIvy!â she exploded. âHow about mimicking a scullery maid and helping us clear the table.â
âYes, âm, right away, âm,â Ivy said, casting her eyes down, and bobbing a curtsy.
It had been a mistake for Maddie to show her temper. Robert got up and so did all the other lads. As they strolled out, Maddieâs face went redder still. Ivy had mocked her in front of everyone and she wouldnât forget that. âAnd I want those pots scoured proper today, then youâre to help Maisie with the vegetables and thereâs the floor to clean. It wasnât cleaned proper this morning. Chop chop.â Maddie was practically shoving Ivy towards the scullery now.
I got up too, and made my way along the passage to the maidsâ sitting room. I could hear from the clatter in the scullery as I passed it that Ivy was hard at work. She was singing, loudly, a little ditty that made me smile. âUpstairs and downstairs and all the in-betweeny stairs.â
I made myself comfortable in a corner of the sofa. I had work of my own to do; a bit of sewing to finish on one of Miss Penelopeâs gowns. I picked up the needle, but even though it was only early afternoon I felt my eyelids droop. What with all the extra work on top of my usual chores I never got enough sleep. I laid the needle down and shut my eyes.
âJess!â It was Sarahâs voice. She shook my shoulder. âWhat are you doing, sleeping in the afternoon?â
So it was all right to wake me then?
I rubbed my eyes and peered sleepily at her. âWhat is it?â I said. âHas Miss Penelope rung for me?â
Sarah looked guilty. âN-o,â she said.
âWish youâd left me to sleep then,â I muttered. I picked up the needle again.
Sarah had curled up in the other corner of the sofa. âOh, Jess.â She
Elizabeth Barber
Joan Smith
C.J. Carella
Lora Roberts
James W. Huston
Alicia Danielle Voss-Guillén
Barry Hutchison
Hilary Storm, Kathy Coopmans
Adam Blade
Alex Bledsoe