the front door, Isobel began to show her guest around. She waved her hand towards two doors directly in front of them. ‘That’s the morning room, Florrie, and
that’s the library.’ She laughed. ‘A grand name for a rather small room that we use as a study, but the walls
are
lined with shelves of books. The drawing room and dining
room are on the first floor and the main bedrooms on the second floor. The servants’ quarters and kitchens are in the basement through that door.’ She indicated a door at the side of
the staircase. ‘The upper servants’ bedrooms are on the third floor and the rest sleep in the attic bedrooms.’ She smiled. ‘We only keep a skeleton staff here. Just enough
to look after me – and any guests, of course. Gervase rarely stays long in town. He’s happiest at home. Now, come along upstairs. I’m sure you’ll want to freshen up after
that train journey . . .’
A few moments later Isobel was flinging open the door to a luxurious bedroom. ‘This will be your room. And Lucy – my maid – will look after you too. Now, is there anything you
need, my dear?’
‘I don’t think so, Isobel. It all looks perfect.’
‘You’ll hear a bit of noise from the street below – even through the night. You’ll not be used to that at home.’
Florrie smiled. Far from being disappointed, she felt excited to be here in the hustle and bustle of the city.
‘I’ll see you at dinner then.’
As the door closed behind Isobel, Florrie looked about her. The bedroom was furnished in the Regency style. In fact, from what she had seen so far, the whole house appeared to be. The bed,
perhaps once a four-poster, now merely had a headboard with drapes above it on a pole attached to the wall. The dressing table was satinwood inlaid with ebony and the chest of drawers and wardrobe
matched it, as did the cheval mirror standing in the corner.
There was a tap at the door and a young maid peered around it nervously. ‘Miss Isobel said I was to ask you if you would like me to unpack for you, Miss Maltby?’
‘You must be Lucy?’ Florrie smiled at the girl, who nodded. ‘No – I’ll see to that myself, thank you. But I would like a bath about six, if it’s no
trouble.’
The young girl smiled and stepped further into the room. She crossed to a door near the bed. Florrie had presumed it led to a cupboard, but as Lucy opened it, she saw that it was a marble
bathroom.
‘My very own bathroom,’ Florrie exclaimed. ‘I hadn’t expected that. Thank you, Lucy.’
‘I’ll come back just before six and run it for you, miss, if . . .’
But Florrie put up her hand. ‘Oh, no need. You must have plenty to do.’
‘Well, if you’re sure, miss. But if you want anything, just press the bell at the side of the bed.’
As she descended the stairs just before seven thirty, Isobel was waiting for her in the hall. Her eyes were sparkling with excitement. ‘There’s a meeting at Lady
Leonora’s at nine. Maybe you heard Tim mention it. Would you like to come?’
‘Oh yes, please.’ Florrie hadn’t expected things to start happening so quickly.
Six
At five minutes to nine, after they had dined together seated at one end of the elegant mahogany table, Isobel and Florrie set off with Lucy accompanying them, to walk to the
next street running parallel to their own. A maid, who greeted Lucy affectionately and bobbed a curtsy to Isobel, opened the door of Lady Leonora’s house.
‘None of that tonight, Betsy,’ Isobel wagged her forefinger playfully at the young girl. ‘We’re equals – remember.’
The girl laughed and blushed a little. ‘I’ll try, Miss Richards.’
They were ushered into a large room.
‘This was once used for balls and parties and soirees, but now it’s used for our meetings,’ Isobel whispered. ‘Come, let’s find Lady Leonora. She’s dying to
meet you. I’ve told her all about you.’
They threaded their way through the room, crowded with chattering women.
that’s the library.’ She laughed. ‘A grand name for a rather small room that we use as a study, but the walls
are
lined with shelves of books. The drawing room and dining
room are on the first floor and the main bedrooms on the second floor. The servants’ quarters and kitchens are in the basement through that door.’ She indicated a door at the side of
the staircase. ‘The upper servants’ bedrooms are on the third floor and the rest sleep in the attic bedrooms.’ She smiled. ‘We only keep a skeleton staff here. Just enough
to look after me – and any guests, of course. Gervase rarely stays long in town. He’s happiest at home. Now, come along upstairs. I’m sure you’ll want to freshen up after
that train journey . . .’
A few moments later Isobel was flinging open the door to a luxurious bedroom. ‘This will be your room. And Lucy – my maid – will look after you too. Now, is there anything you
need, my dear?’
‘I don’t think so, Isobel. It all looks perfect.’
‘You’ll hear a bit of noise from the street below – even through the night. You’ll not be used to that at home.’
Florrie smiled. Far from being disappointed, she felt excited to be here in the hustle and bustle of the city.
‘I’ll see you at dinner then.’
As the door closed behind Isobel, Florrie looked about her. The bedroom was furnished in the Regency style. In fact, from what she had seen so far, the whole house appeared to be. The bed,
perhaps once a four-poster, now merely had a headboard with drapes above it on a pole attached to the wall. The dressing table was satinwood inlaid with ebony and the chest of drawers and wardrobe
matched it, as did the cheval mirror standing in the corner.
There was a tap at the door and a young maid peered around it nervously. ‘Miss Isobel said I was to ask you if you would like me to unpack for you, Miss Maltby?’
‘You must be Lucy?’ Florrie smiled at the girl, who nodded. ‘No – I’ll see to that myself, thank you. But I would like a bath about six, if it’s no
trouble.’
The young girl smiled and stepped further into the room. She crossed to a door near the bed. Florrie had presumed it led to a cupboard, but as Lucy opened it, she saw that it was a marble
bathroom.
‘My very own bathroom,’ Florrie exclaimed. ‘I hadn’t expected that. Thank you, Lucy.’
‘I’ll come back just before six and run it for you, miss, if . . .’
But Florrie put up her hand. ‘Oh, no need. You must have plenty to do.’
‘Well, if you’re sure, miss. But if you want anything, just press the bell at the side of the bed.’
As she descended the stairs just before seven thirty, Isobel was waiting for her in the hall. Her eyes were sparkling with excitement. ‘There’s a meeting at Lady
Leonora’s at nine. Maybe you heard Tim mention it. Would you like to come?’
‘Oh yes, please.’ Florrie hadn’t expected things to start happening so quickly.
Six
At five minutes to nine, after they had dined together seated at one end of the elegant mahogany table, Isobel and Florrie set off with Lucy accompanying them, to walk to the
next street running parallel to their own. A maid, who greeted Lucy affectionately and bobbed a curtsy to Isobel, opened the door of Lady Leonora’s house.
‘None of that tonight, Betsy,’ Isobel wagged her forefinger playfully at the young girl. ‘We’re equals – remember.’
The girl laughed and blushed a little. ‘I’ll try, Miss Richards.’
They were ushered into a large room.
‘This was once used for balls and parties and soirees, but now it’s used for our meetings,’ Isobel whispered. ‘Come, let’s find Lady Leonora. She’s dying to
meet you. I’ve told her all about you.’
They threaded their way through the room, crowded with chattering women.
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