‘Ah,’ he began. Coming forward he stopped three feet from her. ‘I’ll come straight to the point. I’ll be brief, as I have my surgery to go to.’
The smile had vanished, leaving in its place an expression so severe that for a second Ellie felt her heart stop. She wasn’t to receive promotion but to be told her services were no longer needed, that she must leave this house. His wife had got to him, twisting him around her little finger. Now she was to be dismissed. And what about Dora? How could she leave without her? What if Dora, now comfortable here, didn’t want to leave? She’d be on her own with no money, nowhere to go. Having been here so short a while, she’d get no reference. Who would employ her? The future looked more bleak than she could ever remember – even worse than the time of the death of her mother.
All this went through her mind in a split second, her world collapsing about her. Only dimly did she hear Doctor Lowe’s voice.
‘I’m sorry that it has taken me longer to speak to you than I intended. Things have been quite hectic.’
For hectic he meant impossible, his wife eager to see the back of her, nagging him into dismissing her. He might proclaim himself master of his own home, but in truth he was as much under her thumb as any man who needed to see himself as the master. Women – even women downtrodden and knocked about by their husbands – were stronger than men would care to believe. She was strong. And now she prepared herself to meet the world completely on her own. But her heart shrank at the thought.
‘You must have thought I’d forgotten you,’ he was saying. ‘I have discussed the situation with Mrs Lowe and have finally persuaded her that my decision remains unchanged, even though she is not happy with it. I have told her that in time she will become used to having you around.’
Ellie’s mind snapped back into focus. What was he saying to her? ‘You mean…’ It was difficult to go on.
Perhaps she hadn’t heard correctly, interpreting it only as what she would have liked to hear.
‘I mean that there is too much work in this house for Chambers and yourself to cope with. I feel that our young kitchen maid – what is her name?’
‘Rose?’ Ellie supplied automatically.
‘Yes. I feel she could take on extra work: laundry, simple housework. Chambers and yourself will share the duties of parlourmaid, neither one of you above the other. I’ll speak to my wife and to Cook.’
Ellie was speechless. One minute she’d been devastated; now this.
‘There is one stipulation,’ he continued. ‘Chambers will take on the sole duty of taking food trays up to Mrs Lowe, tidying, cleaning and dusting, making up the fire in her room, delivering bedlinen and making the bed. There’ll be no need for you to set foot there.’
She knew exactly what he meant. ‘I do understand, sir,’ she said, finding her voice, and was aware of a look passing between them before either could help themselves. She hastily lowered her head.
‘Well, that’s settled,’ he said briskly. ‘However, I’m afraid I cannot raise your wages. Only my—’
‘That’s orright, sir,’ she cut in quickly. Seeing him frown, she wondered what she’d said wrong. She raised her eyebrows enquiringly and the frown faded, to be replaced by an amused smile.
‘There is one thing that concerns me, my dear.’ He was still calling her ‘my dear’, which was also encouraging. ‘I would like you to concentrate on your speech. I think it would be appropriate for you to try to learn the Queen’s English and I shall endeavour to correct you as and when I can.’
‘Thank you, sir,’ she said meekly now, not quite sure why he should need to bother. Most working girls – even maids in big houses – had no need to talk proper.
‘Well then,’ he went on, ‘as soon as Cook explains what duties are required of… er…’
‘Rose,’ Ellie reminded him.
‘You will commence your new duties. Cook will draw up a roster, allowing for Chambers to wait at table for one day, you for the next, and so on. Now I must get on.’
Ellie quickly dropped a curtsey as he left the room.
Florrie was happy enough with the news, especially that no extra wage would be awarded to Ellie, so not promoting this virtual newcomer over her.
But if Ellie thought waiting at table was a picnic she’d got another think coming. It was, in fact, one of the duties Florrie disliked. While the master and mistress were eating, a maid had to stand perfectly still so as not to distract them. Sometimes in the evening Doctor Lowe would entertain guests, one or two medical colleagues and their wives, or maybe friends or family. Dinner could linger for ages, often going on till eight and there she’d stand, tired on her feet after a long day. Then it all had to be cleared away.
She was glad for someone to take over every other day and give her a rest. Ellie would soon learn it wasn’t so easy. And with such a short time to learn the order cutlery must go in, where water and wine glasses should be placed, how to fold a napkin, how to properly serve food and to avoid drips when serving liquids such as soup, the port decanter always to be passed clockwise, and so on, she was bound to make a slipup. Yet she had this sneaky feeling Ellie would shine at it. Ellie had that way with her.
As she and young Dora got into the hansom cab, its driver holding the door open for them, Mary Lowe felt
