He looked right into her eyes as he spoke, a faint smile playing at his lips. 'Mama is going to be very grateful that you saved my life, because I'm sure Ruth will have to tell her what I did. But I was so excited because I found an old boat. I wanted to get it out and play in it. I didn't stop to think it might be dangerous.'

A lump came up in Hope's throat for she knew he was trying to tell her that their secret meetings would remain secret.

'That's all very well, Master Rufus,' she said sternly. 'But your mama will blame Ruth for not watching you more closely. She is afraid she will be dismissed.'

'Then maybe we shouldn't tell Mama about it?' He looked round at the other servants. 'I could have got this b.u.mp on the head falling over. And anyway, it might be gone by the time she gets back.'

He turned and went over to Ruth, wrapping his arms around her and leaning against her chest. 'I'm sorry I scared you, Ruthie,' he said. 'I won't do it again. Will you forgive me?'

Hope wanted to laugh then for he had the same easy charm as his father.

'You are going to have a bath, get into bed and stay there,' Ruth said, but though she had clearly meant that to sound like punishment, the break in her voice implied only relief and concern. 'And you will not go out of my sight again or I'll lock you in the nursery.'

'Well done, Hope. You averted a tragedy today,' Baines said as Rose cleared away the supper things. Ruth had taken Rufus upstairs, and Albert had gone home, so they were alone in the servants' hall. 'I think it's as well the young master is going away to school soon, he needs the company of other boys and some discipline.'

Hope hung her head. She had a strong feeling that Baines guessed she had more involvement with Rufus than she'd let on, and he was warning her it had to end.

'There's a storm brewing up,' he said, getting to his feet and going over to the window. 'I can feel the thunder in the air. Perhaps it's as well this heat has made us all somewhat irresponsible.'

Chapter Seven.

1847.

Hope was whipping egg whites at the kitchen table one morning in November when Martha returned to the kitchen after her usual weekly meeting with Lady Harvey about the meals for the forthcoming week.

'The mistress will be going down to Suss.e.x again tomorrow,' Martha announced importantly.

Hope glanced up at this unexpected news. 'Is her father poorly now?'

'He's never been right since his wife died,' Martha said as if she knew him personally. 'That poor man all alone in that vast mansion!'

Hope bit back a sarcastic remark. Martha was a decent enough woman, but Hope thought she ought to give her sympathy to those who really deserved it. Squire Dorville had a huge staff taking care of him and his estate, while less than a mile from here there were whole families living on a few shillings a week. They had a struggle to feed their children and could never afford to call a doctor when they were sick.

'Did the mistress say if Nell was to go with her?' Hope asked.

'Of course she is, a lady doesn't travel without her maid.' Martha sniffed. 'Not even here where standards are slipping a bit more every day.'

Hope didn't ask any more questions for she found Martha's superior att.i.tude very irritating. Yet she was right with regard to the slipping standards at Briargate.

She hadn't been here in the old days of course, when there were some fifteen servants, but in recent years, when anyone left, the remaining servants divided up that job between them. Martha was the only new member of staff, taken on to replace the old cook when she died.

When Rufus had gone off to school in Wells over a year ago, this situation, which they'd all accepted cheerfully enough because it wasn't particularly onerous, suddenly deteriorated further. Within a month of Rufus leaving, Ruth departed in anger because she had been asked to become a maid of all work. James was dismissed when Sir William sold all but two of his horses, and Ruby left to get married.

Hope and Nell missed Ruth and James dreadfully, but they had to admit it had turned out for the best for their brother and sister. Ruth went to Bath as housekeeper to a widower with two daughters aged seven and nine, and within six months she was married to him.

He was a stonemason called John Pike, and although it seemed very sudden, Nell and Hope had visited Ruth twice since the wedding and found her to be very happy. John Pike was a kind and hard-working man with a very nice home, and his two daughters were thrilled to have a new mother. Just last week Ruth had written to say she was expecting a baby, which had delighted both Nell and Hope.

Sir William had secured James a new position as head groom at Littlecote Manor in Berkshire, perhaps because he felt guilty at being compelled to make cutbacks. Albert could take care of Merlin and b.u.t.tercup, the mare who pulled the trap; he had no reason to keep horses for the carriage when he could take the train from Bath to London.

Whatever reason the servants were given for the cutbacks, everyone knew the truth. Sir William was in serious financial difficulties. The London house had gone a few years earlier, and there had been a gradual decline in parties at Briargate since then. Nell said she could hardly remember what it was like to prepare for a big dinner party or even weekend guests.

Lady Harvey scrutinized the household accounts now. She suggested to Baines that maybe they didn't need a fire in rooms that were seldom used and she shocked Martha by telling her she must cook simpler meals. On several occasions the wine merchant and the butcher had come to Briargate to demand settlement of the account, though Baines pa.s.sed this off as mere oversight.

Lady Harvey's melancholia wafted around the house, affecting them all. Nell claimed she was still grieving for her mother, and maybe she was, but she didn't go out visiting or shopping any more and often stayed in bed all day.

Sir William didn't seem to care what went on in the house. He was rarely home, and when he was he drank heavily and quarrelled with his wife.

Every one of the servants was too nervous about their own security to complain about the extra jobs they were expected to do now. Albert didn't grumble that he'd lost w.i.l.l.y, his a.s.sistant, or that he now had grooming and driving duties too. Nell said nothing about being expected to clean the master's and mistress's bedrooms, and Hope bit her tongue when she was ordered to empty slop pails, carry bath water and do the bulk of the household laundry.

But it was loyal and long-suffering Baines who bore the brunt of the cutbacks. He had always acted as Sir William's valet, lit fires and cleaned shoes. But now he was filling in everywhere maintenance jobs around the house, even sweeping the stable yard and polishing the bra.s.s on the front door when no one else could find time for it.

As a result of all the extra duties, Hope no longer lived in the gatehouse with Nell and Albert. She had Ruth's old room up in the attic, and though she had to work far harder now, at least when she was done for the day she didn't have to put up with Albert's sullen silence or his disapproving looks.

She missed Ruth and James, but she missed Rufus far more. After his accident in the pond there had been a special kind of bond between them. As the days of his departure for school grew closer and closer, Baines and Ruth had allowed her to spend much of the day with him. They did jigsaw puzzles up in the nursery, played cards and invented dozens of different guessing games. She could tell he was worried about going away to school; he would scowl at the shiny new trunk in the corner of the nursery that Ruth was gradually filling with clothes, and told her he would run away if he didn't like it. But Hope kept telling him that all the new boys would be just the same as him and he'd soon make friends, then she'd distract him with a new game.

Lady Harvey still wasn't back when he had to leave, but his father returned to take him in the trap. Everyone went out to the drive to wave him off, and there were tears in all their eyes as he bravely shouted his goodbyes and pretended he was happy to go.

Hope expected that he'd be influenced by his new friends and that when he came home for the holidays, he wouldn't want a kitchenmaid for a companion. But she was wrong; as soon as he got back to Briargate he always came straight down to the kitchen to find her. Nell and Baines took the line that it was better for Rufus to be in the kitchen or going for a walk with Hope than seeing his father drunk, his mother weeping, or hearing the pair of them squabbling.

Nell would often sigh and recall the happy times when Rufus was still a baby. Sir William might have been away a great deal at that time, but when he was here he and Lady Harvey played together with their son, and the master never locked himself away in his study to drink.

Often now when he was reeling drunk, he'd go looking for Lady Harvey and pick a fight with her. Rose claimed she must have had to clear up broken china or gla.s.ses a score of times after he'd been on the rampage.

'Those egg whites will collapse if you beat them any more!' Martha exclaimed, bringing Hope out of her reverie.

'I'm sorry, I didn't notice,' Hope replied, and handed the bowl over to the cook for the dessert she was making. 'I wonder how long Lady Harvey will be gone this time.'

Martha shrugged. 'Who knows? She'd better be back for Christmas, Master Rufus won't like it if she isn't. And let's hope Albert can get into Bath tomorrow, the roads will be treacherous.'

There had been heavy rain throughout September and October, and now there were hard frosts every night. It had been a poor harvest this year and if it was a very cold winter too, everyone knew there would be great suffering in the surrounding villages. Even Matt was struggling now. His father-in-law had died the previous year, and with a wife, her one still unmarried sister and his mother-in-law to keep, along with three children of his own, he had a job to keep his head above water.

From time to time Hope thought of trying to find a position in Bristol or Bath, for her life here was nothing but work and more work, with no company of her own age. James would write and describe the harvest suppers and the Christmas party the servants had at Littlecote and it sounded so much fun to be in a big household.

But Baines had advised her against leaving until she was a skilled enough cook to apply for a position in that capacity, for most kitchenmaids got treated far more harshly than she was. So she watched Martha very carefully, asked questions about anything she didn't understand, volunteered to make some of the dishes herself and jotted down the trickier recipes Martha used.

Sometimes she wished she was like Martha and Rose, for their minds didn't stretch beyond Briargate and the local gossip. They couldn't read, and everything they knew came from equally limited people. They grumbled a lot, especially now there was such uncertainty around the house, but neither of them seemed to have any desire to move on.

Hope was well aware she had even less experience than them of the world beyond Briargate, but she read the periodicals, newspapers and the occasional book which found their way down to the kitchen. She knew many working people were brave enough to challenge the government about the unfairness of the laws, and up and down the country there was rioting as there had been in Bristol the year before her birth. She could see that it wasn't right that only property owners could vote. They elected men to Parliament who would only look after their interests, and the poor had to shift for themselves.

'So you're going away with Lady Harvey?' Hope said later when Nell came down. Fortunately, Martha was talking to Baines in the servants' hall so they had the kitchen to themselves.

'Don't look so glum about it,' Nell smiled. 'It will only be for a few weeks.'

'I hate it when you aren't here,' Hope sighed. She was often lonely since Ruth and James had left, but with Nell gone too she knew she was going to feel very alone and isolated.

Nell patted her sister's cheek affectionately. 'I think we'll have to find a sweetheart for you. You wouldn't be thinking about your old sister if a young man took your eye.'

'There's about as much chance of me meeting a young man working here as there is of becoming Queen,' Hope said grumpily.

Nell looked anxious then and Hope felt ashamed of herself. 'I'll be fine really,' she said quickly. 'Just be back before Christmas.'

'Will you go down to the gatehouse now and then and tidy up for Albert?' Nell asked. 'And if I can't get back before Master Rufus comes home for the Christmas holiday, will you promise me that you'll keep an eye on him?'

Hope nodded and smiled. She knew what Rufus would make of that request. He said Nell treated him as if he were still five or six, but he was a strapping lad of almost thirteen now, and his school had hardened him up considerably.

'And don't go anywhere near Sir William when he's drinking,' Nell said warningly. 'If he rings the bell, let Rose or Baines go.'

'Will Lady Harvey stand up to losing her father too?' Hope asked. She sensed Nell was worried about something and thought perhaps it was that.

'I think so she isn't as close to him as she was to her mother,' Nell replied. 'But his death will give her more problems.'

Hope raised one eyebrow questioningly.

'I shouldn't really tell you this, especially as Squire Dorville hasn't even gone yet. But Sir William is a.s.suming that the estate will be divided between the three sisters.'

'It will, won't it?' Hope said.

'Lady Harvey thinks not. Her father doesn't approve of Sir William's spendthrift ways.'

Hope knew exactly what Nell meant by that. A wife's money became her husband's, and possibly Sir William was banking on Lady Harvey's inheritance to get him out of his problems. If that didn't come about, he would be savage.

'So neither younor Lady Harvey will have a lot to come home for?' Hope said archly. She didn't mean to be sarcastic, but it had struck her over the past year that the mistress and her maid had a great deal in common as far as their husbands were concerned.

'I've got you, and Lady Harvey has Rufus,' Nell retorted. 'And that's all either of us needs.'

Hope felt ashamed then for she knew that Nell thought of her as her own child rather than a much younger sister. She put her arms around Nell and held her tightly. 'I love you, Nell,' she whispered. 'You've always taken care of me and I can't imagine what I'd do without you. I just wish you had the kind of life you deserve.'

'I'm a great deal more fortunate than some,' Nell said stoutly against Hope's shoulder, but the crack in her voice meant she was crying. 'Will you do something for me?'

'Of course,' Hope replied.

'It's for Lady Harvey really,' Nell said, withdrawing from her sister's arms, dabbing at her damp eyes with her ap.r.o.n and sniffing back her tears. 'What I'm going to tell you is a secret; you must promise me that you will never tell anyone?'

'I promise,' Hope said, wondering what on earth this secret could be.

'Cross your heart and hope to die!' Nell said.

Hope dutifully made the sign of the cross on her chest.

'Right,' Nell said. 'I want you to go through the post in the mornings and retrieve any letters that look like this.' She put her hand in her ap.r.o.n pocket and pulled out an envelope addressed to Lady Harvey. The handwriting was a bold script that was quite unlike any other handwriting Nell had ever seen. 'Will yourecognize that?' she asked.

Hope nodded. 'What do you want me to do with them?' she asked.

'Just keep them safe until we get back, and don't say a word to anyone about them,' Nell said, her voice lowered conspiratorially.

Hope's mouth dropped open in shock, for such a request could only mean one thing. 'Has she got a lover?'

Nell put a warning finger to her mouth and looked over her shoulder nervously. 'I wouldn't call him that,' she whispered. 'He's just her friend, but if Sir William was to see a letter from him it would cause her a great deal of trouble, and things are bad enough at the moment without that.'

'Then why doesn't she just write to him now and tell him she's going away?' Hope asked.

'He's a soldier,' Nell said impatiently. 'Letters take a long time to arrive.'

Hope knew there was no point in asking further questions because she could see by Nell's tight expression that this was as much as she was prepared to reveal and she was worried sick at involving her younger sister in something she didn't approve of herself.

'Don't worry, I can be as tight-lipped as you,' Hope smiled. 'I just wish it was you who was getting secret letters; that would make me very happy.'

Nell half-smiled, her dark brown eyes softer with relief. 'You're a good girl,' she said, reaching out to stroke Hope's cheek with the same affectionate gesture their mother had always used. 'Don't forget about tidying the gatehouse,' she said, clearly reminded of her duty to her husband. 'Will you do his washing too?'

'Yes, that's if I can beat Martha to it.' Hope felt she had to try to make her sister laugh. 'With you out of the way she'll be fussing over him even more.'

Nell giggled, and for a second or two she looked like a girl again instead of a rather worn, tubby woman of thirty-one. 'She's welcome to fuss over him as much as she likes. But just remind her you can't squeeze blood out of a stone.'

Hope gave Lady Harvey's mysterious friend a great deal of thought over the next couple of days. As far as she knew, Captain Pettigrew was the only soldier who had ever been to Briargate, and he was certainly the only male visitor who always seemed to arrive when Sir William wasn't there. Then there was that remark Rose had made years ago about Nell being fl.u.s.tered by him. It hadn't made any sense before, but it did now. When Nell disapproved of anything she always wore that tight expression.

So it had to be him.

It was of course shocking that her mistress had a secret beau, but Hope had retained all the good thoughts she'd formed about the Captain on the day she found Cook unconscious. He was charming, handsome and dashing and she could well imagine that any woman, married or not, would like his attention. For him, Hope was quite prepared to intercept the letters and keep them safe.

The weather grew more wet and windy after Lady Harvey and Nell had left for Suss.e.x. One night the wind was so strong an old oak tree in the garden came crashing down, narrowly missing the stables. The following morning Hope and Rose went out with Baines to look at it and it was fearsome to see the vast roots exposed and a huge hole left in the ground where the tree had stood for probably a hundred years.

'My father used to say when an oak came crashing down that it was an omen of something worse to come,' Rose said fearfully.

'I'm sure your father believed in witches too,' Baines retorted sarcastically. 'I would say this is fortuitous as it means we'll have plenty of logs this winter. So get about your work now, and don't be so foolish.'

Hope missed her sister dreadfully. She hadn't realized until Nell went that it was she who had become the glue that held everyone together. Although she was a quiet person, she really cared about her fellow servants and could stimulate chatter and laughter between them. Without her it was very gloomy. Martha talked of nothing but food. Rose would grumble about how much work she still had to do, and Baines hardly said a word.

Sir William's unpredictability didn't help the mood. They'd lay the dining-room table for him and he'd want his meal in his study; he'd tell Baines he wouldn't be back for dinner, then come in roaring drunk late in the evening and demand a meal. Several times he'd told Martha he wanted a special dinner that evening because he was bringing a friend home, and then didn't turn up at all. Rose said he was a selfish swine, but as Baines pointed out, it was Sir William's house and he paid them to dance attendance on him. He also reminded them all that if they thought they could get an easier job, they were free to leave Briargate.

A letter with the same bold script Nell had shown her came after Lady Harvey had been gone over two weeks, coinciding with one for Hope from Nell. She put them both into the pocket of her ap.r.o.n, placed the rest on the silver tray in the hall for Sir William to look at later, finished laying the drawing-room fire, and then returned to the kitchen before reading her own letter.

Nell couldn't write very well so it was brief and to the point: Squire Dorville had died. She expected it would be about two weeks before they set off for home, and she hoped everything was running smoothly at Briargate.

Hope knew that if Nell was writing to her, Lady Harvey would have written to her husband, and presumably he would leave immediately for Suss.e.x. She wondered in pa.s.sing whether he'd collect Rufus from school and take him too, or just write to him to pa.s.s on the news of his grandfather's death.

It wasn't until after breakfast, when Hope went upstairs with Rose to see to Sir William's bedroom, that she thought about the letter from the Captain again. She had taken it from her ap.r.o.n pocket and slipped it into the bodice of her dress while out in the privy, but it crackled a little when she moved and she knew she must put it in a better place for safe keeping.

She knew she had to be careful. Rose was extremely nosy and Ruth had always warned Hope never to have anything in her room that she didn't want seen because Rose poked into everyone's belongings. Rose couldn't read, so she wouldn't know who the letter was for or from, but she was crafty enough to take it down to Baines, making out she'd found it on the stairs. That also meant it wouldn't be a good idea to hide it somewhere in Lady Harvey's bedroom for no doubt Rose went through that with a fine toothcomb while cleaning it.

The gatehouse seemed the safest place. She could slide it under the mattress of her old bed, for Albert would have no reason even to go into that room, let alone disturb the bed. She had intended to go down there that afternoon to clean up anyway.

Hope was back in the kitchen later on in the morning, when Sir William came in. She knew immediately why he'd come, but Martha and Baines looked astounded to see him as he seldom visited the kitchen.