Free Marrying Miss Martha by Anna Jacobs

cannot like it. Now that we’ve seen what a rough, dirty place Tapton is, you must surely realise that as gentlefolk, you owe it to your family to set yourselves up in a more salubrious area and—”
    Fortunately the landlady knocked just then to see if they were ready for their dinner and Edward was distracted by the need to check exactly what she was offering them for their meal.
     

Chapter 4
     
    The following morning Hepzibah arrived promptly at nine o’clock, just as Edward was complaining about the lack of consideration of people who expected a gentleman to do business at this ungodly hour.
    The housekeeper took them along one of the side streets leading off the other side of the square. Half-way along it she stopped and gestured to a house. “This is it. Fern Villa.”
    The two sisters studied the outside, exchanging pleased glances at what they saw. Like the neighbouring residences, it was a neat three-storey building, double-fronted and with a very small front garden—but at least it had a garden, which many in the town didn’t. Hepzibah also pointed out that all the houses in the street had the luxury of piped water from the Tapton Municipal Water Company, which had been formed only three years previously at Mr Wright’s instigation.
    “I wouldn’t advise you to trust a water company,” Edward declared at once. “I don’t use any water not drawn from my own well.”
    “Mr Wright mistrusts the wells in the town,” Hepzibah remarked. “Says they’re poisoned by the seepage from the cess pits and won’t let his childer drink owt that hasn’t come from his own water company, yes and been boiled, too. Cook does the same for Ben and Georgie, just to be safe.”
    “Shall we go inside?” Penny asked quickly, seeing that their cousin was looking thunderous at the housekeeper’s familiarity in using her employers’ first names. She was quite sure Hepzibah wouldn’t put up with him hectoring her without responding sharply, because Sally wouldn’t have either and the two women seemed rather similar in nature.
    Luckily the house distracted Edward. Fern Villa had two parlours, one on either side of a narrow hallway, with a large dining-room at the rear on the left and a much smaller room on the right. The kitchen was behind that and had a modern kitchener, all shiny with blacklead, with a closed fire in the centre giving out gentle heat, a hot water tank on one side and a double oven on the other.
    “I came and lit the fire earlier this morning,” Hepzibah said. “Thought it’d take the chill off the house a bit, make it seem more welcoming.”
    “That was kind of you.” Martha held her hands out to the warmth.
    “There’s a scullery, pantry and coal house through here,” Hepzibah went on, opening another door that led to a small corridor.
    “Sally will love this kitchen,” Penelope murmured after they’d examined everything and come back to stand looking out of the window. The rear garden was larger than she’d expected, with a gate at the far end, newly painted in a bright green colour. She saw Hepzibah looking at her questioningly and explained who Sally was, then added, “The house has a nice feel to it.”
    “It was where old Mr Seaton lived with his first wife until he built the mill house, and they were very happy here. I worked for them for many years, until we all had to move. My poor mistress died when Ben was only nine, just as the master was starting to do well. He never cared as much about the mill after that and although he missed her greatly, he married again only a year later.” Hepzibah’s lips tightened. “Miss Georgie is the result. Spoiled, she’s been, but she has a good heart if she’ll only stop trying to show off.”
    Martha looked at her with interest. This was the second person to defend Georgiana Seaton from possible criticism. She didn’t comment, however, just turned back to the window. “The garden has been let run wild.”
    “Ben never did care about