Free The Lady and the Lake by Rosemary Smith Page A

you.’
    ‘Aye, and I trust you’ll see her safely home.’ Mrs White got up as she spoke and picked a package up off the small dresser. ‘This is Clara’s best dress, she has no other shoes, I’m afraid,’ she said, handing me the brown paper package tied neatly with string.
    ‘Don’t worry, I will ensure she looks her best and I shall see Clara home myself,’ I promised.
    ***
    When I left the cottage some time later with the brown parcel under my arm, I bumped into Harry.
    ‘How you doing, Miss?’ he asked cheekily.
    ‘Fine, thank you, Harry, everything is going splendidly.’ Little did I know at that moment that things weren’t as splendid as I thought.
    Arriving back at the Hall I made my way to the kitchen to look for Maggie. She was sat at the table helping another maid to clean the silver which was spread out on a white sheet.
    ‘Right, Miss, I’m coming,’ said Maggie when she saw me. We walked up the stone staircase which was now so familiar to me. Maggie followed me into my room. I placed the parcel Mrs White had given me on the bed and then looked in dismay at my dress which still hung on the wardrobe. The flowers which I’d so carefully stitched on the day before were strewn on the floor. Some cruel person had systematically cut them away from the dress while I’d been out and my mind flew to Mrs Grafton.

 
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    ‘Oh, Miss!’ said Maggie helping me gather up the flowers. ‘Who would do such a thing?’
    ‘At this moment in time I have no idea, but intend to find out,’ I said, placing the flowers on the bed once more.
    ‘I’ll help sew them back on Miss, I’m really quite good at needlework. I’d like to have done it for a living, but Ma says it would spoil my eyesight.’ As she spoke I took down the dress and looked at it carefully, there were a couple of nicks in the fabric on the shoulder but this could be put right.
    ‘Thank you for the offer Maggie, could we do it in your room?’ I asked, not wanting to leave the dress here again for the same fate to befall it.
    ‘We could Miss, I share the room with Ruth but she won’t mind.’
    ***
    We stitched together all evening, Maggie working on the waist and I on the shoulder, she was indeed a good needlewoman. From time to time I glanced around the room, almost taken up completely by two beds. I thought my room was sparse, but in comparison mine was a palace. There was just a rail placed in an alcove for their clothes which were few, and an old wooden stand on which stood a cracked washbowl and jug.
    ‘There, that looks a picture, Miss,’ said Maggie when we’d finished and I had to agree. ‘I’ll put it on the rail, Miss, and no-one but Ruth will see it.’ So I entrusted my dress to Maggie’s safe-keeping.
    Thursday, the day of Emily’s party arrived. It was the day I was asked for the first time to read to Mrs Kershaw. Today of all days when I had much to do, but after all, this is why I was here and until now my duties as companion had not been called upon except for that fateful day.
    As I crossed the hall on my way to Mrs Kershaw’s room I encountered Thomas, at the sight of him my heart missed a beat.
    ‘Abbey,’ he said quietly coming across to me, ‘I need to speak to you about the other day. It was my misfortune...’ Here I interrupted him.
    ‘No, Mr Craddock, it is my misfortune that I risked all for someone so indifferent to my feelings as yourself. Now if you’ll please excuse me, Sir, I have to read to your aunt. I don’t wish to give her any more cause to dismiss me.’
    After this little speech I made to go but Thomas gently caught my arm. ‘But I need to explain to you about the other day,’ he implored.
    ‘I fear there is nothing to explain,’ I told him, wondering as I walked down the corridor what it was he had to say, just maybe I should have listened.
    The consequence of my meeting with Thomas caused me distraction while reading to the old lady who was very subdued today. What was it Thomas