Free Mr Cavell's Diamond by Kathleen McGurl Page A

to dismiss the girl.
    ‘ So that’s settled then,’ he said. ‘Enjoy your outing, my love, but please take care not to overtire yourself. I am afraid I must dash. I am to meet Dennett at eleven. I shall see you at dinner and hear all about your day.’
    She raised her face to be kissed as he left the room, then smiled secretly to herself. So she had until dinner time. And the maid might come in useful after all. There might well be more to carry home than a few ribbons from the haberdasher.
     
    It was mid-afternoon before Caroline decided it was the right time to go out. She rang for the maid, who was already dressed for the outdoors in a bonnet and woollen shawl. Caroline picked up a large empty basket, handed it to the maid to carry, and they set off. The girl kept a couple of paces behind Caroline, as she led the way eastwards through the town, via the shops on Warwick Street.
    At the haberdasher’s shop, Caroline idly fingered the lengths of ribbon and lace that were on display while the little maid stood quietly near the door, still clutching the basket. After a few minutes, Caroline turned and stared at the girl.
    ‘Why are you watching me, girl? How can I pick out what I want when your eyes follow me everywhere? Wait for me outside on the pavement.’
    The girl curtseyed and scurried outside. Immediately Caroline beckoned to the shopkeeper, a balding, short-sighted man.
    ‘My order. Is it ready?’
    The shopkeeper peered at her. ‘Mrs Cavell, is it? Yes ma’am, I have it all here.’ He went into the back room and came out with a parcel, which he began to unwrap to show her the items within.
    ‘ No, no, leave it wrapped,’ Caroline said. ‘If anything is not to my satisfaction I shall bring it back within the week. You will send the bill to Mr Cavell. And cut me a yard of this, please.’ She indicated a reel of crimson ribbon. It would look well attached to her new bonnet, she thought, tied with a bow to the side.
    Outside, she dropped the parcels into the maid’s basket. ‘Come on. We have much to do.’
    Further on was a general stores shop. Again Caroline collected a parcel which she added to the basket. By the time they reached the end of the row of shops, the basket was almost full.
    ‘Ma’am, is there much more to buy?’ asked the maid. ‘Only I will struggle with the basket if much more goes in it.’
    ‘ We are finished shopping now,’ replied Caroline. ‘And we are almost at my mother’s house, where you can rest a while.’
    ‘ Thank you, ma’am,’ said the girl, wiping her sweating brow on the corner of her shawl.
    What would the girl make of her mother’s house, Caroline wondered, as they turned into High Street and approached the cottage. It was probably no better than the maid’s own family home. She would have preferred for the servants not to know her true origins, but it could not be helped. She glanced at the girl’s face. She was, at least, good at concealing her thoughts, or perhaps simply too dim to have any.
    Instead of walking straight into the house as she normally would, Caroline knocked on the door, and waited for her mother to come and open it. When she did, she was wiping floury hands down her apron. She frowned at Caroline and began to say something, but Caroline cut her off.
    ‘ Hello, Ma. Aren’t you going to invite me in? I’d like some tea.’
    ‘ Well, you can make it yourself. I’m busy making pastry. Who’s your friend?’
    Caroline sniffed. ‘She’s my servant. She’ll sit in your kitchen while I go in the front room. You can bring me my tea in there.’ She pushed past her mother and entered the cottage.
    A moment later Ann burst into the front room. ‘You’ve no right to treat me like that, ordering tea, forcing your way into my good room. You’ve always been happy to sit in the kitchen till now. And what do you mean by bringing that girl along and not even bothering to introduce her?’
    ‘ She’s just the maid. My husband insisted she