Free Jenny Telfer Chaplin by Hopes, Sorrow Page A

more than happy with the arrangements but Mary and Granny between them were able to see to the smooth running of the ‘big hoose’ as Granny called it. For Mary, her functions in this regard set aside any residual feelings of being beholden to anyone’s charity.
    One morning as Mary, humming contentedly, went about the business of tidying up the drawing room, plumping up cushions, setting anti-macassars straight, and dusting the many valuable ornaments, Elenora entered and smiled.
    “That’s what I like to see. A woman happy in her work.”
    “Oh, Elenora. Ah love Ivylea and everything about it. How could Ah not be happy?”
    “Yes. I could see how much you enjoyed last night’s sitting ... it went very well. We got a lot of messages through. There was just one thing, Mary. When one of my guests mentioned Archie Cooper I sensed your discomfort ... surely, no problem there?”
    Mary clutched her duster as if holding to a lifeline. “Archie Cooper? No ... er ... it’s just ...”
    Elenora looked sternly at her. “Mary, you forget that I am psychic. I know there is something about that man that is upsetting you.”
    Mary started to protest all knowledge of Archie Coooper and Elenora said: “Put down that duster. Sit down. Now tell me what is troubling you. Apart from anything else, I do not wish an atmosphere of disharmony, secrets, and mistrust in Ivylea. Surely you already know how important it is to my psychic work for this to be a haven of peace, harmony and loving thoughts.”
    “Ah don’t know where to start.”
    “At the beginning is usually the best place.”
    Mary sighed. “When Ah was a young kitchen skivvy up at Kinnaird, Archie was the coachman there. A handsome young man, if Ah’m being honest. Well, one night as Ah was passing the stables he appeared out of the dark and tried to kiss me.”
    Elenora laughed. “Indeed. Is that all? A stolen kiss and nothing more?”
    Mary felt the blood rush to her face.
    “Yes, that’s it. He tried to steal a kiss. But Ah certainly scared him off – Ah went on every time Ah saw him about waiting for the marriage bed.”
    “Nothing too tragic about that story, Mary, apart from perhaps missing a chance of later happiness with the handsome young man. And who could blame him for trying his luck with you. After all, you were something of a beauty, kitchen skivvy or not.”
    Mary gave a rueful shake of her head. “That’s all in the past, but when ye sent him and his pony and trap to pick us up at the pier, Ah’m afraid Ah was rather rude to him. Ye see Ah didn’t know then what Ah know now …”
    Elenora nodded. “You mean about his young wife dying in childbirth and the wee boy on whom he doted later dying of the scarlet fever?”
    “Honestly, when Ah think of what Ah said, knowing myself the awful pain of bereavement, Ah could bite out my tongue. As Ah recall Ah snapped something at him about getting back to his wife and squad of bairns. How was Ah to know his wife and only bairn were both dead?”
     
    Two weeks later Mary answered knocking on the front door to find herself face to face with Archie Cooper.
    He grinned broadly. “Aha, it’s yerself Mistress Drummond. Before ye get the wrong end of the stick again, it’s yer employer Ah’m here to see. And before ye shut the door in my face, let me tell ye that Miss Patten is expecting me, on a matter of business.”
    Mary adopted her grandest manner and ushered him into the spacious front hall.
    “If ye will wait here. Mr ... Mr ... Cooper, Ah will announce ye to Miss Patten.”
    A short time later Mary was summoned to the drawing room and Miss Patten ordered a tea tray, “and some of Granny’s treacle scones. Bring enough cups and sweetbites for three. I wish you to join us, Mary, for this business concerns you.”
    Mary was now thoroughly intrigued as to what this ‘business’ could possibly be. Uncomfortable at the thought of having tea with Archie Cooper after her terrible gaffe, Mary delayed