Free Together for Christmas by Carol Rivers

brought me tea,’ Flora volunteered, aware that Gracie seemed to be shrinking down into her boots. ‘It was a long journey from London.’
    Mr Leighton scowled at the scullery maid. ‘You’d better get back to your duties. And for goodness’ sake, don’t drop anything else today.’
    Flora saw Gracie scoot off. The butler looked at Flora, then at the photographs on the wall. Squaring his shoulders, he demanded, ‘Is there anything you wish to know?’
    Flora blushed. ‘No, nothing, thank you.’
    ‘In that case, you had better drink your tea. After which, I daresay you’d like to take some fresh air. The kitchen gardens provide adequate shelter from the elements.’
    Averting her eyes, Flora returned to her seat. She lifted the cup and sipped from it, aware of the butler’s burning gaze. She realized she had been told to leave.
    Mr Leighton swept out of the room. Flora gave a deep sigh of relief. Would Hilda be happy here? Though her best friend complained about her life at Hailing House, Flora thought that things were
likely to be very much harder here at Adelphi Hall.
    Hilda was speechless. She was standing inside the entrance hall of the house she had been dreaming about ever since she first saw its picture in the library book. But all her
dreams had been surpassed. The vaulted ceilings above her were higher than the convent’s chapel. A wide, carpeted staircase led up to the interior rooms. She gazed in awe at the mahogany
balustrades, the gilt-framed paintings on the walls, mostly of military men, and the dazzling treasures in their glass cases. Mrs Burns indicated a shield above the entrance doors.
    ‘The Talbott coat-of-arms,’ she said in a proud voice.
    Hilda stared at the shield. On the left was carved a red dragon, breathing fire. On the right, a golden lion curled at the feet of a knight who wore silver armour. Around his lance was plaited
strands of gold and red.
    ‘As you know, the family are away, except Lord William,’ said Mrs Burns, as they stood on the creamy waxed flagstones. ‘I’m at liberty to show you some of the rooms and
the duties you will be expected to perform in their upkeep. Think yourself lucky. Lowers are not usually given this honour. But since you come with a recommendation from Lady Hailing . .
.’
    Hilda blushed. She felt as though she had already been singled out for special attention. Did Mrs Burns see in her something that had always been overlooked at Hailing House? Hilda didn’t
much care for the housekeeper, but what did it matter, when she was soon to be part of all this?
    ‘Every room in this house has a discreetly placed communicating door to the servants’ stairs. We serve the family twenty-four hours a day, and quite often it is necessary in the
middle of the night. Mr Leighton and the footmen are free to come and go according to their duties. You are not. Maids are never to be seen by the family. You go about your duties when the rooms
are unoccupied. Should you by chance, or mistake, meet your employer, you give way immediately, lowering your eyes, making yourself invisible. Is that understood?’
    ‘Yes, Mrs Burns.’ Hilda thought of the informal practices she had been accustomed to at Hailing House. Lady Hailing always acknowledged her and Aggie, should they meet. She often
asked them how they were and gave them a friendly smile. But, thought Hilda proudly, this was a proper aristocratic mansion and run on quite different lines, the rules of which she was sure she
would soon get used to.
    ‘Furthermore, there is to be no fraternizing with the opposite sex. No gambling, smoking or abusive language. You are to be punctual, clean and polite. There is no admittance to visitors,
friends or relations without my knowledge and approval as I have already warned you. You will bring your own clothes: two uniform dresses, two working pinafores, a black dress, a white cap and
apron. A cap must be worn at all times, under penalty of dismissal for not