Free Hope at Holly Cottage by Tania Crosse

The house had been built in a bygone age and nothing, it seemed to Anna, had changed since. She would have been fascinated – if she hadn’t gained the distinct impression that she was going to slave in it like a skivvy. And, apart from the kitchen, all the rooms were so dark that she was convinced she would turn into a mole! It was no wonder that the butler and housekeeper were so short-tempered.
    ‘Well, that’s me done for the day. Alfie’ll be yere in a mo to pick me up. Couldn’t come on me bike in this yere fog.’
    Oh, what a relief to hear a cheerful voice! What Anna saw first was a fat, be-aproned behind as Mrs Smudge came in backwards, using her bottom to open the door since her hands were full of her cleaning materials.
    ‘’Ello, cheel! You’m the new maid?’ she beamed as she turned round. ‘I ’opes you last longer than the last one,’ she whispered with a wink as she struggled past Anna with her dusters, brushes and brooms. ‘See you tomorrow,’ she called as, having stowed her equipment somewhere in the scullery, she came back through the kitchen and disappeared out of the door again.
    Well, at least she would look forward to working withMrs Smudge, Anna mused, but just then the breakfast room bell clanged once more.
    ‘That’s Lady Ashcroft finished, so up we go. Anna,’ Mr Jackson added as if he resented using her name.
    Anna was appalled. The tray had been set out like a banquet for Lady Ashcroft to choose from, and yet she had hardly eaten anything. And when Anna thought of how her dear mum had struggled through all the years of rationing to put a decent meal on the table, well, it was criminal. She sincerely hoped all that food wouldn’t go to waste. And all the time and effort of preparing the tray for nothing. No wonder Her Ladyship required so many people to look after her!
    Once Lady Ashcroft had been served her coffee, the servants were able to sit at one end of the enormous kitchen table to have their own lunch. The one pleasant surprise of the day was that they helped themselves from the ham and cheese that had been returned on the tray – Anna being made to wait until last, of course – and Mrs Davenport reheated the soup on the range so that it was piping hot. And Anna had to admit that it was delicious.
    ‘Please may I ask when His Lordship will be back?’ she plucked up the courage to ask, most politely, of course.
    She saw them exchange glances, and Mrs Davenport rolled her eyes to the ceiling. Oh, Lord, Anna wondered in dismay, what on earth had she said now?
    ‘Explain to the girl, would you?’ Mrs Davenport sighed in exasperation.
    Mr Jackson coughed lightly. ‘There is no His Lordship. Sir Hugh was a baronet, not a lord of any sort. And sadly he died some years ago, so Her Ladyship is officially theDowager Lady Ashcroft. Since Sir Hugh’s death, she has preferred to live here rather than in London.’
    ‘Oh dear, how sad,’ Anna ventured. ‘But I’m sure Mrs Davenport mentioned family?’
    ‘She may have done. A baronetcy is not part of the peerage, but unlike a knighthood, it can be hereditary. The son may claim the title upon the death of his father. Sir Gilbert comes to stay with his mother quite frequently. No doubt you will meet him soon enough. And Lady Ashcroft also has some distant cousins. But stop asking about things that don’t concern you, and hurry up and finish your lunch. We all have work to do, especially you.’
    He wasn’t kidding! It seemed that Anna was to do all the washing-up, scouring and polishing the copper pans until they gleamed. She had to wash and prepare all the vegetables ready for Mrs Davenport to cook, and weigh out all ingredients on some cast iron scales. The housekeeper instructed her in the exact method of making tea – what a blooming waste of time that was, in Anna’s opinion. Tea was tea, for heaven’s sake. Although apparently not.
    She seemed to be kept on her feet – running around like a blue-arse fly as Ethel