Free The Duke's Dilemma by Fenella J Miller Page A

you?’
    Hester was gently escorted back to bed by a
girl who looked no more than sixteen, her mouse brown hair neatly pulled into a
knot and covered with a white cap. This must be Polly Makepeace.
    ‘Polly, I’m so pleased to see you. Are you
fully recovered from your misadventure?’
    A shadow
slid across the girl’s face but then she pinned on a smile. I’m right as rain,
miss.
    Sitting
up a tree for an hour or so did me no harm. I’m that sorry I caused so much
bother.’ The blankets were back across her knees and the pillows plumped behind
before Hester could protest.
    ‘There. You might be feeling better, miss, but
it’s not right you should draw the curtains yourself. That’s what I’m paid
for.’
    ‘I wanted to see if it had snowed overnight.
It’s so quiet.’
    ‘It has, at least three inches of the horrible
stuff. It might look pretty but I can tell you, it’s no fun for those who have
to work outside.’
    Hester smiled. She was going to deal well with
this girl. She spoke her mind like she did and would make an ideal abigail
until Jane arrived. ‘Goodness! If there’s been so much snow my carriage won’t
arrive and neither will my maid.’
    ‘In that case, it’s a good thing I’m here to
look after you.’
    ‘I don’t suppose one of your many skills
includes sewing?’
    ‘It does, Miss Frobisher. I altered all Mrs Mills’s gowns for her. She
lost a lot of weight last year after she was ill.’ She saw the girl swallow and
turn away. How sad someone so young should have endured so much.
    ‘In that case, Polly, come and have a look at
the garments hanging in my closet. If I showed you some fashion plates from La Belle Assemblée do you think you
could adapt any of them to match? If I’m not to have my new gowns then maybe
you can resurrect my old ones. The material’s good, it’s just the cut that’s a
trifle out-dated .’
    She smoothed down the velveteen skirt of the
solitary day dress she had brought with her.
    ‘You’ll
notice I have no pastels or white amongst my clothes, I wear colours that suit me, not what convention dictates.’
    The two were standing in the closet. Polly
picked out an evening gown, the waist fashionably high but the skirt plain, no
ruffles or rouleau and none of the fullness that
typified current modes. The girl ran the russet silk between her fingers
smiling in appreciation.
    ‘This one’s lovely, miss. I can use the train
to inset two pieces in the skirt and make it wider. The bodice and sleeves are
perfect.’
    ‘Please begin at once. I’ll keep Meg as well
then you can devote most of your time to sewing.’
    The matter settled satisfactorily she turned
away pleased fate had brought Polly to her. Whatever happened she would try and
persuade the girl to stay. She loved Jane, but she lacked the sharp wits she
had detected in her new maid.
    Downstairs she was happy to find things much
more as she was used to, the wide corridors were still cold and draughty, but
this was normal for Aunt Agatha never had fires lit anywhere but the main
reception rooms and bed chambers. She was delighted to discover a large fire
burning in the grand entrance hall; it appeared that two trees had been dragged
in and set ablaze. It made a pleasant change to be able to walk across the vast
space without one’s breath freezing.
      Although
the place was tidy and the fires burning she had met none of the new staff.
Birdie had said there were over a dozen inside staff appointed and half a dozen
men out. Where was everyone?
    She glanced out of the window and saw the snow
had blown into substantial drifts across the drive. It looked beautiful, like
something from a fairytale, but no coaches would be on the road today, that’s
for sure. She decided to go to the breakfast parlour hoping the new cook had provided hot food, she, was famished.
    The room showed signs of recent occupation. the
duke had obviously already eaten and departed. Not sure if she was relieved or
disappointed,