Chapter Five #5
Hatto’s expression didn’t change. If Dory’s words had affected her in any way, you would never know it.
‘We all know secrets about our mistresses, but we wouldn’t dream of telling them.
That’s the first rule. Maybe she’ll learn one day, but she shouldn’t learn at your expense.
’ She seemed to be turning away, having said all she wanted to say.
Dory said, ‘Do the other maids talk about me as well?’
Hatto turned back. ‘They did at first, when it was new. But you’re Upstairs now.’ She gave a brisk little concluding nod. ‘Get rid of her, and things will be a lot easier.’
And then she was gone, a neat, upright figure diminishing into the dusk.
Dory shivered, and went in – through the family entrance.
Ellen dissolved immediately into tears. ‘I’m sorry! I’m sorry!’ she wailed. ‘I didn’t mean any harm! It was just something interesting to talk about. I never said it was a bad thing, only— Oh, please don’t be angry!’
Dory was not angry, not any more, only hurt deep down below the surface.
She saw how it was: Ellen was possessed of a delicious secret, and a secret was no fun unless you told it to someone.
As a lady’s maid she would mix only with others on her level, and the personal maids of visiting ladies who did not know the history of Mr Sebastian and his wife would be the perfect audience.
She probably hadn’t meant any harm, but she had probably found herself egging the story for the sheer thrill of it.
Who knows what rumours she had started? Dory was only glad that no-one but Sebastian knew it all.
* * *
There were tears in Sebastian’s eyes as she told him. ‘Oh, my darling! I’m so sorry! It’s my fault.’
She had been feeling tearful herself, but this provoked a watery chuckle. ‘No, how is it your fault?’
‘I should have got you a real lady’s maid, a properly trained girl, not an upstart housemaid!’
‘But it was my choice,’ Dory pointed out. ‘She begged me so hard to be given the chance. I know what it means to be given a chance.’
‘So you took her on out of the kindness of your heart. That is so like you. You did dismiss her, though? You weren’t swayed into giving her another chance, not now you know?’
‘No, I dismissed her,’ Dory said quietly. She had never been in the position before of sacking someone, and she had not enjoyed it.
‘Without a character, I hope?’
‘That would be too harsh.’ She saw he was about to protest. ‘She’d never get another job. I can’t be the cause of ruining someone.’
‘She ruined herself,’ Sebastian grumbled. He saw how upset she was and took her into his arms, holding her close. He felt her gradually relax against him. ‘Have you told anyone?’
‘I had to tell Kitty, because she’ll have to tell Mrs Webster something.
She was very sweet about it. Shocked, of course, and sorry that I’d been made uncomfortable in her house.
She said Rose can look after me for the rest of our stay.
’ She pulled her head away from his chest to look up at him.
‘I’m rather afraid of Rose, but at least she’s not a talker. ’
He bent his head and kissed her, and then pulled her close again. After a bit he said, ‘I think we ought to go abroad for a while.’
She pulled back again to read his expression. ‘You mean – to live there?’
‘No, to travel. You said you never had, and that you’d like to. I’d love to show you my favourite places. We could start by going to stay with Stuffy – you’ll love Venice.’
‘Stay with the Earl and Countess of Leake? Now that would be comfortable,’ she said with irony.
‘Oh, Stuffy – I know I’m supposed to call him Fergus now, but he’s always been Stuffy to me – he’s not a bit grand.
Takes everyone as he finds them, and he’s always been fond of me, so he’ll welcome you and ask no questions.
Giulia’s just an academic’s daughter, no pretensions.
And nobody else will know us, so we can meet them with a clean slate.
We could have a few weeks with them, then go on to Florence and Rome.
Wonderful things to see there – I can’t wait to show you!
Then Athens, perhaps – the Parthenon. Everyone should see that once in their life. ’
‘Of course they should!’ she said, laughing now. ‘Where then?’
‘Wherever you like. The world is our oyster. Egypt? How would you like to see the Pyramids?’
‘It sounds like something out of a novel. Or Mr Moss’s A–Z of Universal Knowledge – he was always reading out bits about Egypt, pharaohs and sphinxes and camels. Would there be camels?’
‘Any amount of ’em!’
‘I should like to ride on a camel.’
‘Would you like to go, then?’
‘To travel? With you? How can you ask? Can we afford it?’
‘Foolish! I’m a rich man, didn’t you know?’
‘You know I married you for your money. But—’ She hesitated. ‘We will come back? I don’t like to think that we’re running away.’
‘Of course we’ll come back. We’ll travel for six months or eight or nine, until we get homesick. I can let the house – there’s always a demand in Henley. And by the time we get back, any foolishness about us will be forgotten, and we’ll live happily ever after.’
‘Just like something out of a book.’
‘If it’s a story, I’m the lucky swineherd who married a princess.’