Chapter 274
Welcome Home
Mrs. Pepper raised an eyebrow, “So, you’re called Maude?”
“Or Maudie, Miss.” The timid girl responded. She fidgeted with her new uniform and nervously tucked a wisp of long, dark, curly hair under her cap.
“Mrs.” Mrs. Pepper frowned. “I’m to be called Mrs. Pepper.”
The girl nodded, scratching her freckled nose.
“This is your first position, then?” Mrs. Pepper sniffed.
“No, Mrs. Pepper.” Maude replied. “I worked for them at Hamish House.”
“As kitchen maid?”
“No, Mrs. Pepper.” Maude answered softly. “Scullery.”
“The agency said you had ‘xperience cookin’.”
“Oh, yes, Mrs. Pepepr.” Maude smiled, speaking a little more confidently. “I fed me brothers and sisters before I went into service.”
“Feedin’ children ain’t quite the same as feedin’ the Duke of Fallbridge and his family.”
“I wish to learn, Mrs. Pepper.” Maude replied. “The lady at the agency said that you are the best cook in all of Belgravia, maybe Mayfair, too. She said for a girl like me to learn from you was better’n goin’ to one o’ them fancy schools in France.”
“Did she, then?” Mrs. Pepper nodded, smiling slightly.
“Oh, yes, Mrs. Pepper.”
“Fine. We’ll see how you do.” Mrs. Pepper said. “Did Mr. Speaight show you where you’ll be sleepin’?”
“Yes,” Maude nodded. “It’s ever such a lovely room. So much nicer than in Hamish House. There, I had to sleep in a cupboard behind the scullery. Weren’t a window or nothin’. Countess Hamish said a scullery maid didn’t deserve an attic room nor a window. But, here I gotta window and from the window I can see out all over London, Mrs. Pepper. Things I never seen before.”
Mrs. Pepper smiled. She’d never heard anyone describe the attic room of a kitchen maid as “lovely.”
“You’re to share the room with our scullery maid, Ethel.” Mrs. Pepper said.
“I met Ethel.” Maude grinned. “She seems that nice, she does. If not sad and quiet. Is she ill?”
“No, she’s not ill. She’s just had a shock. But, she…well…” Mrs. Pepper sighed. “Weren’t so long ago our Ethel were full of happy noise and jokes. We pray she’ll be back that way soon ‘nough.”
“The woman at the agency told me what ‘appened to the last girl, Mrs. Pepper.”
“Jenny.” Mrs. Pepper said. “We loved her. All of us. Jenny was sweet. I think our Ethel liked her best of all. They was together when Jenny…died. It’ll take time for Ethel to feel like ‘erself again. She did love Jenny so. We all did” She smiled and put her hand on Maude’s shoulder. “Listen, girl, we’re sure to love you, too. Be patient with me. Ethel ain’t the only one what’s sad and quiet. We all miss our Jenny.”
Maude smiled softly. “I know how it is. My eldest sister, Mary…she…met a similar end. Fell in with the wrong fellas. Took time for me to feel right again. Almost felt guilty to talk to me other sisters. And, then, when I went into service, I felt like maybe I shouldn’t make friends with the other girls. Like somehow I was bein’ unkind to Mary’s memory.”
Mrs. Pepper patted the girl’s shoulder again. “I’m sorry to hear that. I’ll be honest with ya. I weren’t so keen on havin’ a new kitchen maid. Felt much the same as what you just said. Like maybe it was unfair to our Jenny. But, it ain’t. No, it ain’t. Life goes on. You’re a whole different person, Maude. A new person to like all on your own. Now I see ya, I know you ain’t here to take Jenny’s place but to make one of your own.” She sniffed and adjusted her apron, hoping to be more serious. “ And, you couldn’t be in a finer house.”
“It is beautiful.” Maude looked around.
“This is only the servants’ hall. You seen that and the attics. You should see the part of the ‘ouse what the Duke and the family live in.”
“I never could.”
“Don’t be so sure,” Mrs. Pepper shook her head. “The Duke invites us upstairs regular.”
“Not a kitchen maid?”
“Even a kitchen maid.” Mrs. Pepper winked. “He’s a very kind man.”
“Is he that kind?”
“You’ll never meet a kinder man, ‘cept maybe Dr. Halifax.” Mrs. Pepper replied. “Now, did Mr. Speaight tell ya your wages?”
“Yes.”
“And that you’re to get three meals a day?”
“Yes.” Maude replied happily. “And that I’m free to go to church on Sundays with all of you and that I get one afternoon a week to do as I please. Cor! He even said I get two uniforms. Didn’t even get one at Hamish House, had to wear me own dress. In the scullery! Imagine…”
“We do everythin’ proper here, Maudie.” Mrs. Pepper said proudly.
Maude was pleased to hear Mrs. Pepper use the affectionate name.
“After all, our master is a friend of the Crown.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, His Grace and Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visit regular.”
“Say…ain’t it grand?”
“Did Mr. Speaight tell ya who else lives here?”
“Yes, Mrs. Pepper.” Maude answered. “Mr. Speaight told me that His Grace is the lord and master and that Dr. Halifax is the next in charge. His Grace is the fella with the auburn hair and noble brow. Dr. Halifax is the fella with the dark hair and blue eyes. There’s the Duke’s sister, Miss Molliner. And, the Duke’s son, Colin…the baby. There’s also a little girl what’s called Fern who’s a niece to Dr. Halifax and the Duke. Mrs. Pepper, is she the same girl called ‘Fern’ what was in Hamish House sometimes? The one we was told never to talk to?”
“The same girl.” Mrs. Pepper said.
“Cor, I didn’t know she was kin to the Duke. We never knew who she was. Sometimes she was about and sometimes she wasn’t.”
“She’ll be livin’ here from here on out.” Mrs. Pepper replied. “And, we’re glad to have ‘er.”
“Yes, Mrs. Pepper.” Maude replied. “Is that everyone upstairs?”
“And, we got visitors.” Mrs. Pepper nodded. “Lady Lensdown and two of her children.”
“Yes.”
“So, we best get to the kitchens and prepare the upstairs luncheon, then. We take our meaks after they do upstairs. When you get your luncheon, I’ll introduce you to the rest of the staff.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Pepper.” Maude said. “Are they all as kind as you?”
“Thank you for that, dearie. They’re a good lot. All of ‘em loyal and friendly to one ‘nother. Were they not, I’d not ‘ave let me own son work here.”
“Does he?”
“Georgie.” Mrs. Pepper said proudly. “Just made under-footman.”
“Oh, that’s fine.” Maudie replied, impressed.
“Now, come with me. I’ll start you off makin’ the cheese straws. They’re a favorite of the Duke’s. If you make them right, you’ll have a place here for as long as you want. That, and if you can fry a good sausage.”
“I can do that.” Maude smiled.
“You have any questions?”
“No.” Maude shook her head. “Well…only…”
“It’s ‘bout the Duke, is it?” Mrs. Pepper nodded knowingly. “No doubt you ‘eard all sort of gossip downstairs at Hamish house?”
Maudie nodded.
“The Countess Hamish, rest her bitter soul, was never too kind to His Grace and Dr. Halifax. No doubt she said things what coulda been carried on the ears of maids downstairs to ya.”
“We heard he’s mad, and that he and Dr. Halifax have…are…sinful because they’re twisted.” Maude blushed. “Yet, you say they’re kind.”
“Maude, it’s no secret that some believe the Duke is mad. Maybe he is inasmuch as he ain’t like other men. Is that madness? Ain’t me place to say. But, if it is madness, then it’s that madness what makes him gentle and generous. It makes him a joy and full of laughter. It makes him a good father to the baby and a good master to all of us. As for His Grace and the doctor bein’ sinners, again, that ain’t me place to say because I don’t know what makes one thing a sin and one thing not. What I can say is that in our way, each of us is a sinner for one reason or ‘nother. And, I can tell ya that the Duke and the doctor love one another more than I ever seen two folk love one another—and that includes me and me late husband. So, if their love and devotion is a sin, I hope we’re all as sinful. Do ya understand?”
“I do.” Maude replied.
“I believe that you do.”
“Mrs. Pepper?” Maude asked.
“Yes, dearie.”
“Can I tell ya somethin’?”
“Sure, ya can.”
“The few times I saw Countess Hamish, I thought ‘er terrible cruel. I wondered how it was that someone so cruel and full o’ anger could judge another person. Even Lady Constance, bless ‘er soul, was terrible sad in ‘er way. Look what she done to ‘erself. You know she…”
“I know.” Mrs. Pepper shook her head. “Terrible.”
“How could she be one to say another was mad? Seems unjust.”
“That’s right, girl.” Mrs. Pepper nodded. “You’ll find no such things here. I assure you.”
“I’m glad to be here.” Maude replied. “Even if it was sadness what opened the door. First, your Jenny, and then, Lady Constance takin’ ‘er own life. We all got sacked, we did. It was that very same day what the solicitor sold the lease to the ‘ouse and began packin’ up everythin’.”
“Sometimes it’s sadness what opens the door widest of all.” Mrs. Pepper said. “Now, come with me. The worst I can say of the Duke of Fallbridge is that he’s always hungry. No sense in makin’ ‘im wait.”
“No, Mrs. Pepper.” Maude giggled. She paused. “Thank you.”
“For what, dearie?”
“For talkin’ to me like I was your equal. For givin’ me a chance. For makin’ me feel like I was at home.”
“You are at home.” Mrs. Pepper said. “And, I want ya to know, you can always come an’ talk to me when you want. I worry I didn’t spend ‘nough time with Jenny. She was ‘bout your age. How old are you?”
“Fourteen.”
“Right.” Mrs. Pepper sighed. “A girl your age, she’s gonna need to talk to a woman sometimes. I shoulda let Jenny talk to me more. I shan’t make that mistake with you. So, you see, this is a chance for both of us.”
“I’m a lucky girl.” Maudie said quietly. “To think, if we’d been kept on at Hamish House, we’d ‘ave had to work for them two women what made Lady Constance and Countess Hamish look like angels.”
“Two women?”
“A ginger American lady and another one who I didn’t see.”
“Oh?” Mrs. Pepper asked. “An American?”
“With such a voice…like butter bein’ smeared on mud.”
“Did you ‘appen to hear her name?”
“It were a peculiar name, her Christian name. I think ‘er surname were somethin’ like Ritter…Rittterhorse or somethin’.”
“Rittenhouse?”
“That was it.” Maudie nodded. “Is she a friend o’ the Duke’s?”
“No.” Mrs. Pepper said. “Here, girl, you go an look around the kitchens. I just gotta tell our Mr. Speaight somethin’. Back in a tick, then.”
“All right.” Maude said.
Before hurring off to Mr. Speaight, Mrs. Pepper paused and turned again to Maude. “And, Maudie, welcome to No. 65 Belgrave Square. Welcome home.”
Did you miss Chapters 1-273 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 275.
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