Page 26 of Debtor’s Daughter

Maggie stood, gazing down at the diminutive but plump woman who, alongside Wallace, had been the mainstay of their family for all their lives.

“Where are my manners?” Maggie said, shaking her head. “Here we are, making a spectacle of ourselves for all to see. Come in, come in. Goodness, won’t Connie be surprised?”

She ushered them into the front parlour, where Connie leapt up with a shriek of mingled delight and shock, which set the blasted cuckoo clock off again. A moment later, Caro and Gideon appeared, both laughing and dancing about with delight at seeing such welcome visitors. Chaos reigned.

Yet, despite her joy in seeing them, Maggie felt deeply uneasy. For they were both carrying suitcases and if they expected her to employ them, what on earth was she to do? They already had Mrs Moody, who had been a godsend and was so very kind. Maggie could hardly give the woman notice and reduce Mrs Goodall to the position of mere cook. And what on earth did she need with a butler? And where would they stay? There was room enough for Mrs Goodall, just about, but Wallace? What was she to do with him? Her head spun with the dilemma.

Finally, the hubbub dimmed a little, but Maggie had a job on her hands to persuade the two to sit down and take breakfast with them.

“But it ain’t proper,” Mrs Goodall said, shocked by the prospect.

“Oh, bother proper,” Maggie retorted, guiding the woman to a seat. “We need to hear what has been happening, and you clearly need a strong cup of tea, for you look worn to a thread.”

“Well, that I am, and I don’t mind admitting it,” Mrs Goodall said, sinking gratefully onto the chair. “Up at dawn yesterday, we was, and travelling all day, and then we stayed the night in a very poor place. Them beds weren’t aired, leastways mine wasn’t, and so I told the landlady, an uppity bit of work she was an’ all. A shocking disgrace it was, and that dinner last night,” she tsked, pulling a disgusted face. “Runny mash and a rabbit that died of starvation, you ask me. Well, I wouldn’t eat breakfast there if you’d paid me, so we left at first light and here we are.”

Maggie gaped at this information. That her very proper butler and their housekeeper had not only run away together but spent the night in the same establishment… well! She hardly knew what to think except that they must have been desperate to do such a thing.

Aunt Connie was clearly agog also, staring from Wallace to Mrs Goodall and back again as she poured them both tea. Maggie sent a curious Priddy down to ask Mrs Moody to send up scones and bread rolls and more butter and jam, and anything else she thought appropriate for their guests.

“Whilst we both lamented the need to leave the manor, I would like to assure you that we did as we thought best for the family, as we always have done,” Wallace said, his tone grave. “And whilst our journey together was not what we would have liked, propriety was observed at all times,” he added, looking mortified to have to say such a thing.

“Oh, Wallace,” Maggie said, touched by his need to put this right. “We would never have thought otherwise. But what are you doing here?”

“Well, and where else ought we to be?” Mrs Goodall asked with some acerbity. “We’ve been looking after your family since before you was born, Mrs Maggie. You’re dear to us, you are, and it was bad enough after the master w-went and did for himself and th-that awful woman but stay in that house a moment longer with that—that—pig!”

To everyone’s astonishment, the redoubtable Mrs Goodall burst into tears.

“Martha!” Wallace exclaimed, hurrying around the table to press a handkerchief into the woman’s hands.

Auntie Connie got up and went to the sideboard, searching in the depths and coming back with a bottle of cognac Maggie had not been aware they’d owned. Connie tipped a generous measure into the lady’s tea. “Drink that up, Goody. You’ll feel much more the thing.”

Mrs Goodall did as she was told, and the sobs subsided enough that Wallace felt able to sit down again.

“We could not stay,” he said gravely, his narrow face tense with worry. “It was intolerable. The man is, as Mrs Goodall so rightly said, an animal with no manners and no respect. I sent the maids away within hours of his arrival, for it was clear they would not be safe.”

“And our stepmother?” Maggie asked.

“She stuck it out, I’ll give her that,” Mrs Goodall said with a grimace. “Though only because she’s as greedy as he is and didn’t want to lose her nice comfy house. Oh, and to hear the two of them go at each other. I never heard such language! And her supposed to be respectable. She ain’t never been, you ask me. Born in a bawdy house, I reckon, with a mouth like that on her.”

“Martha!” Wallace exclaimed, shocked.

“Well,” Mrs Goodall said, looking somewhat embarrassed to have spoken so in polite company. “I beg your pardon, ladies, but I speak as I find.”

Wallace looked at Maggie and then around at the house, which was a fraction of the size of the manor, and obviously did not need a butler.

“We ought not to have come,” he said, his naturally morose face set in an expression of dejection.

“Oh. No! Don’t say so,” Maggie said, her fondness for the pair making her determined to do right by them. “You would never desert us, and I am touched that you’ve sought us out. We will not desert you either, but… but I am afraid things might be a little tight financially.”

Wallace held up his hand before she could say any more. “Bed and board is all we ask for now. We want to help you. You’ve come here to keep Miss Caro safe, we know that, and we approve, for I would kill the fellow myself before he got within a mile of her,” he said stoutly, despite being dreadfully lanky, certainly a good many years older and a few stone lighter than Mr Jenkins.

“Oh, Wallace!” Caroline, deeply touched by this, got up and ran around the table to hug him. Startled, Wallace turned a deep shade of red. “You dear, dear man. How we have missed you. Both of you. And as if we would turn you out! Would we, Maggie?” she turned a beseeching look upon Maggie, who smiled.

“Of course not,” she said, for what else could she say? “But it is going to be a little awkward. You see, we have a cook, and she’s been so very kind to us and—”

“Say no more.” Mrs Goodall raised her hand this time. “I said, didn’t I, Fredrick, that if they was overburdened with staff, I wouldn’t be the one to rock the boat.”

“Oh, no! Goody, you won’t go anywhere!” Maggie cried, appalled. “I-I-I think my neighbour might need a cook, though it’s a dreadful come down for you I fear?”