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She stormed out of the room, almost knocking over one of the footmen as she left. Isabel barely acknowledged him as she went through the house and into the kitchen, kicking a nearby stall in her frustration. Cook looked up, pausing in the process of chopping meat.
“Careful, Miss Moore!”
“My apologies, Cook.” Isabel righted the stool, her hands shaking. “Where’s the dormouse? Have you got it safe in its new home?”
“I have. He’s on the windowsill.” Cook waved the meat cleaver over his shoulder. “Maggie took your hat back to the cloakroom. And you dropped your coat in the pantry, so that’s been put in the laundry room.”
“Thank you.”
The servants knew her so well. They did things without needing to be told and were always looking out for her. Isabel’s throat closed up. When – if, she reminded herself – she and her mother had to leave, they wouldn’t be able to take the servants with them. They would have to stay for the new Viscount Dunley and his family. They didn’t have a choice.
Unable to stop herself, she let out a sob, turning away to cover her face in her hands. She would not cry in front of Cook. She wouldn’t. But from the silence behind her, he had heard her.
“Miss Moore? What’s happened? Is something wrong?”
“Oh, everything’s wrong, Cook.” Isabel lowered her hands, wishing she could pick up something and throw it. Just to have the satisfaction of seeing something break that wasn’t her heart. “The new Viscount Dunley has made himself known in more ways than one.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You’re going to have a new master soon.” Isabel turned. “He’ll be moving in with his own family, and Mother and I are going to have to leave.”
Cook’s eyes widened.
“What? You’re being forced to leave?”
“I’m afraid so. We have no choice in the matter.” Isabel tried to swallow back the hard lump in her throat, but it wouldn’t go. “And with regards to money, we’ll be lucky with whatever we get from cousin Daniel. Father was a gambler. He ... there’s barely anything left. And there will be nothing once the remainder is used to pay off some of his debts.”
Cook was staring at her with his mouth open. He put the cleaver down.
“So ... you and Lady Dunley ... you’re not going to be here anymore?”
“I don’t know how much time we’ve got before we have to leave, but we have to go.” Isabel blinked back the tears. “You and the other servants will be able to stay. Your jobs aren’t in jeopardy. But we can’t pay you, and we can’t take you with us.”
“That doesn’t matter, Miss Moore.” Cook shook his head. “I won’t desert you, and neither will the others.”
His defiance almost had Isabel bursting into tears. But she wasn’t going to do that. She needed to keep control of her emotions; otherwise, she would break down and be of no use. She had to keep a clear head.
Even though everything was bouncing around in her mind now. Nothing seemed to be staying still. She began to pace the kitchen.
“Mama and I are going to be ruined. I know we are. Word of Father’s gambling is going to get around Society like wildfire. I’m absolutely positive about it. I wouldn’t be surprised if people knew about it already, and Mama and I are the last ones to know.”
“You can’t know that, Miss.”
“I’m pretty sure of it.” Isabel kicked the stool again, only making it wobble this time. “There must be something we can do. I’ve heard of ladies who have had to find a way to get some money coming in once their financial circumstances changed. They had to go into work.”
“Work?” Cook arched an eyebrow. “You’re not talking about …”
“No, nothing like that! Heaven forbid!” Isabel was not that desperate. “I mean, they became companions to wealthier ladies. Or they became teachers or nannies. The pay was nothing compared to whatever they had before, but it was something. And ruin was staved off, for the most part.” She turned to Cook. “That’s our future. I’ve got to get something to stop us going into financial ruin.”
Cook was staring at her like she had gone mad.
“You can’t be thinking of going into servitude yourself!”
“I don’t think I have any choice, Cook. Mama and I might be able to find somewhere to live, but we still need to pay rent and keep ourselves fed, and I doubt cousin Daniel is going to be generous with whatever he gives us on a monthly basis.” Isabel tried to run her hands through her hair, only to stop with a wince when she got her fingers caught in among the pins. She began to tug them out. “How does one go about it?”
“I beg your pardon, Miss Moore?”
“How does one go about getting a job as a companion? I have a feeling I’m going to have to look for one in the near future.” Isabel turned to the big man. “How do I go about finding a job?”
