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“I did,” Jane breathed through her fury at the way that her step-daughter, who admittedly, was also her elder, had so quickly assumed the role of chatelaine. “If we are short of rooms, you may have mine, as I have had no need of it. You have my deepest apologies for not having complete knowledge of the layout of the estate. As you may understand, I am only recently married, to your father, the Baron, and I have been otherwise occupied with far more… important things… than committing a floor plan to memory.”
The governess covered the closest granddaughter’s ears in horror at the image these words suggested, then rushed her charges up the nearest set of stairs. No doubt there was some form of nursery wing on that side of the manor. How odd that the Jardine’s governess knew the way. But of course, they would have visited in the past at some point.
“Oh really?” Lady Jardine took a step closer. Then she nodded. “You do have that freshly plucked look about you, I’ll give you that.”
The woman was sizing her up, as if ready to do battle. Jane breathed again and held her ground. Lady Jardine blinked.
“Very well, we shall accept your rooms with the grace in which they were offered.”
Only after the Jardines and their full complement of staff had ascended to the floor above did Jane release her breath. It was going to be a very, very long few days ahead.
“Mama,” Jane said, “Please would you count the rooms in the estate, so that I may at least not appear completely uneducated at this evening’s meal?”
“At once, my darling,” Mama said. She bid her daughter a quick curtsey, which made Jane want to sob and throw her arms about her, but she held back.
Turning to the late Baron’s footman, she said, “Where are the Baron’s staff, I must meet with them urgently.”
He swallowed and kept his voice low, “But, My Lady, they cannot be told about… you know.”
“You are correct. I shall not. But I need to know how many staff we have. As the chatelaine, I need to speak to them before Lady Jardine pours honey in their ears. I have a feeling that I may need to assert my authority quickly.”
“Excellent, My Lady.”
“And, Mister Footman, I rather think you need a name?”
“Oh, that’s easy, it’s Foote.”
Jane shook her head in confusion. “What?”
“Foote, with an e on the end. I apparently come from a long line of footmen and it has stuck.”
“I see. Well. In that case, Mister Foote, with and e on the end, please summon all of the staff into the kitchen and we shall get all in order for luncheon.”
“Excellent, my Lady.” Mr Foote gave her a worthy bow.
He rose slowly, looking at her through his long lashes. Something dangerous flurried inside her. Perhaps that was her babe letting her know of his future presence? No time to examine any of that now, she had to meet the staff and organise meals and lodgings, learn the entire layout of the estate (and the grounds, now that she came to think of it, but that could wait until it stopped raining) and make sure that Epiphany Burrows did not discover her father’s current and impossible-to-improve situation.
And all before supper!
******
Mr Foote assembled all staff into the kitchens. Jane found herself addressing something of a small army. Mama had also informed her that as chatelaine she would need to be aware of the staff in the household, although she wouldn’t be in charge. That was the senior butler’s role. At some point they would need to inform him that his master was no longer with them, but not in front of the rest of the staff.
As this had been a gentleman’s house for more than a decade, it lacked the number of female staff Jane expected. There were no ladies’ maids, merely two maids of all work and a scullery maid – not even a Housekeeper. Her Abigail brought the total to four. Right away Jane decided they should all take up residence in the same room, so as to separate them from the attentions of the footmen and others.
The outside staff were mostly all male as well, except for the head gardener’s wife. There were two undergardeners, which implied a productive kitchen garden, and two stablehands who had busily found accommodation for the new horses which had arrived.
“They’re not half hungry!” one said, then added, “M’Lady.”
Horses were hungry beasts, and the longer they stayed, the more they’d eat. Perhaps Epiphany’s plan was to eat them out of house and home?
“Cook, how many days’ food do we have?”
“We had a good fortnight’s meals, but we din’ know them Jardines would bring so many with them. We’ll be lucky to last the week!”
“They apparently will only be staying for three days, but if this terrible weather keeps up, it may be longer. Please send for more food over the coming days to see us through. If funds are an issue, I have access to some of my dowry. Please don’t have any concerns. Everybody here in the household is valuable and necessary. I assure you that all staff will remain in Lord Ealing’s employ.”
******
