Dilly Court - The Summer Maiden

Caroline glanced at the rosewood escritoire situated beneath the window.

‘I’ll need pen and paper, please, John. And would you ask the housekeeper to unlock the desk?’

He bowed and left the room, leaving Caroline to pace the floor. Her aunt’s formidable housekeeper had been with the family for as long as she could remember, and both she and Cordelia were slightly scared of the woman with her birdlike eyes and straight black eyebrows that gave her a permanent frown.

John returned minutes later carrying a bunch of keys. ‘Mrs Crowe begs your pardon, Miss Manning, but, at present, she is occupied elsewhere.’ He handed the keys to Caroline and she tried not to look too pleased.

‘Thank you, John. I’ll ring for you when I’m done.’

After trying several of the smaller keys she eventually found the right one and sat down at the desk to dash off a quick note to Cordelia, explaining the situation as briefly as possible. Then, taking a sheet of headed paper and writing in her best copperplate, she gave herself a glowing reference. When it came to signing the document she hesitated, pen poised. Forgery was a serious crime, but she managed to convince herself that Aunt Alice would understand why she had to resort to such desperate measures, and she signed the reference with a flourish. She folded the two letters, placing them in envelope blanks, and used her aunt’s personal seal to make an imprint on the melted sealing wax. It was done: for good or ill, she now had a reference that would almost certainly convince Mrs Colville that she was the right person for the position. She stood up and reached for the bell pull.

With her reference clasped in her hand, Caroline waited in the entrance hall of Pier House while Gilroy scurried off to announce her arrival. It was cool indoors, especially when compared with the blistering heat of midday, which turned milk sour and made tempers flare. Caroline was hot and slightly dishevelled, and she wished that she had not hurried quite so much in her efforts to return to the house before the position was granted to someone else. Her fingers twitched nervously and she longed to undo the top buttons of her bodice to allow herself to breathe more freely, but she had a feeling that Mrs Colville’s eagle eyes would notice a stray hair, let alone a button undone for the sake of comfort. She looked up with a start at the sound of footsteps on the stairs.

Maria Colville came to a sudden halt. ‘Oh, you came back, Miss Manley. I didn’t think you would.’

‘Why was that, Miss Colville?’

Colour flooded Maria’s pale cheeks. ‘My grandmother can be intimidating.’

‘I’m made of sterner stuff than to be scared of an old lady,’ Caroline said firmly. ‘You should stand up to her.’

Maria’s blue eyes widened in horror. ‘I couldn’t do that. You don’t understand.’

‘Possibly not, but I’m willing to listen.’

Gilroy reappeared before Maria had a chance to respond. ‘Mrs Colville will see you now.’ She bobbed a curtsey and scuttled off in the direction of the drawing room.

‘Good luck,’ Maria whispered. ‘I hope you get the job, Miss Manley.’

Caroline answered her with a smile and hurried off after Gilroy, who seemed to do everything at a run.

As she entered the drawing room her eyes had to adjust to the dim light as the curtains had been partially closed, adding to the general greyness. Sunlight fought its way through the gaps, collapsing in narrow stripes on the floor as if giving up the struggle to survive. Caroline had much the same feeling as she stood in front of Mrs Colville while she scanned the reference. After what seemed like an interminable wait, Mrs Colville looked up and nodded.

‘Satisfactory.’

‘Does that mean I have the job?’

‘I’m considering you seriously, but there will be other applicants. You may go. Leave your address with Gilroy and I’ll let you know within the next few days.’

Disappointed but still hopeful, Caroline left the room and almost bumped into Maria, who was hovering outside.

‘Well?’ she whispered. ‘When do you start?’

‘I have to wait in case there are others more suitable for the position.’

Maria’s lips trembled and her eyes filled with tears. ‘I was afraid of that. I don’t want a middle-aged widow bossing me about, or an ageing spinster who’s forgotten what it’s like to be young.’ Her voice rose an octave and she clamped her hand over her mouth. ‘I’m sorry. It’s not your problem, Miss Manley.’

‘I would love to help you, but it’s up to your grandmother. She wanted me to leave my address with your maid, so that I can be contacted should she decide to employ me.’

‘I don’t trust Gilroy. She sneaks to Grandmama behind my back. I know she does because I get punished for the slightest thing.’

‘Punished?’ Caroline stared at her in astonishment. ‘But you’re a grown woman, Maria Colville, not a child.’

‘You don’t understand,’ Maria said in a low voice. ‘I’ve brought disgrace on the family and Grandmama cannot forgive me.’ She took a deep breath, holding up her hand as Caroline was about to speak. ‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that, but if you give me your address I’ll make sure that Grandmama has it to hand.’ She turned with a start at the sound of someone hammering on the front door. ‘That might be Phin. He’s the only one who can stand up to our grandmother.’ She raced across the marble-tiled floor to wrench the door open, leaving Gilroy coming to a halt, open-mouthed.

The tall well-dressed man who marched into the house looked startlingly familiar. He took off his top hat and handed it to Gilroy together with his gloves and cane.

‘Phin, I need your help.’ Maria grabbed him by the hand. ‘Please speak to Grandmama. Tell her that Miss Manley is the best person for the job.’

‘What is the matter, Maria? Why the panic?’

Caroline did not recognise the tall stranger by his looks, although he was undoubtedly handsome in a cold classical way, with fair hair waved back from a high forehead, straight features and a firm chin, but his voice was unforgettable. He was the man who had intervened when the mudlarks were attacking her brothers on the foreshore.

‘Miss Manley has answered Grandmama’s advertisement in the newspaper, Phin. She’s supplied a good reference but Grandmama is waiting to see if anyone else applies for the position.’

Caroline stood very still, saying nothing and hoping he would not remember her, but he was staring at her with a puzzled frown.

‘That seems eminently sensible to me,’ he said slowly. ‘Do I know you, Miss Manley?’

Caroline shook her head. ‘No, sir.’

His slate-grey eyes rested on her for an uncomfortable heartbeat and then he turned away. ‘I don’t know why you’re making a fuss, Maria. Allow Grandmama to do her best for you.’

‘Oh, please, do something. I really like Miss Manley, and I don’t want just anybody watching over me all the time.’

‘Do you really think that Grandmama would take any notice of what I said, Maria?’

‘Yes, I do. Please, Phin. I’ll never ask you for anything again if you just go into the drawing room and put in a good word for Miss Manley.’

He shot a sideways glance at Caroline, hesitated and then nodded. ‘All right. I can see that I won’t get any peace until you get your own way.’ He patted Maria on the shoulder and strolled off in the direction of the drawing room.

‘You may go, Gilroy,’ Maria said, turning to the maid, who had been standing to attention, staring into space, but obviously taking in every word that had been said. ‘Miss Manley isn’t leaving just yet.’

Gilroy curtseyed briefly and hurried off.

‘This will be all round the servants’ quarters the moment she reaches the kitchen,’ Maria said, sighing. ‘They spy on me constantly, Miss Manley. Everything I do is reported to Grandmama in detail. Sometimes I feel like a prisoner in my own home.’