“Tea,” she murmured quietly. The housekeeper raised her eyebrows. “Claret and champagne,” Caroline added hurriedly, praying these were right.
“Well, that’s good.” Mrs. Winter eyed her a little more carefully now. “Come with me; I’ll show you to your chamber.” She beckoned Caroline to follow her out of the room.
Caroline exchanged a smile with the blonde maid across the room and then left, hastening after the housekeeper. They traipsed through the corridors, painted white and with arched ceilings to show they were in the belly of the house, deep below the finer rooms. As they walked, Mrs Winter gave instructions.
“Every day, we rise at seven,” she began slowly. “Someone will knock on your door to ensure you are awake, then we proceed with our chores, setting the fire and making breakfast for the duke and your mistress, of course. You will naturally go straight to your mistress’ room if you are needed. The bell for your mistress’ room is in the kitchen, so you will hear if she rings for you.” As she continued, Mrs Winter got faster and faster with her instructions. “You will eat with the rest of the staff after breakfast has been served, and you, of course, have helped your mistress to change.”
Alaina will need help changing?
Caroline had to bite her lip not to laugh. She now saw how ridiculous it was for Alaina to help her in and out of her dresses every day; then again, some of them were rather complicated to get on and off. It was a custom she was used to, of course, but there was something about changing places that made plain to her things she had just taken for granted before.
“Here we are, up this way.” Mrs Winter led the way up a short set of spiral stairs. When they reached the top, they stepped through a door so short that the two of them had to bend down.
Moving inside, Caroline smiled at once. It was small but bright and well-kept indeed. She had a cupboard on one side of the room, a small table, and the bed was neatly made. Alaina’s small portmanteau had been brought up, too, and rested on the bottom of the bed.
“Thank you,” Caroline hurried to say. “I think I have everything.”
“Good; you will also be needed at dinner tonight to act as chaperone for your mistress.”
“Yes. Of course.” Caroline nodded, though distractedly. She was looking about the room and admiring it. Though her chamber back home was much bigger than this, she had never felt it was truly her own. It was a room in her father’s house that she stayed in, but it did not belong to her. This room, however, she was going to earn by working.
That is a happy thought indeed.
“You get settled in and join us downstairs soon,” Mrs Winter said with a last smile and left through the open door.
Caroline called her thanks one last time, then giggled as she looked about the space.
“This is my own,” she whispered into her cupped hands. “My own room!” She changed into a new plain gown out of Alaina’s case that was not quite as long as the one she had on, so she did not have such a trip hazard. She presumed it was from when Alaina was younger, and because she did not have much money, she had chosen to keep the gown rather than purchase a new one when she began to outgrow it. Caroline wrapped the apron back around her waist in the same way that Mrs Winter had done, then left the room.
She was so busy hurrying down the stairs that when she reached the corridor, she did not look where she was going. Someone stepped into the way, and she collided with the figure.
“Oh!” she gasped in alarm, nearly falling straight over.
A pair of hands suddenly came up on either side of her waist and held her still. A deep chuckling laugh emanated, and she looked up sharply to see the man she was stumbling together with as they both fumbled to keep their balance in the wake of their collision.
He was a young man, perhaps a year or two older than her. He was very tall, much more so than her, with light brown hair and a short, cropped beard across his chin. His hazel eyes were alive with laughter as he looked at Caroline.
Oh, my goodness. Who is this?
He was so handsome with that smile lighting up his features, she was tongue-tied.
“Well, that’s one way to make an introduction,” he said, still laughing as they both stopped stumbling around and fell still. His hands hadn’t yet left her waist. “Good day to you, Miss …?”
“C … Alaina,” she corrected herself quickly. “My name is Alaina.”
“Well, Alaina, how do you do.” He stepped back, releasing her. Breathily, Caroline stepped back, too, smiling ridiculously up at the handsome man. “You must be Lady Caroline’s lady’s maid.”
“Yes. Yes, I am.” Caroline nodded. “And you are?”
“David, David Barton. I run the stables.” He gestured to the nearest window, motioning towards the outside world. They both fell quiet, just looking at one another.
Oh. He is staring at me, too.
“Well,” he said after a minute or so of silence, that amused grin still on his face. “I shall see you at dinner, Alaina.” He walked around her.
As he left, she couldn’t help following him with her gaze.
Chapter 6
