She greatly appreciated how helpful all the staff had been. At first there had been resistance, but they seemed to have come to appreciate having a new mistress of the house. Carefully, she pushed back her chair, not willing to cause another mess like she had not two days past, when she’d moved too quickly and knocked the small clock from her writing desk, sending glass across the floor.
She rose and wished for that very clock’s presence, as she was sure Mrs. Torbett was to meet with her soon. Scanning the room, she noticed a clock on the mantel that hadn’t been there before. She smiled softly. If she were to hazard a guess as to who’d set it there, it would be Beacham. Noticing it was almosteleven exactly, she walked to the chair with the cornflower-blue upholstery sprinkled with tiny peach flowers. It was her favorite.
When Darius returned, she would request to redo the colors in her bedroom. The pale yellows and golds weren’t very cheery, especially in winter with the heavy curtains closed to keep out the cold. He did say she could do any remodeling she wished, which was quite generous of him. She enjoyed spending time in the parlor, as it was a pretty peach color, which, next to imperial blue, was her favorite.
She heard the footsteps in the corridor before Mrs. Torbett strode in.
“My lady.” The woman’s face was quite flushed, as usual. She always seemed to be rushed.
“Mrs. Torbett, you are punctual as usual. Do take a seat.” Ellie moved to her chair and sat.
“Thank you kindly, my lady. How may I be of help?”
She smiled. Mrs. Torbett was far different from her family’s housekeeper. She was not nearly as bulky and tended toward smiles, not frowns, even with other staff. Also, Mrs. Torbett seemed genuinely pleased to help and often nodded in approval at Ellie’s suggestions, not something that had ever happened back at home. In fact, her family’s housekeeper looked down on her!
“You have already been such a wonderful help to me. You have made my first week here at Hawthorne Park so much easier than I expected. I admit to being a bit nervous at becoming the second Lady Ferncroft. I want you to know that your kindness has been appreciated.”
Mrs. Torbett blushed, but didn’t look away. “It has been an absolute pleasure. This house, this family, needs a lady to bring it all together.”
Hearing that, Ellie felt more confident in her next request. “It’s fortuitous that you bring up family, as I have always felt thatChristmastide is the season for family.” It was also the only time of the year that she heard praise from her mother for her efforts.
The housekeeper’s eyes lit up. “Oh, my lady, do you mean to celebrate the season?”
At the excitement in the older woman’s voice, Ellie’s heart warmed. “I do. I wish to do everything, from the stir-up to a Twelfth Night ball.” She grinned, already envisioning the Christmas pudding, the gifts, the greenery, and the scents.
Mrs. Torbett’s smile disappeared. “Is my lord willing to host a ball?”
“I have not discussed it with him. Surely he has in the past.”
“My lady, there hasn’t been a ball hosted here since I took over as housekeeper when Lord Ferncroft arrived over a dozen years ago.”
“No balls? Did the former Lady Ferncroft not wish to host a ball?” Ellie found that difficult to believe.
Mrs. Torbett looked away. “I cannot be certain, but I believe it is my lord who does not wish to have one.” The woman’s gaze came back to Ellie as she smiled. “But I do think he would enjoy all the other festivities.”
Obviously, Ellie would have to discuss the season when her husband returned. He would know why no balls were hosted at Hawthorne Park.
She was about to move forward with sharing her ideas when Mrs. Torbett’s wording struck her. “You said youthinkthe lord would enjoy the festivities. Has he not enjoyed them before?”
Again, the housekeeper looked away, clearly uncomfortable.
Now Ellie’s pleasant mood had completely evaporated. “Truly, Mrs. Torbett, I don’t wish you to divulge any secrets, but I do need such pertinent information if I am to move forward in an acceptable manner for all those under my care, be it the children or my lord. And you, my good woman, are the only one who can reveal all that I need to know. I promise you, I am noyoung debutante just out of the schoolroom, nor am I faint of heart. Now, do be blunt. I want to know everything necessary to ensure a pleasant and joyful Christmastide.”
Mrs. Torbett’s brown eyes rounded for a moment before she straightened in the chair and clasped her hands before her. “Right. You should know. The former lady chose not to celebrate the season and only allowed the nursemaid to decorate with greenery on Christmas Eve within the nursery. I was not privy to why this decision was made. I do know that the lady, who was at first content with her marriage to my lord, soon grew discontented. It was just before Christmastide began that she decided there would be no festivities.”
Ellie’s first thought was of Maggie and Peter. “Did Lord Ferncroft have nothing to say about such a decision?”
The housekeeper just shook her head.
It wasn’t difficult to figure out that the two had had an argument of some kind, which led to such a drastic change. If it was a change. “Tell me, did the lord celebrate the season before being married?”
“I don’t know. He did not spend the season at Hawthorne Park before he was betrothed.”
Now Ellie had a decision to make—do as she planned or continue as it had always been. But the mere thought of no celebrations made her sad. “Thank you for telling me this. It is quite helpful.”
“It is?”
“Yes, it is. Now, let us get back to planning this year’s Christmastide at Hawthorne Park. First, we must be ready for Stir-up Sunday next week. We have little time to prepare. If you don’t have the ingredients for the Christmas pudding, be sure to procure them. That is a priority.”
