Once inside they stood looking around for a moment before Hetty took charge. ‘Right, let’s start by gettin’ the range lit fer some hot water. We’ll tackle the dirty winders first an’ let some light in then we’ll throw out everythin’ we don’t want an’ make a start on gettin’ the floors clean.’
Emmy only wished that she could feel as optimistic as Hetty sounded. All she could do was head outside to fetch some wood for the fire and then roll her sleeves up ready to get stuck in.
By lunchtime they were making some progress. Anything they couldn’t use had been carried outside and piled up ready for a bonfire and now the windows were gleaming, the place did indeed look a little brighter.
Hetty had been down on her hands and knees scrubbing the tiles on the floor and Emmy had swept all the floors and scoured the deep stone sink until it shone.
‘I think we should stop for something to eat,’ Emmy suggested. She had packed them some bread and cheese and so they both went out into the garden to eat it. While they were sitting there Jake appeared armed with a spade and fork.
‘I thought I’d come along and see if I could make a start on tidying the garden,’ he told them kindly and Emmy was so touched that a lump formed in her throat. ‘Mind you, I’m not sure if I’ll do more harm than good. I never seem to know which are flowers and which are weeds.’
Hetty giggled. ‘Well, lookin’ at the state o’ this jungle, sir, anythin’ will be an improvement,’ she assured him.
Emmy nodded in agreement. ‘Yes, it will, Jake. Thank you. We’ll be grateful for any help we can get.’
The afternoon was darkening by the time Hetty said, ‘I reckon we should call it a day now, miss. I should be gettin’ back to get us all an’ evenin’ meal. I doubt Miss Abigail will have prepared anythin’.’
They placed all the cleaning things neatly in a corner and when they stepped outside they were impressed to find themselves standing on a weed-free path. Jake had fixed the gate so that it now opened and shut properly and with the path clean and swept it was looking tidier already. He was now busily digging away in the garden and when he turned to look at them Emmy smiled for the first time in days to see the state he was in.
‘Oh dear, I don’t think your mother will be very pleased if you turn up for dinner looking like that,’ she warned.
Jake shrugged and chuckled. ‘I doubt she’d even notice if I didn’t turn up at all as long as Jasper was there,’ he said, but there was no envy in his voice. He had accepted his place in the family a long time ago.
They walked back together as far as the farm where Emmy thanked him again for all his hard work. As Emmy and Hetty were about to set off again, he asked tentatively, ‘No news of Uncle Gerald yet, then?’
Emmy’s face fell as she shook her head. ‘Not a word. I just pray he’s safe wherever he is. He must have been in a terrible state mentally to go off as he did.’
Jake nodded in agreement. ‘Yes, he probably was, but I’m sure he’ll be all right,’ he said encouragingly.
It was strangely quiet as they entered the grounds of Astley House. Usually, the gardener or one of the grooms would be pottering about but this late afternoon it was deserted and it brought home to Emmy the fact that they wouldn’t be there for much longer.
‘It’s going to be so hard to leave here,’ she told Hetty in a choky voice. ‘I’ve never lived anywhere else.’
‘Ah, that’s as maybe but it’s just an ’ouse after all,’ Hetty said stoically. ‘A home is where yer make it an’ we’ll have the cottage lookin’ like the bee’s knees in no time, just you see.’
Emmy could have kissed the girl for being so optimistic but her mood plunged further when they entered the house to find Abigail having a tantrum.
‘Where have you been?’ she shouted at Hetty as she stamped her foot. ‘Mother and I haven’t eaten all day and I can’t find my blue gown.’
Hetty shrugged. ‘Your blue gown is probably in the laundry room. If it ain’t been washed you’ll ’ave to do it yerself. An’ if you ain’t eaten that’s your fault an’ all, miss. I can’t be in two places at once an’ as yer well know, me an’ Miss Emmy have been over at the cottage tryin’ to get it fit fer you to move into. Furthermore, I were never employed as a cook!’
‘Why .?.?.howdareyou talk to me like that,’ Abigail spluttered. ‘For two pins I’d sack you!’
‘Then go a’ead, but who’ll do yer cleanin’ fer yer then?’ Hetty answered cheekily.
Abigail’s mouth clamped shut and turning on her heel she stamped away, her satin skirts swirling about her.
Hetty grinned at Emmy. ‘Right, that’s shut her up .?.?. for a while anyway, so if you’ll excuse me, miss, I’ll go an’ start the evenin’ meal. I’ve a feelin’ none of us’ll eat tonight if I don’t. Tell the mistress it’ll be ready in about two hours.’
Emmy grinned. She’d enjoyed seeing Abi being put in her place. ‘I will, and thank you, Hetty. For all you’re doing, I mean.’
Hetty patted her arm and pottered off to the kitchen as Emmy went to find her mother to tell her of the progress they’d made on the cottage – not that she thought she’d be that much interested.
Chapter Seven
It was now eight days since Gerald had disappeared and still there had been no word from him. Emmy’s eyes were dark from lack of sleep and worry, and her hands, which had never done manual work before, were red and chapped. The day before, Bernard had called to see Dorcas to inform her that they must leave the house within three days for the bailiffs would be coming then to take a full inventory of the house’s contents. Dorcas had wailed and cried but Bernard hadn’t flinched. He had never had a lot of time for his brother-in-law, thinking him far too soft-hearted, but he had even less time for his sister who had been spoilt shamelessly by their parents from the day she drew breath.
‘I shall send a couple of my men round with a cart tomorrow to transfer what you wish to take with you to the cottage,’ he had told her unfeelingly, and without waiting for a reply he had left, feeling he had done his duty.
