“There’s a smock to cover yer dress, milady,” Agnes said.
“Thank you. Let Agnes soap your hair, Penny.” Maeve turned to Agnes. “Be careful getting water in her face.” She went behind the screen. “Penny,” she called out. “I wish to talk to you about your sister.”
“’ey. Wotch it.”
Maeve slipped the smock over her dress, kicked off her shoes, and hurried back around.
Clean skin streaked with dirt marked Penny’s elfin face.
Maeve could hardly wait to see what the girl looked like beneath all the grime. “Tell me more about Belinda.” She took up a cloth and dipped it in the water and gently began wiping her face.
“It’s Mlinda. Like wot?”
Maeve shook her head, confused. “Are you saying Belinda or Melinda?”
“Mlinda.” Apparently the ‘m’ came out as a ‘b’ when her nose was clogged with dirt.
“Do you know how old Melinda is?”
Maeve’s question distracted Agnes from taking the soap to Penny’s hair. “I don’ know.”
“Is she as big as Agnes?”
She shook her head.
“What about Mary? Did you see Mary? She helped bring in the water.”
“I din’t see ’er, ma’am.”
“All right.” Maeve couldn’t think what else to ask her. Irene had the personality of a seasoned countess, and Cecilia was, well… Cecilia. “What can you tell me about Mr. Jervis?”
Agnes jerked and soapy water escaped onto Penny’s forehead.
“Hold still, darling.” Maeve caught the stray suds before they reached Penny’s eyes, averting disaster. She cut her gaze to Agnes. “Do you know something, Agnes?”
Her lips firmed.
“Agnes, if you know something of this Mr. Jervis, I’m afraid I must insist you share what you know.”
“He’s been around fer years, ma’am.”
“What are younotsaying?”
“Mary and Stephen.”
Maeve fell back on her heels. “How long ago?”
“Three years or so. They was in bad shape when I found ’em.” She concentrated on rinsing the soap from Penny’s hair.
There was more, Maeve was certain of it, and she waited her out. She couldn’t stand it any longer. “Go on.”
“Miss Hollerfield let me keep ’em. The previous housekeeper din’t like it none, but Miss Hollerfield put her foot down none too gently and they got to stay.”
“And you’ve been looking after them ever since?”
“Yes, milady.”
The door crashed back, and Mary rushed in holding a box. “It’s here, milady.”
