He studied the quiet, stocky fellow seated opposite him. “Did you enjoy working for my uncle?”
Clough widened his dark eyes. He tossed back the last drops of his cider, putting his tankard down. “He wasn’t easy in the last few years, milord. Downright difficult if I’m honest.”
“Bad as that?”
Clough nodded and rubbed his nose. “Knew he wasn’t well, but he also suffered from what one might call demons. Drove him mad.”
A half-hour later, Dominic emerged into the fading light, troubled by what he’d heard of his uncle’s apparent descent into madness. Clough was rarely in his uncle’s company, even so, his words set Dominic on a course to find out exactly what had taken place here. Were his uncle’s claims someone planned to rob and kill him the ravings of a man who had lost his mind or was someone behind it?
Disturbed, he mounted Onyx, eager to be off. “Let’s give these horses some exercise.”
As they rode over the acres, the fresh breeze on his face dispelled some of his concerns. But not all.
*
The next morning,Lady Lowry lost her temper and dismissed Emily, the young housemaid. Olivia discovered the poor girl in tears in the servants’ hall. She was one of ten children with a shiftless father, who spent most of his time in the tavern. There was no chance of her going home, and without a good reference, she was unlikely to find decent work. When she told Olivia of her intention to go to York, warning bells sounded. Olivia feared for the pretty girl with her creamy skin and dark curls. She foresaw her ending up on the streets just to survive, like other young country girls before her.
“Pack your things, Emily. While I’m not entirely sure, there’s a chance I can find you a position at Redcliffe Hall.”
Emily sniffed and wiped her wet cheeks with a finger, hope in her eyes. “Do you really think so, Miss Jenner?”
Olivia prayed she hadn’t given the girl false hope. “Shall we go and see?” she said, aware Lady Lowry would disapprove.
When Emily emerged with her pitiful belongings tied up in brown paper, they left through the front door.
Before they’d gone down the path, Lady Lowry appeared and called to them in an outraged voice. “Where are you going, Olivia? What about your orders for this morning?”
“I shall complete them before I retire, my lady,” Olivia said politely, turning to address the irascible woman she heartily disliked. “But Emily needs my help. She has no one to turn to.”
Lady Lowry’s face reddened. “That is not your affair. The girl is incompetent.”
“Surely, it is not so terrible to spill a little tea in the saucer. Can you not give her another chance?”
“Certainly not! She has made a litany of mistakes since she entered my employ. The girl is clumsy. She will never make a good maid. Leave her and come inside.”
“I will ensure everything is done to your satisfaction when I return, Lady Lowry.” Furious that the woman would turn a young girl out onto the street, Olivia continued down the path with Emily’s arm trembling beneath her hand.
“You may not have a position to return to, Miss Jenner,” Lady Lowry called after her.
Her lips firmly closed, Olivia led Emily out to the street.
“I am clumsy. But Lady Lowry always makes me nervous.” Emily gasped. “You will be in such trouble because of me, Miss Jenner.”
“Don’t be silly. Given time, Lady Lowry gets over her bad humors.” As there was no one in the village to replace her, Olivia expected her mistress to let the matter drop. After scolding her severely, of course.
“We’re not going to Redcliffe Hall now?” Emily’s voice was a nervous squeak.
“Yes. We’ll see the estate manager. He is hiring staff.”
Emily’s brown eyes widened, and she stopped. “Oh, my goodness. D’you think he would take on the likes of me, with no character?”
“I can’t promise anything. But come along. We won’t know unless we ask.”
Several inches shorter than Olivia, Emily hurried to keep up with her. “Me ma would be ever so pleased if I worked there,” she said, hope lifting her voice. “Bert and I are the only ones workin’. We give Ma our wages.” She smiled proudly. “Every month, sure as clockwork.”
Olivia prayed the estate manager would take the girl on. Surely, they’d have need of her. The boy delivering groceries in the Lowry kitchen mentioned Redcliffe Hall was still short-staffed, and he doubted his lordship would stay long unless things improved. “Everyone hopes he will, Miss Jenner,” Tom had said. “Ma says having Redcliffe Hall occupied makes the village prosper.”
Olivia could only agree. The village had struggled for years, and it was true his lordship’s presence would improve people’s lots. Work had begun on the house. Tom told her the carpenter, Bill Green, was engaged to work there, replacing rotten timbers and broken windows. “Bill said there’s enough work to keep him and his men busy ’til well past Christmas.”
