Elizabeth pointed a finger skyward. “I believe she’s upstairs unpacking her things. I intend to go up in a few moments and show her about. I’ll send her down to meet you later, Justin.”
Justin didn’t look up. “No need. If you like her and Mrs. Sherman approves, I’m certain I shan’t find fault.” His housekeeper was as discerning as they come, and he trusted her implicitly.
“Oh, I’m certain you’ll like her,” came Eliza’s confident reply.
Chapter Twelve
Maddie turned in a wide circle to survey her new bedchamber. It was larger than the one at the Hazeltons’ residence and she’d been informed by Mrs. Sherman that she was to have this room all to herself. What a luxury! In addition to a bed that was much grander than the one she’d left, with a newly filled fluffy clean mattress and half a score of thick, freshly laundered blankets and down pillows, the room also contained a bedside table, a wardrobe, and a small writing desk. At the Hazeltons’, she and Anna had been forced to share a small, rickety dresser and there hadn’t been wardrobe or desk in sight.
Besides the improved facilities, when Mrs. Sherman told Maddie what her wages would be, Maddie was convinced it was a mistake. Only, she’d been too cowardly to ask in case she’d be pointing out an error that would be quickly rectified. The amount was nearly double what she’d made working for Lady Henrietta, and Maddie desperately needed it. Just this morning, she’d received a letter from Molly telling her that things were getting worse in Devon. Her sister had written to say that Mrs. Halifax had been encouraging Cousin Leopold’s visits. Apparently, the dastardly man was coming by twice a week to pay a call on Molly, which meant Maddie had even less time than she’d thought. She intended to write back to Molly posthaste, provide her sister with her new address, and ask Molly to wait before making any rash decisions. The more time Maddie had, the better. The increase in wages here was certainly a step in the right direction. She only hoped Molly would listen.
Lady Elizabeth Whitmoreland. That was the name of the young lady Maddie was to serve now. She was certain she’d never met her or her mother, which was odd, and the way Maddie received notice of the new position was odder still. After being summarily sacked by Lady Henrietta two nights ago in the middle of the Twelfth Night Ball, she’d packed her things. The Hazeltons’ housekeeper had taken pity on her and allowed her to sleep on the floor in the kitchens as long as she promised to be gone by dawn. She’d woken up with the sun, gathered her small bag with the few items she owned, and taken off into the cold, foggy morning to wait outside the employment agency.
Looking back, the only good thing that had happened the night of the ball—besides her first kiss—was the fact that Lady Henrietta had somehow found the diamond earbob. She’d also found Maddie in her room with Anna, still frantically searching. Lady Henrietta had also found her borrowed gown, slippers, fur stole, and the other earbob. Of course, it looked as if Maddie had stolen the items. There might have been a reason for her to have the slippers and gown in her room if she were mending them or cleaning them, but there was no good explanation for Maddie to have the earbobs. The earbobs had been her biggest mistake. They’d been so lovely and sparkly and elegant. She’d had every intention of giving them back the moment she was finished pretending.
Embarrassed and deeply ashamed, she had foolishly attempted to explain herself, which had only made the situation worse. Lady Henrietta had looked as if she might have an apoplectic fit when she’d heard that Maddie had sneaked downstairs in her ballgown and earbobs. In the end, Lady Henrietta had been convinced Maddie was both a thief and a liar, and Maddie couldn’t blame her. She’d made a horrible mistake. One that she’d been certain would cost her life in London and her sister’s entire future.
Maddie spent the next day at the employment agency, waiting in a long line for a chance to see Mrs. Hestrom, the proprietress, and explain herself. Mrs. Hestrom had been entirely unsympathetic and had explained that without a reference from Lady Hazelton, which she was certain to never receive, Maddie would not be able to procure another position as a lady’s maid. Not in London, at least.
Maddie had been convinced her only option would be to return to the country and attempt to secure some sort of work there. It would pay far less, but what option did she have? She had been about to leave the employment office and trudge to the mail hack to secure a spot on the next coach to Devon when Anna had appeared quite unexpectedly and given her the card of a lady who had come to the back stoop of the Hazeltons’ house looking for her.
The card had been from one Lady Elizabeth Whitmoreland and a note scribbled upon it asked her to come round the next morning to the servants’ entrance of the Marquess of Whitmore’s town house and ask for Mrs. Sherman. Maddie had barely believed her good fortune.
She’d managed to beg one more night sleeping on the floor of the Hazeltons’ kitchens and then she’d arrived promptly this morning with Lady Elizabeth’s card in hand. She’d been hired on the spot (no references required—thank heavens) and shown to this lovely room.
It was possible, neigh probable, that Lady Elizabeth would be an even more demanding and curmudgeonly employer than Lady Henrietta had been. Why else would a young lady hire a maid without an interview, or requiring a reference? No doubt, the woman had gone through maid after maid and was desperate. But that was fine with Maddie. She was desperate too. And for whatever reason, whether it was divine intervention or strange fortune, she was not about to question her blessings.
A knock on the bedchamber door startled Maddie from her thoughts. She rushed over to swing it open. There, standing in front of her, was a beautiful young lady. She had dark hair, dark eyes, lovely high cheekbones and a friendly smile on her face. She was wearing a simple but expensive-looking green gown, and her hair was down, and it looked as if it could use a good brushing.
“Good morning,” the young lady said. “I am Eliza, and you must be Madeline. Thank you so much for accepting the position.”
Maddie’s mouth nearly gaped open. This beautiful young lady, her new mistress, was thanking her. And she’d introduced herself as Eliza, not Lady Elizabeth? “No, no, my lady,” Maddie hastened to say. “It’s I who should thank you.”
“Nonsense,” Lady Elizabeth replied, still smiling. “You’ve no idea how desperately my mother has been nagging me to find a maid. I do hope I’m not too much trouble. I shall endeavor to cause you the least amount of it possible. But apparently, when one has one’s debut, one must do things like change into new gowns every time one turns around and have one’s hair set atop one’s head. A lot of nonsense if you ask me, but I suppose I cannot avoid it. Believe me, I’ve tried.”
Maddie’s smile widened. Apparently, Lady Elizabeth was unconventional. Maddie liked her at once and had to bite back several hundred questions. Such as how exactly the lady had come by Maddie’s name. Best to hold her tongue for now until she had a better sense of Lady Elizabeth’s character. And why court trouble by bringing up the dreadful Hazeltons?
“Come with me,” Lady Elizabeth said, gesturing for Maddie to follow. “I’ll show you my rooms and my things. Some gowns and bonnets are still on order at the modiste, of course, but there’s already a dreadful lot of it.”
Maddie smiled again at her new mistress’s disgusted tone. Lady Elizabeth was not anticipating her upcoming Season with enthusiasm, to put it mildly.
Shutting the door to her bedchamber behind her, Maddie gladly followed the young woman to the servants’ staircase, where they began their descent.
“I’ll introduce you to Mama and Jessa, my twin sister. She’s also making her debut, and she’s much more interested in it than I am.”
“Oh, how lovely it must be to have a twin sister,” Maddie exclaimed.
“It is lovely,” Lady Elizabeth replied. “Only, I haven’t quite worked out how I can convince Jessa to pretend she is me half the time so I may skip all those dreadful parties for the Season.”
Maddie couldn’t help the laugh that flew from her lips. “I’m terribly sorry,” she immediately exclaimed.
“No need to apologize,” Lady Elizabeth replied, pushing open the door to the second floor and marching through it. “If you have any ideas, please do let me know.”
They made their way down a corridor lined with an expensive runner, its walls graced with gorgeous oil paintings. If her own bedchamber hadn’t already informed her, Maddie would have realized immediately that this family was much wealthier than the Hazeltons.
A few moments later, Lady Elizabeth stopped. “Here we are. Mine is the fourth door on the left. Jessica’s is directly opposite. Let’s go inside. I’ll show you all the gowns. Then there’s something I need you to take downstairs to my brother. I believe he’s in his study.”
Chapter Thirteen
