Miss Sedgewick sat down at the table across from her and poured a cup for herself. “No curds and melon for you?” the housekeeper asked with a sly smile.
“You know that is ‘of course not’,” Celeste replied, then took a sip of her tea. “Her Grace does seem to have a remarkable appetite of late. She is both finicky and ravenous. The fruit and cheese seems to satisfy her when nothing else seems to appeal.”
“Just as well that the new melons are coming on, then. There will be melons for the rest of us in due course. There are always more than the entire household can eat in the spring and summer. You’ll get your share of curds, as well. When summer comes, there is always more milk than meat.”
“Makes sense, I guess. How did the morning talks go yesterday? Have you heard? I saw the Duke this morning, but it didn’t seem my place to ask.”
“Well as can be expected, I guess. The young men came back all looking like kicked puppies. Seems the Duke has forbidden courting on the grounds for the time being.”
“I guess he is trying to sort out those who are just hoping to entertain sweethearts from the murderer who seems to have found Gwyndonmere to be his hunting ground. It is going to be hard on the staff who have been doing a little courting on the sly.”
“Not too much of a burden for most of us. But I do think that Nancy, the dairy maid, is going to be sad and sorry. She seems to have learned the way of having her bit of fun without consequences, and she does love to spread her favors around.”
Celeste had to think a moment to connect name to face. “She’s the tall, heavy-boned woman with sandy hair? The one who brings up the cream and butter?”
“The very one. Oh, don’t get me wrong. Nancy’s a good sort, she just likes to have a bevy of fellows about her. You’d think by now she’d be over such nonsense. She’s well past thirty.”
“How very strange. I would not have taken her for a day over five and twenty. Perhaps she cannot have children. That would be a sorrow to her, I think.”
Martha shrugged. “I’ve not asked her. It seems a chancy sort of life for a woman, always taking up with a new man.”
“Any chancier than going into service and not taking up with any man at all?”
Martha gave Celeste a stern look. “Far riskier. Play your cards right as a single woman with a bit of funds and you can look forward to a little cottage of your own. If you’ve a mind to enjoy younglings about your feet, there’s always a matron or two in your neighborhood more than glad to lend you one or two just for the sake of getting them out from under foot.”
Celeste sighed. There was a good chance that Martha had just described not only the future that the older woman was no doubt saving for, but her own future as well.For a moment, she pictured herself sitting by a cottage door, holding a baby and the Duke leaning over her. The baby had his dark hair and her hazel eyes.Celeste gave herself a mental shake.Enough foolishness!“I guess I’d just not thought that far ahead.”
“Did you not ask Mr. McAhmladhson to set up an account for you?”
“I did. But I’m saving for my parents to come to Scotland so they are no longer in danger. Or at least that is what I thought.”
“Well, we do seem to have a murderer on the loose, but we’ve got no mobs with pitchforks running about burning down houses. How long do you think it will take to save up enough?”
“It would have taken a year or more, but the Duke noticed the account and is making me a loan. If all goes well, my parents should be here by summer’s end.”
“Ah. Now that is just like His Grace. How long do you have to pay it off?”
“I’m not sure.” Celeste felt a little embarrassed, and took a sip of her tea. “I don’t know if I really care. It is enough to serve.” Celeste set her cup down, and fiddled with the handle in embarrassment.
Martha Sedgewick looked at her shrewdly. “Have a care, Miss Singer. That is a slippery slope you are standing on. The Duke is a good man, but he is still a man.”
And what a man he is.“Since all he has asked of me is to keep the greenery in his study fresh and to serve the Duchess to the best of my ability, I have no fear of anything untoward.”What would I do if he asked for more? Would I be willing to give it?I think I might, but he is far too honorable to ask it of me.“I am so very grateful that my parents will be away from the fighting and looting.”
“Are they not safe where they are?”
“Safer than in our home village. They are living in a charity house and helping the proprietress take care of the refugees who come through that way. But there are such horrible stories in every newspaper, I do fear for them.”
“Well it is to be hoped they will be here soon. Meanwhile, we’ve got the winter linens to sort and put away with herbs to keep the moths out of them. Are you free to help this afternoon?”
“Until Her Grace gets back from riding. I’d be glad to help.”
“The Duchess went out riding? Now? With everything that has happened?”
“She is a law unto herself. She does have her groom with her.”
“Well. That one. It is not my place to say more, but it does seem risky to me. Be as it may, those linen will not fold and put themselves away. I’ve good bit of rue, fennel, and mint put by to lay amongst them.”
“It sounds lovely, and as if it will be a pleasant way to spend the afternoon.”
