“Who else was going to help them?”
The young women worked in silence for a time.
“Have you thought about anyone new?” Grace asked.
“Not really. I had the children to see to. Then I was taken on here, and I’ve been too busy to even breathe. I’m glad of your help, and of the extra scullery that Lord Northbury hired on. He is talking of getting another cook’s assistant for the night shift, and one for the day shift, as well. Were you not planning to wed, I’d suggest that you try for the day position.”
“Oh, my cooking is nothing to brag on,” Grace said modestly.
“Then I shall be sure to gift you with several easy recipes for your new household,” Tiffany said. “And teach you how best to prepare them. Your Lucas will be the best fed man in all of England.”
“Oh, would you?” Grace looked up from her peeling and flashed a dimpled smile. “I was a little worried about keeping house just for the two of us.”
“No doubt it will not be just the two of you for very long.”
Two pink spots appeared on Grace’s cheeks. “Lucas is a very comely man, is he not?” she said.
“He is not quite my style, but I’ll own he is always helpful and very willing to run the extra errand or two as long as it does not interfere with his duties.”
“Yes, that is true,” Grace said. “It is one reason I am glad to work in the kitchen just now. I see a great deal more of him than I did when I was working upstairs, even though we must not behave as a couple.”
“I’m glad you understand the proprieties. I have no desire to enforce any of the rules. Your good sense makes this much easier for me.”
“I don’t mind keeping to the rules. And I’m glad to have you working in the kitchen and cooking the meals. It is a real treat to dine now.”
“Thank you, Grace. That makes me feel as if I am making a difference.”
“Oh, you are! You definitely are!”
Neither the cook nor the helper saw the shadow in the door to the servants’ stair. Sophie pulled back, and leaned against the hall out of sight, and pondered what she had just heard.
Chapter 14
Tiffany surveyed herself in the wavy mirror that stood at the entrance of the upper servants’ hall. The sober grey merino was certainly not high fashion, but other than her uniforms, it was the first gown she had worn since leaving Bentley’s Bakery. Her dark hair was not yet long enough to braid, but had been pinned neatly at the nape of her neck, and she wore a modest helmet-style cap.
“You look trim as a wren,” Grace said, looking over her shoulder. Grace’s dark navy gown was not very different from Tiffany’s grey.
“If I am a wren, then you are a blue bird,” Tiffany replied.
Grace smiled, showing a quick dimple in one round cheek. “Mrs. Twitchel says that we are to meet her at the side entrance and walk to church together. Sophie will walk with us, too.”
Tiffany suppressed an inward sigh. It wasn’t that she disliked Sophie, precisely, but there was something about her that grated. She had seemed nice enough at first, but the longer they shared a room, the more they wore on each other.
“Your first half-day begins after luncheon,” Grace commented. “What do you plan to do?”
“Since I am still forbidden to leave the grounds, I am going to take the linen sheet pieces Mrs. Twitchel gave to me, sit on the bench next to the vegetable garden, and hem them for handkerchiefs. I’m mortally tired of being cooped up inside.”
“Won’t it be rather cold?”
“Perhaps,” Tiffany shrugged. She did not want to tell Grace that she would cheerfully freeze rather than spend her half-day sitting in her room with Sophie.
“You could come out walking with Lucas and I,” Grace said shyly.
“I would not want to intrude on your private time.”
“You wouldn’t be. We usually walked with Sophie and Jones, for appearances sake, you know. It would not do for there to be any problem now that we are so close to starting our life together. Mrs. Twitchel always walks with all of us, in any event.”
“Oh. What about Sophie, now that Jones is gone?”
