Her first duty was to clean the downstairs fireplaces, and his to clean the boots; but they liked working together so they shared both tasks. They removed the cold ashes from the fireplaces, rubbed blacklead onto the ironwork with rags and buffed it to a shine, then made up the fires with tinder and wood ready to be lit as soon as the family got up.
They talked in low voices while they worked. Fan’s family had all caught a fever six winters ago, and she was the only survivor. Shetold Kit that she was lucky to have this job. They had food and clothes and somewhere to sleep. She did not know what might have happened to her otherwise.
After hearing her story Kit did not pity himself quite as much. After all, he still had a mother.
When they had finished the fireplaces they went along the bedroom corridor picking up the boots and then took the back stairs down to the boot room. They had to clean off the mud, apply dubbin mixed with lampblack, and shine the leather to a high gloss. Kit’s arms quickly ached with the rubbing, but Fan had shown him the easy way to get a shine, by spitting on the boots. However, his arms were much weaker than hers, and she usually finished the job for him.
When the family appeared for breakfast they could go into the bedrooms. Each one had a fireplace and a chamber pot with a lid. First they cleaned the grate and built the fire, just as they had in the ground-floor rooms, then Kit carried the chamber pot downstairs, sluiced it out in the scullery, washed it, and returned it to the bedroom, while Fan made the bed and tidied up. Then they moved to the next bedroom.
Today they did not get through their work.
The trouble occurred in Will’s room. He was the last to get up, so they left his room to the end. They worked quickly, now that Kit was used to it, and they were usually finished well before Will came back upstairs.
But not today.
Fan was buffing the ironwork, and Kit had just picked up the chamber pot, when Will walked in. He was dressed for riding, with his crop in his hand, and he had evidently forgotten his hat, for he picked it up from the dresser.
Then he noticed them and made a surprised noise, almost as if he had been frightened.
After a moment he recovered and shouted: ‘What are you twodoing in here?’ He knew perfectly well what they were doing, but he was angry because he had been startled.
They were so scared that Fan knocked over the bottle of blacklead, staining the rug, and Kit dropped the chamber pot, spilling its contents. He stared in horror at the mess he had made, a wide puddle with three brown turds in the middle.
‘You idiots!’ Will roared. When he was angry his eyes bulged so much they looked as if they would burst. He seized Kit by the arm and whacked his rear with the riding crop. Kit yelled in pain and tried to struggle free, but Will was far too strong.
Will hit him again and he sobbed in despair.
Fan screeched: ‘Leave him alone!’ and threw herself at Will.
Will shoved Kit to the floor and grabbed Fan. ‘Oh, you want some too, do you?’ Will said, and Kit heard the swish of the whip and the thwack as it struck her. He got up and saw Will pull up Fan’s dress and start flogging her skinny bottom.
Kit wanted to defend Fan as bravely as she had defended him, but he was too scared, and all he could do was cry.
A new voice said: ‘What on earth is going on? Will, what do you think you’re doing?’
It was Will’s brother Roger. Will stopped thrashing Fan and turned to him. ‘Stay out of this.’
Roger said: ‘Leave the children alone, you stupid great ox.’
‘If you’re not careful I’ll lash you too.’
Roger did not seem frightened, even though he was small and slight where Will was big and strong. ‘You could try,’ he said with a smile. ‘At least it would be a fairer fight than this. Do you like whipping little girls’ bottoms?’
‘Don’t be a damned fool.’
Although they were arguing, Kit could see that Will was calming down. Kit felt passionately grateful to Roger for saving him and Fan. Will might have killed them both.
Roger said to Will: ‘I don’t understand why you would beat these wretched little infants with all your might.’
‘Children need to be chastised, everyone says so. It makes them obedient. The girls need it most – it turns them into respectable wives who venerate their husbands.’
‘You know nothing about wives, you idiot. Come and have some breakfast – it might improve your temper.’
Will looked at Kit and Fan, and Kit shuddered with fear; but all Will said was: ‘Clean up this mess or I’ll beat you again.’
In terrified voices they both said: ‘Yes, Mr Riddick.’
Will went out and Roger followed.
