Page 22 of One More Christmas at the Castle
‘Yes, through there to the staff bedrooms and the backstairs,’ I said, ‘or down to the Garden Hall.’
‘Thank you, Lucy – we can find our way now,’ Henry said, with one of his charming smiles and she simpered a little. Xan might soon have a rival for her interest.
She looked coyly at Henry again, smiled and then turned and made her way back along the landing and through the archway to the tower.
We found Maria in the kitchen, hand-washing delicate porcelain coffee cups, and she looked round as we came in.
‘You have now seen all the rest of the house?’
‘Most of it, so I’m sure we won’t have any trouble finding our way about,’ I said.
‘It is not one of your great stately homes,’ she agreed. ‘You cannot get lost.’
‘I suppose we should take our suitcases upstairs and change now,’ I suggested. ‘Then we can help you with dinner.’
‘It is at seven tonight, so there is plenty of time – and also, I have made the lamb casserole, it just needs to be heated up.’
‘That’s easy, then,’ I said. ‘Seven was the usual time, when they had live-in staff before, wasn’t it?’
‘That is so. It was only six when I had all to do and needed to get home to my husband. Lunch is always at one, also in the dining room.’
‘What, even when there were only two of them?’
‘Even when it was just the Lady. And in winter, always the fire must be lit.’
‘We’ll help you lay the table tonight and then we’ll know where everything is,’ I suggested.
‘What are you serving before the casserole?’ asked Henry curiously.
‘The Lady has her own way of doing things and she likes the starter to be some small savoury nibbles, as she calls them, served in the sitting room: a few canapés, or toast triangles with pâté, that kind of thing.’
‘Good idea,’ approved Henry. ‘What are they to be tonight?’
‘Open finger sandwiches of buttered brown bread with smoked salmon. I will see to those now, while you unpack.’
I noticed for the first time that there were two stainless-steel dog bowls on the floor in a corner, one filled with water, which I assumed were for Plum. Maria saw where I was looking and exclaimed: ‘I had forgotten! The Lady asked me earlier to put down a bowl of water for the little dog in the Garden Hall too.Always this was done when the Lady’s old spaniel was alive and the bowls are still in the storeroom next door.’
‘I can do that now,’ offered Henry, and she took him off to show him where the bowls and a plastic watering can he could use to fill them were kept.
I left them to it and ferried my suitcase and bags upstairs from the staff sitting room. But before I unpacked, I thought I’d get the linen out of the cupboard for Henry’s bed, since it seemed unfair that I had got the one already made up.
The pale blue duvet cover, sheet and pillowcases smelled rather deliciously of lavender. I’d just taken them into his bedroom and removed the dustcover from the bed, when Henry arrived, hefting his heavy holdall and his duvet.
‘There you are! I thought you’d fallen into a dog bowl and drowned,’ I said. ‘Come and help me to make your bed up.’
But Henry unburdened himself of his luggage and then said firmly, ‘I will, once you’ve told me why you looked so appalled when you spotted Xan in the sitting room!’
‘Oh God,’ I blurted, horrified, sinking down on to the mattress: ‘Do you think anyone else noticed?’
6
Well Served
‘I don’t think so.Ionly did because I happened to be looking in your direction and it just flashed across your face for an instant. It was very Lady of Shalott.’
‘Lady of Shalott?’ I echoed blankly.
‘You know: “‘The curse is come upon me!’ cried The Lady of Shalott.” Sort of transfixed by horror and dread.’
