Page 19 of Claiming the Tower
At about that point, Nellie appeared with a tray. It held two cups, a teapot, a respectable sort of sandwich with cold chicken from their luncheon, a cup of beef broth, and a bit of bread and jam. Nothing at all fancy, but filling. “Excellent, Nellie. Now, Bess, let me leave you with this, while we see about a bed for tonight.”
Hereswith directed Nellie off to the nearest of the normally unused bedrooms, on the other side of her bath. It didn’t take them long to freshen it— the sheets had been changed after her brother and sister-in-law had visited for the equinox, and the room was already tidy. Hereswith made sure Bess would have space to hang up her dress.
As Nellie started a bath running, Hereswith went through into her bedroom to find a nightgown and wrap that should fit Bess well enough. She added a spare hairbrush, after she’d charmed it clean, and a ribbon to tie up a braid and nightcap. Once those were in what was now Bess’s bedroom, she came back to the sitting room. She could get Mary to help her hunt up more clothing tomorrow.
Bess had in fact eaten a fair amount, and drunk at least two-thirds of a cup of tea. “There. How about we introduce you to Papa, and then you can have a bath?” Hereswith kept her voice cheerful.
Bess didn’t jump or flinch. “You’re certain?”
“Oh, yes.” It didn’t take much to get Bess moving at least, so they retreated to the first floor. Hereswith knocked and heard Papa’s “Come in.” He was still awake. Good. Though she’d expected he might be. The unexpected meant he found it easier to stay awake.
“Papa, this is my friend Bess Marley, a few years ahead of me in Horse House. I’ve said she can stay for a bit until she finds her feet again. She wanted to make sure you were properly introduced.”
“Mistress Marley.” Papa didn’t stand, but he inclined his head in a bow. “Pardon me not rising, my knees aren’t what they were. Make yourself comfortable. It’s good to see a friend of Hereswith’s.” Then he caught something Hereswith hadn’t seen, and added, “I am glad to discuss loaning you a book, so long as I am not currently using it.”
Hereswith glanced at Bess, to discover her blushing and glancing around still more at the shelves of books. “You’re very generous, sir. Both of you. Hereswith has talked about your research, of course.”
Papa raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps we might speak more in the next day or two? Hargrave should be back soon, to get me to bed. Do sleep well, and Hereswith, I’m sure you’ll arrange everything comfortably.”
“Of course, Papa.” She crossed over to give him a kiss on the cheek. When she straightened, Bess had moved to stand by the door. Hereswith showed her back upstairs, then the hallway with the bath on it. “This is your bedroom, for as long as needed. You share the bath with me, but I thought better this than the one on the other end of the hall.”
“Oh, if that’s not a bother.” Bess shook her head, then glanced around. “You thought of a hairbrush.”
“Every comfort we can provide. While you’re in the bath, can I find you a book or two? Anything in particular?” Bess mentioned a few things— two of which Hereswith had, so that was easy— and she left her friend to bathe. She could hear the slight splashing as she brought the books back to the bedside table.
Hereswith did not find it easy to get to bed herself. She was up reading until midnight, starting slightly at every sound. Eventually, though, she went off to her own bed, leaving the door to the bathroom hallway closed to give Bess more privacy.
When she woke the next morning, she came out of her bedroom, pulling her wrap closed. Bess was asleep on the sofa, wearing the wrap, her hair braided but over her shoulder, tucked under the blanket.
Chapter 14
The next morning at Verdant Court
Bess woke with a start to someone moving nearby. It took her far too long to realise it wasn’t one of the maids, come to tell her that Madam Judson was up early. She’d meant to go back to the guest bedroom before dawn, and she hadn’t.
Now she hesitated to look up. “I’m sorry. I’ll...”
Hereswith’s voice was gentle, painfully gentle. It was a kind of tender that Bess hadn’t had directed at her in years. “Stay, please. Be comfortable. Shall I get tea brought up? Something to eat?” Something in what Hereswith saw made her say, “Breakfast, then.”
Bess ought to argue about Hereswith deciding like that, but Hereswith was, admittedly, trained in deciding that sort of thing in much more daunting circumstances. Not usually about breakfast, probably, but Bess wasn’t sure if it made it an easier or harder problem. She sighed and then said. “Would it be a bother if I washed up?”
“No, of course not. Don’t feel you need to dress. I thought we could sort out some clothing for you after we’ve eaten.” Hereswith stepped back, and Bess finally looked up at her. Her friend was in a wrap, the same emerald green she seemed to favour, though darker than the one Bess was borrowing. Her hair was still down in a braid, wisps curling around her ears, informal and— no. Bess couldn’t think about how that was also appealing.
She pushed herself up, going into the hall and then to the bath, washing her face in cold water before tentatively running it warmer. The bar of soap she’d been given for last night’s bath was there, and a smaller one, a cosmetic bar, that smelled faintly of flowers and herbs, nothing overwhelming.
Bess washed her face, dried it, and then did battle with her hair, braiding it and going back to her room to find the container of hair pins to put it up. She felt less vulnerable like that, like she was about to get scolded yet again for imperfection.
When Bess came back to the sitting room, there was a table pulled comfortably close to the sofa, and Hereswith was sitting on one end, sipping a cup of tea. “Breakfast will be up in ten minutes. Mary, who sees to my clothes, has some ideas about what might fit you.”
“Your—” Bess hesitated. A lady’s maid would be called by her last name. “May I ask about the staff here? I don’t want to put them out.”
“A housekeeper, that’s Mrs Brown. Cook, of course. Two housemaids — Mary and Nellie, who you met last night, and a scullery maid, Edith. Papa’s valet, that’s Mr Hargrave, James is the footman, and a handful of others on the grounds. Mary’s the head housemaid, she acts as my lady’s maid when I need one. For work, when we have a string of engagements, that’s Miss Pelton, if you hear me mention her. We sometimes hire in another maid and footman if my brothers and all their family are here for more than a day or two, but that won’t be soon.”
“Right.” Bess did her best to fix the names in her head, and she was sure they’d fall out. “You’re sure I’m not a bother?”
“As a household, other than Papa’s health concerns, we are not terribly demanding. Adding another person for meals is no bother at all. Cook actually has some ideas for some treats she’s looking forward to trying. She has been feeling a trifle constrained, since Papa does not have much of an appetite or preference these days. I take a number of meals elsewhere.”
Bess wasn’t sure what conversation to make, so she didn’t. After a minute or two of silence, Hereswith talked quietly about the house and the grounds. None of it stuck, really, but it was pleasant to listen to. It seemed a rather delightfully boring house, actually. There were a few stories of dramatic nearby battles or horrible experiences. Just people living in the country— in some fair luxury— with a portal a short walk away, and a smaller group of far more ordinary magical houses near that. Once the food was brought up, it was both substantial and excellent— eggs, sausages, toast, jam, even fresh berries.
