Page 7 of Tempting the Earl
Emily felt quite natural with Lord Yorkleigh for the most part, and rarely censored her words or reactions. She ought to have, she realized, when he casually asked, "What was your nurse's name? Mine was Mrs. Brady, which was a bit of a mouthful as a little tyke, I can assure you," he laughed lightly. It felt to Emily as though he were trying to set her at ease in order to pry.
Emily again realized she had revealed too much in her relaxed conversation and tried to disengage with a start. "Oh my lord, I really should be getting this room finished. Mrs. Simms shall have an apoplexy if I am not finished soon. And I shall have to meet with Mr. Dale very shortly. It has been ever so nice reminiscing with you, but I really should get back to work."
While uttering that statement her face had taken on a stony expression as if in defiance of the openly friendly conversation they had been having. As though in direct response to her withdrawal, the earl, too, grew haughty.
"Very well, Emily, I shan't keep you. Do continue. And don't forget the headboard over there, it is looking rather grimy," he commanded imperiously before he stalked from the room.
Emily regretted the need for distance with the earl. She truly enjoyed the friendly conversation they occasionally enjoyed but realized it could go nowhere. Lord Philip was an earl and she was his maidservant. Nothing above-board could come of it, she concluded with a sigh once he was gone from the room.
After that afternoon, Emily felt Philip withdrawing from her. She couldn’t explain it, but on the rare occasions that they encountered one another, it was almost as though he were looking at her in horror. The growing distance between them was disheartening. She knew that the presence of the earl had brought her a great deal of happiness, perhaps the most she had experienced in her whole life. But she also realized it was best for them to keep a healthy distance from one another. With her life in disarray as it was, she couldn’t afford to trust anyone, especially when it came to solving her problems. Without trust, she could not form any deep personal attachments and her ability to trust had been sorely damaged by recent events. The loss of the earl’s friendship was tragic but could not be lamented.
Chapter Six
The house was all aflutter. “Her ladyship arrives today!” The excitement was on everyone’s lips. Emily was intrigued by the sense of devotion everyone obviously felt for the countess, the earl’s widowed mother, and she found herself caught up in the excitement. The entire dwelling, from cellars to attics, had been dusted, aired, polished, and shined until the large manor house practically glowed, and the whole staff was feeling quite proud of themselves as they assembled in the grand entry dressed in their best pressed uniforms waiting to welcome the mistress to her old home. Emily had caught snippets about the grand lady during the week of preparation. She had learned about the deep love the earl’s parents had for each other and the great kindness the countess showed to everyone she came across.
Everyone had a theory on why the countess had chosen to make her home on one of the lesser estates after the death of her dear husband. “Too many memories,” some claimed sagely, while others were firmly convinced she was making the way clear for the current earl to bring home his own countess. “Doesn’t want to sit around and be the dowager in her own home. Best to start fresh elsewhere in her own time,” was the understanding Mrs. Simms had of the matter. Emily figured the housekeeper would probably know best but waited with an air of anxious anticipation along with the rest of the household as the time of the lady’s arrival drew near.
Nearly everyone in the household had a story to share with Emily as an example of the countess' kindness. Meg told of the time she had been sent to visit her family for a week when her mother had taken ill, while Ann told her about the time the countess herself had visited her bedside when she had caught some illness. Mrs. Simms had many such stories of things the countess had done for various tenants ranging from financial assistance to visiting after a new birth. Emily found it difficult to believe that anyone was such a paragon of goodness. But once again, she resolved to wait and see as she joined the rest of the Yorkleigh staff in the foyer of the grand manor waiting for the countess to arrive.
The earl could barely repress a chuckle as he realized that nearly his entire staff was assembled in the front rooms of his home, all dressed in their best, chattering excitedly, admiring their own work, and wondering aloud whenmiladywould arrive. Even scruffy old Henri was combed and polished and trying to look busy in the hedge surrounding the front drive. Philip caught himself looking for Emily to see if she would enjoy the joke, since their senses of humour usually so closely coincided.But how could she, he asked himself impatiently,she’s one of them, as he saw her standing in a corner gnawing on her lip nervously. He felt a deep longing to go to her and soothe away whatever anxieties were bothering her, as well as a baser desire to run his thumb over the tender lip she had been absentmindedly chewing. Philip was then shaken with irritation at his own missishness. He was turning into a green lad over a servant!
Emily was quite taken aback as she glanced over towards Philip and caught him scowl fiercely in her direction before he strode abruptly into his library, slamming the door loudly behind him. All the occupants of the hall jumped and flushed somewhat guiltily, and there was a moment of stunned silence before the excited chatter resumed, slightly more subdued than before his interruption.
Finally, everyone breathed a sigh of relief when the stable lad who had been set to watch the lane came dashing in the side door. “The coach is coming right smartly!” he exclaimed breathlessly as everyone scrambled into position while the shiny black coach with the earl’s family coat of arms swirled to a well-sprung stop right in front of the low front steps. The groom solemnly opened the door and let down the stairs with a flourish, bowing low before assisting the countess from the coach.
“Thank you, Jimmy,” acknowledged Lady Clara as the young groom flushed with pleasure that the great lady had remembered his name. The elegantly aging countess made slow, graceful progress into the house as she greeted the more senior staff, and the rest bustled about getting her bags and leading the cooling team of horses away to be rubbed down and rested from the journey.
Emily had never witnessed such a scene where the mistress of the house was so obviously adored by the entire staff. She hung back with the other newcomers to the household, unsure what her role was when others were so obviously anxious to be of service and receive acknowledgement from Lady Clara. Philip soon emerged from his library and strode into the melee, and a path opened for him among the milling crowd. There was open affection between the countess and her son as the earl greeted his mother warmly then drew her forward to be introduced to her newest maids, after being informed that the countess' personal maid had been detained due to illness.
“Mother, we have added to the household since you were last here. These three young ladies will be happy to assist you in any way, I’m sure. This is Susie, Megan, and Emily. Emily has some experience as a lady’s maid, so she will attend you while you await the arrival of Smitty. How fortunate she is with us, since your own personal maid was detained,” he pronounced coolly while barely glancing at the maid in question. Emily watched an expression of surprise briefly cross Lady Clara’s features over her son’s cool tone but it didn’t linger as she greeted the new members of the household and then followed Mrs. Simms up to her rooms with her new “lady’s maid” trailing behind, filled with trepidation she was desperately trying to hide.
Emily was appalled. She never should have said she had been a lady’s maid. She had made it up, figuring she would never be caught out in the lie after realizing this was essentially a bachelor’s establishment. Because of her great trepidation that day, she could not even remember what exactly she had told Lord Yorkleigh about what she knew how to do when she had first arrived.
She had been so pleased when she had been assigned to the library and garden besides doing various dusting chores for Mrs. Simms. Dusting was very easy to master. She had just asked the maid who had shown her to the room she was supposed to start in that first day if they had a special technique she was supposed to follow in this household. Molly had looked at her strangely, said “No, you just do it the normal way like this,” and demonstrated how to use the damp cloth followed by the dry one. Emily nodded knowingly and said, “Of course.”
But now there was no one to ask. She was sure Lady Clara would expect her to know what to do, and she hadn’t a clue. She had barely paid attention when others had worked around her in the past.Why hadn’t she taken notice of these types of things,she berated herself silently as she followed in the wake of Lady Clara and Mrs. Simms, noting glumly the warmth between the two women as Mrs. Simms updated the countess on the various news of the household.
Neither woman seemed to notice the turmoil the young maid was in as they progressed towards the countess’ rooms. Emily was frantically wracking her brain, trying to come up with a sequence of logical duties a lady’s maid would accomplish.First, I guess we would need to unpack. Maybe other maids will help with that and I shall need to oversee and ensure everything is in order and nothing needs pressing or mending. I’m not too sure how to press the clothes, though. Maybe they can be sent to the laundry! That could work out well. All right, what else? Helping milady dress and prepare for the day, and for meals, and so on. Oh, no! Her hair, I shall have to dress her hair!
Emily nearly shrieked as she realized how far out of her depths she was.This will teach me never to take anyone for granted again, won’t it? Think! The worst thing that can happen is she will expose me to Lord Yorkleigh as a fraud and I will be sent away. I can deal with that. I have survived worse; I can survive this. Besides, since I have survived worse, I should be able to work out how to be a fine lady’s maid. I am reasonably bright; it shouldn’t bethathard. And on that heartening thought, they arrived at the countess’ chamber and Emily's new role began. Emily took a deep fortifying breath and entered the suite.
~~~~
Emily had never known such tiredness existed, not even that first day working with Henri.The amount of work that goes into maintaining the toilette for one highborn lady boggles the mind,she thought groggily as she sank wearily into her comfortable bed. Lady Clara had a lot of visiting to catch up with her son, and they had sat up together rather late. Emily was certain it was her obligation to wait for her new mistress in order to help her prepare for bed and put away milady’s gown and things. She had been right. Lady Clara had not been at all surprised to see her and had just politely reminded her which nightgown she wanted. By then Emily was familiar with the countess’ entire wardrobe and where everything was, so she hadn’t yet disgraced herself.But there’s always tomorrow,she thought to herself with a wry smile as she drifted off to the comfort of her dreams after again assuring herself that she would never again take anyone for granted.
Her duties arrived much too soon the next morning as one of the other maids shook her urgently awake. “Hurry, you’ll be late. You have to get your dusting done afore you take the countess her morning chocolate. She likes it to be prompt and hot when you wake her up at 9 o’clock,” urged Tess, one of the more experienced maids. She was Mrs. Simms’ niece, so Emily trusted her judgment but lamented her timing, as it seemed she had just laid her head down two minutes ago and now it was time to rise again.
Emily was shocked to see that the sun was already up, and she was the last of the female staff to arise. She hurried through her own morning routine, ran down to the kitchen to swallow a bite to eat before rushing through her dusting duties, mainly hitting the more visible spots before dashing back to the kitchen to grab the mistress’ chocolate.
She was feeling rather breathless as she stood outside the countess’ chamber just before the clock struck the 9thhour. She took a moment to collect her breath before she scratched on the door. There was no response, so she let herself in softly. She wasn’t too sure of the correct method for waking the grand lady. She rather doubted Tess’ method would be the acceptable way, she thought wryly as she remembered the vigorous shaking she had received a few hours previous. She found herself thinking longingly of the services her dear Mary used to perform but caught the thoughts of self-pity midstride. That was a different life, she reminded herself sternly. It was best to get on with the job at hand. With that she took her courage in both hands and approached the large bed.
“Milady,” she whispered, “it is time to get up.” There was no response. Emily hesitated before drawing closer and reaching out tentatively. She let out a squeak just before her hand reached the “sleeping” figure. Lady Clara was blinking at her as her hand wobbled and she caught the tray with the chocolate before it could spill.
“I am so sorry, my lady,” Emily gasped, “I thought you were still asleep.”
“That’s okay, Emily, I didn’t mean to startle you. Your whisper and the smell of my chocolate was enough to wake me,” Lady Clara answered kindly as she began to rise. “No one can make my chocolate quite as well as the cook here at Yorkleigh. It is one of the things I miss most about living here,” she continued almost wistfully. “But, I am here now for a while, so I will enjoy it wholeheartedly for the present,” she went on briskly as she propped herself against the headboard with the abundance of pillows and then accepted the steaming cup from Emily’s now steady hand. “So, my dear, what shall I wear today, do you suppose? Which of my frocks were you able to get the wrinkles out of so far?”
Emily turned surprise-widened eyes on the countess. “I thought I was supposed to prepare all of them, my lady. I had the assistance of some of the other girls and we fixed up everything. There were a couple of pieces that we had to send to Sue in the laundry, but you can pretty much take your pick.”
