"We never knows wot's hidden in each other's hearts; ana it we had glass winders mere, we'd need Keep the shutters up, some on us, I do assure you!"
Mrs. Pratt was presiding over the last moments of the staff breakfast when Miss Ardleigh and the young miss came into the servants' hall. Seeing them, she stood up. The rest of the servants hastily followed suit, pushing back their chairs, their faces carefully bland, only their eyes registering surprise. Miss Ardleigh had never appeared in the servants' hall in their time there, and even Mrs. Pratt had difficulty recalling when she had last been belowstairs. Certainly not since the advent of Jaggers.
Mudd spoke. "If ye've come about the constable, mum, Pocket's already bin and back agin."
"I have not, but thank you, Mudd," Miss Ardleigh said. Mrs. Pratt saw her glance at the plates of toast and egg and bit of boiled, streaky bacon. Harriet and Nettie were particularly partial to the bacon, which they did not often have. It was Mrs. Pratt's effort to make poor amends for Jagger's ill-treatment. "Have we interrupted your meal?"
"No, mum," Mrs. Pratt lied. She held her face emotionless, but inside she was angrily resentful. Couldn't they even sit down to a meal-plain and parsimonious as it was-without being intruded upon? A lengthy interruption would mean cold food and poor spirits for the rest of the morning. The work was hard enough without that. "D'ye wish to speak to-"
"To all of you, actually," Miss Ardleigh replied evenly. ' 'I have come to apologize, both on my own behalf and that of my sister."
Apologize? Mrs. Pratt stared. Mudd was stunned into speechlessness. Amelia and Pocket were gaping like codfish and Harriet made a small sound, almost a whimper. Nettie wrung her hands. Clearly, it was up to Mrs. Pratt to reply.
"Apology ain't necess'ry, mum," she said, looking back at Miss Ardleigh with narrowed eyes. Apologize? What mistress ever apologized to a servant? It wasn't in the nature of things.
"I fear that it is necessary," Miss Ardleigh said, "even though my words are embarrassing to me and perhaps to you. I find that I must resume management of the household. It is clear to me now, and should have been before this, that my sister is ill-suited to the task of mistress. For yielding up my responsibilities without considering the possible consequences for all of us, I apologize. For her abuse of your rights, I most sincerely apologize."
"Oh, mum!" Harriet burst out passionately, and then bit her lip with a sideways glance at Cook. Mrs. Pratt gave the girl a cold stare, but it was Miss Ardleigh she was angry with. Did she think that by sweeping in here like the Queen herself and dosing them with a spoonful of sweet talk, she could change what had happened-not just last evening, but last spring, when Jenny was turned out? Did she think she could win them over, could erase the memory of those terrible hurts with an easy smile or two? Well, there was more in Mrs.
Pratt's heart and mind than Miss Ardleigh knew, if that's what she thought!
"From now on," Miss Ardleigh said, "you are to take your direction from me." She looked around at the cheerless room, the cold stone floor, the fireplace absent of fire. "We will begin by restoring the furnishings to this room. Where were they taken?"
"To… to the attic, mum," Mrs. Pratt said, blinking.
"Good," Miss Ardleigh replied. "Please have them returned, and the carpet, and see if another c!v-' or two can be found." She shivered. "And unbloci. die!. ^lace. it is lar too cold in this room to comfortably enjoy your leisure hours here."
Mrs. Pratt allowed herself a small flare of triumph at the thought of the return of the sofa, while Harriet and Nettie seemed nearly overwhelmed at the prospect of a restored fire and a carpet. Pocket shifted his feet, grinning.
Miss Ardleigh continued. "Cook, my sister clearly exceeded her authority yesterday when she requested your notice. I do hope you will consent to remain with us."
Mrs. Pratt swallowed. The situation, which had boggled the brain to start with, was becoming curiouser and curiouser.
"That is settled, then," Aunt Sabrina said. She smiled. "You and I will meet this morning to discuss meals, pantry stores, and so forth, and you will acquaint me with any new procedures you have instituted for managing the kitchen. Mudd, you will please inform me about the current state of household accounts, the distribution of responsibilities among the upstairs help, and the state of the grounds."
Mrs. Pratt saw Mudd's eyebrows shoot up and he opened his mouth to speak. But she gave him the slightest shake of her head, and he closed his mouth again.
Miss Ardleigh regarded him curiously for a moment. When he said nothing, she looked around the table, her eyes resting on each one in turn. "In the meantime," she said, "I hope that each of you will accept my thanks for your patience and forbearance. Our household can only run smoothly if we all do our proper parts. I will do mine, I assure you."
That was too much for Amelia. "Bless ye, mum," she said fervently.
Mrs. Pratt cleared her throat sternly, and Amelia had the grace to blush. She always was a forward chit, giving herself airs, putting herself above her station. But even Nettie looked as if she were ready to dance, and Pocket's grin fair split his face. Mrs. Pratt supposed that the younger ones couldn't be blamed for being bamboozled. She herself had heard similar promises before, although not to the extent of returning the fire and the sofa. After the sad business with Jenny, Miss Ardleigh had personally promised that she would rein Jaggers in. But nothing had come of it then, and Mrs. Pratt wasn't going to hold her breath until something came of it now. Anyway, Mrs. Pratt reminded herself murderously, it was Jaggers who should be here apologizing, not the mistress.
Miss Ardleigh smiled. "That will be all, then," she said. "We will have guests for luncheon, Cook-an additional four, I believe. Please see me"-she undipped her watch and consulted it-"in the library an hour from now, with suggestions for the menu." Gathering up her skirts, she swept from the room, her niece behind.
The other servants finished the cold breakfast and left to be about their work, chattering about the prospect of increased daily rations and the exciting prospect-although Miss Ardleigh had not mentioned it-of being released from compulsory prayers. Only Mrs. Pratt and Mudd were left, staring at one another from opposite ends of the table. There was a long silence.
"She'll have t' be told about the accounts," Mudd said. He shook his head with a dark look. "She's not goin' t' be 'appy. An' Jaggers is like t' be furious."
"Let her be," Mrs. Pratt said, bleakly smug. "Let her get wot's comin' to her for diddlin'. Little enough, a'ter what she's done." Mrs. Pratt and Mudd had suspected for some months that Jaggers was manipulating the household accounts, but it was only in the last few days that Mudd had confirmed their suspicions through some adroit backward checking. "I figger she knows we know 'bout th' accounts, anyway," she added, draining her coffee. "That's why she
come on so sharp yesterday, threat'nin' to sack me. Left to herself, Mudd, ye'd be nex' t' go a'ter me."
"What do yer suppose 'as come o'er the mistress, takin' things into 'er own 'ands?" Mudd asked. Reflectively, he ate the last crust of toast. "D'ye think there'll be jam on th' table, an' beer, now that she's runnin' th' manor agin?"
"Dunno," Mrs. Pratt said blackly, "an* don't care. A bit o' jam won't heal what's hurt." She banged her cup on the saucer. She could not help herself. Un-Christian as it was, a poisonous rage, bitter as bile, rose inside her when she thought about Jaggers.
Mudd was thoughtful. "Not t' put too fine a point on't, Mrs. P., but ain't it time t' turn the other cheek?"
"Jam and fire don't go far wi'me," Mrs. Pratt said, from the depths of her wounded spirit. "Who knows wot's hidden in Miss Ardleigh's heart? She didn't raise a hand to help poor Jenny, nor e'en offered to help her find a place, which she culd've done."
Mudd stood up. "Well, I fer one," he announced, "am ready t' let bygones be bygones."
Mrs. Pratt glared at him. "Fine fer ye, Mudd. But fer me, Miss Ardleigh is guilty as Jaggers. Both of 'em deserves wotev'r they git. I only hope it kin be me wot dishes it out."