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Authors: Fenella J Miller
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would be no guests down so early but there would be members of staff and they were bigger gossips than their masters and mistresses.
The house was rousing, there were maids and footmen already about their duties. She checked her skirt was correctly arranged, repinned her hair and then walked boldly through the side door. If she was going to be seen then she needed to look confident, not skulk about as if she had no right to be there.
She regained the sanctuary of her own apartment unobserved. She glanced at the overmantel clock and saw that the hour was still early – Annie would not be here until seven o’clock which gave her almost an hour to recover her equilibrium and remove the evidence of her escapade.
There was little point in putting on her nightgown as she had no intention of going to bed. Therefore, she would wash and put on clean underpinnings and by then her abigail should have arrived to help her dress. Her head ached and she thought perhaps she’d overtaxed herself.
When she looked in the mirror she was horrified to see a trickle of blood running down the side of her face. She touched the wound and was unsurprised when her fingers came away red. The doctor had left no replacement dressings so she would have to improvise.
Tearing up a perfectly good petticoat was not an option, so she would have to find something else. Then she remembered the bandage she’d pulled off earlier – perhaps that would do. She was obliged to rummage through the laundry bin until she located it. The pad that had been pressed against the stitches was unusable but the bandage would do very well.
She wound it around her head and secured the end. She could hardly go down for breakfast as she was, so would have to send for something. If she was honest she was relieved she could postpone making her curtsy to the other toplofty guests for a few hours more.
‘Good morning, miss, I’ve brought you a tray as I wasn’t sure if you would be well enough to go down,’ Annie called out cheerfully as she walked into the sitting room.
‘I’m afraid I’ve overexerted myself this morning and have started the wound bleeding again. I think I might have loosened one of the sutures.’
Her maid dumped the tray on the sideboard with scant regard for the contents and was at her side in seconds. ‘It’s bleeding badly, miss. I’ll send one of the girls down and ask for the doctor to be fetched back immediately.’
‘He said he was returning this morning, there’s no need to make a fuss, it can wait until he comes. We just need to apply a better dressing. I’m sure you can find something suitable that doesn’t require destroying a chemise or petticoat.’
Annie looked unconvinced but didn’t argue. Soon the bleeding was staunched by a second bandage being applied over the first and all traces of gore had been removed from Grace’s face and she was dressed in one of her new gowns.
‘There, that should hold until the doctor gets here. Now, miss, where do you want to eat your breakfast?’
‘If you would place it on the hexagonal table that would be perfect. There’s no need for you to remain, Annie, go and have your own meal and then bring me any titbits of gossip you might glean.’
‘I shall be back very shortly. If the physician arrives I’ll come at once. Are you sure there’s nothing else you want to eat or drink?’
Grace waved her away. ‘Everything’s perfect. One thing’s for sure, I shan’t go hungry here for there’s more than enough for a family on this tray.’
Although she’d thought herself hungry, she scarcely did justice to the delicious food. However, the jug of coffee was exactly what she fancied. She poured herself a second cup and carried it carefully to the upholstered window seat.
From here she could see the rose garden and, as soon as her wound had been tended to, she was determined to go there. She placed her cup and saucer on the windowsill and then positioned herself so her back was
The house was rousing, there were maids and footmen already about their duties. She checked her skirt was correctly arranged, repinned her hair and then walked boldly through the side door. If she was going to be seen then she needed to look confident, not skulk about as if she had no right to be there.
She regained the sanctuary of her own apartment unobserved. She glanced at the overmantel clock and saw that the hour was still early – Annie would not be here until seven o’clock which gave her almost an hour to recover her equilibrium and remove the evidence of her escapade.
There was little point in putting on her nightgown as she had no intention of going to bed. Therefore, she would wash and put on clean underpinnings and by then her abigail should have arrived to help her dress. Her head ached and she thought perhaps she’d overtaxed herself.
When she looked in the mirror she was horrified to see a trickle of blood running down the side of her face. She touched the wound and was unsurprised when her fingers came away red. The doctor had left no replacement dressings so she would have to improvise.
Tearing up a perfectly good petticoat was not an option, so she would have to find something else. Then she remembered the bandage she’d pulled off earlier – perhaps that would do. She was obliged to rummage through the laundry bin until she located it. The pad that had been pressed against the stitches was unusable but the bandage would do very well.
She wound it around her head and secured the end. She could hardly go down for breakfast as she was, so would have to send for something. If she was honest she was relieved she could postpone making her curtsy to the other toplofty guests for a few hours more.
‘Good morning, miss, I’ve brought you a tray as I wasn’t sure if you would be well enough to go down,’ Annie called out cheerfully as she walked into the sitting room.
‘I’m afraid I’ve overexerted myself this morning and have started the wound bleeding again. I think I might have loosened one of the sutures.’
Her maid dumped the tray on the sideboard with scant regard for the contents and was at her side in seconds. ‘It’s bleeding badly, miss. I’ll send one of the girls down and ask for the doctor to be fetched back immediately.’
‘He said he was returning this morning, there’s no need to make a fuss, it can wait until he comes. We just need to apply a better dressing. I’m sure you can find something suitable that doesn’t require destroying a chemise or petticoat.’
Annie looked unconvinced but didn’t argue. Soon the bleeding was staunched by a second bandage being applied over the first and all traces of gore had been removed from Grace’s face and she was dressed in one of her new gowns.
‘There, that should hold until the doctor gets here. Now, miss, where do you want to eat your breakfast?’
‘If you would place it on the hexagonal table that would be perfect. There’s no need for you to remain, Annie, go and have your own meal and then bring me any titbits of gossip you might glean.’
‘I shall be back very shortly. If the physician arrives I’ll come at once. Are you sure there’s nothing else you want to eat or drink?’
Grace waved her away. ‘Everything’s perfect. One thing’s for sure, I shan’t go hungry here for there’s more than enough for a family on this tray.’
Although she’d thought herself hungry, she scarcely did justice to the delicious food. However, the jug of coffee was exactly what she fancied. She poured herself a second cup and carried it carefully to the upholstered window seat.
From here she could see the rose garden and, as soon as her wound had been tended to, she was determined to go there. She placed her cup and saucer on the windowsill and then positioned herself so her back was
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