The Housekeeper’s Secret

Ada’s shopping trip turned up something very intriguing…

The housekeeper stood at the bottom of the stairs and yelled. “Margaret! Come down here, girl! Now!” Margaret’s heart sank at the sound of Ada Brown’s voice but she knew better than to ignore the command. It did none of the girls any good to get on the wrong side of Ada. She had a sharp tongue about her and all the girls at Hendan Hall worked in fear of Ada’s bite. Margaret paused in changing the bed linen and walked to the top of the stairs. “Yes, Miss Brown?” she called down. “Down here, now!” Ada called. Margaret walked towards Ada’s menacing stare. She racked her brains to think of a reason she could have given the housekeeper cause for complaint, but no matter how hard she thought, nothing came to mind. She stood in front of Ada, looking into her hooded, dark eyes.

“You’re to take the mistress’s dog for its morning walk,” Ada commanded.

“But Miss Brown…” Margaret began. She was going to say how busy she was in the rooms above. She still had the linen to change on three beds.

Ada stared hard at Margaret. “I hope you weren’t interrupting me, girl?”

Margaret cast her gaze to the tiled floor of the hallway. “No, Miss Brown.”

“Look at me when I’m speaking to you,” Ada barked and Margaret duly raised her eyes to meet Ada’s worn, lined face. As old as she was, there was still the faint whisper of beauty about Ada and Margaret often wondered how pretty she had been in her day. Margaret sometimes detected a trace of something pleasing in her features. But it was rare that Ada cracked a smile for anyone, and never for any of the domestic staff like Margaret.

“You’re to take Rex for his morning walk,” Ada continued. “Now I know that it’s a task that usually falls to me but I’m too busy this morning. I’m rushed off my feet getting the Hall ready for visitors this weekend. I simply don’t have the time.”

Margaret wasn’t fond of the dog. Rex was a black brute who was always lying around, in the way when Margaret was cleaning and, oh, the hairs he shed onto her clean floors! “But where will I walk him?” she asked. The housekeeper thrust a piece of paper at Ada.

“Take this shopping list. Call at the butcher first, then the grocer. Take the dog with you and tie his lead to a post while you purchase the goods. After you’ve finished, walk Rex on the village green. It’s the route I usually take with him, he’ll be expecting the same with you. You can let him loose on the green, he’s old and doesn’t roam far.”

Margaret headed to the scullery to collect her basket and coat. She threw on her bonnet too, for although the sun was shining on the early spring day, it was still cold outside. Then she took the dog’s lead and went in search of Rex.

The cold air stung Margaret’s face as she walked down the garden path. Fat clumps of crocus in purple and white lined each side of the path. Beyond them

She was RELIEVED to be away from the HOUSEKEEPER’S harsh words

the garden was laid with snowdrops in drifts beside evergreen shrubs. Rex plodded alongside her. In one hand she kept tight hold of his lead and in her other she carried her basket with the shopping list inside. Margaret was glad of the walk in the fresh air, truth be told. She was relieved to be away from Ada Brown’s critical eye and harsh words.

The first stop was at the butcher shop and Margaret did as Ada instructed, tying Rex’s lead to an iron railing outside. The butcher peered over his glasses when Margaret entered the shop.

“We don’t often see you in here, where’s old Ada today?”

“She’s busy this morning,” Margaret replied. “She’s sent me instead. I’ve a list of things she needs, it’s all here.”

The butcher took the list and studied it, then gave Margaret a cheeky wink.

“Oh, I think we can do better than this. Ada’s an old friend of mine, I always look forward to her visits. I’ll put a little extra beef in for her. Tell her John sends his regards. She’s a smashing woman.” “Is she?” Margaret asked, confused. “Always has a cheery word and a smile for me and my boys in here.”

“Really?” Margaret said, then she corrected herself immediately. “Yes, of course. I’ll tell her you’re asking after her. Thank you.”

Margaret took the meat parcels from the butcher and placed sausages, beef and sliced ham into her basket. Then she waved John a cheery goodbye.

“How odd,” she thought as she walked from the shop. She would have described sour-faced Ada Brown as many things but never as a smashing woman rarely without a ready smile.

Margaret untied Rex from the railing and the dog’s face twitched towards the scent of meat from the basket.

“No, you don’t!” Margaret chided and Rex slunk back to Margaret’s side.

Next on the housekeeper’s list was a visit to the grocer where Margaret was to buy leeks to make a steamed pudding. The gardener at Hendan Hall grew the largest leeks in the village. He’d even won prizes with them at the local show. But there were none in the garden at this time of year, none ready for picking that is. The gardener was still growing his leek seedlings under glass. There was a chance the grocer might have some leeks for sale if they came in from the market in town.

Margaret walked to the shop door but couldn’t see anywhere to tie Rex’s lead. She popped her head around the door and called out, hoping that the grocer might let her bring the dog inside.

It was the grocer’s wife who answered Margaret’s call.

“Oh, it’s Rex!” she cried, bustling out from behind the counter. She headed towards the dog, scratching him behind his ears, stroking him and making a fuss. Rex’s tail wagged hard. Margaret had never seen the dog so animated before.

“Is there somewhere I can tie him while I do my shopping?” Margaret asked.

“Tie him up? Whatever for?” the grocer’s wife replied. “Ada normally brings him into the shop and he lies in a corner while we have a chat over tea.”

“Ada chats?” Margaret asked. This was turning out to be quite the morning, finding out all kinds of things about her employer, a woman she was beginning to realise she didn’t know at all.

“Of course she chats,” the grocer’s wife sniffed. “We go way back, me and Ada. She’s the salt of the earth, that woman. I won’t hear a bad word said against her.”

Margaret handed over the shopping list and soon her basket was filled.

“Tell Ada I hope to see her Saturday night for the dance at the hall,” the grocer’s wife said before Margaret took her leave.

Margaret smiled at the thought of Ada Brown dancing, or having fun of any kind. It was all at odds with the stern housekeeper she knew.

Margaret headed to the village green, as Ada had instructed, to walk Rex on the grass. She removed the lead from his collar and Rex trotted to the nearest tree. Dotted around the green were wooden benches and on one sat two old men smoking pipes. On another sat a well-dressed older man. Margaret noticed a parcel wrapped in newspaper on his lap.

“Do you mind if I sit for a while?” Margaret asked, indicating the spare seat on the bench.” “Please do,” he replied politely. Margaret caught sight of a flash of yellow within the newspaper parcel. Then she noticed the paper was wrapped around flowers, bright daffodils poking from a newspaper cone.

Margaret sat in silence watching the dog amble about.

“Excuse me, your dog… is that Rex?” that man asked, pointing to the dog.

Margaret turned towards the man. He looked much older than her own years but there was a kindly glint to his eyes. He was dressed smartly in a black coat and scarf and on his head he wore a flat cap.

“Why yes, it is. How did you know?” Margaret replied.

“I often see him here. I sometimes chat to the lady who brings him, Miss Brown.”

“She’s busy today,” Margaret explained. “I’ve been sent to walk the dog and collect provisions while she’s otherwise engaged at the Hall.” “Oh, I see,” the man said. Margaret sensed disappointment in the man’s tone, but maybe she had simply imagined it. The man picked up the wrapped flowers from his lap.

“It’s just that I brought these for her, you see. I grew them myself, from bulbs. I thought she might like them.”

Margaret stared at the perfect yellow blooms. “I’m sure she would like them a lot,” she said.

The man offered them to Margaret. “Could you take them to her, I wonder? Tell her it’s a gift from Ted.” “Of course…” Margaret replied. “I’ve been waiting all morning to see her. We usually meet, you see, each Tuesday when she walks the dog.” “You do?” Margaret was aghast. “I’m sorry to have missed her today.” Margaret looked at Ted with his face flushed and eyes bright. She laid the flowers in her basket then smiled at Ted.

“You’re keen on her, aren’t you, sir? I can tell.”

Ted gave a short laugh. “Is it that obvious?”

“Have you ever asked her out?” she dared herself to ask. Ted shook his head. “Oh, I couldn’t. She’s a lady of some importance with her housekeeping job at Hendan Hall. She wouldn’t be interested in someone like me, a retired old miner.”

Margaret eyed Ted all the way up from his polished boots to the smart black coat he was wearing and his black cap. He looked honest enough, she decided, honest and clean, which was more than could be said for some of the fellas who lived in the village. “Do you like dancing, Ted?” she asked. “Can’t say I’ve done it for a long time,” he laughed. “Why do you ask?”

Margaret stood and gathered her basket to her. Then she called for Rex and looped the lead through the dog’s collar. Ted waited patiently for her to explain.

“I’ve a feeling Ada might be at the dance this Saturday night,” she said. And without another word, she headed back to Hendan Hall.

When she arrived back at work, Ada Brown was waiting. She was standing with her hands on her hips and her face was like thunder. “What on earth took you so long, girl?” Margaret braced herself against Ada’s sharp tongue Then she handed over the butcher’s parcels of meat. “These are from John. He sends his best regards. And he called you a smashing woman.”

“There’s no need to be impertinent, child,” Ada said sternly.

Margaret lifted the leeks from her basket. “And these are from the grocer’s wife who says she’ll see you at the Saturday night dance.” Ada’s face flushed red. “Where I go on my time off is nobody else’s business!” She cried. “I’d be obliged if you’d keep my business to yourself. Besides which, I’m working here Saturday night, looking after the visitors.”

Then Margaret handed over the bunch of daffodils. “And these are from Ted…” Ada gasped and her hand flew to her throat. She stood stock still, lost for words. Margaret took her cue and scuttled away to hang up her coat and hat. “Just one thing, girl,” Ada called. Margaret stopped in her tracks. She braced herself, expecting the worst. Was she to be disciplined for uncovering Ada’s secrets? But before Ada could say another word, Margaret said quickly, “I’ll cover your shift for you, Saturday night, if you want to go to the dance.”

Ada’s eyes twinkled and her face lit up with the widest smile Margaret had ever seen. And then Margaret saw it, the carefree girl Ada had once been. The girl who liked to chat with friends, to dance.

Margaret breathed a sigh of relief. She had a feeling life working with Ada would be a lot happier from now on… and it was all down to Rex.

She sensed DISAPPOINTMENT in his tone; perhaps she IMAGINED it?