Story: A Lady and Her Maid. Chapter 8.

by Jackie J

Chapter 8

Maud had sat in her room for some time, having been sent there by her mistress. Why she had not been allowed to answer the door had seemed strange, but it was what her Mistress wanted.

When the call bell eventually rang Maud was quick to her feet and passing through the kitchen she noted the signal had come from the parlour. Before going through to her Mistress she filled the kettle and slid it onto the stove in anticipation. Maud’s anticipation was rewarded: her Mistress requested tea for herself and her guest. Lady Summerfield’s sister no less. Why did the lady visitor look familiar? It was strange but she did. The tea served, Maud wondered if she should return to her room or continue with the day’s tasks. The work would not do itself and she returned to her cleaning in the dining room. Disturbed again by the call bell, she was back to the parlour. 

There was a weak smile on Maud’s face when she left her mistress. Lady Summerfield’s sister was to stay over at the manor. Maud had cleaned the guest rooms many times but there had never been a guest staying in any of them. The master guest room was the grandest of them and it was an excited maid that headed up the broad stairs to prepare the room, her mind already contemplating lunch and dinner for two. Maud had last cleaned the larger of the guest rooms a week ago, but another thorough cleaning was in order. Fresh linen and the windows opened to air the room, flowers from the garden the finishing touch. There was heat in the room, but Maud set a fire in the grate. Standing by the door Maud surveyed the room pleased with her work. Back to the dining room, just the polishing to finish off and then she would have lunch to prepare.

Working on the preparation of lunch Maud was somewhat puzzled. Her mistress’s guest, Lady Summerfield’s sister, why did she look familiar? She looked nothing like the portrait of Lady Summerfield that hung by the large mirror in the hallway, a picture that had to be cleaned each day. In fact, she looked no more like Lady Summerfield herself than her sister did, she at least had a similar nose. The thoughts passed, why should sisters look the same?                          

Maud paid extra attention to the lunch of ham and salad and how it was served, anxious to please. Compliments from her Mistress were seldom so when Lady Summerfield’s sister remarked on what an excellent repast had been prepared and served so well, Maud felt justified for her extra effort.

Maud’s curtsy unlaboured, she began to remove the plates and cutlery.

“Thank yer Miss, ham cum from’t farm up road.”

Marjorie hid her amusement watching her sister at work and hearing her speak. She looked, acted, and spoke like any other domestic servant, but then that is what she was, wasn’t she? A maid, a common house maid. She liked the irony of it all, surely this could never be an act.

During the afternoon Marjorie had asked to see the “All things maid” journals, catalogues, and novels that her sister had gathered and then joined Jennifer in the library to read through them. Marjorie chuckled at the items that had been ringed much like Jenifer had when she first saw them, also noticing the dates, confirming Constance’s passion for such had been long held.

Over the coming days Maud gave little indication to Marjorie that she was not born to the apron. Ever servile and busy at her tasks Maud was indeed the perfect maid.

Marjorie discussed with, but perhaps more correctly interrogated, Jennifer about her past. She was intrigued by how she had adopted so well into her role of Mistress of the manor. Jennifer had shown Marjorie the notes in her file believing that the main reason for being hired by Lady Summerfield was her suitability to become her mistress when the time came. 

A week at the manor and Marjorie had little doubt about the veracity of what Jennifer had told her. But what to do? The once maid Jennifer had adapted to her role well and the bank seemed quite sanguine in continuing to provide the means for her comfortable existence at Stag Head Manor. When Marjorie first arrived at the manor, she had taken Jennifer for what greeted her, a well-spoken lady, never considering that she was actually the maid. No doubt others would have thought and would continue to think no differently.

Having spent time with this usurper, the initial resentment Marjorie felt for her had dissipated. Miss Jennifer was charming, pretty and placed in her circumstance through no fault of her own. She could have said no to her Mistress, but why should she? She could have called a halt to the mischief when it became obvious her Mistress was becoming, had become, consumed by her obsessive madness, but again why should she? Miss Jennifer had grown into her own role, that of mistress of the manor. Her mistress was now her maid, and she herself afforded all the privileges forsaken by her now maid. Being custodian of the manor and its affairs, Jennifer could have plundered the wealth of the manor, taken her ill-gotten gains, and fled, leaving her befuddled mistress to flounder within the walls, but she hadn’t. The bank statements showing that much of the generous allowance arranged by her sister remained unspent. A maid with such integrity was to be applauded.

During conversation with Jennifer, Marjorie had been made aware that Constance’s so-called friends disliked her, and in some cases, despised her. That would be the ultimate humiliation for her sister, having to serve them. But Constance was a wanted woman, knowing the true identity of Jennifer’s maid they would turn her over to the authorities for sure. With further thought, whilst remaining wanted by the authorities, they could never know the true identity of the maid at Stag Head manor. And humiliation, the stupid woman herself didn’t know who she really was so how could she feel any humiliation? 

Considering her partner Mercy, she herself having obtained the new evidence, she would be more than disappointed that Constance would not be being brought to trial. She could take Maud back to Scotland with her, perhaps having the present of the once Lady Constance Summerfield for her personal maid, would offer some compensation. But no, she would want to see her sister face trial and imprisoned and in truth there was no need for a maid at their remote residence.

There was only one decision to be made and it was.

During her journey back to her home in Scotland Marjorie reflected with amusement on the absurdity of her sister’s fate. Lady Constance Summerfield was now her maid’s maid. Marjorie’s only regret being that only she and Constance’s maid Jennifer would ever know who now wore the apron, who was the maid at Stag Head manor.

With Marjorie’s blessing, and some agreed conditions, Jennifer was more than happy to continue in her role of custodian for the manor. Months passed and the disappearance of Lady Summerfield was no longer headline news, in fact it was no news at all. Much like Marjorie had told Jennifer the attempts of the authorities to bring Lady Summerfield to justice, were and would be lacklustre at best. 

From Jennifer’s first visit to the home of Geraldine Booth, Jennifer now availed herself of all further such invitations getting to know many of what were, her once Mistress's, acquaintances. Jennifer, with her friendly nature, had been accepted into their social group and it was inevitable that she would be required to reciprocate the hospitality she had received. A little apprehensive with the first of such visits, but even with Lady Summerfield’s own sister struggling to recognise her maid for who she really was, Jennifer’s initial concerns were unfounded: her maid was hardly given a second look. 

Only Lady Rosemount had visited Stag Head Manor previously and that was when Lord Summerfield was alive. It was not a taboo subject, but out of politeness, Constance, Lady Summerfield, was never mentioned. The only reminder of the once mistress of the manor was the portrait that hung in the hallway. A portrait of a bejewelled and finely dressed lady exuding confidence, grace, and privilege. None of the attending ladies realised that the image framed in the hallway was in reality of Miss Jennifer’s dumpy housemaid Maud, the one that offered them due deference and busied itself attending to their every need.

Two years, how quickly they had passed. The authorities had closed the file once again on Lady Constance Summerfield. She had evaded their half-hearted attempts to locate her and bring her to justice, a satisfactory conclusion for what could have been a most embarrassing public trial.

Marjorie, being the sole surviving relative, was charged with making reparations from Lady Summerfield’s estate on the presumption of Constance’s demise. Whilst significant funds were withdrawn, and payments made to the crown, the majority of the Summerfield wealth, along with the manor itself, remained in the possession of Marjorie.

Marjorie had no intention of leaving her home in Scotland and moving to Stag Head Manor but made numerous visits to see Jennifer. Accompanied by her love and partner Mercy they were waited upon hand and foot by her aproned sister. There was never any question of Marjorie disposing of the manor or indeed of terminating Jennifer’s custodianship. Having her sister remain her maid’s maid was just too exquisite a situation to disturb.

 

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