Page 6 of Chivalry & Chauvinism (The Victorian Vagaries #2)
The following week was quiet. Elizabeth and Darcy attempted to wake early for their morning rides, but due to their night time activities, only managed twice that week. They broke their fast with Diane and Georgiana every morning, and walked with Diane and Beau each day.
Georgiana was carried down for luncheon in the family dining room each day. The idea of the stairs still exhausted her, and she was only used to moving slowly about her own apartment. She had also begun spending an hour each morning sitting in the music room, listening to Mary and Charlotte play the pianoforte. She hoped to be able to play herself again soon, but had only just begun to be able to read and do embroidery without suffering a terrible megrim. She still tired very quickly, and napped for several hours each day. She still needed to rest after luncheon, but soon Elizabeth hoped the girl would soon have the energy to sit out on the terrace for an hour or so each day to get some sun and fresh air.
Elizabeth was very busy over the following week. She went over and approved the plans for the bathing chambers and water closets with Mr Banks; then the work began. Darcy sent for the local carpenters and painters for the other renovations. Together with the other ladies, Elizabeth spent hours comparing colour and fabric samples sent by Uncle Gardiner for the new nursery and the new downstairs apartments, as well as redecorating Elizabeth’s and Georgiana’s apartments entirely. They also worked on the transformation of the small library into Elizabeth’s study. Elizabeth declared that Lady Anne’s timeless elegance was very much to her taste, and for the rest of the house, planned to only replace fabrics, carpets, paintwork, and the like when they began to fade, rather than redecorating just for the sake of it.
Elizabeth noted that Mary and Richard were walking in the gardens each day with Charlotte diligently chaperoning them. Elizabeth was happy that Mary and Richard had this time to come to know one another without such speculation and expectation as would occur if they were in Meryton or London.
Elizabeth and Mrs Reynolds spent several hours going over linens, china, and account books. The housekeeper was not exactly cordial, though she managed to maintain a respectful demeanour and for a while, Elizabeth felt she could work with her. Regardless, she planned on promoting Gretchen to deputy housekeeper soon, to ensure she was prepared as an understudy whenever the housekeeper needed to be replaced, no matter the reason.
Then happened two unpleasant incidents that week, bringing the event with Mrs Reynolds that they all had felt was coming. One morning toward the end of the week, Elizabeth woke early and attempted to wake Darcy for a morning ride. He must have been exhausted from their previous night, for he resisted and fell back asleep. Elizabeth felt guilty regarding how little she had exercised Artemis, so she dragged herself from the bed and donned her riding attire. She left the house through the kitchens, procuring a carrot on her way out. She ran into Miss Carmichael as she passed through the servants’ hall and the woman made to follow her outside so they could discuss time to practise Elizabeth’s fencing as she saddled her horse. Elizabeth made it about two steps from the door before she heard Mrs Reynolds’ voice, “Mrs Darcy, there will be no sneaking out without the master’s permission. If you wish to go out, Mr Darcy will have to confirm to me that it is allowed.”
Elizabeth stopped short, and turned toward the offensive woman incredulously. “I beg your pardon, Mrs Reynolds. Did you just accuse me of sneaking about?”
“Well, it is clear that you do not have the master’s permission to go out, or you would not be sneaking out the back door at dawn while he is asleep,” said Mrs Reynolds firmly, as servants gathered by the entrance to the servants’ hall curiously. Elizabeth’s footmen Andrew and Matthew quietly slipped into the kitchens and made their way to stand behind their mistress and Mrs Carmichael.
Mrs Reynolds came over and attempted to grasp Elizabeth’s arm. “You will return with me to your rooms, and when Mr Darcy awakes, we will have a discussion, so that I am informed as to what activities the master will permit you.”
Every servant in the room gasped as Elizabeth evaded Mrs Reynolds’ hand as Miss Carmichael made an aggressive noise. "Do not believe for a moment that I should allow you to place your hands upon me, Mrs Reynolds. It is your task to supervise the work of the house, not to supervise me."
Elizabeth turned and left the house, her footmen and Miss Carmichael following behind. When Elizabeth entered the stable, she asked Mr Crofton if he had a slip of paper and a pencil she could use. She wrote a short note to Will, requesting that he refuse any meetings with Mrs Reynolds before she returned, and that he meet with her in her dressing room when she returned from her ride. Turning, she handed the note to Andrew. “Please ask Mr Darcy’s valet to give this note to Mr Darcy the very moment he has awakened.”
Elizabeth enjoyed a pounding ride, followed by Miss Carmichael and one armed groom who was familiar with the Pemberley estate so she would not get lost. She returned to the house and, after currying her horse, went up to her dressing room where Sarah was waiting. Sarah assisted her in removing her riding habit and she took a very short bath. She had just finished getting dressed as Will stepped into her dressing room. She dismissed Sarah, saying she would do her own hair, and she acquainted her husband with the events of that morning. Will had heard an account already from his valet, who was present in the servants’ hall, which was abuzz with gossip after seeing Mrs Reynolds being put into her place.
“Will, we have made every attempt to be respectful of Mrs Reynolds, but she is not willing to accept having a mistress. I cannot endure the kind of disrespect I have received since arriving at Pemberley. While I do not wish to be without an experienced housekeeper, there is no help for it now; Mrs Reynolds has crossed a line. I will not keep a servant who believes they have the right to restrict my activities,” Elizabeth said practically.
Darcy was outraged, and prepared to fire Mrs Reynolds on the spot, but Elizabeth persuaded him to bide his time. The household would be a disaster if Mrs Reynolds left before a replacement arrived.
“Mrs Reynolds should never have presumed to restrict your activities without having first been instructed by me. The Darcys have never been a family who lock up their wives. Of course, I have no right to restrict your activities at all, but the servants are unaware of the details of our marriage contract,” said Darcy resignedly. “I cannot imagine what she thought would come of it. She could not have believed I would agree to keep you locked inside the house. What did it matter if you went out through the kitchens? That is not evidence of sneaking about. This is your house, you may leave by any door you wish. Any window, if you prefer. I also have been known to leave for my rides through the kitchens. It should be no great shock to see you procuring an apple or carrot for your horse from the larder. I agree it is time for Mrs Reynolds to retire, and I shall have Ripley make the arrangements for her pension and a cottage. What do you suggest we do for a housekeeper?”
“I would like to write to Mrs Hayes, my housekeeper at Astley House. She may not be familiar with Pemberley’s ways, but she is familiar with mine, and that should be helpful. She can learn Pemberley’s ways quickly enough with Gretchen’s help, and we can decide from there whether we wish to keep her here permanently, or if she will only serve temporarily until we find someone else,” Elizabeth replied.
“What shall the London house do without a housekeeper? Darcy inquired.
“I could easily bring Mrs Hayes here permanently, as her deputy housekeeper is well trained and ready to step into her role, as she should be. There is a head housemaid ready to be the new deputy housekeeper.” Elizabeth said.
“As it should have been here. I should have made Mrs Reynolds do the same. That was my oversight, and it has made everything more difficult now,” Darcy said, shaking his head. “Do as you think best. I shall have Ripley find her a cottage, and we can inform her just before your housekeeper arrives. I will refuse all requests to meet with Mrs Reynolds until we meet with her to explain our new plans. She has gone too far, and I am weary of this constant bickering she has created. I will make it clear she must receive her instructions from and bring her concerns to you. She cannot come running to me every time you displease her. She sent a summons demanding to speak with me in my own study before I was even awake this morning. She had poor William knocking at my chamber door and woke me. The poor boy looked terrified, and I thought Mason might eat him for disturbing me. If I were my father or if there was a butler in the house, it would have set the poor boy’s career back a decade,” said Darcy unhappily, as he rose and went to send a message for Ripley to meet him after breakfast. He sent another to Mrs Reynolds, denying her request for an audience and informing her that she must bring her concerns to her Mistress, as was proper.
When Mrs Reynolds, disliking the content of Darcy’s message, presented herself at his study door, insistent on voicing her complaints to her master, she was prevented by Thompson, who was grimly stationed outside the door to ensure that Mr Darcy was able to work without interruption. “I beg your pardon, Mrs Reynolds. Mr Darcy says you must take your concerns to the mistress. My instructions are to ensure he is undisturbed today.”
Later that morning, Elizabeth avoided the topic of the morning’s scene, and asked Mrs Reynolds to begin scheduling a member of the staff to take tea with her each day, so she could get to know them and their backgrounds. Elizabeth had attempted to get to know Mrs Reynolds, but the housekeeper preferred not to be so candid with her employer, and offered no information about herself. Mrs Reynolds seemed to wish to prevent Elizabeth from meeting with the lower orders of the staff, such as the hall boys and scullery maids. Elizabeth sensed the housekeeper was terribly classist, not unlike most higher ranking servants, and instructed her to schedule Hazel for the first meeting and the footman Timothy after her.
The next afternoon, Elizabeth settled into a small but bright and pleasant parlour at the back of the house. It had a small desk that she was using until her new study was finished. Mrs Reynolds escorted Hazel into the room and then seemed confused when Elizabeth smiled at her expectantly, waiting for her to leave. “I did not expect you to meet with them alone, Mrs Darcy.”
“It is quite all right, Mrs Reynolds. I assure you that Hazel and I are in no danger from one another.” Elizabeth waited until the housekeeper left, and then she and Hazel sat and spent a pleasant half hour chatting about Hazel’s time at Pemberley, as well as her background and interests. When Elizabeth learned that Hazel was planning to purchase a subscription to the lending library, Elizabeth told her to wait, as she planned to discuss an arrangement for Pemberley’s staff with the lending library, and that she would also be speaking to her husband regarding allowing access to Pemberley’s library for all of the household.
“Really, Mrs Darcy?” asked Hazel curiously. She was intrigued by the new mistress of Pemberley, and the idea that she might offer such an opportunity to her staff was a lovely idea. Hazel had thought before, when Mrs Darcy had first come down to work in the kitchens, that this lady might be quite marvellous indeed. Her suspicions were proved correct when Mrs Darcy explained to Hazel that there would soon be many new advantages to the staff at Pemberley. The entire staff was to be given a raise, their physician care and that of their families would be completely covered by the estate if they became ill, and they would have access to tutors if they desired.
“You wish to educate the staff, Mrs Darcy?” said Hazel, shocked by the generous promise.
“Indeed, Hazel. I enjoy being surrounded by workers who are intelligent, well educated, highly skilled people, who work for me because they enjoy and take pride in what they do, not because they have nowhere else to go. It is nurturing, not desperation, that breeds loyalty and self improvement. If everyone who works here is at their best, then Pemberley shall be at it’s best. Now before we finish our tea, please tell me. If you could think of one thing that would improve your life at Pemberley, what would it be?”
“Oh, I am sure I have nothing to complain about, Mrs Darcy,” Hazel bowed her head.
“Of course not. But just because you have no complaints does not mean that your lot could not be improved even in a small way. Can you think of anything?” Elizabeth asked. Hazel hesitated. “Come, Hazel. You must not be afraid to speak to me of your needs. I cannot see to your welfare at Pemberley if I do not know your concerns. I cannot promise I can fix every problem to your satisfaction, but you can always confide in me without fear of consequences.”
“It is only that you seem so kind and generous already, I feel ungrateful… But… It’s been a long time… I think that life at Pemberley would be better for all the staff if we had proper beds.”
Elizabeth’s mouth dropped open. “Proper beds?” In one hundred years, if Elizabeth had tried to predict what Hazel might have said when she asked the question, she would never have guessed that. She closed her eyes, covered her mouth with her hand, and took a deep breath. “Hazel, may I ask if I might see your room?”
“Certainly, Mrs Darcy!” Hazel scrambled up. “I am ashamed to have caused any trouble. The staff do not mind. Not really.”
“Hazel, I am not angry, and as I promised, there shall be no consequences of any kind for your revelation. But please, I would very much like to see where you sleep.” Elizabeth had no idea what to expect when she went to the servants’ quarters, but the memory of the maids being so excited to sleep in Georgie’s dressing room, and Sarah’s tiredness that had appeared to persist for weeks was now at the front of her mind, and she was beginning to regret not touring the entire house from top to bottom the very moment she arrived.
Elizabeth followed Hazel out of the chambers and Mrs Reynolds jumped up from her desk as the two women went by the door to her office and started up the servant’s staircase. “Mrs Darcy, if there is anything you need-”
“Thank you. Mrs Reynolds. I need to see the servants’ quarters, immediately. You may accompany us,” Elizabeth said briskly, her tone making it clear there would be no argument. They passed Sarah on the staircase and Elizabeth asked her to join them as well.
As they entered a third floor corridor, Hazel stopped in front of a door. “What tales have you been carrying to the mistress, young lady! How dare you, when Miss Darcy is ill-”
“Mrs Reynolds, please be silent.” Elizabeth nodded to Hazel, “Please open the door, Hazel.”
Hazel gulped and opened the door to her room. The contents of which were a burlap straw pallet on the floor, covered by two fine looking patchwork quilts, and a small trunk in the corner. Nothing else. Not even a candlestick or a rug. Nothing. Elizabeth turned to Sarah. “Mrs Smith, may I see your room, please?”
Sarah led them to another door and opened it. The room looked the same, although lacking the quilts. There was a rough looking blanket on the bed. Elizabeth shook her head in rising frustration. There was a door with a frosted window at the end of the hall with a shadow passing across the glass. “Is that the men’s side?” Sarah nodded. Elizabeth went to the end of the hall and turned the key to open the door. Timothy was leaving a room. “Timothy?” Elizabeth asked. “Would you be offended if I asked to see your room?”
“Of course not, Mrs Darcy,” Timothy opened the door and the room was mostly the same, a blanket of middling quality was upon the pallet.
“I presume you purchased that blanket yourself?” Elizabeth asked. Timothy nodded. “Thank you, Timothy. Would you please find Mr Darcy and Mr Banks right away, and ask them to please hasten here with the utmost urgency?”
“Of course, Mrs Darcy.” Timothy bowed and turned to go downstairs.
“Mrs Darcy-” began Mrs Reynolds again, but Elizabeth held up a hand and silenced her.
Elizabeth turned to Sarah. “Sarah, you are wearing a uniform that was created by a modiste that many of the highest ladies of society cannot even get an appointment for a ballgown with. You are certainly the highest paid lady’s maid in the kingdom. You have never been treated in this manner, and you know my insistence upon proper and healthy conditions for the staff. This could ruin the good reputation of this household. How could you allow this to pass without informing me immediately?”
“We meant to, Mrs Darcy. Of course we did, but when we arrived it was such a frightening time for Miss Darcy. You and Mr Darcy were setting everything aside in order to bring her back to health, and we could do no less, nor trouble you with anything else at such a time. And then there was the trouble with Mrs Bower, and you trying to prepare the house for the renovations and your family. I spoke to Mr Banks of it the moment he arrived. We then spoke to all of your staff that came with us, and everyone agreed we would give it two more weeks for Miss Darcy to regain her strength a bit, and then Mr Banks and I planned to confess our concealment and discuss the matter with you and Mr Darcy. We knew it could not be long in any case, for you would certainly have found it out yourself when the bathing chambers were begun upstairs,” explained Sarah.
They waited another five minutes during which Elizabeth would not suffer Mrs Reynolds to speak or even make eye contact with her, before Darcy and Mr Banks came puffing up the stairs with Timothy and Mr Ripley following behind. “I hope it is indeed urgent, Elizabeth. I am likely to need a nap after that climb. What is the matter?”
Elizabeth nodded to Timothy who opened his door for Mr Darcy to look in. “Whose room is this? Timothy, is this your room? Why is there no furniture?” Darcy exclaimed. Elizabeth indicated for him to follow her and nodded to Sarah who showed him her room as well, followed by Hazel. “Are they all like this? They cannot be all like this! Mrs Reynolds, why is there no—Mrs Reynolds!” Darcy was nearly incoherent with shock and rage at what he was seeing.
“Do not you Mrs Reynolds me, young man! I have given forty years of my life to this family and for what? To be cast aside as if it were nothing! I was almost a mother to you and your sister, and now I am as disregarded as a cast off shoe! I am expected to curtsey to this dreadful woman, this nobody from nowhere, with common and tastelessly foreign roots, and whose only claim to notice was once having married a knight! Who barges in and wastes money, and makes horrific changes to this lovely house because she is too ill bred to know any better! Making a fuss over servants’ beds, indeed! The senior staffs’ rooms are respectably furnished! There is no need to coddle the lower servants! Lady Anne would be ashamed of you, sir! She never raised you to to concern yourself in matters as low as these!” Mrs Reynolds ranted to the shock of the room.
As Darcy stared at the woman with his mouth agape in shock, Elizabeth spoke. “Mrs Reynolds, it grieves us to know that you feel unable to remain at your post, but after forty years of service, we cannot deny you your wish to retire. Mr Banks and Mrs Smith shall assist you in packing your belongings, which after forty years in this family’s service, must be many. If necessary, you may take an old trunk or two from the attics to hold your possessions. Whatever you need shall be provided. A carriage shall take you and your possessions to the inn at Lambton, and you may remain there at the expense of the estate until you have met with Mr Ripley regarding whatever retirement provision has been made for you by the estate. It might be a few weeks before the preparations are ready for you, but your expenses at the inn shall be covered by the estate in the meantime. We wish you every good fortune, and a peaceful retirement, madam.”
Mrs Reynolds turned away angrily and was accompanied by Mr Banks and Sarah. A number of other servants had wandered upstairs to see what was happening, including Mrs Pottinger, who wondered what had become of Hazel. Elizabeth turned to Darcy, who was still stunned and said, “Husband, I cannot sleep for even one night in a house with servant conditions such as this. We must repair this problem this very day, and no one in this house except Miss Darcy and Charlotte shall rest until every servant has a proper bed and linens. How do you recommend we proceed?”
Darcy shook his head, still speechless, then Timothy cleared his throat “Ma’am there are a number of beds up in the attics, from the many times the nurseries have been redecorated. There are many singleton bed frames that could be reassembled and they can be modified in length by changing the bed rails, which are plentiful in the attics. The footmen could begin carrying them down.”
Hazel said, “If we were up off the floor, like, we wouldn’t mind the straw mattresses for a bit longer, Mrs Darcy.”
“I said proper beds Hazel, and proper beds you all shall have and for your courage, the first bed shall be yours,” Elizabeth said firmly.
The head housemaid Gretchen raised her hand, “Mrs Darcy, there is a whole second floor of mattresses in good condition. The second floor guest rooms are almost never used, but are kept in good order. The beds are large. If we get everyone in the house that is deft with a needle, we could take many of the mattresses apart to make smaller ones. I am not sure how many we could finish by nightfall. But we can give it a good try. I do not know what we shall do for blankets, however. Mrs Reynolds was due to order new blankets for the servants this year, but she has not done it, and they would not likely have been very nice. There are good sheets in the servants’ linen closet though, for she never let us use them.”
“We could go to the Merriweather sisters for quilts,” said Mrs Pottinger. As they all turned to her, she spoke to Elizabeth. “The Merriweather sisters are a pair of spinsters in the village, Mrs Darcy. They make those lovely patchwork quilts. They put them together all year and sell them at the market. They always have many stacks of quilts in their cottage. I purchased two each for myself and Hazel last year, to try to ward off the cold a bit. I am certain you could clear out what they have, and it would be a boon for them.”
“Are the Misses Merriweather close friends of yours, Mrs Pottinger?” asked Elizabeth
“Indeed they are. I visit them every week on my half day, which is tomorrow. Miss Stella is a marvel in her kitchens, and we exchange receipts regularly. That is her receipt for the lemon biscuits you like,” answered Mrs Pottinger.
“Do you believe they would object if I accompanied you on your call? I would dearly like to make their acquaintance.” Elizabeth inquired.
“I am sure they’d consider it an honour. I ought to send a note to warn them though. It would not do to take them unawares.” said Mrs Pottinger.
“I agree, and I have an idea how we might do that. I shall meet you in the kitchens shortly.” Elizabeth replied.
She turned to Darcy. “Will you supervise the footmen bringing the bed frames down from the attics?” Elizabeth asked.
“We shall go there directly,” answered Darcy. He turned and led the footmen back to the staircase. Gretchen left to gather every maid and person in the house who could wield a needle, and Elizabeth instructed them to begin working, and agreed to meet them on the second floor to see their progress as soon as she was able. She went downstairs to acquaint Charlotte and Mary of the situation. They both went upstairs to help with the mattresses as did Hopkins, and Georgie was left with Maud and a horrified Lady Rose.
Elizabeth sent an express to Mrs Hayes explaining the situation, and bid her to use Elizabeth’s smaller carriage that was stored at her London House, and to have one of the grooms drive her to Pemberley with all haste. She also bid her to use Astley House’s generous funds for her journey and horse changes. She then went to the kitchens where she sat down with Mrs Pottinger for a cup of tea. “Mrs Pottinger, do I understand correctly that the Misses Merriweather live in reduced circumstances?”
“That they do, ma’am. They are genteel women, but if not for their quilts, they would surely starve,” said Mrs Pottinger.
“Then having me for tea would likely either stretch their funds trying to host me in style, or cause them embarrassment,” Elizabeth mused, to which Mrs Pottinger agreed.
“In anticipation of that, we will send them a basket with some of the Royal Tea Project varieties and other items. Do we still have any of the biscuits you made yesterday? The new chocolate ones?” Elizabeth had received a receipt from her cook in London, who had received it in a letter from her cousin in Boston, and the biscuits were divine.
“Indeed, Mrs Darcy. They were so well received, and Mr Darcy and Colonel Richard came down and pilfered so many that I made a large batch just this morning,” answered the cook.
Elizabeth and the cook put together a large basket, with four varieties of excellent tea from the Tea Project, chocolate, a quantity of cakes, scones and biscuits, fruit from the orangery, sweetmeats, and several other delicacies. A footman was dispatched to deliver the basket to the Misses Merriweather with the following letter.
Pemberley,
Dear Miss Merriweather,
At the request of Mrs Darcy, I wish to convey this receipt for chocolate biscuits, which her London cook has just received from a relation in Boston. Mrs Darcy is quite enamoured of your receipt for lemon biscuits, and wishes me to send you this receipt and basket of delicacies, with her compliments.
Mrs Darcy is planning some purchases of linens and bedding for the servants’ quarters at Pemberley. I told her of your fine quilts, and she has asked to make your acquaintance in anticipation of acquiring a number of them for the estate. Please return a note with the footman to inform us if it will be agreeable to you for her to accompany me on my call tomorrow.
Ellie Pottinger
Elizabeth could only imagine the scene when the ladies read the note and learned she would be visiting them the next day, when she had yet to visit or receive the other ladies of the village. That was a task she really must attend to soon, perhaps starting next week it would be time to send her card around the neighbourhood, signalling to the ladies that she was ready to receive callers.
She returned upstairs, but went to the attics first, to see the bed frames in question. They were more than acceptable, especially once outfitted with proper mattresses and linens. Elizabeth noticed an abundance of furniture from past nurseries. The Pemberley attics were vast and there was one section just filled with furniture such as wardrobes, tables, and chairs, for nurseries for older and younger children. There was one entire section of very old furniture for adolescent Darcys that was smaller than what would be put in a guest chamber, but perfect for servants’ rooms.
Elizabeth caught Darcy’s attention. “We can furnish all of the servants’ rooms very comfortably and respectably just with what we have here. There is more than enough furniture for each room to have a bed and a small wardrobe, as well as a small writing table and wooden chair and even a wing chair, of which we seem to have dozens in the other sections down that way. There are even perfectly good rugs rolled up in that corner that ought to be used instead of rotting away up here.”
Darcy agreed and the men set to moving the furniture down to the servant’s quarters. Elizabeth returned to the servant’s quarters and made a more thorough examination of that entire section of the house. It needed to be done in any case, for the work crews would need to come up here to install the plumbing in a month or two. She began making lists of tasks she wanted done, and items that were needed.
There was a massive empty common room in the middle of one side of the corridor that opened into both the men’s and women’s side with an enormous table and chairs appropriate for servant use. It was a perfect size to be a secondary servants’ hall for Sundays. Elizabeth planned to have a few worktables built by the local carpenters to put at one end of the room for Mrs Pottinger, and to have installed a basin, pump and boiler, and a set of shelves and cupboards, and even an ice box.
She sent word up to the attics for several more comfortable wing chairs and small tables to be placed about the perimeter of the room. She also asked for a small upright pianoforte she had seen in a corner of the attics to be brought down and placed at the other far side of the room. She planned to send for someone to tune it immediately so that when they began giving the servants more time off, their upstairs servants’ hall would be pleasant and inviting. Elizabeth would even arrange for a chess board and a checkers set to be placed in the room for the servants’ enjoyment, and would make sure all the used newspapers and periodicals would be sent up to this room for a time before being filed in the library.
Once she had made lists of everything that was needed, she went to the second floor. It was a hive of activity, with maids and every member of staff who could use a needle all working together with Mary and Charlotte to open the guest mattresses and make them into smaller ones. They said that in the last hour, each team of two people working together had made almost two mattresses. There were eight teams working, so they thought they would be done in perhaps three more hours.
Since it appeared that they had it all in hand, Elizabeth went to the servants’ hall and asked Mrs Pottinger if she would step into her office. As they sat down Mrs Pottinger told her the Merriweather sisters had responded positively to their note. After discussing their upcoming visit, Elizabeth said, “Mrs Pottinger, we are left in a very difficult situation. Mrs Reynolds always refused to have a deputy housekeeper and now we are left with no one. Gretchen is not ready for the task of taking over yet, and someone must run the house for perhaps up to a week, until my housekeeper from London arrives. She will need someone to familiarise her with the staff and routines at Pemberley. I have always believed that no one knows more about every part of a house than the cook. Aside from Mrs Reynolds, you are the one here who has detailed knowledge of what everyone ought to be doing and when, because everything that goes on affects your ability to produce quality meals on time. With this in mind, I would like to ask you to take over for Mrs Reynolds until Mrs Hayes arrives, if you are agreeable.”
“I do not mind, Mrs Darcy, as of course you are correct, but am I to manage all of this and my duties as cook at the same time? It might be rather difficult,” answered Mrs Pottinger.
“I have spent enough time watching your kitchens to have seen that your kitchen maid seems extremely competent. Do you believe that if we were to keep to a simple menu until your return to the kitchens, that Hazel could manage in your place if we procure her another kitchen maid to help?” Elizabeth asked.
“I think that would be just the solution. You are correct, ma’am. Hazel is very competent. Even if you did not change the menus at all, she could manage with another maid to help. I have been after Mrs Reynolds to promote her, but Mrs Reynolds resisted because Hazel is an orphan,” Mrs Pottinger said.
“I detest that sort of thinking. Everyone’s parents must go to their reward at some time. It makes little sense to demean a child because her parents died sooner than we should like. If a person is good at a task and learns a skill with distinction, it should not matter what their station is in the world. Our birth should not impede our professions as long as we are willing to educate and improve ourselves. Being the daughter of a gentleman and the granddaughter of an earl, I ought not to be a businesswoman, but my uncles recognized and nurtured my faculty for investing and my husbands have been indulgent, and I am profoundly grateful. I agree that Hazel ought to be promoted, for she is clearly an intelligent girl whose talents ought to be nurtured. With your permission, I will promote her to the position of assistant cook immediately, and you may hire a new maid for the kitchens at the earliest opportunity. A sensible and discreet girl, if you please. I won’t tolerate gossips at Pemberley.”
Mrs Pottinger agreed and Elizabeth rang for a servant. A hall boy answered and Elizabeth asked for Hazel to be sent in. When the girl arrived, Elizabeth asked her to take a seat and, fearing that the poor child would faint from nerves after being summoned, she hurried to reassure her. “Do not be worried, Hazel. I have spoken with Mrs Pottinger, and we are in agreement that you are long overdue for a promotion. Would you be interested in accepting the position of assistant cook?”
Hazel burst into happy tears. “Mrs Darcy, I knew you would be wonderful for Pemberley when you came to the kitchens the first night that you arrived! I would be so proud to be your assistant cook!”
“See there now, Hazel. I told you when you came that if you worked hard, you would do very well for yourself. I told you that your time would come,” Mrs Pottinger nodded in approval. Elizabeth had been made aware that Mrs Pottinger had been a champion for Hazel, whose mother had been her friend, to come to work at Pemberley when she became orphaned at the age of eleven by an epidemic that swept across the estate. She had taken the now seventeen-year-old girl under her wing, and Mrs Pottinger’s care showed in the girl’s skills and behaviour.
Elizabeth explained to Hazel that she would be in charge of the kitchens for two to three weeks. Hazel was humbled to think Mrs Darcy and Mrs Pottinger thought she was equal to such a task. Mrs Reynolds had never thought much of her prospects or background. Elizabeth then returned with them to the kitchens, where Hazel had been assembling a cold collation for tea. Hall boys went up and down the stairs with trays of sandwiches, cheese, cakes, fruit and tea to deliver to the servants’ wing, the second floor, and Miss Darcy’s apartments, so that everyone working could take a moment to eat.
Elizabeth returned to the servants’ wing, where the men were taking a short break around the large table in the servants’ wing and she saw that they had many rooms assembled already. Darcy and Richard spoke to her as they ate their sandwiches and drank tea. “It was a good idea to furnish the rooms completely rather than just beds, Elizabeth. The servants are in high spirits at such notice. They were particularly touched that you insisted that they even have rugs and wing chairs and writing tables in their rooms. You shall have the staff’s loyalty for life now. I cannot imagine that any servant here would ever allow a cross word to be spoken about you in the future,” Richard observed.
“It seemed silly to leave the furniture sitting in the attic, when it could be providing the staff with more comfortable and pleasant accommodations,” Elizabeth said. “Working at Pemberley is a privilege, and the experience should reflect that. Why should the servants suffer a cold floor when there are sixty unused rugs rotting in the attic? It is a benefit to the estate as well. Rooms without rugs do not keep warm as easily. It is a waste of coal.”
“I have been further informed that though there are small coal stoves in each room, the servants do not even receive enough coal to heat their rooms in the winter. I am exceedingly ashamed that I knew nothing of any of this. Has anyone learned why the servants were sleeping on the floor?” Darcy grumbled.
“Mrs Pottinger has been led to believe that it happened about the time of Lady Anne’s passing. She said the servants’ quarters were rumoured to have a case of either bed bugs or lice at the time. It had not spread downstairs to the family yet, but your father ordered all the servants’ bedding and furniture burned. It was supposed to be replaced, but your mother became severely ill and then died. Mrs Reynolds would not allow the butler to disturb your father about the replacement of the furniture at such a time. It is said that the butler retired shortly after, and was not replaced. Since Mrs Reynolds was firmly in place as the most senior staff member, it was easy for her to forbid the servants from disturbing your father about it. She ensured that furniture was brought down from the attics for the senior servants. The topic was brought up again after you became master, but Mrs Reynolds always shamed any member of staff for bringing it up when as she puts it, you and your sister had suffered so much from losing your parents. She insisted you had enough to manage with Pemberley and the care of your sister, and since you pay them well, that if they expected anything more, it was selfishness.”
Darcy looked astounded. “When my father passed, the last thing that occurred to me was to tour the servants’ quarters. I had so many things to learn. Mrs Reynolds and my grandmother seemed to have the household firmly in hand. Granny had her hands full comforting Georgiana. As the years passed, I never thought to go up there. I knew what the servants’ quarters looked like from exploring during my boyhood. It never occurred to me that such a thing would have happened. From now on, we must review the servants’ quarters ourselves, every quarter day.”
Suddenly, Maud entered followed by two hall boys, all carrying armfuls of embroidered cushions. “Mrs Darcy, Miss Darcy heard that the servants were to have proper furniture and rugs and she wishes to help the efforts upstairs. She has a mountain of cushions in her dressing room that she has embroidered, and she wishes to give one to every servant to put on their bed.”
“That is very kind of Georgiana, to wish to help,” said Darcy with a smile.
“She has also promised to sew a curtain for every room with a window, and she has another surprise that she has sent for William’s father, Mr Morris, to help with,” said Maud.
“How very enterprising and generous. Please let us know if they require any assistance and please be sure Miss Darcy does not overtax herself,” Elizabeth said.