Downstairs Rules (4 page)

Chapter Four

William caught her on the landing and turned her quickly so that her back was against the wall. When Ella started to cry out he put a hand over her mouth and a finger to his own lips. His eyes were dark with warning.

“What do you want?” Ella asked apprehensively when he lowered his hand.

“Just a moment alone without your protector intruding.”

“York’s not my protector,” she said.

“Could have fooled me.” A smirk played on the handsome footman’s mouth. “He seems to have appointed himself your personal guardian. Do you fancy him?”

“That’s a wildly inappropriate question,” Ella said.

“Many of the girls do,” William said. “It’s the power he wields here. He’s second only to the great man Baxter himself in this house. That kind of authority is an aphrodisiac to women. And it breeds jealousy in men like me. And in not a few of the women. They won’t be too pleased that he’s taken a special interest in the new maid. They’d prefer to see you with a footman, not that I could catch the eye of York’s favorite.”

“If you’re unhappy with your lot, then why not simply advance your position. It would certainly make you more attractive than accosting women on the stairs, although not to me. You could be Lord himself and I’d not look twice at you.”

William frowned and drew closer to Ella, pressing his body against hers. “You’re quite the little firebrand. No wonder York thrashed your bottom.”

When Ella paled at the comment, the footman chuckled. “That’s what happened, isn’t it? Don’t deny it. I was listening..”

“Then why ask if you are so sure it’s true?” she asked.

“To hear you admit it. You’re an arrogant little thing. York will teach you well.” He reached out and ran a finger down her cheek as Ella sought to turn her head away. “But I could teach you better.”

“I mean to make report of this,” Ella said. “I don’t think York likes you as it is; knowing you’ve accosted me will hardly endear you further to his graces.”

William sighed dramatically and stood back. “Very well, but remember that two can play that game, lass. You’d be wise to keep this little meeting to yourself, and wiser to be nice to those who may rise to power sooner than you think. Should you ever find yourself under me…” He smiled. “I can’t promise I’ll be so lenient as York.”

William gave her a wink before turning to go down the stairs and Ella took the steps up to the women’s wing two at a time. She was relieved to be away from the footman, and uncomfortable with being put in the middle again - this time between him and York.

Ella leaned back against the door of her room once she was inside. Alone, finally. She’d promised to write her father and tell him all about her first day. But what could she write?

Lies, it turned out. Her letter was full of them and she filled a page with all the things she knew he wanted to hear - descriptions of the grand house, the graciousness of her new employers, her ease with Lady Baxter and the fine staff. She wrote nothing of scheming footmen who cornered her on stairwells, her role as both keeper and pawn in a fractious marriage, or a butler who spanked her.

“I miss you, papa,” she said as she closed the envelope.

She undressed by the lamplight. As Ella pulled her nightdress on, she was aware of how tender her bottom remained. She thought about York, how much the spanking had hurt and how paradoxically tender he’d been with her afterwards. She wondered if what William said was true, and that the butler had admirers among the female staff. He was handsome in a professorial sort of way, she thought. And he had a commanding presence that matched Lord Baxter’s. But he was too old to be of interest to her. She figured he was the same age or close to the same age as Lord Baxter. And she was close to the same age as Lady Baxter…

“Enough of this,” she said, and snuffed out the candle. The bed was comfortable and soon she was asleep. She dreamt of home, of Chatworth, of things safe and familiar. It was all too soon, it seemed, when Ms. Pilcher made her rounds to wake her and the other women for a new day.

Ella dressed quickly and went downstairs to the kitchen for breakfast. Mr. York nodded at her and William, smoking and looking at the paper, eyed her knowingly as she walked in. The cook had prepared a porridge for breakfast, and a bit of salt pork to go with it.  Ella ate slowly, talking to one of the other maids as she did.

“Lady Baxter’s bell is ringing,” came the call, and Ella rose. The breakfast tray was already prepared for her to take up, and she found Lady Baxter sitting in bed smiling drowsily when she arrived with her food. To Ella’s relief, Lord Baxter was gone.

“Good morning, M’lady.” She placed the tray across Ann Baxter’s lap and opened the curtains. The day was cloudy and cold, but the fires throughout the house had already been lit long before first light, so it was warm.

“I brought you a paper,” Ella said.

“Did you iron it?”

“No, but one of the footmen did. I saw him.”

“Wonderful. Please do let me see it.”

Ella stoked the fire as Lady Baxter read and then turned when her employer laughed.

“Can you believe this,” she asked, and began to read a passage from an editorial decrying the suffragette movement.

“Hmm,” she said. “It says here that some women will be gathering this weekend and that men should take care to keep their wives and daughters away from such ‘rabble.’ Good Lord, can you believe the tedious rumblings of these sanctimonious men. They way we’re good and pure, but apparently not good and pure enough to vote.”

She laid the paper down and looked at Ella. “I have an errand for you to run for me.”

“Certainly.”

“Go into town, pick up some nonsense things like ribbon and lace. Run whatever personal errands you have. But keep an ear out for information on where this gathering may be.”

“Why?” Ella asked.

“Because, silly. I plan for us to attend.”

Ella, who had been stoking the fire, replaced the poker and sighed as she turned to Lady Baxter.

“We’ll pay for it, you and I, if it’s discovered. You know that, don’t you?”

“
If
we’re discovered.” Lady Baxter put the tray aside and rose from the bed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “But won’t it be grand to see the women who would change the course of history, Ella? Think on it? These women are brave enough to face down all of society to take a stand. And we’ll hide here to keep our bottoms from being beaten? We can be careful, but we must do this!”

“Listen, Ella,” she continued. “I so often struggle to explain to my husband why women should have more freedoms, I only know we should. Perhaps hearing the argument articulated will help me find the words to convince my husband that women getting the vote will not be the downfall of mankind!”

“But just yesterday you said nothing would convince him!” Ella said.

“Well, yesterday I didn’t know of this meeting,” she said. “And I want you to find out more. Will you do it?”

Ella smiled. “Of course. I serve you. I’ll do as I am told.”

“Get Billings to drive you, then,” Lady Baxter said. “But try to be discreet.”

“I will, M’lady.”

“You’ll have to tell York you’re going,” Lady Baxter said.

Ella sighed. She wasn’t looking forward to that, and hoped York would not ask too many questions. But he did.

“If there are things you need, then I can send another servant. There’s no need for you to leave Lady Ann,” he said.

“I will be fine, York,” Ann Baxter replied. “Emma told me she has correspondence to send to her father so we can kill two birds with one stone, since I am in need of some ribbon and she knows specifically what I’m looking for.”

She fixed the butler with a challenging look, and York nodded. “As you wish.”

Lady Baxter smiled as he left the room. “He may be in league with my husband, but he’s still as servant. It feels good to remind him of his place.”

Ella thought it felt good to see him reminded of it, but did not say so. There was no need to fan the flames, and she was looking forward to a trip to the village. Billings was more talkative than ever, and asked her how she liked serving at Baxter Hall. Ella told him she was pleased, and did not mentioned her encounters with William or hint at any other problem. Sometimes discretion felt lonely, though, and she wondered if behind the placid faces of the staff there were other stories yet to be told.

The village was bustling with people. It was market day and Ella distracted Billings with a list of errands she and Lady Baxter had agreed upon while she went searching for information on the rally. To her delight, it did not take long to find it. She found a stack of flyers by a stall and took one.

“That’s the devil’s work, you know?” a man’s voice said.

She turned to find a rather severe-looking man with a hawkish nose and missing teeth glaring at her from above his vicar’s collar.

“Not all would agree,” she said.

“Are you a maid? Does your employer know you’re here?”

“Who I am is none of your business,” she said. “Good day.”

“He’d be ‘shamed of ye, he would!” The man’s voice followed her, but fortunately he did not, and Ella was able to run the rest of her errands in peace. She dropped the letter to her father in the post, telling herself that the next one she sent him would be more honest.

Billings was by the car when she arrived, a worried expression on his face.

“I was just about to go look for you,” he said.

“I can take care of myself,” she said.

“That don’t stop me from wanting to look after you, if I may say so.” Billings smiled as he opened the back door of the car. Ella was flattered. The driver was nice, and less threatening than the other men at Baxter Hall.

It was raining when she got back in. The servants were having tea.

“Been shopping?” Mrs. Pilcher asked.

“I was sent to pick up a few things,” Ella said. “I should be getting up to Her Ladyship.”

“Not without a spot of tea first,” she said. “And a biscuit. You’ve missed lunch.”

Ella laid her things on the sideboard and sat down, politely engaging in chatter but eager to leave. Servants came back and forth, and she caught sight of William and looked away, not wanting to meet his gaze.

She was relieved when finally she was able to extract herself from the respite. Gathering her things, she inquired of Mrs. Pilcher where Lady Ann might be.

“Upstairs, I think,” she said.

Ella found her in the room, lying down.

“You’re back! I feel asleep reading but I’m so glad to see you! Did you find anything out about the meeting?”

Ella smiled. “I have a flier with the time and the place, everything!” She began to go through the things she’d brought back. It wasn’t there.

“That’s odd,” she said, frowning. “It must be here.” Ella went through again and gave an exasperated groan. “I must have dropped it. I can’t believe that? How could I be so clumsy?”

Lady Ann was clearly disappointed. “Do you remember where it is going to be?”

“On Garden…Garden…”

“Gardners? Gardner’s Lane?” Ann Baxter prompted.

“That’s it!” Ella exclaimed, although I do not know which house.

“But how hard can it be to find?” she asked. “I can make up a story. I can tell Malcolm that I’m going to see a friend over night, and taking my maid. We have time to concoct something believable.”

“I’ll leave that to you, M’Lady,” Ella said. “I’m sure I’ve put myself on the wrong side of Mr. York and Lord Baxter by doing your bidding in this matter.”

“Very well,” Lady Baxter said. “I’ll write my Aunt Tilly at once and say we’re coming for a visit. It won’t be a lie; we’ll stop in and see her but we’ll also go see history made at this meeting.”

Ella didn’t argue, but as she started to urge caution she was interrupted by a knock at the door. It was Mrs. Pilcher.
“Lord Baxter is in the library. He’d like to see you.”

“Very well,” Ann said. “He likely wants to plan to have the Thornburgs over for a dinner party since they were so nice as to bore us thoroughly last night.”

“I’ll just tidy up here,” Ella said.

“He wants to see you too, Miss Ella.”

Ella and Lady Ann exchanged glances.

“Whatever for?” Lady Ann asked Mrs. Pilcher.

“I don’t know, ma’am,” the housekeeper said. “I was only told to bear the message.”

“Has someone been eavesdropping?” Ella asked nervously.

“No,” her employer assured her. “We’ve only spoken of it in the room. It’s impossible.

But Ella felt a growing sense of unease as they made their way to the library. It was a room she did not want to see, and she prayed that York would not be there. But her sense of foreboding only increased when she saw him standing by a chair. As always, his posture was ramrod straight, his look as imperious as any man’s could be.

Ella curtsied when Lord Baxter stood up to greet them. He kissed his wife on the cheek. “You look well, my dear,” he said. “I trust your new maid is working out.”

“She is,” Lady Ann said. “But I’m curious about why we’ve both been summoned.”

“No particular reason,” he said. “I’m simply taking an interest in the running of the household; when we bring someone in I like to make sure everything runs smoothly.”

“But darling, that’s why we have York and Mrs. Pilcher,” Lady Ann said. “You’ve no need to concern yourself.”

“My dear, everything is my concern.” Lord Baxter walked over to Ella.

“And tell me, how do you like working here.”

“Very well, M’Lord.”

“And the instructions you were given, were they clear?”

“They were.”

He turned and walked back to his desk.

“Did you have an enjoyable trip to town today, Ella?”

Ella glanced at York now, who was looking at her. His expression was unreadable, except for his eyes. They were riveted on her. She felt her mouth go dry.

“I r-ran errands, sir.”

“Really? What sort of errands?”

“Honestly, Alaistar… there is no need to bother her so….” Lady Ann stepped forward but her husband held up her hand to silence her.

“I will…question her. And you will remain silent. Is that clear?”

Lady Ann backed up, and Ella could see that she was clearly nervous now as well.