"I fear that it is necessary," Miss Ardleigh said, "even though my words are embarrassing to me and perhaps to you. I find that I must resume management of the household. It is clear to me now, and should have been before this, that my sister is ill-suited to the task of mistress. For yielding up my responsibilities without considering the possible consequences for all of us, I apologize. For her abuse of your rights, I most sincerely apologize."
"Oh, mum!" Harriet burst out passionately, and then bit her lip with a sideways glance at Cook. Mrs. Pratt gave the girl a cold stare, but it was Miss Ardleigh she was angry with. Did she think that by sweeping in here like the Queen herself and dosing them with a spoonful of sweet talk, she could change what had happened-not just last evening, but last spring, when Jenny was turned out? Did she think she could win them over, could erase the memory of those terrible hurts with an easy smile or two? Well, there was more in Mrs.
Pratt's heart and mind than Miss Ardleigh knew, if that's what she thought!
"From now on," Miss Ardleigh said, "you are to take your direction from me." She looked around at the cheerless room, the cold stone floor, the fireplace absent of fire. "We will begin by restoring the furnishings to this room. Where were they taken?"
"To… to the attic, mum," Mrs. Pratt said, blinking.
"Good," Miss Ardleigh replied. "Please have them returned, and the carpet, and see if another c!v-' or two can be found." She shivered. "And unbloci. die!. ^lace. it is lar too cold in this room to comfortably enjoy your leisure hours here."
Mrs. Pratt allowed herself a small flare of triumph at the thought of the return of the sofa, while Harriet and Nettie seemed nearly overwhelmed at the prospect of a restored fire and a carpet. Pocket shifted his feet, grinning.
Miss Ardleigh continued. "Cook, my sister clearly exceeded her authority yesterday when she requested your notice. I do hope you will consent to remain with us."
Mrs. Pratt swallowed. The situation, which had boggled the brain to start with, was becoming curiouser and curiouser.
"That is settled, then," Aunt Sabrina said. She smiled. "You and I will meet this morning to discuss meals, pantry stores, and so forth, and you will acquaint me with any new procedures you have instituted for managing the kitchen. Mudd, you will please inform me about the current state of household accounts, the distribution of responsibilities among the upstairs help, and the state of the grounds."
Mrs. Pratt saw Mudd's eyebrows shoot up and he opened his mouth to speak. But she gave him the slightest shake of her head, and he closed his mouth again.
Miss Ardleigh regarded him curiously for a moment. When he said nothing, she looked around the table, her eyes resting on each one in turn. "In the meantime," she said, "I hope that each of you will accept my thanks for your patience and forbearance. Our household can only run smoothly if we all do our proper parts. I will do mine, I assure you."
That was too much for Amelia. "Bless ye, mum," she said fervently.
Mrs. Pratt cleared her throat sternly, and Amelia had the grace to blush. She always was a forward chit, giving herself airs, putting herself above her station. But even Nettie looked as if she were ready to dance, and Pocket's grin fair split his face. Mrs. Pratt supposed that the younger ones couldn't be blamed for being bamboozled. She herself had heard similar promises before, although not to the extent of returning the fire and the sofa. After the sad business with Jenny, Miss Ardleigh had personally promised that she would rein Jaggers in. But nothing had come of it then, and Mrs. Pratt wasn't going to hold her breath until something came of it now. Anyway, Mrs. Pratt reminded herself murderously, it was Jaggers who should be here apologizing, not the mistress.
Miss Ardleigh smiled. "That will be all, then," she said. "We will have guests for luncheon, Cook-an additional four, I believe. Please see me"-she undipped her watch and consulted it-"in the library an hour from now, with suggestions for the menu." Gathering up her skirts, she swept from the room, her niece behind.
The other servants finished the cold breakfast and left to be about their work, chattering about the prospect of increased daily rations and the exciting prospect-although Miss Ardleigh had not mentioned it-of being released from compulsory prayers. Only Mrs. Pratt and Mudd were left, staring at one another from opposite ends of the table. There was a long silence.
"She'll have t' be told about the accounts," Mudd said. He shook his head with a dark look. "She's not goin' t' be 'appy. An' Jaggers is like t' be furious."
"Let her be," Mrs. Pratt said, bleakly smug. "Let her get wot's comin' to her for diddlin'. Little enough, a'ter what she's done." Mrs. Pratt and Mudd had suspected for some months that Jaggers was manipulating the household accounts, but it was only in the last few days that Mudd had confirmed their suspicions through some adroit backward checking. "I figger she knows we know 'bout th' accounts, anyway," she added, draining her coffee. "That's why she
come on so sharp yesterday, threat'nin' to sack me. Left to herself, Mudd, ye'd be nex' t' go a'ter me."
"What do yer suppose 'as come o'er the mistress, takin' things into 'er own 'ands?" Mudd asked. Reflectively, he ate the last crust of toast. "D'ye think there'll be jam on th' table, an' beer, now that she's runnin' th' manor agin?"
"Dunno," Mrs. Pratt said blackly, "an* don't care. A bit o' jam won't heal what's hurt." She banged her cup on the saucer. She could not help herself. Un-Christian as it was, a poisonous rage, bitter as bile, rose inside her when she thought about Jaggers.
Mudd was thoughtful. "Not t' put too fine a point on't, Mrs. P., but ain't it time t' turn the other cheek?"
"Jam and fire don't go far wi'me," Mrs. Pratt said, from the depths of her wounded spirit. "Who knows wot's hidden in Miss Ardleigh's heart? She didn't raise a hand to help poor Jenny, nor e'en offered to help her find a place, which she culd've done."
Mudd stood up. "Well, I fer one," he announced, "am ready t' let bygones be bygones."
Mrs. Pratt glared at him. "Fine fer ye, Mudd. But fer me, Miss Ardleigh is guilty as Jaggers. Both of 'em deserves wotev'r they git. I only hope it kin be me wot dishes it out."
36
"We must leave me tamily's skeletons to rattle in the dusty dark"
Kate never knew exactly what went on between Aunt Jag-gers and Aunt Sabrina in the library that morning. When Aunt Sabrina dismissed her, she went first to the kitchen to speak to Mrs. Pratt, who was sweeping the floor with an amazing energy.
"Don't know, 'm sure," she said snappishly, when Kate had asked her about the brown felt hat.
"I felt," Kate pressed, "that I had seen the hat before. I recalled the young man who came visiting last evening-Tom Potter. He had such a hat."
Mrs. Pratt stopped sweeping, her face pulled into a scowl. "If yer thinkin' 'twas Tom Potter who came skulkin' roun' the libr'ry, miss, yer wrong."
"But he has reason to dislike-"
"Aye, he has that," Mrs. Pratt said firmly. "But he ain't the sort t' descend t' skulkin'. Me word on't."
And that, for the moment at least, seemed to be that. Although Kate sensed that there was a great deal more to be learned, she was not going to get it out of Mrs. Pratt. She took a basket and scissors and went out into the mild,
bright morning to cut flowers for the luncheon table's centerpiece.
After the night's rain, the asters and roses were bedraggled, but Kate had no difficulty finding more than enough. As she filled her basket, she was frankly glad that Aunt Sabrina had not asked her to attend the meeting with Aunt Jaggers. However Jaggers had managed to extort control of the household, it was an authority she valued and she would not easily yield it up. The confrontation between the two aunts was bound to be a painful one, embroidered with old bitterness and-Kate felt sure-laced with ancient secrets. Kate would have liked to know those secrets, but she was glad to be spared the pain of learning them.