‘Talking of fresh air, Mother, I’ve been out in it all morning and I’m starving hungry and dying for a brew,’ said Uncle Frederick.
‘Just let me finish these then I’ll go get us something to eat,’ her aunt told him, resuming her counting. As her uncle grumped and stomped out of the barn, Isabella turned to her aunt.
‘Would you like me to prepare luncheon?’ she offered, knowing she’d been slowing their progress.
‘That’d be a right help. There’s bread, butter and cheese in the back’ouze behind the kitchen. Tomatoes and cucumbers as well.’
Not knowing what the back’ouze was but determined to do something to assist, Isabella hurried indoors. She set the kettle to boil then noticed a little door beside the dresser. Opening it gingerly, she smiled when she saw a scullery similar to one behind their kitchen at home. She’d found it quite by chance when, as a young girl, she’d dared to explore downstairs. This one was much smaller though it also housed a pantry. The upper shelves were neatly lined with jars of pickled vegetables and bottles of preserved fruits, while on the marble slab below, dishes of butter and cheese glistened gold. On the lower shelf, a basket similar to the ones used for gathering flowers held tomatoes and cucumbers along with potatoes still caked with the red soil she now knew was typical of the area. Her aunt was obviously a good housekeeper, she thought, quickly gathering up the items she needed and going back to the kitchen.
As she carefully cut and buttered the bread, the tabby cat snaked itself around her legs.
‘Out of my way, puss,’ she chided. She couldn’t understand why a pet was allowed in the kitchen. It wasn’t hygienic, with all those long hairs. Cook wouldn’t stand for it, she knew. Yet, as it stared hopefully up at her with bright amber eyes, she felt her heart soften and couldn’t resist letting a sliver of cheese drop to the floor. The animal snapped it up then purred contentedly at her feet while she finished preparing their meal. Scooping up the crumbs in her smock, she went to the doorstep and threw them out for the birds. How she wished Maxwell would arrive now, for if they were to be married it would be good for him to see how proficient she was at running a household. The thought sent her hurrying to the front gate.
There was no sign of his carriage, though, and she wondered what could be delaying him. Perhaps he’d stopped off at her home and would have news of her papa. Dear Papa, she hoped he was getting his business sorted. Retracing her steps, she spotted a cluster of little mauve heads peering out of the grass. Impulsively, she bent and picked a few of the violets to decorate the table. As their musky scent engulfed her, she couldn’t help smiling. Her aunt was right, their desensitizing effect hadn’t lasted long. Hurrying back indoors, she arranged them in a jug and placed it in the centre of the table. She’d just made the tea when her uncle came in followed by the others.
‘It’s not Sunday, you know,’ he exclaimed, frowning at the cloth on the table. Her aunt gave him a nudge, then smiled.
‘You’ve made everything look lovely, Izzie.’
‘Thank you,’ she replied, proffering the plate of sandwiches.
‘What’s these fancy bites?’ William snorted. ‘And since when do we have bread without crusts?’
‘Don’t worry William, they weren’t wasted,’ she assured him. ‘I scattered them outside for the birds. And I made finger sandwiches because the bread was too crumbly to cut into quarters.’
‘What on earth . . . ,’ her uncle spluttered, lifting the top layer of bread. ‘’Tis only measly bits of cucumber. Where’s me cheese?’
‘Here, Uncle,’ Isabella replied, pointing to another plate where golden cubes decorated with slivers of red tomato nestled on crackers. ‘And here’s your tea,’ she added, passing him a china cup.
‘Pah, this thing holds no more than a thimble. Where’s me mug? And what’s this doing in me drink?’ he spluttered, fishing out a slice of fruit with his fingers.
‘You said you were parched, Uncle, so I made lemon tea. It’s more refreshing than milk, I find.’
‘Oh, you do, do you?’ he muttered as William gave another snort.
‘I’ll take Grandmother’s in to her,’ Dotty said, hastily setting plates and cups onto a tray. ‘And I’ll have mine in there with her.’
‘Like as not she’ll throw it back at you when she sees what’s on offer,’ William scoffed.
‘I don’t understand what’s wrong, Uncle,’ Isabella said, frowning down at the table. ‘This is how they serve it at Claridge’s.’ As William rocked with mirth, her aunt shot him a reproving look.
‘You’ll have to forgive these filling-stines, Isabella,’ she said, patting her hand. ‘You’ve made it all look very nice, dear. It’s a fine treat for me to have my meal prepared, and I for one am grateful.’ She took a sip of her tea and sighed. ‘And you’re right, this lemon is reviving. ’Tis a long time since I sat down to such a pretty table. Those flowers set my best cloth off a treat.’
‘Flowers is for selling not prettying up the meal table,’ her uncle grunted, helping himself to a handful of sandwiches.
As silence descended, so did Isabella’s spirits. Not wishing to enrage her uncle further, she nibbled on a cracker. The sooner she went home the better, for it appeared she could do nothing right, she thought, blinking back the tears that threatened. There was no way she was letting them see how much they’d upset her.
‘Grandmother said that was the best food she’s eaten in ages,’ Dotty announced, breezing back into the room. ‘And she would appreciate more elegant morsels like that in future, please,’ she added, giving Isabella a conspiratorial smile.
‘Pah,’ her uncle snorted, getting to his feet. ‘Come on, boy. Some of us have work to do, money to earn.’
‘Yeah, some of us understand the value of money,’ William snorted, following after him.
‘What did I do wrong?’ Isabella asked, turning to her aunt. The woman smiled.
‘Nothing, dear. Absolutely nothing.’
‘But Uncle was really worked up,’ she frowned.
‘I don’t think it was just because you gave him sandwiches without crusts or lemon tea in a dainty cup. Something else is bothering him. Don’t know what, but like as not he’ll spill the seeds in his own time.’
‘But what about William?’
‘Coo, take no notice of him,’ Dotty told her. ‘He’s so anxious for Father’s approval he copies everything he says and does. Grandmother really tucked into her food, you know. She ate more than usual, too. Quite perky she was when I left her.’
‘Then perhaps now would be a good time for me to be introduced? I really do want to meet her before I leave,’ Isabella asked, brightening at the thought of seeing her mama’s own mama. Her aunt gave her a level look.
‘Very well, but be warned, she drifts in and out of the present world very quickly. Dotty, you’ve just got time to clear the dishes before collecting Thomas and Alice from school.’
‘Dotty dishes, that’s me,’ the girl sighed good-naturedly as she began gathering up their plates.
Butterflies of excitement fluttered in Isabella’s stomach as, smoothing down her smock, she followed her aunt outside. A wooden gate led from one back yard into the other, beyond which a sea of violets rippled in the breeze.
‘Goodness, more flowers,’ she exclaimed. ‘Who looks after all these?’
‘We do, dear. Father and William will be picking those first thing tomorrow ready for market. It’s a never-ending