Lady Ann's Folly: Chapter Three - Part Three

Lady Harriet was in a foul mood.

She tugged on the bell chord in the morning room then tugged on it again. When there was no immediate response she stormed to the door and marched out onto the landing. Bad enough that the entire family was blaming her for everything, she couldn’t even get help from a servant when she wanted it.

She peered over the balcony into the empty hall then looked left and right toward each corridor that led from the landing to the wings of the house. No one was in sight.

“Where is everyone? This is impossible!”

Footsteps behind her made her pause and turn to see Gladys, Ann’s lady’s maid appear from the servant’s staircase and turn to go in the opposite direction of all things.

“You!” snapped Hattie. “Whe do you think you’re going?”

Gladys turned to face her and blushed. “Beggin your pardon m’lady. I was going to ‘er ladyship Ann’s room to make sure everything’s clean and tidy.”

“Didn’t you hear the bell?”

“No miss.”

“I’ve been ringing it for ages.”

“Sorry miss. I didn’t know. I’ve been outside.”

“Where’s that silly new girl?” asked Hattie.

“Nellie? I don’t know miss.”

“This is ridiculous,” snapped Hattie, putting her hands on her hips. “What on Earth have you been doing outside? Your duty is indoors to be on hand to see to my needs.”

“Lady Ann sent me into the village miss. To fetch the barmaid from the Dog & Pony.”

“Whatever for?”

“Don’t know miss.”

Hattie glared at her, expecting her to go on but she didn’t. “Well where did you take her?”

“To the holiday cottage miss.”

“Alone?”

“Yes miss. No miss. To meet her ladyship.”

“Ann?”

“Yes miss.” Gladys’s eyes clouded for a moment. “I wasn’t meant to tell. Sorry miss. Please don’t tell her ladyship I let on.”

Hattie ignored her, turning away to lean on the railing overlooking the hall.

“Will that be all miss?”

Hattie glanced across, remembering her. “Er, yes. That’s fine. You can go.”

Gladys turned to leave.

“To the holiday cottage you say?” asked Hattie, stopping her again.

“Yes m’lady.” Gladys  bobbed a curtsy when she realised there would be no questions and withdrew, leaving Hattie pondering the oddity of this news.

A moment later, Lottie, the chambermaid, with the new maid, Nellie in tow, appeared. “Was it you that rang m’lady?”

“No. Get out of my sight. I’m thinking.”

Looking uncertain, both maids withdrew and descended the servant’s stairs.

Hattie played with a curl of her dark hair for several moments and then started to circle the landing to the stairs.

Whatever Ann was up to with that barmaid had made her powerfully intrigued.

She decided to go and investigate; see if there was anything of interest going on.  And it sounded like it was something Ann wasn’t meant to be doing. That was even better. Hattie hadn’t forgotten her sister’s laughter from earlier. Anything that could turn things to her advantage to divert the ire their parents were levying at her couldn’t hurt to discover.