Polly's Story by Jennie Walters Read Free Book Online Page A

sleep tonight.’
    Of course, he was perfectly right - the very thought was running through my head at that precise moment. ‘You see, I can read your mind,’ he said, looking at me so mischievously that I did not know where to put myself. ‘You may have no secrets from me, pretty Polly. But I could not help being late, for various reasons, and Her Ladyship hates to have dinner interrupted. I was thinking of sloping down to the kitchen in a minute and asking Mrs Bragg to let me have something on a tray. Goddard is busy in the dining room, no doubt.’
    ‘Oh, Rory, don’t be ridiculous!’ Harriet interrupted. ‘How can you think of going anywhere near the kitchen in the middle of supper? You might think you can wind Mrs Bragg round your little finger, but she’ll have you hanging from a meat hook in no time, I assure you.’
    That was true enough. At dinner time that day, I had heard the upper servants discussing the evening’s menu: there were to be two different types of soup and turbot with lobster sauce to start, then lamb cutlets, compôte of pigeons and grilled mushrooms to follow, with a haunch of venison, boiled capon and oysters, pressed ox tongue, various vegetables and salads for the main course - not to mention the ices and puddings to follow afterwards. The kitchen would be hot as Hades, and Mrs Bragg in no mood for interruptions - not even from Rory Vye.
    ‘I suppose you’re right,’ he admitted. ‘If only the remains of your nursery supper had not looked quite so unappetizing. Wait a minute! What about the delights of the still room? Perhaps Mrs Henderson can be persuaded to take pity on me - or even better, the lovely Iris. Now back to bed this minute, you naughty children, or I shall have to tell your parents that you have led me astray.’ And he rushed at those nearest to him with another ferocious roar, which sent them all skittering back into the room, screaming at the tops of their voices. Just as well the nursery was far enough away from the dining room to be out of earshot, I thought to myself.
    ‘I’m so glad Rory’s home,’ Harriet said, watching her brother as he sauntered off down the corridor, straightening his tweed jacket. ‘Now we shall have some fun! Don’t look so disapproving, Polly. You must love Rory - everybody does.’
    I was not quite sure what to think about Rory Vye, to be honest. He was a charmer all right, but he had made me feel uncomfortable and awkward. I thought he had a cheek, too, turning up so late and then expecting a meal to be specially prepared for him. Still, perhaps I was only being hard on him because of the mood I was in that evening. Looking at Miss Harriet’s happy face, I decided to tell her what had happened some other time; it was news that could keep till the next day.
    I saw Master Rory in the still room a little while later, eating jam out of the jar with a teaspoon and bothering Iris while she turned a chocolate bombe out of its mould. If Mrs Henderson had been there, I’m sure she would have dropped a few hints that he should leave, but she was upstairs checking the bedrooms. And then Iris noticed me walk past and came running out, wiping her hands on her apron.
    ‘Oh, Polly! I’ve just heard what happened. What is to be done? Surely you cannot really be leaving!’
    ‘I can, and I am,’ I told her, biting my lip. ‘And it is my own fault - I have no one to blame but myself.’ As if that made my troubles any easier to bear.

Five
    I ask you whether one reason why disobedience is so common among young servants is because they do not see the beauty of obedience. On the contrary, they think it is ‘spirited’ to let folks see that they have got a will of their own. Oh, that I could but show you the ugliness of disobedience, how loathsome and hateful a thing it is when compared with the sweet beauty of obedience!
    From The Dignity of Service, sermons by Reverend Henry Housman, 1876
     
    ‘I’ve an older sister who’s a housekeeper