Page 45 of The Affairs of Ashmore Castle

‘It is a pleasant thing that you have settled so close to London,’ she had said earlier, and Kitty had felt a little rush of pleasure at the words, until Lady Bayfield added, ‘It means we can visit you without having to stay the night.’

‘Oh,’ said Kitty, blighted.

‘Though Sir John and I are so busy these days that it’s hard to find time even for a visit of one day. I promise you, if I were to show you my diary, you would stare! There are engagements every day until the House rises – multiple engagements on most days – and then we begin a series of country-house visits right through the summer. So many people have been pressing for us to come and stay, and one hates to disappoint – though some, of course, will have to be put off.’ She laughed gaily. ‘One can’t be in two places at once!’

‘It was nice of you to find time to visit me,’ Kitty said dully.

‘I hope I know my duty, Kitty. And of course I wanted to see my grandson, though Lady Richborough – I think her son was one of your dancing partners last year, wasn’t he? – Lady Richborough says I look far too young to be a grandmother. One must say there’s something ageing about the term. But little Lord Ayton is very sweet. I think he favours your father for looks. You are looking rather peaked, Kitty. You must not neglect your complexion, even though you are a mother. A wife owes it to her husband to look her best. Be sure to keep using Pond’s night and morning – and, Kitty, it wouldn’t hurt to apply a little lemon juice each day to clear your complexion.’

‘Yes, Mama.’

‘And you should wear diamonds – diamonds worn close to the face give it a sparkle.’ She patted her diamond earrings affectionately.

‘Lady Stainton says, “No diamonds in the country”,’ Kitty said.

Lady Bayfield was not daunted. ‘Of course, the dowager Lady Stainton is of another generation. Things are different now.’ Kitty could only admire the effortless way her step-mother demolished the ogre in Kitty’s life. Lady Bayfield changed tack. ‘I wonder what Sir John has found to talk about all this time. I suppose we must stay to luncheon,’ she concluded with a sigh.

‘Our old cook . . . left,’ Kitty said. ‘We have a temporary girl, but she’s quite good. She can manage a light meal perfectly well.’

‘We’ll see,’ said Lady Bayfield. ‘I never eat much at luncheon in any case. It dulls the complexion.’

But when the time came, and the light repast of omelette aux fines herbes, artichoke hearts, poached chicken with salads and new potatoes, and strawberries was served, Lady Bayfield forgot her complexion, tried everything, and except for saying that the chicken was tough and should have been accompanied by a sauce, pronounced it all surprisingly good. ‘Your temporary cook seems a vast improvement on the old one. You may tell her so from me. But tell her these early strawberries are better set into a jelly or made into a mousse. They haven’t much flavour.’

Giles and Sir John seemed to have been getting on well during their absence. ‘I have had a most interesting conversation, Kitty, with your husband about Egyptian genealogy. A number of examples of marriage between brother and sister, and between uncle and niece – which one couldn’t condone, of course, but they perceived a necessity, one supposes. And they had female pharaohs! Such advanced ideas for such an ancient people.’

‘One can hardly call it advanced, Sir John,’ Lady Bayfield objected. ‘I hope, Lord Stainton, that the results of your studies do not descend to the general public, and stir up those unregulated women who have been agitating for the vote.’

‘I have never heard that Egyptology formed part of their argument, ma’am,’ Giles said patiently.

Alice was biting her cheeks, trying not to giggle.

The Bayfields did not stay long after luncheon. The carriage was called, Lady Bayfield offered her scented cheek for Kitty’s kiss, and they were drawn away in style by the dowager Lady Stainton’s matched greys to catch their train. Giles immediately disappeared, with the speed of a man who had catching-up to do. And later in the afternoon, Alice came to find Kitty and present her with a drawing of two women in Egyptian costume carrying a placard that said VOTES FOR WOMEN. It was the only thing that day that made Kitty laugh.

‘You sent for me, my lady?’ said Mrs Webster. She stepped in, folding her hands across her front in housekeeper style, and stood still, watching Kitty walk back and forth. At last, aware of things to do downstairs, she prompted, ‘Is something wrong, my lady?’

‘Oh, no, I—’ Kitty stopped, screwed her hands together, started up again, and ended by the fireplace – empty now, of course, but for a fan of paper. ‘The luncheon yesterday—’

‘I hope Sir John and Lady Bayfield were not unhappy with it?’

‘No, it was all very nice – at least, I thought so,’ Kitty said. ‘Ida did it all, did she?’

‘Well, of course the other kitchen-maids played their part, but Ida was largely responsible.’

‘And do you think Ida could continue to cook for Ashmore Castle?’

Webster considered. ‘I think she has coped surprisingly well so far. Of course, she was already doing quite a lot of the cooking before – before the unfortunate event. But—’

Kitty broke in. ‘You see, I noticed that his lordship ate more yesterday at luncheon than he normally eats even at dinner. I don’t think the food here has agreed with him. But the dishes yesterday – lighter, more flavoursome. Do you think . . .?’

‘I understand, my lady. Of course, it would mean a whole new kitchen regime.’

‘Do you think Ida could manage?’

‘It is a large responsibility – especially if there were to be entertaining. But I think she would like the opportunity to show what she can do, my lady. She enjoyed making luncheon yesterday, I do know. But she would definitely need more staff. They are one short in the kitchen as it is.’

Kitty nodded, biting her lips. Mrs Webster tried, like a good housekeeper, to anticipate her mistress’s wishes – and in this case, if she was right, those wishes corresponded with her own. ‘If you were thinking of any large-scale alterations, my lady’ – she saw Kitty draw a breath – ‘this would be the ideal time to undertake them, seeing as her dowager ladyship and Lady Rachel are away, so the household is reduced somewhat.’

The breath was let out, and Kitty said, in a rush of confidence, ‘There are so many things I would like to change. Oh, Mrs Webster, the way my mother looked yesterday! But I’ve never – I couldn’t – Lady Stainton—’