Earl to the Rescue by Jane Ashford

Author:Jane Ashford
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2018-10-23T16:00:00+00:00

Sixteen

Lillian called early the next day, but Gwendeline had been up for some time. The house was in a minor uproar. The previous evening, Ellen had, as she put it, “given Alphonse what for” in the presence of several of the other servants, then flounced off in a huff. Alphonse, his pride grievously wounded, first threw a tantrum in the kitchen, then proceeded to drown his sorrows in the cooking sherry. John, the footman, and Yvette had alternated as interested spectators or sympathetic confidants, as circumstances warranted. Reeves, though he kept aloof and maintained his dignity, relieved his outraged sensibilities by scolding any servant who came within his reach.

The first Gwendeline knew of these developments was when she sat down to breakfast and found the toast burned, the tea tepid and weak, and the eggs watery. When she leaned back in her chair and looked disgustedly at these unappetizing failures, someone cleared his throat behind her. She turned to discover Reeves hovering by the breakfast-room door. She looked at him inquiringly.

“Yes, miss, I am sorry,” he said. “I fear the eggs are a trifle underdone.”

“Nothing is properly done, Reeves,” Gwendeline replied. “What’s happened to Alphonse? Has Ellen killed him?”

Reeves permitted his expression to show strain. “No, miss. But Alphonse is, er, indisposed this morning. I prevailed upon Yvette to do the cooking temporarily.”

Gwendeline sighed and rose from the table. “How indisposed, Reeves? Does he refuse to work? Or is he really ill?”

“I believe his state is usually known as ‘sleeping it off’ among those conversant with such matters,” answered Miss Brown, who had just appeared in the doorway of the breakfast room. Gwendeline turned to her, surprised, and Miss Brown nodded. “He appears to have drunk everything alcoholic in the kitchens.”

“Do you wish me to dismiss him, Miss Gwendeline?” asked Reeves hopefully.

“No, no. Of course not,” she said. “I’ll take care of this, Reeves. You may go.”

“Very well,” Reeves replied stiffly. He left the room.

Gwendeline looked at Miss Brown. “What do you suggest?”

“Alphonse is upset because Ellen scolded him before everyone. We must smooth that over somehow. I suggest we talk to each of the servants in turn and try to do so.”

Gwendeline agreed, and they spoke first to John, then to Yvette. Though the former was inclined to take Ellen’s side and the latter was a strong partisan of Alphonse, the two ladies finally got them to agree not to mention the matter again. Ellen was a more complicated problem, but after long and earnest discussion, she promised to apologize publicly to Alphonse, declining the honor of marrying him with more tact than before.

Thus, when Alphonse finally appeared in the kitchen once more, this scenario was followed, and he was at least partially placated. It seemed that things were back to normal for a time. Only then could Gwendeline mention her plans for a tea party. Miss Brown was agreeable when consulted, and Alphonse seemed quite his usual self as he described the cakes he would concoct. Gwendeline wrote

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