Eva Ibbotson by A Countess Below Stairs

Author:A Countess Below Stairs
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

Three days later, Mrs Park woke up aware that something was wrong. She looked at the round, brass clock on the chest of drawers. Half past six. Win should have been in half an hour ago with the cup of tea she always brought.

Mrs Park rose, put on her pink flannel dressing gown and carpet slippers and padded through her own snug sitting room behind the kitchens down the stone corridor to where Win slept, in a little slit of a room between the laundry and the stillroom.

There was no sign of Win. The bed was empty, the pillow uncreased, the grey blankets pulled tight over the iron bed.

Mrs Park’s heart began to pound. Instinctively knowing that it was useless, she went through the kitchens into the servants’ hall. The range had not been lit, the servants’ breakfast had not been laid. Still searching and calling she went through the sculleries, the pantries, the larder…In the sewing room she found Anna, changing out of her riding habit into her uniform.

‘Anna, Win’s gone! Her bed’s not been slept in!’

Anna turned, her cap in her hand. ‘It was her half-day off yesterday, I think? So she will have gone into the grounds, perhaps, and fallen asleep? The night was so beautiful. I have done this myself - often have I done it,’ said Anna but her eyes were grave.

Within half an hour every single member of staff was searching for the little dimwit who was as much a part of Mersham as the moss on the paving stones. Mr Cameron and his underlings searched the walled garden, th greenhouses and the orangery - for Win had loved flowers. Potter rode off to scour the woods; James and Sid circled the lake.

By lunchtime it was clear that the matter was one for the police and Proom, his face more than usually grave, went upstairs to inform the family.

The dowager and Muriel were in the morning room. Rupert had not yet returned from Cambridge.

‘My lady, I have come to tell you that Win is missing. We have searched everywhere, but her bed has not been slept in and I’m afraid the matter is serious.’

He addressed the dowager as lady of the house, but it was Muriel who answered.

‘Is that the simple one? The kitchen maid?’

‘Yes, miss. Win is employed in the kitchens.’

‘Oh, dear!’ The dowager had risen, ‘We must get hold of the police at once. And Colonel Forster, too. I’ll go and -‘

‘No, wait!’ Muriel spoke with authority. There seems to have been some mistake. Surely Mrs Bassenthwaite told you that Win was going away?’

Proom turned to her, his face impassive. ‘No, miss. Nothing was said about it, I’m sure.’

‘Going away?’ echoed the dowager in surprise. ‘But where to? Win has no family of any kind. She came from an orphanage in Maidens Over. As far as I know, she’s been in the parish all her life.’

Muriel nodded. ‘Mrs Bassenthwaite must have forgotten to mention it. It’s often like that before a gall bladder operation - there can be almost complete amnesia.

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