Penelope Goes to Portsmouth Read Online Free PDF Page B

ladies really could believe that the indolent Lord Augustus would make an effort to do anything.
    Midnight came and went. ‘You should get some sleep, Miss Wilkins,’ said Hannah.
    Penelope shook her head. ‘I will wait out this night,’ she said quietly. ‘At least we can pray.’
    ‘Of course he may be guilty,’ ventured Hannah cautiously.
    ‘But you do not believe that,’ said Penelope.
    ‘N-no. You see, he reminds me of someone.’
    ‘Tell me. It will help to pass the time.’
    ‘I was once a servant,’ began Hannah, ‘in a large household, Thornton Hall, in Kensington. I do notwish you to tell anyone of this, Miss Wilkins. Can you imagine how such as Miss Trenton would behave towards me? In any case, it all happened when I was a scullery maid. That is how I started in service. Food had been found to be missing from the larder, and somehow this young footman was accused of taking it. He looked a little like Benjamin, not the usual handsome lump of a fellow like your ordinary footman. He was quick and alert and bright. But he made fun of his betters behind their backs and the other servants did not like this.’
    ‘Why?’ asked Penelope, round-eyed.
    ‘There is a very strict pecking order in the servants’ hall, and above all, your masters must be spoken of with respect. The footman was called Adam. Well, Adam was accused of taking the food and the matter was about to be put before our employers, the Clarences, and I was appalled that a man could be found guilty without any evidence. It was simply because his face and manner did not fit. He was the strange animal in our meek little herd of obedient servants. I slept at nights then under the kitchen table. One night, I decided to stay awake, which was a great effort, for usually I was too tired at the end of the day to keep my eyes open. But I managed this night. At two in the morning, I heard a sound from the larder. There was one of the maids, a sharp-faced girl called Nancy. The kitchen was lit by shafts of moonlight. I stayed in the shadows and she did not see me. She took a large meat-pie and wrapped it in a cloth. Then she went to the back kitchen door and opened it andhanded the pie to a villainous-looking ruffian. I said nothing. I went back to my bed and fell asleep. In the morning at the servants’ breakfast, the butler announced he was going to report the theft that very day to Mr Clarence. I stood up, feeling very nervous and shaky, sick almost with fright, and told them about Nancy. Nancy threw her apron over her head and began to cry and confessed all. The villain was her brother, a bad lot from Hammersmith, who had threatened her with violence if she did not supply him with food. So that matter was taken to the Clarences, although it was Mrs Clarence who handled the matter.’
    ‘And was Nancy dismissed?’ asked Penelope.
    ‘No, for Mrs Clarence was as kind as she was beautiful. She had several of the outside staff wait the next night and they caught the villain. He was told that if he was found within the grounds again, he would be turned over to the magistrate. Nancy became a very willing and obedient servant after that.’
    ‘And Adam?’
    ‘Oh, he left. I do not know what became of him. The other servants did not apologize to him, you know. In fact, I think they blamed him for not being the thief. Servants, like other people, are suspicious of anyone whose face does not fit. And yet I liked him. He was not malicious about his employers, only very funny. I think he found service demeaning and it was his way of coping with it. Benjamin reminds me of Adam. I feel he had never been a servant before his employment with Mrs Carsey, but I alsofeel, whatever he worked at before, it was honest employ.’
    Hannah fell silent. She prayed that Lord Augustus would return with some proof of either innocence or guilt before morning. But she did not like to tell Penelope that she had very little hope of his doing so. Lord Augustus, she was