“I have already spoken to Mrs. Sheer, and it is settled. I shall leave the Duke’s house to be your lady's maid once you are Lady Henry,” Mira told her.
Beatrice felt the ache in her chest grow sharper as she held Mira close.
“You are so very lovely,” she replied. “I look forward to our time together in our new home.”
Needing to leave or risk crying in front of them, Beatrice turned from them the moment Mira let go and walked into the boarding house. It was, to her relief, far nicer inside than it was on the outside. A clean dining room with a large, rectangular table sat to her left. It had light blue wallpaper and matching rug. A large parlor took up the space to her right. It was filled with plain but clean furniture where five young women in various forms of maids uniforms sat and relaxed with books, and two more were at a corner table, playing a card game.
A large, dark wood mantle was seated above a fireplace, and simple white curtains hung from the windows. The wallpaperin the room was a warm beige with maroon stripes that ran vertically from ceiling to hardwood floor. The floor was swept, with not even a speck of dust from what Beatrice could see.
“Are you the Cooper girl?”
Beatrice jolted as she heard the question, and she whirled around. She found herself having to crane her neck upward as she took in the tallest woman she’d ever seen. Her blue eyes were sharp, as were her nose and cheekbones. Even her thin lips seemed to look more like a beak.
Her dark brown hair was swept up into a high, tight bun, and the long-sleeved black and blue vertical striped dress she wore on her robust figure had a very modest high collar that ran up to her chin.
“Well?” the woman snapped.
“Yes ma’am,” Beatrice replied quickly.
“Mm,” the woman grunted, running her gaze blatantly up and down Beatrice’s form.
“My name is Mrs. Kilborn. I am the boarding house matron,” she answered stiffly, pulling a small pad and pencil from her apron pocket. “My notes tell me you are on temporarily leave from work, and that your employer has paid for the first week of your stay in full.”
“Yes, that sounds right,” Beatrice agreed, trying her best not to appear as nervous as she felt.
Mrs. Kilborn continued to study her intensely for another long moment before she spoke again.
“All meals are communal and must be had in the dining room behind me,” she began stiffly. “Breakfast is six. Lunch is at noon. Supper is at seven. Then there is a ten p.m. meal for the girls who work late. I run a clean establishment, but even so, it is hard to keep vermin out of this place, so there is a strict ‘no food allowed outside of the kitchen and dining room’ rule.
“There are only two doors that lead outside. The one you just came through and the one in the kitchen. Both are locked at ten p.m. and do not become unlocked until five the next morning. Gentlemen arenotallowed to enter the promises beyond this room, and you will be turned out at once if you are caught with one in your bedroom.”
“I understand,” Beatrice said readily.
It was only eleven in the morning, but all she wanted to do was find her room and lay down.
“Might I be shown to my room?”
Mrs. Kilborn’s already harsh stare somehow hardened even more.
“Paid in advance or not, I do not like layabouts,” she said sharply. “Most girls who board here are happy to take on extra chores to lower their fees. Even though your bill is already covered, I hope you will volunteer some of your time to keep this place tidy.”
“Of course,” Beatrice said readily.I will agree to anything if you just let me go to my room.
“I have daily appointments in the mornings and the evenings, but I will be happy to assist any time in between,” she added.
Mrs. Kilborn raised her chin, looking down her nose at Beatrice for another tense moment.
“Very well,” she agreed. “I shall let you take the day to get settled, but tomorrow, you help with the lunch dishes.”
Beatrice gave a single nod, and to her great relief, Ms. Kilborn stiffly turned around and began walking toward the narrow stairs.
“Follow me,” she said curtly.
Beatrice was quick to do so and was glad she did as Ms. Kilborn continued talking.
“Your companion insisted that you have your own private room, but we simply do not operate that way. Some girls have a room to themselves when occupancy is low, but unfortunately for you,you arrived at a time where we are at full capacity, so youwillbe sharing.
“Try not to get in one another’s way. Keep your side of the room tidy, as I do check it every evening whether you are present or not, and if you two quarrel, leave me out of it. You may not switch, you may not sleep elsewhere, so best to just make the arrangement work.”