pouring tea from the large brown earthenware pot. ‘Don’t mind Tibbles, he thinks it’s his right to sit nearest the range. Now you maak a tay,’ she added.
‘Sorry?’ Isabella frowned.
‘Mother means tuck in, eat as much as you can,’ Dotty told her.
‘Hurry up, I’m starving,’ William grunted. Isabella stared at everyone squashed together around the table, quickly brushed the hair-covered seat with her hand, and took her place beside them. A steaming mug was placed in front of her but the thick dark liquid made her stomach heave, and it didn’t help when Dotty proffered a plate of sponge cakes spread lavishly with cream and strawberry jam. Forcing a smile, she took the smallest then looked in vain for a knife to cut it with. There didn’t appear to be any napkins either. Unaware of her predicament, the others tucked in as if they hadn’t seen food for weeks.
‘Well, Mother, you’ve done us proud,’ her uncle declared, licking cream from his fingers. ‘That’ll keep us going til supper. Come on, boys, there’s still work to be done.’ He got to his feet then noticed Isabella had hardly eaten anything. ‘Didn’t you like Mother’s baking?’ he frowned.
‘Doesn’t do to let good food go to waste,’ William said, snatching it from her plate before she could reply.
‘Will . . . ,’ her aunt began, but she was talking to his departing back. ‘Sorry about that. There’s more in the pantry if you’d like.’ Isabella shook her head.
‘Thank you but I’m not really hungry. Perhaps I could freshen up?’ she asked, getting to her feet.
‘Of course. Dotty, you show Isabella where everything is. Alice, the teddies need boiling and bashing for supper.’
‘You boil and bash teddies?’ Isabella exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise.
‘How else do you get mashed spuds?’ her aunt asked.
‘Spuds? Oh, you mean potatoes,’ she smiled.
‘Of course. Goodness me, maid, I can see you need an eddy-f’cation,’ her aunt tutted.
‘But I want to go outside too,’ Alice protested, interrupting them.
‘Sorry, pet, I need your help. You know Father insists we eat on time,’ Mary replied.
‘See you later then, Izzie,’ Alice sighed.
‘Her name’s Isabella,’ her mother remonstrated.
‘But I can’t say that so she said I could call her Izzie.’ Her aunt looked askance at Isabella who nodded.
‘Perhaps I could have my mantle if we’re going outside.’
‘But it’s only a few steps to the yard,’ Dotty replied looking surprised.
‘Isabella’s used to city life, Dotty,’ Mary reminded her. ‘Do you have any sturdier footwear, dear?’ she asked Isabella.
‘Sturdier?’ Isabella echoed, frowning down at her button boots.
‘For outdoor wear,’ her aunt elaborated.
‘But these are my outdoor boots.’
‘Ah. Not to worry, it’ll probably be another month before we get any real rain. Gets right muddy then, it does.’
Out in the yard, Isabella looked around for the facilities but could only see a pump and a sprawl of ramshackle buildings.
‘That’s the privy,’ Dotty told her, gesturing towards one of the sheds. Supressing a shudder, Isabella slipped inside and carefully jammed the door closed with the piece of knotted twine which appeared to act as a bolt. Squinting in the gloom, she froze as she saw two piercing eyes glinting up at her. Then something furry brushed against her legs and with a scream, she staggered outside, an indignant-looking tabby cat flashing past her.
‘Oh Izzie, you should see your face,’ Dotty giggled.
‘Well, how was I to know the cat was lying in wait? I shall never go back in there, ever,’ she vowed.
‘You’ll be crossing your legs for an awfully long time then,’ her cousin told her with a shake of her head. ‘Bet poor old Tibbles got more of a fright anyhow ’cos that’s his hiding place when he gets shooed out of the kitchen. Come on, I’ll show you our violets.’
‘Goodness, I had no idea you had so much land or grew so many flowers,’ Isabella exclaimed as they wandered down the stone path. She seemed to be surrounded by fields of green velvet-leafed plants, many sprouting mauve buds.
‘’Tis the mild, damp climate. Brings them on a treat,’ Dotty smiled. ‘And this time of evening when there’s moisture in the air you gets to smell them best.’
As the sweet, musky scent wrapped itself around her, she was gripped by a sense of déjà vu, yet she knew she’d never been here before.
‘Lovely, isn’t it? And definitely an improvement on the smell of those vegetables we grew before.’
‘You haven’t always grown flowers then?’ Isabella asked. Dotty shook her head.
‘Father used to farm here but when it went into depression he turned the land over to cultivating the violets that grew wild. Uncle did the same on his land over there,’ she explained. Isabella looked to where she was gesturing and could just make out a line of green hedging in the distance. ‘It didn’t pay too well at first, then they realized there was a good demand for the flowers in London. Men buy them for their ladies to decorate their evening gowns, can you believe?’ Dotty exclaimed, raising her brows in amazement.
‘They are called corsages and I have worn them myself,’ Isabella replied, remembering how Maxwell had purchased some from the flower girl outside Claridge’s. Had it really been only the previous day?
‘Coo, father said you were used to having money but you must have been filthy rich before . . . ,’ Dotty clamped her hand over her mouth. ‘Sorry, I wasn’t meant to mention it.’ Isabella started to say they still were, then remembered her father’s disclosure.
‘Funny how things change, isn’t it?’ Dotty said, smiling sympathetically. ‘Once Father couldn’t even pay his bills and now we have all this,’ she cried, spreading her arms out wide. Isabella frowned, surprised her cousin should be content with so little. ‘And of course, you being family, we’re happy to share it with you,’ the girl added.
Isabella stared at her cousin, nonplussed. Although Dotty meant well, Isabella had no desire to be some kind of charity case. Not wishing to hurt her cousin’s feelings, she forced a smile.
‘Thank you, that is kind.’ Seeking to regain her equilibrium, she turned back towards the flowers where her uncle and cousins were moving between the plants, wielding long sticks.
‘What the . . . ,’ she began.
‘They’re hoeing the weeds,’ Dotty explained. ‘You have to keep them down or they choke the plants.’
‘Supper in ten,’ Mary called.
‘Coo,
