Smithers came into the room silently, a sensible-looking woman in her forties. She had a pleasant face and a quiet voice.
‘You wanted me, Lady Grimstone?’
‘As you see, Professor van der Vollenhove has come to see me—his mother is one of my dearest friends. He has found someone to take your place while you go on this holiday. Take her away and explain your duties.’
Miss Smithers didn’t answer but smiled at Jane and went to the door and Jane followed. ‘Come down to my room,’ invited Miss Smithers. ‘We can talk there.’
She led the way downstairs and opened a door leading from the hall, ushered Jane through it and closed the door behind her. ‘You must need a job badly,’ she observed in her sensible voice. She smiled as she spoke and Jane smiled back.
‘Oh, I do. You see I have to leave—my home, and I have two cats and a dog. It seemed hopeless but Professor van der Vollenhove called this morning and said he knew of something. Is it a difficult job?’
‘No, but you will have no life of your own and you are still so young—for myself it suits well enough; I am able to save money and when I have sufficient I shall retire. I like a quiet life and Lady Grimstone is most lenient about pets and that is important to me—to you too, I expect?’
‘Yes, more important than anything else. If I can’t find somewhere they will be welcome my cousin will have them put down.’
‘Sit down and tell me about it,’ invited Miss Smithers.
It was nice to talk to someone who was willing to listen and who, when Jane had finished her sorry little tale, assured her that, difficult though Lady Grimstone was, this was obviously the answer to her prayers. ‘I’ll tell you the daily routine …’
Her day would start early and finish late but from time to time there would be a chance to have an hour or two to herself, ‘And Lady Grimstone expects you to walk her dog several times a day which means you can take yours at the same time. As you can see, this room is ideal—’ she crossed the room and opened the glass doors leading to a small conservatory ‘—it’s ideal for cats and dogs. I leave the outside door open so that they can get in and out if I’m not here—there’s a high wall right round the garden so they can’t go far.’
A bell pinged loudly and Miss Smithers said, ‘That’s Lady Grimstone now. I must warn you that she rings any time during the twenty-four hours and will expect you to be there within minutes. Do you still want the job? It’s for a month … do you know how much you’ll be paid?’
‘I’ve no idea, I just want somewhere for a few weeks while I decide what to do—I’m a nurse—I’ve had a ward for several years, I intend to apply for a job, but it takes time. This is perfect …’
‘Can you not stay with your cousin? Would he not allow you to remain for a few weeks?’
Jane, who had glossed over the gloomier aspects of her tale, admitted that she had just two days in which to leave the house. ‘So you see, it is urgent.’
‘Well, we’ll soon see what she’s decided.’ They went back upstairs to the drawing-room and found Lady Grimstone still in her chair and the professor standing with his back to the fire.
‘Professor van der Vollenhove recommends you, Miss Fox, and I dare say you’ll do and be no worse than anyone else. He tells me that you’re free to come at once so you, Miss Smithers, can pack your bags and be off. A month, mind, not a day more. Have you explained your duties?’
‘Yes, Lady Grimstone. May I suggest that I go on the day after tomorrow and that Miss Fox comes tomorrow so that she may see exactly how you like things done?’
‘I had already thought of that,’ declared Lady Grimstone, who hadn’t. ‘How will you get here?’ she asked abruptly, and Jane thought, Rude old woman; but before she could answer the professor said carelessly, ‘Oh, I’ve another visit to make in Blandford, I can easily collect Miss Fox and her luggage and animals.’ He didn’t wait for the old lady to reply but asked Jane, ‘Will ten o’clock suit you? That will give you all day to find your way around before Miss Smithers goes.’
‘Thank you, it’s kind of you to offer.’
‘Now I’m afraid I must be off and if you’re ready, Miss Fox, I’ll drop you off—I pass your door.’
Lady Grimstone was pleased to be gracious. ‘Well, that settles everything, does it not? Of course I shall not pay you the salary which Miss Smithers enjoys. Let me see …’
She named a sum which, from the look of disgust on Miss Smithers’s face, was well below the normal rate, but Jane answered quietly, ‘Thank you, Lady Grimstone.’ It might not be much but she would be able to save a good deal of it in a month; to be able to step straight into a job at the end of that time might not be possible and there were the animals.
In the car the professor said, ‘I hope you are prepared for a rather disagreeable month …’
‘Yes, I am, and thank you very much for helping me, Professor, I’m very grateful …’
‘Save your gratitude.’ He sounded mocking. ‘I told you what kind of a job it would be.’
‘I know that, but at least we can all have a home while I look around for a permanent job.’
He said casually, ‘True enough. Be ready for me in the morning. Have you a great deal of luggage?’
‘Two cases and the cats and Bruno. The girl who took over my flat when I came home has stored most of my things. Must I tell Basil?’
‘Certainly not. He told you to leave and you are doing so; that should suffice. What about that nice woman—Bessy? Is she to go too?’
‘He said she was to stay until he came but she won’t do that. She has a sister in London—she wants to go there. She had to go to Blandford this morning to see the solicitor and arrange her annuity.’
‘If she can be ready I’ll take her to Blandford as we go.’
‘You’re very kind …’
‘Dismiss the thought that I am a second Sir Galahad, I merely like to arrange matters in a satisfactory manner.’
Which speech so dampened Jane’s spirits that she fell silent. At the house she asked diffidently if he cared to come in.
‘Five minutes—I’ll talk to Bessy.’
‘She may not be back unless she got a lift. The bus doesn’t leave until after lunch …’ She stopped talking for she could see that he wasn’t listening; indeed, he looked bored. She led him wordlessly to the drawing-room and went to see if Bessy had returned.
She had. Jane could hear her singing, slightly off key, in the kitchen. She looked up from peeling potatoes as Jane went in. ‘Everything’s settled, Miss Jane. That nice old man, ‘e ‘as everything just so, I put me name ter a paper or two and that’s that. Money every month—what do you think of that, eh?’
‘Wonderful, Bessy. Look, come quickly, will you? There’s no time to tell you now, but I’ve got a job and am leaving tomorrow—the professor says if you want to go too he’ll
