by Tania Crosse
She sat on the station platform at Yelverton waiting for the little train to take her up to Princetown. The air was still and clean, already smelling differently from the way it did in Plymouth. A gentle contentment swelled up in Anna’s breast. Perhaps she could find some peace after her mum’s violent end. Nothing could bring her back, but Anna’s life had to go on.
Her heart took courage as the engine and its one carriage began the long, slow climb. After the little station at Dousland, came the old familiar halt high above the reservoir. The surface of the water was a smooth, slate grey, but shortly the railway line turned its back on the man-made lake and soon made its way out onto the open moor.
Anna’s breath was taken away by the spectacular scenery. The harsh, unforgiving wilderness rolled away as far as the eye could see, rising to a high, dramatic outcrop of stark granite here, dropping down to a distant, wooded vale there. As the track coiled upwards, the landscape became even more remote, the train snaking past jagged cliffs of quarries blasted out of the rocky hillside. Finally, the engine chugged along a straight run with miles of folding, barren hills in the distance, and into the station.
As Anna stepped down onto the platform, she realised her spirits had been revived by the journey and she felt ready to face the interview ahead. She had been surprised at being the only passenger to get on the train at Yelverton, although she had seen a woman with a young child climb up into another compartment at Dousland. Now she saw them scuttle away through the station exit and only as Anna followed them did her heart begin to beat faster.
‘You the girl come for the interview?’
Anna recognised the friendless voice from her telephone call, when it had explained somewhat curtly what her duties would be. A local farmer’s wife apparently came in each day to clean and see to the laundry, but Anna might have to help her on occasion. She would, however, be more of an assistant to the housekeeper who also did the cooking, so that her duties would be many and varied, from turning down the beds to preparing vegetables and washing up. If she proved a good worker, he had intimated condescendingly, she might be trusted with superior duties in time. He had proceeded to arrange the interview, and now Anna wondered exactly who he was. Beneath his smart black overcoat, she spied an immaculate, snow-white shirt with an equally perfect tie and the lapels of a black jacket.
Anna squared her shoulders. ‘Yes. Anna Millington.’
‘Get in the front of the car. Only Lady Ashcroft rides in the back. And I hope your shoes are clean.’
Who did he think he was, Anna thought, for she had decided he must be some sort of servant? Resentment brewed up inside her, but she supposed she would have to swallow her pride. She needed this job to get away from her dad, if only for a short while until she had saved enough to go further afield.
‘Yes, they are,’ she answered frostily.
‘Good. Now get in and mind your tongue.’
Anna felt like telling him where to stuff the job, and the thought of the colourful language Ethel might have used to tell him so made her smile to herself. So she obediently climbed into the front seat of the car, a huge, black, elegant affair polished so that the sun dazzled on it. Anna had never been in a car before so, if nothing else, she would enjoy the experience – and in such a splendid one, too! It moved so smoothly, the engine purring as they left the exposed village of Princetown behind.
Anna vowed not to utter another word unless spoken to, and gazed out of the window instead. As from the train, the views were stunning, although over to her left rose the bleak and daunting buildings of Dartmoor Prison. All around, though, the moor stretched to the horizon, the rough ground dotted with sheep, cattle or ponies left to roam free. Well, Anna thought, even if she didn’t get the job, she’d have had a lovely day out!
They turned off the road into a wide, tree-lined avenue. Anna hardly had time to notice Ashcroft Hall, the large, imposing house at the end, as the car was driven round to the side and she was ushered in through a small side door and along a dark, narrow, low-ceilinged corridor. A maze of small rooms led off to either side and she tried to peer in to those whose doors were ajar, but she couldn’t if she was to keep up with the taciturn devil who led the way! Up a short flight of steps and they emerged into a kitchen – oh, it was enormous and—
But the man tutted irritably and so she trotted after him and soon found herself in a vast entrance hall with a grand, sweeping staircase. And it was beside this that the fellow stopped so abruptly that Anna nearly collided into his back.
‘You wait here and I’ll see if Lady Ashcroft is ready for you.’
Oh, help. Anna’s courage shrank as he knocked on the door and waited for an imperious ‘Come’ before entering the room. Anna heard a few muted words above her hammering pulse, and then the man reappeared.
‘Lady Ashcroft will see you now. And make sure you stand up straight.’
Anna flashed him a glance, wondering why she felt grateful for his advice. Clutching at straws, she supposed. But why should she be nervous? Lady Ashcroft could only be flesh and blood the same as she was, and she bet she had never witnessed the violence that Anna had. Seen her mother tumble to her death before her eyes. What could be worse than that? Not an interview. So she stepped purposefully into the room.
Lady Ashcroft was seated behind a small but very fine desk. She held herself erect and proud, her greying hair swept up and held in place with pins. A handsome woman, Anna considered, and she noticed the tailored, fine-checked jacket and cashmere jumper beneath. Beside her stood a tall, gaunt woman dressed in black whose icy gaze tried to freeze Anna to the core.
But she wouldn’t let it. ‘Your Ladyship,’ she said clearly, and dipped her knee slightly. She noticed the shadow of a smile flit over Lady Ashcroft’s face, but the other woman’s expression remained inscrutable.
‘Miss Millington,’ Prudence Ashcroft spoke at last. ‘You had a satisfactory journey?’
The tone was expressionless and Anna wasn’t sure how to judge her. The least said, the better, perhaps. ‘Thank you, Your Ladyship.’
‘Good. Now I understand that you have no previous experience of being in service.’
‘That is so, Your Ladyship. I’ve just left school.’
‘A strange time of year to leave. I hope you weren’t expelled?’
‘Oh, no, Your Ladyship. It was because my … my mother died recently.’
Anna saw Lady Ashcroft raise an eyebrow. ‘I’m truly sorry to hear that. And what of your father?’
Anna felt the sweat break out down her back. ‘My father says it’s time that I made my own way in the world.’
‘And you thought that entering service would provide you with a roof over your head as well as a job?’
Oh dear, this wasn’t going well, was it? Lady Ashcroft was too astute for her. ‘Partly,’ she admitted, since she had nothing to lose. ‘But I should welcome the opportunity to work for aristocracy. And I’m a hard worker and quick to learn.’
She noticed that twitch of Her Ladyship’s mouth again. ‘Well, you’re well-spoken and seem intelligent. What were you studying at school?’
‘English, French and Geography, Your Ladyship.’
‘Hmm. Useful subjects.’ Prudence Ashcroft paused to consider. ‘Well, Miss Millington, I like the way you conduct yourself. This is a small, intimate residence, so the quality of each member of staff is of extreme importance here, which is why I wanted to interview you myself. But I believe we can offer you a month’s trial, would you not agree, Mrs Davenport?’
Anna lifted her eyes to the austere woman in black who pursed her lips in disdain.
‘Yes, Lady Ashcroft,’ was all she said.
‘Well.’ Prudence’s face finally slid into a half smile as she rose to her feet. ‘I will leave you with Mrs Davenport who will explain your duties in more detail.’
‘Thank you, Your Ladyship.’
Anna dipped her knee again as her new employer crossed the room. Oh, goodness, should she open the
door for her? She leapt forward and did so anyway, her heart bouncing in her chest like a rubber ball.
‘Thank you, Miss Millington. We have the makings of a good one here, I believe, Mrs Davenport.’
Anna felt the other woman’s eyes boring into her back as she softly closed the door. Oh, Lord. She gritted her teeth and turned back into the room.
Chapter Five
Anna caught her breath at the timid knock on the front door. She had been hastily packing her little square case, though she had precious little to take with her. Underwear, socks, two nighties and her slippers. She had dressed in her working outfit, the same as she had for her interview – serge blue skirt, white blouse and navy cardigan. She would have no further need of her school gymslip, but the Aertex gym shirt, white shirts and grey pullover could be useful. Add to that two summer dresses, a twin set, a pair of slacks and a pair of white sandals, and it amounted to the sum total of her wardrobe.
She had just been about to put in her few books, when the noise downstairs had startled her. Oh, no. Her dad hadn’t come back from work, had he? Forgotten his flask and sandwiches or something? If he were to find her packing, it would be unthinkable. But then Anna melted with relief. Even if he had come back and had forgotten his key, he would rap on the door like a bull in a china shop. So, it wouldn’t be him. But Anna had a good idea who it was.
She was right.
‘I waited till your dad were safely out o’ the way. I just ’ad to say goodbye again. Didn’t seem right, saying it last night. Only I’ve got to dash or I’ll be late for work.’
‘Oh, I’m so glad you called!’ Anna’s nerves were on edge, but while seeing Ethel, if only for a few moments, boosted her courage, it also filled her with sadness. ‘I feel awful, just sliding away and not telling anyone except you.’
‘Needs must.’ Ethel nodded in that matter of fact way she had. ‘An’ I promise I’ll not tell a soul where you’m gone. Not even my mum an’ dad. Or Maud an’ Pam, cuz they’m bound to come asking for you some time. I’ll just tell ’em I doesn’t know where you’m gone.’
‘They might not believe you. Everyone knows we’re best friends.’
‘I’ll just say that you wanted a new start an’ that you promised to write when you was settled. P’r’aps they’ll forget all about you in time. After all, you was never best friends with ’em like you is wi’ me. But, oh dear, Anna, I got to go.’ Her young face wrinkled with desperation. ‘I ’ates to say goodbye, Anna. You take care now.’
Anna bit on her lip as a horrible emptiness welled up inside her. ‘You look after yourself, too, Eth. And I hope everything goes on all right with you and Bert.’
The mention of her beloved Bert brought a smile to Ethel’s distraught face. ‘We certainly seems to be getting along proper fine. But … Oh, Anna! I’m going to miss you so much.’
‘Me, too.’
They found themselves clasped in each other’s tight embrace, holding on, wishing … But time was getting on.
‘I just hope it’s worth it,’ Anna murmured. ‘That where I’m going is far enough away for Dad not to find me.’
Ethel pulled away, and while the lump in Anna’s throat was choking her, she saw the tears swimming in her friend’s eyes.
‘Oh, there’ll be no reason for ’en to suspect you’m gone to live on Dartmoor. Now, I really musts go. Good luck,’ she added, beginning to walk backwards down the street. ‘An’ don’t forget to write!’
‘I won’t, I promise!’
Anna watched, her vision misted with unshed tears, as Ethel hurried along the pavement, turned at the corner to give one final wave, and was gone. Anna stood for a moment on the threshold, her heart in tatters. Her mum was dead, and now she didn’t know when she would see her dear friend again. And her dad … well. He had changed for ever, she was sure. She really mustn’t allow any feelings of regret to get in the way of her decision. Her mum had clung to the past, hadn’t she, and look where it had got her. Anna set her mouth in fierce determination and went back upstairs to finish packing.
She mustn’t be long. Just the few family photos she’d taken from the drawer downstairs and one or two knick-knacks her mum had given her. That was it. Nothing else to remind her of her previous life.
She had made her bed. The room was unchanged apart from her missing teddy bear that she had squashed into the case. And the note she had decided at the last minute to leave on the bed.
I’m sorry, Dad. I just had to get away. Look after yourself. And please don’t drink too much.
Love
Anna.
She took her gaberdine raincoat from the hallstand. Put her head round the kitchen door. So many memories. Scarf wound about her neck, wriggling her fingers into her gloves. As she bent to pick up the case, her eyes stopped on the lino where her mum had died. No, she mustn’t think like that.
She picked up the case and her umbrella as it looked like rain, and let herself out of the front door. A new life. She mustn’t look back.
‘You must not ever use the main stairs,’ Mrs Davenport instructed as she showed Anna up to her room. ‘Not unless you have had express permission for some specific purpose. The main stairs are only for the family and their visitors.’
Anna had been hurrying along behind the housekeeper in the narrow confines of the underground corridor she had been ushered along on the day of her interview, and up the few steps at the far end. But instead of going through the door into the impressive entrance hall, the austere woman led her directly into a small, rear hallway with a door and windows giving out onto the back of the house.
Anna had no time to dwell on the uncertainty that still gnawed at her as she followed Mrs Davenport up the endless flights of stairs that hugged the narrow stairwell right up to the attic rooms of the house. You could see right the way up, she realised with a shudder. It was a bit scary, that, because you could fall right from top to bottom as well. It reminded her … and she angrily thrust the horrific memory aside.
‘This is your room,’ Mrs Davenport announced with all the feeling of a block of Dartmoor granite. ‘Now, what clothes have you got?’
How flipping rude! Anna thought at once. But then she supposed that the witch … oh, yes, Anna decided that’s how she would think of her, dressed all in black. All she needed was a pointed hat and a broomstick! But concentrating her thoughts, she decided the witch was referring to her working clothes.
‘What I’m wearing. And I have two spare white shirts and a grey school jumper.’
‘Hurrump’ was the best way Anna could describe the deprecating sneer. ‘They’ll do for now. I suppose they are school shirts designed to be worn with a tie? Well, you cannot sport an open neck with a button-up collar. Do you have a brooch you could wear at the neck instead of a tie? Nothing fancy, mind.’
‘Yes, I think so—’
‘Good. But on your first free afternoon, you will walk into Princetown and order some more attire from Bolt’s. I shall tell you what to buy. Your shoes are sensible, I see, but you will polish them every night in the boot room. And you will need a pair of wellingtons to slip on if you are required to go outside. We cannot have wet footprints indoors. And you will need to be measured for a uniform for formal occasions, the cost of which will be deducted from your wages. Aprons are the only item you will be supplied with. Now, unpack your things and I will expect you downstairs in ten minutes. I trust you can find your own way below stairs?’
‘Yes, Mrs Davenport,’ Anna replied automatically, wondering if she shouldn’t salute! But the battleaxe seemed pleased with her own monologue, jabbed her head in what seemed to Anna to be self-approval and marched out of the room. Anna heard her footsteps along the corridor and then fading down the bare wooden stairs.
It was only then that she realised she had been holding her breath, and now she let it out through puffed cheeks as she plonked herself down on the bed. Dear Lord, what had she let herself in for? And all the clothes she would have to fork out for! Her wage
s were only three pounds a week, and her plan was to save all she could until she could afford to move on and find something more suitable. All those purchases would really set her back.
Oh well, there was nothing she could do about it – not unless she wanted to throw it all in and go straight back home to her dad. And she didn’t want that, did she? She had made the break and she was going to stick by her decision. And maybe things might not seem so bad in time.
Ten minutes. Oh, dear. Probably only nine by now. She took in the tiny room at a glance. The ceiling sloped steeply so she must be right under the eaves of the house. A small window was built into the roof, and Anna went to look out. She imagined there must be wonderful views but today everything was hidden behind an opaque veil of mist.
Anna turned back to the room and quickly stowed her possessions in the chest of drawers, the only item of furniture apart from the bed and a small bedside table. On it stood an old oil lamp and a box of matches. Anna’s heartbeat accelerated as she searched the ceiling and the wall by the door, the obvious places. But, oh glory! There was no electric light in the room, let alone a mains socket! She had seen that there was electricity downstairs but it evidently didn’t reach the servants’ quarters! And there was no fireplace, either. No wonder it struck so cold up there. She was used to an unheated bedroom but would she be allowed a hot-water bottle at bedtime? She sincerely hoped so! There wasn’t an ounce of comfort in the room, not even a rug on the bare floorboards.
She hurried back down the servants’ stairs, passing what she guessed was the door to the first floor of the house. She could hardly believe this all still went on today. It was 1954, and yet this household belonged in the Victorian era. It was like stepping back in time, but she supposed that aristocratic houses still kept up these sorts of traditions. At least she didn’t have to wear a uniform – except on special occasions. She wondered what that meant!
