Ruby remained tight-lipped as she continued to fold the clothes and place them neatly away in what she hoped were the right places. She might be working for this rude creature, but the way she saw it, it didn’t give her the right to delve into her past.

‘Cat got your tongue, has it?’ Miranda mocked. ‘Or have you run away from someone or something?’

Ruby’s heart did a little lurch but still she didn’t answer and eventually the room was tidy again.

‘That’s everything put away, is there anything else you’d like me to do, miss?’

Having watched her work, Miranda now stood up abruptly and crossing the room she began to drag everything back out again, flinging clothes about the room. ‘It isn’t done to my satisfaction,’ she said haughtily. ‘Do it all again and make a better job of it this time, otherwise I shall tell my mother.’ With that she swept from the room with a smirk on her face as Ruby’s hands clenched with rage; Miss Wood hadn’t been joking when she had told her that her new mistress could be challenging. Suddenly despair washed through her and her shoulders sagged. She had thought anything would be better than being made to steal but could she put up with the girl’s spiteful behaviour? Only time would tell.

*

‘So how has your first day gone?’ Miss Wood asked when the staff assembled in the kitchen for supper that evening.

‘It, er . . . wasn’t too bad.’

One look at Ruby’s glum face told its own story and Miss Wood smiled at her sympathetically. ‘I did warn you that she could be difficult,’ she said and leaning towards her she whispered, ‘What she needs is someone to stand up to her and give her as good as she gets. That’s the only way to handle a bully in my experience but sadly all the other maids she has had have been too afraid of her to do it.’

Their conversation was interrupted as a maid began to lay the cutlery on the table and soon after Miss Wood left to return to her own rooms.

Within no time the staff were all seated and Cook began to dish out helpings of a delicious, piping-hot cottage pie. ‘Help yourself to vegetables,’ she encouraged Ruby. ‘And don’t look so worried. No one is going to eat you. Soon as the meal is over, I’ll introduce you to everyone.’

Ruby gave her a grateful smile, suddenly wishing she were back in the kitchen at Maddie’s house with Nell and Mrs Petty. At least there she had felt welcome. Here, Miranda had made her feel anything but and had done nothing but taunt her all day. But all she could do was pray that things would improve.

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten