Daisy sighed and shook her head as she made her way to the kitchen where she could hear Hattie shouting and crashing about. A gust of smoke enveloped her as she opened the door.

‘I’ll never get used to this brute,’ Hattie said, flicking a cleaning cloth at the stove. ‘Maybe there’s a nest on top of the chimney pot. Whatever it is, I can’t get the fire to draw properly.’ She wiped her face with the back of her hand, leaving a streak of soot on her cheek.

Daisy looked round the large kitchen and spotted a besom propped up against the back door. ‘Maybe I can clear the blockage,’ she said hopefully.

‘You’re never going to push that broom up the chimney, are you?’ Hattie demanded anxiously. ‘You’ll bring a fall of soot.’

She spoke too late. Daisy had snatched up the besom and was poking it up the chimney. A shower of soot, dried leaves and bits of twig covered everything, including Daisy. She stood for a moment, coughing and gasping for air.

‘I told you so.’ Hattie threw up her hands. ‘Look at the mess you’ve made. Well, I ain’t cleaning it up. I warned you, but would you listen? No, you would not, and everything is covered in soot. I’m going to tell the mistress.’ She stomped out of the room.

Left to clean up, Daisy stared down at her once clean travelling gown, which was now ruined. Soot was still settling on every surface and she could only be thankful for the fact that most of their china, pots and pans had yet to be unpacked. She was wondering what to do when someone knocked on the back door.

‘Come in.’

The door opened and a pale-faced young woman stepped inside. She was muffled against the cold and her fair hair hung limply from beneath her bonnet. ‘You’ve had a bit of a mishap, miss,’ she said calmly.

‘The chimney was blocked.’ Daisy eyed her curiously. ‘Can I help you?’

‘It looks like I can help you.’ The stranger took off her bonnet and shawl and hung them on a row of pegs. ‘I was on my way home when the young doctor stopped to enquire about my mum – she’s been took sick these last few days. I told him that she was getting better, thanks to the medicine he gave her.’

‘That must have been Dr Neville, but why have you come here?’

‘You’re Miss Marshall, aren’t you?’

Daisy gazed down at her sooty clothes and smiled ruefully. ‘Yes, although I doubt if my friends would recognise me now.’

‘I’m Linnet Fox, from the village. Dr Neville knew I was looking for work because I’d been to Creek Hall to enquire, but he said you might need some help, miss.’

‘I don’t know how much my uncle would pay, Linnet, but we do need someone.’

Linnet rolled up her sleeves. ‘Let’s clean the range first then, miss. We’ll get the fire going and then we can heat up some water and sort out the rest.’