The Gold that Glitters | Page 7

and quickly recovered itself.
"Good luck!" cried Kate, as they rode away.
A second horse followed, ridden by one of Colonel Lane's stable-boys,
carrying Jenny's two bags.
It was not a mile from the farm to Bentley Hall, and they were soon in
the stable-yard, where Jenny alighted, and was taken by Featherstone
into the servants' hall, where with another complimentary flourish he
introduced her to the rest of the household.
"My lords and ladies, I have the honour to present to you the Lady Jane
Lavender."
"Now you just get out of my way, with your lords and ladies," said the

cook, pushing by them. "Good even, Jenny. We've seen Jenny
Lavender afore, every man jack of us."
Mr Featherstone got out of the way without much delay, for the cook
had a gridiron in his hand, and he had been known before now to box
somebody's ears with that instrument.
He recovered his dignity as soon as he could, and suggested that Jenny
should go up to the chamber of her new mistress.
"Maybe Mrs Millicent should be pleased to take her," he said, making a
low bow to Mrs Lane's maid.
"She knows her way upstairs as well as I do," answered Millicent
bluntly. "Have done with your airs, Robin! and prithee don't put Jenny
up to 'em.
"Now, Jenny, you run up and wait for Mrs Jane; she'll be there in a
minute, most like. You can hang your hood and cloak behind the door."
There were no bonnets in those days, nor shawls; women wore hoods
or tall hats on their heads when they went out, and cloaks in cold
weather; when it was warm they merely tied on a muslin or linen tippet,
fastening it with a bow of ribbon at the throat.
The gown sleeves then came down mostly to the wrist; but sometimes
only to the elbows, where they were finished with a little frill. How the
neck was covered, in the house, depended on its owner's notions. If she
were gay and fashionable, it was not covered at all. But if she were
sensible and quiet, she generally wore the same kind of muslin tippet
that was used on warm days out of doors. Old women sometimes wore
the close frill round the neck, which had been used in Queen
Elizabeth's time; but this was quite gone out of fashion for younger
ones.
Mrs Jane's room was empty. Jenny knew her way to it well enough, for
she had often been there before; but her heart beat high when she saw
something in the corner that had never been there before--a neat, little

low bed, covered with a quilt of coarse, padded blue silk. That was for
Jenny, as Jenny knew. The room was long, low, and somewhat narrow.
Four windows, so close together as to have the effect of one, ran along
the whole length of one end, filled with small diamond-shaped panes of
greenish glass.
In the midst of these stood a toilet-table, whereon were a number of
pots and boxes, the uses of which were as yet unknown to the new
maid. The large bed was hung with flowered cherry-coloured satin; an
inlaid chair, filled with cushions, stood before the fireplace, and a small
Turkey carpet lay in front of it.
Jenny stood contemplating everything, with a sense of great elation to
think that her place henceforward would be in the midst of all this
comfort and grandeur. Suddenly a quick step ran up the polished
staircase, the door opened, and a young lady made her made her
appearance.
Her description will serve for the ladies of that day in general.
Her skirt came just down to the foot, and was moderately full; it was
made of green satin. Over this was the actual gown, of tawny or
yellowish-brown silk, trimmed with silver lace. The skirt was open in
front, and was bunched up all round so as barely to reach the knees.
The bodice, which was tight to the figure, was laced up in front with
silver; it was cut low on the neck, and over it was a tippet of clear
muslin, tied with green ribbon to match the skirt. The sleeves were
slightly fulled, and were finished by very deep cuffs of similar muslin,
midway between the wrist and the elbow. The young lady's hair was
dressed in a small knob behind; it came a little over the forehead at the
front in a point, and flowed down at the sides in slender ringlets.
"Oh, Jenny, are you come? That is right," said she.
"Yes, madam, to serve you," answered Jenny, dropping a courtesy.
"Very good. Here, pick up these pins, and put them into that box. You
must learn to dress me, and dress my hair.