The Maid

Chapter Five

A/N: I thought I wouldn't be writing any more chapters for a while yet, but I've got my reviews, so ta-da! I'm really loving the support I've been given. Rosielaurel, you're welcome, and I've got a surprise in store as to Rose's admirer, but it might not be in this chapter.

Chapter Five

Bess and I rode home in silence. I wanted to ask her about her strange behaviour in front of Major Warrington, but decided to hold my tongue till later.

Uncle Henry was out in the yard when we arrived, looking very anxious. "There you are!" he said crossly as we got down from the wagon. "I was beginning to wonder if I should send Dominic to find out what happened to you."

"I'm sorry, Father," Bess apologized. "We met Major Warrington in town."

Uncle's face creased into a sudden smile. "Major Warrington! What did he have to say?"

"Not much. He just asked after my health and introduced himself to Rose."

"I don't suppose you asked him to come to the inn," Uncle Henry remarked, looking disappointed.

"He always comes when he's in town," Bess answered, resting a hand on her father's arm. "I'm sure he'll be here tonight. Now, Rose, I'll show you what to do in preparation for opening up this evening."

"I'll be behind the bar tonight with Uncle Henry, so you girls will have to do the serving," Dominic told us when we came inside.

I looked at his small frame and then at the tall bar. Seeing my confusion, he went behind the bar and pulled out a stool. "I stand on this and pour the customers their drinks and so on. It's not all bad, being a dwarf, you know."

I blushed and looked away.

There was a surprising amount of work to do, and Bess, Dominic, and I were kept very busy getting things ready for opening up time. The floor had to be cleaned and swept; the bar, tables, and chairs wiped down; the horse stalls filled with fresh hay and the water trough with water from the well behind the inn. Then the fire was built up; the mugs, plates, and eating utensils cleaned and set out; and last of all the lamps had to be lit in the window to guide the soldiers and travellers in the direction of the inn. It was six o'clock when we finished, and I heard the first thudding of hooves on the ground.

"That'll be them," Dominic confirmed. He was right. A few minutes later the doors opened and men began spilling in by ones and twos, others in gangs of half a dozen. Bess and I began passing around the trays of drinks and plates of food. There were plenty of questions as to 'who the new girl was', and more than a few remarks that made me wish I were invisible. Bess took them all in her stride, smiling and laughing and occasionally chatting with regulars. I silently wished I could be like her, instead of blushing like a tomato every time someone spoke to me.

The inn had been open several hours when the door opened and Major Warrington came in. He  smiled and nodded at Bess, who bent her head a little and then turned away.

"Do you want anything?" I asked him.

"A mug of ale, if you don't mind. I hope you've quite recovered from the incidient earlier today?"

"The most I damaged was my pride," I said, laughing. "Thank you for asking, though."

"Major Warrington!" Uncle Henry's voice cut through the chatter in the tavern. He went over and grasped the Major's hand between his own, pumping it up and down. "It's good to see you!"

"And you, Henry. How have you been?" With that, the conversation was off and I went to get the Major's ale, happy to see my uncle so joyful, but still wondering about Bess' behaviour.

That night, when the inn was shut up, I sat in the room I had been given, writing a letter to Mam, but every now and then I stopped to take a look around, feeling a sense of awe wash over me. I had never had a room of my own before. Mam and I had always shared. But this...this was special, even for being small. I had a bird's-eye view of the road to Yardley and the moors, a comfortable bed with an oak dresser, and a china jug and wash-basin.

There was so much to tell Mam, I hardly knew where to begin. But I told her everything, beginning at Yardley and ending with my first night's work at the inn. Then I wrote to Nell, telling her pretty much the same, but describing in great detail the redcoats I had met. Nell was boy-crazy now, ever since she turned fourteen.

Just as I had finished, I heard a creak on the floor. Putting my wrapper on, I went to the bedroom door and opened it.

The hall was empty. But I was certain I had heard something. I resolved to go to Bess' room and ask her to come downstairs with me.

I knocked on her door. "Bess?" I whispered softly. "Bess?" Thinking perhaps she was asleep, I opened the door.

It was no wonder she could not hear me. The bed was empty.