Andy's Story

Chapter 10

Andy walked along the dark narrow passageway and down the servant's stairs carrying her carpetbag. Her aim was the kitchen where escape and a bag of goodies awaited her by the side door.

She finally made it to the kitchen after only a few wrong turns - it turned out that the layout was not the same as her Mount Street property.

She stood at the bottom of the stairs looking into the kitchen at the hive of activity that was going on - she spotted Mrs. Watson at one of the benches stirring a bowl of something, while scullery maids chopped vegetables at another. The smells coming from the oven made Andy's mouth water.

As her eyes moved around the kitchen she spotted the side door that Jemima had told her about. Taking a deep breath Andy wiped her suddenly clammy hands on her skirt and picked up her bag and started to make her way to the door, hoping that she would not be seen by the staff.

She was almost at the door when she heard someone calling out "wait right there miss" in a stern voice from behind her. Andy paused and turning she saw Mrs. Watson looking in her direction, a small smile on her lips.

"Yes ma'am?" Andy asked, changing her voice slightly as she spoke. She did not know how much the servants knew - but the less they knew the safer she would be. The longer it would take for George or anyone else to find her, she knew servant talked, they always seemed to know what was going on.

"You have a safe trip and I hope your family are better soon." Mrs. Watson told her.

"Thank you ma'am." Andy bobbed a small curtsy as she breathed an inward sigh of relief. Turning she made it to the door, collected the small bag of food and made her escape.

Opening the door she found a small staircase that lead up to the street. Taking the stairs Andy stopped when she could see onto the street, looking around she spotted Annabella's carriage outside with the door open. She saw Annabella herself accompanied by Rachel, her veil down over her face, coming down the front stairs.

Annabella had her arm around Rachel's waist, just as she would have if it had been Andy in truth.

Smiling to herself as she watched the commotion Andy steeled herself before climbing the rest of the way to the street and then with one last look she walked away to find a hackney cab that would take her where she needed to be.

Finding a hackney in the next street she approached and got in, telling the jarvey to take her to The Kings Arm.

As the hackney pulled into the inn Andy was thankful, she didn't know how much more of the smell she could have endured. The hackney smelt strongly of onions and sweat.

It was at this inn that the real flight began for her, this was where she was to buy the first of her tickets. She was to take the stage coach south.

Exiting the hackney and pulling her carpetbag with her Andy took a deep breath of air and choked on it, dropping her bag as she doubled over coughing. The air outside was almost as vile as the air within the hackney! She coughed again and then took another breath, a shallower one this time and tried to breathe normally again. She would be glad when she could breathe good clean country air again.

Grabbing up her bag and wrapping her cloak around her more firmly Andy paid the jarvey and then made her way into the inn.

Making her way up to the bar she made enquiries about the stage coach and when it was due for departure. Lord Foyley had outlined what she had to do here.

The innkeeper's wife, a big rounded woman with a harried expression on her face, looked Andy up and down with her hazel eyes. "What's it you'd be wantin' then?" She asked.