A Change of Fortune by Beryl Matthews

Stannard family are enjoying themselves we’re going to have a knees-up of our own.’ Then he was off as Mrs Douglas appeared at the top of the stairs.
    ‘Jenny, collect the tea tray from the library. The family have just retired to the drawing room.’
    ‘Yes, Mrs Douglas.’ She waited for the housekeeper to come down and then sped up to carry out her task.
    Finding the library empty, she stood in the middle of the room and gazed at the shelves of books, breathing in the lovely smell of leather. This was something she missed so much. She walked over to a small table, picked up a leather bound book and ran her fingers over it, her eyes dreamy. She’d always loved reading, but now there wasn’t time for such things. When she reached her bed at night she was too tired to do anything but sleep. Again her thoughts turned to her friends at school, remembering how they had read at night using their torches. They’d had such fun.
    She was angry with herself. It was pointless to yearn for those days. They were gone for ever. And she shouldn’t be moping for the past; she should be proud of herself. She’d had the courage to make a new life, and she had done pretty well. It had all come as a terrible shock at first, but she had adjusted and fitted inwith the other servants, working hard. Mrs Douglas never had cause to complain. After finding out about her father, Jenny had felt unloved and unwanted; now she was a part of this household, accepted by them all.
    She was about to put the book down when a voice said, ‘Do you like reading?’
    She jumped violently, not realizing that anyone had come into the room. The thick carpet must have muffled his footsteps.
    One of the Stannard sons took the book from her hands and put it on the shelf. ‘I didn’t mean to startle you. You were looking at that book with such longing. Why don’t you borrow it?’
    ‘I couldn’t do that, sir.’ She edged away from him.
    ‘Of course you could. No one would mind.’
    ‘No, sir.’ She reached to pick up the tray, but he blocked her path.
    ‘What’s your name?’
    ‘Jenny Baker, sir. I must get on with my work.’
    He laughed. ‘I’m sure you can spare ten minutes to talk to me.’
    Trying to remain calm, she edged past him, but he moved in front of her again.
    ‘Please, sir, I’ll lose my job if I don’t go back downstairs at once.’
    ‘Luke! Let her go.’
    He stepped aside, hands in the air and a wide grin on his face. ‘Ah, the voice of reason. I’m only talking to her, Matt.’
    ‘Don’t you realize that with over twenty guestsarriving tonight, the staff are rushed trying to get everything ready in time?’
    Still smiling and in obvious good humour, Luke said to her, ‘Sorry, it was thoughtless of me.’
    She grabbed the tray and fled, giving the other brother a grateful glance as she rushed past him.
    ‘What took you so long?’ the housekeeper scolded.
    ‘Sorry, Mrs Douglas, I was detained.’
    ‘By whom?’
    ‘Mr Luke.’
    ‘You want to watch that boy,’ Mr Green, the butler, said. ‘Full of devilment and too fond of the young ladies.’
    ‘Did he take liberties?’ Mrs Douglas didn’t look at all pleased.
    Jenny shook her head. ‘He said he only wanted to talk …’
    The cook snorted in disbelief.
    ‘His brother came in and made him let me leave. The tallest one of the three.’
    ‘That was Matthew.’ Edna breezed in. ‘I’ve just passed the library and he’s really having a go at his brother now.’
    ‘Don’t be so familiar,’ the housekeeper scolded. ‘It’s Mr Matthew to you.’
    ‘Sorry, Mrs Douglas, I meant Mr Matthew. Just a slip of the tongue.’ Edna gave Jenny a sly wink.
    The housekeeper accepted the apology, but didn’t look as if she believed it was sincere. She glanced at the watch pinned to her dress. ‘Jenny, you are to come to me at once if you have any trouble with the younggentlemen. Now everyone back to work. All must be perfect for this evening.’
    The dinner party was