Back in Service by Rosanna Challis

oil. Soon the room smelt pungently of rosemary, elderflower and camomile.
    ‘Clean the old jar thoroughly,’ Hetty instructed. ‘You will need to use soda and pumice to get rid of the grease.’
    Then suddenly the door of the stillroom flew open and Nanny Baines filled the threshold with her impressive bulk. ‘I thought I would find you here,’ she said almost accusingly. ‘Is that Hungary water ready yet?’
    Before Hetty could intervene Jane reached for the bottle. ‘Yes, Nanny Baines.’
    ‘Then come with me,’ the nurse ordered brusquely. ‘Sir Victor wishes to have it applied to his limbs.’
    ‘You mean… you mean he wants me to apply it?’
    ‘He asked expressly for you. Your hands are more gentle and softer than mine. Come, girl, what are you waiting for? The poor man longs for some relief.’
    Hetty felt a sense of foreboding as she watched the ill-matched pair disappear down the corridor, Jane clutching the bottle to her breast and half running to keep up with the taller woman’s long strides. She tidied up the stillroom and went up to her room feeling strangely listless. After drawing the curtains, she lay down on the bed to rest, but shortly thereafter was roused from her nap by her husband.
    ‘Hetty, dear,’ he murmured, sitting on the edge of the bed and caressing her cheek. ‘Asleep in the afternoon? Do you have a headache?’
    ‘No.’ She smiled up at him. ‘I suppose, truth to tell, I was feeling rather bored.’
    ‘Well I could do with a rest myself,’ he declared, taking off his boots and stretching out beside her. ‘I have been struggling in that lower field all afternoon, but have made little progress. The summerhouse is coming along well, though. All the rubbish has been cleared out and the roof mended. It will dry out when we get some fine weather and—’
    She planted her lips on his to silence him and gave him a lingering kiss. ‘I do not want to hear another word about the affairs of the estate,’ she told him. ‘It is all you ever talk about these days. I would rather know more about what is going on inside this house than outside of it. Nanny Baines, for example.’
    ‘What about her?’
    ‘You said it would be a good idea to get her on our side, yet she seems distant and formal whenever I meet her. How has she been with you?’
    ‘Much the same,’ he admitted. ‘You would never think she spanked my bottom when I was a child, or fed me with a spoon or tucked me up at night. I have watched her with father and she treats him like a big baby, too, yet he seems to relish it.’
    ‘Right now she is making poor Jane rub Hungary water into his limbs, and heaven knows what else. I am anxious about the girl, Leo. You know how lecherous your father can be and she is such a pretty thing.’
    ‘Is she? I had not noticed.’
    ‘That is not like you, my love. When we were in Paris you could not keep your eyes off the French girls. I used to be quite jealous.’
    He sighed, and held her closer. ‘Things were so different then, Hetty.’ He planted a kiss on her forehead. ‘Although we were dirt poor towards the end, we had more time for each other. I did not realise how much time we would be spending apart here.’
    ‘Nor did I. Oh Leo,’ she sighed, ‘I miss our intimacy so much…’
    ‘I have been wondering… about our old friend George. What if he paid us a visit soon?’
    She giggled. ‘He cannot, Leo, poor George has no clothes to wear. Would you have him turn up naked?’
    ‘By no means, he shall have some fine new clothes. I have been thinking, now we have some more money we could go into town together and you could try on some clothes for him.’
    ‘ What , in public? Have you taken leave of your senses, Leo?’
    ‘No, you could borrow some things of mine just to fool the shop assistants. What do you say, my love, are you game?’
    It sounded like a most wonderful adventure, and just the thing to allay her boredom at Longton. She nodded enthusiastically, but