Unobtainium 1: Kate on a Hot Tin Roof by Niall Teasdale

any sun to shine upon it.
    ‘It should be a fine place for you to practise your taiji chuan, Kate,’ Antonia said as they looked out through the French window of the small drawing room. There was a knock on the door and a petite girl no older than Kate appeared to be entered with a tray. ‘Ah, Kate, this is Little who pretends to be a maid while secretly wishing to sing upon the stage.’
    Little gave her mistress a grin. She lived up to her name, being not much above five feet, and slim with it, and she was a pretty girl with black hair, pulled into a bun, and blue eyes. Either she had amazing corsetry or a substantial bust for a girl of her size, and a slim waist. She was dressed in black with a white apron, and looked good in it. ‘Ma’am knows as well as I do that the stage is for the pretentious and wicked.’
    ‘Oh? A new aim then? Espionage perhaps? A dusky femme fatale sent to steal the secrets of foreign lords.’
    ‘I’ll leave the intrigues to you, ma’am, if it’s all the same.’ She put down the tray and poured two cups of tea. ‘I can’t be addressing this young lady as Kate, ma’am.’ She had a southern London accent, softened by some education.
    ‘Yes,’ Kate said, ‘you can. Miss Kate if you must, for I have no doubt that you are more highly born than I even if I may claim Doctor Barstow-Hall as my guardian.’
    Little looked up at Kate with a smile and was about to say something when her eyes widened. ‘Oh! Begging your pardon, ma’am. I mean, Miss Kate. Your eyes caught me by surprise. I hazard I’ve never seen eyes like them.’
    ‘Except on a cat,’ Kate said, smiling. ‘No offence is taken, Little. I am, unfortunately, used to such reaction.’ She was not used to Little’s next action, however, and her cheeks coloured a little as the maid looked more closely. Antonia did nothing to stop the familiarity, which also surprised Kate a little.
    ‘I like them,’ Little said after a few seconds. ‘The way they almost glow… Golden, they are.’
    Antonia smiled. ‘Well and good. Should anyone ask for Kate, Little, she is “Miss Felix” to those outside this house, aside from her guardian.’ She gave a glance to Kate. ‘It is most often Little who answers the door since she enjoys a room downstairs. As for other duties, Miss Kate may require assistance with her corset, but I believe that should be about all.’
    ‘I wish to be of no inconvenience at all,’ Kate agreed.
    ‘It’s no bother to me,’ Little replied giving a little curtsey before heading to the door. ‘Mrs Wooster takes so little effort it’s a wonder she needs a maid at all.’
    ‘Would you ask Mister and Mrs Bridger to attend us, Little. I’d like to introduce them properly.’
    ‘Yes, ma’am.’ And then the door closed behind her booted feet.
    ‘She’s a dear, and you’re wrong about your status. Margery attempted to pick my pocket once in Soho, and David and I decided to give her proper employment rather than casting her into the justice system. She is an orphan and not at all of good family. Had we left her there she would have ended up selling her body I have no doubt. She constantly dreams up some new way to make her fortune, but I do not think she would willingly leave for love nor wealth beyond measure.’
    ‘She seems nice.’
    ‘She is.’ The door opened and a middle-aged man and woman entered, him a little on the plump side, her round in the face and smiling. Kate had met the man, briefly, when he had opened the door for them and then gone off upstairs with their bags. ‘And these are the other two members of the household I need to introduce. Kate, this is Mister and Mrs Bridger. Mrs Bridger sees to it that we eat far too well and looks after us in general, and Mister Bridger does… did for David and now handles such activities as are more suited to the man of the house.’
    Kate got a bow and a curtsey from the couple, and prepared herself to counter the deference, but Mister Bridger