Miss! You said to wake you at four.” The soft, slow voice had vowels as broad as Yorkshire’s yet quite different. Nerissa drifted gently out of sleep. Who...?Where...? This wasn’t her narrow bed in the tiny back chamber in York. She sat up, bewildered, and rubbed her eyes. “I brung you tea, miss, and a good bit o’ lardy-cake, still warm fro’ the oven it is, seeing as you missed your luncheon.” “Thank you.” She blinked at the chubby maid in her grey dress and white apron and cap. “You’re Maud.” “That’s right, miss. Mrs Hibbert said I’m to wait on you, long as I give satisfaction, miss.” Maud gave her an anxious look as she set her tray on the bedside table and poured tea. “Mrs...? Oh yes, the housekeeper. I’m at Addlescombe!” The morning’s events flooded back into her mind. “Please, miss.” The maid’s fingers twisted a corner of her apron. “If I does summat wrong, will you tell me how to do it right? I’d like fine to be your abigail.” “Heavens, Maud, I’ve never had an abigail in my life.
