Her chamber was on the second floor, conveniently located next to the back stair leading down to the dowager’s apartments on the floor below. More satisfactory, she had only to exit by the other door and traverse a corridor or two to arrive, through an unused playroom, at the quarters allocated to Belinda. ‘It is not one of the larger rooms,’ had said the housekeeper, ‘but I hope it may be adequate.’ ‘More than adequate,’ Flo had replied. ‘Indeed it is a question whether I can make sufficient use of it.’ The single trunk into which the bulk of her own and Belinda’s belongings were stuffed had been sent on ahead by carrier, and been discovered reposing against the panelled interior wall next to a small fireplace with a narrow mantel. The furniture matched little, but was more than Flo could use. The four-poster dominated one side. At the other was a press, which the clothing she possessed by no means filled. Under the window, a walnut lowboy served for a dressing table and washstand, set with a flower patterned basin and ewer.
