A Mistress for Stansted Hall Read Free

he'd been living on bread and cheese for months. The only reason he went into the village was to get himself a hot meal.
    As he sipped his brandy his stomach rumbled loudly in anticipation of the food to come. He had quite forgot the parlous state of the kitchen and the emptiness of his pantry.
     
     

 
     
     
     
    Chapter Two
     
     
    Emma surveyed the ruins of the kitchen. This chamber was far worse than the rest of the house, she almost felt sorry for the obnoxious man who lived here. Goodness knows what he'd been given to eat – her stomach roiled at the thought.
    Tying her apron more firmly about her waist, rolling up her sleeves of her serviceable gown, she turned to her two children who were not convinced that helping to clean the kitchen was really a game they wished to take part in.
    ‘Now, my dears, this is to be a race. The winner will be the one who can clear their section of the table the quickest.’ She drew a line in the dirt at one end. ‘Jack, this is your section. Mary, you do up to this line, and I'll do the rest.’ She'd divided the table so that she had more than half to clear, it was her hope that they would finish simultaneously. ‘Ready, go.’
    Not waiting to see if her children joined in she raced to her end of the table and snatched up three filthy plates. Pivoting on one heel she pounded into the scullery to drop them into the hot soapy water she had prepared earlier. Skidding back through the door she passed her children standing open mouthed watching their mother run mad.
    ‘I shall beat both of you if you don't get started immediately,’ she cried as she dashed past.
    Jack suddenly decided to join in and grabbed a plate from his end of the table, he was closer to the scullery and had already deposited his load by the time his sister arrived with hers. Mary, determined not to be outdone, threw her plate from a yard away. The cascade of water soaked all of them. Shrieking with laughter they continued to tear backwards and forwards hurling cutlery and utensils with little regard for their fragility.
    It was Jack who noticed they had company. ‘I say, sir, have you come to play with us? It's a capital game, and I'm winning.’
    Emma, scarlet cheeked, paused her arms full of the last few items from her end. ‘I do beg your pardon, Mr Bucknall, I'm a great believer in making unpleasant tasks into fun.’ His expression was disapproving, but she was almost sure she saw his lips twitch slightly before he shook his head and retreated, leaving them to their madness.
    All three of them flung their final item into the water at the same time. ‘I win,’ Jack and Mary screamed dancing around in excitement.
    ‘I believe it was a tie, we are all winners. Now, who wants to wash up and who to dry?’
    Leaving her offspring to wallow happily in warm, soapy water she returned to the kitchen with a pail and scrubbing brush. They should be occupied long enough for her to scrub the table. The floor had already been swept, scrubbing that would have to wait until tomorrow. She stopped dead, the water slopped on to her already soaking feet.
    Good heavens! They were supposed to be leaving tomorrow, but somehow in the pandemonium she had decided to stay. In this house she would be needed, her children could play without fear of disturbing anyone, and she would never find employment that paid as well anywhere else. If it weren't for her employer being such an unpleasant man she would feel she had landed on her feet.
    By teatime the kitchen was greatly improved, not as clean as it would be in the future, but quite good enough to start preparing the evening meal. The larder was empty, but she had seen a house cow and barnyard foul on the way in and there must be a kitchen garden as well.
    ‘Come along, children, we are going on a hunting expedition. You two will need a large basket and a basin. I shall need a basin and two jugs. We are going on a dangerous adventure and will need to be prepared. Which of you