Chapter 1

As the carriage pulled down the gravelled lane towards my new home, my new life, I wondered if this life will be better than the stuffy Manchester life that I had grown up with, or if it will be my release.

The carriage pulled around a corner, and the house that had previously concealed by the lush green trees, came into view. I marvelled at its grandeur, its huge looming shape was' broken up with large glass windows that glinted in the early May sunshine, a large door at the entrance was made out of some kind of dark wood.

We pulled to a halt just in front of the large doors and I was assisted out of the carriage by the driver, I grabbed my battered old cases, both filled with all the possessions I had ever owned. Smiling as the sun beat down on my back as I strode round to go round the back; as a servant I had been instructed never to use the front door unless instructed otherwise.

I found my way round the back, turning my head to look at the vast green estate and the small lake, glistening in the sun, for me this life was already looking better, for the first time I could breathe clean air that didn't carry smoke or dust, for the first time I could see for miles into the distance without seeing a single factory. This was where I was meant to be.

Lost in my thought I very nearly tripped over a tortoise shell cat that sat bathing in the sun on the path round one of the corners, it hissed savagely at me before scurrying of to rest elsewhere.

Eventually I found the back door and knocked, I waited about ten seconds before it was answered by a young man, presumably a footman, with medium blond hair and a kind eye, he had a pale complexion which led me to believe he didn't get out of the house much.

"Hello miss, can I help you?" he asked, eyeing the cases by my feet suspiciously.

"I'm Jenna, I have just been employed here as a new maid..." the blank look on his face made me trail of, hoping that this wasn't some kind of joke, then to my relief, he smiled and nodded,

"Oh yes, of course, forgive me," he smiled and held out his hand, which I shook, before he picked up my cases "I'm William by the way second footman, follow me."

I spared the large green expanse one more look, and taking a large gulp of fresh air before following William into the stuffy corridors of Downton Abbey. My new home.