Facing Change – Part III – Chapters 9 through 12
Chapter Nine – Making it Fun
Rose walked to the Abbey on Tuesday morning with a stack of books for George's lessons, after she had seen everyone off on the school bus and dropped her two younger sons off with Liz. Today was washday for the linens and she had supervised while all of the children took the sheets and pillowslips off their beds before they left for school and neatly stacked them in the laundry room for Mrs. Blackwell. The towels had been changed and collected and piled for washing. This evening when they got back everyone would make their beds once the sheets were dry and pressed. Everyone helped each other and the job was soon done. Being a mother of six with a husband who was out the door at the crack of dawn in the spring and summer and only limited help took planning on Rose's part. She'd shaken her head more than once on Sunday with Mary's awkward attempts to deal with her younger children. Mary had been about to send her children off for dinner with one of the maids when Cora had told her the children would be eating with the adults as there were no guests outside of family attending. The family had gotten used to the practice with Tom and Rose's children and it made things much simpler when there were no guests.
The reality was there was no nanny anymore and the two maids and footman who were left at the Abbey did more housecleaning and heavy laundry than anything else these days. The butler served the meals, organized the cleaning and did a host of jobs around the house that had previously been left to the junior members of staff. The maids didn't have time to see to every whim with such a large house to clean. The adults living at the Abbey were doing their own hand wash, making their own beds and doing a host of other small jobs they wouldn't have dreamed of a year ago. The other day Cora and Rosamund had quite proudly told Rose they had managed to get tea for themselves after they had returned from a hospital board meeting and Rose knew Isobel Crawley and Edith had attempted a simple recipe one day last week when Mrs. Patmore was off. They didn't see to themselves totally but coming up with little ways to make their lives easier such as fixing each other's hair before they went out or had guests had become a game of strategies.
Isobel Crawley and George met Rose by the door when she arrived. Rose spotted a maid with a bucket and rag wiping up a puddle that looked very much like piddle in the grand hall. A very annoyed Thomas Barrow came out of the library and said something to the maid before he came forward to see to Rose's coat.
"Thank you Mr. Barrow. You needn't trouble yourself. I've already hung my coat up," Rose said.
"Thank you, milady," Thomas said with a slight bow before he headed off to another part of the house with the maid following behind him.
"Edith will be down in a minute. She's just gone with Cora to get Edward cleaned up," Isobel said.
"There's a desk in the morning room, that's nice and bright at this time of year. Why don't we work there until your mother and Aunt can join us?" Rose said to George.
He nodded and led the way to the morning room.
Rose went through the readers and compared where George should be to what he could remember doing. She made out a weekly reading list for the next eight weeks and went over the corresponding writing assignments George should be working on each week with Isobel. He had been reading about legends of ancient Greece before he left school, so she set up a report for him to complete over the next few weeks as well. They were part way through setting up George's school calendar when Edith came to join them. After another half hour they had something Edith and Isobel could follow with music and riding lessons penciled in and two mornings a week with Rose.
"I had French lessons at school but I didn't like them too well," George said with a shrug. "I'm going to miss the cricket with the lads at school." He sighed.
"There is a boys cricket team in the village. You must speak to Grandpapa to see if you may join," Rose told him. George's roundish face that was reminiscent of Matthew's perked up considerably with a grin. He had combed his dark hair that morning but it kept springing up in a cowlick. "That's enough with me for today. You have your assignments for today and tomorrow. Grandmamma Isobel will check them over when you are done. I'll see you Thursday morning, eight a.m. sharp at Clairehome House."
"Will the car take me?" George asked.
"No, Myself or Grandmama will drive you if it is raining but otherwise you'll walk or ride over on a pony," Edith said. "We have a bicycle but I think it is a bit big yet."
"Mama said if I went anywhere here the car would take me," George said.
"Grandpapa is the current Earl and he walks quite regularly," Edith informed him. She set her jaw at the conversation she was going to have with her sister.
"All right," George said with a shrug. He opened the book that Rose has assigned and started reading while the women headed through to the drawing room.
"A few issues with what is?" Rose said to the other two quietly. Cora and Mary weren't down yet.
"George has been at boarding school, so he knows to make his bed and dress himself," Edith said in a low voice. "Mary's only just lost her nanny a few weeks ago and the housekeeper saw to the younger ones until Friday when she left."
"I thought as much on Sunday," Rose said quietly.
"I spent a great deal more time with my son, as you do Rose," Isobel said. "I have a much better idea of what to expect with small children than I'm afraid some of the others do."
"Mary is going to have to learn like everyone else," Rose commented. "Small children take a great deal of attention as you know. It's a bit easier when they're older. I should get going back to the village. I promised I would have Bradley and Garret picked up by noon and it is already after eleven. I have dance classes to teach this afternoon as well."
"I don't know how you do it," Edith said with a slight shake of her head.
"It's simple Cousin Edith. I'm organized, everyone has chores they are expected to do and we make a game out of things. It's not so hard when you make work fun."
Edith thought about what Rose had said. She didn't have any children herself. It didn't seem to be in the cards for her and Michael, but the way it looked she was going to be doing a great deal of parenting with Mary's children. Make it fun, Rose had said. She would do that. There had to be a way to make going piddle on the pot fun. She didn't fancy cleaning up the next puddle when there wasn't a maid about to do it.
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"Mary, things have changed," Cora said to her daughter. Once Rose had left Rosamund and Edith had gone upstairs to find them. Isobel's arthritis bothered her too much to make numerous trips upstairs in a day. She had gone to see how George was getting on with the lessons Rose had set out. "We all do chores we never would have before or at least attempt them and you have to see to the children yourself. There isn't anyone to do it and I'm afraid the remaining staff will leave if you try and push too much on them."
"Mama, I am trying really," Mary said dabbing her eyes with her hanky. "I've cut the children's clothing expenses down to next to nothing. I haven't bought any new clothes all winter."
"I know you're trying," Cora said comfortingly. "We've all struggled with this. You have to be willing to try doing things and find out what you can do."
"What would Granny have said?" Mary questioned attempting to dry her tears.
"She would have said batten down the hatches and full steam ahead," Rosamund said. "Mama was a realist if nothing else."
"How am I going to learn everything everyone expects of me?" Mary said.
"Bit by bit, the same as the rest of us, Mary," Edith said. "Where are Elizabeth and Edward?"
"Papa took them for a walk," Mary said.
"I'll go and join them," Edith said. "I'll see to the children through lunch. Isobel is keeping an eye on George's lessons."
"Mary you have to try and do for yourself," Cora tried again. "We all make our own beds and hang our towels."
"Edith and I dusted our own rooms the other day. Then we dusted the drawing room and the library," Rosamund added cheerfully. "Afterwards I sat down and had a jolly good read as a reward."
"Aunt Rosamund, someone of your rank shouldn't be dusting," Mary said horrified.
"Truthfully, Mary, I shouldn't be ironing," Rosamund said. "I almost burned the house down when I tried. I do the washing, unpinning and the folding. Your mother does the rinsing, hanging and ironing."
"You do what?" Mary asked in shock.
"Mary dear, you have to learn to wash your delicates. The electric agitator ruins them. Whatever your ladies maid did, you have to learn to do for yourself. Who has been doing your things all this time since you lost your maid?" Cora asked.
"The housekeeper," Mary replied bashfully.
"Is it a wonder she didn't bolt sooner," Cora said firmly. "Now pull yourself together. We'll start with something simple like making your bed and tidying your room and bath. You'll see. You'll have it figured out in no time."
"You'd best put the children on a bathroom timetable to avoid anymore puddles," Rosamund added before she left the room. "We can't have that. We're having guests on Friday."
"One thing at a time, Rosamund," Cora said. "Come along Mary it's time to start learning to do for yourself."
-0-
Friday evening Tom and Rose arrived at the Abbey for the dinner party Cora and Robert were having. Spring lettuce and a few early greens were up in the green house and Tom found himself actually looking forward to the meal and what Mrs. Patmore might have done with fresh greens. It had been a busy week. They had made sure the children had their dinners and baths before they left them in the care of Mrs. Blackwell. It wasn't an unusual routine for them and with Kieran and Liz in the same village, Mrs. Blackwell could always ring them if there was any fussing or issues if she couldn't get ahold of Tom and Rose.
Rose had been busy as well that week with the children. Her children's dance classes were still popular as she had cut the fees down and the parish hall had reduced the usage fee drastically as the church was trying to keep families looking towards better times instead of at the hard times they had all endured that winter and probably would again next.
Cora, Edith and Rosamund hadn't been over to see Rose. George had walked over from the Abbey on Thursday. Rose hadn't wanted to ask him how his Mama was getting on. She had gone over the work he had did, indicated the corrections and given him pointers on the report he was working on, then given him a math lesson. He had stayed for luncheon and walked back when his Grandfather had stopped by to collect him.
"I wonder how they're all getting on," Rose said to Tom on their way to the Abbey. "It's been quiet this week."
"Learning how to see to young children themselves I should suspect," Tom replied dryly.
Edith wandered over to them during pre-dinner drinks.
"We took your advice, Rose. We're making things fun. It seems to be working," Edith said.
"So you're helping out with the care for little ones?" Tom asked raising his eyebrows.
"A bit, at least until Mary gets the hang of things," Edith replied. "Mary is good with stories and organizing play time but not the baths and all the rest of it."
"At least you don't have nappies to deal with," Rose said. "They're just too dreadful. I did learn to change a soiled one eventually but it took a near catastrophe to get me to do it. I only ever did with the last two if I absolutely had to."
"Where are the children now?" Tom asked.
"Fed, bathed and into bed," Edith said. "George is still up reading. He can put himself to bed I think. One of the maids will look in on them later."
"Not too hard once you make it fun," Rose said giving Edith's hand a squeeze.
Tom noticed some odd looks on people's faces throughout the evening when they returned to the party when they must have gone to the powder room. He didn't notice anything amiss with the food, service or any of the rooms until he went to the powder room himself. He flipped up the lid on the commode to jump back and almost wet himself when he spotted a picture of a rabbit with a smiling face from an old children's book stuck to the underside of the lid with cellulose tape. When he went to the sink to wash his hands there was another stuck to the wall under the towel and a face had been carved into the bar of soap. He did a double take when he noticed a large smiling rabbit face had been embroidered onto the towel as well.
"What advice did you give Edith about handling children?" Tom whispered to Rose.
"I told her things go better when they're fun," Rose whispered back.
"You've got to see the powder room," he said with a grin. "Somehow I can't imagine Lord Grantham in there."
"Whatever it is, I'm sure it is preferable to piddle on the floor," Rose said.
She and Tom quietly exited the drawing room. He waited for her in the hall while she went into the powder room and came out. Rose put her face against him while she laughed.
"I could just imagine my mother in there," she said into his chest while her shoulders shook with mirth. She had to use Tom's pocket hanky to wipe the tears of laughter from her eyes.
"At least the little ones are getting some attention," Tom said finally once they had stopped laughing.
"I suppose Cousin Edith wants them to hop to it," Rose said starting to giggle all over again.
They headed back to the drawing room. Thomas Barrow was just pushing the gramophone in from the grand hall and everyone was pairing up to dance. As Tom danced with his wife, the voices in the room faded away as did all the troubles of the estate. Their children were home safe in their beds, there was food on the table and Mary's children were receiving attention, if it was a little offbeat. Tomorrow would bring what it would bring, but for tonight he was content.
Chapter Ten – Appreciation
Saturday morning Tom and Rose had a family announcement with the children and told them they would not be attending their school the following year. Redmond had already known he was moving up to a public grammar school and wouldn't be affected. Bradley was still too young for school but the younger two would most likely join in for a few of the simpler activities. Davin and Sybil had looked at each other with a slightly wrinkled nose.
"Can we still paint pictures if you're our teacher Mummy?" Dylan asked. The only thing he really liked about school was drawing pictures and painting.
"Yes, you'll still have art time," Rose replied.
"OK," Dylan said. He was easy to please and nothing ever really bothered him.
"What's bothering the two of you?" Tom asked directing his question to Davin and Sybil.
"I like to be with my friends," Davin replied sulkily.
"I do as well," Sybil added with a similar expression.
"Most of your friends aren't attending your school next year," Rose said calmly. "The fees are just too high."
"But we'll never see anyone," Sybil groused.
"You'll see George everyday when he joins you for lessons," Rose replied. "You'll all have birthday parties and visit back and forth and you see your dance friends."
"It's not the same," Sybil said slumping down.
"I like school where I am," Davin added with his head down.
"We can't afford it and that's the end of it," Tom said. "You'll still have riding lessons, music and dance which is a lot more than other children have."
"No one else in my class has a list of chores to do on weekend," Davin moped.
"No one in my class does either," Sybil added.
"You two need to appreciate what you have," Tom said. He was starting to get annoyed.
"Not another lecture on how you had to go to work when you were fifteen Daddy," Sybil said rolling her eyes.
"That's it," Tom said banging his hand on the table. "You two get your coats on. You need a lesson or two in appreciation. Change that. Get your riding clothes on. We'll do this by horseback."
"Tom where are you taking them?" Rose asked him in alarm once the children had dispersed.
"I think they should see how some people are living," he said quietly. "There are one or two tenants in cottages that haven't been paid by their employers in months. They can't pay their rent and they aren't doing so well. I was going to take them each a hamper and offer the men jobs on the estate in exchange for rent and a weekly hamper for the summer. I can't offer them much of a wage but at least they'll be able to feed their families. It won't hurt those two to learn a little charity."
"They're not drinkers are they," Rose asked. She had been out with Tom often enough when he was going to see tenants that she knew how dangerous it could be when drinking was involved.
"No, just people who are down on their luck," Tom said. "They'll be fine."
"Right," Tom said when he met Sybil and Davin back in the hallway ten minutes later. He was wearing his riding clothes as well. "We'll saddle my mare, then walk over to the Abbey and get another two mounts. You two are going to see how other people live. Davin you don't remember when you lived in Ireland, but you would be hurting now if you hadn't come here to live with us, and Sybil," Tom shook his head. "You're just lucky I have this job and you've never done without. You need to learn to appreciate what you have. You'll both do your chores when we get back."
Both children were looking down and shuffling their feet. It wasn't long and they were headed down the lane towards the Abbey with Tom leading his mount. He had been out and fed and watered the animal first thing that morning. It didn't take long and they had another two horses saddled. Tom collected some cloth grain sacks and tied them behind his saddle. He rode with the two children to one of the storage areas where there some vegetables left the house and they were using until the fresh vegetables were ready. It was still too early in the year for new potatoes or carrots. He had the children fill three sacks half with potatoes and the other half with carrots. He then went to the game house at the Abbey and selected three pheasants he put into the sacks as well. Another stop added a large packet of mutton to each of the meat sacks.
"Now we go pay a few calls," Tom told them. There were two heavy sacks tied behind each saddle. The first stop took well over half an hour to arrive at. Sybil and Davin were used to dashing around having fun while they rode. They weren't used to heading somewhere at the fairly fast pace Tom was setting to prevent the meat from spoiling. They came to a cottage where their father told them they could get down.
Sybil and Davin could only stare at the boy and girl of about their same age that were clinging to their mother while Daddy offered the man a position working on the estate. The children were thin and were wearing clothes that were so worn in places they could almost be seen through. The amount the father would receive for working each month sounded awfully low. Davin had been bothering his father for a toy airplane since last year that cost more than the man would make in the entire summer. There weren't any toys or things about the cottage that he could see.
"Daddy, they'll be all right won't they?" Davin asked once they were all mounted and headed to the next stop.
"Yes, it's a hard time of year for most. The fresh vegetables aren't ready yet. Now that he has a job on the estate and they'll have food on the table, they'll survive. I'll try to keep most of the people on through next winter if I can."
"But he won't get hardly any money," Davin said.
"The estate can't pay what it doesn't have," Tom replied. "We have food that we grow, for now it's the best we can do."
Sybil wasn't saying much as they headed to the next stop. Her eyes opened wide when two of the children at the house were wearing her old dresses that her mother had put out to the jumble sale rather than pass them to Ella because they had stains on them. The four children at the house were out in the yard. They weren't wearing any shoes and the ground was cold and muddy. Again her father handed over two sacks of food and arranged for the father of the family to work for what sounded like nothing.
"Aren't your feet cold?" Sybil asked one of the girls who had come over to pet Sybil's horse. She was a year or two younger than Sybil.
"Aye," she replied. "What's your 'orses name?"
"Starlight," Sybil replied. "Because she has a star on her forehead. Where are your shoes?"
"Don't got none," the girl replied.
When they were leaving the girl ran to the stone fence in front of the cottage.
"Bye," she called and waved. Sybil looked back and waved.
"Daddy why don't those children have shoes?" Sybil asked.
"They're probably saving them so they last. Their parents most likely buy them shoes once a year so they'll have them for school and church. They might have grown out of them already. There could be other reasons," Tom said.
"Did you have shoes when you were little?" Sybil asked.
"I did most of the time until I grew taller than my brother, then only sometimes," Tom replied.
"Oh," Sybil said.
The third stop was no better than the first two. The children and parents were obviously malnourished but they were clean and tidy and the yard was kept. A garden had been planted but little was up yet. The children took Sybil and Davin to see their vegetable garden while their parents were talking.
"Those are the tatties," the boy pointed out. "These are going to be peas and that's carrots. Over there, them poles for beans. Do you have a garden?"
"We do at our house but it's not this big," Davin replied.
"Our Daddy brings food from the farm," Sybil said.
"Caw, you're lucky," the boy said. "We ran out of tatties before Easter."
Sybil and Davin both didn't know what to say.
"I'm sorry," Sybil said finally. "Our Daddy brought you some in a bag today. There's a pheasant and some mutton too."
"I love mutton but we hardly ever have it," the boy replied. "Let's see who can throw a rock the furthest."
The two boys amused themselves until Tom collected Davin and Sybil.
"I'll never complain about eating mutton again," Sybil said while they were on the way back to the stables.
"I don't think I'll ever ask for a toy again, either," Davin told her.
"Daddy, why can't you do more for those families," Sybil asked when they were walking back to their house from the stables.
"I do as much as I can, Sybil. On some estates people fear the Agent because he brings bad news. Your grandfather and I don't believe it should be like that. We do things on this estate differently," Tom said.
Neither of the children said anything else as they walked home. They went off to do their chores as soon as they got in the house.
"How did it go?" Rose asked.
"I think it was an eye opening experience for the pair of them," Tom said.
Later that evening Sybil had a stack of out grown shoes sitting at the bottom of the stairs.
"What are you doing with those," Rose asked her.
"I want to give them to the children we met today," Sybil said.
"We have to go through them. Some will go to your younger brothers and some of your things will go to Ella or Elizabeth," Rose told her.
"They have shoes. I met a girl today that didn't have any," Sybil said.
"We'll go through them and then you may pick a pair to give her," Rose said.
"She had a little sister and two younger brothers," Sybil said sadly. "They didn't have any either."
Rose nodded then sat with Sybil to sort out the shoes. When they were done there were five pairs that Rose thought could go. When Sybil told her father what she wanted to do with the shoes he shook his head.
"Their parents will see it as charity. They won't accept them," he said. "It's good of you to want to help others, but it will hurt their feelings."
"Please Daddy. I can't sleep if I think of them walking in mud without any shoes," Sybil pleaded.
"Alright," Tom said with a sigh. "You can put them in a box and leave them on their door stop tomorrow after church."
"Thank you, Daddy," Sybil said hugging her father.
The next morning Sybil had added a doll to the box of shoes and a picture book. Tom didn't think it could hurt as there were enough dolls in the day nursery for six girls with all the dolls, books and toys his children had received as gifts over the years.
"I think we'll leave church to next week," he said to Rose. They had cut down on going to church to once every five or six weeks since it was too far to the Catholic Church not to take the car. "I'll take Sybil on her mission instead. Hopefully, we'll arrive while they're at the church here in the village."
Tom put the items into his saddle bags once his horse was saddled then gave Sybil a hand up on to the horse behind him. Tom took a round about way so they wouldn't meet the family on their way into the village. Sybil put her stack of items neatly at the door then quickly ran back to her father to be pulled back up behind him. She looked back at the cottage as they rode away. She thought she saw a curtain flutter but it hadn't looked like anyone was home. She felt better. "It wasn't charity. It was a fairy leaving things at the door like the tooth fairy did when you lost a tooth." she thought. "Going to school at home next year wouldn't be so bad and she would be old enough for Grammar school in another few years. She really didn't like the lady who taught the next class up from hers that Davin had this year anyway. It wouldn't be so bad at all."
It was two weeks later that Sybil spotted the girl she had left the shoes and doll for in the village with her mother and sister. Both girls were still wearing the dresses that had been Sybil's. She recognized the shoes on their feet as the ones she had left and the younger girl was carrying the doll under her arm. Sybil had Garret, Bradley and Dylan with her and was just walking them back from the playground.
"You're Miss Sybil aren't you, Lady Sybil's daughter?" the mother asked her as she approached.
"That's right," Sybil said. "These are my brothers Dylan, Bradley and Garret. My mother was Lady Sybil, but she died."
"Bless you, dear. You're just like your departed mother," the woman said to her smiling at her.
"I don't know. I've only seen a picture," Sybil replied.
"There's a doll like that in our day nursery," Bradley said to the girl. "My sister has all kinds but she doesn't play with them much anymore. I like cars better."
"Me too," Garret added.
"The fairies brought it," the little girl said.
"We had best get home," Sybil said. "Mummy said not to be too long."
"Goodbye, Miss Sybil. Thank you," the woman said.
"Bye Miss Sybil," the one girl said. The other one made her doll's hand wave.
"Goodbye," Sybil replied.
"What was she thanking you for?" Dylan asked.
"No reason," Sybil replied while trying to hide a smile.
Chapter 11 – Aristocrats to the Bitter End
"You've done very well with your studies, Cousin George," Rose said to the little boy when he had finished everything she had assigned for the year. "You may have the rest of the summer off until we begin class in September."
"Will Davin and Sybil be off soon as well?" George inquired.
"Tomorrow will be their last day. Then you may all get together to play as much as you like."
"Hello Mama, Cousin Rose says I am done for the summer," George said to his mother as she entered the morning room.
"Then you may go outside and play," Mary told her son.
"How did he do really?" Mary asked once George had run off to investigate the gardens.
"Quite well really considering the disruption to his year," Rose replied. "Average level in spelling and math. Above average in reading and retention and slightly above average in history."
"Not up to Anthony's standards then," Mary replied with a slight sigh.
"Mary, average to above average is quite good considering George's world has been turned upside down over the school year," Rose said. "How are you doing?"
"Getting along slowly," Mary replied honestly. "There is just so much to learn with doing for myself and the children. No one here has really dealt with young children one on one before. We were raised with nannies and I've been doing things the same way."
"Children are amazingly resilient," Rose commented. "I've been retched on, wet on and to my horror pooped on over the years and I've survived and so have the children."
"You make it all sound terribly unromantic," Mary said.
"Motherhood has it's rewards as well as you know," Rose replied.
"Papa says we may loose the footman and another maid," Mary said. "I don't know what we're going to do."
"Solider on," Rose said. "We have eight people with only one housekeeper under one roof. You have seven and most of you are adults. You can manage, do a little more all the time and eventually you'll be able to do more and more of the things you took for granted."
"I'm feeling overwhelmed just making a few beds and keeping my room and the children's tidy," Mary said.
"You're having a bit of a crash course," Rose said sympathetically. "It's taken me years to get organized to the point I am now and learn to do as much as I have. I don't want to alarm you but you need to prepare yourself for someday being completely without servants as a possibility. I myself am trying to prepare myself and the children for that possibility although I hope it won't come to that. Tom and I had discussed at one time possibly going with no help and just having someone come in one or two days a week."
"None!" Mary squeaked in alarm.
"I know it's frightening. It is to me too. We've been trying to prepare the children and their father has always insisted they learn some practical skills. At first I thought it was a bit too much but now I'm glad the can change the sheets on their beds and set the table. Even the youngest two take laundry down to the laundry room and carry the sheets back up when they're dry and pressed. They help out a bit. The elder four all do a bit of cooking and the eldest three can cook almost as well as I do, although that isn't saying much."
"It certainly is more than I can do," Mary said. "I've always prided myself on being so practical, but now… I feel so lost."
"How are you making out with the children?"
"Edith is helping out a great deal," Mary said. "She's managed to get Edward to stop piddling everywhere."
"I saw the bunny powder room," Rose said. She couldn't help a small laugh.
"It is funny now, but we were so desperate at the time," Mary replied. "It is working. We had to do every powder room in the house. Meal times are difficult but we're all working a bit on the table manners."
"You know the level Redmond and Davin were at when they arrived. Now you would never know they haven't been sitting to a formal table for their entire lives."
"We do have some skills we can pass on," Mary said.
'The housekeeper asked if Davin and Redmond would beat the rugs for her the other day," Rose said with a smile. "They didn't want to do it until I sent them out with cricket bats and told them it would improve their swing."
"Did it work?" Mary asked incredulously.
"I don't know if it improved their swing or not but there wasn't a dot of dust left in either rug when they were done," Rose said with a chuckle.
"Do you happen to have a set of out grown cricket whites?" Mary asked. "George wants to play so badly this year. After loosing his school it's the least I could do for him."
"We most likely do," Rose replied. "I'll have Davin try his on from last year and let you know. We should have a day when we get together with Redmond, Davin, Sybil, George and Dylan and have them practice their conversation skills. I won't make them start conversations with walls and chairs like I was made to do."
"My training was rose bushes. Not quite as demeaning as walls but equally as awkward," Mary replied. "There is no reason for them not to receive the same type of training as we had even if our circumstances are diminished."
"My feelings exactly," Rose replied.
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Tom quickly found out that for all Mary was struggling with the changes in her life due to finances, she was general when it came to the formal education of her son and his own children. He had thought his children's table manners were good under Rose's tutelage but now with Mary thrown in the mix, Edith, Cora and Rosamund as well their manners, conversation skills, how to enter a room, sit, stand and even applaud at a cricket match was now being polished.
"Rose is all this necessary," Tom complained when Dylan had corrected his father on how he was holding his knife.
"We've undertaken formal training as a group project," Rose said. "You know I want the children to have every opportunity. They'll be able to mix with any dignitary when they're older without the least problem. Whatever they choose later in life they won't struggle."
"What's wrong with Sybil?" Kieran asked Tom half way through the summer. "I saw her earlier today. She sounded like she had a pole up her arse."
"Lady Mary has decided to take part in my children's formal education and Rose is right in the thick of things," Tom said with a disgusted sigh. "I came home the other day and there they were, Rose, Lady Rosamund and Mary in the drawing room with all of mine and two of Mary's. They had each one starting a conversation in turn, then ending it while politely telling someone off. The only reason little Edward was spared was because he can barely speak."
Kieran couldn't help but laugh.
"Are you going to put up with it?" he asked.
"You know for all it sounds ridiculous, to be able to handle a conversation at any level and think fast enough to do it is a good skill," Tom replied. "It's one I've wished for more than once since I became the estate agent. Don't get me wrong. I can tell someone off when need be, but they make an art of it."
"Don't let them get too far from our side," Kieran said.
"I won't there's still enough of me in there, they can't train it all out of them," Tom replied with a grin. "You look like you're a bit busier."
"A bit," Kieran replied. "People were holding off on maintenance over the winter trying to stretch things out. Now the weather is better and they're moving around more business is starting to pick up at least enough for a few hours a day. Johnny's picked up a couple contracts for scrapers and the like. We're both doing so, so. How's things with the farm?"
"Hard to tell," Tom replied. "We won't really know until harvest if things will pick up again or how we'll do. It will all depend on prices. I tell you though, that Michael Gregson is a Trojan. He's not adverse to knocking on doors and lighting a fire under people. He's got the idea a brewery might be just the thing the estate needs."
"A brewery? Here?" Kieran asked in puzzlement.
"It seems for all things are down the pubs are still doing a brisk trade. Gregson is of the opinion give the people what they want."
"Smart man," Kieran said.
"Keep it under your hat," Tom said. "We haven't broached the topic with Lord Grantham yet. He'll probably go through the roof. Michael wants to see if we can attract a pickle works to these parts as well."
"Odd combination," Kieran replied.
"Apparently the shops in London and the other cities are snapping up pickles and they're cheap to produce. I don't know all the details. I have sheep to see to, crops to tend and men to supervise, never mind my biggest problem tenant who runs the local garage," Tom said to get under his brother's skin.
"I could give you real problems if you like," Kieran replied good-naturedly.
"Thank you, but no," Tom said with a slight grin.
-0-
Summer was coming to a close and the children would all soon be back at school. Lord Grantham called a family meeting in late August. Anthony had been at the Abbey most weekends and had been quite a bit quieter this last while. Tom had actually been glad of his presence when George and three of Tom's sons had wanted to practice cricket. Tom had very little skill at the game. Often when Anthony was down he and Michael would wind up out on the grounds coaching the boys in the finer points of the game. Anthony had mentioned on one occasion it was more time than he had ever spent with his own father who had traveled abroad for most of Anthony's childhood only seeing his son a few times a year.
Tom and Rose's three eldest organized a game with the younger ones while the adults sat as a group on the lawn furniture under the shade of a large tree. Tom had a pretty good idea of what was coming but hadn't discussed it with anyone as it was Lord Grantham's decision that was setting the course of things at the house.
"I've asked everyone to come today so we can talk over our living arrangements for the winter and make some plans," Robert began. "Let me just say first the land is secure as is the house. No one will be without a home, but we need to make some changes."
There were quite a few worried looks.
"What kind of changes, Papa," Edith questioned.
"The biggest change is the staff here at the house will be cut to a butler and a cook only," Robert replied sadly. "We will have day staff come in two days a week for the laundry and heavier cleaning."
All of the women except Cora gasped who had known about the cuts for most of the week.
"Is the estate really doing that poorly?" Rosamund inquired.
"Not too poorly Rosamund. It's doing quite well for the economic times we live in," her brother replied. "Thanks to Michael's marketing efforts the estate farm is managing quite well."
"There will be a small amount of profit this year," Tom commented. "It will all need to be reinvested in the estate and the priority at the moment is to keep as many men working through the winter as we can."
"To that end," Robert added. "Live in staff has the added expense of room and board, including the cost of heating their quarters and a host of other things. It has always been my desire for the Abbey to be a major employer. The house can no longer afford live in staff, it is simply much better if employees supply their own lodging and come in only through the day and I have put Michael on the payroll as he is working diligently for the benefit of this family and estate."
"What does this mean for all of us?" Mary asked worriedly.
"It means we'll have to each assume duties around the house, Mary dear," Cora said. "We are going to have to create a schedule and stick to it for who is taking care of the children, who will prepare the meals on the cook's day off and a host of other jobs around the house that need to be done on a fairly regular basis. As well we will cut back on entertaining to one dinner or the occasional weekend party per month."
"Oh my," Mary said.
"We've had some other news," Cora said. "Mrs. Patmore has decided to take retirement and is going to her sister's. We'll have to hire a new cook. It will leave Mr. Barrow as the only live in staff member. We wanted you all to know about the changes and have a chance to make new plans if you need to."
"Mary and the children need to stay here," Anthony said. "The hotel isn't seeing the business I would like and we simply can't afford to take up rooms I've set aside for that purpose. George doesn't have a school at my estate nor can we afford a tutor or a proper boy's school at the moment. In a year or two once the hotel is doing better we may be able to move over, but for now. Mary and the children are better off here." He reached over and took Mary's hand. Mary looked grieved at airing their dirty laundry but it was family and the family deserved the truth.
"Edith and I are staying put," Michael said. "We'll make do, won't we dearest?"
"Of course we will," Edith said. "As long as we're together."
"Tom and I have been talking things over," Rose said. "We thought we might try it here at the Abbey for a while. The children are all getting bigger and the house is simply bursting at the seams. We've had more than one disagreement over who's room is who's this summer. Even with Tom's office moved up to one of former servant rooms the house is still rather tight."
"We'd be happy to have you Rose," Cora said. "Are you sure a house full of adults who really have no idea what they're doing won't be too much of a burden?"
"I don't think so Cousin Cora," Rose replied. "Well bring our housekeeper along with us at our own expense. I can teach the children here. It will mean less going back and forth. Tom is using the horse to get around more and more. It would cut down on his work load a bit to have access to the stables instead of taking care of the horse himself."
"If it doesn't work out we can always move to one of the larger homes on the estate," Tom said. "We both felt it would cut down on Rose's work load to be here. If she gets called in to the village school there are enough here who can see to the children's lessons for a day or two."
"We'll be glad to have you," Lord Grantham said. "There's nothing like a house full of children to give life to the place."
"You might change your tune when they all start practicing their instruments at once," Tom said. "You might send us packing."
"I hardly think it can be that bad," Lord Grantham replied.
-0-
"It's sad to see the place go and be let out to tenants," Rose said as they left Clairehome House for the last time. The furniture had all been moved to the attics at the Abbey including the electric washing machine that had now taken up residence in the laundry room at the Abbey to make laundry days easier with two machines instead of one.
"It was a good home," Tom replied, "but we've outgrown it."
"You were so unhappy at the Abbey before, I'm still not totally convinced this is a good idea," Rose said.
"Things have changed," Tom said. "The house has changed, the family and us. It's a different time. Kieran is in the village and I can visit whenever I like. The Abbey doesn't seem so bad now. Besides, we'll be able to save a bit staying there, maybe we can get away to the shore next summer for a few days or up to Scotland. You're always saying how much you'd like to visit."
"A visit would be nice," Rose said. "I'd like the children to see the place I was raised. I'd like them to pay a visit to Ireland as well."
"Maybe someday," Tom replied with a grin. "We'd better get a move on. Goodness knows what Edith and Mary are going to decided is fun for the children next."
"Tom, the cake decorated to look like a cricket pitch was adorable for George's birthday," Rose chided him.
"Until they cut the cake and lopped the head off of a player that looked amazingly like me," he replied with a chuckle.
"Just be thankful I didn't bake it," Rose said with a smile as they hurried up to get to their new home for the foreseeable future.
Chapter 12 – Maybe Not Such a Good Idea
"I think not," Rose said reaching over to remove a flute from Elizabeth's hands she was running through the drawing room.
"She just wants to play with it," Mary defended.
"It's not a toy," Rose said slightly annoyed. She went to the door and spotted Sybil, Davin and George up on the landing busily chatting away.
"Who's flute is this?" Rose called to them.
"Mine," Sybil said. She came down stairs to get it.
"Did you put this away in your room like I asked you to do last time?" Rose asked her.
"Yes, Mummy," Sybil said.
"You had best start locking your room and put the key up high," Rose said. "I'll come and pick a help you pick a spot for the key."
While Rose's own children weren't a paragon of virtue by any means Mary's little girl had a destructive streak that wasn't sitting too well with Rose or any of her children especially Sybil. Sybil had brought two of her favorite dolls with her to the house to keep in her room when the others were packed into storage. Elizabeth had managed to sneak one out of Sybil's room and pulled the arm off it. Sybil had cried for a week until Tom had taken it to a shop in Ripon to be repaired. Elizabeth had gotten a hold of Redmond's violin as well and popped a string on it. Mary had been rather blasé about the whole business while Rose found it highly annoying.
Rose's children argued among themselves at times and things weren't perfect but they did respect each other's belongings and were punished when they lipped their parents or did something deliberately naughty. Discipline was part of being a parent and it seemed to be a part Mary and Anthony when he was in attendance preferred to ignore. George was well behaved but had also been raised partly at the Abbey and had two years of a boy's school where rules and discipline were strictly imposed. It was coming on Christmas in another three weeks. Things had gotten to the point where Bradley and Garret were refusing to play in the day nursery with Elizabeth and Edward most days and pleaded with Tom to be allowed to accompany him.
"Tom, I don't know what to do," Rose complained to him one evening. Mary's younger two are so naughty their making our children miserable. I've had the eldest four start locking their rooms. Bradley has been spending more and more time with the children while their doing lessons and Garret is forever tagging after you."
"Can't you talk to Mary about it," Tom said trying to worm out of the uncomfortable situation of confronting Mary and Anthony about their lack of discipline.
"No, and if I did say anything it would have to come from the both of us. Mary sees them doing things wrong and pays no attention. Her two have practically destroyed the day nursery here at the house and she doesn't pay it the slightest attention."
"I don't know, love. We spend most evenings in our own sitting room as it is and George usually joins our family," Tom replied with a sigh. "I don't think there is much we can do except give our children their own rules. Mary needs to decide the rules for her children. If she wants to let the pair of them be raised as spoiled brats it isn't really our affair."
"She doesn't have a realistic idea of what to expect and has no experience to base things on," Rose said. "She's much too strict with Edward at the table. He's just coming on three. Eating with a spoon nicely and sitting up to the table with a napkin is about where he should be. At that age ours were attempting to butter their toast for themselves and to use a knife and fork once their meat was cut for them. She thinks he should be doing it all perfectly. Then she turns around and doesn't even put him in the corner when he sticks out his tongue at someone or plays with the antiques in the great hall."
"We could try letting her know where our children were in table manners at that age," Tom said. "Otherwise we had best stay out of it."
Rose could feel things coming to a head. She had allowed Elizabeth, Garret and Bradley to join the others for art time. She set the younger ones up with some crayons and scrap paper to draw pictures. There were some books on simple drawing and painting she had found in the library and had each of the older children drawing a scene on a piece of card stock they would color with water colors and fold into a Christmas card. Rose thought things were going well. Her four students were drawing pictures of bells and holly with varying levels of complexity depending on their age and artistic ability.
She turned suddenly when she heard paper being ripped and caught Elizabeth out of the corner of her eye tearing Dylan's card deliberately. This was Dylan's second time working on his card and he had put a lot of work into it, as art was his favorite subject.
"You're mean," Dylan exclaimed raising his voice at Elizabeth.
"What's going on?" Rose asked.
"Elizabeth ripped my picture," Dylan said angrily.
"Elizabeth is this true?" Rose asked. She knew it was but wanted to see what the little girl would say.
"No," Elizabeth lied.
All of Rose's children got a shocked look on their faces. Lying was a something considered very naughty by their parents and was punished right away.
"Elizabeth that is a lie," Rose said calmly. "I saw you do it."
"I just wanted to see," Elizabeth said. She went right back to coloring her own picture as though she hadn't done anything wrong."
"The next time you want to see someone's work, you ask politely, May I see your picture," Rose said. "You know better. Now you need to apologize to Dylan."
"No, I don't," Elizabeth said ignoring Rose.
"You have behaved very badly and not in keeping with the rules of the classroom," Rose said
The little girl was in for a shock when Rose removed her paper and crayons from her then quickly took her by the hand and had her out of her chair in a few seconds. Elizabeth started to fight and squirm against Rose.
"Stop it, Elizabeth. You will stand in the corner for five minutes. At the end of that time I expect you to apologize to Dylan for tearing his picture and the class for telling a lie."
Rose delivered the little girl to the corner. Elizabeth immediately pulled away with a giggle and made to go back to the drawing things.
"No, Elizabeth," Rose said firmly. "You will stand in the corner."
After defying Rose at least seven times, the little girl finally stood in the corner for the allotted five minutes. She was still defiant but she did take her punishment. At the end of the five minutes, Rose had her make her apologies. The child stuck her tongue out at Rose's back once she was finished with her, but Rose decided to ignore it.
Elizabeth ran to her mother later that day and made a great show of crying against her because Cousin Rose had been so terribly mean to her when she was drawing and wouldn't let her finish her picture. Mary immediately challenged Rose when Rose went down to join the other women in the drawing room once lessons were finished for the day.
"Mary you know that is a lie," Rose replied. She was feeling more than a little irritated with Mary's defense of her daughter. "Elizabeth deliberately ripped Dylan's picture and she told a lie when asked about it. I saw her do it. There was no question of her guilt. She stood in the corner for five minutes. When she had apologized for her actions and to the class for telling a fib, she was allowed to go back to her drawing. The rules and punishment was no different than anyone else in the room would have received for the same actions."
"You shouldn't have made her stand in the corner without consulting me," Mary said.
"Mary, if you wish your daughter to continue to attend any of the instruction the others are receiving you will have to accept that while the children are under my supervision they are also subject to my rules," Rose said. "Lying is not an acceptable behavior to me and it shouldn't be to you. Standing in the corner more often wouldn't hurt your daughter one bit."
"That is for me to decide," Mary said imperiously.
"Perhaps you should decided to enforce discipline with your younger two more often," Rose retorted. She'd had enough of the naughty behavior. "Let Edward alone at the table and actually do something about your daughter and son telling lies and destroying everything they get their hands on."
The other women in the room had their mouths open at the exchange that was going on between Rose and Mary.
"You have no understanding. My children have lost everything this last while," Mary said. "I'm not going to punish them."
"And you've lost whatever sense you had when it comes to raising children," Rose retorted.
"Rose, Mary," Cora exclaimed. "Stop this at once."
"I'm sorry Cousin Cora, Cousin Mary," Rose said recovering quickly. "I meant to say children need structure and rules appropriate for their age. Breaking the rules has consequences as it does for adults. It is up to you, Mary to decide on those consequences, but when the children are in my classroom it is up to me to make those rules and give out the punishments when I feel it is necessary."
"Apology accepted," Mary said stiffly. "I will consider what you have said."
"If you will all excuse me," Rose said. "I will go and do some marking I wanted to have done before the children's lessons tomorrow. Riding will be first on the schedule for George tomorrow morning, Mary followed by a piano lesson with Edith."
Mary inclined her head in acknowledgement before Rose left the room. Rose went to find her own children and take everyone out for a walk to meet Redmond at the bus. She needed some space from the Abbey for a while. She found her own children with George and Edward standing around the table in the kitchen peeling potatoes or cutting vegetables with Mrs. Blackwell. The smaller children were sitting on stools each with a peeler attempting to peel a potato. Rose went over and took Edward's hands in hers and guided him through the awkward motions until his potato was peeled.
"You look tired, milady. Would you like a cup of tea?" Mrs. Blackwell offered. She was doing the cooking two days a week at the moment, then housecleaning the wing Tom and Rose were occupying the rest of the week plus some other jobs she and Mr. Barrow had agreed upon.
"Yes, I would thank you, Mrs. Blackwell," Rose replied tiredly. "How are you finding things here at the Abbey?"
"Everything is bigger than at Clairehome House," Mrs. Blackwell replied. "There was always something to pick up at the last house with all the children constantly in the drawing room or the dining room, here it seems there is always something to dust."
"The house isn't too much for you I hope," Rose said.
"No milady, Mr. Barrow has things arranged on a schedule and there is a cleaning crew in two days a week for the heavier work."
"That's good. As long as you're satisfied with the situation." She continued to watch the children as they worked on the vegetables while she drank a cup of tea.
"I'm going for a walk to meet Redmond. Would anyone like to join me?" Rose said as she finished her tea.
"Mrs. Blackwell is going to show us how to make a chicken pie," Davin said.
"A chicken pie is definitely more interesting than a walk to meet your brother," Rose said with a slight smile. "I'll see you all when I get back in a bit."
"Bye, Mummy," her children all said distractedly as they were watching Mrs. Blackwell cut up the chicken to go into the skillet to be browned.
Rose set off towards the village with Isis and Mogana wadding behind her. Both dogs were getting a bit long in the tooth, but they were still ready for a walk at a moments notice. She met Redmond about half way as he was walking towards the house along the lane.
"Did you have a nice day at school?" Rose asked him.
"It was quite nice," he replied. "I only got one wrong on my math test."
"You did very well," Rose said. "How many questions were there?"
"Thirty," Redmond replied. "You look tired, Mummy."
"Do I?" Rose replied. "Perhaps I am. Do you miss our old house?"
"Sometimes, but I like having my own bedroom and I like the stables and the big lawn to play on," Redmond replied thoughtfully. "I wish Great Aunt Violet were here though. She would have made Elizabeth and Edward mind."
Rose chuckled slightly.
"Do you think so?" she asked.
"She made Sybil, Davin and I mind and she wouldn't take no for an answer," Redmond replied seriously. His face was so much like his father's it was an almost uncanny resemblance right down to his reddish hair and freckles considering he was a cousin by blood. In a few years he would most likely look even more like Tom.
"You're right, she wouldn't," Rose replied. "You were never naughty very often though when you were younger."
"I was once. I let Morgana in when she was muddy," Redmond said.
"That was a very long time ago. I'm surprised you remember it."
"I've never done it again," Redmond replied.
"No, you never have," Rose said with a slight smile.
-0-
Rose told Tom about the run in she'd had with Mary earlier in the day just before dinner when he got home.
"You have to keep some level of discipline in the classroom," he agreed with her. "If the children can't abide with the rules of no lying and not ruining each other's work they shouldn't be there."
"I shouldn't have lost my temper and told Mary exactly what I think of her parenting," Rose said.
"Rose, there are all kinds in Mary's crowd who leave their children to nannies or their grandparents and barely see their children. You've said so often enough yourself. You know how hard it is to discipline our own children and they are relatively well behaved. In Mary's eyes she is spending more time with her children then she could have ever dreamed of. I don't know how to give her parenting advice and I wouldn't suppose her mother would have ever dealt with similar issues either. They simply don't know what they're doing and I have a feeling Mary was just like Elizabeth when she was young from the few things I remember Sybil mentioning about her childhood."
"Today is the first day I feel like moving here instead of a larger house wasn't such a good idea," Rose said.
"The children are happy enough here in the evenings," Tom said. "I've been taking Bradley and Garret out with me more and they have their days over at Kieran and Liz's. Maybe we'll have a word with Lord and Lady Grantham. I'll leave you to do the talking though. You're better at saying things without coming right out and saying it." Tom went to wash his face and straighten his tie. "Where is everyone it's almost time for dinner?"
"Redmond and Davin were helping set the table. Sybil was playing music teacher again with Bradley and Garret and I don't know where Dylan has gotten off to," Rose replied.
"Best look around and collect everyone for dinner then," Tom said.