New Hampshire, May 1924.
"Happy eighteenth birthday Eliza." Eliza muttered to herself as she woke up. The past two years had been spent happily on the New Hampshire estate, watching as Jack and Jane grew up. Jack was now twelve and attending the local school. Jane would be beginning come September, and Eliza knew her use was almost up. Besides, from talk she'd heard from the other servants, the family were having money troubles. Although Eliza knew it wasn't just the one family-all over the country people were having trouble with money. Cal had been to see her the other week when he was passing through, and he confided in her about his own monetary problems: "It's hard to make a buck when the whole country is down on their luck." He'd told her. "I don't know everything Eliza of course, but I have a feeling that things are not going to get better until they get worse- a lot worse! We're pinning all our hopes on the Federal Reserve, and I don't know whether it's a wise move or not!" And then he told her about how they couldn't afford to hire another maid unless they got rid of the nanny; something Melanie assured him, was just not done. "In England, where she grew up, they do everything very proper. I used to get annoyed at the way they did everything by the book, but that's just the way they are. Anyway, she assures me that young children in well off families never go without a nanny over there, even if it means the family live in hardship to do so!" Eliza had just smiled politely. In the last two years since Cal had returned to England she had seen him twice, and his wife once. She knew about the birth of their two children, Nathan and Evelyn, from the brief letters he had sent only. Of course she knew that he had a new life to go on with, and she respected that she wasn't really part of it, however for a few years Cal had been like her only family, and sometimes she missed that for what it was worth!
With a sigh she got herself out of bed and went to get the children up for their breakfast. As they ate Jack told her all about the new boy at school. "His name is Jackson Calvert. His parents are famous!" To the young boy fame was a status symbol.
Jane, however, wasn't so impressed. "If they're really that famous how come I haven't heard of them?" She demanded.
Jack made a face. "Because you're just a silly girl." He replied.
"Why are they famous sweetie?" Eliza asked. "Jane-eat all of that egg please."
Jane made a face. "I don't like the yellow bits." She complained, but seeing Eliza's look recommenced her efforts in eating.
"His mum's name is Rose. She is a Broadway star." Jack explained. "His Dad has directed a few Broadway plays and musicals, but he isn't really all that into the scene. According to Jackson it was his Dad's idea to move here, and his Mum wasn't too keen at first. Although when it came down to a choice between here and Philadelphia, she picked here. They want to settle down and have a family. He already has a little sister named Ruth, but his Mum has always said they want to have more children than that!"
"I want thirteen children." Jane spoke up, and Jack gave her a scornful look.
"You couldn't afford thirteen children baby!" He told her. "And besides, the stork doesn't like to deliver lots to the same house!"
Eliza hid a smile. "I think it's wonderful that you want lots of children Jane." She said.
Jack made a face. "You would." He muttered.
"What?" Eliza asked, taken aback by his tone.
"I just meant that all girls are that silly." Jack explained, and Eliza laughed.
'Pity it had to be a twelve year old boy who noticed!' she thought with a grin. Whilst she didn't exactly mind the fact that she didn't have any friends in the area-male or female-sometimes she wished that she could have someone special. All throughout school everyone had spoken of getting married and having children as if it were the only thing to do. Of course, Eliza had realised, for the girls who she went to school with, it really was the only thing to do. There was no way they would ever work like she was! But would she ever get married and have children like them?
*****
"Eliza, I was wondering whether I could have a quick word." The mistress asked, poking her head into the room where Eliza and Jane were playing with Jane's enormous dolls house.
"Sure, Jane, you keep playing while I speak to your mother okay?" Eliza asked.
Jane nodded, not taking her eyes off what she was doing.
Outside the mistress smiled at Eliza, a little uncomfortably. "Jane seems so happy lately. And so does Jack-he must be happy at school."
"He loves it!" Eliza confirmed. "Every day when he comes home we here all about it."
"That's good to hear." The mistress said. "I have to admit I was a little concerned that I was sending him to school too early when most other children spend another year or so with their governess."
"Jack has a lot of fun there, and he is learning a great deal." Eliza assured the mistress, who smiled slightly.
"I'm glad about that of course." She said. "The thing is Eliza, money is rather tight at the moment, and when Jane starts school in a few months there won't really be very much for you to do around here.."
'Here it comes!' Eliza thought with an inward sigh. Not that she was surprised of course; it made perfect sense.
"...I don't want to have to do this, but we really won't require your services after September." The mistress concluded.
Eliza forced a smile. "I understand." She said, and while she did it didn't mean that the idea of being without a job and without a home didn't fill her with fear!
The mistress smiled too. "I'm glad there are no hard feelings about this." She said. "And at least you've got some time to work out what you're going to do in the future."
*****
"Dear Cal,
I hope you are well. I have been enjoying my working here, but there is now a catch. In September Jane will be attending school and therefore there is no real need for me after that. I understand this with and have no hard feelings whatsoever. I am thinking of going to New York to see whether or not I can get some work there now that I've had a few years experience in the job.
Yours fondly,
Eliza."
Eliza sighed, as she put the letter in the envelope. She knew that she shouldn't really be asking Cal to help her out again, but it wasn't like she was going to rely on him. She was perfectly happy with the idea of going to New York to find work if Cal had no ideas about other families who needed a governess.
"Happy eighteenth birthday Eliza." Eliza muttered to herself as she woke up. The past two years had been spent happily on the New Hampshire estate, watching as Jack and Jane grew up. Jack was now twelve and attending the local school. Jane would be beginning come September, and Eliza knew her use was almost up. Besides, from talk she'd heard from the other servants, the family were having money troubles. Although Eliza knew it wasn't just the one family-all over the country people were having trouble with money. Cal had been to see her the other week when he was passing through, and he confided in her about his own monetary problems: "It's hard to make a buck when the whole country is down on their luck." He'd told her. "I don't know everything Eliza of course, but I have a feeling that things are not going to get better until they get worse- a lot worse! We're pinning all our hopes on the Federal Reserve, and I don't know whether it's a wise move or not!" And then he told her about how they couldn't afford to hire another maid unless they got rid of the nanny; something Melanie assured him, was just not done. "In England, where she grew up, they do everything very proper. I used to get annoyed at the way they did everything by the book, but that's just the way they are. Anyway, she assures me that young children in well off families never go without a nanny over there, even if it means the family live in hardship to do so!" Eliza had just smiled politely. In the last two years since Cal had returned to England she had seen him twice, and his wife once. She knew about the birth of their two children, Nathan and Evelyn, from the brief letters he had sent only. Of course she knew that he had a new life to go on with, and she respected that she wasn't really part of it, however for a few years Cal had been like her only family, and sometimes she missed that for what it was worth!
With a sigh she got herself out of bed and went to get the children up for their breakfast. As they ate Jack told her all about the new boy at school. "His name is Jackson Calvert. His parents are famous!" To the young boy fame was a status symbol.
Jane, however, wasn't so impressed. "If they're really that famous how come I haven't heard of them?" She demanded.
Jack made a face. "Because you're just a silly girl." He replied.
"Why are they famous sweetie?" Eliza asked. "Jane-eat all of that egg please."
Jane made a face. "I don't like the yellow bits." She complained, but seeing Eliza's look recommenced her efforts in eating.
"His mum's name is Rose. She is a Broadway star." Jack explained. "His Dad has directed a few Broadway plays and musicals, but he isn't really all that into the scene. According to Jackson it was his Dad's idea to move here, and his Mum wasn't too keen at first. Although when it came down to a choice between here and Philadelphia, she picked here. They want to settle down and have a family. He already has a little sister named Ruth, but his Mum has always said they want to have more children than that!"
"I want thirteen children." Jane spoke up, and Jack gave her a scornful look.
"You couldn't afford thirteen children baby!" He told her. "And besides, the stork doesn't like to deliver lots to the same house!"
Eliza hid a smile. "I think it's wonderful that you want lots of children Jane." She said.
Jack made a face. "You would." He muttered.
"What?" Eliza asked, taken aback by his tone.
"I just meant that all girls are that silly." Jack explained, and Eliza laughed.
'Pity it had to be a twelve year old boy who noticed!' she thought with a grin. Whilst she didn't exactly mind the fact that she didn't have any friends in the area-male or female-sometimes she wished that she could have someone special. All throughout school everyone had spoken of getting married and having children as if it were the only thing to do. Of course, Eliza had realised, for the girls who she went to school with, it really was the only thing to do. There was no way they would ever work like she was! But would she ever get married and have children like them?
*****
"Eliza, I was wondering whether I could have a quick word." The mistress asked, poking her head into the room where Eliza and Jane were playing with Jane's enormous dolls house.
"Sure, Jane, you keep playing while I speak to your mother okay?" Eliza asked.
Jane nodded, not taking her eyes off what she was doing.
Outside the mistress smiled at Eliza, a little uncomfortably. "Jane seems so happy lately. And so does Jack-he must be happy at school."
"He loves it!" Eliza confirmed. "Every day when he comes home we here all about it."
"That's good to hear." The mistress said. "I have to admit I was a little concerned that I was sending him to school too early when most other children spend another year or so with their governess."
"Jack has a lot of fun there, and he is learning a great deal." Eliza assured the mistress, who smiled slightly.
"I'm glad about that of course." She said. "The thing is Eliza, money is rather tight at the moment, and when Jane starts school in a few months there won't really be very much for you to do around here.."
'Here it comes!' Eliza thought with an inward sigh. Not that she was surprised of course; it made perfect sense.
"...I don't want to have to do this, but we really won't require your services after September." The mistress concluded.
Eliza forced a smile. "I understand." She said, and while she did it didn't mean that the idea of being without a job and without a home didn't fill her with fear!
The mistress smiled too. "I'm glad there are no hard feelings about this." She said. "And at least you've got some time to work out what you're going to do in the future."
*****
"Dear Cal,
I hope you are well. I have been enjoying my working here, but there is now a catch. In September Jane will be attending school and therefore there is no real need for me after that. I understand this with and have no hard feelings whatsoever. I am thinking of going to New York to see whether or not I can get some work there now that I've had a few years experience in the job.
Yours fondly,
Eliza."
Eliza sighed, as she put the letter in the envelope. She knew that she shouldn't really be asking Cal to help her out again, but it wasn't like she was going to rely on him. She was perfectly happy with the idea of going to New York to find work if Cal had no ideas about other families who needed a governess.