We walked around the grand house to the back entrance where we were greeted by a tidy housekeeper with blonde hair and kindly eyes who introduced herself as Mrs. Tabitha Brown.
"You must be Harriet," she said good heartedly, "And you are?"
"Mathias Grigg. I'm from the Foundling Hospital too. I am currently unemployed but Lady Asquith knows of me," Mathais answered politely.
"I'm sure there will be a place for you here." Mrs. Brown nodded, "Come on in." We walked into a friendly kitchen decorated in warm browns and golds and immediately felt at home. A housemaid with flyaway hair gave me a quick smile over her shoulder and a freckled boot boy cast me a look that reminded me of the smiles Hetty used to give me before she went to do something against the rules. It was clear that Mathias and I were not universally liked as the woman who appeared to be the cook threw me a dirty look while turning up her nose at me.

"So, Harriet. You have been appointed the job of under-housemaid. You take orders from Lottie here," Mrs. Brown said indicating the housemaid who had smiled at me, "Or, when you're in the kitchen, Mrs. Garcia, our esteemed cook. They take orders from me, for the moment." I was dying to ask what she meant by for the moment but she turned straight to Mathias. "We are currently missing a stable boy if that would suit you but of course, I will have to clear it with the Missus first."
"That would be wonderful," Mathias said, his eyes wide at being accepted just like that.

"Lottie, can you take Harriet and Mathias here up to their rooms, Harriet will be sharing with you I'm afraid and Mathias I think we'll put with James," Mrs. Brown said decisively.
"Of course," Lottie nodded "This way. I'm afraid our room is rather small. Harriet, isn't it?" I nodded and she carried on, this time addressing Mathias. "You're going to be stuck with Jamie – that'll be an experience and a half!"
"What do you mean?" Mathias inquired his eyes wide.
"Oh! Jamie's just a bit of a laugh that's all. Gets in a spot of trouble now and again but he's really quite hilarious!" Lottie replied, her eyes misting over. "Well, enough of that already. Here's our room Harriet, and yours is just... here. Drop your bags and then come down for a bite to eat. OK? I've got stuff to do but I'm sure you can find your way back downstairs."

Mathias walked down the corridor to drop off his non-existent bags while I pushed open the door to find two truckle beds both with iron bedsteads in two corners of the room, a washbasin and a chest with four draws. I set my case down, changed into the servants' uniform that had been left on the lower of the beds and returned to the kitchen where Lottie instructed me to clean the crystal, something that Lady Asquith had apparently praised me on. It was nice to know that Lady Asquith still remembered me but there were still many questions gnawing away at the back of my brain. I polished the glass absent mindedly letting the questions whirl around my brain. 'Where is that butler, Collins?' I thought, 'Why haven't I seen Lord or Lady Asquith yet?' There were many more questions I was dying to ask but I had soon finished the crystal.

"Come on girl! No dawdling! Come here and peel these carrots!" snapped Cook. I went over to her and started to deftly peel the carrots, hoping to impress her but all I got was a sniff. Lottie appeared beside me and started dicing the vegetables, stopping occasionally too tuck a strand of curly strawberry blonde hair behind her ear.
"Erm. Lottie. What happened to Mr. Collins the butler?" I tried to say but as soon as I'd mentioned Mr. Collins's name Cook was behind me breathing right in my ear.
"Don't mention that name under this roof," was all she said.

Thank you to all the reviewers. Its really nice to know that people are reading my fanfics! Buzzingbea