Enola POV, Winter 1888
"Dear girl, you will catch your death if you stay in those wet clothes," the Dowager Marchioness worried when she met the pair in Basilwether Hall's large entry hall, "I'll have my ladies maid draw you a bath and send the coachman to fetch Julia from the village." She rushed off as Tewkey gave Enola a look that said 'told you so'. "Would you like a cup of tea while you wait for Mother and her maid to fuss over you?" He asked, face now showing his charming half smile, "Might warm you up in the meantime." "Of course," She replied and allowed him to lead her into the kitchens, "and maybe a biscuit too?"
They were chatting over the ends of their tea and biscuits when a short red-headed girl came into the room, "There you are Miss," she said exasperated, "Mistress asked me to run you a bath and told me you'd be in the hall." "Sorry Alice, my fiancée needed a cup of tea," Tewkesbury offered charmingly, "You may have her now." Enola couldn't help but argue, "And what if do not want to go with this girl I do not know?" she asked raising her brows. Tewkey paused, not sure whether to apologise for speaking for her, or laugh at her predictability, "Are you saying you do not want a warm bath and dry clothes?" He teased. "No, that would be foolish." She said pretending that he had been the fool, "I suppose I will follow you, Alice."
The luxury of having a full hot bath waiting for her was not lost on Enola; ever since she ran away, she had to make do with running her own baths which were often lukewarm and less filled than she would like. However, the maid fussing over her and removing the clothes from her body she could have done without. She hadn't been dressed or undressed by hands other than her own since she was a young child, and was quite used to it. Questions flooded her brain as Alice finally the room to bring up another bucket of water; is this how the gentry lived, having everything done by servants? Would she be expected to let a lady's maid dress and undress her every day? Was Tewkey dressed and undressed by a lady's maid? She attempted to shake off the thought and the weird feeling in her stomach, as she soaked her hair below the water. 'If he was, it would be by a man,' she corrected herself, 'A valet.' She kept thinking as she used the assortment of toilette items Alice had left on a tray next to the claw-footed bath.
'Was the feeling jealousy?' she thought as Alice open the bathroom door. "Would you like me to wash the shampoo out of your hair, Miss?" she asked as she struggled to carry the metal bucket into the room, "Miss Julia is no doubt on her way now, and the Mistress will not want to keep her waiting." Enola could tell how hard she was working just to hold the large bucket, being under five feet and possibly not weighing enough for her tiny height. "Yes, thank you, Alice." She decided to distract herself from her self-consciousness, "Do you do this for the Dowager Marchioness?" The young maid smiled at Enola as she poured some of the water into a small jug, "Yes, Miss," she used the jug to pour water through the back of Enola's hair, "Though she is a lot fussier about it." Enola smiled back at her, "And what do you think of her?" "She is easily stressed, but she is always kind," Alice speculated as she finished washing Enola's hair, "And just as nosy as any society lady." Enola laughed comfortably enjoying the friendliness of a girl her age, "That sounds like it would make your job interesting?" "It does," Alice laughed back as she helped Enola out of the bath, "She asked me to find out if you have good child-bearing hips." Enola sighed, "Of course she did."