Chapter 12: Reginald wants a full house

At the dinner table, while Reginald was enjoying a balloon of brandy and we were sipping our sherry, he announced, "Diana, I think I will invite some guests for Christmas, I think for two or three weeks. The Thorntons will come, I'm sure, General and Mrs Devereaux, and that young couple who just bought the Brimley's old place."

"That would be Peter and Susan Archden, Reginald. They took over that house. They seem to be spending a lot on the renovations. He is a partner in a very successful merchant bank, something to do with all those diamonds they're finding in Africa, I believe."

"Hmph, yes, that's the fellow. Pity Ted and Martha Brimley went within a month of each other. A fine couple."

"But Reginald," Diana cautioned, "the Archdens have five young boys and a little girl baby."

"Easy: tell Mrs Archden to bring her own nurse. It would be nice to have some children under our feet. I think Percy Underweir may like to spend Christmas with us. You wait until you meet Lord Underweir, young lady," he chuckled and raised his glass towards me. "He's a big handsome young man. Fiery, too with his red hair and all. Sweep you off your feet if you don't watch yourself."

We all smiled at his deliberate obfuscation. I glanced around the room at the various members of staff. Only Johnstone and Eleanor got his meaning.

"Talking of children, I'm going to invite Mrs Barnes. She is out of her widow's weeds now. Her three girls are a pleasure to watch at play and the poor woman must get lonely. I wonder if Jonathon Must is abroad at present. Mrs Must would like some spice in her life, poor thing, with him going off all over the world."

"I was talking to Mrs Watkins just last week. He is on the boat back from New York right now."

"Thank you Diana, we'll ask them. Do you think your parents might like to come, Ma chérie?"

"I think not, Reginald. Mama has not been at all well this year and Pater is rather concerned for her."

"Jane, what about your mother and father?"

"Thank you, Reginald, but they would never be comfortable here. I know how difficult it is to make that change. Even if my mother were to wear my best gown and father your best suit, they would feel so out of place..."

"Of course," he replied. "Silly of me to suggest it. Forgive my thoughtlessness, dear."

I bowed to accept his apology, saying with a rueful grin, "I forget myself sometimes."

He snapped his fingers. "Almost forgot, the Smythe-Joneses. Life and soul of any party, Cynthia. Anybody else?" He looked around the table. "Oh, do you think the Bishop would come?"

"Christmas is a busy time for the Church, he may be booked already, Reginald."

"Hrumph, well I'll ask him anyway. Since he retired, he won't be so busy. He could celebrate the Christmas Eucharist, or preach the sermon. I will check with Canon Walters. Be nice to have his Lordship here. Good company, don't you know. Tales from his time in India. Very entertaining, what the natives get up to. Wife's a good soul, too."

"Enough, darling. I don't know where I'll squeeze everybody in as it is."

"Right you are, dearest Lady. I'll leave that to you. Now we need to plan a time. I think maybe from a week before Advent until the day after Epiphany." He received nods of agreement all round but I was a little puzzled by the frown on Diana's brow until I realised how much more work this would mean for her. And Mistress Black, was my afterthought.

With that, Reginald suggested that the Ladies retire while he smoked his cigar with another brandy.

"I have much work to do and just six weeks to do it in, you must help me, Jane. First thing tomorrow we have Mistress Black up here and make some tentative plans. There will be food to order and store, there will be so many rooms to be thoroughly cleaned. We will have to make a tour to see if the curtains and hangings need repair or replacement. We will need more help in the kitchen, we can get some of the villagers in for that and other jobs. At least we won't have to find somewhere for them to sleep."

Diana was working herself into a nervous wreck so I put my hand on her arm and squeezed gently. "Don't worry, I'm sure we will all cope, between us. Think on the bright side, Percy is going to fill your belly." That brought a happy smile but my own was bigger. "I am going to be introduced to Lord Percival Underweir who is ... what were Reginald's words ... who is big and handsome with fiery red hair and he is going to sweep me off my feet."

"Oh, Jane, I really don't know where I can squeeze them all in. All I have thought of so far is lodging Percy in one of Reginald's rooms, you will move in with me and the Smythe-Joneses will have your rooms. Don't worry about Cynthia and John, we have had many a romp together. Where do you think she met Faith? We'll be seeing Faith, too and won't that be fun? She can sleep with Eleanor and Annie. See, it's perfect. Reginald is Percy's chaperon and Cynthia will be ours."

"I know what we both need," I said, ringing her little bell. Eleanor appeared. "Tell Annie to get us a pot of tea and she had best bring enough for us all, Eleanor. I think we may have a long night ahead of us. Oh, and some of Cooks little pastries. Off you go, girl. Diana, do stop pacing around the floor like that, you are making me dizzy and it does not solve the problems. Now Eleanor, I want you to undress Lady Diana and get her into a robe. Diana, you must relax. Go with Eleanor and get yourself comfortable."

I looked around the room for some kind of inspiration. We need to start making some firm plans. 'Get something on paper, ' I thought. I cleared away the papers on the table, retrieved some writing paper and pencils from Diana's bureau and set them neatly on the table. Annie arrived with our tea and I instructed her to pour a cup for us all. "Then stoke up that fire, Annie. Let us keep warm while we work."

I picked up a chair to move it to the table when Diana and Eleanor returned. "Let me do that, Mistress Jane," said Eleanor, rushing over to take the chair out of my hands.

"Over by the table, and that one, too. Good girl." I smiled my thanks to her. "Diana, sit yourself here. Draw up some plans. Start by writing down what you have already decided. Don't worry, we can change our minds later, if needs be. Eleanor, I want you to stand behind your Mistress's chair and massage her neck and shoulders."

"I don't know how to massage, Mistress Jane."

"It's simple. Like this." I smoothed the skin on Diana's shoulders and started pressing my fingers gently into the tense muscles. When I was a girl, my four brothers would tease me. Sometimes Noah, the youngest and a little monster, would keep it up all day and I would slump down in my chair, exhausted. Mummy would stand behind me and soothe away the day's troubles. She taught me to massage her shoulders, to do just what I was doing to Diana. "Now you carry on with that, Eleanor, your Lady may tell what feels best. Diana, I'm going to undress, you start writing and I will back in a minute. Come, Annie."

I had my maid quickly undress me, then help me into my robe and we returned to Diana. She was leaning back in her chair with eyes closed, face now much more relaxed. Eleanor's fingers had done the trick. She had written down two columns. The first was for names and the second for lodgings. Percy and the Smythe-Joneses were already pencilled in.