A week before Christmas, Mrs Bailey said we had to get every bedroom in the house ready for guests.
‘Lissadell will be on show,’ she said. ‘And we cannot let Sir Josslyn and the family down. We will all have to do our very best work.’
Easy for her to say! All she had to do was stand in her office with a long face and a bundle of lists, while Nellie and I and the other maids had to run around like mad things, trying to get everything done on time. Every bed had to be shaken out and made up with fresh sheets. Every carpet had to be beaten and every surface had to be dusted. The furniture had to be polished until we could see our faces in it, and the windows had to be cleaned with newspapers and vinegar.
A few times Maeve found me and brought me to her room, where she pretended to paint, and I sewed the dress I was making for Winnie. I knew Maeve was lonely, and I loved those quiet moments with her – and was very glad of the rest, too. The thought of everyone else working so hard though, made me feel guilty, and I always left before long.
Nellie and I tried to continue our lessons, but when bedtime came, we were both practically asleep on our feet, so in the end we agreed that we’d take a holiday from lessons until Christmas was over.
I was exhausted by the time visitors started arriving, three days before Christmas. Some came in motor cars and some in fancy carriages. All afternoon I heard wheels on the driveway, and whenever I could, I rushed to look over the bannisters. I loved seeing the ladies in their silk and satin gowns, the men in their fine suits, and the darling little children with their ribbons and bows. I began to think that all the hard work had been worth it.
Later, though, I realized that having visitors isn’t any fun when you’re the one who has to take care of them. I was run off my feet, carrying towels upstairs, and straightening beds that had been lain on for less than ten minutes.
When supper time finally came, I was in for another surprise. I’d noticed that some visitors had brought their own servants with them, and of course they had to eat with us in the servants’ hall. I thought it would be nice to see a few new faces, and was interested to hear what these new people would have to say about the Big Houses they worked in. Unfortunately, not all of the Lissadell staff saw it that way. I’d got used to the strict order in the way we sat at the table, but the new arrivals messed everything up. Some of them worked for people with higher titles than Sir Josslyn, so they thought they should sit higher up the table because of this. There were lots of rows, and even a bit of pushing and bad language. In the end, Mr Kilgallon had to shout to get everyone quiet, and he gave us a fierce look that the Lissadell staff knew too well, and everyone settled down.
I caught Nellie’s eye and we both giggled. I didn’t really mind who was next to me, as long as it was someone nice I could chat with, like Maggie or Nellie. Some people at the table looked as if they had been deeply insulted, though, and wouldn’t ever get over it as long as they lived.
* * *
The next day when I was sweeping the front hall, Maeve came racing down the stairs as if she were being chased by a pack of wild dogs. I looked up, wondering if she needed help with something, but she ran right past me.
‘Mother is here!’ she said. ‘Mother is here at last!’
She opened the hall door, and a second later I saw the famous Countess Markievicz for the first time. She was coming up the steps, holding a beautiful spaniel in her arms.
‘Now, Poppet,’ she said. ‘Here we are. Home at last.’
She was tall and so, so elegant. She was wearing a heavy wool cloak over a blue velvet dress, and her hair was tied up with curls and ribbons. I thought she looked like a beautiful queen.
Maeve ran over, and stood quietly next to her, looking a little shy.
‘Maeve, darling,’ said the Countess, as she kissed her on both cheeks. For a second I felt sad for Maeve. If my mam hadn’t seen me for months, she’d have hugged the life out of me and then hugged me a second time, just to make sure I was real.
The Countess put the dog down, and it promptly ran out the door towards the gardens.
The Countess handed her cloak to one of the footmen, while I stood quietly to the side, trying not to be a nuisance. For a moment, I thought Maeve might introduce us, that she might tell her mother about the painting, and the exciting day we’d had at the seaside, but it was as if Maeve had forgotten that I was even there. They went into the drawing room, and closed the door behind them, and I continued with my sweeping.
* * *
On Christmas Eve, rich people came from all over the county for a big ball at Lissadell. Even though extra kitchen staff had been brought in, poor Cook looked as if she was going to die, she was working so hard.
Nellie and I and the other housemaids had to carry trays into the dining room, and my back was nearly broken from standing still and proper, waiting for the footmen to take whatever we were carrying, and put it on the plates from the warming cupboard. I had never seen so much food in all my life. The sideboards were piled up with turkeys and hams and spiced beef and even a boar’s head with an orange in its mouth!
When everyone was served, the footmen stood with their backs to the guests. Luckily there was a big mirror over the sideboard, so the head footman could see if Sir Josslyn or anyone else wanted something. I thought that was a very strange thing, but I didn’t worry about it for long. I took my opportunity to go down to the kitchen and rest my sore feet for a while.
Later there was music and dancing, and again I had to stand at the side of the room holding a tray of drinks. I liked looking at the women swirling around, with their dresses floating along the floor. All the women looked like angels, but Countess Markievicz and her sister Lady Eva, were the most beautiful of all. Maeve once told me that a famous poet wrote a poem about them and said that Lady Eva was like a gazelle. I didn’t know what that was, but I liked the word, and guessed it was a good thing to be like one. I could see that the two sisters were best friends and for much of the night, they were huddled in a corner, chatting.
* * *
It must have been nearly dawn by the time Nellie and I got to bed, and a short hour or two later it was time for us to get up again. I was sad, thinking how I’d like be at home with Mam and the little ones, all ready for a lovely long Christmas day together.
Nellie came and sat on my bed. ‘I know you’d prefer to be at home,’ she said.
Now I wanted to cry. How could she feel sorry for me, when she had no home to go to at all?
Then she handed me something small. I unwrapped the brown paper and found a soft cotton hankie, trimmed with lace. Embroidered on a corner were the words ‘for my good friend.’
‘Oh, Nellie,’ I said. ‘That’s beautiful.’
She went red. ‘I made it myself, using bits of the sheets that couldn’t be mended any more – and Mrs Bailey gave me some lace she’d saved from one of Miss Bridget’s old dresses and Isabelle showed me how to do the words.’
Hanora and Rose and I had never exchanged presents so I hadn’t thought to get anything for Nellie. Then I remembered my last trip home. Mam had hugged me at the door as usual, and then ran back inside.
‘Before you go I have to give you your Christmas present,’ she said when she came back. ‘And I made a little something for Nellie too, since she has no mam to make her anything at all.’
Now I got the two parcels from under my bed.
‘These are from Mam,’ I said.
Nellie’s eyes opened wide. ‘Can I watch you opening them?’
‘You can watch me opening one of them,’ I said.
‘I understand,’ said Nellie. ‘I’ll go and wash myself while you are opening the other one.’
I laughed. ‘You’ll be opening the other one. Mam sent it for you.’
Nellie gasped. ‘Your mam sent a present for me? But she doesn’t even know me.’
Now I felt awkward, wondering if she’d be offended. ‘I told her a little bit about you – that you’re my friend, and that … anyway, this one is yours.’
Nellie took the present in her hand and looked at it for a long time, as if she could hardly believe her eyes. Out in the corridor, I could hear the other maids hurrying towards the stairs.
‘Nellie,’ I whispered. ‘I’d love this moment to last forever, but if we don’t get to work quickly, Mrs Bailey will …’
Nellie tore off the paper and I saw a pair of mittens in the grey wool Mam used for nearly everything, but trimmed with pink and yellow ribbons. Nellie put on the mittens and held her hands out.
‘No one has ever made anything especially for me before,’ she whispered. ‘Every stitch I’ve ever owned was worn by someone else first. I will treasure these always. Thank you, Lily.’
‘Mam will be glad you liked them,’ I said.
I just had time to take a quick look at my present from Mam. It was a beautiful blouse in soft blue fabric that I knew was once part of Mam’s Sunday dress. I held it to my face, and smelled the familiar smell of turf smoke. My chest hurt as I thought of Mam cutting up her best thing, so I could have a Christmas present. Tears rolled down my face as I thought how much I’d love to be waking up in my own little house with my mam and my brothers and sisters. Nellie cried too, but I don’t know if she was crying for me, or thinking about all the Christmases she’d never have with her own family.
Just then there was a knock at the door, and I heard Maggie’s voice. ‘I know it’s Christmas, she said. ‘But Mrs Bailey is fit to kill the two of you. Hurry along or she will surely have a conniption.’
Nellie and I wiped our eyes and our Christmas day began.