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instead?” Tobias looked Annie up and down, and Annie was conscious as never before of her work-hardened hands, her ugly uniform, and the scent of the kitchen that hung about her. How could she compete with a young lady who worked in a shop, who was allowed to wear scent and jewelry and got called “miss” by the customers?
    Annie was frozen for a second. Then she turned and fled. Her face was burning with mortification as she ran across the courtyard, back to the kitchen. Right now, being a servant felt like the worst thing in the world.
    She slunk back into the kitchen, rubbing the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. She hoped she could get through without anyone noticing and making fun of her. Luckily Martha was gutting fish at the sink and wasn’t watching her. She edged past Sarah, the second housemaid, who was drinking her tea, toward the door to the servants’ corridor. Before she reached it, it swung open and Thomas strode in with the post.
    “Letter for you, Annie,” he announced, tossing the envelope at her. Annie just caught it.
    “For me?” The shock dried up her tears. No one wrote to her. Why would they? She couldn’t read. She could, however, make out her own name at the top of the address. Thomas was right.
    Annie stared at the letter in astonishment. A thousand wild fancies hovered in her head like specks of flour in the sunbeams. Maybe some long-lost relative had died and left her a fortune. Maybe some visiting duke had seen her and fallen in love. Maybe—
    The bell shrilled out.
    “Oh, I hate that noise!” she exclaimed.
    “I’ll go.” Sarah put down her tea and jumped up. “You read your letter, Annie. It’s not every day you get one of those.”
    “Thank you.” Annie felt embarrassed. She didn’t care to show that she couldn’t read. She hesitated, then remembered. Priya, the nursemaid. She loved reading, and she wouldn’t tell tales. Annie, full of excitement, ran out of the kitchen and up the servants’ stairs to the nursery.
    She found Priya standing by the crib, folding nappies while Augustus played on his rocking horse. Priya swung round, her eyes wide and scared, as Annie came in.
    “You’re jumpy,” Annie laughed. “Got a guilty conscience?” She ran over to Priya. “I got a letter, look! It’s addressed to me with a stamp and everything.”
    “That’s wonderful!” Priya took it. “But what do you want me to do with it?”
    Annie blushed. She hadn’t thought to be embarrassed by asking Priya to read her letter, but now she realized how foolish she must look, asking for help from the Indian nursemaid. Typical housemaid, no education and no chance of a better life. Not like Miss Sadie Billesley. “Read it to me. I never had chance to get my ABC. Not that I need it.” She tossed her head. “No time to waste on novels.”
    “Of course I’ll read it for you,” Priya said with a kind expression that only made Annie’s face grow warmer. She opened the letter and scanned it. “It’s from Rose!” she exclaimed.
    “Rose!” Annie was startled and pleased. She hadn’t expected Rose to write, not now that she was a fine lady. “What does she say?”
    “That she misses you, and it’s so busy down in London that she hasn’t a moment to herself, but she thinks of the time you used to work together and she hasn’t forgotten you, and she hopes you haven’t forgotten her. And she sends her affectionate wishes to all.” Priya smiled. “That’s lovely, isn’t it?”
    “Rose was always kind,” said Annie. She felt warm inside, and somehow her aching knees and hands didn’t seem so bad…but then she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror above the mantelpiece. Rose would be a fine lady now, all silks and satins and feathers and jewels. And here was she, drab and plain in her uniform, and no hope of going anywhere but up and down the stairs, up and down, up and down.
    “Thank you, Priya.” Annie took the letter back. “If I can do anything to