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expenses, and dealt with the local tradespeople. He earned about £40 a year, had his own room and did not wear livery but instead dressed in a dark coat and trousers, with a waistcoat and neckcloth.
    The Groom of the Chambers was second in rank to the steward among the male servants. Although the role of Groom of the Chambers was becoming less common during the Regency he remained an important figure in many of the great houses where his main responsibility was to take charge of the guests and their servants during their stay. He ensured that visitors were properly attended to, knew the daily programme, and knew where they needed to be and how to get there. In The Foundling the Groom of the Chambers, Mr Turvey, relished the idea that the young Duke of Sale, having attained his majority, might fill the house with guests and thereby grant him the opportunity to demonstrate his talents.
    The butler was in charge of the footmen and responsible for the wine and wine cellar, the plate and the silverware, of which he kept an inventory. He welcomed guests at the front door (which had been answered by the footman) and announced them to the master or mistress of the house. He ensured that the house was always kept in good order, decanted the table wine, oversaw the serving of meals, carved the meat and stood behind his master’s chair until the meal was over, at which time he led the other servants from the room, returning when the gentlemen had finished their port to oversee the clearing of the table and lock up the plate and silverware. A good butler was expected to be able to recognise class and good breeding and was extremely knowledgeable in all matters of etiquette and propriety—he was also aware of everything of importance that went on inside the house. In The Toll-Gate the butler, Huby, had been in service to the Stornaway family for many years and it was only his strong sense of loyalty to them that enabled him to commit the appalling (for a good butler) act of watering the wine in a bid to get rid of an unwelcome guest. A butler earned between £25 and £35 per year, had his own room (usually near the pantry and the silver or plate safe) and, like the steward, did not wear livery.
    As the personal attendant to the man of the house a valet was always employed by him directly rather than by the steward. The valet’s main occupation was the care of his master’s wardrobe, including his boots and shoes, but he could also shave him each day and generally accompanied him when travelling. An upper-class valet took enormous pride in seeing his ‘gentleman’ properly turned out in the latest fashion, knowing he had helped him into his exquisitely cut, skin-fit coat, proffered a perfectly starched neckcloth for tying, or eased him into a pair of boots polished to a high gloss with blacking made from the valet’s own secret recipe. In Arabella , Mr Painswick was a peerless valet to the hero, Mr Beaumaris, and such a master of his craft that many gentlemen of fashion had sought to acquire his services. Valets were on call around the clock and often sat up into the early hours waiting for their masters to return home (even when instructed, as was Painswick by Mr Beaumaris, to go to bed) at which time they would retire to their own room.
    The housekeeper was the steward’s equivalent in charge of the female staff (with the exception of the personal staff such as the nurse, lady’s maid and cook), and was one of the busiest servants in the house. She directed the maids in their work and oversaw the running of the house in terms of its cleaning, linen, storeroom, still-room and china closet. She also kept the household accounts (submitted weekly) and met regularly with her mistress to take her orders. The housekeeper was expected to know about home remedies and basic first aid and was also required to turn her hand to sewing, mending, and bottling, preserving and drying the excess fruit, vegetables and herbs from the kitchen