"Excellent," said Cathy, quite pleased. "And how has your reading been going? Did you finish 'Tom Brown's schooldays'?"

Ellie pursed her lips in thought. "It's goin' slowly Miss. I 'ave to do my job first. But that poor boy Tom, I feel sorry for him."

"Oh, of course you do. I'm sure that keeps you busy," Catherine said.

A servant came in with a tea tray. Another followed with a tray of small cakes. They set it down, curtsied to Catherine and then disappeared. Catherine began to pour tea. "Do you work many hours?"

"Yes. I look after Miss Christine, get her ready for the day, then look after the rooms and the shop. After the shop closes, I attend Miss Christine for the evening, so she 'as what she needs. In bed by half past 11 usually. But I get Sundays off, so that's nice."

For a moment Catherine forgot all her fine manners and ladylike decorum. She nearly overfilled the second cup and caught herself just in time. "But that's horrible! Exploitative!" she blurted out, setting the pot down just a little too firmly for a delicate lady. Miss Christine seemed like a terrible employer for making a young girl work such long hours, or so it seemed to the indignant Miss Catherine who had never once in her life wondered how many hours her own servants worked.

Ellie felt compelledto defend her employer "Oh but it's not. Miss Christine is everso kind. She bought me all new clothes because she didn't like the black uniforms worn by other maids. She pays me better and I can ask for more time off

Catherine realized she had lost decorum for a moment and was rather embarrassed. Ellie's quick defense of her employer only made Catherine feel increased the sensation. Still, she couldn't help but feel that making a young girl work morning to night was wrong. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to speak ill of Miss Christine, of course. She sounds like she mean to do well by you. Only, you must be exhausted, working so many hours."

Ellie smiled weakly and nodded "Yeu might be right there. I am tired, I wouldn't say no to a rest."

Catherine felt sorry for the girl and wished she could do something to help her - genuinely help her, not just dress her up like a doll and teach her pretty ways, as she had already meant to do. But the embarrassment lingered as well. She did not normally speak so personally even with guests who did not have to be smuggled up by the back stairs. "Milk?" She asked, in an attempt to restore some formality and lightness to the conversation. But she could hardly suppress her own curiosity. "Do you intent to keep working as a shop assistant and maid for long?"

"Oh, please." Ellie answered to desire for milk to cool off her tea. A white waterfall cascaded into cups finer than anything at home. A question was posed, did she intend to work as a shopgirl and maid forever, hmm Ellie's nose twitched as she considered it. A slurp of tea followed.

"I expect so. I'm not smart enough for anythin' else. Until a man comes along."