Clifton Manor - Episode One: Clifton Manor, #1

By Victoria Spencer

The year is 1912, and Clifton Manor is one of the most prestigious homes in the Yorkshire countryside. But as Anna Holden is about to discover, it is a house not only steeped in history, but in secrets as well…

Upon her arrival as the new assistant cook, Anna discovers that a thousand mysteries await her. What lies beyond the heavily padlocked door the other servants do their best to avoid? Who has Lady Clifton been speaking to in such hushed, surreptitious tones? What is the cause of the misfortune running rampant amongst the staff? And why does George Winston, the eligible bachelor of the family, seem more taken with Anna than he does the proper ladies his mother parades before him?

Despite her station in life, Anna can’t seem to put these questions out of her mind. As the pieces fall into place around her, she wonders: how long will it be until her own secrets are revealed?

• Language: English
• Publisher: SF Publishing LLC
• Release date: Dec 26, 2014
• ISBN: 9781507018378

Book preview

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Clifton Manor Episode One is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used ficticiously. Any resemblance to actual persons or their likeness is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2014 Victoria Spencer

All Rights Reserved.

Cover design by Cover Shot Creations (covershotcreations.com)

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Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Author’s Note

Mailing List

About the book

About the Author

Chapter One

Anna Holden (12th March 1912)

Anna clutched the letter to her chest as she walked up the driveway towards Clifton Manor. She didn’t need the letter anymore—she’d memorised every word of it days ago—but the letter hadn’t left her sight since it arrived at her house three days ago.

We hereby invite you to interview at Clifton Manor for a position as Assistant Cook. Please arrive at the house at lunchtime on the 12th March 1912.

Anna had been days away from giving up the job hunt when the letter arrived. Every manor house worth working for had already rejected her so she had started applying to houses at the other end of the country. Against all the odds, Clifton Manor had responded.

I cannot believe they want to interview you, Mother had said when she saw the letter. Anna couldn’t believe it either. Clifton Manor was famous throughout the country as being one of the biggest and best places to work. And now she was here, looking up at the house through teary, but excited, eyes.

Clifton Manor had a reputation for luxury and no expense was spared in maintaining that reputation. At the bottom of the driveway, a display of flowers spelled out Welcome to Clifton Manor in an assortment of colours. Elegant gardens surrounded the house with what looked like a maze of hedges on the left. Anna hoped she would have the opportunity to lose herself in there one day.

The Pryor House, Anna’s previous employer, had a luscious garden when Anna first started working there four years ago. Unfortunately when the Pryor family started struggling for money one of the first things it did was lay off the ground staff. The garden’s inevitable decay followed as soon as summer became autumn and it never recovered.

Eventually Lady Pryor informed Anna that she too was to be laid off. Eight months later, Anna nervously approached the servants’ entrance at Clifton Manor where she had been fortunate enough to land an interview. She had to leave her hometown and even her county to secure such an interview. The recent shame of her family had ruled her out of any local jobs and it was only through a strong letter of recommendation from Lady Pryor that she was being considered at all.

Anna walked over the loose stones towards a large wooden door and gave it a light knock. She could already hear the hustle and bustle from inside signalling a house in full swing; the staff were probably clearing up after lunch. Anna was a little early, but with so few trains up to Yorkshire from Hampshire, she really had little choice as to the time of her arrival.

You’ll have to knock a little louder than that, love, a man’s voice called out.

Anna spun round and did her best not to look like she had just been scared out of her skin. A young man—a groomsman based on his attire—leaned against a tree while smoking a cigarette. He had the steady confidence of someone who was attractive and knew it. It was not a trait that Anna admired, although she had to admit he was easy on the eyes, with well-kept dark hair and strong cheekbones. He was too short for Anna though. He was average height for a man, but Anna had a weakness for taller men despite her own petite frame.

Oh, um, hello, Anna said meekly. She stood up straight, attempting to exude some confidence. It was possible she would have to work alongside this groomsman and she didn’t want to give him the impression she was there for the taking. Too many good maids had ended up with child or dismissed after getting a little too friendly with their co-workers.

Hello to you too. He flicked his cigarette onto the ground and crushed it beneath his shiny black shoes. You here to help the cook?

I’m here to interview for the assistant cook position, yes. My name’s Anna Holden.

Isaac. Isaac Sterling. I wouldn’t worry about the interview. I hear we’re pretty desperate for the help.

Oh I’m taking nothing for granted, Mr. Sterling. I imagine there were a lot of applicants for the position. I’m just grateful for the opportunity to interview.

Isaac grinned and pulled out another cigarette. Yeah, if you say so. Well go on, then. You don’t want to be late for Mrs. Wilson. Trust me, you don’t want to end up in her bad books.

Nice to meet you, Isaac, Anna said, spinning on her heel and thinking it had been anything but nice. She knew his type too well—there was one in every house—ambitious and happy to do whatever it took to get on in life, predictable but dangerous.

Anna banged hard on the door, and this time she was invited inside by a frazzled looking girl who seemed to have far too many things on her plate just then. Anna was dumped on a chair in the hall and told to wait.

One thing was certain—if she got the job, she certainly wouldn’t be bored.

The staff buzzed round the halls at a pace only just short of a jog. More than once Anna’s feet nearly tripped someone up, and she ended up shifting her knees to the side to keep out of the way.

Anna saw a young girl struggling with trays of plates and leftover food, but her attempts to help were not met with appreciation. All right, so perhaps the people were a little rude, but that tended to happen when things were busy. The activity began to die down a bit when a shadow covered her in darkness.

Miss Holden? the woman asked. Anna looked up into the stern eyes of the woman who was presumably the housekeeper.

Yes, ma’am, Anna replied. You must be Mrs. Wilson.

Yes, I suppose I must, she replied. Follow me.

Anna did as she was told, trailing behind Mrs. Wilson as they hurried through the halls. There were staff moving quickly around them, but they always stepped aside to form a clear path for Mrs. Wilson. She commanded respect, and perhaps a degree of fear, but that was to be expected. She was in charge of all the ladies in the house and should not be mistaken for a friend. Anna had made that mistake once before.

Mrs. Wilson led Anna into a small office containing a desk, two chairs, and not much else.

Take a seat, Miss Holden.

Anna placed her bag on the floor and sat on the rickety wooden chair that had one leg shorter than the others.

You are here for a position as a cook’s assistant, is that correct? Mrs. Wilson asked while shuffling papers on her desk.

Anna nodded. Yes, ma’am. I know I don’t have much experience with cooking, but I am a fast learner and—

Mrs. Wilson held up a finger and Anna stopped speaking immediately. She knew she talked too much. Her father had warned her against letting fly with long streams of information. Just focus on answering the question, he had told her.

Mrs. Wilson found the papers she was looking for. Anna recognised them as her reference and curriculum vitae.

You used to work for the Pryor House as a lady’s maid, Mrs. Wilson said. Anna went to answer, but then realised it hadn’t been a question. You have an excellent letter of recommendation from Lady Pryor and the housekeeper there. I assume you left Pryor House due to their financial problems?

That one had been a question. Yes, I was among the final few staff to be let go. Lady Pryor retained me for as long as possible, but—

Mrs. Wilson raised the finger again and Anna stopped dead. You were let go by Lady Pryor eight months ago and have been unemployed ever since. Why is that?

Well, I was not unemployed as such. I picked up work for a local market handling food and helping with deliveries. I also—

Miss Holden. You have one of the best letters of recommendation I have ever read, and there are plenty of other families in Hampshire that require staff. I am finding it hard to believe that you were unable to find work. Is there something I am missing here?

Anna tried to swallow but found her mouth had become rather dry. This was the moment she had rehearsed a million times in her head, especially on the train ride here. Yet still she didn’t know

Reviews for Clifton Manor - Episode One

[Katrina Edlefsen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The final line literally has me chomping at the bit for the next 'Episode'