"Ah, there you are, Miss Kenton. If you had observed my father who arrived in

this house a week after you did, you will have seen that his house knowledge is

perfect and was so almost from the time he set foot in Darlington Hall."

 

Miss Kenton seemed to think about this before saying a little sulkily:

 

"I am sure Mr Stevens senior is very good at his job, but I assure you, Mr

Stevens, I am very good at mine. I will remember to address your father by his

full title in future. Now, if you would please excuse me."

 

After this encounter, Miss Kenton did not attempt to introduce further flowers

into my pantry, and in general, I was pleased to observe, she went about

settling in impressively. It was clear, furthermore, she was a housekeeper who

took her work very seriously and in spite of her youth, she seemed to have no

difficulty gaining the respect of her staff.

 

I noticed too that she was indeed proceeding to address my father as 'Mr

Stevens'.

 

However, one afternoon perhaps two weeks after our conversation in my pantry, I

was doing something in the library when Miss Kenton came in and said:

 

"Excuse me, Mr Stevens. But if you are searching for your dust-pan, it is out in

the hall."