There was no time to dither about. It had to be important for Mrs. Chubb to send this little twerp to help them. Making up her mind, Gertie thrust the pan of sausages at the maid. “Here, take these in there and put them on the sideboard next to the eggs and bacon. And don’t bleeding drop nothing neither, or you’ll have to go back to the kitchen to get more.”

“Yes, Mrs. McBride.” The maid started to curtsey, thought better of it, grabbed hold of the tray, and scuttled into the dining room.

Pansy gave her a startled look as she scurried by, then lifted an eyebrow when she reached the door. “What’s going on, then? Why is she serving?”

Gertie shrugged. “Dunno. Mrs. Chubb sent her up. I’ve got to go to madam’s office. Just try and manage with her for now. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Pansy’s face filled with concerned curiosity, but she nodded and carried the dishes to the dumbwaiter, where a maid took them from her.

Gertie waited just long enough to see Pansy take the last of the platters from the waiter. Satisfied, she turned and rushed down the hallway, frantically trying to recall whatever it was she’d done to earn a summons to the office.

Cecily looked up as the tap on the door disturbed her thoughts. Bracing herself for what she knew would be a difficult and emotional ordeal, she called out, “Come in!”

Gertie peered around the door, her face creased with worry. “It’s me, m’m. You wanted to see me?”

“Yes, yes.” Cecily beckoned her with an impatient hand. “Come in and take a seat.”

Gertie slunk across the floor to a chair and plopped down on it. “Mrs. Chubb says it’s important.”

Cecily folded her hands on the desk and tried to collect her thoughts.

Leaning forward, Gertie blurted out, “I didn’t do nothing wrong, did I, m’m? I haven’t broken nothing, at least not in the last month or two, and I’ve tried to get the meals out on the tables on time. Course, it’s bloody hard with a new maid what don’t know her flipping right hand from her left and all, but I do try-”