Just as Sarah said, there were housemaid uniforms aplenty on hand but they needed alterations. The next day, in an empty room not far from the kitchen, Charlotte put the Singer Vibrating Shuttle Sewing Machine to good use and became the Mansion's in-house seamstress. While she loved to sew, especially on such a nice new machine, she had a few complaints.
"I am so tired of sewing the same color cloth all day long. I cannot quite decide if the cloth is blue or gray," she whined when Sarah walked into the room.
"Perhaps this will help.' She showed Charlotte where the seam of her white apron was coming apart. "Can you fix it?"
"With pleasure, it will only take a minute."
Sarah walked to the window and looked out at the tilled ground where Hannish hoped to plant a rose garden. Alistair was outside looking at it too, and when he spotted her, she nodded. For a butler, Alistair was a friendly sort, a little prim and proper perhaps, but not all starch and vinegar the way some butlers were. It was plain to see he had taken Sassy under his wing, and for that alone, she admired him.
"Oh, darn it, I broke the thread. That is the third time today."
Sarah glanced back. "You seem a bit annoyed, is something the matter?"
"I could not get Sassy to stand still long enough to pin her hem straight. It took nearly an hour."
"She is excited, it is…"
"Let her be excited somewhere else."
Sarah stared at Charlotte for a moment, and then turned back to watch Alistair through the window.
Charlotte finally got the needle threaded and began to sew the apron seam. She dreamed of making a gown of her own someday, attending a grand ball at the Antler Hotel, and having Hannish ask her to dance. She was perhaps not the prettiest of women, she knew, with thin hair that was more brown than black, but one look in her eyes when they danced would let him know how much she adored him. It was just a dream, but sometimes dreams did come true.
When Hannish walked past the open door, she stopped to smile at him. Unfortunately, he did not notice her so she went back to her sewing. "I dread having to fit Sassy for another frock tomorrow."
"Then I will come with her. She will stand still for me," said Sarah.
"I doubt it."
*
They were ill prepared to entertain guests, but when a carriage started up the drive toward the Mansion in the late afternoon, everyone hurried to get ready. Keith rushed out to open the carriage door as soon as it stopped, while Alistair stood ready at the front door. McKenna checked her hair in the only full-length mirror located in Olivia's room and straightened her skirt, "How good of someone to come just at dinnertime," she muttered. "Sassy, tell cook to prepare. My brother will surely invite them to stay."