Yes, Mrs Warwick go right ahead Avis.

How are you?

Have you recovered from your summer cold Elizabeth?

How lovely to see you.

I just refilled the pot piece of cake.

Is that your seed cake?

It's mary ann's she has a tendency to put it in the oven when it's a little too hot and so when it comes out it's not done all the way through because she's had to take it out, stop it drying at the top.

But this is one of her best.

I think I'm gonna start letting her make these kind of dishes for the top table seed cake was a favorite of my mother's.

She wasn't a great cake maker, but her sister occasionally would send her one.

I've always been rather partial to it.

I think the best seed cake I've ever eaten was from a shopping knowledge while I was waiting for a train.

Now, before we talk about kate, I have a note about the family arriving later this afternoon.

Lady egg Lincoln's daughter has declared herself a vegetarian and refuses to have animals killed to provide her dinner.

So fire.

What's the cause this time?

Well, she's just recently joined a women's suffrage society and I think that's where the influence lies.

I shall have to have a look at the menu.

I suppose a white soup with vegetable stock and then perhaps bean croquettes for the fish course vegetable curry will suffice for the entree?

The roast a vegetable goose potatoes will do for all.

As were carrots?

I shall have to buy some macaroni and lentils.

I'll have to send out the grocer.

Well she's barely likely to eat anything.

I mean when she was here last time to be weighed.

Well she was barely there.

I wonder what his guests think when lord bre brick weighs them before they died.

I expect they find it a huge joke.

No one ever seems to pass comment.

Perhaps it occurs in other houses.

Now you wanted to talk to me about kate Squires o as you know she hasn't been here long, but it seems to me that she has been settling in rather well.

It isn't her first job and she she seems rather good at what she does, but it seems to me that she's been somewhat distracted lately last week when we had the guests with the young Children, she she forgot to fully attend to the chamber pots in the nursery.

Very unlike her.

And it seems that when Emma was putting away the chamber pots she noticed, I know that we don't have very many young guests, but it is very bad to make such a simple error.

Very odd behavior if you say she's good at her job.

Well it's it seems to me I feared that perhaps she had a follower and we all know what that can lead to.

Yes, all too common.

Many are made has left to look after a sick mother and then suddenly a child appears and the maid is less plump and less inclined to work away from home.

I'm always quite certain that the reason that Elsie left to take that position at the biscuit factory in Reading it was nothing to do with missing her family or the regular hours.

I could never imagine willingly leaving service to work in a factory.

Indeed.

Well I've had a word with Anne.

Chase as you know, she's the same age as kate and they get on very well and she is quite definite on the point.

But it's nothing like that.

Not even lovesick according to anne, but I did press her a little further and she says that kate is thinking of changing positions but she's barely been his six months.

Why I feel these young girls are scarcely imposed before they are moving on.

I can't remember when it was so well it seems that it is two years at the most before they move on you just have them under instruction and as you like it and then they want to move on to marry or to a better position.

I don't begrudge them trying to better themselves.

It's just the thought of training up someone new.

You can't bemoan an older made like Eliza oh she is an utter Boone mrs croque.

Um Why the other four housemates look up to her as an example.

Her instruction of them is excellent unsurpassed and I have to say she's a particular asset in the still room.

Why we have to thank her because Katherine's chutney is almost on a par with my own.

Anyway.

It seems that Kate is looking for shop work working in a shop.

And why would that be any better than here?

It doesn't make any sense to me.

Well she has a friend that works in Whiteley's apparently and as you know they can procure anything from an elephant to a pin.

I suppose it is the glamour of it do you think?

But shop work is hardly better hours than those in service shops open eight or nine til 9:10 p.m. Well she will get to live in I think.

And so she'll get bed and board just like here.

It's just the food won't be as good.

That shop has many departments nowadays.

And even a refreshment room.

Perhaps she'll wait on tables.

Do you think it is the uniform?

Some girls like the idea of wearing a uniform or the fact that she will be in London isn't she A little short for the shops in London.

I thought they were quite particular in the way that their shop girls looked.

Perhaps.

Poor kate is a bit too plain.

Yes.

Perhaps robert sale in Cambridge might be more likely.

Or a store back home near Oxford.

Which is where her family come from.

I should think.

She'll find the work quite different to hear all those customers to deal with.

At least you know where you are in service.

So long as you have a good family.

I suppose she'll be able to take advantage of the sales in a shop and she does always seem rather painted.

Perhaps the cosmetics appeal Elizabeth.

I'm afraid if she's made up her mind there's not much you can do apart from give a bad reference and that just seems very cherry ish gee no, no, no, no.

Heaven for Finn.

I would want to help her avis in any way that I can and I think it may be a rather harsh place to work compared to this.

But if she doesn't want her life in service any longer tom P then where else can we suggest?

Well I've only known service so I'm not sure what advice I can give apart from.

Make inquiries first treat it as if you're applying to a new family, ask friends and colleagues, find out what snippets you can and then make an informed choice.

I must say avis.

I wouldn't want to be a young girl.

Starting out again.

Would you know?

I don't think it's got any easier.

Not for the likes of us.

Well I must be going to the laundry sarah tells me that the box mangle is squeaking rather alarmingly.

And my compliments to mary ann on the seed cake.