He hadn't intended to continue calling her 'Miss' if he was going to hire her, but 'Pippa' was a more suitable name for a maid than 'Philippa'. "Pippa it is," he said. "You can begin today. The sooner, the better." Especially since she had a lot to learn, he thought, but he didn't say that. "I will show you around and show you your room."

He brought the tea to his mouth, to drink it quickly, but realized it would burn his mouth, and so he set the cup back down and got up.

"This way." He led her out of the office, through the waiting room, through a corridor, until they reached a little hallway with stairs and a door on the side. "Kitchen and scullery are through here." He opened the door. There's a door to the yard in the back of the scullery. Please use that to get in and out. The front door is for the practice. "We have no plumbing upstairs, so you'll have to carry water up and down, I'm afraid." That made him think. "Do you know how to use a copper?"