A Scalding Cup of Tea, Part 1 (of 2)
January 1912
Ravenstone Abbey
Scotland
Mary put the hot tea down with shaking fingers. The cup rattled onto the saucer as she put her numb fingers under her armpits, praying they'd warm. She didn't need another scolding and rap on her knuckles for touching the Dowager Duchess of Ravenstone Abbey with her freezing hands as she dressed her in the morning.
As Mary looked out the gleaming glass into the courtyard, she shivered. Thick fog shifted and swirled between the walls of the large stone house. A weak sun was feebly attempting to shine through, but the girl knew she was in for another dreary January day.
Picking up the cup again, she took a tentative sip, silently cursing Genevieve for always scalding it. But as the cook's aid, it was her job to make the tea and biscuits for the staff. Mary blew on it, drank it down fast, feeling it burning its way down her slender throat.
"Better get a move on, Mary, her Ladyship's in a right state. Her lumbago's acting up." Cicely gave her a saucy grin.
She had just returned from stoking the fires and had a bit of soot across her cheek.
Mary groaned and handed her a cloth, motioning to her face. She grabbed the tea tray made for Her Grace and climbed the stairs, dread knotting her stomach. She'd rather be out in the foggy courtyard freezing than bathe and dress the cantankerous old lady.
Oh, well, she sighed. Maybe Peter will send for me soon, and we can sail away on the Titanic for America.
But probably not today.
***
Does Mary make it over to America? Find out in Part 2.
Teacake Tidbits
1. Industrial Scotland and the Shipyards
In early 1912, Glasgow and Belfast (though Belfast is in Northern Ireland, its shipbuilding was closely tied to Scottish industry) were at the heart of the British shipbuilding boom. The River Clyde bustled with ironworks, steamship construction, and coal barges. Thousands of Scottish laborers and engineers worked grueling hours in the yards, including men who had built ships like the Lusitania and Titanic. Many Scottish families would later learn that their kin had helped craft the doomed liner’s steel plates and rivets.
2. Highland Hardships and Emigration
Across the Highlands and islands, the Scottish clearances had left lingering scars. By 1912, crofters and tenant farmers still struggled to make a living from poor soil, and many families looked to Canada and America for a better life. Steamships departing from Greenock and Glasgow were crowded with Scots seeking a fresh start.
3. A Winter of Strikes and Storms
The winter of 1911–1912 saw labor unrest sweep across Scotland. Dockers, miners, and railway workers went on strike over low wages and long hours, part of the broader wave known as the Great Unrest in Britain. At the same time, Scotland endured a bitter, stormy season, with gales that battered the coasts and caused several shipwrecks.
