I have found generally that the poorer families who had just one servant, usually employed a relative! Thjis benefitted everyone I think - the girl would be housed and fed and get a bit of pocket money, which she wouldn't have done at home, and she would be theoretically treated reasonably well as she was a relative.
I have also found that these "relatives" often were four or five generations apart and I am constantly amazed at how they must have kept in touch down the years.
OC
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