Chapter 9

Diary entry 9

Not very much to relate in this Diary entry.

Penny was very subdued when I returned to the room after classes on Monday. Our greetings were civil enough but there was none of the friendly ribaldry and hugs of only a week ago. We spoke briefly before I started working on my latest assignment and then going to the cafeteria with Sarah and Connie.

Ben and I continued to see each other every day and on Wednesday evening I went to his room to discuss the latest homework that we'd been set. We'd been given a paragraph of text and had to write the outline of a story around it. We threw ideas at each other and even though our outlines were totally different, we both benefited from the exchange. Pete asked if he should leave the room but we said it was a working evening and he could stay so he could work too.

When I returned, I noticed my computer was on screen saver and not sleep mode. Penny saw me look at it and apologised, "Sorry, I knocked the mouse when I went by." We both knew she'd tried to access the story but I'd changed my password to a non-guessable one. Secretly I smiled knowing she'd been foiled.

After having shown my arse to the netball team, I had no compunction at showering in front of the other girls although I made a point of not showering when Penny was there. By the end of the week most of the soreness and some of the colour had gone and I could walk and sit more or less normally.

Chapter 9. Change of ownership

"Here get a couple of spoonfuls of this down yer, Emmy. It'll ease yer pain and let yer sleep on a bit." Reluctantly opening my eyes a little and again feeling the horrendous fire across the whole of my back, I saw Cook with a small blue bottle and a teaspoon. To my amazement it was Master Leonard himself who gently lifted me slightly to allow her to put a spoonful of the noxious tasting liquid in my mouth. I swallowed and a second spoonful was pushed towards me. Vaguely I remember taking it down and spluttering a little before being gently lowered to the bed again. Clarrie stood to one side with wet flannels in her hands and tears flowing down her face waiting to wipe the welts again; the flannels were stained red so I knew my skin had been broken and wondered how badly I would be scarred but whatever was in the blue bottle soon took effect and I knew nothing more for some time.

The light from the oil lamp cast a soft glow on the room when I woke so I knew I'd been asleep for a long while. Probably it was the low, but heated argument raging between Leonard and James that aroused me and not wishing to disturb them, I pretended not to wake.

"She deserved it. You should not have interfered."

"James, I may not be like you and into the usual things country folk expect of the gentry, the hunting, shooting, fishing and such, but I'm no country bumkin and neither am I a fool like you seem to be."

"You're just a fop."

The remark was evidently ignored. "Do you realise she could put you in jail? Being out in the shire, I bet you won't have heard what happened to Lord Camberwell. He severely caned a girl in his employ for refusing to warm his bed, caned her in front of two other servants. One stroke cut her badly and a worried servant went for the doctor when it became infected. The upshot was that Lord Camberwell was taken before the Justice of the Peace and he was fined 100 guineas, had to pay the girl 50 guineas and was sent to prison for 30 days. And he had to serve all those 30 days in Newgate with all the roughs and toughs from the low life of London."

"That wouldn't happen here."

"You sure? Word would only have to get to the sheriff or that fiery new minister at the non-conformist chapel they've just built, and you could find yourself behind bars. Your past aggression to her would be brought under scrutiny as well as would the rest of the things that go on in this house. It would be a total embarrassment to the whole family and friends. Neither father nor anyone else here would be able to stop it. There are witnesses enough who would testify against you and plenty of persons in the community would like to see us taken down a peg or two and, if like you suggested, we throw her out and put her and her family in the workhouse, it will all become very public and they'll be a wave of ill feeling against everyone here. From what I gather from the maids, the girl didn't do anything really wrong, and all the time she's been with us, she's had nothing but pain and humiliation, not just from you but from all our family and many of the staff too. It has got to stop before were are the centre of a great deal of controversy and ill feeling; ill feeling we will find difficult to dispel."

"Have it your way for the time being Leonard, we'll see what our parents have to say on their return." I heard him leave the room but I pretended to sleep and not let them know that I'd heard. Only when some time later I felt his cool hand on my brow, did I open my eyes.

Three days later, Lord and Lady Marchant returned and shortly after I heard voices coming from next door in the master's room. Although I couldn't make out what was actually said, at times, the voices were loud and angry and again I wondered what my fate would be. Would Master Leonard be able to keep me? Would I be sent away and live in the workhouse? A disgrace to the family for not letting them keep the farm? Would I go to that minister Leonard mentioned? If I had my way I would stay with Leonard but the choice was not mine. In the few days I'd been with him, he'd treated me most kindly and I'd begun to feel a little affection for him but I'd no idea how he really felt about me other than his concern for my welfare and safety. Probably I was just a poor wretch who'd been unjustly punished and needing looking after, his role being that of the Good Samaritan. His affections would be for that woman he'd painted, although I hadn't seen her lately. Perhaps she wouldn't come while I still slept in his bed. Would he send me back to my room so he could fuck her? My mind whirled with questions as I squirmed gently under the sheet covering me.