THE DEPRIVED... Chapter 3...Part 12.

A continuation of my book.

It was two weeks later that the door opened and Walter poked his head round the door and called out for Beth.
“Don’t talk and come with me.” he instructed. Walter led Beth back down the corridor into a small room and there stood Bertha.
“Beth! Lord’s sake, look at you! Have they done you bad and took your heart, girl!” cried Bertha as the door closed behind her.
Beth gave way to a flood of tears and hung hard with her arms around the large woman’s neck.
“I heard from Walter that you got the whip’s end to your back. But you never let them take what is yours to keep, Beth girl.” soothed Bertha as she undressed Beth and began to rub some cream into Beth’s back.
“We need to clean you up.”
Bertha began combing Beth’s hair with her fingers.
“You should of heard the other girls, clucking at their tongues in knowing you turned down a chance of making some wealth with a rich Fancy-Dan.” Bertha confided.
None understood Beth’s reluctance to give way to the fop’s demands, to gain her freedom and a few sovereigns as well, to begin life again.
“Pay no heed to the workings of that man’s mind and sit you down, dearie. Walter told me of your plight and is in fixing a way for you to take service with a rich man and his wife and daughter. Walter is working to have it easy for you. So dry your tears and perk your heart up.”
The door opened and Walter stood there, a finger to his lips.
“Don’t make a noise. I’m here to be leading you both back to your room and I don’t want the other Warders knowing me game.”
Walter led them back to the room that housed the four women and Beth cried with relief, knowing she would not have to spend another night in the pig’s cell. Beth sat on the mattress while Bertha knelt behind her and tried to straighten Beth’s hair and then dabbing at her eyes.
“I have some rouge for her cheeks.” offered one of the other women but Bertha refused the offer.
“We don’t want her looking as a dolly-girl, them sort as have money aint got an interest in a Night-Girl. No. We wants her in natural state and fit as a serving girl.”
“When will Walter take me to see the family?” asked Beth, now feeling much better and willing to talk.
“Lordy Beth.” answered Bertha. “It aint for the likes of us to go wandering round the rooms of them as has privilege. It’s up to them as come here to inspect you and then it’s up to you to give them the knowing of your willingness to serve. And you also has to know it aint for you to smile in a bonny light neither. Look at them straight and honest so they see the decency of you. You got that?”
Beth nodded.
“I’ll do anything excepting that which the High- Hats are asking of me. I just won’t do it!” she avowed.
“And it’s as you will have it and that you keep yourself to a right time, Beth.” agreed Bertha, now straightening the shawl so that it draped Beth’s shoulders to equal fashion.

 

It was after breakfast that the door opened to admit Walter and a man of around forty-five, a tall and upright figure who smiled kindly and was dressed in black and topped with a stove-pipe hat that threatened to topple off at any time.
“That is young Beth, Sir.” spoke up Walter, pointing out Beth who had risen and now stood with a respectful look to the front.
“My name is Mr. Samuels.” said the man, giving Beth full appraisal with kindly eyes.
Beth curtsied as Bertha had shown her earlier, bobbing in short style.
“Would you care to serve me and mine, Beth?” asked Mr. Samuels.
“I would take to that in quick time.” replied Beth.
“Then let’s have no more time here. Say your goodbyes and follow me.” ordered Mr. Samuels.
Beth gave Bertha a hug and bid the other women goodbye before leaving the room and followed Mr. Samuels down the corridor and to a set of stairs which took them up to a higher level. Here the landing was swept clean and had a better smell to the air.
“This is my family home for the duration, which will not be defined in years but more in months.” stated Mr. Samuels as he threw open the door.
“Tempest!” he shouted as a small King Charles spaniel came yapping towards them.
“Get down and behave. Dora! Come and take this animal away and put it to its home.” called Mr. Samuels, pushing the dog away as it reared to hug his britches.
A young girl not much younger than Beth ran forward to collect the dog up in her arms and smother it with kisses before taking the dog into a small side room.
“This, Mrs. Samuels, is Beth. She is to be our serving girl for our stay. Does the choice please you, dear?”
Mrs. Samuels, a rather gaunt woman of seeming severe temperament surveyed Beth, leaning forward from the chair and raising a lorgnette to the eye.
“Come forward girl. Let me see the making of you.”
Beth stepped forward to stand in front of Mrs. Samuels.
“You will do this family fine.” said Mrs. Samuels who then smiled as she lowered the eye-glass, the smile giving her face a new sense of beauty.
Beth bobbed a curtsy and for the first time in a long while felt that life was treating her fairly.
“Dora!” called Mrs. Samuels.
The young girl who had run after the dog now appeared with the dog still in her arms.
“This is our daughter, Dora.”
Beth bobbed a curtsy once more and smiled at the girl.
“This is our new serving girl."
Dora laughed gaily like a little child, her voice somewhat squeaky.
“Oh Mama, I quite like her!” she squealed and continued to laugh before suddenly handing the dog over to Beth, placing it in her arms before running off into the side room.
“Come with me, Beth!” she called.
“Go with her, child.” instructed Mrs. Samuels, when Beth had hesitated.
The side room turned out to be Dora’s bedroom, more a nursery with toys strewn on the floor and four dolls taking up the quilted bed.
“You can be my very best friend.” delighted Dora. “I’ve never had a best friend, have you?”
Beth admitted she never had a best friend and would love to have Dora as her best friend.
“Then put Tempest down and we shall get to know each other.”