Power

POWER

It was quite unusual, especially as it was the middle of June and seeing how the entire previous week had been nothing but blue sky and sunshine, but this day wanted only black rain clouds and rain. Heavy rain at that which pelted down against the windows with such venom, that there were genuine concerns that some, or even all, of the panes of glass may even break under such ferocity. Not that any of this concerned Martha, she was not even given it a second thought in fact, every single pane of glass could shatter right now, and she would happily clear up every single piece of broken glass as she literally danced her way along the first-floor corridor of Crawford Manor as well, on the brief occasion, giving out a short burst of song.

This certainly was not usual behaviour for her as usually she would go about her morning work knowing her place as she does so yet today, Queen Victoria herself could be glaring her disapproval at this very moment, and it wouldn`t bother her in the slightest as he begun tip-toeing down the main staircase with a wipe of the cloth here, and a flick of the feather duster there, before taking the final three stairs with a hop, skip, and then a jump, before dancing just like she was doing The Waltz, along the corridor before making her way down into the kitchen.

“I want those pots so clean that you can see your faces in them!” Was the very clear instruction that were bellowed across the kitchen from Mrs Dobbs, the Housekeeper, who`s now very intimidating stare, far outweighed her bulky frame as the two young girls that she was staring at, just froze next to the kitchen sink, dare not speak, but just politely nodded showing that they understood her, before they instantly proceeded with a series of unison actions of scrub, rinse, check, scrub, rinse, check as Mrs Dobbs kept a mean and watchful eye over them, fully aware of the imaginary chains attached to their ankles that kept them both firmly attached to the sink. They were going nowhere, she knew that, so she allowed herself look around her kitchen where she now saw Martha, just standing there with her big brown eyes and sweet smile radiating a glow of joy and happiness. “What are you smiling for you great big lump?” Mrs Dobbs asks quite rudely as she clearly referring to the fact that she was slightly overweight, but Martha paid no attention to that whatsoever.

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“Aren`t I allowed to be happy?” she quickly asks in reply.

“In this place, no!” was Mrs Dobbs even quicker reply to her before going on to ask. “Have you finished all your work for now?”

“Yes Mrs Dobbs, first floor cleaned and tidied and all beds made, so I thought I would have a quick cup of tea before starting on the second floor, if that`s alright with you that is?” Normally, this request would be greeted by a very clear and firm `No! ` But seeing the smile which by now, could very well be a permanent fixture on her face, even someone who could be as cold-hearted as her, found it very difficult to say no, so she didn`t, but she insisted that it would have to a quick cup as she still had plenty of other things to be getting on with. Martha thanked her by giving her a quick curtsey before she began pouring herself a cup from the freshly boiled kettle which she was now so looking forward to drinking as Martins, the Head Butler, entered the kitchen in such military fashion that you would have thought he was on the Parade Ground and marching to the beat of the Regimental Band and at the very moment that Martha was just about to take her first and well-earned sip.

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“Stop right there Martha, you have no time to drink any of that” he says rather loudly catching Martha slightly by surprise before she turns rather disappointedly towards him. “Why is that Mr. Martins? I`ve really earned this drink today honestly, I have” she says.

“That`s as maybe” begins Martins, “but her Ladyship herself, has requested, most insistently I might add, that you should go and see her in The Study, immediately.” Even the two young girls dared to stop working and take a discreet look over their shoulders to see what Martha`s reaction to this order would be as Mrs Dobbs asks. “Well, my girl, what have you been up to, to have her ladyship personally summon you then eh?” A deftly hush fell upon the kitchen, and as all eyes were now firmly fixed upon her, Martha, who just stood like statue with a vacant an expression wracking her brains into why she had been summoned up to The Study by her Ladyship.

“Well, don`t just stand there my girl, you`d better get yourself up there because when she said immediately, I do believe that`s exactly what she meant” Martins tells her quite firmly.

Martha reacted exactly how you expect her to react when summoned by the Lady of the House, by putting her cup down on the kitchen table, but not before taking a very quick and much needed sip, and very swiftly leaves the kitchen still leaving everyone there wondering what exactly she had done.

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It was almost in a blink-of-an-eye, that Martha was now stood outside The Study making sure that she was presentable enough and once she felt that she was, she gave three knocks on the door which received the response of a woman`s voice bellowing out. “ENTER!”

On entering the very first thing that she saw was the tall and gangly figure of Lady Patricia Crawford who, from the very set eyes on Martha, tried to make herself as imposing and intimidating as she possibly could. Martha felt neither intimidated nor imposed in anyway as she was too preoccupied with trying to work out why she had been summoned. “Close the door behind you!” was the next instruction and the very moment it shut, there was a rumble of thunder that was so loud, Martha genuinely thought the very foundations of Crawford Manor could start to shake.

Thunder was something that she didn`t like, and now it showed her face, and the only thing that could possibly comfort her now, was sitting at the right-hand side of the desk, in the form of Lord Giles Crawford who, as usual, was immaculately dressed but unusually, did not have the look of the dashing and handsome man that she always knew him to be. His smile, which he was more than happy to direct at her very often, especially in the recent past, would always make her heart skip a beat but now, he would not offer her the slightest glance as he turned his head away to ensure that there would be no eye contact whatsoever? Which did hurt a touch as Lady Patricia then barked out her next instruction. “Come here, girl!”

There was a clear tone of anger in her voice as Martha, demurely, did as she was told as the rain continued to pelt heavily against the windows and when she reached the desk, she stood silently with her head slightly bowed and her hands crossed in the front of her as Lady Patricia turns to her husband. “Is this really the one?”

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With her head remaining exactly where it was, Martha`s eyes opened as wide as they possibly could as she had now figured out why it was Lady Patricia had indeed summoned her. She prayed she was wrong could only nod in reply, still not wishing to look at Martha, or dare not look at her. “So then, girl, I`m given to understand that you and my husband, how shall I put this? Have been getting a lot closer than an employer, employee, should be permitted to be getting. Is it true?” Martha just closed her eyes, secretly praying to be anywhere else but here right now. “I said, is it true?” Lady Patricia said impatiently. Clearly Lord Giles was in no way going to be any help or support to her as she mumbled her response.

“Yes, Lady Patricia, it is true.”

“Pardon! What was that? Come along girl speak up, let`s hear you!” Lady Patricia demanded as Martha slowly raises her head and looks her straight in her eyes, no matter how difficult it was for her to do, eventually says clearly.

“Yes, My Ladyship, it is true.”

Lady Patricia, albeit begrudgingly, respected the courage that it had taken her to speak up and confess, but that still didn`t mean her anger was even less, quite the opposite in fact, as she became even more enraged and turning back to her husband, looking at him in disgust who was looking at the floor hoping that it would swallow him up right now before turning back to Martha who she had not finished with just yet.

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“Well, to say that I am somewhat disappointed, would indeed be quite an understatement; because I always hoped that if my pathetic excuse of a husband, would even dare to think to be unfaithful to me, then I would have thought that he would extended me the courtesy of at least going with another woman of noble blood. But look what stands in front of me right now. Nothing but a common Scullery Maid. And an overweight one at that” she says with poisonous venom before turning back to her husband, who still hoped to be swallowed up.

“So, what was the attraction, huh? Because from where I am standing, I find it very difficult to see anything worthwhile risking our marriage for. Or was it just so easy to get someone a common as her into the bedroom as we both know that any lady with any class or nobility would not even entertain the thought of going anywhere near you. And for it to happen now; of all times, when my cousin, Queen Victoria herself, is due here next week as part of her Golden Jubilee celebrations. Oh, the indignity of it all.”

It was just being labelled unattractive; she had heard that more than once in her lifetime, just like being labelled common was not exactly unusual, but the sight of Lord Giles cowering down looking exactly as Lady Patricia described him: pathetic, and with absolutely no intention of standing up for her in anyway after all that he had promised her, that is what hurt Martha the most right now as she truly believed that she was in fact falling in love with him, and thought that he just might with her. Clearly now she was fooling herself to even to begin to think like that as Lady Patricia`s cold grey eyes were now directly firmly fixed onto Martha`s warm and tender brown to give her the meanest stare that she had ever been on the receiving end of, and it was now she began to feel slightly intimidated as Lady Patricia spoke again.

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“Very well; now that we`ve established exactly what has been going on behind my back, it now, gives me great pleasure to inform you, that you are now, and with immediate effect, dismissed from the service of this house. You are now to leave this room and go and pack all your belongings and you will leave before the end of this day. Is that clearly understood? And not only do I never wish to see your face again, but, if you breathe a single word of this to anyone, then I shall make you regret that for the rest of your life. Do I make myself perfectly clear!” She says in a voice that had no reason to be raised as it was perfectly clear that her threat was genuine.

Martha had no real idea what happened next, not a single clue. All that she did know was that for some totally unexpected reason, she was not only no longer upset, but felt no fear whatsoever as giving Lord Giles just one final glance out of the corner of her eye feeling no more love for him, just pity, before asking Lady Patricia. “I would just like to ask My Ladyship, but when you said with immediate effect I am to be dismissed from the service of this house, you did mean immediately?”

“Of course, I meant immediately!” Lady Patricia then snarled at her but not one feather of Martha`s were ruffled as she calmly replied.

“Very well Lady Patricia, I will do as you say, and I can assure you now that I will be gone from this house in only a couple of hours, but before I go, I would like to say something.”

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“I have no interest at all in anything that you have to say, now off with you” says Lady Patricia who was not to be questioned now, but Martha stood firm.

“Please Your Ladyship, what I have to say will not take long” she says calmly, and politely.

“Dam you and your impertinence! Remove yourself from my home immediately or I will have you thrown out of here this instant!” But no matter how loudly she raised her voice or much she meant what she just said, Martha remained unmoved and still showing no fear.

“I will have my say My Ladyship as I assure you again, that I will not take up a lot of your time. You say that I am dismissed from your service with immediate effect, very well, I shall accept that as I am sure that many ladies who find themselves in the position that you are now in, but seeing how you have dismissed me, the truth is now, you cannot silence me, and I can speak freely to whoever and whenever I chose to.”

“I have already told you that you will not speak a word of this to anyone outside of this room, and I meant every word: understand. YOU WILL BE SILENT!” Lady Patricia positively roared those last few words expecting Martha to cower and obey, but again, Martha had no intention of doing any such thing.

“No, Lady Patricia, I will not be silent. For when I walk out of here, free from your service as you have wished me to be, I will quite freely speak of what has happened between me and your husband. Now, I am prepared for the fact that many people might very well judge me harshly, even say that I should carry all the blame but, they will probably only be the people that move in the circles that you are used to. Especially with what is coming to this very house next. Maybe even Her Majesty Queen Victoria herself, may have her own opinion on the subject.

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“You see Lady Crawford, I also move in circles and although they may not be as grand or a noble as yours; but they are full of good, trustworthy and honest people and even though just like in yours, there may just be the odd one or two who will judge me harshly and even blame me but more than likely, the majority of them will believe me when I say that I was chased and chased by your husband until I gave in because that is exactly what happened. But looking at him now, believe me Your Ladyship, that is something I am going to regret for the rest of my life. But before I leave, I will just say this one final thing. If, allowing your husband to take me to his bed reflects bad on me as a woman, then let`s just think how badly this reflects on you as a wife.”

And with that, she gives a sarcastic curtsy before turning around, and not giving even the slightest glance to thankfully, her former lover, it was with her pleasure that she began making her way out of The Study and despite the repeated warnings for her to be silent or suffer the repercussions from Lady Patricia, with her head now held firmly high, and her sweet smile beginning to reappear again, Martha ensured, that the door was firmly shut behind her.

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