Back in Service (11 page)

‘Then that Baines woman,’ she wiped away a tear with the back of her hand, ‘lifted the blanket up to his knees and told me to rub the water into his bare feet and legs. I obeyed, of course, still thinking nothing of it, really. But as I knelt beside him, I could feel him stroking my hair as if I were some little lapdog. I ignored it, but then he started caressing my neck and I began to feel more and more uncomfortable.’

‘But you continued massaging his legs?’ Jane nodded, slipped a crumpet off the toasting fork and handed it to Hetty, who smeared it liberally with butter and handed it back. ‘Eat up, Jane dear,’ she urged.

There was a pause while both of them ate and drank their tea. Hetty noticed Jane’s chin was slick with butter and leaned forward with her napkin to wipe it. The girl smiled at her gratefully, and at once improper feelings rose in her bosom she did her best to suppress, telling herself she must retain the girl’s trust at all costs. ‘Come on then, Jane,’ she said gently. ‘What happened next?’

‘Nanny Baines came up to pull the blanket higher over his thighs, right up to his loins, and I saw his… his
you
know…’

‘His phallus, Jane. There is no shame in giving the male organ its rightful name.’

‘Yes, his…
phallus
was completely exposed.’

‘What state was it in, Jane?’ she enquired, trying to sound matter-of-fact.

‘What do you mean,
state?
’

‘Surely you know a man’s organ may be in one of two states, Jane, small and shrunken when at rest, or large and stiff when prepared for the deed of procreation. So tell me, what condition was Sir Victor’s phallus in?’

Jane’s eyes filled with tears again, and fearing she had spoken too bluntly, Hetty once more rose to put a comforting arm around the girl’s shoulders. ‘I told you, Jane, there is nothing to be ashamed of. You did no wrong, I am sure of it.’

‘I think his organ was not swollen up, not then, at any rate. But Nanny Baines urged me to continue rubbing the lotion into his thighs and the… the
thing
began to move. I squealed in fright when I saw it twitch like a live thing.’

Hetty could hardly suppress a smile, but she did her best as she resumed her seat. ‘So you continued to apply the Hungary water?’

‘Yes, and Nanny Baines stood over me the whole time. She said I was doing very well, and Sir Victor said he felt thoroughly invigorated. I wanted to be pleased by their praise, but I could not help feeling secretly alarmed at having him exposing himself to me like that.’

‘You were right to have doubts, Jane. Nothing that man says should be taken at face value, I know. And it seems he has that dragon as his accomplice now. They make a formidable pair. But pray, continue.’

‘I thought I had finished when I reached his loins, but then Nanny Baines said I should apply some of the water to Sir Victor’s… phallus.’

‘How did she put it? What were her exact words?’

She frowned, trying to remember. ‘I think she said, “his lordship’s privy parts need attention, too. Make sure you apply the water liberally”. Then Sir Victor added, “it will do me a power of good”, or something to that effect. I was shocked. I could not believe they were expecting me to take such liberties.’

‘Did you refuse?’

‘At first. I scrambled up and faced Nanny Baines, for I was too confused and upset to speak to Sir Victor directly. I told her I could not possibly perform such an intimate act for his lordship. She drew herself up and stared down at me with those horrid dark eyes of hers boring into me. I thought I would faint I was so frightened.’

‘What did she say?’

‘She accused me of being insubordinate and threatened dire punishment, even dismissal. She said it was my duty to obey her. She said I must do anything she asked without question. She terrified me.’

Hetty felt anger smouldering in her bosom. She was remembering her own ordeals at the hands of Sir Victor, and how alone and vulnerable she had felt. ‘Did you give in, Jane?’

She nodded, her expression miserable. ‘It was hard at first touching his… his organ. Worse, too, because I was nearer to him now and his hand was creeping towards my chest. As I rubbed the scented water into his phallus he began caressing my breast, and then he pinched my nipple so hard I could not prevent myself from crying out. I heard Nanny Baines laugh behind me and she said, “you will get a lot worse than that, girl, if you do not behave yourself”. I hated her so much at that moment, and him, too. Oh Hetty, what on earth shall I do? I cannot brook such painful humiliation again.’

‘I shall think about what to do later. First I need to know exactly what happened, in every detail. Speak freely, my dear, you have my full understanding and sympathy.’

Jane took a deep breath and resumed her narrative, obviously hating every minute of it but driven by an equally strong urge to unburden herself of the distasteful memory. ‘Sir Victor began to issue instructions on how to massage his parts. I tell you, Hetty, I began to feel like… like a woman of the night servicing a gentleman for money. His organ began to stiffen a little, but then it began to shrink again, and that is when Nanny Baines ordered me to do something that… oh, I cannot even bear to speak of it!’

‘You must, Jane. I must know the full extent of that evil pair’s demands on you.’

‘She… she told me the Hungary water was not strong enough to fully restore him. She said that by now Sir Victor should be feeling as strong as the stallion that had thrown him, but he was still too weak. It was my duty to… to restore his manly vigour.’

‘And how were you to do that?’

‘By applying my lips and tongue. That woman told me the saliva of a virgin was most efficacious in a condition like Sir Victor’s, and I should deem it an honour to serve my master in such a fashion.’

Hetty felt her blood boil as she heard how the dreadful Baines woman had tried to take advantage of Jane’s ignorance. ‘Did you obey her?’ she whispered, and held her breath.

‘No, for I knew it was wrong. They were trying to deceive me, to make me fall into sin. And when I refused, the dreadful woman said she had no option but to punish me severely.’

‘Oh dear.’

‘She made me lean across Sir Victor’s legs, and then she raised my skirt and petticoat. All the while he was caressing my bottom through my drawers and I was blushing with shame. Then Nanny Baines found a cane she said she always used on Master Leo when he was a naughty boy, and I quailed at the sight of it.’ Her lower lip trembled. ‘She brought it down upon my fundament three times, each more painful than the last. Oh Hetty, it did sting so! And by the time she finished I could feel… oh it shames me so to think of it, let alone speak of it.’

‘What did you feel, Jane? You
must
tell me.’

‘I could feel Sir Victor’s phallus thickening and stiffening beneath me as I wriggled in pain on his lap. He was breathing hard, too, puffing so much I thought for sure his heart would give out.’

‘It would serve him right if it had,’ Hetty muttered beneath her breath.

‘I am still sore from my ordeal.’

‘You poor, dear girl,’ Hetty cooed, and remembering how comforting the comfrey cream had been for her own similar condition, she thought to offer it to her friend, but then she shrank from the thought of applying it herself. Part of her wanted to rub the sweet smelling ointment into the girl’s tender backside, but that would be entering into dangerous, unknown territory. Her attraction to Jane meant she must exercise caution. ‘I shall give you some cream to rub into your chafed skin,’ she said briskly, rising to fetch the pot. ‘Now toast yourself another crumpet and we will think about what we can do concerning this situation.’ She thought of asking Lady Alice to intervene. After all, Jane was her personal maid and should not brook such treatment from that bully of a nurse. Yet she felt she could not trust the woman. Alice had been remiss in not protecting
her
from the predatory head of the household, taking the attitude that her husband’s affairs were his own.

Then there was Leo. She could ask him to speak to his old nanny. He would doubtless be as shocked as she was to hear of the ill treatment Jane had suffered, and yet she was loath to bother him. His head was so full of other business, and he seemed quite in awe of that formidable woman whenever her name came up in conversation. They had talked of getting Nanny Baines on their side to make a stand against Sir Victor, but she was sure now this was never going to happen.

That only left one other person to confront the tartar. ‘I shall go and see Nanny Baines myself,’ she declared, spreading a generous portion of butter over Jane’s warm crumpet. ‘After all, I am her superior in this house and one day, if all goes well, I shall be lady of the manor here. She
must
listen to
me.’

Hetty’s heart was beating swiftly beneath her pin-tucked blouse as she walked down the corridor towards Sir Victor’s private quarters. She felt as though she was stepping into the lion’s den, and her first knock at the door was so tentative it was barely audible even to her. She knocked more loudly, and Nanny Baines suddenly loomed on the threshold.

‘Mrs Carstairs,’ she declared coldly. ‘How may I help you?’

‘I should like to speak to you for a few minutes, please.’

The woman made no attempt to stand back and let her in. ‘I am afraid it is not convenient at the moment. I am in the middle of giving Sir Victor a blanket bath.’

‘This will not take long,’ she insisted.

‘But I must continue with my task or the water will grow cold,’ the nurse insisted even more firmly.

Hetty felt as though she had been put in her place, even though her place was, theoretically, above that of an employee. Perhaps the woman knew of her humble origins. No doubt Leo’s runaway marriage to a servant had been talked about far and wide for months, and the other servants would have taken delight in informing Mrs Baines of the details. At any rate, she was not being afforded the respect due to her rank as the young master’s wife. ‘Then I shall return in ten minutes,’ she informed the nurse in a brittle tone. ‘Perhaps we may speak in private then.’

The woman gave a curt nod and shut the door so quickly Hetty felt as though it had been slammed in her face. She was furious, and looking forward to their confrontation even less now, but she was determined not to let the bully cow her.

She spent the next ten minutes in the library, where she did her best to calm the angry feelings in her heart. It would not do to lose her temper and her dignity in front of that ogress. When the library clock chimed the quarter hour, she knew she must return to face her, but she viewed the prospect with trepidation.

This time Nanny Baines seemed ready for her. Hand on hip, she opened the door and bade her enter in a cool tone, leading the way into her own private room. It was a sparsely furnished, stoical place with only the bare necessities in evidence. ‘So, Mrs Carstairs, what is it you wanted to talk about?’

‘Your treatment of Jane, Lady Alice’s maid.’ She decided to get straight to the point. ‘I found her in a distressed state this afternoon, and she told me something about the way she had been treated by you and Sir Victor.’

‘Indeed?’ The salt-and-pepper brows shot up interrogatively, but there was no sign the woman was in the slightest bit disconcerted. ‘And what exactly did she tell you?’

‘Mrs Baines, let us not prevaricate. I know very well what a lewd appetite Sir Victor has for young servant girls, having myself been the object of his unwanted attentions. I would have expected a woman in your position to protect an innocent maid like Jane, yet instead I discover you have acted as your master’s accomplice. Do you deny it?’

‘I am sure I do not know what you are alluding to.’ The woman drew herself up to her full height. ‘The girl was insubordinate and needed punishing, that is all.’

‘I believe that is not all, Mrs Baines,’ she persisted, her tone level. ‘You made an improper suggestion to the girl and then beat her when she would not comply. On both counts you have overstepped the mark.’

‘Really, Mrs Carstairs? I should have thought you were in no position to complain about improper behaviour. From what I hear, the time you spent here before your marriage was filled with all kinds of dubious dalliances.’

‘We are discussing your present conduct towards Jane, not mine in the past.’ Now it was her turn to draw herself up indignantly. ‘And in future, I would appreciate it if you protected the girl from Sir Victor’s advances instead of encouraging him.’

Mrs Baines abruptly seized her by the shoulders with both hands and peered closely into her face. Her eyes were small and hard as pebbles, and Hetty shrank from their prying, insistent regard. ‘I know what you are, Miss Hetty,’ she said in a low, conspiratorial voice. ‘You are a jumped-up little tart who has inveigled herself into the heart and bed of an innocent and noble youth. Sir Victor has told me about some of the sport he had with you when you were no better than that girl you now defend so vociferously.’

‘
What?
’ She pulled herself free. ‘How dare you intimate I was to blame for what happened? That debauched master of yours is the one who seduced me and introduced me to his sordid friends and had his wicked way with me. Leo was my protector then, but even he was not immune from his father’s disgusting tastes. We returned here most reluctantly, at the behest of Lady Alice, but the past haunts me still, and I cannot bear to see that young girl being abused as I once was.’