Cat stared at Freddy Sykes, who now lay in a heap on the floor. She resisted the urge to kick him. ‘Get up, Freddy,’ Cat said. ‘Show a little bit of manly pride.’
Freddy grunted. He struggled to his feet and faced Catherine, eyes blazing, snorting like a wounded beast.
‘You’ll regret that.’
Cat stepped close and whispered just loud enough for Freddy to hear. ‘Don’t you ever step foot in this house again.’
‘Ready, old man? I’m feeling lucky tonight,’ Benton said as he came out of his room. He didn’t even look at Catherine. ‘Are you all right, Freddy?’
‘I’m fine,’ Freddy snapped.
‘Then we’re off. Goodnight, Catherine.’ He put his arm around Freddy’s shoulders, and they headed out the front door. Benton full of laughter, oblivious to Freddy, who limped along beside him.
‘Good riddance,’ Cat said under her breath. She jumped when Isobel stepped around the corner.
Anger rose up in Cat. She was tired of Isobel’s spying. ‘I imagine you witnessed that?’
Isobel’s face softened. ‘I saw what Freddy was doing to that child. I would have intervened.’
‘Oh, really?’ Cat couldn’t keep the sarcasm from her voice. She didn’t believe for one minute that Isobel would do any such thing.
‘A little more tactfully, perhaps, but yes. I would have stopped it.’ Isobel gave Cat a condescending smile. ‘Men like Freddy have been having their way with servants since time immemorial. It’s just the way things are.’
‘You think that defiling a fourteen-year-old girl is just the way things are?’ Cat took a breath, forcing herself to speak rationally. ‘I’ve let you run this house for all these years because I didn’t want to cause a strain in our relationship. You don’t like me, Isobel. That’s fine. I couldn’t care less. Annie is now my maid. She doesn’t answer to you, and she won’t be doing anything else for you that will put her in the kind of jeopardy she was in tonight.’ Cat played her trump card. ‘We can go to Benton with this, but you know how he hates dealing with domestic problems. I’m afraid I’m asserting my role as mistress of the house on this issue. Find yourself another maid.’
Isobel sighed. ‘I don’t know what to make of you, Catherine. This is all your fault, you know. You bring about this trouble with Ben. If you acted like a proper wife, you wouldn’t have these problems with him. And you’d do well to get that temper of yours under control. I saw what you did to Freddy. One of these days you’ll assault the wrong person.’
‘Stop it, Isobel. Just stop. I’m in no mood.’ Cat turned towards her room.
Cat didn’t have to knock on her bedroom door. Annie opened it, ashen-faced and trembling.
‘Are you all right, Annie?’ Cat said.
‘Is he gone?’
‘He’s gone. You’re safe now. We’re going to change the arrangements as far as your duties and responsibilities go. I’ll not have you upstairs in a servant’s room by yourself. How about if you stay here?’ Cat walked over to an alcove near the window and opened a door there to reveal a small room with a bed covered in a brightly coloured quilt. An eiderdown was folded at the end of the bed, at the ready for the cold London nights. Four bronze hooks with white ceramic balls painted with flowers hung on the wall. Next to the bed, a table held a candle and an old Bible. A round window saved the room from being pitch-dark. Another small narrow door led out into the hallway. There was a key in this lock. Catherine took it out and handed it to Annie.
‘What’s this room?’ Annie asked.
‘It used to be the maid’s quarters, back in the day when the Carlisles had a full staff. This is your room now. You have the only key. You’ll be safe here. I’ll go upstairs and fetch your things. You don’t need to be roaming the dark corridors of this house alone.’
‘Thank you, ma’am.’
‘Annie, you need to be careful. I can’t be here all the time.’
Annie’s eyes darted to the door at the gentle knock.
‘It’s Marie. I want to see Annie. Isobel told me what happened. Is she all right?’
Cat opened the door and let Marie in.
‘Annie, you poor thing.’ Marie went over to Annie and put an arm around her.
Annie said, ‘Miss Catherine got him to stop. She kicked him.’
Marie gave Cat a worried glance. Both women knew there would be repercussions for Cat’s actions tonight. Marie put her arm around Annie’s shoulder. ‘We’ll see you stay safe, Annie.’
‘You stay with Marie, Annie. I’ll go and get your things.’
Cat scurried up the tiny staircase that led to the long-deserted servants’ quarters. She found Annie’s room, and her heart broke at the young girl’s meagre possessions. She found the cloth valise under the bed and packed Annie’s things. Back in her room, Cat found Annie and Marie sitting on Cat’s bed.
‘I think she’ll be all right,’ Marie said. ‘I’ll see that she’s not left alone.’
‘If she gets scared, I’ve instructed her to come up here and lock herself in. I can’t be here all the time, but she’ll have a safe place to go. That’s the least we can do.’
Marie nodded. ‘I’ll speak to Isobel.’
Cat was surprised at the conviction in Marie’s tone.
‘She’ll listen to me,’ Marie said. ‘I let her push me around when it comes to matters of society, but this is a non-negotiable issue.’ She stood. ‘Annie, do you want to stay here? Do you feel safe? If you want to leave, I’ll see that you’re compensated and that you get a proper reference.’
‘I want to stay,’ Annie said. She looked at Marie and Catherine. ‘I’ll be fine. I want to work.’
But her voice had a tremble to it, which only made Cat angry with Freddy Sykes all over again.
After Marie left, Annie went into the tiny maid’s quarters. Cat followed, and lit the candle on the dresser. Together they tucked a sheet around the feather mattress on the little bed. The flames flicked against the wall, causing their shadows to dance. A locket on a heavy silver chain came untucked from Annie’s dress. It swung in a circle as Annie bent over the bed.
‘What a pretty locket.’
‘Thank you. My gran gave it to me. She died, but she left it to me in her will.’
‘What’s inside?’ Cat sat on Annie’s bed. She patted the spot next to her. Annie sat down.
‘A picture of my parents.’ Annie removed the locket from around her neck. She pushed a small button on the side and the locket sprang open. She handed it to Cat. ‘That’s my mum, and that’s my dad.’
‘Both of your parents are dead?’
‘I – um –’ Annie stammered. ‘No, ma’am. I told Miss Carlisle a lie. I’m not an orphan. My mum is still alive. My dad died six months ago. He said I could go to art school when I’m old enough, but after he died, there wasn’t enough money. My mum is a seamstress, but she doesn’t earn much. We had a house, but Mum couldn’t pay the rent. We tried, but we just couldn’t make a go of it. Never enough money. She married Harold. We left our home and moved to the rooms over his shop. I ran away, ma’am. I ran away and lied to Miss Isobel.’ Annie sat down on the bed and bowed her head.
Cat sat down next to Annie. She wanted to take the child in her arms, and assure her all would be well. Finally Annie looked at Cat, meeting her gaze with a stubborn determination that broke Cat’s heart. ‘Am I going to lose my place here? I’ll not go back to my mum, miss. I promise you that. I’ll run away first.’
‘Oh, Annie,’ Cat said. ‘That’ll be our secret, all right?’ Cat wondered what this Harold had done to frighten Annie so, but something in the girl’s eyes begged Cat not to ask. Not now.
Annie sighed. Relief washed over her in a wave. ‘Thank you.’ Annie wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
‘Now, what should we tell Isobel tomorrow? Do you want to continue with your duties?’
‘Yes, ma’am,’ Annie said.
Cat thought for a moment. ‘How about if I tell Isobel that you will continue with the same duties you had before, at least for the time being. We’ll see where we are in a few days. Does that suit?’
‘Yes, ma’am,’ Annie said.
‘Are you comfortable being here with Marie? I can’t be here all the time, Annie. I want you to feel safe.’
‘Yes, Miss Catherine. It’s not the family’s fault what Freddy did.’
‘Very well. I’ll see to it first thing in the morning.’
‘I can never repay you for what you did for me tonight, Miss Catherine. I’m grateful,’ Annie said.
‘There’s nothing to repay, Annie. I just did what I felt was right. I’d like to think you would do the same thing if someone needed your help,’ Cat said.
The two of them sat for a few minutes in the flickering candlelight, side by side on Annie’s tiny bed, each suffering in her own way. Annie yawned. Cat stood.
‘Goodnight, Annie.’
‘Goodnight.’
Cat undressed, washed, and crawled into bed. She expected sleep to come immediately, but it didn’t. The look on Annie’s face as Freddy Sykes pinned her against the wall ran round and round in Cat’s mind.