Littlebourne Lock Part 14

"Please, missus, I want a place; general servant, like."

The woman looked at her from the crown of her hat to the heels of her boots. "Oh, do you? Where have you been living?"

"Over there," said Juliet.

"Over where?"

"Littlebourne way."

The woman seemed to be thinking deeply.

"Got a first-rate character, I suppose?"

"Oh, well," said Juliet hastily, "I've not been in a regular situation, as the saying is, but helping a friend, you know."

"It's a pity you've left her," said the woman. "What wages were you getting?"

Juliet said, lamely enough, "I didn't have no regular wages. They kep'

me, and gave me these," showing the ap.r.o.ns.

"Ah! Did they send you away?"

"No, missus; I just took French leave and come away when it suited me.

I want to better myself."

"I see. Well, come in. I'll try you. My name is _Bosher_. Do you hear--_Mrs. Bosher_?"

While Juliet stood in the narrow pa.s.sage Mrs. Bosher locked and bolted the door, and at every sound the poor, foolish girl grew more and more unhappy, and more cut off from all hope and all happiness. Mrs.

Bosher's bonnet and Mrs. Bosher's name were enough to terrify any young person with a bad conscience.

"Yes," said Juliet's new mistress, "my name is Bosher"--here the bonnet nodded,--"and now you are my servant, and while you are in my service you will do precisely everything that I tell you. I have a brother who has a gun; sometimes he shoots rooks, sometimes he shoots--other things. He lives next door. If you do a single thing that displeases me, you shall be prosecuted with the utmost rigour of the law."

Juliet longed to scream, or kick, or run away; but she did not dare to move. "The utmost rigour of the law" might mean something awful: it might mean being hanged, or being shot by Mrs. Bosher's brother. The pa.s.sage was almost dark, and Juliet stood trembling beside her dreadful mistress. Oh, if only it were possible to be back once more at the lock! Oh, if only she could escape from this new situation!

Locked doors, and windows shuttered on the outside, made this cottage a very prison. The man with the gun living-next door, the unknown rigour of the law hanging over her head, Mrs. Bosher glaring through the twilight--how endure them even for a night? And how get away from them in the morning?

She was pushed into a kitchen and bidden to wash up some cups and saucers. "And woe betide you if you break one of them!" said Mrs.

Bosher, her bonnet nodding so strangely that it seemed to be the speaker rather than its wearer.

Juliet was so fearful lest she might let slip a cup or saucer that she spent about half an hour in was.h.i.+ng the crockery. While she did this at a side table, Mrs. Bosher was ironing linen at the table in the middle of the room. From time to time the sharp, sensible eyes of the woman rested upon the face of the girl, and at such moments the top of the black bonnet nodded as if it were alive.

When Juliet had finished her task Mrs. Bosher said, "Now, you shall have bread-and-milk for supper, and then go to bed."

"I don't like bread-and-milk," returned Juliet, "and it is too early to go to bed."

"Indeed. What do you like for supper? And at what hour do you prefer to go to bed?"

"I like bread and cheese; and we went to bed at ten o'clock when uncle's work was done."

The bonnet nodded faster than before.

"You will eat bread-and-milk or nothing, and if your aunt let you sit up till ten o'clock I am not so foolish."

A basin of the food which Juliet declined to eat was set before her.

She was very hungry, but having refused it already she let it lie untasted. Meanwhile Mrs. Bosher lighted a lamp.

"It is nearly nine o'clock. Now you go to bed. Come along."

There was a door which Mrs. Bosher opened, revealing a flight of stairs. She pushed Juliet up them, and though the girl would have liked to rebel, she did not dare to do so. In fact, she thought the wisest plan would be to go quietly up to the bed-room, and, as soon as Mrs. Bosher herself was in bed, to get out by the window and make her way back to Littlebourne Lock. There was a full moon, and the night was almost as light as the day.

So she let herself be pushed upstairs into an almost empty little room in the roof, and when she heard the door locked upon her she laughed silently, thinking that the cruel woman had done the very thing her prisoner wished her to do. Mrs. Bosher's heavy steps went down the wooden stairs; the door of the house was opened, shut, and locked, and Juliet's spirits rose when she knew that she was alone. She might as well run away at once.

She looked at the window. It was in the roof--a skylight. There was no means of getting up to it, and no means of opening it that Juliet could perceive. Oh, she was caught in a trap! One or two large stars stared down through the small panes, and the diffused light of the moon was enough to show the girl how hopeless was her condition. She was in prison, caught, with no chance of escape. What a terrible position she had brought herself into! If her aunt could see her! If her own dear mother could see her!

Juliet threw herself on the little hard bed and wept bitterly. Not a sound could she hear! Alone, hungry, miserable!

After a while her sobs ceased and she felt sleepy. She pulled up a blanket and quilt which she had been lying on and thought that she might as well sleep a little, and waken with fresh courage and fresh plans. Like many other people Juliet made her most earnest prayers when she was in trouble. She turned and knelt upon the bed, saying all her pet.i.tions with earnestness; then she lay down again, and her dreams took her far away from all her many misfortunes.

CHAPTER IX.

BACK IN LONDON.

When Juliet awoke in the early morning she could not at first remember where she was. It was not the old home in London, crowded with father, mother, and children. It was not the new home at Littlebourne, where Emily's bed lay beside that of her cousin. Oh, but it was the prison in which the dreadful Mrs. Bosher and her bonnet had shut up an unhappy girl and kept her all night!

Looking round the room, Juliet saw on the boards close to the door the same basin of bread-and-milk which she had refused to eat on the previous evening. Mrs. Bosher must have put it in noiselessly while her prisoner was asleep. The prisoner could not resist her fare this morning, but ate it all up, though the milk was just what she called "on the turn."

She did not know what the time was; the sun rose so early that he shone as brightly at five o'clock as at seven o'clock. What did it matter? Juliet could not get out until her jailer chose to release her. As soon as Mrs. Bosher opened the house-door, or sent her out for water, or for a cabbage, or to hang up wet linen, she would make off and run away somewhere. Not through the wood, lest the awful brother might be there again, and the utmost rigour of the law prosecute the trespa.s.ser; but somewhere, anywhere.

Juliet lay down and slept again. She was disturbed by the door of the room being opened, and the bonnet nodding in.

"Oh, you are not up. Come down and wash in the scullery."

The bonnet went down the stairs, and Juliet followed. It stood over her while she washed and brushed her hair, and made herself tidy. Then it gave her a toasting-fork and some slices of bread, and set her in front of the kitchen fire. While thus obeying Mrs. Bosher the mind of Juliet was trying to strike out some plan of escape; but when she saw the brother outside in the road she put off running away. The clock told her that the hour was eight. The Littlebourne family was now at breakfast too. How they must be fretting for want of Juliet!

As it happened, they were not fretting at all, but talking together cheerfully.

Juliet did not want much more in the way of breakfast. She sat, cross and ugly, scowling at Mrs. Bosher.

When breakfast was ended and the dinner put to cook in the oven, Juliet began once more to look about for a chance of escape. The brother was not to be seen from the window. There must come the right moment presently. Mrs. Bosher left the kitchen. Now the right moment had come. Juliet put on her hat, and went into the pa.s.sage.

"That is a good girl," said the deep voice, "I'm ready too."

A strong hand took Juliet by the arm, and the hat and the bonnet went out together. Speechless with terror, the girl could not resist. She was hurried along the road in the direction furthest from Littlebourne, past the brother's house, and past several other houses.

What could it all mean? Whither were they going?

At the corner of a cross-road there stood the brother himself, but without the gun. Mrs. Bosher led Juliet to him, and his hand took the place of his sister's.