Chapter 144:
Not a Chance
When she felt those thin, bony hands tighten around her mouth, Ethel fought the way her cousin Everard had taught her.
Ethel could remember each word her cousin had said that day before she went to work for the Duke.
“A pretty girl like you, Ethel,” Everard had said. “You’re gonna have to learn to fight.”
“Awww…” Ethel had scoffed.
“I mean it, Ethel.” Everard had insisted. “Now, you listen to me, if a man ever comes at ya and you don’t want ‘im to, you gotta do whatever you can to save your virtue.”
“I’ll just scream.” Ethel had argued.
“Sometimes ya can’t scream.” Everard had shaken his head sadly. “You remember what happened to our Heather.”
“Oh.” Ethel recalled frowning. “But, I’m smarter than that.”
“Maybe so, but even the smartest girl…well…just listen.” Everard had replied.
So, in those dark kitchens, when Ethel knew that her life, and possibly her virtue, were in danger, she recalled those words that Everard had told her.
Firstly, and with all her might, she bit the hands which tried to stifle her screams. That released those hands quick enough! And, then, when she was free and could feel whoever was trying to hold her reach for her apron strings, she swung bother her elbows back. She could feel the bones of her elbows jab into the soft stomach of her attacker who yelped. Odd, it seemed to Ethel, that the yelp of pain which arose behind her was a feminine one.
“Help!” Ethel screamed as loudly as she could. “Help me! Mrs. Pepper! Georgie!”
Ethel felt her attacker grab for her again—this time taking her right arm. With her left hand Ethel spun around and struck at the person in the dark. She felt the person’s face beneath her fist.
“Help!” Ethel screamed again.
Again, the attacker grasped for Ethel, tightening both hands around the girl’s waist.
Ethel took a deep breath and, remembering her cousin’s instructions, thrust her head backwards. It hurt her when their heads struck one another, but, Ethel knew that the blow had hurt the attacker more than it hurt her. Ethel felt a wetness trickle down her neck and knew that she’d bloodied the other person’s nose.
Then, like a mule, Ethel kicked backwards with her right leg—her strongest—with as much force as she could.
Just then, Mrs. Pepper, Georgie and Jenny came clattering into the kitchen.
“A candle, Jenny,” Mrs. Pepper shouted.
Jenny ran back to the Servants’ Hall and grabbed a lit candle, hurrying back to the kitchens.
And, then, they saw who had attacked Ethel.
Standing there in the center of the kitchens, Miss Barrett, panted, blood trickling down her face and onto the gentleman’s shirtfront she wore. In fact, she was dressed entirely in a man’s ensemble.
“Miss Barrett!” Mrs. Pepper gasped.
Georgie rushed forward and restrained Miss Barrett, pinning her arms behind her back.
“Let me go!” Miss Barrett moaned.
“She tried to kill me, Mrs. Pepper!” Ethel wailed, running to the cook’s outstretched arms.
“I should say she did,” Mrs. Pepper said gently. “But, you stopped her, my girl.”
“You’re making a mistake!” Miss Barrett screamed.
“I knew she were bad, Mrs. Pepper.” Ethel cried.
“We all did, girl.”
“What do I do with her, mum?” Georgie asked.
“We’ll lock her in the cellars while we get the masters.” Mrs. Pepper said firmly. She turned to Miss Barrett. “You’ve got much to explain, Miss Barrett.”
“Release me.” Miss Barrett ordered.
“Not a chance,” Georgie spat, pulling painfully on the woman’s arm.
She yelped. “You can’t do this to me!”
“Why not?” Mrs. Pepper scoffed. “You tried to hurt our Ethel and worse, I’ll bet you killed our Mrs. North and that countess. I’ll bet it’s you what’s been behind all them wicked goings on what plagues our household.”
“You don’t know who I am.” Ellen scowled.
“I should say we don’t.” Ethel snapped.
“I’m the Duke’s sister!” Miss Barrett barked.
Did you miss Chapters 1-143? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 145 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square.
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