Lady Ann's Holiday - Chapter Nineteen - Part Two

6

Ann was so happy that she’d waited to see Richard one last time and not rushed back to Yorkshire.

He took her out to the most expensive restaurant in London, a place that normally required a table to be booked many weeks in advance, and ordered the finest dishes and champagne in fluent Italian. She had intended to simply say goodbye then rush off to catch the last train north but it seemed rude to do so and what was one more day? She could easily catch the first train back in the morning.

It was wonderful to be with such a handsome and refined man, so attentive to her every need and want. Richard didn’t stop complementing her and making her feel like she was the most important woman in the world. It was simply enchanting!

After the meal he took her to an open air concert and they enjoyed the glorious music, sharing their complex views on the quality of the performance.

Yes. She was definitely glad she hadn’t just said goodbye and run off to Yorkshire. And it didn’t hurt to stave off her transformation back into a man.

7

Burt sighed as he cleaned out the pig pen, his sleeves rolled up, mud and faeces covering his forearms. It was disgusting work and something he was sure didn’t normally get done but he had no choice but to follow his orders. Harry had told him to do it and he had to do as he was told.

He reflected on that resentfully, thinking how recently Harry had been a mere underling to him and how delicious that feeling of power had been. At least he hadn’t forgotten everything about what it was like to be Lady Ann. He still remembered that. Harry had been almost beneath his notice as a mere stable master and groundsman, but thinking that also, unfortunately, underscored how low his position was now. He was even lower than that – as far below Harry as the old man had been below his former self.

The pigs squealed as he pushed them out of the way, slipping in their mud as he worked, doing his best to do it quickly to avoid another shouting at. Harry had already balled him out several times for working too slowly, making him feel two foot tall. He had to keep working hard or else he’d—

“Burt!”

He stopped and looked in the direction of the voice. “Yes sir?”

Harry was standing at the fence. “Get over here you slack-jawed idiot!”

Burt shambled over, trying not to slip on the mud. “Yes?”

“Do you think you’re still on holiday?” He paused. “Well?”

“No sir.”

“Then why are you working at a snail’s pace?”

“Sorry sir. I was working as fast as I could.”

“Well it’s not fast enough! I want you working twice as fast as that or you’ll not have anywhere to sleep again tonight! Is that clear?”

“Yes sir.”

“What did you say?”

“I said yes sir. Sorry sir,” replied Burt morosely.

Harry glared at him. “Well get on with it then boy! Those pigs aren’t going to clean up after themselves!”

“Yes sir,” said Burt and hurried back to get on with it, his pulse racing.

He hated being told what to do, but what choice did he have?”

8

After the concert, Richard took Ann for a gentle walk round the lake where they continued to discuss the intricacies of the concert and the slight rhythmical failings she had noticed in the conductor. She was wearing a beautiful dress and she gloried in the extended time spent with this wonderful man.

She cast her mind back to her life at Griply before the switch of bodies. When she’d first met Richard she had had something of a recollection of him visiting the original Lady Ann at the manor. She tried to call that up again but the memory was vague – something about caring for his horse… no. It was gone.

Instead she recalled quite a strong memory of conversing over tea in china cups on the veranda overlooking the back lawn. Yes. She clearly remembered how charming and wealthy he was and the conversation she’d had with him while mother and Hattie looked on. But then…

No. Wait. Was that right? That had been an Ann memory. She’d been picking them up more and more as the days went by. Yes. In the memory, she was Lady Ann and she could clearly picture her… her mother and sister, for that was how she thought of them in her recollection.

That was very odd. But pleasantly so. Thinking of those other cultured ladies as really being her flesh and blood gave her a lovely sense of calm belonging.

But then Richard brought her back to her moment, pulling her to a stop under a tree.

“Ann dear,” he said. “I’m so glad we got the chance to spend more time together today. It has been divine. Truly divine.”

He took her hands in his, glancing round to see if they were observed and Ann suddenly got a thrill of anticipation to imagine what was coming next.

“I’ve never known a woman as beautiful and refined as you. I can’t think of anyone I’d rather be with right now.”

“Oh Richard,” she breathed. “Kiss me,”

She leant closer and her brought his lips slowly to hers.

They connected and Ann melted into the moment, wanting him to wrap her tightly in his strong arms and extend the moment forever.

But instead the kiss lasted only a second or two and Richard withdrew, smiling politely.

Enjoying it but feeling slightly disappointed, Ann smiled politely back and let him take her hand to lead her on down the path.

9

When his second long working day came to an end, Burt sighed with relief and had a good stretch, releasing the tension that had built up during the day.

Harry was whittling a stick with a pocket knife, sitting on the edge of the cart out by the stable. He didn’t look up as Burt approached. “I’ve left ye some pennies in a cloth bag there Burt,” he said. “You aven’t done a bad job today. You deserve a couple of bevies down’t pub.”

“Oh, thank you.” Burt felt a surge of gratitude, and relief that the old man wasn’t shouting at him as well as pride in a good day’s work.

“You can sleep in the hay barn again,” said Harry.

“Thank you sir.”

“But mind you don’t disrespect me again or you’ll know what for. Is that clear?”

“Yes sir,” replied Burt. “Sorry sir.”

“Good. Now get thee gone. I’m busy.”

Burt nodded and thanked Harry again then hurried off with the pennies feeling much happier. He’d worked so hard and it felt good to be appreciated for it. And it felt good not to be told off so—

Wait a minute.

He stopped in the lane and slapped himself on the side of the head.

This was all wrong! Harry was his servant. He wasn’t really Burt, he was Lady Ann! He shouldn’t feel grateful that he was getting a pat on the head and a few pennies for slaving for fourteen hours! He shouldn’t be calling that old fool sir! All of this was completely wrong!

He stood there, breathing heavily, feeling waves of anger and self-doubt. All he wanted was to be back in his real body; back in his real life. He closed his eyes, pressing his fingers into his eye sockets and squeezing the bridge of his nose.

But he couldn’t do thjat, not without Lady Ann coming back.

The only thing he could do – the next best thing - was to get a mite tipsy down’t Dog & Pony. That was what he really needed now – and it was the only real gratification he had in reach.

10

Burt went into the Dog & Pony and ordered himself a pint.

Jeb was in there, carousing with the other lads, but Burt wasn’t in the mood for that. He hated being Burt now. The last thing he wanted to do was revel in it and lose himself again in Burt’s ways. He felt that the more he did that, the tighter this trap would close around him. With his memories and self-image being so traumatically affected he shuddered to imagine a worst case scenario where he actually forgot that he wasn’t Burt!

He imagined Lady Ann coming back but him too far gone to even recognize himself in her. He imagined tipping his hat and running obsequiously round to do her bidding, no longer with any idea that their roles should be reversed.

He shuddered and knocked back a few swigs of his beer.

Truth be told, he didn’t think it would ever come to that. But it was a truly terrifying idea all the same.

“Ere, Burt,” said the barkeep.

“Aye?”

The man was a huge burly bald-headed chap with little black eyes. Normally he wore a jovial caste but now, suddenly, his face was pinched and surly. “I’ve been talkin to me darter about you.”

“Mavis?”

“Aye. And she says you ain’t been doin right by ‘er of late.”

Burt straightened. “I ave sir.”

“Well that ain’t wot she’s been sayin, that’s all, and I don’t like seein ‘er upset.”

Burt paled. “I’ve been doin me best, but she’s taken the ‘ump over some such. I don’t understand… I don’t understand her.”

“Well I don’t want to ‘ear nowt about er bein upset. You understand that?”

Burt nodded.

“She’s got two big brothers and they don’t wanna see her upset neither. Is that clear?”

Burt’s face grew hot. “Yes sir. I’m sorry sir. I’ll do right by er. You can rely on that.”

“Well I better be able to. Or I’ll get me shotgun and show you just ow angry I can get. You understand me boy?”

“Yes sir,” said Burt, lowering his head shamefully. “Sorry sir.”

“Good.” The barkeep turned away and went through into the back leaving Burt feeling shaken and once again in a turmoil of different emotions. He’d hated the way the man talked down to him and the way it had made him feel, but worse than that, he hated the way he’d groveled in apology, sniveling to the man as though he was his superior.

He hadn’t meant to do it but it had just come out. That kind of submissiveness had emerged with Harry as well and he didn’t like it at all. He hated being that way but he just couldn’t stop it happening!

He had to get back to his own life and body! He just had to!

When was her ladyship coming back!? It had to be the next day! It simply had to be!