Lady Ann's Holday: Chapter Twenty Nine - Part Six

11

Burt stared at Lady Harriet, wishing with all his soul that he cold wind back the last five minutes of his life; or better: the last few weeks.

He had grown up as the beautiful and cultured Lady Anne Neville, first daughter of the Earl, and lavished with every possible luxury. He had been waited on by numerous servants, treated like royalty, allowed every benefit of his upper class status and upbringing.

But not anymore.

Now he was stuck in the body of a low-born man; an illiterate commoner with no wealth or standing; no brains or breeding. And he had been caught inside the manor – a sacred environment that those of his station was forbidden to enter.

And he had been caught red-handed in the act of theft.  He had been caught rifling through the dresses and undergarments of the very person he used to be. By his former baby sister no less!

But that didn’t matter anymore. His former affiliation by blood to this family no longer existed. They were only his employers. He was their servant.

Burt had been in run-ins with the Earl before but never like this and never before had he so deeply understood in advance the precariousness of his position.

When he’d been thrown in the stocks it had been a horrible occurrence but he had still believed himself to be Lady Ann stuck in a temporary and annoying fix. Such wasn’t the case anymore. He knew now that the new Lady Ann had no intention of ever swapping back and he knew that the magical effect had passed completely. He was no longer Lady Ann trapped in Burt’s body. He really was Burt. From the family’s perception he was nothing more than a servant who’d been caught thieving. And the repercussions of that fell on him alone.

This wasn’t a life he was borrowing anymore; it really was his life. The punishment meted out to him today would determine what path his life would take for the rest of his days.

He was Burt now and he would still be Burt a year hence; ten years hence. He was going to be Burt Harper until the day he died: a withered old broken down man.

The next moments would determine if he would spend those years free or imprisoned; whether he’d be discharged with no reference, lucky to get work down a coal mine or whether he’d be beaten to within an inch of his life.

With Hattie’s call for her father to come, all control had left him. It was to the whims of the quality alone that his fate was cast now, and there was nothing he could do to prevent that.

Hattie looked him in the eyes again then called out once more. “Father! Come here quickly! I’ve caught a thief!”

12

The thunderous footsteps of the Earl tromped down the landing and Burt withdrew further into the room, overcome with alarm.

He wanted to say something or take some action – anything to deter the imminence of his punishment – but what could he do? He’d even lost possession of the pendant now. He might have accepted trading lives with the powerful Earl – even though he was a lot older; at least he was a man – but that opportunity was gone.

The door swung open and the tall Earl filled the doorway. He looked from Hattie’s imperious expression to Burt’s and then his metallic eyes glistened, his frown closing around them.

“What is the meaning of this intrusion?”

Burt opened his mouth to speak.

“Harriet? What the devil’s going on here? What is this gutter trash doing in Ann’s bedroom?”

Hattie’s features were almost playful but it was the spiteful play of a child torturing insects to death. “I caught him in here, going through Ann’s things, touching her undergarments.”

Burt’s head shook slightly but what could he say? That was what he had been doing!

“He’d forced open her dresser drawer. Look.” She pointed. “He had some of her jewelry. I caught him red-handed stealing it.”

“But sir—” began Burt.

“Silence!” snapped the Earl. “You impudent cur! You’ll keep your mouth shut!”

He walked across to the dresser and pulled open the drawer then closed it, examining the damage. He surveyed the open drawers and ruffled clothes.

“It’s common knowledge he is infatuated with Ann,” said Hattie. Burt stared at her, wishing she would stop talking. She was only making it worse for him. If only he could tell her who he really was. If only he could tell them both! But they would never believe him without Lady Ann to corroborate it and he already knew that she wouldn’t.

The earl looked at her. “Is that right?”

“Yes. He’s always hanging around staring at her like a lovesick puppy.” She looked Burt in the eye. “And he propositioned me a fortnight ago.”

“What?”

Burt just went on gaping. It was going from bad to worse! Why couldn’t Hattie shut up!?

“I was out walking up at Griply Mount and he sidled up to me in the dark and started making suggestive comments. I was afraid he was going to force himself on me but I saw him off right enough. I should have told you about that then – had him dismissed. Or flogged.”

Blood was creeping up the Earl’s neck to his face as he turned slowly in Burt’s direction. Burt’s head was shaking back and forth. He couldn’t believe this was happening to him. His life was falling down about his ears! His life – not her ladyships! This was his life now – well and truly – and it was rapidly becoming a nightmare!

“Well boy?” snapped the Earl. “What have you got to say for yourself?”

Burt swallowed but when he tried to talk his voice was quivering so much his words became a garble. He cleared his throat and tried again but only a mumble came out.

“Speak up man!”

He cleared his throat again.

“I’m sorry m’lord,” he stammered. “I didn’t mean nowt wrong. I was just lookin for a pendant o mine wot er ladyship borrowed.”

“Don’t try to lie your way out of it, you filthy blackguard!”

“I’m not sir. I swear.”

 “How dare you talk back to me!” The Earl grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, pulling him forward off balance. “Come here! “Trying to make out that I’m a liar indeed! The least you could do is have enough breeding to admit you’ve done wrong!”

“I’m sorry sir,” whimpered Burt as the Earl twisted him round and shoved him out into the corridor. “I didn’t mean nothing by it.”

“Keep your trap shut! I don’t want to hear any more excuses or whining. Be a man and accept that you’ve been caught at least, for God’s sake!” Burt was shoved again between his shoulders making him stumble forward. “Go on!” cried the Earl. “Hurry up!”

He got to the main landing and fell against the railing that ran around above the hall then span round in anguish and fear to look at the Earl advancing towards him. The older man’s face was set into a mask of determination. Behind him, coming along, Hattie’s features were full of excitement and mischief. This was nothing but a game to her! Didn’t she realize that his entire future was at risk?

The Earl emerged from the corridor then snarled as he grabbed a handful of Burt’s shirt at the shoulder again, pulling him around and hurling him forward. Burt lost his footing and went down, slamming into the carpet and burning his palms. He cracked his head on the floor nastily and lifted it unsteadily, slightly stunned.

“Powell!” cried the Earl to the butler. “Find the shackles and bring them out to the front! We have ourselves a thief!”

Faces were appearing in doorways and in the hallway below. The indoor servants had come to see what the ruckus was about and then the Countess emerged from the drawing room. Burt locked eyes with his former mother; the woman who had always doted on him in his former life; and saw the expression become one of disdain and repulsion.

Somehow that was the worst thing that had happened to him so far: that condemnation from the woman who had given birth to him.

Then he heard something that shook him even more, that frightened him right down to his bones.

“And Powell!” called the Earl. “Bring out my whip! I take a very dim view on theft of my property; a very dim view. This abominable cur is going to learn a lesson and serve as an example to anyone else who thinks they have a right to violate my property and threaten my daughter!”

No! This couldn’t be happening! It just couldn’t! Why didn’t they realize he was supposed to be Lady Ann!? How could it have come to this!?

He wasn’t meant to be stuck like this!

He wasn’t meant to be Burt!