Revelations an adaption of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 22

Simon is still in his room, and a little maid, looking a bit white in the face, fetches Bob from the stables. They all move to the sitting-room, where Georgiana and Mrs Annesley are at their usual pastimes, Bob almost afraid to be in the master's domain, Simon only a little apprehensive.

Fitzwilliam doesn't spend any time relating what just happened, he merely states: 'Simon, Bob, we will do the rounds of the house in about ten minutes, and I want you to please tell me which members of the hired staff should be told not to return to work tomorrow. You point, I pay their wages and tell them to go. We'll make do with what staff is left, then find new people in the morning.'

Simon, now finding a measure of humour again, and seemingly totally at ease in the sitting-room with his master and the rest of the family, says: 'I'll wait the table, master, you will not suffer inconvenience for saving our skins.'

'Thank you, Simon,' Fitzwilliam says, glad for the droll remark, 'I am afraid I cannot guarantee Janine keeping her vile mouth shut, but I suppose Theo has no real reason to slander your reputation. Whatever happens, we'll support you.

Bob, with Bruce gone we will need someone to take care of the horses here, and I suppose you can do without a three day ride sitting on the box next to him, then sharing Peter's work with him. What would you say to staying in town after all, and driving us to Mr Bingley's wedding with the lead-footed team?'

Bob cannot speak for a moment, but he nods his assent, and after a short time manages to whisper: 'Yes, master, I'd like that.'

'And if you have everything in order around here, Simon, you can join us, too, attend to our needs and flirt with the ladies' maids.'

Gathering his breath to speak up, Simon just in time realises his master's quick thinking, and replies: 'I'd love to, master, Miss Bingley's maid especially is very.... talkative. If I hit on her every servant of every house in London will know what I did as soon as she is back in town. Maybe one of you can catch me at it? She is easy as well as talkative and not very pretty, and I don't really want to...well, you know what.'

Bob offers with a grin: 'I'll console her if the master forbids you to come near her, I don't mind if she's not a looker, I'm not that handsome myself.'

'But you're a devil with a whip, right?' Simon says, knowingly.

Fitzwilliam scrapes his throat loudly and says: 'We have ladies present, please watch your mouths.

And Simon, please don't forget yourself, I'm still the master of this household. If you think I'm going to stalk the halls of Netherfield as well as my own house, to catch you with another servant, you might want to reconsider. You think you are a clever fellow, if you cannot get yourself out of a tight spot with a foolish young woman you're not nearly as smart as you think you are.'

Both servants suddenly seem to remember who their master really is, bow and study the floor. Soon after that Fitzwilliam takes them with him to judge the hired servants and notify the cook of the changes. Elizabeth supposes they will also check whether Theo and Janine are truly gone from the house.

In the end, two of the four maids may stay, the other two receive their day's pay and are dismissed. The cook is shocked to hear that both Theo and Janine will no longer be working and living in the house, but he promises his helpers will assist with the serving that night.

'I am certain you will have plenty to do, Simon, if you are to take up Theo's duties. My boys will do the manual labour, keep the fires going and the pitchers filled. And Bob won't mind giving a hand with the pot-scrubbing now the house is safe again, am I right?'

'You are right, Cook,' Bob replies, 'I exercise the team once a day, and Bruce is not much fun to be with, so I'll gladly come and help out in the kitchen.'