The Gilded Cage - Taking my Place

Investigations and Preparations

"John made some excuse for me...it is his day off, and he seems to have convinced my dear grandmother that I should not socialise with her today," Bella said, with a rueful smile, as she poured me a cup of tea. "She was not pleased...she thinks that he should have more important things to do than spend time with me, and that I should be setting an example to the community with her...but he was quite firm, for once, I believe. I assume that Mr Radcliffe performed a similar miracle to free Sheila from the clutches of your mother..."

"Steven appreciates Pastor John's assistance," I replied, whilst taking in my surroundings. It was a nice little house, close to the church, and the spacious kitchen was comfortable for the two of us. "And I am so glad to see you, Bella?"

"I am not sure it will be repeated any time soon...we seem to find ourselves on very different sides...and my grandmother is relentless...John cannot do this often...but taking a day off was the perfect excuse for today." She smiled, looking down at her cup.

"She is the thorn in your side? I mean...you are happy with John...aren't you?"

"Yes...I am...I suppose? It is not the match I imagined...I never envisaged being a pastor's wife...but he is a good man...and he cares for me?" She said, a little shyly.

"Do you care for him?" I asked, my mind wandering right back to when I first met Arabella Deacon, as she was then, at Charlesfield, so long ago.

"Yes...I do...if my grandmother would only leave us alone, I would be...content?"

"I care for Steven," I insisted, honestly. "He cares about this community and I think he wants a partner, not a subservient wife? I will be a daughter of Eve, but I will not be...?"

"He seems nice, Hermione...and although your grandmother will bully him mercilessly, we both know that she is on your side...unlike my grandmother, so the effects will not be anything like the same?" Bella sighed, as we sat at her kitchen table, leaving the drawing room to Miss Knight, Steven and Sheila. Miss Knight's presence was necessary to ensure that Sheila was chaperoned, a condition insisted upon by her husband, even though she was meeting with her own son. Mr Radcliffe wanted to be able to inform Edwina Deacon and my mum that Sheila was supervised whilst out of his control, by someone suitable. And although Miss Knight was on the other side of the fight, as it were, as well, her reputation was unimpeachable, and Edwina Deacon respected her as a professional. However, I knew that she had brought her new earbuds with her, and intended to listen to some hymns and prayers, whilst Steven talked to his dear mother in private. "You are so lucky..."

"I got paddled after the Pastor's attack on Grandpa..."

"Really?" She sounded surprised as she took a sip of her tea.

"For staring...although I think it was really about an accumulation of little things...getting much too passionate about things that were not really my concern...and allowing myself to be distracted, sometimes?" I suggested, because I knew that Miss Knight's paddle had done me some good. I did not like to admit it, but I could not be a hypocrite, and I believed in corporal punishment. And I was beginning to understand that I could get carried away sometimes.

"You think you deserved it?"

"I think I needed a reminder...and it was done with love?"

"You are truly lucky then...Miss Danvers does not punish with love..."

"Are you talking about Christmas?" I asked, because Bella had told me that her festive season had included two beatings from our former nanny.

"And twice since...I spend occasional days with Camilla and Annabel and on two occasions we were all beaten for our failings...I think she enjoys it and my grandmother insists that I still have a lot to learn..."