Bound to Serve (2 page)

“Years?” Caroline had been indignant. “You can’t possibly expect me to stay here beyond the summer! I simply will not, even if I have to sneak away and book passage from this place for me and the boys!”

That statement had pushed her husband too far, and when Harker wheeled on his wife she realized it with just a glimpse at his handsome, stormy face. For Caroline, while a spoiled daughter of a privileged family, was not spoiled by her husband.

“No! I didn’t mean it!” She tried to retract the threat, but realized right away that it was too late when she found herself facedown across his lap, her skirts pushed up to her waist. Caroline put her hand back in an effort to cover her now-bare bottom but could not shield herself from his disciplinary intentions. Clifford Harker’s hard hand descended on her upturned bottom with a loud smack and Caroline burst into tears.

She cried easily during spankings, having gotten few as a child and never any delivered with the her husband’s severity. Clifford Harker approached spanking with the same approach he used in other aspects of his life - one of thoroughness. If he judged the results by Caroline’s cries, the punishments never would have amounted to much. But he did not, and used the shade of her fair skin as an indicator of when she’d had enough. And “enough” usually came only when his wife’s bottom and the backs of her thighs were covered entirely with angry, reddish-purple splotches.

After this particular spanking, Caroline sobbed copiously and acted the picture of contrition as she waited, whimpering, for him to tell her that she’d been forgiven. Clifford Harker never held Caroline directly after punishment, and sometimes would refuse to touch her for a day or two to emphasize his displeasure. But on this particular occasion she was so genuinely distraught that he took her in his arms to comfort her.

“There, there,” he’d said. “It’s all over now.”

“I didn’t mean it,” she’d sniffed. “I wouldn’t leave you, Clifford. I love you so!”

“I know,” he said, and he meant it as his lips found hers and he wound his hands in her thick chestnut curls and pulled her to him, his arms wrapping tight around her plump body.

His third son, Nigel, had been born nine months afterwards. Caroline had come through the birth remarkably well and had enjoyed mothering the new infant and his brothers, Colin and Harry.
Then winter had set in, and with it a terrible virus that spread through the village like wildfire. Young and old were struck down, and when Nigel became ill Caroline had gone nearly mad with worry.

Clifford had dealt with death before; his parents had both departed this life within six months of one another. But the prospect of losing a child was beyond anything he’d ever experienced. When Nigel had slipped away, he’d thought the grief too much to bear. But when Caroline - who had neglected her own needs during the ill-fated bedside vigil - fell ill he fell to his knees in prayer, begging and bargaining with God to spare his family another loss. But the prayers went unheeded and a week later Caroline joined her tiny son in the churchyard.

He’d regretted not going back to England, and wondered if God was punishing him for the sin of pride and greed. He’d stayed because he was making his fortune, and in that pursuit he had lost his family. Deep down, he knew the blame was irrational - many had been struck down. God surely could not be mad at them all. By the time the virus had run its course not a family in the village had escaped its icy hand. Husband were left without wives, children without parents. Slaves and servants alike were cut down and farms and households languished for lack of help.

Clifford had been among the few fortunate farmers to have enough labor to keep going. But because Caroline had so enjoyed and insisted on doing much of the home keeping herself, she’d resisted the idea of a maid until late in her pregnancy with Nigel, not realizing that she’d never live to have use for help with the children.

Now another woman - a stranger - sat across from him in the carriage. Clifford looked at Elspeth and wrinkled his nose at this slip of a girl. She smelled from her trip and her long mane of blonde hair and delicate made her look more like a denizen of Fairie than a human. He wondered if she had all her teeth and realized he would not know until she smiled. Then he realized he didn’t care if she smiled because - although he needed her - he resented needing her. Caroline should be raising her sons, not some dirty Scottish woman-child in an oversized cloak who stared at the passing landscape with a faraway look in her eyes.

Hampton had said she was from the High Country. She was sturdy, he’d said. But Clifford realized she was likely also wild and stubborn and headstrong as were some of the other poor Scotts who’d come to the colonies to work. His hand clenched and unclenched in his lap. He hoped the girl would not be of a defiant nature, because if she were, he would not tolerate it. That was a message he was more than willing to impart, should the need arise.

There would be no coddling this girl because she was small and alone in a new country. She was there simply to tend to his children and nothing more. She would see to their basic needs and they would grow up knowing that the woman who cared for them was a mere servant and nothing more, that the true beauty who had borne them was stolen along with their brother all too soon. His surviving sons would learn that there were two kinds of people in this world - those with and those without - and would follow their father’s example of keeping others in their proper place.

The girl was looking at him now. “Is it far, sir?”

“Is what far?”

“Your home.” Her eyes were a startling shade of green and for a moment he found himself nearly transfixed by their hue. Then he looked out the window.

“What is your name?” he asked.

“Elspeth, sir,” she said.

“Elspeth. Hmmm.” He smirked “Well, Elspeth, the distance to my home should not concern you. For the next seven years you are in my service and will only live by my leave. Everything you do, I expect you to do with complete obedience, and that includes waiting patiently and without question. If you query me again about any trivial matter I shall cheerfully flay the skin off your little bum.” He gazed her coldly. “Is that clear?”

The girl gulped and sat back, nodding. And Clifford Harker, who had once been a kind man sat back in his seat, knowing he should probably feel guilty for terrifying the girl and wondered instead why he felt absolutely nothing.

Chapter Two

The Harker residence was tall, box-shaped and by Elspeth’s first impression a decidedly forlorn looking place. What looked to have been a once well-tended flower garden now stood overgrown in a tangle of dead weeds. Wiry strands of persistent grass peeked through the cobblestones of the walkway leading to the door of the house. All the shutters were pulled, even though it was midday, and Elspeth was seized by a sudden fear of entering what she knew would be a dark and depressing house still in deep mourning for its lost lady.

But must it be like that? Elspeth was not only a practical girl, but an optimistic and instantly conjured an image of infusing comfort into her charges that would bring forth positive change. But she knew as soon as she stepped inside the house that this would be no small accomplishment.

A stern-looking birdlike woman stood in the foyer. In front of her stood two well-scrubbed, unsmiling boys that she guessed to be about three and four years of age. They were their father in miniature, except for their dark, almost feminine eyes. Beautiful eyes, Elspeth noted, but absent of the carefree spark one expects in little boys.

“Mrs. Habersham,” Clifford Harker said to the woman. “Thank you for looking after my sons when I went to fetch my servant.”

“You’re quite welcome,” the woman said. “The boys were well-behaved, as boys should be. But then again the threat of the rod – of which I approve – can be counted on to keep youngsters under control. It is wise that you have instilled Godly fear at such a young age in your two boys.”

The woman moved across the room to take her cloak and hat from a peg by the door, continuing to talk as she donned them. “I grow weary of parents who don’t school children properly. In fact, my husband will be speaking on that very topic this Sunday, reminding the flock that children, wives and servants would be best to obey Godly male leadership, and be thankful for punishment should they deserve it.”

She turned and looked Elspeth up and down. “This girl,” she said. “Slip of a thing, isn’t she. And quite dirty. Let us hope that the providence that brought her here will turn her into something of a lady during her time of service and that she will one day know whose guidance to thank for her transformation.”

“I am sorry, ma’am.” Elspeth felt her cheeks color. “My parents have already raised me well. Despite my small stature I am an adult the same as you. And you would probably be a bit dirty too had you just traveled across an ocean in the hold of a ship with little opportunity to bathe.”

The older woman’s mouth opened in shock, but rather than respond to Elspeth, she instead addressed her employer.

“Really, Mr. Harker,” she gasped. “Is this the sort of churlishness the community can expect from those in your service?”

“Indeed not.” Clifford Harker’s voice was so icy that it sent a chill down Elspeth’s back, and she turned to look at him, the chill deepening upon taking note of his dark expression.

“My servant is overtired,” he said, his voice straining with irritation. “I am sure after she’s cleaned up and rested she will be more than eager to make her apologies to you Mrs. Habersham.” He nodded to the older woman, who smiled in smug satisfaction.

“I shall be looking forward to that,” she said, and turned to leave. “Good day.”

The door clicked behind her and Elspeth gulped as she found herself alone with Harker, who continued to glower with disapproval. Elspeth suddenly felt ashamed. Why had she let her temper get the best of her? Why had she not simply held her tongue?

“Sir, I –“ she began by way of explanation, but he cut her off.

“Don’t.” It was one word, delivered in a barking order that made her and the two little boys both jump.

For a moment all was silent as master and servant regarded one another, and then Harker’s attention turned to his sons.

“Colin, Harry – this is Elspeth. She is our new servant and will care for you. You will treat her with respect.”

Elspeth nodded towards them and managed a smile. “Hello, wee sirs,” she said.

“Is she our new mum then?” The smallest boy looked up at his father, obviously confused. Beside him, his brother nudged him in an obvious gesture of disapproval at the innocent query.

But the sibling’s disapproval was nothing to match the father’s.

“No!” The word thundered from Clifford Harker’s mouth. “This woman is a mere servant, little more than a slave to meet our needs until the end of seven years. She is not family. She is not significant. She is not to be share a thought that your sainted mother occupies! As I said, you will treat her with respect, but not because she is worthy of it but because I demand it!”

Elspeth felt her heart pound. The order was delivered with a venom, a viciousness she’d never encountered in another human being.

“Is that understood!”

The boys nodded and Harry, the smaller of the two, began to cry. Elspeth could not help herself. She rushed to comfort him, the gesture instinctive. “Ssh, ssh, there there,” she said. “It’s quite all right.”

“Indeed it is not. Step back at once, girl!”

Elspeth rose, reluctantly but did as she was ordered.

“There is no need to cry.” Clifford Harker made an attempt to restrain his anger, his voice tense. “Nothing can be done to bring your mother back, but it would be wise for both of you to remember that we all have our place, and to remember what a servant’s place is. Now both of you, up to the nursery. After Elspeth has cleaned up and settled she’ll see to you.”

The boys turned wordlessly and made their way up the staircase to disappear into the darkness on the landing.

Elspeth turned back to her employer and thought of appealing to him for gentleness and thought the better of it.

“You’ll need a bath before you touch my children,” he said. “I’ve put an oak tub in your room upstairs. It’s the last door on the right, across from the nursery. There’s a well in the yard and a stove in the kitchen. I insist you heat some water, have James help fill your tub and avail yourself of a proper bath, for you offend me with your odor. After you have bathed and changed you will find some food on the sideboard – cheese, bread and salted pork. Take some but don’t make a glutton of yourself. And then report to me in my study for a short talk before you tend to the boys.”

He did not give her time to question or respond. He had not even told her where the kitchen was and Elspeth watched him disappear into a room at the left as she stood standing in the dark foyer. With a heavy sigh she looked around the house. Shafts of light splintered the darkness from around the edges of the heavy shutters. The house felt as closed as a crypt and less cheery, she thought as she picked up her traveling bag and walked to the kitchen.

There was more light here coming through the lace curtains, and she was pleased to see room was well-appointed and cozy, with a stone fireplace upon which sat a spit and a stand for a kettle. An opening to the left held a flat board for baking bread and a large pine table and sideboard were generous enough in size to accommodate the preparation and serving of meals.

Elspeth opened the back door and looked out. A picket fence surrounded a portion of the yard, where a few hens pecked jerkily outside a coop. A smokehouse stood off to the right and beside it a smaller building with stacks of wood leaning against it. Beyond that, a white carriage house now held the trap she’d just ridden in, and a ruddy-looking man was grooming the horse that had pulled it. She looked around and seeing no other people assumed this man was James.

“Hello,” she said, and when he didn’t respond she repeated the word a bit louder. The man looked up and squinted, then smiled.