Becoming His: The Teaching of Rebecca Read Online Free PDF Page B

them. 
    She also had to scrub floors where the girls had dribbled.  It was a disgusting chore and one she absolutely hated.  She understood that the use of the pots was necessary in the dark of night but she felt sure some of the students just refused to make the journey to the privies during the day.  After all, why would they care?  Their world was one of ease and Rebecca was sure they never gave the servants a single thought. 
    She and Patsy took turns taking care of their own as did every servant. 
    Rebecca shoved the last clean pot into place.  She stood, her hands on her lower back which seemed to ache constantly.  She left the room and was running downstairs to her next chore when she almost knocked Miss Lambert over.
    “Excuse me, ma’am,” Rebecca said reaching out to steady the woman. 
    Edna saw Rebecca and said, “Why aren’t you at work?  Don’t you know better than to be dallying on the stairs? Isn’t Mrs. Williams keeping you busy enough or did you just miss being upstairs where your former classmates enjoy their studies?” 
    Rebecca shook her head. “No ma’am,” she replied. “I’m going to the kitchen now ma’am.” 
    Edna wasn’t convinced and was also not happy that Rebecca seemed to be doing well.  She had expected to hear nothing but complaints about the spoiled young woman.  “That doesn’t explain your presence upstairs at this hour young lady.  Perhaps we should go see if Mr. Danvers is aware of you sneaking around above stairs.” 
    Rebecca’s heart began to race.  Even in the few weeks she had been working as a servant, she had already been witness to what exactly happened when one of them returned from a visit to Mr. Danvers’ office.  Poor Millicent had dropped an entire stack of plates one evening.  Even Mrs. Williams couldn’t overlook the accident.  Millicent had begged for mercy but having no choice, Mrs. Williams had sent for Miss Lambert.  Edna had entered the kitchen, seen the broken crockery and immediately hauled Millicent off by her ear.  When the girl returned, it was with a tear-stained face and a definite limp.  After Miss Lambert watched her sweep up and dispose of the mess, she warned the others to learn a lesson from Millicent’s inattention to her duties. 
    Mrs. Williams had waited until the woman left before helping Millicent to a chair.  Millicent didn’t sit.  She bent over and placed her hands on the seat of the chair.  Rebecca had watched in horror as the girl’s dress was lifted.  Mrs. Williams parted the girl’s drawers and Rebecca couldn’t help but gasp as she clasped her hands over her mouth.  Millicent’s bottom was crisscrossed with angry red wheals.  There didn’t seem to be an inch of unpunished skin.  Mrs. Williams gasped as well, her face tight with suppressed anger.  She asked for the salve and Patsy brought her the brown crockery jar.  “Shh, I know it hurts honey.  Lord, how many did you receive?” 
    Millicent sniffed and moaned as the salve was very gently applied to her bottom.  “Twe…twenty five ma’am.  One…one for each pla…plate and then five extra for stepping out of position.” 
    Mrs. Williams nodded, not truly surprised.  She was angry that such a large man would cane anyone so cruelly but understood that punishments were given.  She knew that crockery costs money but was still angry that this poor girl had been caned so severely as well would lose an entire month’s wages over a stack of plates.  She just prayed that Millicent’s father didn’t see fit to add his own punishment to her bottom for the loss of few shillings the girl earned.  She continued to smooth the cream over each wheal and then told Millicent that she needed to be more careful. 
    Rebecca had stood rooted to the spot, her heart pounding.  She finally understood her position.  It had been shocking to be sent to work as a servant, humiliating and hard.  However, she hadn’t truly understood that these