Silenced Wag

Well if you have been following the story so far, you will know that twice now Gemma has been the victim of Mistress Lucinda's wrath.  Once deservedly it has to be said and once was a case of 'charged before all the facts were known'.  We have seen a cruel sadistic side to Mistress Lucinda, a Mistress & Lady of the house side 'and' we have also seen a caring and affectionate side to her as well.  We pick up the story as Mistress arrives downstairs in the dining room, the morning after the Garden Party and she is NOT happy with her other Maid Jane's blatant eagerness to drop Gemma in trouble!

Mistress Lucinda left Gemma to get dressed into a clean uniform and she herself proceeded down to the dining room where some of her guests who had stayed the night were just finishing breakfast.  As she entered the room, everyone stopped eating and stood up.  Jane stopped pouring out coffee from a silver coffee-pot and curtsied dutifully. 

'Oh be seated and proceed with your breakfasts' Mistress Lucinda said, gesturing loosely with her hand for everyone to carry on.  She looked across the room to where Jane was pouring the coffee for one of her guests.  'Jane, might I see you for a moment?' she requested.

'Yes Mistress' replied Jane.  Curtseying and placing the coffee-pot back on it's warmer, she moved over to where Mistress was standing by the door.

'Not here Jane, in my study if you please' Mistress Lucinda instructed and she pointed out the doorway and across the entrance hall.

'Oh yes Mistress, of course Mistress' replied Jane and tottered off to the study.

Mistress Lucinda then turned to her guests who were naturally curious as to what was going on.  'Gemma will be with you shortly my friends, until then please excuse my lack of staff and feel free to help yourselves to food and drink.'  She smiled and gracefully turned and glided from the room in the direction of her study.  All this time, Gemma's ex-Master just sat at the breakfast table reading a newspaper and eating his breakfast, not showing any emotion at all towards what was happening!

Gemma soon arrived in the dining room and looked puzzled as to her Mistress' absence from the room.  She hesitated by the doorway briefly until her ex-Master raised his arm and gestured to her.  She went over to where he was sitting, 'Yes Sir?' she enquired. 

'I would like another coffee please' he said without looking up from his paper.

Gemma curtsied, 'Yes Sir' she said and duly poured out some more coffee for him, offering the milk and sugar to him as per protocol afterwards, she looked around the room and wondered where Jane was too?'

As the guests moved away from the table and out of the room, Gemma began to clear the table and set it ready for lunch.  The only one still at the table was her ex-Master, still reading his newspaper and occasionally sipping his coffee.

Suddenly her ex-Master spoke to her 'Did your Mistress speak with you this morning girl?' he asked.

Gemma stopped laying out the full silver service cutlery and faced him 'Yes she did Sir' she curtsied and carried on with her chores.

'Good' he replied 'I trust all is well again between you both then?' he continued to enquire.

'I believe that to be so Sir!' Gemma replied, curtseying again then continuing with her work.

Her ex-Master suddenly glanced out through the doorway into the entrance hall as if something had distracted him momentarily.  He made a sort of 'huffing noise' as if in approval of something, folded his paper and rose from his seat.  He left the room without another word and headed off in the direction of the Lounge.  Gemma finished setting the table for lunch and then proceeded to the Lounge area in case any of the guests needed anything. 

When she arrived in the Lounge she was most surprised to see Mistress sitting on one of the sofas, her guests all around her and Jane stood motionless next to her.  Jane was locked into a Scold's Bridle device, which is like a metal head harness that has a metal plate that fits into the wearer's mouth to stop their tongue from moving (wagging), thus preventing clear speech.  Gemma knew that Mistress' example of this device was particularly nasty as the mouth plate had sharp spikes on it, both top and bottom, to make any movement of the mouth or tongue very painful indeed.  In fact there were signs that trickles of blood had been wiped from around Jane's chin quite recently.

Gemma stood there for a moment, looking very puzzled as to why Jane was being punished so.

'Ah Gemma, come her girl and rest on the floor below me' Mistress Lucinda instructed, pointing at the floor in front of the sofa she was reclining on.

Gemma followed her Mistress' instructions and when she had settled painfully on the floor (her back was still very sore), Mistress began stroking her long mousy brown hair.

'You may have noticed that Jane has been silenced Gemma?' Mistress Lucinda enquired of the now slightly glassy eyed girl on the floor before her. 

'Yes Mistress' Gemma replied.

'Well just so you know why Gemma, it was Jane that led me to the bedroom where you were this morning and it was Jane that suggested that you may have been dishonourable towards me.  In short Jane suggested a false accusation against you Gemma'.  Mistress Lucinda looked down at Gemma and smiled satisfactorily. 'Therefore Gemma, in order to stop her tongue from wagging unnecessarily and constantly telling me tales about YOU Gemma, I have placed Jane in my Scold's Bridle which she will wear for as long as it takes her to learn her lesson.' she concluded.

'Yes Mistress, I understand Ma'am' replied Gemma, smiling at Jane with a 'that'll teach you' look on her face.

Jane was made to stand motionless beside her Mistress, unless of course something was required by someone in the room in which case she had to serve him or her and then return to her post beside Mistress Lucinda. 

Slowly the guests started to drift away and by 11am the only person left was Gemma's ex-Master.  His car had arrived and was waiting outside and both Mistress Lucinda and Gemma went to the door with him to see him off.  Gemma opened the front door and waited till both her Mistress and ex-Master had passed through, then she scurried down to the waiting car and barging the chauffeur out of the way, stood next to the open rear door.
Her ex-Master turned to Mistress Lucinda.  He smiled and thanked her for a truly lovely time and he apologised if he had been too outspoken earlier that morning, but Mistress Lucinda just smiled and said that she knew nothing he had not said was untrue!  Gemma's ex-Master then bowed and kissed Mistress Lucinda's hand.  He turned and approached the waiting car.

Gemma flicked her eyes up at him as he approached her in a bashful manner, then returned her gaze to the floor.

'I see my Chauffeur has improved in looks then?' her ex-Master said jovially as he stopped next to her.  He glanced back at Mistress Lucinda standing by the house, his eyes asked but one question. 

She nodded her head once and slightly to the side as if to say, 'yes, you may'.

He looked back at Gemma and placed his finger under her chin, lifting her head until their eyes met.  He leant forward and kissed Gemma on the lips.

'Take care Gemma, and look after your Mistress.  She is a very special Lady and I find myself slightly envious of you in that respect!' he said and he smiled at her.

Gemma's eyes were filling with tears and she too looked back at her Mistress for approval.  Mistress Lucinda nodded several times in quick succession and smiled reassuringly, obviously trying desperately to keep her composure herself. Gemma looked back at her ex-Master, tears now streaming down her face and she flung her arms around him and buried her head in his shoulders.

'I love you my Master' she whispered between sobs and choking tears.

'I know you do my child' he replied.  Then he pulled her arms from around him, smiled at Gemma one last time and disappeared inside the car pulling the door to behind him.

Mistress Lucinda moved down to where Gemma was standing and put her hands on Gemma's shoulders as the car sped off down the drive and into the distance.  Gemma spun round and buried her face in her Mistress' chest, sobbing uncontrollably. 

Mistress Lucinda held her Maid tightly in her arms.  'There, there' she said softly, 'You'll see him again very soon I don't doubt!' she concluded.

The pair turned towards the house and Gemma leant her head on her Mistress' shoulder.  Mistress Lucinda placed her arm around Gemma's shoulders and the pair slowly disappeared into the house, closing the door on another episode in the life and times of Mistress Lucinda and her Maids.

THE END

Written by: Maid Gemma

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