Trapped in 1895

It was bath night, which coincided with laundry day because there was a bountiful supply of hot water, admittedly not absolutely clean water but good enough for a bath. The problem for Cheryl was it became her job to haul the water up three flights of stairs and she was the last in line, that is the professor first, followed by Mrs Cole then Cheryl. Cheryl cherished the bath though, and she always felt human again after it.

There is a small window, usually kept open, in the little room housing the bathtub. Cheryl was vigorously towelling herself as she was freezing and looking out the window. It was with some curiosity that she noticed Rowland come out of the outhouse then started talking with a rather furtive looking man, then they were joined by a woman who gave Rowland a kiss and the three of them walked off.

She realised she knew little of Rowland. He didn’t live in but arrived at six in the morning and finished six in the evening, every day. He always came in by the side door. The side door was accessed from the side alley. This alley went from the front of the house to the courtyard at the back. Since he never used the kitchen entrance, Cheryl rarely met him. She resolved to question Mrs. Cole.

The following morning Cheryl found Mrs. Cole in an excellent mood, the result of a satisfying bath.

“You look really pretty when you’re nice and clean, Cheryl, dear.”

“Thank you, I think,” replied Cheryl, making her wonder what she looked like before the bath.

“What do you know about Rowland, Mrs Cole?”

“A quiet one, that one but quiet.”

“When did he start work for the professor?”

“About five years ago. The professor fell ill and needed things done that were best done by a man. The professor recovered and Rowland stayed on.”

“Is he married?”

“Don’t think so. He’s never brought a woman here or talked about one. Mind you he never talks.”

“Doesn’t he have days off?”

“In all the five years he has been here, he has not missed one day.”

“Do you know where he lives?”

Mrs. Cole gave Cheryl an irritated look. Her good mood was dissipating.

“Now how would I know that?” she snapped.

This was a signal for Chery to get back to work.

Mary turned up the next day at noon and talked Mrs. Cole into letting Cheryl off for a couple of hours.

“Two hours, you understand. Not a minute more or I will take it out of your wages.”

“Impossible,” retorted Cheryl, ”I don’t get paid enough to take anything out.”

“Get off with you both,” said Mrs. Cole, not particularly upset.

Both women sat in the bar of the Black Stallion, enjoying a glass of stout.

“I never used to drink this stuff in the twenty-first century,” said Cheryl.

“What do you mean,” said Mary, wondering if she heard her correctly. In an attempt to change the subject Cheryl said, ”What do you know about Rowland?”

“The Professor’s butler? Nothing, actually, why?”

Cheryl related what had transpired.

“He’s allowed to have a girlfriend and a man friend, isn’t he?” said Mary.

“I guess he is. It just seems funny. He’s so quiet and mysterious.”

“What an absolutely splendid game. Let’s play detective and find out all about him.”

Cheryl retreated a bit.

“Oh, I don’t think so. He might get upset.”

“We won’t tell anyone and we’ll be careful he doesn’t find out.”

“So what do we do?” asked Cheryl.

“I’ll hide out in the courtyard and follow him.”

“Are you sure? It could be dangerous.”

“I’ll get David to come along. You know David, he was with us at the food fair.”

Cheryl did.

“Are you seeing him again?”

“I’m thinking about it. Ferdinand, the boy I’m seeing at the moment, is beginning to bore me.”

Cheryl smiled. Mary was the proverbial bee flitting from flower to flower.

“OK, I’ll seek you out and meet you.”

“Tomorrow night. Ferdinand is taking me to a poetry reading. I’m afraid it’s the most exciting thing he can think of.”

Mary and David get ready to follow Rowland.

At five thirty in the evening, Cheryl slipped outside and almost had a heart attack when Mary and David slipped up behind her.

“We will hide behind that pony trap,” said Mary.

“Ok,” replied a nervous Cheryl, ”you will let me know what happens tomorrow?”

“Of course, now scoot.”

Cheryl went back to work and was so nervous and jumpy that she dropped an iron pot and spilled the kettle.

“What’s the matter with you, girl? You’re as jumpy as anything. What are you up to.”

“Me, nothing.”

Mrs. Cole went to a cupboard and took out a bottle, filling up a small glass.

“Drink this,” she said, shoving the glass into Cheryl’s hand.

“Sherry, it will calm your nerves.”

Cheryl drank it. It didn’t work, but she pretended it did.

Mary relates her experience

Mary turned up at lunchtime and pulled Cheryl off to the Black Stallion. Mrs. Cole didn’t even object.

“I can’t wait to tell you what happened. It was so scary.”

“Tell me, quick,” said Cheryl.

“We hid behind the pony trap and Rowland came out.”

“Was there anyone there to meet him?”

“No. Now don’t interrupt again. He walked off alone and we followed at a discreet distance. He went about four miles, then turned off into a dark alley. David didn’t want me to go in there, but I wasn’t going to be thwarted.”

”You are brave, Mary.”

“Yes, aren’t I,” said Mary, puffing herself up, ”but anyway, we sneaked down the alley and caught up with Roland and then he stopped at a door and a woman came out. She kissed him with amazing passion.”

Mary paused and gazed at the ceiling.

“I wish I could kiss like that.”

“I’m sure you do,” said Cheryl. “now go on.”

“They went inside. We sneaked up to the door, but it was an entrance to a public inn and not a very respectable one at that. The men and women coming in and out were not very respectable looking. David wanted to go home now, as there was no way we could follow further. Yes, there is, I said. I took my coat off, opened my blouse, ruffled my hair, and smudged my lipstick. I really looked the part of a loose woman. It was exciting and David, god bless his manly heart, followed suit. We went in and my goodness, what a place. The stench was awful, and the floor was covered in sawdust. As we entered, two men started fighting in front of us and one pulled a knife, grabbed me but before he could put the knife to my throat Rowland hit him hard and he dropped the knife. I was absolutely terrified, but I was determined not to burst into tears. Two men came, grabbed the knife man and dragged him outside. Rowland invited us to sit with him. By the way, are we drinking or not?”

Cheryl went and got two stouts.

“When we were seated at the table, Rowland asked if we had met as I seemed familiar. David jumped in and said we had just come from the north and were visiting London. Now the funny thing is the woman disappeared, but a man turned up. He sat down and asked Rowland who we were. Just visitors, he said and baid us farewell and we lost him when he went through one of the doors, then we came home.”

“Well,” said Cheryl, “what does all this prove?”

“It proves Rowland isn’t quite what he seems. I better not come to the house for a while,” said Mary.

“Ok,” replied Cherry.