Swallowing hard, I hobbled across the room to the doorway and glanced towards the stairs that led up to our bedroom. I had nothing to hide, nothing hidden in the room that would seem suspicious to anyone unless they had a vendetta against. Something Mrs Ealing did have. Anything that I may have possessed that she didn't know about could be used against me and there were several things she didn't know about. There was the toy Robert had brought me, the drawing from Zachariah, the bracelet Charlotte had made for me and the drawings I had done of Robert. Every one of those could have been the cause for an infraction.

Perhaps the worst thing she could have found would be the two drawings. I had no way of explaining them seeing as I only had the attention of drawing one picture and the other has been unintentional. Why I didn't throw them away remained a mystery to me, but it had been the first drawing I had made in seven years. That may not have meant anything to Mrs Ealing, or anyone else, but it meant something to me though I doubt she would have understood that. It wasn't what I drew that made me happy, it was holding a pencil for the first time in seven years. Having the freedom to draw for the first time in forever.

I hated the idea of her using the thing I loved against me as if having the drawing was the worst thing in the world. There were so many other things she could use against me, but I knew she would use the drawing. The one thing she seemed to fear was me getting too close to Robert under her roof. Such a thing would be improper. Seeing the drawing would simply confirm her idea, even if there happened to be no thought to confirm. It would be just the thing she needs to tip her over the edge and have the ammo needed to give me a second infraction.

"Why does she think you're hiding something?" Miss Jenkins asked. Her grip appeared to tighten against the back of the chair.

"I don't know, I have nothing of interest up there," I said.

"What do you keep in your drawer other than your dresses?" Esther asked.

"Not much. There is a drawing Zachariah did after I pulled him from the river, a bracelet Charlotte gave me, some drawings and a small toy."

"Where'd the toy come from?"

"Robert. When I went into London for the food shop for Matilda's birthday, he saw me looking at it in a shop window and decided to purchase it."

"Rosie," Miss Jenkins warned.

"What? There was nothing more to it than a friendly gesture. If she asks, I'll just say I brought it with my wages."

"You can't lie to her."

"Why not?"

"She'll find out the truth."

Miss Jenkins was right. Lying to Mrs Ealing would only add to my troubles, especially if she found out and yet it would remain a mystery as to how she would find out. Although I couldn't help but wonder if she would find the truth or just use it against me no matter what I said in response. Unless Robert came forward and admitted he gave me the toy, she would never find out where it came from. All my trust had to go into Robert, Miss Jenkins and Esther to remain silent and not say anything about where the toy actually came from. Whether or not they would lie for me would depend on which item from my drawer Mrs Ealing decided caused the biggest amount of grief.

Silence settled on the room as we waited for Mrs Ealing to descend the stairs with whatever it was she happened to have found. I hated the nervous feeling that bubbled up inside me as we waited. My heart hammered away inside my chest, my palms grew sweaty against the wood of the cane and it felt as though someone had tied a length of rope around my lungs. It was the same feeling I used to get back at the factory when the foreman was trying to come up with a new way to punish me for something I hadn't done.

Maybe Tommy had been right; Mrs Ealing had become the foreman away from the factory. I may not have wanted to admit it in the past, but at the back of my mind, I knew that she reminded me of him. The way she sought to find fault in everything I did, to punish me when I had done nothing wrong mirrored the way the foreman had treated me for seven years. I had to put up with him for seven years of my life and I hated every second of it because I had nowhere to run. Now I did.

"This is ridiculous, I haven't done anything," I said.

"We know and we'll defend you no matter what Mrs Ealing has to say. Just remember, you have to keep your temper, or you'll only make matters worse," Mis Jenkins said.

"I know, I know." I took a breath and readjusted the grip on the cane handle before hobbling back into the room and standing beside the table.

"As long as you're not hiding a person under your bed, everything will be fine."

"I highly doubt that. Mrs Ealing has wanted me out for months and anything in my drawer would be used against me, no matter what it is. This isn't going to end well."

Pulling out of the chairs at the table, I took a seat and rested the cane against the edge of the table. I pressed my elbows into the top of the table and pushed my knuckles against my eyes in an attempt to calm myself down. Getting angry would only make things worse, but I couldn't fight it as it rose up inside me. I never said anything against the foreman because I knew I could only get into even more trouble and possibly end up dead. Mrs Ealing was different. The worst she could do would be to chuck me out without a reference, but now I had my family back, so I didn't care if she threw me out. I wasn't going to bite my tongue this time.

Taking my face off my hands, I rested my forearms flat against the table in front of me and drummed my fingers against the wood. Mrs Ealing seemed to be taking ages to find whatever she happened to be looking for. Unless she intended to search the whole room, I couldn't understand what was taking her so long. To me, finding the drawings would have been enough for her to come pounding down the stairs to give me a second infraction or probably throw me out the door without looking back. Looking through my room gave Mrs Ealing all the ammunition she needed to get rid of me once and for all. I had a feeling that was her plan.

After a little while longer, and with my anxiety rising every time the clock ticked, the sounds of footsteps finally descended from upstairs. I could almost hear my heart beating in my ears every time a step was taken, and Mrs Ealing grew closer. I wished she would hurry up so we could get it out of the way, but it felt as though she was stretching it out deliberately, I wouldn't put it past her. She seemed to like making me suffer. Eventually, the sound on the footsteps stopped and instead echoed through the small hallway. I turned my head slightly and watched as Mrs Ealing appeared in the doorway.

"You, with me," Mrs Ealing. She gestured towards me and then turned to Esther and Miss Jenkins. "Find my husband, Robert and Matilda and take them to the drawing-room. Your presence shall also be required."

"Yes, Ma'am," Miss Jenkins said, looking directly at me as she spoke.

"With me. Now."

Glancing towards Miss Jenkins and Esther for a split second, I pushed myself up with the cane and slowly followed her from the room. The house was silent as I hobbled up the stairs behind her. My hand struggled to grip the cane as sweat built itself up on my palm and my forehead. I knew that Miss Ealing summoning everyone to the drawing-room after digging through my things would be a recipe for disaster. She had the material she needed to give me another infraction and possible consideration for my dismissal. I knew Doctor Ealing wouldn't just allow her to dismiss me, but I doubted he could fight a second infraction.

I followed Mrs Ealing up the stairs and out into the hallway where she turned and headed towards the drawing-room. Whilst I followed as far back as I dare, Esther headed up the stairs and Miss Jenkins turned towards Doctor Ealing's office, if he was anywhere it would be there. I took a breath as I followed Mrs Ealing into the drawing-room and stood as close to the door as possible. I wanted a quick escape in case everything happened to go south, if it did, I could leave without anyone trying to stop me.

Mrs Ealing approached the windows at the back of the room and stood facing out of them without saying a word. Although she had nothing in her hands, nothing to suggest she had found something incriminating, her pockets looked as though she had stuffed something inside of them. She almost rustled as she walked up the stairs and towards the drawing-room which only meant one thing. She had the drawings and those would become the ammunition she needed to give me a second infraction.

After a few minutes of the two of us standing in complete silence and not even glancing in the other one's direction, I heard movement behind me and turned my head to watch Doctor Ealing, Robert and Matilda finally appear alongside Miss Jenkins and Esther. All three of the Ealing's had puzzled and confused expressions whilst Esther and Miss Jenkins looked concerned. I didn't know how to feel. I didn't think she had enough to dismiss me, but Mrs Ealing was capable of anything, she had already proved that when she hit me with the cane.

"Elizabeth, what is this about? Supper is supposed to be served in an hour and you have our staff in the drawing-room," Doctor Ealing said. He crossed the room to the fireplace and rested an arm against the mantlepiece, the others hovered around the doorway.

"I thought you might be interested in learning more about the servant you so willingly hired behind my back," Mrs Ealing said.

"Not this again. It's been six months, Elizabeth, and Rosie has proved to be a valuable member of our household since the day she arrived. Whatever your grievances may be, you cannot air them so publicly."

"So you aren't the least bit curious to find out why your servant has two drawings of our son in her room?"

"What on earth are you talking about?"

"These!"

From her pocket, Mrs Ealing produced the two drawings which had been reduced to crumpled up sheets of paper. She stalked across the room and shoved them into Doctor Ealing's hand before returning to the spot by the window. I watched as Doctor Ealing unravelled the sheets of paper and regarded them with a raised eyebrow. The room was silent except for the occasional movement of the paper and I could see both Robert and Matilda watching me out of the corner of the eyes. No one other than me knew the drawings had existed unless Esther had been nosing in my drawer, Mrs Ealing had to trust my word as to how they came to be there. I knew she wouldn't.

"I'm sure there is a rational explanation for both of these, and I doubt they were drawn during her work hours. Rosie? Care to offer an explanation?" Doctor Ealing turned to face me with the drawing in hand.

"One was drawn when I had influenza and the other was drawn at James' office. I just wanted to see if I could still draw. The first portrait was only drawn because Robert happened to be one of the few people in the room, the other I didn't even know what I was drawing until James pointed it out," I said. I thought it would be better to tell them the truth than to lie, it all mattered on how Mrs Ealing took the truth.

"There we have it! I'm sure James can corroborate her story and I remember Robert asking to borrow some paper from me when she had influenza. There is nothing sinister about it."

"I don't care about how the drawings came to be, it is why she had them hidden in her drawer in her room that concerns me the most! I do not want my son to be manipulated by the likes of her. She kept the drawings in her room, Albert, how much more proof do you need?"

"You're reading too far into this, Elizabeth. They're just drawings."

"To you, maybe. We agreed that if she were to stay with us, I would be in charge of disciplining her and so far you have undermined me at every given opportunity. Not anymore. Consider this your second infraction, Rosie. One more and you are out of that door without a reference. Do you understand me?"

"Elizabeth, come on!"

"No, Albert. I have had enough of her constantly getting away with flouting the rules and trying to get away with as little work as possible. This is your final warning and your last chance. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Mrs Ealing," I murmured.

"Good. Get out of my sight, I've had enough of seeing you for one day."

Mrs Ealing waved her hand towards me and the door behind me. Gripping the top of the cane, I hobbled out of the room as fast as I could go, fighting back tears as I went. I knew the meeting would only end in disaster, but I didn't expect her to go that far for everyone to bear witness. Doctor Ealing had tried to step in, but even he couldn't have stopped the torrent of abuse that came pouring out of Mrs Ealing. She had been waiting for that moment for six months and it had finally arrived. If hitting me in the back of the knee wasn't enough, giving me a talking to in front of everyone certainly got her point across.

I walked a little way down the hallway before coming to a stop just before Doctor Ealing's office. I leant my back against the wall and took a shaky breath in an attempt to fight the tears that were forming in my eyes. Blinking slightly, I allowed the tears to fall and didn't dare to wipe them away, I didn't see the point. The sound of footsteps travelled up the hallway from the drawing-room, but I didn't open my eyes. The footsteps fell silent right beside me but the person remained silent, I wished they would go away. Slowly I opened my eyes.

"You shouldn't be here," I said, turning to Robert.

"I want to see if you were alright, Mother was out of line. Father is trying to convince her to drop the infraction but she seems set on it." He reached out and placed his hand on my upper arm, giving it a light squeeze as he spoke. "It'll be alright, you'll see."

"Don't you see that this isn't helping? If your mother saw you right now, I would be out of that door before I even had a chance to attempt to explain the situation! The only reason she seems to think there is the slightest thing going on between us is because you refuse to leave me alone. When I'm trying to work, you are always there to distract me, and your mother blames me for that! Can't you understand that there is nothing, nor will there ever be anything, between us? Whatever you think may be happening, isn't. Just stay away from me, Robert."

"I'm sorry, I was only trying to help," he muttered.

"But you're not helping! All you are doing is making it harder for me to do my job and in turn, getting me into trouble. It was your idea for me to start drawing again and look where it has gotten me! You need to stay away from me."

"If that's how you feel, I'll leave you alone. Maybe I shouldn't have helped you that day, it would have saved both of us a lot of trouble."

Robert released my arm, shook his head slightly and walked away before I could say anything else, though I didn't know what I would say. Words failed me as I watched him walk up the stairs and out of sight. I turned my head back to the drawing-room where Mrs Ealing stood in the doorway with a smirk etched on her face and her arms crossed over her chest as if to tell me she had been right all along. Miss Ealing stood beside her but quickly took her queue to head down the hallway towards me. She grabbed me on the arm and lightly dragged me to the basement steps, pulling me down them and finally releasing my arm when we got to the kitchen.

Miss Jenkins turned to face me but said nothing, she just looked at me with concerned eyebrows and her arms hanging loosely by her side. I squeezed my eyes shut and allowed the tears to fall down my cheeks and soak the top of my dress. Beside me, I heard Miss Jenkins sigh before she wrapped her arms around and pulled me into her chest. She rested her chin on my head and held me tightly as I cried into the fabric of her dress.

"It'll all be fine, Rosie, you'll see," she said calmly.

"How could it possibly be fine?" I sobbed into her dress.

"The Lord will make it so, you can count on that."

I didn't reply. I couldn't imagine how things could get any better when they only seemed to be getting worse. Mrs Ealing had given me my first infraction and I had pushed away one of the few people who had ever believed me.

I didn't know what I was supposed to do next. 

~~~

A/N - Not gonna lie, I cried during  Rosie and Robert's fight... I knew it was coming and I still got emotional. But, onwards! I have just started Chapter Thirty-Four and it might be the last one, but we shall see... This book will be over come January which is terrifying.

Also, WE HIT 10K READS!!!! TSG is now the second book to hit 10K reads this year and it means so much for me! I love you guys!!!

Alright, views on the chapter? Do you think this is the end of Robert and Rosie? What about Mrs Ealing? Was she right to say what she did? Was she over-dramatic?

Comment below!

Dedication - This chapter is dedicated to Fzz1979 who left an adorable comment on my wall after reading TFG! It meant a lot :)

First Published - December 10th, 2019