Chapter 4
Edgar's long awaited visit with his sister, Isabella has put all the house in an uproar, It has taken Mistress two hours of dressing and changing her mind, to be made ready to receive her guests, at long last the sound of carriage wheels draws Frances's attention, and she bids Keela help her to stand, she drapes a shawl about her shoulders and descends the stairs to wait beside her husband, Cathy passes her on the landing without a glance.
"There now Hindley, did I not tell you my old dress would look beautiful on Cathy!"
"I think I hear them arriving!"
Miss Earnshaw rushes out to the door, with her brother calling after her not to run, Frances leans in and says that she is a spirited girl and it would be a shame to tame her completely.
Keela watches hidden on the landing as the famed Mr Linton enters with his sister, led by Master into the drawing room, he is handsome enough though too slight with no strength of form nor feature to recommend him, the perfect English gentleman, nothing about him to provoke opinion one way or another.
He is polite and considerate at every turn, holding the drawing room door so that Mistress may precede him and offering her the chair beside the fireplace, as it is the best, in view if her condition.
How will such a man survive the temper of Miss Cathy?
Perhaps he has hidden reserves of character…
She stands, shivering waiting to be summoned and at last the door opens and as Edgar leaves to arrange for the coachman to return later, Frances calls to her to join them, she hurries in and stands stock still, Heathcliff has been done up as a gentleman, she has never seen anyone look so elegant and so uncomfortable in the same moment, she flushes at his eyes on her. It is as though they have changed places.
Now she is the savage in the room.
She glances down, all to aware that her bare feet are stained with the dirt of the hallway; she had no time to change her clothes, and nothing to change them for besides, she looks every inch the filthy slave girl, Cathy is biting her lip to keep from laughing and appearing rude.
Edgar returns, careful to step around her, as though dirt were contagious.
He holds out his hat to Heathcliff and Keela flinches in sympathy.
"I am not your servant."
Oh dear.
"Don't look at me like I am."
She watches him advance on Edgar who seems torn between fear and shock at being so addressed.
Master is scarlet with anger and orders Heathcliff away, complaining that he shall steal the food and bidding Joseph to send him to the garret and keep him there until dark.
Nelly protested at this, and said that he would touch nothing and it were unfair to keep him out.
Master is on his feet, his rage such that Nelly drew back from him.
'He shall have his share of my hand, if I catch him downstairs till dark," he cried. "Begone, you vagabond! What! You are attempting the coxcomb, are you? Wait till I get hold of those elegant locks—see if I won't pull them a bit longer!'
Keela flinched and even Nelly looked discomfited at the threat.
'They are long enough already,' observed Master Linton, peeping from the doorway; 'I wonder they don't make his head ache. It's like a colt's mane over his eyes!'
In that moment Nelly is sure that he intended no genuine offense…but intentions be dammed, the room stills as like lightening Heathcliff catches up the tureen of burning apple sauce and strikes his tormenter full in the face, it rings like the tolling of chapel bells and how the young man howls, Keela is on her feet and shouting something that could be understood by no one, but sounded to Nelly worryingly like encouragement for the assault.
Heathcliff is dragged unceremoniously from the room between Master Hindley and Joseph, poor miss Isabella sets up a most dreadful weeping, pleading to go home.
Nelly catches up a cloth and began rather viciously to scrub at Master Linton, as he tries to extricate himself from her ministrations and stem the blood that runs from his nose.
Miss Cathy sits in stunned silence, her eyes filled with tears. "You should not have spoken to him! He was in a bad temper, now your visit is spoiled! Now he shall be flogged! I hate it when they flog him! Why did you speak to him!"
Poor master Linton pales at finding that he must shoulder the blame for the unfortunate turn of events.
"I did not!"
Keela feels her stomach revolt at the sight of the sobbing man; she flinches at the lash that shatters the air, Frances lays a hand to her stomach as the whip falls again, she reaches out to Nelly and begs most prettily to be excused as she is unwell and must abed.
Keela is not sent for, and so slips from the room and out to the kitchens, Joseph has formed the habit of leaving his salve in the cabinet where it might be easily found.
She takes it up, and sits at the table her hands over her ears to block out the lash, half of her longs to run out to the stables and strike Master Hindley back to hell for his cruelty.
She clenches her fists and kicks at the table legs in impotent rage; she gets to her feet as Master re enters with Joseph, the corpulent beast looks down at her, she drops into a neat curtsey.
Hindly turns back to her as he reaches the far door "What did you say to the bastard? I could not catch it?"
"I…I told him not to strike Master Linton." She prays that he will not guess that she is lying.
He runs piggy eyes over her face, "Did you indeed?"
"Yes, sir."
"So you did not approve of such savagery?" his tone is softer than usual, as though it is an honest question…is he trying to trick her into confessing?
"Or was it rather than you would have struck my honoured guest by your own hand?"
"If he had said such to me, I would not have chosen the apple sauce for my instrument. If that's what you mean, Sir."
For a moment he almost laughs at her impertinence, she shrugs
"I think it were the first thing he could lay hold to. You were cruel to him Sir, ye can flog me fer sayin' it, but say it I will. I don't much care."
He moves back into the room "Would you care after…shall we say one hundred lashes?"
"I shall run away, you lay a hundred lashes on me, Sir."
His smile is horrible, "Then you will be hanged, this is not Ireland, or wherever Ellen bought you from, we have English laws here. And after my wife has shown you such kindness, why she would break her heart weeping to hear you had threatened such. I know what you are, girl and I could have handed you over to be executed, I have not as my wife has a liking for you, but you forget your place. And to think you had to miss a proper introduction to Master Linton on his account, could you not have used the opportunity to spell Edgar into marrying you? Is that not what your kind do? Bewitch good English men?"
He is suddenly far too close; she can smell the stink of beer on him, he has her by the arms, she can feel the press of his flabby flesh through the cotton of her shirt.
She is reminded of the son of her last owner…she cannot strike her master…
He seems to lose interest as suddenly as he took it up and departs the room.
Leaving her shuddering, she snatches up Joseph's bottle and makes her way to the stables, finds the doors locked and uses the rope to climb to the hayloft window and slips in at it, she hurries down the ladder and unties Heathcliff as swiftly as she is able, eyeing the welts at his wrists, the sign of his brother's hate.
She pulls his shirt up and washes away the blood that mars his skin, and gently caresses the stinging balm into the lash marks, her stomach turning at the brush of broken skin against her fingertips.
"Is Cathy coming?"
Her hands still, she pulls away "I do not know…she seemed much taken with Master Linton. I can find out for you."
"She hates you, your presence will only make her say no."
She gets to her feet, brushing down her britches. "God! And to think I took your part to Master!"
She turns on her heel and he is left to watch her scurry away up the ladder and he hears her feet strike the dirt as she drops from the rope and abandons him to his agony.
Nelly finds her in the kitchens engaged in a pitched battle with what she suspects used to be the hind leg of a pig and a carving knife, she hurries to take the blade away,
"God girl! I said to carve it, it is quite dead already!"
She eyes the tears in the icy eyes and catches her shoulders, laying the knife down
"Whatever is the matter?"
She seems beside herself
"I only went to be kind! I needn't have gone at all! Cathy, Cathy dammed, bloody Cathy!"
Without warning Keela takes up the knife, and drives it almost to the hilt into the wooden tabletop.
Nelly shudders at the sight, at the promise of the strength in those arms…perhaps Heathcliff were right when he said she could snap you in half.
She holds her by the shoulders…now is not the moment for anger…
"Sit you down, you are quite out of sorts. What's brought this on? Ye can tell me whilst I…fetch me a new knife girl, I cannot get this one free." She laughs nervously, trying to make light of it.
One is handed over and Ellen sets to work carving, all afternoon the girl sits before the flames, rising every so often to help Nelly about her work, it seems it is to be a dark Christmas day, her first in this household.
Nelly tries to distract her from whatever it is that plagues her, with talk of her home, she asks about Keela's own family but learns precious little for her troubles.
The sun is long down when Joseph enters the kitchens as though the devil himself were chasing him, demands to know where Heathcliff is, he has looked everywhere, he has escaped the barn and Miss Cathy cannot be found neither.
Mistress has begun with her pains and the doctor must be brought.
Keela sighs and after promising on perdition of her immortal soul that she did not free the fahl devil is bid to comfort her mistress.
She hitches up her skirts and hurries up the stairs, she spies Master pacing the drawing room, a brandy in hand, as a cry of pain tears the air.
She pushes open the door, Miss Frances lies in her bed, her face pale and sweating but she smiles to see Keela.
"Good evening my dear."
The girl moves to kneel beside the bed and takes her mistresses' hand bidding her cling as tight as she should need when her pains come, she prays softly as the agony in her hand grows stronger, at last she hears Master's roar, and then soon after the rhythm of hoof beats in the yard, she smiles up to Frances
"Doctor Kenneth will be here soon."
Frances tries to smile through her tears, she seems so tired already and her tribulations have barely begun, Keela fetches her a little heated wine and lies the warming pan at her feet, she is half asleep though she wakes to cry out in agony every so often.
Keela's stomach twists, and she begs God that the doctor might come soon.
They have not long to wait, he bustles in and sends the servant for hot water and cloths, she brings them as swift as ever she can, the doctor stands over Mistress Frances his face pale and grave, fear descends upon the house like a mist, mistress is so tired…
Keela is sent out to wait in the hall; she shivers at the cries that echo through the wall, Doctor sends for Master, she tries not to listen to what is being said, then at last she is sent for, the baby lies in a crib, a beautiful little boy with dark hair and his father's eyes, the room is like a scene from hell and mistress lies so still and pale, Master watches from the corner chair, the doctor fusses about, he appears so grey and haggard.
Keela kneels once more and Frances smiles weakly reaching out, "Keela…the doctor says…I am like to die…we know that's silly, don't we dearest?"
All the colour drains from the young servant's face and she clings tighter to her mistress as though she might hold her life inside.
What is the best way? She should agree, perhaps mistress shall will herself well once more.
"Of course, mistress. You have a bonny bairn to care for."
"Quite so, do you hear doctor? I shall be well again, I have a fortune teller's prediction!"
Keela has not the heart to contradict her, her head spins, the room is heavy with the scent of blood and beneath it moorland flowers and woodsmoke…perhaps they are burning…
She opens her eyes and gazes at her mistress. it is like looking through a spirit in the kirkyard…as though she is fading away before her very eyes, Keela crosses herself and turns to Hindley
"Master! Send for the priest I beg of you!"
"She will not die…foolish girl…"
How is she to explain her fears?
"Master, mistress's sudden ill health seems…unnatural."
She reaches up and taking the vial from her throat dabs the precious holy water upon her mistresses' burning forehead, she draws a cross upon the golden brow and prays as she never has.
For half an hour the mistress rallies…Keela tries not to hear the tread of boots upon the stairway that seem to steal away her lady's strength with every step they draw nearer.
Keela is sobbing as Mistress's hand weakens its grasp, she draws a rattling breath…God the scent of the moors is sickening, as if they had thrown wide every window to the eye of the tempest that howls like a curse, as though they burned heather in place of wood….
Kenneth watches her and offers a sad smile.
He moves to stand over the bed, and reaches down; Keela throws herself upon Frances Earnshaw, as though by keeping the doctor away the dreadful truth might be warded off.
Like an ill wish.
Mistress is dead; the only prayers of any worth now are those that may be said for her soul.
Hindley is beside himself, the doctor tries to reason with him, he should never have chosen such a weak and sickly lass.
He is banished from the house into the snow and the storm without payment.
Keela makes her way to the door, glancing back at the sad figure that lies with the bloodied sheet for a shroud and lit from behind with the candles glow, she can still see the sweet smile through the white cloth….
She pushes her way blindly out into the icy hallway, a figure moves…Heathcliff peers over her shoulder at the sight of his hated brother sobbing fit to break the coldest heart over the body of his beloved…. One would think he were looking upon the face of God.
His smile makes her blood run cold…she slaps her hands against his chest
"Get away! God, don't stand there lookin' so! She's dead!"
The tears run down her cheeks anew, he does not move. Indeed he gives no sign that he has even noticed her, he simply stands, hypnotised by the sight of his brother's loss.
And the scent of the moors burns in her head…she strikes out at him again then…
"You! What did you do? You fiend! You devil!"
Hindley does not even look up at the commotion at his door.
Keela lays hold of Heathcliff about the waist and drags him from the doorway with a strength borne of necessity.
She slams him into the wall, striking worthlessly at him, tearing at him with her nails like one possessed.
"It were you! I know it! What did you do? Why? Why her? She never hurt no one!"
He still has the same horrible smile on his face, and his voice is unlike she has ever heard it,
"It were him…I cursed him…and look, he's lost the only person who ever loved him."
He glances down at her, with a secretive smile and then pulls her into his arms, and spins her about with him, laughing as though it were a joyous evening, she stills at his fingers against her throat…he twists the pendant from her almost choking her on it.
"Do not cross me again, Keela. It were worse because of you, she should have died quick…but no, you had to make it hard…so you just think on that…she would never have suffered so if it weren't for you. So I'll thank you for yer help with me curse…we killed her together you and I."
He laughs at the sound of Hindley's agonised scream, a high sound to chill blood and bone alike, and in that moment Keela would swear Joseph sees more than confessed, and that the devil truly walks this house.
She trembles and only Heathcliff's arms about her keep her standing.
She looks up into the burning blackness of his eyes that glitter with a hellish light.
He releases her and moves to push the door open a little, Hindley is still curled over his dead wife and she watches the lascar drink in his agony as though it were communion wine.
As though he might be transformed by this vengeance, as if it will somehow heal all that he has suffered.
She can look at him no longer, Nelly pushes past her and lifts the bairn from the cradle and bids Keela close the door, that master might grieve in solitude.
She orders her to prepare warm sugar weakened with water, which is fed to the baby upon Nelly's knee, she tries not to listen to Heathcliff talking with Cathy in the drawing room, she hears her young mistresses' voice, cold as ice.
"I sometimes think your true passion is hate rather than love."
For the first time it seems Keela and Miss Earnshaw agree on something.
She takes the baby from Nelly as Heathcliff comes back in, as though she can protect the child, lest his shadow should fall upon it.
She cradles him as close as if he were her own, and breaks her heart with weeping to think that she will never be summoned more to her mistress's side.
Perhaps she will be sent away now?
She serves no purpose any longer…she were only brought to the Heights to be a maid to Mrs Earnshaw.
Perhaps she must give up the lessons with Joseph and baking with Nelly, God, would she even miss being picked at by Miss Cathy?
And until tonight she thought she would miss…
When she thinks on all that he has suffered…No! She cannot allow pity into her soul…He has killed Miss Frances as surely as if he had poisoned her with his own hands….and told her that she helped him do it.
She should have died quickly…she shivers so fiercely that Nelly takes the babe from her for fear she shall drop him to the hearthstone.
She bids her go with Heathcliff and lock up the horses…if she wishes to ride to clear her head after her hours in the birthing chamber then the old servant is quite sure that Master will not care one way or another.
Keela stands in the fire's glow and can think of no way to refuse.
In that moment she would rather cut her own throat than go anywhere near Heathcliff.
But go she must and so she follows him out into the darkness where the snow falls like angels feathers, out in the icy stables she pitches hay into the stalls and is careful not to look at him.
"You are displeased with me?"
She rounds on him, pitchfork in hand as though she would run him through
"I could kill you! She never deserved it! She were a good woman! Why not Hindley? It's 'im what torments and degrades you!"
He gives he a half smile "I don't want him to die first, I will make him suffer for what he's done to me."
She matches his cruel smile and in the candlelight he almost fears the look she gives him
"And one day I will repay you for this. Even if they send me back to the plantation, I will make you suffer Heathcliff."
"I thought you of all people would understand Keela, But no, your as bad as Cathy."
Her grip tightens on the shaft of the fork and for a moment he thinks she may yet stab him with it.
"Cursing Hindley I would have understood, God I would have helped yer do it! But this? For this there is nothing ye can say that will make me hate yer any less. Cathy were right to spurn ya, yer nothin' but a monster! Edgar Linton must seem an angel when she thinks o' the pair o' ya."
Her words cut deeper than if she had impaled him on the metal in her fist, as though she has shot him to the heart.
And he is human enough that it hurts, he sees the truth of Cathy's rejection in the girl's eyes, to think that little Keela should say such things to him.
And for a moment he almost questions the torment he has thrown down upon the household.
What would his father say to have seen him do it? To watch his best loved son whom he rescued from the gutter, curse a defenceless woman to her grave and whilst she were labouring over the babe that would have been his grandson at that…
His father would never have allowed Hindley to do what he has done and so if Father had lived this need never have happened…it is not his fault.
Hindley has brought this on himself.
They finish their work in silence, she is careful to avoid drawing too close to him, as though he carries the plague.
She storms back to the kitchens leaving him to follow in her wake and stands washing blueberries and singing a haunting tune that Nelly knows not, she smiles
"What's that about then?"
Keela's eyes come to rest on Heathcliff
"Cuckoo in the nest is killing the other birds…I am wondering who will be next?"
Nelly shrugs "Strange sort o' song, sing something cheery can't ye? It's a sad enough night without songs abou' killin' birds."
Keela is the only one that notices Heathcliff slip away into the darkness, even after all this something burns deep within to watch him leave.
She must pray for forgiveness and remember always what he has done.
"It were him…I cursed him."
It were meant for Hindley…so why did such a spell take Frances?
"I don't want him to die before me."
Why?
So that he will live alone and suffer in pain and anguish.
She sees it clear as day, laid out plain before her and it makes a twisted sense even to her, a most poetic justice…but Frances is still dead.
And now thanks to him Keela may very well be sent back to the plantations or sold on.
Nelly is watching her closely "What of our talk girl? You will never distract anyone from anything wi' a face like thunder, can ye not show him an amiable humour?"
"No."
Nelly sighs and slams down the leaves she is washing, "Well with Mistress gone it is I who decides the comin's and goin's o' this place now, do ye understand me? Do ye want to go back to yer old plantation?"
Keela shakes her head violently.
"Then you'd best go on bein' a good lass and doin' as yer told hadn't ye? So if I tells yer to be a distraction from Miss Cathy so that she might be freed from Heathcliff's attentions you'd best do it, hadn't ye?"
Keela is horrified
"I must steal Heathcliff's affections from Miss Cathy or you'll send me away?"
The old maid smiles
"I never said anythin' o' the sort, what strange ideas ye've got. Still master will listen to me now, and since I tell ye what ye shall and shan't do ye'd best do anything yer ordered lest I decide yer not worth keepin' ye was only bought to serve Mistress, ye can serve Miss Cathy now, encourage her to see Master Edgar's suit is a good one and keep the gypsy from her…by whatever means ye have to. You win this way, ye get to stay and if ye play yer part right we shall see a weddin' ova' the broomstick a'fore the years out."
"You seem to have it all decided." Keela's voice is hollow. "You cannot offer me marriage to a man I despise, and who is promised elsewhere."
Nelly shrugs "Make him break any promise he has given, you are not without charm, and Miss Cathy has too keen an eye to her reputation to risk…well ye takes me meanin' girl. Get to him afore she does, she'll never want him if ye had him first."
Her eyes dance wickedly at the young girl's flush.
"Aye, ye see my meanin', spell 'im if ye have to. But Miss Cathy must accept Master Edgar and you must help her see the sense in such a choice, admire him when ye dress her, praise his gentleness when ye reads with her, say how handsome he is when ye serves 'er at supper."
Keela'a face is white as the snow beyond the window.
"He is not handsome! He is blanched as a snake's underbelly! I swear if ye cut 'im he'd bleed white! He is dull beyond all tellin'! He is weak and sickly! He is but half a man!"
Nelly rolls her eyes heavenward
"Ye don't have to mean it! Just say it as if ye do, she'll decide twice as quick in his favour if she thinks ye had an eye to 'im. Its 'er vanity, she can see no one want anythin' but she must 'av it first, it were always 'er way."
Keela pulls the berries from the heat and lays the pot upon the table, her hands trembling, she can see no way to twist free of the net the old servant has cast…she cannot be turned out.
Nelly smiles as she watches her face, the turmoil behind her eyes,
"Go find Heathcliff, I will have supper ready soon, I will call Joseph. Whatever it is between you, forgive him it…it cannot be so wicked, that is an order, you be sweet as honey to 'im do ye hear me? If yer not, ye shall 'av the back 'o my hand."
Keela nods silently though her eyes blaze like star fire, the old servant chuckles
"That's a good look on' ye to be sure, keep yer anger, it'll draw 'im like a moth. You might look to how Cathy manages 'im, ye must be as much like 'er as ye are able."
"So I must treat 'im like a whipped dog to obey my every wish? Treat all about me like worms for the crushin'? Must I pinch ye too, Nelly?"
"Get gon' ye vixen, touch me and you'll feel the whip, I'll not stand yer tongue, go on with ye…though ye raise a good point, perhaps if ye show him what Cathy is not? Be the honey to her vinegar, try it to begin with. A little sweetness may yet be a relief after her bile."
Keela takes up Ellen's comb and moves to the mirror.
Nelly laughs
"Leave it be gal, wild hair makes a man think on what he should not."
She winks and Keela swiftly pulls the comb through her tresses until they are as neat as can be with locks so thick, she throws down the comb like a gauntlet between her and Ellen and taking up her black shawl from the doorway she leaves the old servant to her cooking and her machinations.
Whatever it takes…spell 'im if you 'av too.
She reappears "Nelly, does Joseph grow herbs?"
The maid nods "Though I've got what's needed."
"Where are they?"
"Out in the garden by the gate, he'll 'av yer 'ead ye go diggin 'em up."
But she speaks too late the girl is gone, she returns with a handful of dark roots, Nelly eyes her as she cuts it carefully and crushes it with one end of Nelly's rolling pin, with a stern warning to wash it at once she is done.
"Have you got that wine you were goin' to give us?"
Ellen hands it over and the girl fills two glasses and sprinkles in a touch of her powder to each.
"What are ye about now?"
Keela eyes the storm and smiles
"Witchin', it will get you what ye want Nelly. And keep me 'ere."
She raises a goblet and sips with a sinful smile and then with cheeks glowing she goes to the door and out into the snow.
She makes her way to the stables goblets in hand, steady as a mountain goat on the ice that covers the ground like a carpet of diamonds.
Heathcliff looks up as she enters, and then looks away, she makes her way to sit beside him and when he stands and moves away she follows like a shadow.
"Maybe I spoke a bit hasty earlier…I been thinkin', I am still angry for Frances but you said it weren't meant for her."
He does not look at her, "What does that matter. I though you were swearin' bloody vengeance?"
She swallows hard and forces herself to lie
"What I mean is…I understand…I should not a' spoken as I did…were it me I might well a' done the same."
She holds up her goblet
"So say you forgive me my temper, and…I told Nelly I thought Edgar Linton were a blanched snake and ugly as sin, however rich he may be. He's a Nigit and no mistake and it did me heart good to see ye knock 'im down, master accused me o' wantin' to do it meself."
He smiles then "And did ye deny it?"
She blushes then "Nay, how could I? He's repulsive, simperin' and fawnin' like a lassie."
Heathcliff takes the goblet she offers and she smiles, raising her own
"To 'avin a bit o' bloody dignity. And the memory o' the mistress."
He laughs at that and she watches him drink the spelled wine with a strange smile, which vanishes as swift as he spies it.
In the candle's glow she could be mistaken for a beauty…the half light has improved her in every way…
He lays aside the goblet and sinks onto the low bench, she moves to sit beside him, pressed far too close, he can feel the heat of her through his shirt.
"Don't bring me any more o' that, did you steal it?"
She glowers at him in mock offense "No! Nelly gave it me."
"It is far too strong."
She laughs "No it aint."
"It must be."
"Why?" her eyes sparkle brighter than he remembers…
"Because your startin' to look pretty."
She slaps at him, playful and sweet, he catches her hands to stop the assault…they still feel so strange, not at all like…she closes her fingers on his…Cathy would not stand for such behaviour… and then all of a sudden the servant girl pulls away and makes her way to the door, she turns back
"You comin' abed?"
It is the same question she always asks…why does it suddenly sound as though it ought to be the subject of a morality tale?
He tries not to glance at her over supper, though Nelly smiles and laughs at it and Joseph scolds and hurts their ears with scripture verses until Nelly threatens to feed his beloved bible to the pigs.
Keela makes no show of shyness, meeting his gaze with frank honesty in her icy eyes, her cheeks pink as quartz crystals in the golden night, they mock Edgar Linton and his simpering sister until Nelly turns her ire on them and threatens to send Keela to attend on Miss Cathy without her share of Joseph's berries if she does not stop encouraging such wicked manners, it is unladylike.
Keela rejoins that she has no time for bein' a fine lady, whatever Miss Catherine's aspirations, she were born to nothin' and shall be quite content with whatever the good Lord should provide, she is no greedy, grasping Eve, to look upon temptation when offered and think it better than the beauty that is there already simply for its unfamiliarity. She would not throw away paradise for an apple however rich…its promise.
Nelly has no answer to that, it were a pretty way of sayin' that she will gladly accept that which Miss Catherine thinks to cast aside.
She nods to the girl when Heathcliff and Joseph are arguing over obedience to ones master as ordained by God, and makes sure to give her the sweetest berries for her cooperation, a trick not missed by Joseph who loudly praises the Lord for the goodness of his crop, now if only the cantankerous old maid would share it fairly as He intended.
Keela is sent to attend to Catherine at her bedtime and bids Joseph goodnight as he follows the lass out onto the stairway and goes on past her, high up into the reaches of the house.
Ellen smiles to the gypsy before the fire "Not so hard on the eye now is she?"
He will not look at her.
"She's not Cathy."
Nelly laughs "Nay and thank God for it, she's kinder to you in ten minutes than that lass has been these last ten years!"
"Cathy don't like her."
"Of course she don't, Miss Cathy don't like 'er cos she likes you. Well it must be your choice my pet, but I'd say your longing for Catherine is like taking poison and expectin' Edgar Linton to die. Seems a waste o good time."
"She only cares for him because he's rich…and pale."
"Well that's as may be…Keela told me…Nah I cannot repeat it."
She has his interest then.
"What? What did she tell ya?"
The old woman giggles
"That he's a blanched snake. She don't like 'im on account o' his paleness nor his wealth. Says he's weak and sickly and Miss Cathy's taken leave of her senses to look twice at him when…but I have said too much. I must be abed, get on with yer, out of my kitchen."
"I thought to see…"
"Cathy's abed."
"Keela."
The wizened smile grows at that "Do ya now, and what would Cathy say to such an idea? Sending fer servant girls after hours?"
"She would be angry. Serves her right, fawning over that bastard."
The old woman giggles "I quite agree, I shall tell her ye wish to see her afore she retires."
Half an hour later a worn and dishevelled Keela makes her miserable way back down to Nelly's side, her broad arms bearing cruel dark bruises.
"She said me hairs the colour o' crushed carrots. Christ alive, she pinches. If she weren't suddenly mistress I swear I'd knock her down as soon as look at 'er. But I did all ye said regardin' Master Linton, praised 'is miserable hide to the rafters, she will invite him again next week."
"That's good lassie, that's helpful you've been and no mistake. And I can make it worth yer while, there's someone wants to see ya."
Keela sighs "Only on account o' my witchin' 'im."
"Will ye say no?"
The girl shakes her head and then smiles "But he can come to me, I will not go runnin' out in that seekin' 'is attentions."
Nelly nods "That's fair, only ready yerself first, and wash yer feet fer the love o' God ye look like a beggar!"
The girl vanishes behind the curtain that serves for a bedroom, with rushes on the cold stone floor and a blanket thrown over them, Nelly thinks on it and is glad that as the most senior servants she and Joseph are allowed proper beds, still the lassie has never once complained of her treatment.
She calls Heathcliff in to sleep in the kitchen on account of the snow and then leaves them be, retiring to her own chamber.