Mr. Jones
It was sunrise when it happened.
A ship docked...and elephants came out, along with a retinue of indian servants.
Riding atop an elephant, is a young man of Kshatriya Lineage.
The ruckus they caused soon hit the newspapers.
'Oh? They say a ninja of the royal house of Atawari, Hakim Atawari is visiting the Jones House.' Kelly read aloud while Emma was dusting the pictures on the walls.
'Ninja...don't they mean Raja?' she sweatdropped. 'Ninjas are Japanese Soldiers!'
'Must be a typo.' Kelly snorted. How could anyone confuse the two terms in a job like the media of all things, this will be embarrassing for sure! 'As for the unusual guests...well, the Jones are in the Trading Business.' she said. 'That house is full of surprises, I swear...Rajas in the newspaper!' she exclaimed. 'You don't read that every day!'
'India huh? Maybe he'll get to ride an elephant?' Emma inquired playfully, causing Kelly to cackle.
'Highly unlikely!' Kelly laughed.
'Well, we'll see how this goes, I guess.' Emma shrugged. 'This oughta be interesting.'
Sure enough, next day, an elephant passed the street...and Emma has to deal with visitations from William Jones.
Sure she treats him well, but she never lets him hope.
Its hard to spot suitors in the modern era, but here in victorian, it's PAINFULLY EASY.
She knows William means well and genuinely likes her, but the drama just is not worth it.
When William confided in Hakim, his friend with the Butler Steven within earshot?
'Young master, you're pursuing THAT Emma?' his eyes were wide.
'What's bad about Emma, Stevens?' William pouted.
'Young master, aside from young master Hakim, who wouldn't know of Emma?' Stevens deadpanned. 'Master would disapprove as she is not a proper 'Angel of the House'!'
Emma, Mrs. Stowner's Maid is capable of violence and brutality. That alone, disqualifies her as ideal wife material.
In Victorian England, the Angel of the House is the ideal housewife who is devoted and submissive to her husband. The Angel was passive and powerless, meek, charming, graceful, sympathetic, self-sacrificing, pious, and above all-pure.
Emma is definitely not submissive, weak, and meek.
'She is to Mrs. Stowner.' William huffed. 'She's devoted to teacher, sweet, and graceful as long as there's no purse snatcher!'
'Well point to Stevens, the lady in question is turning him down subtly and politely for days and he finally caught up.' Hakim snorted with an airy handwave, much to the Butler's relief and William's chagrin with Hakim's words. 'Wonder why when most women would love the opportunity she has now? She has a rich man for a suitor yet she's turning William down! Why not we ask the lady herself?' he suggested.
'Maybe after it rains.' said William, looking outside the window, seeing that it's raining hard and the skies are so dark. 'It's the rainy season, quite the downpour. The streets will be muddy and smelly for a bit.'
That, and he dreaded Emma's answer, to be honest.
He wanted to stall a bit while longer.
'Phew...just got home with a sack of four to last us the long while.' Emma sighed as she got home, the hem of her skirt wet from the rain and has traces of mud. 'This is the last of the shopping for the week.'
'Yes, because it'll get worse soon and you'll have trouble going out then.' Kelly remarked. 'At least now, we're comfortable holed up in here.' she mused. 'At any rate, start a fire, it's getting chilly.'
'Alright. I'll also start up some tea.' Emma shuddered as she took off her coat, wiped the mud off her boots with a rag and removed the pins that held up the hem of her maid uniform knee-length before setting to work.
Kelly watched Emma.
It's been a decade since Emma worked for her.
She was widowed early, thus no children.
Emma was in a way, her child and last student. Emma pretty much, ended her worries. She was so dependable but has no plans of marrying any time soon.
But still...
...even with Emma and life changing for the better, she felt Emma came too late in her life.
She can feel it in her old bones.
Its known that life expectancy is fifty years and younger.
And how, if from day one, you're consuming poison?
Your milk and the cheese you eat is laced with a cleaning product to hide the fact it's expired.
Your bread is mixed with construction materials.
The fake tea you drink every day.
For ten years, she's getting medicine through Emma's knowledge of herbs thanks to being friendly with the Orientals. She was feeling better, but its still too late.
She sat Emma down regarding reality...and she wasn't too happy.
'...so that's how it is.'
'Yes. I'm writing my will in advance.' said Kelly solemnly. 'Al will soon follow me since we're not that far apart in age. You'd best decide your future from here. Marriage or Employment, that's up to you.' Emma took a deep breath to calm down her anxiety at the inevitable.
'I understand.'
xxx
One day when the rain let up?
The rainspout on their apartment collapsed, prompting Kelly to holler for Al who was at the bar 'Loose and Bears' to fix it for them as they got flooded inside their home.
'The wallpaper's ruined...the water from that spout is dirty and the wallpaper soaked it up.' said Emma with a sigh. 'It's goners.'
'So it seems.' Kelly sighed. 'Well I'm not replacing it, I don't see the point.' she said flatly. 'Well before you go, how about you help us ladies sort this out?' she asked Al, pointing at the piled up furniture by the corner, making Al shudder at fixing the attic.
'Jeez, a terror to the help, that Kelly woman.' Al complained. 'She gave Doug a lot of grief too.'
'Doug? That's her husband, right?' Emma inquired.
'Well, I lived nearby, so...' Doug huffed for air upon putting down an armchair. 'We hung out together back when we were kids. Stole some apples from Covent Garden and the like.'
'Ahahaha...guess I'm not the only one doing that...' Emma laughed weakly, recalling her younger days of stealing.
Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and with the Royal Opera House, itself known as Covent Garden.
'Well, it's easy to nick some in that crowd.' Al had no shame in admitting that as he grinned. 'Food is hard to come by and you know that best.' he said. 'So y'gotta do what y'gotta do, right?'
'Yeah. Better that than sleeping with a growling stomach.' said Emma wryly. 'Besides, not all of them will be bought. The unbought ones will rot in time.'
xxx
'Ma'am, it's all fixed now.' said Emma as she reported to Kelly who waited downstairs on her insistence as when Kelly said she didn't have long to live, Emma insisted she begin resting and avoid stress from now on.
'Well, it'll be quite the mess downstairs, plus that nasty 'old water' smell to boot.' Kelly griped with a cringe. 'We should open the windows down here to get that nasty smell away!'
'Well, after I clean up, I'll buy some incense sticks at the quarter.' said Emma. 'Three sticks is just a penny anyway.'
And so, Emma cleaned up the house and went out to buy some incense to er, improve the smell of the house.
Later that late afternoon, Emma lit up the incense after shutting the windows. Frankincense was said to have antibac properties and she wants to put that to the test.
Bad odor is caused by bacteria, so she bought a lot of the stuff, about sixpence's worth and set it alight in strategic places.
She proceeded to brew tea out of Turmeric, mixed with Black Pepper and Sugar for extra oomph in warmth as no thanks to the rainy weather, it got cold! Its a little weird, but it's medicinal, OK?
But later in the day, they have unusual guests, that Emma was glad she has a decent stash of snacks every day.
It's a distinguished gentleman.
'Pardon the unannounced visit, but is Mrs. Stowner home young lady?' at least he was nice enough to point that out as Kelly has no scheduled guests over. 'Tell her it's her former employer Mr. Jones.'
'Oh, I'll call her over.' said Emma, offering to take his hat and coat to put on the coat hanger. She guided them to a seat in the living room and several incense sticks were alight, bringing fragrance to the apartment.
'She's into this?'
'Oh, no sir, it's on my suggestion to help out after a rainy mishap with the apartment's gutters.' said Emma weakly as she gave a pointed look at the ruined wallpaper and the gentleman and his butler followed her gaze to see the ruined and stained wallpaper that was coming off too. 'It makes the bad smell from a rusty pipe go away.'
'So it does.' the man drawled in amusement as Emma poured tea for the guest and offered snacks...before excusing herself to go upstairs. Mr. Jones tried the orange tea out, but was startled with the unusualness in it... '...what kind of tea is this...?' the snacks are at least, cute cakes...but totally did not suit the tea at all!
xxx
'A gentleman, here?' Kelly raised an eyebrow at Emma.
'Yes. With a butler. He says he's Mr. Jones.'
Kelly put her hands on her hips. She knows one man with that name.
'Ah...we need to be both present for this one.' Kelly sighed. 'He got wind young master's seeing you a lot no doubt, so he came to check you out.'
'Uggghh...'
And so...
'Mm, nice smell Emma, what kind of incense did you buy today?' Kelly liked the smell.
'Mr. Lal called it Frankincense.' Emma smiled. 'It's a steal as by tomorrow, prices will go up, so I bought a bunch.'
'Sorry you had to visit us on a bad timing, we had a small mishap not long ago.' said Kelly sheepishly.
'Things happen all the time.' said Mr. Jones with a chuckle. 'Accidents just cannot be helped. But at any rate, I came here for a rather important matter.' he said, going serious. 'I hear my son has been coming to visit a lot...and this young miss here has a way with words that he didn't realize he was being turned down until a friend pointed it out.'
Yup, it's about that, both Kelly and Emma thought.
'I know sir. I had to let him down in a nice way but I guess I was too...nice about it.' said Emma somberly. 'Young master means well and he really does like me, but well, life isn't a romance novel. Reality is a lot different and harsher while those books are just fantasies of romantics.' she said. 'Suppose if his parents are OK with it, what will society say? That a gentleman fancied a maid instead of a young lady of the same status or an accomplished educated lady even if they're from middle-class? Society is a harsh judge with sheep mentality to boot, following those who bleat the loudest. Eventually, the couple and two families, faced with such barbed tongues aimed at them will deal with all that pressure and things will sour. They may break it off but its too late.'
'I cannot let young master deal with that even if he meant well.' said Emma seriously, and solemnly. 'He's too kind. Can he face a judgmental world should I reciprocate? Can he handle the fallout that will bring as it will affect his family too? I'm known for my reputation and society is all about reputation as well. I'm known for beating up thieves who try after all. As for me I don't care about what I never had. I never had a face to begin with and I don't care what people think of me as long as I get my point across. I'm more for living my life the way I choose and I know my consequences. As a commoner that doesn't mean much, but my status and his are too different. Consequences on his end are too steep no sane person would willingly pay for.'
'You're more sensible than my son.' Mr. Jones approves. At least the maid isn't a gold digger nor a social climber through his son and tried her best, but he was too dense.
'Well, I hope young master will meet a good girl one day, a girl who's actually worth his gentle heart and good in-laws that follow after that as what affects marriage the most are the in-laws.' Emma smiled sadly. 'He's very kind and caring, a rare trait in most boys his age these days. Had I accepted him, I could imagine a loving and happy life with him. A happy warm married life but its not meant to be due to how things are. I recommend investigating backgrounds soon for his future to end happy. A good wife worth him and hopefully, nice in-laws among the gentry. Nobles see us as nothing but dirt when they're nothing special anyway, nothing good will come out of it.'
'So in your eyes its not about status but how happy things would be.' Mr. Jones looked thoughtful. The maid his son took a fancy to cares for him, but understood the world better than he did and didn't give him hope on purpose for his own good. How many girls along Emma's status would think like that? He would think NONE as they'd accept good offers to rise from their lot in life no matter how many they fight along the way.
'Yes. I hate drama and conflict the most.' said Emma. 'I avoid it as much as possible. I'd like my life peaceful for the rest of my days. Its best to stick to one's kind. Should young master visit again, I guess I'll have to be blunt.' she sighed before looking serious.
'Mm. Its for the best. I guess I haven't trained him enough.' Mr. Jones agreed. 'By the way, what's with your tea? It's a little...strange.' he asked, looking at the orange tea. 'It's earthy and peppery.'
'Cold season makes one susceptible to illness, so I make medicinal tea on rainy and winter seasons to keep expensive doctors away.' said Emma. 'That's Turmeric Tea to warm up a drinker. Otherwise we'd normally enjoy Darjeeling, Ceylon or Assam on a good day with our cakes.'
'Oho?'
'Emma knows her herbs and spices.' said Kelly. 'She learned a lot from friends in the Oriental Shopping District...and they're actually good and working in a matter of days when we're ill at some point.' she said. 'It helped us out in the past without having to spend a fortune. Well, too bad for the young master that some things just can't be helped. Emma knows how people think by watching, and saw their true nature when she approached them as the street urchin she once was. Yet out of all those rich people, William was different. Staying away was her only way to protect him from Society's judgmental minds when they're no saints themselves.'
'I understand.' Mr. Jones was pleased. He came to understand Emma, the maid of his children's former teacher. 'When I heard from Stevens, I absolutely had to meet the famous Miss Emma for the sake of my son.' he said. 'I've met many girls and their only thought is money, marrying up and live luxuriously. Its my first time meeting a girl who would actually stay away from a wealthy suitor to protect him.'
'I wish him the best, Mr. Jones.' said Emma. 'May he meet a lady who's worth him. She'll definitely be happy she scored him.'
xxx
Outside the apartment, in an alleyway...
'You've heard enough?' Mr. Jones asked his gloomy son who was upset.
'Emma...she...' he was gloomy with the whole conversation and he wasn't sure what to feel about it.
'You must understand. And I will have to educate you more to reach her level of understanding. Let's go home.'
