Jane’s Career: A Story of Jamaica
Chapter 17
Jane went to work next morning feeling that she had nothing to expect from Vincent in the way of assistance or advice. He had gone away for a week, gone to a town a hundred miles distant, and before he returned she might be forced to give Mr Curden a definite answer, which, if she wished to keep her situation much longer, could not be one that would displease him. Nevertheless, with still a glimmer of hope in her heart, she looked forward impatiently to Vincent’s return. Saturday came, and, as she had feared, the foreman asked her what she had to say to him: he had waited a whole week.
“You have had plenty of time to consider,” he remarked, “and you must have made up you’ mind to one thing or another.”
“Didn’t I tell y’u you must wait a month?” asked Jane, still endeavouring to put off the day of decision.
“You simply playin’ with me, that’s what it is!” snapped Mr Curden. “If y’u don’t want to say yes, say the other thing; there is as good fish in the sea as ever came out of it, and I am not going to kill meself because of you. But I don’t mean you to make a fool of me any longer.”
He was angry, and she was driven into a corner. She boldly resorted to lying.
“You know quite well I mean to say yes,” she returned, as though angry, “but you want to quarrel wid me. Don’t you know I have to give notice at the place where I am living; besides, why should y’u have you’ own way all de time?”
“You give notice yet?” he asked suspiciously.
“Yes. The month was up yesterday, so I told de landlady I would be leavin’ at the end of dis month.”
“You needn’t wait till the time is up before you leave,” said Curden. “You can pay the rent and move as soon as I get a nice place for you.”
“All right,” said Jane, but her voice did not sound very cheerful.
“You know,” said Curden slowly, looking her in the face as if trying to read her thoughts, “you know, I believe y’u are only fooling me?”
“That is because you want to believe so,” said Jane. “Howsoever, you will see.”
This conversation took place on the piazza after they had left work for the day, and Jane went home feeling that Curden was succeeding in taking an advantage of her. He had not threatened her once, but threats were quite unnecessary. However, she could seek for another position during the coming week; perhaps Mr Broglie might be able to get her one. She would ask him.
She did not see him when she got home, though she heard he had returned in the afternoon. He must have come in very late that night, for though she lingered about the yard until near eleven o’clock, there was no sign of him. But on the following morning there was excitement in the yard, and the author of it was Vincent.
At an early hour men began to come in, and these seated themselves on chairs arranged in front of Mr Broglie’s house. When about ten persons had arrived, Mr Broglie rose and formally addressed them, speaking as though they were not visitors merely, but a public meeting and a commi