Jane’s Career: A Story of Jamaica
Chapter 7
Mrs Mason realised that, with Sarah gone, she was now entirely dependent upon Jane for the performance of the household work until she could get another servant. She therefore, though still boiling over with rage, immediately adopted a maternal attitude towards Jane, and delivered to that erring girl a little homily that could not have been bettered by the kindest of mistresses.
“You see, Jane, ‘ow you have made me lose me temper?” she began. “Do you think I find any satisfaction in chastising you?
Jane, remembering her parents’ admonition as to “keeping herself up,” hung down her head. Mrs Mason observed the movement and knew at once that she was on the right track.
“In fact, I think I ought to write to you’ parents at once and tell them about your behaviour. An’ I warned you about Sarah. Yet look what you went and do last night. I will ‘ave to write you’ mother and tell her the whole thing. Perhaps I better send you back at the same time I send the letter.”
On hearing this, Jane began to cry quietly. The thought of going home in disgrace, with the censure and ridicule that would attend such a home-coming, frightened her desperately.
“I beg parding, ma’am, I won’t do it again,” she sobbed, and Mrs Mason made a show of relenting.
“Very well, then,” she said, “I will give you a chance this time. But the next time I ‘ave any reason to complain about you, back you go! Now come with me to the kitchen an’ let me show you what you ‘ave to do.”
Jane followed meekly, very glad to be let off on such easy terms. She obeyed orders willingly, Mrs Mason herself assisting, and she was tired to death by the time that Cecil and the girls came home for dinner.
At dinner the events of the morning were related with point and emphasis by Mrs Mason, in the hearing of Jane.
“Well, what a set!” exclaimed Cynthia. “I don’t know what’s coming to the servants in these days! Well!”
“It’s the education they getting,” said Mrs Mason severely. “They go to free schools, an’ we ‘ave to pay for their schooling, and all they can do with it is to forge people’s name and abuse their betters. That’s what the Government doing now; educating all these people instead of teaching them ‘ow to work. If you ‘ad ‘eard that woman abuse me this morning and talk about her rights and the law, you would wonder. An’ the policeman agree with her, too!”
“You should ‘ave pitched her out the place,” said Emma indignantly. “Forward wretch! I wish I was here when she was going on wid her impertinance!” When Emma became excited, her pronunciation left much to be desired.
“You couldn’t fight her. Best thing was to make her leave.”
“Yes. I paid her and ordered her out, and I ‘ave told Jane that the next time she be’ave in that way, I am sending her home. I am not going to ‘ave any skylarking in my yard at night.”
“Jane ought to be ashamed of herself,” said Cynthia. “She look like a decent gurl, and she is very young. What she want with young men?”
“That’s wha