Going with the Flow

Mrs. Gold jabbed her finger at Belle’s nose, snarling, “You little hussy! You tried to seduce Master, and now you’re trying to drag me into the mud! When did I ever tell you to scrub Madam’s back? It was you who wanted to climb into Master’s bed!”

After her tirade, Mrs. Gold dropped to her knees at Lily Evans’s feet and wailed, “Madam, you mustn’t be fooled by this little hussy Belle! I was just fetching water for the bath and heading back to my room, when I suddenly remembered I’d left the bucket outside the bathhouse. So I came back for it, only to see Belle barging in and getting thrown out by Master! I was only there for the bucket—it had nothing to do with me! Belle failed to seduce Master, so now she’s slinging mud at me to clear her own name!”

Belle gritted her teeth in anger. “Mrs. Gold, what did I ever do to you for you to slander me like this?”

Mrs. Gold scoffed, “I’ve always worked hard, unlike Belle with her clever tongue and sneaky ways. She’s the one with the nerve to climb into Master’s bed, and now she has the gall to smear me!”

With a huff, Mrs. Gold turned to Lily Evans. “Madam, Belle came from the brothel—she’s got all sorts of tricks up her sleeve to tempt Master! She’s always bossing us old maids around, claiming she’ll be half the mistress of this house soon and we’ll have to serve her. Madam, Belle just wants to be a concubine, not a maid!”

Belle’s eyes burned red with fury. “Mrs. Gold, don’t you dare slander me! Madam saved me and Gugu, and I’d gladly serve her for life. I have absolutely no intention of becoming a concubine!”

Mrs. Gold sneered, “You talk a good game! Then why did you sneak in to serve Master’s bath while Madam wasn’t around? What were you really after?”

Tears streamed down Belle’s face. She couldn’t defend herself, so she bowed deeply to Lily Evans, pleading, “Madam, I swear I had no ulterior motives! Please believe me!”

Lily Evans rubbed her brow, looking down at the two kneeling women. “Mrs. Gold, go and rest. Belle, stay.”

Mrs. Gold’s heart leapt with joy—surely Madam was about to send Belle away! She strutted back to her room, shooting Belle a triumphant glare before leaving.

“Madam, I didn’t try to seduce Master…” Belle trembled, remembering Lily Evans’s threat to sell her. Fear and despair filled her eyes.

But just then, a slender, pale hand reached out in front of Belle.

Belle stared in surprise as Lily Evans grasped her hand and pulled her up from the floor. “Come inside. We’ll talk.”

Belle followed Lily Evans into the room, standing nervously and awaiting her judgment.

Lily Evans glanced at Belle and got straight to the point. “Belle, I’ll judge today’s matter myself. Don’t be afraid. If you didn’t do it, I won’t wrong you.”

Belle was stunned. Did Madam actually trust her?

Lily Evans continued, “Lately I’ve noticed someone in the house isn’t being honest. Hmph, I was just wondering who it was, and now they’ve exposed themselves.”

Belle was completely confused, staring blankly at Lily Evans.

Lily Evans said, “These days I’ve noticed the kitchen’s ingredients keep mysteriously disappearing. Someone must be stealing from the house to sell for money. I’m not stingy—I’ve never treated the servants harshly. But if someone dares to bite the hand that feeds them, there’s no place for them in my home.”

“So, Madam, you mean it was Mrs. Gold?” Belle finally began to understand.

Lily Evans nodded. “Mrs. Gold is in charge of the kitchen, so it’s easiest for her to skim a little off the top. I’ve suspected her for a while. Now that this has come up, Belle, would you be willing to go along with me and help expose this thief?”