She bad just finished putting her things away when she heard a knock at the door. It was Bridget. She was really pretty, that healthy-looking girl, in her silk pale blue dress, her lace apron and maid's cap.
But Mabel gave her a despising look. Like many snobbish English girls, she had a high notion of the difference of social classes and despised domestics.
"You are Bridget, the maid, I take it?" she rapped out.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Has my uncle told you that you would be under my personal service during his absence?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Good. You're going to start your service at once by bringing me my supper in this room. I do not want to go down to the dining-room."
"But, ma'am, I was just coming to tell you that dinner was served downstairs."
"I don't care. You shall serve it here. I want it so. Or are you going to discuss my orders?
"No, ma'am, I'm sorry."
Mabel did not notice the ironical smile on Bridget's lips. For the maid had already talked with Dorothea von Berner and she knew perfectly well that the English girl would soon lose her arrogance.
But, with apparent submissiveness, she served Mabel's supper in her room, and the aristocratic girl went so far as to oblige her to remain standing behind her chair during the whole course of her meal.
After sapper was over, Mabel dawdled a I in her room. She got undressed and admired her naked body in the fall-length mirror. She was very proud of that body of hers, with its fine breasts and rump ditto. She always took good care of her beauty and need all sorts of creams and skin treatments, as well as perfumes. As was the custom every evening, she spent nearly an hour in front of her dressing-table. Then she put on en elegant silk pyjama, lit a cigarette, played a few records on her gramophone, then suddenly: felt the fatigue of her long trip and decided to go to bed.
In the darkness of her room, she lay for a while thinking again of the life that was awaiting her in this lonely castle and was again revolted by the idea of the governess imposed upon her. Then, vanquished by sleep, she stopped thinking and started dreaming.
CHAPTER 2
The following morning Mabel was awakened by Bridget who was taking her breakfast up to her room. She stretched lazily, grunted and glanced at the clock. Then she sat up angrily.
"Eight o'clock! But are you mad? I had ordered my chocolate for half past ten. Is this the way you are carrying out my orders?"
Bridget put the breakfast plate on the table, without batting an eyelid.
"I'm sorry, Miss, but I only obeyed the governess's orders. She told me to wake you up at eight o'clock."
"The governess indeed! I won't have anything to do with the governess! Are you under her orders or mine? You must obey me, understand? I'll tell my uncle about this. You silly girl, you deserve to be slapped!"
Mabel was less furious at being awakened before time than at the thought of that governess, whom she hated beforehand, daring to rearrange her schedule.
"We'll see who is the master here, the governess or I, "Mabel said, "now go and prepare my bath!"
She got up, being too much aroused to stay in bed. She hurried over her dressing, boiling inwardly and Impatient to have an explanation with this unknown woman who wanted to play tyrant with her.
An how later, droned in a ravishing dishabille of silk and lace, Mabel, sitting in front of her dressing-table, was putting some red stuff on her finger-nails and thinking of all the words she would tell the blasted governess, words that would hurt and sting, when suddenly she was startled by the noise of the door opening. Furious that one should dare enter her room without knocking, Mabel raised her eyes and remained for a moment speechless with surprise: there stood a woman before her, and she guessed that she was the unknown governess. 'But she was quite different from what she had imagined her to be. Instead of an elderly woman with her hair made up in a bun and a frosty look, this governess was an elegant woman, as beautiful as a goddess, and she was looking at her despisingly and coldly from under her tortoise-shell spectacles.
Dorothea von Berner was wearing a white silk blouse which clung narrowly to the curves of her breasts, a black hobble-skirt which made her powerful hips stand out. Black silk stockings and high-heeled shoes completed the picture.
Mabel was astounded. So this was the young and pretty woman who had the cheek to want to regulate her private life! Dorothea von Berner, your educator. Your name is Mabel, isn't it?
The pretty English girl shrugged her shoulders.
"I don't have to give you any account of myself, nor to tell you my name. I have accepted from my uncle a companion, but by no means a governess or an "educator, as you say. And henceforth, I want you to mind your own business and to stop giving my maid orders contrary to mine."
Dorothea did not answer. She just smiled ironically and, sitting near Mabel, she scrutinized her with her hard look. There was such a flame in these steel-like eyes that the young girl could not help blushing. It seemed to her that this feminine look was undressing her, touching her body, and it made her flesh shiver under her light dressing-gown.
"Eighteen years old," Dorothea at last spoke in a slow voice, eighteen and already so unbearingly proud! You are lucky, Mabel, that I know you so little, or else I would have punished you — for your insolence. I can see through you — a stupid spoiled girl, imbued with her rank and for tune, coquettish and profligate, in a word, badly brought up. But all that is going to change, my dear, I'll see to that. Now that you are under my command you will become more than submissive and obedient to my orders. I shall tame you, Mabel. You don't know yet how, but you will soon see! A girl like you should have a new education right from scratch, and I'll take care of it. You will soon fear me and yet love me at the same time, you'll see 1"
While with rage, Miss Sunway had stood up, looking squarely into the face of the governess.
"Pending the realization of your predictions," she hissed, "you will please get the hell oat of here! As for me, I won't stay one hour more in this confounded castle. At what time does the next train for London leave? I'm going to be on it, and away from your comedies and grimaces."
Dorothea burst out laughing.
"So you would fly away, would you? Don't you know that leaving the domicile of your guardian before you are of age would deprive you by law of all your fortune? And what would you do, all on your own, without money, I ask you? Anyway, I'd better warn you that the gate is locked and that the wall is fifteen feet high, which is a bit too much for a little creature like you. And, last but not least, what about the scandal? A young aristocrat escaping from her guardian's house, what a shame! You wouldn't dare face anyone of your rank ever again."
Seeing that Mabel found no reply to her arguments, the governess stood up and went away towards he door.
"Come, little girl, be reasonable, it will be better for you. And wait at least till your uncle comes back before taking a decision. Meanwhile, get dressed-you're almost naked!"
"I don't mind getting dressed," Mabel said with repressed anger, "but don't expect me to obey you I Never, do you hear, never!"
"We shall see," Dorothea answered calmly.
She went out of the room, taking the key with her to prevent Mabel from locking herself in.
Alone in her room, poor Mabel was about to give way to sorrow. But she was energetic and courageous so she drew back her tears, made up with care and got dressed. An hour later she was ready and she looked wonderful in a white dress drawn tight by a red leather belt, and elegant white buckskin shoes.