She stood on the porch and watched the carriage disappear down the lane. He would never come back, though she thought they were a good match—in that their marriage would have resulted in significant financial gains for both families. She couldn’t figure what went wrong, she was a perfect lady.
It had to have been her maid, the house slave.
Upstairs, she cornered the maid, “I know it was you, you did something…”
“Ma’am?” the maid said, unknowing and innocent, but not surprised by her mistresses words.
“I will have you whipped,” she said. “Little devil. No slave of mine will get away with driving my suitors away.” And she ran from the room, not willing to let the maid see her cry.
=============================================================
Friday Fictioneers: 100 word stories prompted by a picture that Rochelle Wisoff-Fields posts every Wednesday. Around 100 people participate, their stories and poems are brilliant; check them out here.
Mostly Words 
I don’t know whether I’m meant to feel sorry for the lady or the maid. I think i’ll favor the maid 🙂 Great Story.
I left this one a little ambiguous, though I personally feel more sorry for the maid.
Thank you so much for reading the story !!
A great glimpse at a dark time – got a real picture of the situation here – the mercantile mistress (not interested in the man, but the money), the slave exerting the small revenges she has the power to achieve… really complex.
KT
Complex indeed, though I didn’t realize just how complex until I read these comments. The reader’s are pointing things out that I didn’t even think about while writing this piece. –I love it when that happens 🙂
Thank you !!
She cannot accept that she caused the rejection and will be punishing an innocent woman. The witch!
A witch indeed! Thank you for reading the story 🙂
she was no lady. not yet, anyway. still had a lot to learn.
Yeah, “lady” would be the last word I’d use to describe her.
Thank you !!
Sounds like she needs to take a step back and look at herself. Nice one.
Thank you so much, Sandra!
I can’t help feeling a teensy bit sorry for her.
Me too. I wouldn’t want to live either of their lives.
Thank you so much!!
Nasty woman, blaming someone else. If that’s the kind of woman she is, I’m not surprised she’s having suitor problems. Great story!
Yeah, I certainly wouldn’t want to date her! 😉
Your story makes one feel sorry for the woman first, then completely for the maid. Brokenness can make people do strange things. Great story!
Thank you, Kirsten!
So cruel. Probably a true story. Well illustrated snapshot of life as it was.
Thank you, Patrick!
It sounds like my experience with girls when I was a teenager. Only I had no one to blame except the dog, who simply wagged his tail at my accusations and slobbered on my shoes.
Ha, poor dog…. Though sounds like he was obliviously happy 😉
It’s clear to me why the lady has no suitor.
Yeah, it’s clear to me too! Thank you, Tracey!!
A world where you can only kick down-wards is a sad one… I wonder if the maid will kick the dog?
Maybe, you never know!
The story of so many people having to place blame outside themselves, unjustified, and ugly.
Randy
Very ugly indeed!
Thank you, Randy.
A tormented mind; this leaves a lot of room for thought. Could be the beginning of a longer story. You’ve got a couple of characters here that could really be developed. To me, the “owner” is a little unstable, delusional perhaps. Yes, lots of room to grwo with this one!
They’re both victims – that comes through really strongly. Your story gives a succinct snapshot of the constrictions at both levels of society. Perhaps it also shows that if you were female, even being in the upper level of society didn’t mean much for personal liberty.
Isn’t it sad when you place a blame on others? Especially those dependent on you. Very nicely put together, echo of the past times that can be easily found today.
I like how you left this story so open to interpretation and how you managed to suggest so much about the psychology and history of the characters with such quick “brush-strokes” 🙂