Sir Robert’s pockets
Sir Robert was a vey important man. Annie would hear muffled conversations from his library, and sometimes shouting voices. Occasionally there were ladies, and tears.
‘Sir Robert deals with weighty matters,’ explained Mrs Jervis, the housekeeper, when Annie asked. ‘You keep your mind on your job and don’t ask questions that don’t concern you.’
Annie knew her place. Her job was to launder and iron Sir Robert’s shirts and trousers. Annie didn’t complain. Sir Robert’s pockets were deep, and he never checked them properly.
Tucked safely under her mattress, Annie’s growing coin collection was itself becoming quite a weighty matter.
*****
Here is my (very late) 100 word story for this week’s Friday Fictioneers. Thanks to Rochelle for hosting the weekly link-up, and to Valerie J. Barrett for this week’s photo prompt.
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What fun! Sir Robert is not quite a gentleman
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You’re right – some shady dealing is going on in that library. I wish I knew what he was up to.
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Good for Annie!
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I’m cheering for her too – I was quite pleased to discover her quietly ironing away at the back of the house. 😊
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Haha, fun, good for her!! I loved the double use and meaning of “weighty matter”, very clever 🙂
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Thank you Ali. Glad you noticed that.
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A good and amusing story, Margaret. Sir Robert was important but also careless and cruel. I can’t see him being generous. I suppose more than one poorly paid servant in those days got some money on the side if possible. —- Suzanne
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I bet they did. I’ve been reading a bit of historical fiction recently, and the photo this week fitted right in with where my thoughts were – even though I didn’t think of this story until yesterday. Thank you for your kind comment, Suzanne.
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This was a wonderful story, Margaret! Loved it.
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Yay! What a lovely comment. So glad you enjoyed the story – thanks, Dale.
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Dear Margaret,
This is a story worth waiting for. Love it! Annie’s quite the resourceful one, isn’t she? 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I really wish I could get story ideas more easily – I’m in awe of writers, such as yourself, who post great stories right after the prompt goes up. You should see me in writing workshops when they set an impromptu writing exercise. Blank paper at the start, and blank paper at the end of the time. Embarrassing. Anyway, Annie came through for me with this one – it’s all her doing, I’m sure. Many thanks, Rochelle.
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Serves Sir Robert right, a little revenge on behalf of all the tearful women, and some money saved on the side. Great story, I love it.
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I suspect Sir Robert’s a real scoundrel. I just hope he doesn’t start to wonder where all his loose change is going. So glad you like the story, Gabriele. Thank you.
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A resourceful and intelligent woman!
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She is. I think those qualities were even more essential in Annie’s world than they are today.
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No worries about Annie ratting Sir Robert out. She wants to keep adding to her collection.
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You’re right, Jade. She’s struck it lucky in Sir Robert’s house. She’ll keep turning a deaf ear to the shenanigans going on in the library and work away quietly at her laundry duties.
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Sometimes the crumbs from the rich man’s table actually amounts to something.
I think it’s called trickle economy
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So it is – I like that version of it. One crumb at a time and soon Annie will have all she needs.
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May she buy her way to freedom 🙂
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That’s her goal. Thanks for reading, Linda.
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Clever young woman…and story!
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Thank you, Dawn.
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Annie has been collecting coins from Sir Robert’s pocket. Now she should find a way to encash them.
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Hahaha very good. Love the idea of her making a little more cash. He seems like a careless fellow
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He’s got so much money he doesn’t even notice. Glad you enjoyed the story – many thanks.
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