Harp's Manor

INSTALLMENT XVIII

July 7, 1928

That Adella Hansen! She makes my blood boil. I am honestly surprised that Mr. Harp has not allowed, even encouraged, her imminent departure!

The event which has me infuriated took place on Sunday, early enough in the morning that the Ladies of the Torch were still out to church. I was returning to my room after breakfast, when I heard shouting from down the hall. Worried that Miss Jacobs had finally lost herself, I hurried over to see what was the matter.

I would have preferred it to be Miss Jacobs. Instead, Miss Hansen was raging at the door of the music room, occasionally stamping her foot like a toddler throwing a tantrum. "I specifically told you that the music room would be mine today! A lady must practice, and doesn't need filth in her presence when she does so."

"I'm sorry, we thought you said Monday," Audrey said, stepping out of the room, carefully avoiding Miss Hansen's trailing boa. "The room's all yours, miss."

"I should hope so. And make sure you don't mistake me again. I have little tolerance for such bothersome impediments. What's taking you so long? Get out of my sight!"

"Miss Hansen!" I said sharply, walking up to her. "What is the meaning of this?"

She glanced at me irritably. "None of your business, Thornton. Now hurry along with the rest of your infernal friends. I don't need your irksome countenance around here today."

I bit my tongue, holding back a fierce retort. "But Miss Hansen, they were there first," I said calmly. "There are plenty of other rooms in this house, and many of them have pianos, if that is what you're after. Instead of evicting Miss Walters and Mr. Abbott, why not find another room of your own?"

"Actually, you'll find that I was here first, as I let them know days in advance that I was going to be using this room today," Miss Hansen said with a smirk. "Besides, even if I hadn't, I'm not using any other room. This is where I want to be, and this is where I will be."

We glared at each other for a second longer, and then I set off after Audrey. That despicable woman! If I am to be stuck with Miss Hansen for even a month more, I am afraid I am going to lose my mind. One of these days, she will do something awful and I will not be held accountable for my actions!

I found Audrey and Abbott in the sunroom. "She did say Monday," Abbott observed carefully, reclining in his chair. "Or does my memory falter?"

"No, she said Monday, all right," Audrey sighed. "It's all the same. If she had said Sunday, she would've come on Saturday; and if she said Saturday, she would've come on Monday."

"This is an outrage!" I exclaimed, closing the door behind me. "Someone must stop her from ordering everyone around like that!"

"There's no point, Rosie," Audrey said. "People like her never change. The only way to make her stop is to make her leave, and everyone seems to feel strongly against her leavin'."

"I was in the beginning, but now I feel quite the opposite. What we must do is infuriate her to the point where she attempts to leave again, and then let nobody stop her."

"Rosie! Listen to yourself. What are you sayin'?"

"I'm saying that I'm done with her terrible attitude, and want to see her gone."

"Miss Thornton, stop and think about this for a moment," Abbott interposed. "There are three things that you should consider before saying such things."

"And what are they?"

"Number one: every servant in the house is clearly ordered not to let us leave and never come back. By allowing Miss Hansen to do so, you would most certainly get them all in trouble. Number two: sending Miss Hansen away would make her a lifelong enemy of all of the members of Harp's Manor, and I don't believe you want that guilt hanging over you. Number three: how disgraceful it would be to the character of Miss Hansen! I know you do not like her very much, but even you must acknowledge that spurring her... attitude into taking deliberate action to escape us would cast a sour light on her reputation."