The Gilded Cage - Put in my Place

Smooth Operator

"Hold your head high...and just be proud of who...and what...you are, Hermione." Catriona Montague instructed, taking a firm grip on my arm, as we all approached the church, as if she could read my mind, doing me the ultimate honour of walking by my side. She was right, of course. I was nervous and anxious, making my third attempt at maidenhood, and assuming that so many people would be talking about me. My part in the violent dismissal of Miss Danvers was probably not public knowledge, but I felt as if the people who did know, some of them clearly very influential people within the community, would think that my return to adulthood was somewhat premature, and perhaps just a little bit unwise. Including my own parents, I suspected, and I could see Mummy and Daddy standing in the usual gaggle of people around the main doors, chatting to friends before going inside to take their seats for the service. "You really are quite remarkable...and unlike most of the rather small-minded people you rightly fear might disapprove of you somehow, you are here through choice...and you are my honorary granddaughter, and a Montague to boot...if I approve of you...and I most certainly do approve of you, young lady...no one will ever say anything to the contrary...no one will dare, believe me! We will not tolerate any criticism of your past actions, because you acted purely to protect your sisters...as I will tell anyone who even looks at you askance!"

I nodded, and smiled tensely around my bridle, totally in awe of her. I had not known her for twenty-four hours at that stage, but her effect on my life, and my demeanour, had already been quite extraordinary. She was undoubtedly a terror if you found yourself on her wrong side for any reason, which had already been proved by her treatment of Auntie Susannah and both of her sons over dinner, who had both received the rough edge of her whip-like tongue for various reasons, but she was being so lovely to me, and to Mama, which Mama was astounded by, I think. Obviously, Catriona had taken over the entire household, with the help of the inestimable Miss Knight, literally overnight, and she had given all of the grown-ups a piece of her mind at dinner, including her own husband at times, but she undoubtedly believed that Helen Montague deserved her support and assistance, regardless of their previous relationship problems, whilst I seemed to be her pet project. She was strict with me, and with Mama, but not unreasonably so, and she held herself to the same high standards that she expected us both to exceed, as evidenced by taking her own modesty bridle the evening before. It was simply amazing to be in her presence, and her words gave me some confidence for the first time in ages, even when my mother approached us, with an unmistakable scowl on her face.

"Mrs Montague...good morning to you...I am Elizabeth Scott, Hermione's mother?" Mum said with a thin smile, politely introducing herself, and holding out her gloved hand to greet Grandmama formally.

"Good morning...Mrs Scott...I am so very pleased to meet you," Catriona replied, accepting mum's hand, and guiding me around to face her in a graceful swirl of skirts and cloaks. It was a fine September morning but we were both wearing cloaks over our full matins gowns, plus bonnets and gloves. Mum was wearing a nice enough gown, but nothing like ours. I must admit that I felt like a million dollars. "You must be so proud of your beautiful daughter...I do think that she is a credit to you...and to this special place, of course...exactly the sort of girl we want to attract to both the church and the community...don't you think so, Mrs Scott?"

"Oh, yes...Barry and I are very...proud...of Hermione...but we thought it had been decided to leave her in the nursery for a few more weeks..."

"For what purpose? Hermione is obviously inexperienced, because she was raised outside of the doctrine, of course...but she will not gain that necessary experience in any nursery...or at school?" Catriona insisted, gripping my arm like a vice. "I am afraid that you have been rather ill-advised, Mrs Scott...which is not at all surprising to me, considering your own inexperience of our ways. As I told my son and his lovely wife, just last night, converts like Hermione are gifts from God...and we must all nurture their good intentions and help them to embrace the doctrine out of love. She will learn so much more from spending a little time each day with me than she would ever learn at Deepdene, believe me...and her dear sisters need her to help them grow too, because she is so important to them. My granddaughters are beautifully transformed and a lot of that progress is down to the love and attentive care Hermione here has lavished on them...initially as their nanny but most profoundly as their maiden sister. Helen and I do want Hermione to be at the very heart of our family...and I have decided to adopt her as my protégé so that I can help her help us. We all hope you will be a regular visitor, so that you can see her blossom and give this community a blast of much-needed fresh air...God only knows that we need some new blood in this insular, small-minded village of ours!"