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was aware of how tender her bottom remained. She thought about York, how much the spanking had hurt and how paradoxically tender he’d been with her afterwards. She wondered if what William said was true, and that the butler had admirers among the female staff. He was handsome in a professorial sort of way, she thought. And he had a commanding presence that matched Lord Baxter’s. But he was too old to be of interest to her. She figured he was the same age or close to the same age as Lord Baxter. And she was close to the same age as Lady Baxter…

    “Enough of this,” she said, and snuffed out the candle. The bed was comfortable and soon she was asleep. She dreamt of home, of Chatworth, of things safe and familiar. It was all too soon, it seemed, when Ms. Pilcher made her rounds to wake her and the other women for a new day.

    Ella dressed quickly and went downstairs to the kitchen for breakfast. Mr. York nodded at her and William, smoking and looking at the paper, eyed her knowingly as she walked in. The cook had prepared a porridge for breakfast, and a bit of salt pork to go with it.  Ella ate slowly, talking to one of the other maids as she did.

    “Lady Baxter’s bell is ringing,” came the call, and Ella rose. The breakfast tray was already prepared for her to take up, and she found Lady Baxter sitting in bed smiling drowsily when she arrived with her food. To Ella’s relief, Lord Baxter was gone.

    “Good morning, M’lady.” She placed the tray across Ann Baxter’s lap and opened the curtains. The day was cloudy and cold, but the fires throughout the house had already been lit long before first light, so it was warm.

    “I brought you a paper,” Ella said.

    “Did you iron it?”

    “No, but one of the footmen did. I saw him.”

    “Wonderful. Please do let me see it.”

    Ella stoked the fire as Lady Baxter read and then turned when her employer laughed.

    “Can you believe this,” she asked, and began to read a passage from an editorial decrying the suffragette movement.

    “Hmm,” she said. “It says here that some women will be gathering this weekend and that men should take care to keep their wives and daughters away from such ‘rabble.’ Good Lord, can you believe the tedious rumblings of these sanctimonious men. They way we’re good and pure, but apparently not good and pure enough to vote.”

    She laid the paper down and looked at Ella. “I have an errand for you to run for me.”

    “Certainly.”

    “Go into town, pick up some nonsense things like ribbon and lace. Run whatever personal errands you have. But keep an ear out for information on where this gathering may be.”

    “Why?” Ella asked.

    “Because, silly. I plan for us to attend.”

    Ella, who had been stoking the fire, replaced the poker and sighed as she turned to Lady Baxter.

    “We’ll pay for it, you and I, if it’s discovered. You know that, don’t you?”

    “ If we’re discovered.” Lady Baxter put the tray aside and rose from the bed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “But won’t it be grand to see the women who would change the course of history, Ella? Think on it? These women are brave enough to face down all of society to take a stand. And we’ll hide here to keep our bottoms from being beaten? We can be careful, but we must do this!”

    “Listen, Ella,” she continued. “I so often struggle to explain to my husband why women should have more freedoms, I only know we should. Perhaps hearing the argument articulated will help me find the words to convince my husband that women getting the vote will not be the downfall of mankind!”

    “But just yesterday you said nothing would convince him!” Ella said.

    “Well, yesterday I didn’t know of this meeting,” she said. “And I want you to find out more. Will you do it?”

    Ella smiled. “Of course. I serve you. I’ll do as I am told.”

    “Get Billings to drive you, then,” Lady Baxter said. “But try to be discreet.”

    “I