After lunch, in the dining room: just his lordship and his butler.
“This new maid you’ve recruited, Watkins…”
“Yes, my lord?”
“She’s very full of herself, isn’t she? Very confident.”
“Yes sir. Does that displease you, my lord?”
“It does when competence portrays itself as arrogance, Watkins. My guests at lunch were hardly treated with the respect and deference that they deserved.”
“I am sorry to hear that, sir. I shall deal with the matter, of course.”
“Of course. You: girl: come here!” The girl turned away from the corner she had been facing; he beckoned her towards the table, then turned again to his butler. “Birch her soundly, would you. And then take her down to the stables. Have the boys there fuck her: that should bring her down a peg or two. And make sure she is back in time to serve us our afternoon tea in the drawing room…”