Bridget had won a major offensive against the house as the her furry foot soldiers ran around the carpets and wooden floors.
Screams were heard by the already alarmed occupants as the girls jumped on their desks in fright at the rodents. Then calm as they dispersed into the cracks and holes of the skirting boards. It was a message that Bridget sent. Rockford House was infested.
By the time Sneijder had returned from taking Claudia and Gert to the nearest hospital, all eyes were on him to make some sort of decision. He called Ronnie Finch to get poison and traps at the double.
“I’ll get them from the shed but I’m not setting foot in the house I can’t.....it’s not my station” the nervous Ronnie exclaimed.
“I’ll tell you what your station is! Get to it” barked Sneijder.
“They have ran into the kitchen I can hear them behind the cupboards!” Blurted Elsie as the entire household huddled in the hallway.
One of the younger girls Frances was crying as Clara comforted her.
“We can’t stay here the girls are frightened” Mr Peyton spoke calmly.
“So am I, I rather dislike rats, nasty creatures” Agatha said keeping her eyes on the floor around her feet.
“No one is leaving, we will sort this out” Sneijder shouted.
“Ronnie get to it!” He shouted out to Mr Finch who lingered outside the main door.
“What’s happened to Madame Deville?” Joanie a Scottish girl of 17 with long red hair asked close to tears more from the uncertainly of their mistress.
“She just fell girl , she’ll be ok” Mr Peyton said reassuringly.
“Less chit chat everyone back to your place” Sneijder said with aggression.
“Mr Sneijder......you are a chauffeur.....you will not speak to us like this, especially in front of my pupils” Mr Peytons round face was turning red.
“I’m leaving” Elsie stammered, “I can’t cook in a kitchen of rodents”
“So am I” Agatha began to walk up the stairs.
“No you won’t, get back down” Sneijder roared.
The commotion continued as Sneijder tried calm the situation he locked the main door as the rats made a return in ones and two scurrying across the carpet inducing more screams and panic.
“They are just rats......for God sake everyone pull yourselves together ” shouted Sneijder as he lost control. Then the lights blinked once and twice and then slowly dimmed out to the darkening December evening.
“Isn’t it about time you made a bargain House?” Bridget said in the cellar more figures including a frightened woman appeared with the rest of them.
“Wh.:...what’s happening.....” she stammered in an American accent.
“Not who I wanted to see, unless one of you is Lord Westwood or that Lady from the picture I don’t care for your presence” Bridget scowled. Her real power may have been locked in the box but she worked with what she had impeccably.
“There is no deal, you don’t belong here or anywhere near here” the ghostly Butler reasoned.
“You are just an errand boy no more than those decrepit workmen who ended their miserable lives down here. I want someone Significant to speak to me!” She growled.
There was silence though nervous foot steps and slamming of the doors from above.
“Like that then?” Asked Bridget.
“Well then maybe these pipes will just happen to start leaking she felt the dampness form from the one she leant against and she stuck her fingers through them as they were hopelessly corroded.
Water began to pour out on the cellar floor.
“Where’s your power House? Why can’t you stop this!” She said victoriously as the cellar began to fill. The ghosts down there backed off.
Then she heard a ruffle at the doorway and the sound of the bolt undoing. There didn’t seem to be anyone on the other side, but Bridget ran to the top of the stairs and exited the doorway.
“Was that you Westwood?” She called out!
“Can’t show your face, but a man of action always.......” she said smugly.
She lingered in the darkness as she entered the pantry. A rat squeaked out as she trod on its tail by mistake.
“Beg my pardon” she spoke softly to the rodent and she crept out to the chaos in total unnoticed stealth.
“We need to leave, we must leave the girls are terrified” Mr Peyton blurted out holding a candle.
Sneijder blocked the doorway.
“No......we must all help to get the house in order. If Mr Van Wilders comes back and sees it like this we are all for it!” Sneijder held himself against the door.
“I’ll make sure you’re sacked by Madame Deville, she won’t stand for this” Elsie said as she calmed down Frances who was close to hysterics.
“The next word out of your Scottish fat mouth and I’ll personally make you eat the first rat we catch” Sneijder growled at her.
“Probably better than your cooking anyway” he added as Ronnie Finch tapped the door.
“The power is gone” Ronnie said behind the door.
“And......” barked Sneijder.
“I can’t find the traps.....” Ronnie said forlornly.
“Enough of this, out of my way!” Mr Peyton tried to push Sneijder away from the door.
He was roughly hurled the floor as the girls cried out.
“What are you doing Sneijder!” Agatha said shrilly.
“You’re upsetting everyone” Elsie scowled at him.
“Yes Sneijder you’re upsetting everyone.....” a woman’s voice from on top of the stairs called out.
It was Bridget and the girls clutched each other as she stood a broken mess but still powerful as she seemed to rule over the commotion.
“How did you get out woman?” He barked.
“Bridget!” Everyone else gasped her name.
“This man raped me, helped imprison me, used me and now he’s still full of hate and brutality as he tries to control. He murdered his wife and her lover as he couldn’t take it that he lost her. The man is no man at but an animal” Bridget spoke down to him as he was dirt.
“Get back to your cellar?” Barked Sneijder.
“She’s right, you are a brute and you’ll be dealt with by the police” Mr Peyton picked himself up.
“No need, he’s leaving aren’t you Sneijder? There is no need for you anymore” Bridget spoke her cold toned words.
He looked around. “Well get her!” He roared. The girls and Agatha just stared back in the candlelight.
He then charged up the stairs to grab Bridget.
“It wasn’t Bridget who shoved him down them to unconsciousness but a silver haired lady standing next to her.
“There is a deal Moon Lady, just get rid of the rats and you can leave here in peace” she whispered and turned to her, her scowling sharp face at Bridget’s blinked and then disappeared.
“Oh thank you so much Lady Of The House.....” Bridget giggled at the place Annabeth Torchwood just stood.
The power came back on to everyone’s relief and Bridget with help from the girls, dragged the unconscious Sneijder to take her place in the now wet cellar. Another thing she had to stop and it luckily Ronnie Finch summoned enough courage to enter the house and turned off the water. No one saw the Lady who pushed down Sneijder. Mr Peyton tried to convince Bridget she should go to the police and have Sneijder arrested. The girls in the space of hours found a new heroine in Bridget as and they didn’t know how she done it, but she said the rats would be gone by Midnight.
Agatha was shocked beyond belief that Gert would keep Bridget in the cellar and it was there and then Bridget won the favor of the guests of the house.
Still m, never losing who she was, Bridget was never going to go the road of good, and now with the house in her pocket as well as her returned necklaces she waited for the master to return. He did telephone for Sneijder to collect him and Claudia, only for Ronnie Finch being the only qualified driver to do the job in his truck.
Fuming and saddened by the death of his unborn, and the fact that Ronnie Finch told him of Sneijder’s downfall, he came back and found Bridget washed and naked wearing only the necklaces lying on the his mistress and he’s own bed.
Her long auburn hair spread out like a field across the white satin.
Gert stood over her and as Claudia In all her recent distress frowned with hatred at Bridget. She was unable to stop her as running up her thigh and between her legs in Bridgets hand was the box and the box was power.
“I can safely say I’ve examined this now” she giggled.
“You don’t look too good Claudia or you Gert I think in future you should knock before coming in here, you may have interrupted me.
“You bitch you rotten whore! How did you get out? How can I not go down the cellar the door won’t budge for me, what did you do to the box?” He kept his fist clef JD resisting the urge to strike her mainly as Claudia’s hand was on his arm.
“I’m too tired to explain to you Gert, it’s been a long day your precious Sneijder is going for a cliff jump tomorrow or at least that’s what I’ll tell him every day so he thinks every night is his last. Only I see him and everyone in the house seems fine with that. In fact they want him arrested but I’ll seal his fate.....just like I sealed your son’s.....” she looked at Claudia who looked away the tears. flowing down her face.
“Maybe we should talk tomorrow in your study, as for the box it’s very beautiful isn’t it, she rubbed it again against her skin.
“Get out!” Burst out Gert.
“Oh if you any reservations about me being here and doing this to the box, not to mention what I’ll do to you....” she gave Gert a strange look. Then ask her” she pointed to the picture of Annabeth.
“I’ll kill you, I will you viper!” Gert shouted again.
“Oh that reminds me” Bridget leant up and placed her hands over the rings on each of Gert and Claudia’s fingers.
“I’ll be having those rings back too”
“Now my Dutch artist lets relieve your stress shall we” her hands wandered down to Gert’s groin as she undid his fly.
“What are you doing?” Claudia pushed Bridgets hand away from her man.
“I think you’ve really had your moment Claudia, I don’t want your audience” Claudia pushed Bridget back on the bed as Gert held her down.
“We shall see who has the power bitch” the hatred of the sliver haired Claudia pressed down on Bridgets neck making her gag.
“You have the power from the box, but I am in the box........” Bridget didn’t have physical strength but something pulled Claudia and Gert back with sheer sudden force making them slam against the wall of the bedroom. They were weary and shocked.
“I have her now” Bridget winked to the Lady Of The House in the portrait who seemed to stare with hostility back at her, but took her side.
“Claudia you may leave, and shut the door behind you, I want one last thing from you today......your man” Bridget coaxed Gert towards her, gesturing him to undress as Claudia watched with defeated yet strong tear filled eyes.
