Over the course of the story, Elizabeth becomes bolder as she grows older and more aware. The way in which her confidence grows during the scene with the kitchen help (which also foreshadows the story's climax) depicts Elizabeth at the height of her assertiveness...... particularly when she threatens to call the police. When she realizes the power in this threat, she decides that she will use this same threat against Mr. Speed when he enters the house.
A Spinster's Tale