Story: Florence, Lady Cranwell. Chapter 10.

by Jackie J

Jess stretched and slid from her now familiar bunk and scratched a mark next to the other 30 neat lines beneath her bed, her month was almost done. Washing in her bowl and dressed in her uniform she yawned and stretched. This would soon all be a distant memory, or so she thought.

Entering the kitchen Lizzy smiled across the stoves at her Peggy and Cathy already seated at the table.

Jess looked questioningly at Cathy.

“What about her Ladyship's breakfast and her guest? Shouldn’t we be preparing the dining room?”

Cathy slapped the wooden bench.

“Sit down, Jess. Lady Isabelle and Lady Downton are away so no service this morning or indeed all week I have been told, it’s always the same when Lady Downton visits."

Jess flopped down on the bench hutching for position then smoothing down her skirts and apron and smiled accepting a mug of tea from Maud.

Cathy continued.

“When you have finished your tea, Miss Hutchings wants to see you in her office so I would not hang about.”

Jess quickly drank her morning tea and left for Miss Hutching office. A knock on the door and called into the office Jess entered and curtsied.

“You wanted to see me Miss Hutchings?”

Jessica’s file spread on the desk in front of her Miss Hutchings smiled.

“Well Jessica I would never have believed it when you came here but you have progressed well and your months training is over you can now consider yourself a maid, a trainee no longer.  I am sure that your Mistress, Lady Florence, will be very pleased with what you have learned at Stoneleigh when you return to Cranwell. Well, girl, are you pleased?”

Jess curtsied she genuinely was pleased, more than pleased and it showed. She had endured the rigours of her training, the punishments, the hardship, the unfamiliar work and fatigue. The first two weeks having sobbed herself to sleep in the loneliness of her room. Had she been given the opportunity during her first days at Stoneleigh she would have exposed her masquerade and taken the consequences. But she wasn’t and hadn’t and seen her torment through and now she was rewarded by Miss Hutchings confirming that her initial training to be a maid was over, in Miss Hutchings eyes she was a maid.

“Yes, Miss thank you Miss.”

Miss Hutchings stood and opened the drawer of her desk.

With you returning to Cranwell this would not normally be necessary but under the circumstance it is only proper and you do deserve it like the other girls here at Stoneleigh.

Miss Hutching walked around her desk to Jess.

Bend your head forward Jessica.

Jess bent forward and felt the coldness of metal on her neck then heard the click and lock of the clasp. Miss Hutchings stood back returning the locking key into her pocket and smiled.

“There you are Jessica your own band like the other girls truly a Stoneleigh maid.”

Jess’s fingers nervously toyed with the shiny brass band that had been placed and locked loosely around her neck. She had seen the bands on the other girls, quite ornate, rolled brass with the name and the crest of Stoneleigh manor embossed on it. Her first thoughts were grateful a sign she had completed her training to be a maid. But she wasn’t a maid, was she? She was Lady Florence Cranwell! She couldn’t wear a maid’s collar and why had she been collared if she was returning to Cranwell, the collars were surely for Stoneleigh maids. Jess then reflected on what Miss Hutchings had said. “This would not normally be necessary but under the circumstance it is.” What circumstances what did she mean?

Jess a degree of panic building within her questioned Miss Hutchings.

“Miss the collar, I am grateful but you said it would not be necessary with going back to Cranwell?”

“Yes, that’s right Jessica however Lady Isabelle did not receive a reply from your Mistress to her letter informing her that you can be collected. It is thought she is still away travelling so you will be staying with us a little longer, how long I don’t know.”

Jess looked at Miss Hutchings considering the implications of what she had just been told. Of course, Lady Florence could not answer any mail, how could she, she was here at Stoneleigh standing in front of its housekeeper in a maid’s uniform now wearing a Stoneleigh maids collar. Jess swallowed hard.

“Miss Hutchings, I thought Lady Catherine would be collecting me, she brought me here to Stoneleigh. Could a letter be written to Lady Catherine?”

Miss Hutchings shrugged her shoulders.

“Well Lady Isabelle is indisposed, spending time with Lady Downton, but I will suggest that option to her when I get the opportunity.”

Jess was now becoming beyond worried she couldn’t stay at Stoneleigh, she just couldn’t.

“Could you not write to Lady Catherine Miss Hutchings?”

Miss Hutchings laughed.

“Me, what authority do I have to write to Lady Catherine, no, girl, don’t be silly, you must wait.”

“Now given you are to stay with us I am putting you with Peggy to look after the upstairs floors with her. She will show you the routines and duties up there, you have worked well with Cathy and I expect the same from you with Peggy do you understand?” 

Jess’s shoulders sagged having reconciled that unless she was prepared to confess who she was and why would Miss Hutchings believe her anyway, she would have to wait until Lady Isabelle wrote to Lady Catherine. One thing that was starting to nag at her mind, Lady Catherine knew her training was to last a month, why had she not made arrangements to come back to collect her?

Jess Curtsied.

“Yes Miss, working with Peggy Miss, thank you Miss.”

Miss Hutchings smiled knowing Jessica was obviously anxious to return to her Mistress at Cranwell.

“It’s not all bad Jessica you will be paid now that your training is over.”

Lady Florence Cranwell had riches in abundance and to be paid a miserly few shillings a month, like Lady Florence’s own maid Janet at Cranwell, was of little consolation, but she could not show that.

Jess bobbed another curtsy.

“Thank you, Miss, most kind, Miss.”

Jess turned and left almost in tears to join Peggy to learn the ways of an upstairs maid.

With the days toil over the girls all gathered in the kitchen for supper and Jess burst into tears all her emotions pouring out. All the staff showed genuine affection congratulating Jess on her becoming a maid. Ridiculous, absurd, Lady Florence Cranwell being congratulated on proving herself to be nothing more than a competent housemaid, but they weren’t celebrating Lady Florence were they, they were genuinely pleased for the timid shy girl who joined them to train to be a maid, Jessica. Jess someone they would all be pleased to call their friend.  Miss Hutchings had even given Lizzy a bottle of wine for the girls to share at the ad hoc celebration. Cathy put a comforting arm around Jess.

“Hey weepy you should be happy you get paid now or are you crying because you will miss me?”

 Jess giggled and started to blush Cathy telling her she had put the Jar of balm in Peggy’s store room and that Peggy’s touch was lighter than her own.

The girls teased Jess about her new shiny collar and in those moments of carefree laughter and banter around the table she was not Lady Florence she truly was Jessica embraced by her fellow maid’s it was a comradeship she had never experienced and felt proud and happy to be among them, to be one of them, to be a Stoneleigh maid.

That night lying in her bunk, twiddling her collar and adjusting her chastity belt for comfort before drifting off to sleep, Jess considered what now lay ahead for her. She would be at Stoneleigh for at least another week which could well be two. Until Lady Isabelle makes contact with Lady Catherine she was stuck here. But why had Lady Catherine left her a Stoneleigh? 

A cold shiver ran through Jess when the unthinkable flashed through her mind? What if something had happened to Lady Catherine, if she had been taken ill? Had an accident? Only Lady Catherine knows I am here? Jess was only known to be Jessica Thornberry here at Stoneleigh and after all this time, what she had done and had done to her at Stoneleigh, a Lady would never have put up with that, she would have called a halt to this masquerade of madness on that very first day the way she had been treated? 

She would have to throw herself at the mercy of Miss Hutchings and Lady Isabelle they would have to believe her, they would have to? Wouldn’t they? No, not yet she would wait, wait until a response came from Lady Catherine she was being silly. Lady Isabelle will write to Lady Catherine, she will come for me and all this will be over. Jess turned onto her side snuggled beneath the sheets and was soon asleep.

Jess soon fell into the routines of an upstairs maid under the guidance of Peggy, the scrubbing, sweeping, cleaning and polishing much the same. There were fewer ornaments to attend which was a welcome relief, they took time and were awkward to clean. Jess received her most violent strapping from Miss Hutchings for breaking a vase and a less brutal punishment for forgetting to return the centre piece for lady Isabelle’s dinner one evening. She only broke the one item and always remembered to replace items back in their proper place after those two episodes.

With Lady Isabelle being away the linen for the bedrooms was not a challenge but being inside the opulent chambers reminded Jess of Cranwell and her own boudoir. Peggy opened the closets to show Jess Lady Isabelle’s collection of beautiful gowns.

“Look at these Jess aren’t they gorgeous.”

Peggy giggled hooking one from the rail and twirling with it spread in front of her.

 “Could you just imagine wearing these lovely dresses, perhaps to a ball dancing with a handsome prince?”

Jess watched Peggy carefully replace the garment back on the rail. She did not need to imagine, it was not a fantasy for her, but in her current situation it may just as well have been. Running her fingers over the fine delicate fabrics she felt further than ever from the life of luxury she had chosen to leave behind at Cranwell.

With Peggy having shown Jess just how the bedroom should be prepared each day especially the vanity they started in the bathing suite. Jess cleaned out the bath tub leaving the copper gleaming and longed for the bath of her own. She had not lay back in the warm comforting waters of a bath tub for what seemed an age, the maids at Stoneleigh using the sluice for their needs.

The first three days of working with Peggy brought no extra hardships it was just maid’s work. Whilst Jess saw little of Lady Isabelle most days not seeing her at all seemed strange. Miss Hutchings also seemed to be away more than usual, which was a blessing in many ways not having to jump to her feet and curtsy on each occasion of her passing. It was late afternoon of the fourth day and in the upstairs store room Jess was laid back on the floor with Peggy gently applying the balm which Cathy had given her. Peggy giggled at Jess’s reactions to her touch.

“So, who is better at this Jess, Cathy or me?”

Before Jess could answer Peggy rubbed teasingly deep into Jess’s groin knowing Jess would find the position, that practised position, and then tug the belt to give her a tight and restricted access. Peggy’s prying fingers did not disappoint a sighing Jess.

“Oh Peggy Oh, Mmm...”

Peggy, her hand cramping squeezed her fingers free and smiled at a panting Jess.

“If you didn’t have the belt Jess I would treat you like a princess and I think Cathy would as well, would you like that.” 

Jess sat back in the corner of the store gazing at Peggy a pleasant wetness in her loins. Lady Florence would never countenance such behaviour but over the weeks the subtle frustrating teasing, whilst applying the balm and occasional light petting, had built an unfulfilled need and suppressed desires in Maid Jessica. At nights alone in her bunk she had thought of such things of Peggy and Cathy, taking her using her but would she actually take that step?

Peggy did not really need a reply she could see it in Jess’s eyes and giggled.

“We will have to find that key won’t we Jess?”   

Jess smiled shyly and started to stand pulling up her bloomers, when stood Jess smoothed down her skirts and apron and aroused took that step that would lead to her eventual capitulation. She wasn’t Lady Florence, was she? She was Jessica just a Stoneleigh maid and who would know outside the high walls of Stoneleigh? 

Jess giggled nervously straightening her cap.

“I wouldn’t know what to do, would you show me Peggy?

Peggy laughed jumping up to her feet.

“You, naughty girl, if Miss Hutchings knew we were talking like this she would have me in one of those belts, come on let’s finish polishing the balustrades missy.”

At work on the stairway Jess and Peggy both knew the chance of getting the key to remove Jess’s chastity belt was practically zero and any thoughts of their two bodies becoming entwined as one would have to remain just a fantasy.

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