Story: Veronica and Aunt Miranda. Chapter 11.

by Jackie J

Having drawn her own bath and undressed Jekaterina stood naked in front of the large mirror in her bathroom and turned to view her reddened rump from her humiliating spanking by her housekeeper and sighed. Amongst the sloppy suds and foam of her bath Jekaterina stared at the maid’s uniform from which she had disrobed hung by the door considering the tantalising prospect of wearing it again but under the rules and conditions stipulated in the document prepared by her Housekeeper. 

A few days, perhaps a week, well until the new maids were hired, which Mrs Ryder said was imminent anyway. Her mind drifted to those days long ago at Latchwood, her grandmother, Mrs Shipley and of course Mrs Robinson. It seemed a lifetime ago, a different life. She now lived a life of luxury and her maid Ronnie, Miss Veronica Singleton, was no less content in her new life than she in hers. Poor Ronnie! Having to do the work of three maids. She should have been here preparing her Mistress's bath, not slaving in the kitchens. The poor girl was struggling to cope on her own.

Mrs Ryder served dinner that evening and when questioned as to Ronnie’s whereabouts Jekaterina was informed the maid was catching up on her duties in the laundry and would be working late again.

The table cleared Mrs Ryder was asked to join her Mistress in the parlour.


Jekaterina spreading her beautiful dress adjusted herself in her chair when Mrs Ryder entered.

“Take a seat, Mrs Ryder.”

“Thank you, Mistress. You asked to see me?

“Yes, tell me this Lady you met today, you said she had a maid in mind for Kingsley.”

Mrs Ryder sat forward in her chair.

“That’s correct, Mistress, Like I mentioned to you before, she had a maid who worked for her some years ago, a very competent maid by all accounts and she feels this woman would be ideal to be a maid here at Kingsley. She said the woman in question would need some convincing to return to being a maid but was confident that with suitable encouragement she could get her back into her old routines.”

Jekaterina took a sip of her wine.

“So this maid she will be at Kingsley when, next week?”

Mrs Ryder smiled and cynically replied.

” That is certainly my intention, Mistress.”

Jekaterina stood and refilled her glass.

“So the other matter, our discussion in your office, until you hire a new maid, me helping Ronnie under your supervision, the terms, your terms... They are highly irregular, Mrs Ryder, but I concede that you require a degree of comfort for such an arrangement albeit for what now appears to be such a short period with this Lady you met having someone perfect for the role here at Kingsley. I will do it, sign your agreement. I will work with Ronnie until you hire the new maid. Why don’t you go and bring that paper you prepared?”

Mrs Ryder hid her smirk.

“No rush, Mistress. Enjoy the rest of your evening. Report to me in the morning in my office. A little late but let us say nine o’clock for your first day, shall we?”

Jekaterina returned to her seat.

“Yes, very well. Now, in your terms you said I would not be referred to as Mistress which I fully understand given the circumstances. Will we use my first name Jekaterina?”

Mrs Ryder looked at her Mistress thoughtfully.

“Jekaterina? well we could but why not something more simple reflecting the role, I don’t know Wendy, Janet, Pauline... What about Jane? Yes, Jane. You will be Jane, Mistress. That’s a good simple plain name for a maid, don’t you agree, Mistress? That will help us both to not think of you as you were, being the Mistress of Kingsley, when you become my maid in the morning.”

 Jekaterina laughed.

“I suspect you are going to enjoy this more than me, Mrs Ryder.”

Mrs Ryder smiled.

“It’s what you want, Mistress, and being the housekeeper I will, like I always have, obey the instructions of the Mistress of Kingsley. Good night, Mistress. I look forward to meeting the new maid Jane in the morning.”

Seven thirty a knock on her chambers door and Mrs Ryder entered.

“Clean underwear and a fresh apron for you Mistress and let’s keep these bloomers on you today, shall we?

Jekaterina pushed herself up on the pillows, still a little bleary eyed.

“Thank you and yes of course. No repeat of that, one hopes.”

No tea served to her chamber that morning but it was of little matter and dressed Jekaterina tied the tapes of her apron into a decorative broad bow and chuckled. It's been many years but some things are never forgotten. If she was going to do this there would be no slacking like the other day. It would only be for a few days and she would be a genuine help for Ronnie and make sure she got in front with her work.

Entering Mrs Ryder’s office a few minutes before nine she stopped short in the doorway.  

Sat with Mrs Ryder was Daniel Graggs, the family solicitor, who showed little concern at seeing Lady Cornwall dressed in a maid’s uniform and stood respectfully from his chair.

“Good day, Lady Cornwall. Mrs Ryder suggested I call and has explained everything. A little strange I must admit but you are right to draw up an agreement between you and your housekeeper under such, shall we say, unique circumstances. All such agreements need witnessing you will appreciate of course, if they are to have any validity at all. I have read through the terms listed to which you are both comfortable with and I see you are already dressed to commence work as a maid for your housekeeper, Lady Cornwall. I note you are to take the name Jane which I understand fully under the circumstances. So just to make sure all is in order, according to this document, you, Lady Cornwall are asking and agreeing to serve as a housemaid in the name of Jane under the jurisdiction and instruction of Mrs Ryder the housekeeper of Kingsley Mansion until such time as the new maids are hired, which I understand is imminent. Is that correct, Lady Cornwall?  

Jekaterina looked at Mrs Ryder then back at Daniel Graggs. This all seemed a little formal and she was most surprised that Mrs Ryder had thought it necessary to employ the services of the family solicitor for what was a simple agreement between them and for an agreement which would surely last for such a short period.

Jekaterina forced a smile.

“Well this is all very formal Daniel and I must say I am very surprised to see you. I do hope that I can rely on your discretion in this matter. It would not do for what I, we are doing at Kingsley to become public knowledge. Things have become rather difficult in recruiting staff but I am assured by Mrs Ryder that within the week the situation with maids will be settled. You must think this very strange but I have my reasons for doing this so yes what you say and what is written in the agreement is correct.”

Daniel hid his true feelings. He could not believe Lady Cornwall was agreeing to this. Having read the agreement he was minded to warn her of the pitfalls but seeing her already dressed as a maid and appearing eager and that Mrs Ryder had told him that it was her Ladyship that had drawn up the conditions in the agreement, why would he?

"So ladies, shall we proceed?”

Mrs Ryder inked the pen and scrawled her signature and offered the pen to her Mistress. Some slight hesitation but her signature was placed below that of her housekeeper. Daniel re-inked the pen and added his own before sliding out the copy from beneath and having blotted the original offered it for endorsement.

“Thoughtfully Mrs Ryder made a copy of your agreement for me to keep, be assured all this will remain confidential so if you would be so kind, Mrs Ryder, Lady Cornwall your signatures please.”

The original and the copy signed witnessed and dated Mrs Ryder smiled.

“Thank you, Mr Graggs.”

Mrs Ryder looked at her Mistress.

“Now that you are my maid, a light duty for you, Jane. Be a good girl and prepare and serve tea for myself and Mr Graggs in the parlour.”

Jekaterina was annoyed at her housekeepers somewhat dismissive tone with her but yes she had agreed to be and was a maid although she had not thought serving tea to her housekeeper, especially in the parlour, would be on her list of duties, more helping Ronnie with the general cleaning. Thinking better of challenging Mrs Ryder she feigned deference to her although she would have no need to feign deference by the end of the day.

“Yes, Miss.”

Ronnie was not in the kitchen and Jekaterina prepared a tray and mashed the tea then headed to the parlour and, slightly embarrassed to serve tea to her housekeeper, she placed the tray on the short table in front of Mrs Ryder and Daniel and was turning to leave before Mrs Ryder spoke.

“Jane? Pour the tea, girl.”

Jekaterina ignored being called girl as she dutifully prepared the cups.

“Thank you, Jane. You will find Ronnie on the top landings. Help her with the cleaning there and I will speak with you later.”

Naively believing all Mrs Ryder had told him, Daniel raised his cup and took a sip.

“Well, Mrs Ryder, this is a strange affair and all Lady Cornwall’s idea you say. She even made you prepare uniforms for her. Very strange indeed. The agreement that she wrote for you to sign, that must have been very awkward for you asking to be placed under your jurisdiction, well not asking in truth, she was telling you. The agreement is quite explicit you are being forced to treat her like, well, just like any maid. With her Ladyship telling you to call her Jane will help of course but I do not envy you being made to do this, a lot of pressure on you to find new maids now. Who knows how long you will be forced to keep your Mistress like this? At least Lady Cornwall drew up the agreement for your protection and of course I bear witness to that. She is basically demanding that you treat her like a common maid and whilst she is, she has told you and endorsed that in the agreement, that you are to be head of household. Quite a responsibility!"

Daniel sniggered.

“You know I almost laughed when her Ladyship called you Miss in your office but I have to say there were no fingers and thumbs serving the tea. If I did not know better I would say she has done that before.”

His tea cup drained Daniel stood.

“Well I must be away, Mrs Ryder, and I wish you the best of luck having your mistress for a maid at Kingsley. Why she chose to do this is a mystery to me but from what you have told me and from the agreement she drew up, which she willingly signed in front of me, she must know what she is doing.”

Mrs Ryder smirked.

“Don’t worry Mr Graggs I have every intention to ensure Lady Cornwall won’t be a temporary maid for long. I have someone coming to make sure of that.”

Ronnie looked up from the floor she was scrubbing on the upper landings.

“Mistress what are you doing dressed like that again, surely you are not helping me again after what Mrs Ryder did to you yesterday?”

Jekaterina got down on her knees next to Ronnie and laughed.

“Don’t worry. Mrs Ryder has someone coming. It won’t be for long I can’t see you struggling doing three maids work now give me a kiss you silly thing.”

Puckered lips met only fleetingly and Ronnie giggled.

“I cannot believe what you are doing. You saw what Mrs Ryder was like yesterday. She actually spanked you. What if she does that again?”

Jekaterina picked a brush from the bucket and joined Ronnie at work.

“I spoke with Mrs Ryder yesterday and we have an agreement between us. It will be fine. It’s not like I don’t know what a maids work is, is it? Now come on, let’s get this floor sorted.”

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