Story: What Annabella Wants Annabella Gets. Chapter 15.

by Jackie J

Poor and wretched as their lives in truth were, Raymond and Annie could not be happier. Annie, the most competent of maids, was now seldom scolded by Lady Hogarth’s housekeeper Mrs Scripts. Since Annie’s illness Mrs Scripts had seen a change in her maid, hard to put her finger on but Annie just seemed more settled, she put this in the main down to her romance with Raymond. When Annie’s pregnancy became apparent the housekeeper thought her Mistress would have the poor girl out on the streets.  A pregnancy out of wedlock was bad enough but keeping a maid with child was seldom the case if ever. 

Strangely Lady Hogarth however seemed pleased for Annie and Raymond and there was no question of her maid being dismissed. Annie now living in Raymond and his father’s cottage, A walkable distance from the manor, and Annie was always punctual to attend to her duties. Having returned from the local village, with the parcel she had collected for her Mistress at the blacksmiths, Mrs Scripts smiled watching and listening to Annie sat with Gwen at the kitchen table sipping on their mugs of tea discussing the days rota. Annie had taught Gwen much and, whilst not up to the standard of Annie, Gwen had become a much more competent and confidant maid. What made Mrs Scripts smile, listening to her two maids chattering, was the vocabulary of Annie and how she spoke, it had changed considerably since her arrival at Sandowns, more so since her illness. It was obvious to Mrs Scripts, that in her previous employment, the poor girl must have been forced to act quite refined for her Mistress or Master, using big words and talking like she did. With no such conditions a Sandowns she had reverted to her obviously more natural way of speaking, no big words and losing that refined accent, which had stopped the teasing she suffered when she arrived.

Emily, Annabella, of course had not travelled to London has she had told the Countess, she was back at Sandowns with her mother. Annie was always pleased when Miss Annabella visited Sandowns and served tea for her Mistress and guest. Annie stared at Miss Annabella sat in her lovely dress, her flowing golden hair hanging on her shoulders, she was beautiful. There was something about Miss Annabella, Annie felt there was a bond between them, she did not know what it was, and the dreams she had of actually being Miss Annabella no longer haunted her, although those dreams had been so lucid. Annie had never mentioned those dreams to anyone and thankfully for Annie, since her illness, that fantasy and the dreams were now over.

Emily more confident than ever in her new persona of Annabella, with Annie’s fate now sealed beyond doubt, smiled at Annie when she stood back and curtsied having served tea. She was pregnant, of that there was no doubt, but it was yet to show with her already rotund figure and her bulky uniform.

“So, your Mistress tells me you are with child girl, you must be pleased and your man Raymond?”

Annie blushed and curtsied then stood smiling touching her tummy.

“Yes Miss Annabella, if it’s a boy he can be like his father learn his skills and if a girl….

Annie giggled

 “I do hope it is a girl Miss Annabella, Mistress told me she can be a maid at Sandowns like her mother.”

Emily, still dismayed at the physical and mental transformation of Annabella from the elegant, confident, and pretty young lady she had so much admired into the plain, plump, rosy cheeked uniformed maid that curtsied before her, genuinely happy to be carrying the child of a lowly labourer. Though her own transformation, under the guidance of her mother, into that same young lady she so much admired, had been no less remarkable.

“I am so pleased for you Annie, you and your man of course.”

Another curtsy and Annie was gone, back to her duties, pleased Miss Annabella was happy for her.

Maud sipped on her tea.

“Like I told you the other day and you can plainly see, you need have no worries for Annie. The life that was her fantasy, the life of a common maid, is now purged of pretence and beyond doubt her permeant reality, a reality she has embraced and in which she will continue to live the rest of her days at Sandowns.”

Annabella preened herself and smiled.

“Yes, mother and that just leaves the Countess, you said you have arranged everything for her?

Maud’s lips curled into a triumphant smile tapping the package by her chair that Mrs Scripts had brought for her from the village.

“Yes, my dear daughter, all is prepared for that woman and with it consigned to a much-deserved fate, there will be no one to challenge your authority or legitimacy to the Buckshire manor fortune. Her confession coupled with that of Lord Edmund and his testimony will leave her with little option. She can choose Destitution, friendlessness, becoming a social pariah or, accept to remain within the walls of Buckshire manor in the roll we have planned for her.”

At the arranged time, in the offices of Swinney and Duxbury the family solicitors, and having all read the confessions of the Countess and Lord Edmund, the Bishop, Constable and Walter Swinny, the family solicitor, sat listening to a sorrowful Annabella relaying what the Countess had tried to do with her, to have her for her maid and steal her inheritance. From the confession of Lord Edmund, it was clear he had been coerced if not blackmailed in to servicing the Countesses carnal needs and had played no part in the Countesses scheming to disinherit Miss Annabella.

The Constable confirmed there was enough evidence to charge the Countess, but the resulting scandal could be ruinous for all concerned. The Bishop, a friend and confidant of the Earl, would have the conniving harlot and her lover burnt at the stake if he could, showing no Christian charity to either. Walter Swinney placed the two confessions on his desk and looking above his dipped glasses sighed.

“What a mess, the poor Earl, and you Annabella, that the Countess could be so cruel to countenance such a fate for you. It is your good fortune that your Aunt, Malcom’s sister, is such a mindful custodian for you and your affairs. My thoughts would be if the constable agrees to deal with this matter out of the public glare of the courts and I feel the Countess would be likewise minded.” 

With all in attendance at the meeting agreeing the courts should be avoided but that the Countess should be severely punished, for what she had sought to do, and especially with her adulterous behaviour with Lord Edmund.

Tea was taken and minds turned to what such a punishment could entail.  Maud smiled at the maid serving tea and was ready with her prepared proposal.

“Well perhaps the answer just curtsied and served us our tea gentlemen.”

All turned to Lady Hogarth with puzzled expressions, eager to hear more. 

“The Countess wished to take and have poor Annabella to be her maid, perhaps a just reward for her wickedness would be for herself to suffer that fate. The adultery the harlot committed whilst her husband, my brother, lay sick and dying, I can never forgive, and I would not be against your suggestion Bishop. But may I suggest a denial of any further sexual gratification, I believe there are devices for such an insidious restriction, a constant reminder of her callous infidelity.”

Maud paused and sipped on her tea.

“Would such a proposal be too lenient gentlemen?”

All stifled their amusement at the Countess becoming a chaste maid within what had been her own home, where she had been the mistress for many years.

The Constable was first to speak.

“For her crimes, and her signed confession the Countess would be facing seven years in prison, possibly more dependent on the judge, with the adultery, whilst her husband was dying, I doubt the courts would show any leniency.”

The Bishop thought the idea of celibacy, for the high- born hussy, a just reward for her sins of the flesh.

Mr Swinny made notes, agreeing with Maud’s suggestion, that such a punishment would no doubt be most fitting for her crime.

As if picking the date and time randomly Maud suggested they all visit Buckshire manor the following Tuesday to confront the Countess and present the Countess with her choices, an assured seven years in prison and ruination or accept the alternative that would be put before her.

Annabella feigned a level of concern for the Countess, pleading that such a situation should only prevail for a set time and suggested three years. Annabella knowing three years of sexual frustration and, being a maid in service for such a time, little would be left of the glamourous Countess by then?

Mr Swinney agreed that he would draw up a contract for the Countess to sign. A three- year term of chaste servitude at Buckshire manor in exchange for no action being taken against her for her crime, wickedness, and sin.

The Constable said he would arrive in the custodial carriage to make clear the prospect of incarceration and suggested that he bring two of his female colleagues with him, to attend, should that be necessary.

With a consensus of approval all was arranged, that they would meet again at Buckshire manor on the following Tuesday. Maud and Annabella both knowing what the Constable, Bishop and Solicitor would be confronted with at the time of the visit. Both confident Annabella would soon have her replacement maid for the departed Mollie and Jennie.

Before Annabella had left Buckshire, supposedly to travel to London, Miss Jarvis had been instructed that, she and the maid Florrie would make their usual trip to the village on the particular Tuesday, to collect provisions.  Making sure that the Countess was made aware that they would be away most of the day, although she should return as normal around noon. When she returned however she should wait outside the grounds until she saw the Constables wagon outside the manor.

The Housekeeper knew better than to question the new Mistress of the manor, with all that had gone before. Not only was she pleased that she had retained her position, but her allowance had also been raised. Martha was curious to know why she had been asked to offer Carol, the ex- maid, at Buckshire manor, an interview for a position at the manor but she complied. Mrs Hardwick, with the monies she had been given since her last time at the Buckshire manor spent, was intrigued. Perhaps Miss Annabella needed some more convincing of her roll at the Manor, that of a housemaid? Carol was eager to find out.

 With Constance laid back squirming beneath her rampant buck, her white knuckles clutching the bed rail, screaming out her capitulation to yet another orgasm, Lord Edmund thrust his rigid rod for all he was worth into the hot, wet, squelchy, receptive warmth of the sweaty withing naked body beneath him. The screams the Countess freely bellowed should have echoed unheard around the emptiness of the manor but Buckshire manor was not as deserted as she believed.

Mid- Morning, Maud’s assembled group, entered Buckshire manor unheard, to be welcomed by wails of pleasure from the upper landings

Maud was quick to set the scene.

“My goodness, that is the Woman, recently widowed yet bereft of shame, who does she have in her bed at this time surely not Lord Edmund?”

Maud pointed to the stairway.

“I suggest you go first Constable and Bishop, let us witness the harlot’s fornication first- hand.”

The bed chamber door opening, Lord Edmund was quickly from the bed to cover his modesty. He knew his role in what was to follow and stood against the side wall, whilst the Constable and bishop entered followed by Mr Swinny. Annabella stood in the doorway watching Constance sit up on the pillows pushing back the hair stuck to her face, her naked ample breasts swinging, and a look of horror on her face.

Maud stood in the hallway with the two female constables and the scream that the Countess let out was piercing and the words that followed were shouted if not in a higher octave, and no less resounding 

“How dare you enter MY manor uninvited and unannounced and into my chambers get out, get out of MY manor.”

Annabella stepped forward from the doorway.

“Your Manor, your manor, you are my guest here, the guest of the Mistress of Buckshire manor now find robe and come down to the Parlour. The Constable, Mr Swinney and the Bishop are here at my request we heard your screams and thought you may be in danger, not that you were being pleasured by…”

Annabella pointed to Lord Edmund scrambling into his trousers.

“…By your stud, the stud you agreed never to see again. I was right to doubt the sincerity of your word. Downstairs Constance, to the parlour, these gentlemen need words with you.”

 

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