Story: It Was All For Charity, Wasn't It? Chapter 5.

By Jackie J

The car seemed to know its own way along the winding roads junction after junction in the failing light of the early evening. Madeline commented on the benefit of modern satellite navigation never realising it was not switched on!

Dark when they arrived at Sharston Manor a red light blinked above the heavy steel gates that swung open when the car approached. Along the winding driveway the manor came into view Annette’s description of the manor to Madeline had been correct. The manor house was more like a castle but looked a little eerie in the darkness when Madeline peered through the gloom, this impression reinforced by the mist swirling around the main entrance when the car approached. 

The elegantly dressed group left the car to be met on the steps by a no less elegantly dressed Countess Polanski.

“Good evening, I decided to meet you personally my staff are preparing dinner for us.

Story: It Was All for Charity, Wasn't It?

by Jackie J

Chapter 1

Annette de Court and Madeline Lamont giggled together. The posters were finished, most of the tickets had been sold and both were looking forward to raising more funds for the homeless charity they ran.

Annette and Madeline both spoiled to point of decadence by their wealthy parents lived an idyllic life behind the high walls of their large family homes. Both having attended the same boarding school for girls and gone on to the same university together, they had been friends since early childhood. Neither had married or followed a career and now in their mid-twenties had found their only purpose in the charity they ran. This much to the annoyance of their parents having realized they had on their hands a pair of feckless parasites who were bleeding them dry, but what could they do? The de Courts were much wealthier than the Lamont’s and Annette was always ready to remind Madeline of this, more of an issue for Madeline’s mother than her daughter who could not stand her daughter being second best.

A coin tossed both chuckled and teased each other but the decision was made, it would be Madeline who would be leading the auction and Annette? Well this is where the story begins.

Annette and Madeline had held a number of charity events coercing their friends, acquaintances and particularly their parents to participate and parting with their cash but this event was to be special. A run-down terrace in the nearby town of Wheelstone had come on the market which would make a perfect refuge for the lost souls of the area. They knew that they could never raise enough from just the normal attendees, who were of course generous, but the net had to be spread wider. They also knew that something special, something different had to be on offer to attract the attention of a wider audience, but what? 

The pair had gathered together a number of lots for the auction of varying value to give everyone the opportunity to bid in line with their pockets. However, the star lot of the auction was “A Maid for a Month” a strap line that they hoped would bring in the crowds. The toss of the coin had decided that it would be Annette who would be placed on the block to offer her services to be a maid for a month to the successful bidder.

All was arranged and with her parents both away for the summer, at their chateaux in France, the event would be held at Annette’s home Cragdale. When Annette had mentioned to Mrs. Burnside, the housekeeper at Cragdale, what Madeline and her were planning she shrugged her shoulders and tutted. Housekeeping was her profession a profession she was proud of. How could a spoiled, headstrong young woman like Annette possibly carry out maid’s work?

Story: Daphe and the White Apron. Part 7.

by Monica Graz

Author’s note

Apologies for the delay. As often happens to us amateur writers, real life activities can be at times very demanding and challenging.

They will be two more episodes to finish Daphne’s predicament.

Episode 7 below and episode 8 that will follow very shortly.  

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“Girl! Halika dito.” Rosie yelled impatiently to Lita from the dining room, in that peculiar mixture of Tagalog and English, Taglish as it was called between the Filipina maids abroad.

Lita hastily had a last sip of her coffee checked her appearance in the kitchen mirror- a habit that she couldn’t resist- adjusted her work apron and run towards the dining room where Rosie was setting the table for this evening’s dinner party.

“Yes Miss Rosie,” she said with her customary small bob. In the past few weeks she started calling her Miss, to Rosie’s delight; she did it without being asked, simply because her submissive genes had completely taken over and she was acting as the junior maid in the Ahmad household with Rosie becoming more and more the housekeeper.

Story: Ms. Paula Johnson, Successful Barrister

by Jackie J

Attractive, polite and diligent Wendy was the perfect maid for Paula Johnson. Paula Johnson single, by choice, in her early thirties and a successful Barrister, which took her away for weeks at a time, Wendy looking after the rambling household in her absence.

Ms Johnson was quite fastidious about her maid and her attire, traditional, old fashioned especially in the modern era. Wendy wore a prim maid’s uniform, black calf length dress, starched apron, seamed stockings, impractical stilettos and a lace trimmed cap her uniform to be worn at all times.

Ms Johnson also insisting on being called Miss, Miss Paula or Ms Johnson with little or no familiarity.

Paula a pretty brunette would be returning in a few days from her latest trip at a claims tribunal for a medical Insurance company, always proud of how many claims she could reject.

Having been engaged by Ms Johnson for some time Wendy had become familiar with her Mistresses routines and, more importantly, her desires and was ready to make some changes within the Johnson household and put her plan into action.

Story: The Secret Slave. Epilogue.

by SW

Widecreek Plantation, Georgia, September 1848

As the Master and Mistress of Widecreek manor sat down to breakfast, the lady - costumed in an expensive yet elegantly simple white lawn-cloth frock - half turned her head to the maid standing to attention behind her and asked:

“You have water warming for my bath?”

The girl dipped and replied, “Yes'm Mistiss 'Liz'beth.  It be ready soon as breakfus' is ovah an' we'se cleared table Ma'am.”

The mistress nodded slightly and said: “Very good Sophie.  You can bring it up immediately after clearing away,” and then, turning to the other maid at table, she continued: “You'll take care of the baby Milly, you may sit with him on the porch.”

The petite black girl smiled, dipped and then replied brightly, “Yes'm Mistiss,” it was a duty that she favored - as long as the baby, almost three months old, was settled and he generally was.

Story: Miss Winterbourne’s New Helper. Chapters 1-4.

by Jackie J

Chapter 1

“Well Miss Winterbourne, how can I help? Where do I start?”

Miss Winterbourne turned from the sink and laughed which muted to a wry smile.

“Mistress, what were you thinking? You can start by getting out of the beautiful dress, you will ruin it!”

Lady Fitzgibbon smoothed her hands down over her dress and looked at her housekeeper.

“What, what’s wrong with this? Nonsense, it’s not that new!”

Miss Winterbourne walked away from the large stone sink and the stack of pots and pans with her dish cloth in hand.

“Mistress, not only will you ruin that dress but it is totally impractical. Your offer to help, whilst Janice is away, looking after her sick aunt is most welcome, but really, you cannot be serious doing her duties dressed like that.”

Miss Winterbourne pointed to a prim maid’s uniform hung at the far side of the kitchen.

Story: The Secret Slave. Part 19.

by SW

It was on the journey in a hired carriage from the town-center slave auction to the leafy coastal district (and the Morgan residence there) that Sophie learned that her new owner was not, in fact, the man who had made the highest bid for her at the sale.  Her master said:

“Well Sophie, it seems that your mistress regretted selling you to Mister Johnstone. She couldn't attend the auction and so asked me to act on her behalf - your papers are made out to her.  She will collect you in a week or so and you will then, once again, be Madam Deveraux's slave.  How do you feel about that girl?”

“Oh Massa! Thankee Massa! I is glad to be goin' home to my missus.  I nevah wanted to be sol' off suh!” and she began to sob once more.  She felt as though she had been rescued from some dark and bleak abyss and the tears of relief flowed freely from her eyes.  It seemed that her journey into slavery, entered into just a few months previously - though not quite altogether - innocently, had come full circle and for all that she was ruined as an aristocratic young lady of quality she felt immensely grateful to be journeying back to the safer situation at the Morgan's place where it had all begun.  That Elizabeth had, somehow, obtained the information, and found the means, to save her so quickly was not lost on her and her bosom filled with pride and love for her friend.  Whatever lay before her it would be under Elizabeth's care and protection and she felt the luckiest girl alive.  For Sophie, the journey from the miserable auction yard to the splendid Morgan household was one of redemption and salvation.  She hoped and believed that the recent traumas of her experience in bondage were finally behind her, and thus, she resolved to be a good house maid at the Morgan house and attract no attention or trouble.