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.