Story: Veronica and Aunt Miranda. Chapter 8.

by Jackie J

Upon arriving at the Kingsley Mansion Ronnie was given over to Jekaterina’s housekeeper Mrs Ryder. Ronnie was not disappointed with either her uniform or her accommodation and, given a tour of the luxurious mansion, during which Mrs Ryder informed her new maid of the high standards she demanded, she was put to work. Ironically the two other maids employed at Kingsley teased the new maid over her northern accent but seeing what a good worker she was Ronnie was soon accepted into the household. A gruelling rota to fulfil each day Ronnie was kept busy scrubbing, cleaning and polishing along with attending specific needs of Kingsley’s mistress as and when required.

When William returned from attending to business in Belgium Jekaterina sat with her husband in the parlour and smiled watching Kingsley’s new maid serve tea. Like Jekaterina had suspected, William paid the attentive maid little attention, engrossed in relating details of his journey and trip to his wife.

Stepping back Ronnie momentarily could not help but stare at her Master and Mistress sat in their finery smiling into each other’s eyes and holding hands on the sofa, a picture of domestic bliss.

William glanced at the maid catching her stare.

“What are you looking at girl? Know your place.”


Ronnie’s eyes respectfully darted back to the floor and she curtsied.

“Sorry, Sir.”

William looked closely at the maid.

“Well, girl, don’t just stand there. Go back to your duties. We will ring if we need you further.”

Ronnie dropped another curtsy before leaving the happy couple.

William turned to Jekaterina.

“A new girl? I see. And a northerner from her accent. Where did Mrs Ryder find that one? A dumpy thing and well worn one by the look of her.”

Jekaterina sipped on her tea, "well worn" was an apt description of what Miss Veronica Singleton had become. The girl now looked many years beyond her age. William had no idea who the new maid really was and if he hadn't Jekaterina had no reason to suspect that anyone else would.

William had work to attend to and left for the study and Jekaterina called her maid back to clear away the tea things.

Ronnie entered, curtsied and began to load cups and saucers, a tea pot, a sugar bowl and a milk jug onto her tray.

Jekaterina halted her progress.

“Well, girl, how did that make you feel? Seeing William again after all this time. Under different circumstance of course. Hard to think that he once asked for your hand in marriage! Laughable now, you must agree. I doubt William would believe me if I told him who you really are. What you have become is what you wanted to become. You truly are on the other side of the mirror now, aren’t you girl? Once it was you living a cosseted life, sat in your finery, staring into another world, a world you yearned to enter. the world and life of a domestic maid, a life of servitude.  Now you stare back into the life of wealth and privilege you left behind. I know you admired me before. Do you still admire me now that I am your Mistress?”

Ronnie raised her eyes to look at her Mistress, whose old life she had taken forsaking all she had been to live the life she now did. Jane, now Jekaterina Mrs Cornwall, beautiful and elegant, sat serene in her lovely dress, surrounded by luxury. She was a true lady and yes, a Mistress, her Mistress. What was not to admire?

“Yes, Mistress. I admire you very much. I am happy to serve you and your husband William. It is my place to serve you.”

Jekaterina smiled at the unquestioning servility the three years of domestic service had ingrained within this once proud and beautiful aristocrat, now no more than and content to be a dowdy yet accomplished maid. There was not a hint of regret or desire to return to her previous existence and there was no reason for the secret of her true identity to be revealed.

Seven years passed and much changed, not only for the Cornwalls. The Great War took its toll across the nation with rich and poor alike making their sacrifices. The young Lord Cornwall enjoyed one of the shortest of peerages being one of the many casualties of the conflict, killed  just a month after his father's death. A widowed Lady Cornwall was left childless. Lord and Lady Singleton had falling victim to the flu epidemic that swept the country, Lord Singleton passed away and Lady Singleton was left confined to a wheelchair. 

William’s mother, now a widow, had moved to America to live with her niece. Ronnie had remained loyal to her Mistress throughout the trials and tribulations of the recent past and following the return from the funeral of Aunt Miranda, the last of Ronnie’s relative’s to be interned, Mistress and maid sat in the parlour of Kingsley, drinking tea together. Their shared secret had been an unspoken bond between them which over the years had never been broken. Both had obviously matured and, encouraged by her mistress, Ronnie had regained a more flattering figure and her hair, whilst remaining short, had returned to being its natural blonde. 

Admiration of maid for her Mistress and a fondness of Mistress for her maid had grown especially since the tragic death of Lord William. The other staff employed at Kingsley were aware of the closeness of their relationship but it was no business of theirs.  

Mrs Ryder however had gleaned much over the years: a snippet here, a snippet there, an overheard conversation between Lady Singleton and her Mistress, a page of an open diary, a discarded letter. Her natural inquisitive nature had led her to investigate further. There was only suspicion and conjecture at first but with the death of a relative in the north and the Mistress taking maid Ronnie with her to attend the funeral, the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. An exchange of correspondence between herself and the housekeeper of the recently departed Mrs Miranda Shipley confirmed all her suspicions. Mrs Ryder was aware that her Mistress and her “special” maid had been intimate on numerous occasions with a growing fondness for each other and her plans for both these imposters within the seclusion of Kingsley were well advanced given what she now knew, especially about her Mistress.

Rose Robinson had nothing to stay at Lowercroft for since the untimely death of her Mistress and the invite from Mrs Ryder to visit with her was accepted. She had been left a tidy sum from the Shipley estate but the suggestion that a housekeeper role may be available in the near future provided an added incentive for the journey.

Meeting Emily Ryder in a hotel booked for her, Rose’s lip curled in anticipated satisfaction at what she was told and then she laughed at the prospect of what was being proposed. Over dinner the two continued to plot and scheme and all was agreed. With neither being strangers to Sapphic pleasures, and fuelled by their plans for the Mistress and maid of Kingsley, Emily accompanied Rose to her rooms where, whilst both being of a certain age, they consummated their wicked contrivance in lesbian lust.

Lady Cornwall had led a reclusive existence since the death of William. Now three years a widow she had no ambition or desire to find a suitor. After all she had her maid Ronnie for that type of company. With little if any social activity Mrs Ryder was confident that her plans for the Mistress of Kingsley and her maid would go unhindered and unheeded. With her new friend and co-conspirator Rose waiting in the wings Emily began to move things forward.

The sacking of the two housemaids - Janet and Wendy - on the trumped-up accusation of theft by Mrs Ryder, was endorsed by Lady Cornwall after all the evidence was presented to her. Mrs Ryder assured Lady Cornwall that replacement maids would soon be found. Ronnie accepted the increased workload. What choice did she have? This helped to keep her away from her Mistress. Ronnie was run ragged keeping the mansion up to Mrs Ryder’s exacting standards, something which did not go unnoticed by Jekaterina. Two weeks and still Ronnie was left on her own carrying out the work of three maids.

When Lady Cornwall confronted her housekeeper over the lack of replacement maids she stood back aghast at the response she received. Mrs Ryder went as far as suggesting that her, the mistress of the house, should be helping the maid!

“What? Yes I am concerned about the situation, but not that concerned. How dare you suggest such a thing? Ridiculous. Redouble your efforts Mrs Ryder and put that idea right out of your mind.”

Mrs Ryder did not let up.

“Sorry, Mistress. I just know you are fond of Ronnie and with you having no engagements and free time I just thought.. Look, forget it. I was just trying to be helpful, that’s all. I didn’t think some light work to help out would be too much of a burden."

Mrs Ryder left in a huff leaving Jekaterina speechless. The audacity of the woman! Me help my maid? Is she mad? What was she thinking?

Emily smirked heading down the hallway to her office having sown her seed. She had known full well her Mistress would not concede to donning an apron at first ask but contemplated that soon it won’t just be a apron she will be wearing when she is put back into her rightful place in society! 

Two days passed and Jekaterina sought out her housekeeper in her office.

Mrs Ryder stood from her desk. 

“Mistress?”

“Sit down Mrs Ryder. About the other day. What I said to you, I was a little hasty with my tongue. I now realise that. Well like you said you were just trying to be helpful. Poor Ronnie is being worked to a shadow. Still no progress with replacement maids I presume?”

Mrs Ryder shook her head then sat without a word and listened to her Mistress's proposal.

“Well that’s much more that I intended, really it is. It won't be needed for long. And while obtaining new help has been an issue I am now more confident than ever that I will have a new member of staff at Kingsley within a week.”

Emily could not help herself and spoke with a feigned smile.

“In fact I will be seeing someone this afternoon, a housekeeper who had a very competent maid who worked for her and she is looking forward to getting that very maid back in harness, to work here at Kingsley.”

Jekaterina, oblivious to what her housekeeper was planning for her, smiled.

“Excellent, Mrs Ryder. Then you had better organise some things for me. I will get started this afternoon whilst you are away. I am sure Ronnie will be pleased with the help.”

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