Story: A Betrayal Most Wicked. Chapter 3.

by Jackie J

Unannounced, Miss Albright walked into Jenny’s quarters and smiled at her nervous looking maid dressed in her uniform.

“A good fit I see, Mistresses measurements were correct, let me see you curtsy then.”

Jennifer looked at Miss Albright with a degree of incredulity and confused disbelief.

“What? Curtsy why?”

Miss Albrights eyes tightened, and her lip curled restrained anger in her tone.

“Because you are a fucking maid and maids curtsy to their betters so show me girl.”

Jennifer shivered at Miss Albrights short tirade and sank into a shallow curtsy.

Miss Albrights tone softened.

“Good, that’s right, now when you are spoken to by me or a member of the Williams family you will take care to curtsy just like that, an acknowledgment of them and that you have understood what you have been told to do. Yes Miss, Yes Sir or Yes Madame will be your mantra from now on, do you understand girl?” 

  

Was Jennifer mocking Miss Albrights instruction or most likely just fearful of this amazon of a woman and dropped another curtsy.

“Yes Miss.”

Miss Albright smiled at her new maids immediate and unquestioning compliance. Prison, especially for an extended period, if nothing else teaches inmates to respect and comply with authority figures and Miss Albright surely was an authority figure of that there was no doubt. 

Taken on a tour of the house Jennifer marvelled at the extravagant opulence of the place. Each room expensively and tastefully furnished it was like a palace. Jennifer, deprived for many years of being in the proximity such affluence, stared in wonderment whilst the tour progressed never for a moment considering that most of what she was saw had been purchased with the monies purloined from her supposed fraud. Jennifer genuinely pleased her friend and her husband had done so well for themselves.

Back in Miss Albrights office Jennifer was given her work rota and told to familiarise herself with the many duties contained within it.

It was two weeks before the Mistress and master returned to Brooklands, the name of the house in which Jenny was becoming established and competent as its maid under the watchful and unforgiving eye of its housekeeper Miss Martha Albright.  

Jenny’s curtsy when Jane entered the hallway having returned from their holiday in the Caribbean was natural. Such had been the reinforcement of Jenny’s lowly status by Miss Albright during the past weeks of her initiation into the life of a housemaid.

Jane smirked at her friend curtsying to her in her pretty maid’s uniform, the girl who had always been so superior to her now her housemaid. From her maid’s demeanour Miss Albright had obviously followed her instructions to treat the new arrival harshly to make her aware of her place. 

“Jenny, I do hope Miss Albright has been clear about your duties here? Now go and bring in the luggage and see that the clothing is laundered and put away.”

Jennifer dropped another curtsy.

“Yes Madame.”

Before Jennifer could question Jane the Mistress of Brooklands was gone, down the hallway and into the lounge.  Jennifer went to collect the luggage from the steps outside. Troy was stood by the luggage and looked up at Jennifer. Gone the sparkle he remembered in Jennifer’s eyes, the short hair framing a still pretty face but without makeup looking quite plain. The uniform of service having replaced her designer suits and her servile demeanour projected Jennifer to be what she now was Jenny a domestic servant no longer the sophisticated successful executive she once was.

It was awkward for Troy, Jane had told him how he must treat the new maid there was to be no familiarity, he must not look on her as the Jennifer Robertson her once knew, she was their maid Jenny now and nothing more. It would be unfair of them to offer any hope of her returning to a life she once knew; she was a convicted criminal and should be grateful that she was being given the opportunity to be their maid and live amongst such wealth.

Jennifer stared at Troy and he at her until he diverted his gaze and brushed passed her without a word.

Jennifer picked up the first two of the heavy cases and took them through into the laundry room.

With Mr and Mrs Williams back in residence the workload of the housemaid increased, and maid Jenny had little time to dwell on her situation being kept busy with her domestic duties. Jennifer was anxious to speak with Jane and on the Wednesday morning, following her return to Brooklands, the Mistress of the house summoned her maid.

Troy was away travelling, and Miss Albright was in town purchasing provisions. Jenny, having cleared away the breakfast dishes, changed the bed linen and leaving the laundry in the wash entered the lounge to find Jane sat on the sofa. Jennifer curtsied and Jane smiled.

“Jennifer, well Jenny now isn’t it, do come in take a seat dear, Jenny a much more apt name for a maid you must agree.”

Jennifer had many questions to ask and sat on the sofa opposite her long-time friend.

“Mistress, Jane I hope I can speak frankly. When you came to see me at the hostel and said that I could come and stay with you and Troy I didn’t expect this, you know being your maid, well not a real maid and I have so many questions to ask, you know about what happened at Microck MD.”

Jane sat forward a serious expression on her face and put her finger to her lips to silence her maid ready to draw her once superior and rival into a fictitious but credible conspiracy that would see the once successful financier Jennifer Robertson willingly continue her descent into a life of domestic drudgery and servitude  from which Jane, with the collusion of her housekeeper, intended there would be no return. 

Jane knew that Jennifer was innocent of her crimes, of course she did, and why wouldn’t Jennifer try and find out who had framed her to prove her innocence and regain the life she once knew. That could never happen, and Jane was going to make sure of that. 

Jennifer had already unknowingly and unwittingly been bullied by Miss Albright into signing herself into the service of the Williams household for the remaining four years of her parole licence, that to keep her hidden away in the seclusion of Brooklands.  Jane was now ready to dispel any lingering hope that Jennifer may have of Jane or indeed anyone else helping her prove her innocence whilst on Parole.

“Jenny if you only knew the trouble, I had getting the Parole board to agree to you being here. Do you think for one minute that it was ever my intention for you to be my maid, really? Troy and I run a successful financial company and when I approached the Parole board to have you live with us, take you away from the hideous existence at the hostel and working on a packing line, well red flags were raised. Would you have any involvement in the business, what employment would you have?  I had to think quickly, and I said that you would be working as a maid, my maid. That was initially accepted but they are not fools. Two long-time friends, one being a housemaid for the other? Eyebrows were raised and they needed convincing that it was not just a ruse. I spoke with Troy and he said we should forget the whole idea, but I couldn’t bear the thought of you being stuck at that hostel, a place that was you family home and the demeaning work they had found you.” 

“Being my maid had to be credible and with the help of Martha, my housekeeper we drew up a maid’s contract that we submitted to the Parole Board. I noticed that you have already signed it you will have seen that the contract was official endorsed by the board and a notary with details of duties, conditions of service and the like that helped convince them, they particularly liked the changing of your name, being called Jenny, it added to the credibility. Then the uniforms no one would go to all that trouble if it was just a pretence, would they? The Parole board visited, inspected your maid’s quarters, saw your uniforms, interviewed Miss Albright concerning the need for a maid at Brooklands, discussed the maid’s contract, they were convinced that you being my maid was genuine. Now Martha, Miss Albright, knows you are an ex con but nothing else about us once being friends and we must keep it that way. She is strict I know, frightens me sometimes, but you be a good maid, do your work well and you will be fine. “

“I knew the Parole board would be monitoring you that’s why Troy and I went on a short vacation to leave you in the hands of our housekeeper, let her get you into the routines and work, treat you like a common maid should be treated. I would have struggled with that, but she has done a great job. Look at you in your uniform, jumping to her instructions, curtsying to your betters, you already know your place, you are going to be a perfect maid, trust me, Miss Albright will make sure of that. When the parole board come to check on you, they won’t find you having a cosy time living well, sharing the luxury of your friend’s lifestyle like they may suspect. No, they will find a hard-working uniformed maid fulfilling the conditions of her contract.”

Jennifer could resist no longer she had to know had to ask and spoke with a questioning confidence that even surprised her.

“So, let me get this right Jane, I really am going to be your maid and nothing else, no pretence, you are going to keep me here to be your maid, a working maid?”

Jane put on a perfect display of the aggrieved benefactor and replied quite matter of fact.

“Yes of course, surely you see if the Parole board even suspect your employment here is not genuine, they will have you back at the hostel or worse if they suspect collusion you could be back in prison for goodness sake. Never mind what retribution they would seek from me your Sponsor, yes that’s right your Sponsor. Or would you be happy to see me in trouble with the authorities after all I have done for you?”

Jennifer thought, Jane was right, of course the best way to convince the Parole board that being a maid here at Brooklands was genuine was for it to be genuine for Jennifer to actually be a maid, maid Jenny. How bad could it be, she would be living in a luxurious residence, albeit keeping it pristine, she wore nice clothes, although it was her uniform, she ate well, her room, well her quarters, were comfortable, Miss Albright shouted at her and threatened worse but only when her work was poor or she slacked. 

Jennifer returned to her contrite demeaner.

“Yes you are right of course you are, I am sorry Jane and I would never want you to get into trouble over me, you have been so kind getting me away from the hostel, bringing me here of course I am happy to be your maid, thank you again for helping me.”

Jane hid her contempt for her naive friend the same naivety that had enabled Jane to frame her so easily and defraud Microck MD of millions, the perfect patsy and now the silly cow was thanking her for allowing her to be her maid. With Jennifer accepting that she was to be Janes maid, Jane had just one more to nail to hammer home to deflate any ambition her old friend may have of seeking redemption for her miscarriage of justice.

“Now one other thing we need to discuss, you mentioned when you sat down what happened at Microck MD.”

Jennifer sat forward eager to learn something, anything Jane perhaps knew something, a clue, a lead that she could follow to what really happened help to clear her name?

“Yes Jane, sorry madame, what can you tell me?” 

Jane paused looking into the pathetic pleading eyes of her old friend.

“Being your sponsor Jenny, I have had to sign a contract with the Parole Board and have a duty to report any breaches of your parole license under the threat of heavy fines or worse! I have to admit, having read the conditions of your parole and the penalties for the sponsor, I shared Troy’s reservations about this but like I have said I wanted to get you away from that place.” 

“But with the fraud thing, you have a non-disclosure agreement a gaging order any discussion about that case and you will be in contempt of court, in conflict with the terms of your parole license which potentially  could see you back behind bars.  Like I say I am your sponsor and have a duty to report any breaches of your licence, so you can see the problem. I am afraid it is a subject that cannot be raised again by you.  If you are returned to prison, there will be no more Parole you will have to complete your sentence five more years. I have gone out on a limb for you and given you the opportunity to start afresh. I ask you as a dear friend  think long and hard you can stay here in the comfort of my home to be my maid and never mention anything about your felony or, raise the matter again and I will have no choice but to report this and chances are you will go back to prison I hope that you would not put me in that position.” 

Jennifer sat speechless she had hoped Jane would help her, find out what really happened, get to the truth and clear her name. Jennifer was aware of the non-disclosure agreement and having pleaded guilty there had been no appeal her only chance was to secretly investigate matters herself. With the help of Jane, who must know something, matters could progress more quickly than on her own. How could she possibly check up on things, ask questions, speak to anyone with the gagging order part of her Parole license? Jane could do all that for her, but could she really ask her friend to take that risk after all she had done for her already? If the Parole board found out Jane would risk a heavy fine or worse, she said so, no, no she couldn’t ask her, Jane had done enough already. Perhaps something will turn up, but it’s been over five years now, perhaps I will never discover who did it?

Jennifer looked at her friend with sorrowful eyes.

“I think I understand I am sorry to have put you in such a position it must be awful for you. I promise I won’t mention anything, say anything about, well you know. I should be grateful, and I am Jane, sorry madame, very grateful for what you have done for me. I will be a good maid for you, I owe you that. I will be no trouble I promise.”

Jane stood from the Sofa and smiled but inside was gloating. The girl who’s wake and shadow she had spent most of her formative years within, the pretty girl and women who everyone admired who had been superior in every way now grateful to be her maid.

“Well Jenny I am glad we have had that chat, so everything is clear. Of course, you will understand we cannot have my housekeeper, Miss Albright, knowing there was ever anything between us, can we? It will be very hard for me knowing we were once friends and now you are just my maid, but I will do it, do it for you dear. That of course means we will not be speaking like this again, The Mistress of the household and her maid chatting away discussing old times, no that would never do would it Jenny? So, you will treat me and my husband with the reverence and respect we deserve, the respect a common maid must give her mistress and master. Hard on us both I know, but I am sure over time we will both come to find it a most natural arrangement. Now I know you have your duties to be getting on with, but you can serve me tea before you return to them.”

Jenny stood; Jane, her Mistress, was right they could no longer be friends that was all in the past.  She was just a maid at Brookland’s, and she must not see Jane for anything other than who she was Mrs Williams the Mistress of the household in which she served.

A bobbed curtsy Jenny smiled.

“Thank you for everything Mistress, like I said I will be the perfect maid for you, I will go and prepare you tea.”

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