Story: What Annabella Wants Annabella Gets. Chapter 13.

by Jackie J

Emily, Annabella, had persuaded Constance into the maid’s uniform intended for herself and left her in no doubt that Annabella’s days of being a maid were well and truly over. Having presented Constance with her ultimatum, Annabella left Buckshire manor for London. Or so the Countess believed.

It was Annie who met and greeted Miss Annabella at the entrance of Sandowns with a curtsy.

“Miss Annabella.”

The mirror of her past self that Annie gazed upon in admiration was more perfected than ever, the image and mannerisms of the sophisticated young mistress she greeted was all that Annie had ever been.

Five months Annie had been in service at Sandowns, a maid for Lady Hogarth, under the supervision of Mrs Scripts and no longer did she even think, although it was the truth, that the young lady stepping gracefully down the hallway in her beautiful dress towards the parlour was once herself.

Over the first months Lady Hogarth had given Annie free reign at Sandowns to become the maid she wished to be fuelling her obsession for unconditional servility. Fears of losing her mind to her imbedded desires no longer haunted her believing herself to be in a safe place under the protection of her Aunt Maud, who understood and was sympathetic to her weakness.

Over these first months Annie’s weak mind was however being surreptitiously manipulated by the connivance of Lady Hogarth beyond any pretence that poor Annabella had clung to at Buckshire manor.  Maud and indeed everyone involved had been misled by Annabella’s mere pretence previously and that was never going to happen again. Three months into Annie’s time in service at Sandowns, the scheming Lady Hogarth was ready to cynically purge the mind of the once Miss Annabella Montgomery for good removing any remaining pretence she may harbour.

The drug induced illness and subsequent coma from which Annie recovered brought her back into her new world. Constant reinforcement of her status, coupled with praise for what a good maid she was, had always been, Annie was truly lost in her world of servitude and Lady Hogarth was going to ensure it was a world in which Annie would remain trapped, and plans for that were well advanced.

Not discouraged and subsequently actively encouraged, Lady Hogarth, realising the potential of such a relationship, the flirtation of Annie with the groom Raymond was progressing well. A groom come handyman seeking the favours of a common housemaid, nothing wrong or unusual with that. They had socialised together down at the local Inn, the Crown and Sceptre, and with the lubrication of strong cider stolen kisses had developed into heavy petting on more than one occasion. Maud had condoned her maid visiting the cottage in which Raymond and his father lived in the outer grounds of Sandowns, and Annie had taken to the tasks of cleaning and doing the laundry for the two workers when not occupied with her duties at the main Hall. 

Annabella in her previous, now unknown to her life, had never had a relationship, and Annie found Raymond both charming and kind in contrast to the discipline of her once craved, now accepted beyond question life, of being a common maid in Lady Hogarth’s household. Sex was a natural progression for Annie and Raymond and Annie’s impregnation, in the squalor of Raymond’s back bedroom, was inevitable. Whilst a housemaid’s pregnancy would not normally be looked on favourably, especially out of wedlock, Maud was more than pleased at the news.

Sat in the comfort of the parlour having been served tea by her maid Lady Hogarth listened to her daughter telling her how she had turned the tables on Constance at Buckshire manor and having the Countess put herself into a maid’s uniform.  Maud chuckled wishing she had been there to see such a spectacle but was more interested in what the Countesses reaction was to sign the confession for Annabella.

Annabella shrugged her shoulders

I confronted her with the document you prepared for me and left it with her still sat in her uniform.

Lady Hogarth and her daughter both laughed at Maud’s next comment.

“So, she can stay at Buckshire manor with an allowance befitting her station which, she does not know yet, her station in life will be reflected in what she was wearing when you gave it to her. “

Annabella sipped on her tea.

“Quite right, just like you have planned mother, Annie now seeded by Raymond, and when I inherit Buckshire manor, Constance for her wickedness, will spend the rest of her days serving the new Mistress of Buckshire manor as a maid.”

In the absence of Annabella Constance, in the privacy of her study, had contemplated her options following Annabella’s ultimatum to her. Staring at the document she had been told to sign she cursed herself, how could that empty headed clothes horse have outwitted her?  From a prissy halfwit, who wanted to live the life of a maid, suddenly to become such a clever and devious manipulator and manipulating Constance she was.

Over and over Constance’s mind churned, but every time she came back to the same conclusion. The Earl is sure to die soon, Annabella is going to inherit everything. Annabella’s head is no longer full of the maid nonsense that would have seen me inherit Buckshire manor by default.   What to do, what to do? Annabella had her over a barrel there was no alternative, if she were to stay at Buckshire manor when Malcom dies, where else could she go? She would have to sign the confession admit her adultery and that she wanted to have her stepdaughter for her maid. Annabella had been a maid once, perhaps she would get her chance again, to take control of Annabella, and then things will be very different for her at Buckshire manor.

With that glimmer of hope the confession was signed and placed in an envelope for Annabella’s return from London. Constance winced at the thought of wearing that uniform again but like signing the confession what choice did she have? What Annabella wants Annabella gets it has always been so at Buckshire manor for the spoiled brat. 

Wednesday arrived and the Countesses housekeeper entered the study and curtsied.

“Mistress, it is Wednesday, I am to remind you of your meeting with Miss Annabella, in the East wing.”

Constance stared at Jarvis, what did she know, what had Annabella told her?

“Yes, Jarvis I am well aware of what day it is and my meeting with Annabella, is she back, returned from London?”

Another curtsy.

“Yes Mistress, an hour ago.”

Jarvis was embarrassed with what else she had been told to tell the Countess and spoke quietly.

“Miss Annabella said you should already be their cleaning the room for her, I said I would do it or get one of the maids, but she insisted it should be you Mistress?”

Constance glared at her housekeeper.

“She did, did she, the little madame, right, leave me Jarvis and go back to your duties.”

Constance had not returned to the east wing since her meeting with Annabella and was not relishing this second meeting. Removing her jewellery, before she started to undress and put on the maid’s uniform, there was no annoying snagging of her jewels on the coarse fabrics of the uniform she was soon dressed in. Apron tied Constance laced her stout boots and pulled the mop cap over her pinned up hair and sat waiting for Annabella, the envelope containing her confession in hand.

 Emily, Annabella having not travelled from London but Sandowns had been joined by her mother Lady Hogarth who was visiting Buckshire Manor on the pretext of seeing her sick brother. Maud finding her brother Malcom being comforted by the doctor the local vicar and bishop of the diocese. All confirming the Earls time was near.

Annabella made her way to the east wing and smiled then smirked entering the room seeing the Countess had prepared herself as instructed.

“Well Connie stand and a curtsy, you have something for me?”

Constance reluctantly stood and curtsied the coarseness of her petticoats and voluminous spread of her gassed cotton bloomers an unfamiliar sensation and handed Annabella the envelope containing her signed confession.

Annabella took the envelope the smeared her hand in the faint traces of dust on the side of the table and held out her fingers. 

“I told Jarvis to make sure this room was cleaned by a maid, a particular maid, and it seems that particular maid as not done such a good job? Well Connie you are dressed for such work, I will take this envelope for safe keeping and return within the hour to inspect your efforts in cleaning this room. I suggest you get to work and polish this furniture after mopping the tiles and don’t forget the windows.”

Constance was beside herself, was it not enough that Annabella had her dressed like she was and having signed the confession for her, was it really necessary to humiliate her like this, having her clean the room? Annabella obviously thought so.

Annabella pointed to cleaning equipment in the corner

“There, Connie, everything you will need, you wanted to see me cleaning and scrubbing for you well, given the situation, it is only fair you should take my place, I will be back in an hour.”

Annabella turned and was out of the door before Constance could say another word.

Constance could only laugh at herself for being in this position for putting herself in this position and as the door behind Annabella closed Constance mocked a curtsy and spoke out loud.

“Yes Miss Annabella, clean the room for you Miss Annabella.”

Annabella stood on the other side of the door chuckled overhearing Constance jokingly speaking in jest. Perhaps it will not be so funny for her when she realises what the future holds for her at Buckshire manor.

Maud was tearful when Annabella found her in the larger of the reception rooms.

“He’s going Emily nothing else can be done for Malcom, days the doctor just told me.”

The two hugged in shared sadness.

Maud pulled away.

“I think we should back off with Constance in view of this, let Malcom pass, get the will read then sort out what we are going to do here at Buckshire manor.”

Emily waved the envelope containing the signed confession from Constance.

“Back off? Well, I have the Countess looking every so domestic in one of her own maid’s uniforms cleaning out one of the disused rooms in the east wing, are you really going to pass on seeing my soon to be maid, at work?”

Maud laughed.

“Oh Emily, sorry what am I saying, it’s even more important than ever now, Annabella, you are developing a wicked streak. Yes of course I would not miss this for the world, Constance will have much to learn before she reaches the standard of her stepdaughter, now Annie, my maid.”

Maud laughed even louder than before.

Perhaps get Constance pregnant as well, by one of the gardeners?

With Emily and her mother having made their way to the east wing, Maud paused by the door of the room Annabella had Constance inside cleaning to compose herself, then smiled at her daughter.

“Alright Annabella in we go.”

The door opening Constance looked up from the floor and with colour draining from her, almost fainted seeing Maud stood with Annabella. Dropping the small brush, she had been sweeping with, Constance was quickly but awkwardly up to her feet.

“What is she doing here Annabella?”

Maud held out the envelope that contained Constance’s confession.

“She, she, you surely mean Lady Hogarth?”

“But for me this poor girl would be the one down on her hands and knees cleaning not you, you wicked woman, how could you wish to see your daughter, well your step daughter, put into service a mere maid and in your own home? And an adulteress, whilst your husband, my brother, is disabled and dying you filled your loins with the pleasures of Lord Edmund. Yes, you harlot, I have read your signed confession and I must say I am disgusted. A Countess, that uniform suits you well, and perhaps that is all you are fit for to hide your shame.”

Annabella interceded feigning concern.

“Auntie Maud please stop, thanks to you I am safe now, and myself becoming a maid for my stepmother is over. Constance and I have an agreement. You were not convinced that Constance was remorseful, when I showed you the confession she had signed, and that is why I wanted you to see her like this, a maid herself, cleaning this old room, a penance of sorts”

Annabella turned to the Countess

“Connie tell Lady Hogarth how sorry you are for what you have done, your adultery and wishing me one of your maids. That when I inherit Buckshire manor there will be no more meetings with Lord Edmund and, for your continued residence at Buckshire manor, you will respect the wishes of its new Mistress.”

Constance was fuming being seen by Maud, dressed as she was, and being talked down to by her, but being called Connie in front of her by her upstart of a stepdaughter brought her suppressed anger to a rage and spoke rapidly just an octave below a scream.

“This is no business of yours Maud, no business at all, so I have had a fling with Lord Edmund and I misread Annabella’s intentions, I understood that she wanted to be a maid, I was helping her that’s all.  Yes, you are correct, but for your interference Annabella would be my maid and these are the clothes she would be wearing not me. Now get out of my house you are an interfering busy body. I am still Mistress here at Buckshire manor and whilst I am you may visit your brother and nothing else now get out.”

Annabella held her composure listening to Constance’s prompted and understandable tirade.

“Connie that’s no way to speak to Lady Hogarth I sense you are not as remorseful as you had me believe. I will leave you to continue your cleaning and I do hope you are a little more contrite when I return.”

Annabella opened the door, and, alongside Maud, they stepped through the doorway into the hall leaving Constance red faced with anger. Constance now realising that her sister in law must be behind Annabella’s change and more forceful personality.

Constance threw the small brush she had been using against the wall and sat heavily into one of the chairs. Constance sat staring into space her fingers toying in her apron now realising what she should have suspected before. Annabella was frivolous bordering on stupid, this was all Maud’s doing, Annabella could never have planned all this. Maud had rescued Annabella from becoming my maid and is now using her like a puppet to manipulate and humiliate me. Well she will not be able to protect Annabella forever, I will go along with their scheme, play their little game, and await my chance, Annabella will pay for this.

 

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