Story: The Cleaner Returns. Chapters 3-4.

by BigBird74

3.

Home at last! Travelling through the centre of town was never a good idea and late on a Friday afternoon was probably the very worst moment. Dahlia took a deep sigh of relief as her car wended its way up the hillside to her remote outpost atop one of the hills overlooking Barton. Hilltop was an exclusive kind of place. The grey, drab and overcrowded apartment blocks that predominated Barton’s heartlands gradually gave way to ever more greenery and wide expanses of countryside. Dahlia’s magnificent home was perched on the side of cliff face. Far below in the shallow below sat Barton, a slight haze sitting over it, the result mainly of traffic pollution but also natural weather patterns that conspired to keep the bad air down there, while up here, the air was crystal clear.

The house itself was massive and pristine. The whitewashed stone walls kept the building comfortably cool in the summer, while retaining its warmth in the winter. Nothing had been overlooked in the design of this palatial home. Dahlia had taken some credit for the munificence, but in reality her involvement had been as token as picking between one of three pictures displaying an artist’s rendition of how the place could look. Her heels clicked loudly on the solid stone floor as she slinked her way indoors, where her maid, Petra, was waiting for her.

Story: Lady Helen. Chapter 8.

Maria Donner wrote a follow up chapter to Jackie J's classic Lady Helen. Some of you asked about it in the comments section of Maria's debut L2M story so here it is, approved by Jackie J herself.


Lady Helen - by Jackie J

Except for this chapter - by Maria Donner


Chapter eight


Monique and Patricia never met at the big house. To Ellie she was employed in an official office, and as such not a friend of Patricia. Monique was anxious that the former lady Helen should smell a rat and start trouble. At some time Monique told Patricia that Ellie just might become a problem.

"What do you mean? Ellie seems housebroken now."

"That's what she seems, right. But - she's still potential trouble, a sleeping bomb. Imagine that she gets really sore. What could she do?"

"She can't do anything within the law. You, yourself, made sure of that."

"True. We have her over the barrel. But what if she resorted to something illegal?"

"Oh." Patricia had not considered that. "Do you have a suggestion?"

"Not yet. I have an idea, though. And if it turns out beautifully, I'm sure that you would be pleased."

"What's in it for you?"

Story: Amy Campbell.

by Maria Donner


1 After the wedding


Louise and Gerald were now married - with the eager consent of all involved parents.

He was almost a decade her senior, but no-one had commented.

He was in his late twenties, she was twenty-one.

She was the daughter of a baron, and Gerald - as an only child - expected to inherit the title of Earl of Greystock and the mansion. That was in the future, however. His parents were still very much alive.

He got some money from his parents' estate, but their main income was his salary. He worked in a shipping transport company.

The first month they stayed with his parents; the mansion had plenty of rooms. And she had no problems with her parents-in-law. 

During that month they had been looking for something suitable. They had visited several smaller houses open for rent. They had only been tempted once. The only thing standing in the way was that his commuting would be quite long - consequently wearing. 

Then their luck turned. The present house they were looking at was - unfortunately - somewhat small by their standards.

"What do you think, Louise?"

"Hm. As far as your daily trip to London - no problem. The rent is not a problem either. As for help - a cook, a housekeeper, two maids. We should have no problems, if we could get a local cook, that is. We have only three rooms for the staff in the west end of the house."

The real estate agent had heard her remark. "I may know someone. Mrs. Hayden is looking for a suitable job. She's in her fifties and a widow. She lives close to here."