Story: Veronica and Aunt Miranda. Chapter 4.

by Jackie J

Miranda, having indulged her niece to play maid, was initially quite uncomfortable with the arrangement, but seeing her niece demeaning herself like she had, especially after the episode with the indenture, the mocked disdain she had previously shown to try and dissuade her niece had become quite natural. With Lucy having taught Ronnie the etiquette of silver service it was quite entertaining and amusing to have her humbled niece meekly serve table to her guests. With Ronnie’s appearance and developed mannerisms no one was ever considering her to be other than the maid she was. Strangely and increasingly so even Miranda herself was seeing less of her niece in the attentive and naturally subservient maid Ronnie.

Back at Latchwood Lord and Lady Singleton were quite surprised that their daughter had not returned sooner from her extended stay with her aunt in the north. It was mid-September and still with no word from their precious princess or indeed Elizabeth’s sister concerning her return back home. They were becoming increasingly concerned about her welfare.  Over dinner the subject of their daughter was discussed again.

“I am sorry David but if that little minx thinks that by not getting in touch she can stay longer with her aunt she is very much mistaken. Over four months now and only two letters from her  - one when she arrived at Miranda’s and one two months ago. I think we should travel up there ourselves and bring her back.”

Story: Veronica and Aunt Miranda. Chapter 3.

by Jackie J

Forgetting her general fatigue, scuffed knuckles, broken grimy nails, sore knees and the calluses forming on her reddened hands, Veronica had overlooked or indeed perhaps never considered two factors that were having a significant impact on her.  The common Northern dialect spoken by Lucy and Betsy made Ronnie appear stupid at times, not fully understanding the instructions she was being given. Her own accent was mimicked and teased remorselessly, in the main by Lucy, especially the nervous stutter which Ronnie just could not seem to overcome.

During the first three weeks in service Ronnie was berated for her lack of skills but she was a quick learner and never complained once. This impressed Mrs Robinson as the new maid's enthusiasm for her work could not be doubted. Despite the unfamiliar physical hardship and the tormenting and teasing she received Ronnie settled into her routines anxious to prove herself to be a good maid and subtle changes in her character were already becoming evident. 

Miss Veronica Singleton was a confident young lady with perfect diction. Not only was Ronnie more understanding of the Northern tongue, whilst she spoke little, Ronnie was now shortening words, flattening vowels and even using slang words herself. Confident? Hardly. The rigours of maid’s work, offering deference to and being chastised by a mere maid, a cook and a head of household all unfamiliar, she had to accept and adapt  she was in their world and not her own. Ronnie, in stark contrast to Veronica, had become a little nervous and anxious, not wanting to make mistakes and please who she had come to accept to be her betters. The stutter had gone probably around the same time that Betsy had dyed her hair black for her. Ronnie thought that black hair suited her new position better than her natural strawberry blonde. 

Story: Veronica and Aunt Miranda. Chapter 2.

by Jackie J

Veronica was packed and ready and Elizabeth smiled at her daughter who was stood waiting for her carriage to take her on the first part of her journey to the railway station. Elizabeth was still apprehensive about her daughter heading north for the summer but her husband had convinced her that Veronica would most likely be back at Latchwood within the month rather than staying for the full summer. How little they knew!

Veronica had made the journey from Wiltshire to the north of England a number of times. It was tedious and she hated it when the open fields gave way to the grim industrialisation that sprawled from the tracks of the major towns that the locomotive passed through.

The train pulled into the steam-filled station that marked the end of Veronica’s train journey. Amid the hustle and bustle of activity on the platform Veronica spied her smiling aunt just beyond the ticket inspection barrier. 

The two embraced by the rail and a giddy Veronica giggled.

Story: Veronica and Aunt Miranda. Chapter 1.

by Jackie J

“Veronica? Veronica, what are you looking at?”

“Nothing. Nothing, sorry. Was I staring? Pass me the sauce please, Miranda.”

Miranda chuckled passing the sauce boat. 

“Nothing? You have been watching Jane all evening. It’s the same whenever you come to stay with me. I meant to ask you about it the last time you were here at Lowercroft. Does she fascinate you, Veronica? What could keep you engrossed about a maid going about her work? I fail to understand."

Following their meal and sat in the parlour having drinks Miranda watched Veronica’s eyes dart to the doorway when Jane entered with her tray and a soft smile grow across Veronica’s face watching Miranda’s maid curtsy.

“Clean glasses for you, Miss.”

Jane left the room and Miranda stared across at her niece watching the maid leave.

Promising lady-to-maid idea in a 1923 book

A book by turn-of-the-century British humorist E.V. Lucas, Advisory Ben (1923),  features an interesting lady-to-maid subplot about a rich girl who seeks work as a parlourmaid so that she could learn good manners and pick up tips from a "good family" that would employ her. The novel is about a fictional servant employment agency "The Beck and Call" and this is just one short episode that, as far as I am concerned, could have been an entire book, but well.... Here it is:


Mrs. Hill-Owen (she told me) had not been gone more than a few minutes when a Rolls Royce purred up to the door of “The Book- lover’s Rest,” and a richly dressed young woman emerged and made her way upwards to “The Beck and Call.”

Ben, chancing to be in the front office, received her in person, and asked her requirements.

“I want,” said the girl, “an engagement as parlour-maid.”

“You want?” Ben exclaimed. “But for someone else, of course.”

“Oh, no,” said the girl. “For myself. I want to go into service.”

“Come inside,” said Ben.

“I must get this clear. You want,” she said, when they were seated, “a situation as a parlour-maid?”

Story: Maid Jenny and Her Mistress. Chapter 8 and Epilogue.

by Jackie J

Marianne had been quite uncomfortable with Jenny’s cavalier attitude to Sister Agnes taking Lucy from Long Lawns to her convent. She should have also taken note of the warning bells rung loud and clear by her pupil. Jenny had been quite assertive. In fact, very assertive in dismissing Marianne’s concerns and reservations, preaching back to Marianne the implicit demarcation protocol regarding Lucinda Lancaster that Marianne herself had reminded Jenny of many times. Lucinda Lancaster, the Mistress of Long Lawns, was away, travelling overseas; it was her maid Lucy who had been taken to St. Catherine’s convent by Sister Agnes. Warning bells yes, not necessarily from what was said but how it was said. Marianne had become passive and lost control of the matter, allowing Jenny to adopt such a dominant role. How could Marianne had missed this subtle yet telling dynamic in Jenny?

Having articulately and assertively quashed and silenced Marianne’s reservations of being protective of her friend, Jenny had been the one who closed the conversation. She continued to take the lead by opening the parlour door suggesting that they should work with the flowers study. Following Marianne towards the library, Jenny smirked at her first manipulation of her tutor. It felt good, empowering. Jenny’s scheming to retain her privileges at Long Lawns well advanced in its gestation.

Marianne was impressed by Jenny’s sketches and how quickly she became familiar with the common native species of plants and shrubs. Jenny had even delved into plants familiar in areas of Africa! 

It has been four days since the Long Lawns maid had left with Sister Agnes for St. Catherine’s convent. Marianne made some sandwiches at the request of Jenny and sat on the veranda. Jenny smiled then laughed.

Downton Abbey Ladies Switch With Maids

Harper's Bazaar strikes with a lady-to-maid photo shoot with Downton Abbey cast.  The show itself did play a little bit with the lady disguised as a maid trope so no wonder. 

At a stuccoed country house location in the middle of West London, the world of Downton Abbey is being turned upside down. “Oh, I could get used to this,” says Sophie McShera, a.k.a. kitchen maid turned cook Daisy Mason, as she lounges on a velvet sofa in pink organza Dolce & Gabbana, while a toned-down Elizabeth McGovern, a.k.a. Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham, serves tea. “I’m usually carrying trays and wearing a gray sack!”

Next door, in another ornately appointed room, Michelle Dockery, a.k.a. Lady Mary Crawley, has stepped into the shoes of her trusted lady’s maid, Anna Bates, while Joanne Froggatt, the actress who plays her, ponders which designer shoes to wear. “After so many years of playing Lady Mary, it was fun to switch roles and play a maid for Bazaar,” says Dockery. “Anna waited on Lady Mary so faithfully over the years—dressing her, mending her clothes, and brushing her hair. It was nice to be able to wait on Jo for a change.”

Sadly it's a bit bland and the maids are dressed in designer dresses and there is little of it. Could have been a lot more fun if they went further with the idea - there are so many options! I know I would have had a blast if it was me doing the photoshoot. Still worth a look, our imagination will do the rest.

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