Previous Chapters: 1&2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
Kevin Buckles Under
Kevin arrived at the front gates of Fairbourne Hall dressed in masculine clothes; he showed his passport to the gatekeeper to prove that he was indeed Kevin St John Peters, and asked if he could meet the owner of the Hall.
The gatekeeper called Frau Bertha on the intercom, who, after consulting with Mistress Rosemary, soon arrived at the gates on foot and escorted Kevin along the long tree lined driveway where he recalled the happy rides on his pony so many years ago.
Kevin was ushered into the drawing room and informed that Mistress Rosemary would join him shortly. “Who was Mistress Rosemary?” he wondered.
Mistress Rosemary entered the room and walked over to Kevin, smiled, and gave him a warm embrace. “Hello Kevin.” she murmured.
Kevin was surprised at being hugged by an unknown elegantly dressed lady in a formal setting.
Who on earth was she?
As they broke free, Mistress Rosemary stepped back and gazed at Kevin – “It’s wonderful to see you again after so long,” she exclaimed, “Welcome home.”
Kevin looked carefully at Mistress Rosemary for a few seconds and slowly the truth began to sink in – it was Dennis!
What a transformation! From a delicate young man to a pretty maid at the courthouse, and now to a refined Lady of the Hall, dressed in fine clothes.
They sat on the Louis XV velvet sofa and chatted, relating their life stories; Nancy served them tea and cucumber sandwiches.
It was now getting late and Kevin, still jetlagged, was tired. Mistress Rosemary noticed his stifled yawns and insisted that he stay. “This is also your home, Kevin. You may stay as long as you wish.”
Nancy was summoned and Kevin was shown to the Blue Room.
He still hadn’t broached the true reason for his visit.
Kevin awoke early, shaved, showered and dressed. Having much experience in these matters, he noticed that the room was a little dusty, so he hunted out Nancy and borrowed some cleaning utensils from her, returning to give his room a thorough cleaning.
He returned the items to Nancy and saw that she was about to take Mistress Rosemary her breakfast in bed as usual. Kevin insisted that he would take it to her.
He tapped on the bedroom door and waited until he heard “Enter.” Mistress was sitting in bed dressed in her black silk pajamas.
“How thoughtful of you Kevin; please set it on the bed. If you’d care to wait outside the room, I’ll let you know when you can retrieve the tray.”
Mistress Rosemary was more than happy to welcome Kevin into the Hall, but he would have to learn that she was Mistress of the Hall, while he was a poor sheep farmer from the outback.
Kevin quickly grasped the new relationship and hoping to receive at least some of the family wealth, accepted the situation and even embraced it.
Days passed and Kevin, wanting to create a good impression with Rosemary, started to help Nancy with the chores – sweeping, mopping, doing the washing up, and taking Mistress her breakfast in bed every morning. He would tap on the door, wait to be allowed to enter, serve Mistress and, without asking, wait outside her room until she’d finished.
One day he even started to call her Mistress Rosemary as a sign of respect.
A few days later Kevin had retrieved Mistress’s breakfast tray when he accidentally fell down the last few stairs of the staircase. Mistress rushed out and helped him up; luckily, he wasn’t seriously hurt but Mistress noticed that tears were welling up in his eyes, then the tears started running down his face in embarrassment, “Please forgive me, Mistress Rosemary; I was so stupid.; it won’t happen again.”
“Oh, don’t be such a silly thing – you’re behaving like a big sissy, Kevin.
From that day on Mistress Rosemary always called him Sissy.
Weeks passed and the new relationship of Mistress and Sissy was cemented. Mistress Rosemary adopting the dominant position with Sissy happily embracing the subservient role. It seemed to fit each one of them like a glove.
It was a symbiotic relationship that fulfilled the needs of both.
Weeks turned into months until one day, Mistress Rosemary summoned Sissy to the drawing room.
“Sissy, I have thought long and hard about your position and have decided to formalize our relationship; I believe you will be happy with what I have decided.”
She outlined what she had in mind and Sissy grinned. “That would be wonderful, Mistress. I really don’t deserve such magnanimous treatment from you. This will change my life and I solemnly vow to comply with the agreement to the letter. Thank you so much, Mistress.”
“Good then, Sissy. I shall instruct my solicitor to draw up a document.”
Piers Higginbottom, Bertha von Liechtenstein, and the Reverend Ashley Bonham Hart were in attendance together with Mistress Rosemary who was seated at her desk. Sissy stood at a respectful distance.
Mr Higginbottom commenced the reading of the document:
“I, Mistress Rosemary, also known as Dennis St John Peters, together with Sissy, also known as…”
“No, that’s no good,” interrupted Mistress; Sissy needs a name.” Everyone agreed.
Mistress thought for a few minutes then spoke out “Sissy, you may select a name from the following: Penelope, Prudence, Chastity, Karen, Comfort, Linda or Charlotte.”
Sissy pondered for a few minutes then decided upon Charlotte. She thought it was a lovely name: Sissy Charlotte. It had a nice ring to it.
“So be it, Sissy Charlotte it shall be.” stated Mistress. Mr Higginbottom, kindly fill in the name of Sissy Charlotte.”
The solicitor was about to fill in the name when Sissy piped up “No, Mistress. May I change my mind? I prefer Sissy Karen.”
“Oh, very well, then.” said Mistress dryly.
The document was filled in and the solicitor continued:
“I, Mistress Rosemary, also known as Dennis St John Peters; and Sissy Karen, also known as Kevin William St John Peters, agree to the following:
- I, Mistress Rosemary of Fairbourne Hall do hereby issue an irrevocable promissory note, payable to Sissy Karen, for the sum of ten million pounds, payable upon my death under natural circumstances.
- I, Sissy Karen do hereby agree to faithfully serve and obey Mistress Rosemary to the best of my ability, and for the rest of my natural life.
- While living at Fairbourne Hall, I, Sissy Karen do solemnly promise never to approach within 100 feet of any of the sheep that are to be found in the grounds of the aforementioned Fairbourne Hall.
Signed and witnessed this day etc. etc.”
Both Mistress Rosemary and Sissy Karen signed the document.
Bertha von Liechtenstein and the Reverend Ashley Bonham Hart signed as witnesses.
Nancy was instructed to bring in a bottle of Moët & Chandon Dom Pérignon and champagne glasses, and everyone raised their glasses and made a toast to “Mistress Rosemary and Sissy Karen!”
After the last person had left, Mistress Rosemary told Sissy Karen brusquely “Follow me.”
Rosemary strode down the dark corridor until she reached the rear entrance to the Hall. She opened the door to the Box Room and stated, “These will be your quarters. You will find your uniform hanging up inside. Goodnight Sissy.”
And with that, Mistress went off bed in the Regency Room.
Rosemary was a firm but fair mistress. Sissy was presented to the other servants as Sissy Karen, and Bertha von Liechtenstein was charged with giving Sissy her daily chores and supervising her performance.
Whenever Mistress Rosemary deemed it necessary, Sissy Karen would be chastised with Tickler 2, but it was Bertha who administered the punishment - always in private. Ten strokes on her bare bottom were usually enough.
A few weeks later Mistress Rosemary instructed Sissy Karen to take a basket and walk into the village to buy a few things…dressed of course in her neat maid’s uniform with starched white apron, white stockings, black Mary Janes and a pretty bonnet. Her blond hair was plaited into two braids which hung down each side of her face.
Mistress had treated her to a small pink Balenciaga handbag, and she used it today for the first time.
Being a small village, word had spread rapidly, and everyone knew about the pretty new maid at Fairbourne Hall called Sissy Karen.
The vicar rode by on his ancient bicycle, waved to Sissy, cheerily greeting her with “Good morning, Sissy! Hope to see you at the Women’s Choral practice at the church on Wednesday night.” and pedaled off.
Sissy bobbed politely and called out that she was looking forward to it.
She then entered the chemist shop to buy some stockings that Mistress needed.
Mr Culpepper had passed away some years ago and the shop was now run by his daughter Gwendoline.
Gwendoline greeted Sissy in a friendly way with “Hello, Sissy, how are you today?”
Sissy curtsied respectfully replying “Thank you Miss Culpepper, I’m very well.” and asked what stockings were in stock for her mistress.
“Oh, I’ve just had some gorgeous, patterned stockings come in.” and she showed her. They were indeed lovely, and Sissy bought them for her mistress.
Sissy needed some nail varnish and selected a bottle of salmon coloured varnish; she knew that Mistress always required her maids to have well-manicured nails with discreet nail varnish.
Sissy paid, bade farewell, curtsied, and left.
Just as she stepped out into the street Karen encountered a good-looking young fellow - Jack, who gave her a winning smile and stopped to talk.
As readers will recall, Jack used to deliver Priscilla’s diapers to the Hall back when she suffered from incontinence, and when Mistress Rosemary was then known as Priscilla and was working as Aunt Agatha’s maid. While on her deathbed Aunt Agatha had released Priscilla from her servitude and bequeathed her Fairbourne Hall and a substantial inheritance, and from then on Priscilla was known as Mistress Rosemary.
Life’s Wheel of Fortune had turned full circle and Kevin, now known as Sissy Karen, was now Mistress Rosemary’s maid.
I trust, dear reader, that you have been paying attention and recall all these twists and turns.
Life moves on and things change constantly, and life in Little Shipton was not exempt from these developments:
Grandpa Rolly had died.
Dennis became Priscilla the maid, and then became Mistress Rosemary.
Aunt Agatha had died.
Mr Culpepper had died.
Kevin the poor sheep farmer had now become Sissy Karen the maid.
Jack had grown from a spotty youth who made extra cash by making deliveries on his bike for the late Mr Culpepper, into a strapping young man with hormones surging through his veins.
“Hello, I haven’t seen you before,” chirped Jack, “What’s pretty lady like you doing here?”
Karen was tongue tied; when she’d happily accepted the position of maid at the Hall, she thought her life would be just cleaning; she’d never dreamed that a young man would ever make a pass at her. She was unprepared for this and blushed deeply.
“I work at the Hall for Mistress Rosemary”, she stammered.
“I thought so when I saw your uniform. A friend told me there was a new maid there”, smoothly adding “but he didn’t tell me that the maid was so pretty. I’m Jack, what’s your name?”
Karen’s heart started beating fast. This young stud is coming on to me fast.
“My name’s Karen, Sir.” She thought it would be polite to call him Sir, and so try to keep a discreet distance between them. But she felt like a deer in the headlights – paralyzed and not knowing how to escape from this unexpected situation.
“Karen – that’s a nice name: delicate and cute, just like you.”
Karen was in a fluster and didn’t know what to do so she just extended her dress in both hands, curtsied, smiled demurely and said, “Thank you, Sir.”
“Oh, don’t call me Sir; we’re friends now – just call me Jack. Karen and Jack – sounds nice, doesn’t it? When do you have any free time, Karen? I’d like to see you again” and then as an afterthought, he ran up his true colours and came right out and said “There’s a dance at the church hall next Saturday; would you like to come with me? It’ll be fun.”
Karen was taken aback and left speechless. She had always kept her slim figure and took great care to protect her face, shoulders and arms from the harsh sunlight back on the sheep farm, so she didn’t look her age at all. She could have easily been taken for a 40-year-old even though she was now 67.
Karen’s mind was in a whirl; she was old enough to be Jack’s mother or even his grandmother!
Jack had dated several local girls but found them to be very immature and lacking in intelligent conversation – it seemed they only wanted to talk about their dreams, where they wanted to travel, getting married and having kids. Despite his youth, Jack was mature for his age and wanted to go to university and then launch out on his own, maybe going to live and work in London, or Paris, or Berlin. He had great dreams of meeting older, elegant women – wining and dining them in top restaurants and then bedding them. He’d lost his virginity several years previously in a brief unsatisfactory encounter in the back of his old car: now he wanted more than anything for an older woman to teach him all the bedroom tricks that she’d learned from past lovers.
“Well, is that a yes then?” queried Jack.
Karen kept dithering nervously. Since breaking up with Irma she’d had no sex at all, but what with the demands of the sheep station, the whirlwind trip to Sydney, travelling down to Fairbourne Hall and then the emotion and hard work at the Hall, she’d had little time for thinking about the opposite sex. But Jack now fitted the description of “the opposite sex” and what harm could come from prancing around doing innocent square dances and line dances under the watchful eye of an English country vicar?
“I’d have to ask permission from Mistress Rosemary.” She ventured non-committally.
“Super! I’ll pop around to the Hall tomorrow and you can let me know if your Mistress gives you permission.”
Karen’s heart was throbbing, but it wasn’t the only part of her that was throbbing.