Previous Chapters: 1&2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12,13,
Sissy Karen Blossoms
The 3rd of September was Mistress’s birthday and she decided to invite some friends to dinner at the Hall.
Careful instructions were given to Lucy Harper, the cook, and to Sissy Karen who would be welcoming the guests and serving table.
Mistress thought it would be a nice touch to send Hank in the Bentley to pick up the guests from the village; in that way the guests could partake of alcoholic beverages without running the risk of breaking the law. The Bentley glided up to the Hall, and Hank, dressed in his chauffeur’s uniform, jumped out to open the car for the visitors. They strode up to the entrance and knocked on the old oak door.
Sissy Karen opened the door to Piers Higginbottom, Peregrine Sneed, the Reverend Ashley Bonham Hart and Doctor Bertram Coffin.
She curtsied deeply to each gentleman in turn and wished them a very good evening.
The gentlemen were stunned – Sissy looked magnificent in the most wonderful pink satin dress with many flouncy frilly petticoats that made the dress flare out. It was adorned with a white bodice and edged in lace. The puffy short sleeves had little white bows.
She was wearing nude tights and 2” heeled pumps.
That very afternoon Mistress Rosemary had taken her to the hair salon in the village to have her hair done – she looked gorgeous. Her hair was dyed a lovely warm chestnut colour and it framed her face beautifully.
S is
Peregrine Sneed couldn’t contain himself and remarked “Karen, you look lovely this evening, my dear. That dress shows off your legs nicely. Turn around for us, my dear.”
Sissy blushed and made another curtsy, replying “Thank you, Sir. My mistress bought it for me. I love it.” She turned around slowly while the gentlemen admired the view.
All eyes were on Karen, and as the gentlemen were being ushered into the drawing room, the Reverend Ashley Bonham Hart surreptitiously slipping his hand up under the back of her frills and patting her derriere, said “Karen dear, you must come and visit me at the rectory one evening when you are free.”
Sissy showed them into the drawing room where Mistress Rosemary was waiting in a gown that had belonged to her grandmother, Lady Sarah Warwick.
She looked gorgeous in a splendid flared golden gown in the Marie Antoinette style. She wore a pair of Lady Sarah’s pendent diamond earrings.
The gentlemen were stunned by her great beauty and courteously kissed the back of her outstretched hand.
They were ushered into the drawing room and Doctor Coffin hurried to hold the chair for Rosemary as she sat.
“It’s so kind of you all to come, gentlemen. Please be seated. Sissy, serve the gentlemen a drink.”
The Reverend Ashley Bonham Hart didn’t know who looked better, Sissy or Mistress Rosemary. Perhaps Sissy, he thought to himself.
Sissy served each gentleman a generous splash of Bowmore Darkest 15-year-old whisky from a cut glass decanter, and then in turn, each gentleman stood and presented Mistress Rosemary with her birthday gifts.
Piers Higginbottom had brought a beautifully wrapped bottle of Amouage Honour 43 Exception Extrait perfume.
Peregrine Sneed gave a little box containing a pair of Galanterie de Cartier, diamond and gold earrings.
The Reverend Ashley Bonham Hart presented her with a leather bound, 1807 copy of Captain Cook’s Voyages Around the World. (The flyleaf was stamped with the words “Property of the University of Cambridge, Philosophy Department. Not to be Removed.” but Rosemary graciously chose to ignore it).
Doctor Bertram Coffin presented her with a wonderful Tarkov vase, hand-painted in deep blue and gold.
Polite conversation was made until dinner time, then at Mistress Rosemary’s request they all adjourned to the main dining room precisely at 9 pm where Sissy served dinner:
Piping hot French onion soup with melted cheese and croutons, followed by a steaming steak and kidney pie with roast potatoes, fresh carrots, peas and gravy, and finally a trifle topped with whipped cream. Mistress had chosen a fine bottle of Brunello di Montalcino DOCG to accompany the meal.
“Sissy, give my regards to Lucy and tell her the dinner was excellent.” instructed Mistress Rosemary to the maid.
“Yes, Mistress. At once Madam.”
“Shall we all adjourn to the drawing room, gentlemen,” invited Mistress Rosemary, “I have a little something special for your entertainment.”
The gentlemen were seated in their armchairs nursing their cognacs. Seeing that Sissy had returned from the kitchen, Mistress called Sissy back into the room. “My dear friends, in appreciation of our warm friendship over the years, we have a little recital for you, don’t we, Karen, dear?”
“Yes, Mistress Rosemary.” answered Sissy nervously as she went to stand in the middle of the room. She stood demurely for a few seconds, then curtsied and announced in a shy voice “Little Girls by Karen Barnes.”
“Wonderful! The same pretty name as you.” Piped up Doctor Coffin.
Sissy licked her lips nervously, curtsied once more and began in a sweet effeminate voice:
“Little girls are made of daisies and butterflies and soft kitty cat purrs
And all the precious memories of times that once were.
Little girls are made of angel’s wings and giggles and a firefly’s glow
And all the happy feelings, deep inside, that we all know.
Little girls are made of cinnamon and bubbles and fancy white pearls
And snowflakes and rainbows and ballerina twirls.
Little girls are made of sunshine and cupcakes and fresh morning dew.
And these are the reasons, little one, that everyone loves you.”
She curtsied once more, blushed and smiled.
Everyone clapped heartily – she was so sweet.
“Lovely, lovely, Karen dear.” complimented Piers Higginbottom.
Mistress told the gentlemen that Karen had another short poem to finish with.
Karen was overjoyed that the audience was so pleased with her poems, and she started again:
“Read me a story
Tuck me in tight
Say a sweet prayer
And kiss me goodnight.”
The gentlemen stood in appreciation and applauded even more.
“Come, come, dear,” uttered the vicar, “Come and receive a congratulatory hug.”
Karen moved over to the men, smiling happily as each gentleman gave her a little hug…in fact the vicar held the hug for a little more than the others and even gave her peck on the cheek.
Mistress broke the spell, instructing “Sissy, bring our coffees, then before retiring for the night, please clear the table, wash and dry the dishes, put the crockery away, polish the silverware and vacuum the carpets. I’ll have breakfast at eight sharp.”
When it was time to leave, the gentlemen all walked out to the front door, where each man was delighted to receive a kiss on the cheek from Mistress Rosemary.
Hanging back in the dining room, the vicar, whispered in Sissy’s ear “Remember to come to rectory next week to discuss the choral practice – shall we say Wednesday at 8 pm?”
“Yes, Reverend. Wednesday at 8 pm,” she replied meekly, “I’ll look forward to it.” She curtsied again.
In contrast to Aunt Agatha, Mistress Rosemary was a benign Mistress.
Unlike Priscilla who had to work a punishing one-hundred-hour week, Mistress Rosemary reduced Sissy’s hours to a very liberal 90 hours (6 am to 8 pm, six days a week, plus 6 hours on Sunday) – times were changing, and long hours were now considered unduly harsh.
Mistress Rosemary was also aware that if maids had too much time on their hands, they were wont to lay in bed touching themselves.
Additionally, Mistress took great care to improve Sissy’s culture; she sent Sissy to classes to learn flower arrangement, poetry reading, sewing, dress making, knitting, cooking, crochet and water colour painting, and also enrolled Sissy in the vicar’s Choral Classes for Christian Women at the church.
Mistress informed Sissy that she was going to send her to embroidery classes, but Sissy protested, whining that she had poor motor skills and had little time for additional classes. It was a great affront to Mistress Rosemary but, against her better judgement, she gave in to Sissy’s wishes. However, with the passing of time, Sissy realized that Mistress always knew best, so she commenced the embroidery classes and enjoyed them.
When Christmas came around the vicar organised a nativity play in the church hall where many parents attended. Children and young teenagers were roped in and dressed up as Joseph, dressed in an old bedspread, and the Three Wise Men with their false beards and cardboard crowns. There was a thatched hut with a manger and model animals eating from it.
It was indeed beautiful, but the star player was Sissy Karen who had been elected to play the part of The Virgin Mary. The vicar helped her get dressed in a lovely blue robe and lacy blouse that had been lent by a kind parishioner, a pale blue shawl, and a China doll to represent the baby Jesus. She looked so sweet.
Sissy Karen as The Virgin Mary
Just before Christmas 2030, Mistress Rosemary summoned Sissy Karen to the drawing room.
“Sissy, Mistress was very distressed with your rebelliousness concerning the embroidery classes, however, I am prepared to overlook this matter for the time being, seeing that it’s the season of goodwill to all men…and women.” she added pointedly.
“I’m going to give you a surprise Christmas present,” she said excitedly, “do you want to know what it is?”
“Oh, yes, Mistress!” Sissy squealed with emotion.
“Well, here it is, dear. Happy Christmas, Sissy!” and with that Mistress gave her a little envelope.
Sissy was sure that it was money – maybe it was one pound, or even two; she opened the envelope and pulled out a card:
DanSci School of Dance, training Devon’s dancers. Exeter
Receipt for 52 weeks of Ballet Classes.
Sissy was overwhelmed with emotion. Ballet classes! She’d always wanted to dance ballet. She clapped her hands together in glee.
“That’s wonderful, Mistress. Just what I always dreamed of! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
This was so exciting. Mistress was happy just to see Sissy’s emotional response, so they agreed to go out the very next day and buy her ballet clothes and shoes. Unfortunately, ballet clothes seemed to be difficult to find in Devon, but Mistress found some lovely outfits online and ordered then straight away.
She selected a lovely pure white outfit with fur around the bust cups, embroidered bodice, and a glorious, flared tutu. She also ordered white tights and a pair of beautiful ivory-coloured women’s ballet shoes with satin ribbons that tied up around the ankles. The tutu even came with a pair of delicate wrist coverings in white lace.
Sissy couldn’t sleep that night, thinking of the ballet classes, the beautiful outfit and shoes that Mistress had ordered for her – she was going to look gorgeous!
When the items arrived, Mistress gave them to Sissy who dashed off to try them on, returning to show them off. Mistress agreed that she looked delicate and beautiful – a real young lady.
Mistress took Sissy to her classes five times a week and she soon learned the five basic positions and arm postures:
Mistress was very impressed with how Sissy became so flexible and supple, adopting the various postures and movements with ease. Over the coming months all the ballet teachers marveled how Sissy could pirouette and skip with grace and elegance. Sissy studied choreography and attended recitals. She practiced for many hours and learned pilé, fouetté, chasse, pirouette, pointe, and many other moves – she was a born ballerina.
Sissy had always maintained her slim figure, so the feminine ballet clothes fitted her wonderfully.
It didn’t take many more months before a talent scout from the Royal Ballet School in London noticed Sissy, and she was offered a 100% scholarship.
With much regret Mistress recognized that Sissy was indeed very talented and didn’t wish to stand in her way. She bequeathed Sissy the 10 million pounds immediately and released her from her duties and obligations under the agreement.
The 14th of April 2035
Mistress Rosemary invited Piers Higginbottom, Peregrine Sneed, the Reverend Ashley Bonham Hart and Doctor Bertram Coffin to a wonderful all-paid trip to New York where they were all enthralled to see Sissy Karen play the lead role as Princess Odette in Swan Lake at the David H. Koch Theater.
Sissy looked so beautiful; she glided around and seemed to swim on the lake that was the stage - pirouetting and making graceful moves in unison with the other ballerinas. It was pure magic!
When at last, Princess Odette played the final scene, performing the poignant dying swan, the Reverend Ashley Bonham Hart couldn’t hold back any longer and wept profusely.
When the performance finished there were seven curtain calls, with a thundering standing ovation and shouts of Encore! Encore! Encore!
Sissy was presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers, and she made a deep bow to the audience as the final curtain came down.
Mistress Rosemary was so proud.
Epilogue
THE END