Stowaway

[DaraJaney]

Joe was fed up with life in Victorian Liverpool.  Although just a young teenager he was working on the docks.  With the British strict class system his prospects of ever getting anything better were slim.

He often heard that life was much better in the United States.  People from poor backgrounds could lift themselves up there.  But there was no way he could afford a ticket on the sailing ships that took people to America.  He had a plan though.

Somedays he got work on the small boats, bring supplies out to the sailing ships.  He decided he could stowaway.  He knew the risks were great.  He’d heard of stowaways being found and simply being thrown into the sea – lucky to be thrown a plank of wood to cling to.

He got an opportunity one day to sneak below decks and find a cupboard to hide in.  It was full of rope and paint tins and he could see out through the slats in the door.

He observed as a lady was shown to her cabin on that corridor and had her cases moved in by a porter.  He noticed some baskets of food being brought in too.

The ship set sail and shortly after leaving the docks the lady left the room presumably to take some fresh sea air.  He carefully sneaked into her room and looked around for the food.  He was hoping to build up a stash.  He was rummaging in one basket when the door opened.

He looked up and saw the lady there.  She jumped with the fright but quickly closed the door behind him.  “Are you a stowaway?” she asked.  She seemed a little excited by the thought.  Joe considered denying it but why else would he be looking for food in her cabin.  He thought it was better than being considered a pure thief.  He nodded and must have had a look of panic in his eyes.

“It’s ok.  I won’t report you if I don’t have to”, she told him.  He relaxed a bit but wasn’t sure what she meant.  She appeared to have an idea.  She smiled at him.  “Of course if you are found out, they will throw you overboard.  Are you a good swimmer?”  She could tell from the look on his face that being thrown overboard was not going to go well for him.

“Well, if you do as I say, then there would be no need to tell them.  You could sail all the way to New York and not be found out.”  He was intrigued.

“My daughter was supposed to travel with me but she got sick yesterday and can’t travel.  My sister is looking after her and will send her on as soon as she recovers.”  Joe was puzzled.  What did this have to do with him?

“I have got one trunk of her clothes with me though and a spare bed in this cabin”, she told him, tapping the trunk in the corner of the cabin.  Joe still had no idea what she was getting at.  “I could disguise you in her clothes and you wouldn’t get caught.”

Joe stared at her wide-eyed.  Dress as a girl?  There was no way he was doing that!  “Thanks Lady but I don’t think so”, he sniggered.  Her face turned pompous.  “Well I shall have to turn you in then.”  Joe held up his hand “no please don’t”.  Being thrown overboard would be the death of him.

She smiled.  “Well then, you know what you have to do.”  She opened the trunk and Joe looked down at the pretty dresses folded neatly inside.  He winced.

She took out a blue dress with white lace trimmings and held it up in front of him.  “This should fit nicely.”  Joe sighed heavily.  “Or I can turn you in”, she said heading for the door.  “No! Please don’t”

He had no choice but to do as she said.  He removed his shirt.  “You’d better wash first” she told him gesturing towards a basin and jug.  She made him strip down to his underpants and then wash.  She gave him a towel and helped him dry.

Then she threw the blue dress over his head and pushed his arms into the sleeves.  Joe couldn’t believe he was in this predicament as she buttoned up his dress at the back.  It wasn’t what he had envisaged as a stowaway.  He had seen himself cleverly concealing himself during the days on the voyage and nipping out at night to find food.

She reached down into the trunk.  She pulled out a pile of white cloth.  When she flapped it all out it turned out to be three layers of petticoats.

Joe gave her a pleading look but she arranged the petticoats under his dress and tied the sash at his back.  Then she produced a pair of long bloomers with rows of lace above the ankles.  Joe squirmed on seeing it but could do nothing to protest.

He looked in the mirror and saw how his skirts and petticoats came to just below the knee showing off the rows of lace on his bloomers.  He wanted to cry.

She slipped boots onto his feet.  They had a slightly higher heel than he was used to.  Then she took a large bonnet from the trunk and placed it on his head tying the ribbon under his chin in a big bow.  “There!”

She turned him to the mirror again.  He winced at how convincing he looked as a girl with his boyish hair hidden by the bonnet.  There was no way he was dressing like this!  He turned around determined to confront her to see her gather up his boy’s clothes into a neat bundle.  She went to the side of the cabin.  He assumed she was going to put them in a drawer but she reached for the handle on the porthole.  “No!” he pleaded and tried to run towards her but his heavy petticoats and heels slowed him down.  She threw his clothes out the port hole into the sea!

His jaw fell open as he realized that his clothes were gone.  He looked at his reflection in the mirror.  This pretty dress over layers of petticoats and his lacey bloomers and bonnet were the only clothes he had now!  He tried to remember how long the voyage was due to last.  Eight weeks in good weather somebody said.  He squirmed and clutched his skirts nervously.

[sissykimmy1]

This is yet another super unique take on this kind of scenario from Dara Janey and I can't wait to see where it goes. :)  You and the other active authors right now are making Betty's a very exciting place to refresh each day.  Thanks!

[Sylphie]

Be still my heart,another. Kisses and hugs sweetie.

[DaraJaney]

“So you are now my niece, Emily Fairweather.  You will curtsey when anyone addresses you.”  Joe gave her a puzzled look.  She demonstrated.  He clutched his petticoats and tried to imitate it, almost falling over.  She tutted and made him practice in front of the mirror for twenty minutes or so before she was satisfied.  When he raised his petticoats, even more layers of lace on his bloomers were exposed to view.

“Let us get some fresh air now”, she told him.  He froze.  He was going to have to go out in public dressed like this!  “Please no!  Can’t I stay in the cabin?”  “Nonsense, you can’t stay in the cabin for the whole journey.  She gave him a pair of white gloves with lace around the cuffs.  “Come along now!”

He had one despairing look in the mirror when she opened the door and cringed as he had to walk towards it.  His wide petticoats caught in the door and he had to pull them through. His new aunt led him down the corridor to the stairs.

He stopped at the bottom of the stairs unable to see the steps due to his petticoats.  She ascended without much difficulty.  Joe clutched the hand rail and stepped forward trying to judge where the first step would be.  He fumbled his way up a few steps before missing one.

Clutching the hand rail he heard footsteps below.  He looked down and one of the crew men was at the foot of the stairs looking up.  Joe winced as he realized the view the man must have up his petticoats.

He scrambled up the last few steps quickly to get away from the crew man but arrived out in the middle of the dozens of people on deck.  This was it.  He was out in public in his blue lacey dress and layers of petticoats.  He could feel the sea breeze flutter the lace on his bloomers.  He had to put a hand on his bonnet to stop it blowing back off his head.  If it did his boyish hair would probably be obvious to everyone and he would be exposed.

He hadn’t much fancied being thrown overboard in his trousers but if he was jettisoned in all these petticoats he would sink to the bottom like a rock!

A lady came towards them and smiled at his aunt first.  “Good day!  And who is this pretty girl?”  Joe cringed.  “This is my niece Miss Emily Fairweather”, she replied smiling at Joe.  He gathered his skirts and curtsied.  “Oh how darling!  That is a very pretty dress.”  Joe was in despair.  Mrs Fairweather nudged him.  “Thank you”, he muttered in as girlish a voice as possible and he curtsied again.  His aunt smiled so he was relieved that he must have got that curtsey right.

They moved on to his temporary relief.  The captain was the next one strolling along.  “Mrs Fairweather!” he greeted her.  “I thought your daughter was unable to join us.”  “Captain!  My niece, Miss Emily, was able to travel with me instead.”  Joe sighed inwardly and then curtsied.  “What a pretty little girl!”  Joe saw him take in his exposed frilly bloomers with a smirk.

They walked on until they came across an open deck.  There were children playing there.  Joe noted that all of the girls were wearing much plainer dresses than he was and no bonnets.  When they looked up they stared at his frilly dress.  They inevitably looked down at his frilly bloomers and smirked.  His bonnet was clearly just as amusing.  He tried to ignore the looks and concentrated on holding his petticoats down in the wind that whipped across the deck.

One of the mothers engaged Joe’s ‘aunt’ in conversation.  Once again he had to endure remarks about his pretty dress and curtsey quaintly while trying to smile.  Mrs Fairweather addressed him “Emily”.  He didn’t react.  “Emily!”  He suddenly remembered that that was him!  “Yes aunt”, he squeaked, curtseying.  “Would you like to play with little Beatrice here?”  Joe looked at the little girl playing with her dolls.  She looked up and smiled sweetly.

It was about the last thing Joe wanted to do but he smiled and curtsied and went over to the little girl with her dolls.  He knelt on the deck being careful to settle his petticoats.

Beatrice handed him a doll.  “This is Betty.”  Joe tried to smile.  He had no choice but to take the doll.  He had no idea what to do with it.  He tried to recall what he had seen stupid girls doing with their dolls.  “Would you like to brush her hair?” Beatrice suggested, proffering a toy brush.  Joe accepted it gratefully and held his doll up and started brushing her hair.

He heard tittering behind.  Because of his bonnet he had to turn his head right around to see the women behind him.  His aunt was particularly pleased to see him clutching the doll and playing like a little girl.  “Shall we go and get some tea?” his aunt suggested to the other lady.  “The girls will be fine there playing on their own.”  “Yes indeed.  Beatrice could play with her dolls for hours!”  They walked off leaving Joe desperately wondering how he could convincingly play with dolls for hours if need be.

When they returned about an hour later the children were having a tea party with the dolls.  Joe couldn’t see them approach because of his bonnet and was daintily holding a cup to his doll’s mouth.  “Oh isn’t that sweet”, his aunt commented.  He turned and looked up and his face went bright red within the frilly lace of his bonnet.  His aunt was delighted.

He gave her several looks pleading to be freed from the mortifying doll’s play but she had no intention of going anywhere and settled down in a deckchair to enjoy his embarrassment.

Beatrice put Joe through his paces.  He had to dress a doll and brush its hair.  His aunt looked on delighted that he was being forced to act like a girl and she had no intention of releasing him from his predicament.

Joe sat there feeling mortified but unable to show it as he had to pretend that he was enjoying playing with these dumb dolls.  He wondered why on earth he had decided to stow away.  He could be back home now jumping into the canal and swimming with his friends.  Instead he was playing with dolls and wearing a frilly dress with petticoats, lacey bloomers and bonnet and steaming across the Atlantic, stuck on this ship for weeks with only pretty dresses and frillies to wear.

[sissy servant 737-820-633]

Even though I too am a sissy, I can not get the hang of playing with dolls and bored after only a few minutes.

[krystalasbaby2017]

me too even as a sissy dolls r not my thing.  although if Mistress says i must then i do.  However, being in Joe's position would keep the young lad on his toes to make sure he is not caught.
Looking forward to more when you have the free time to continue.  I love your stories.

[DaraJaney]

It seemed like an age before Joe’s ‘aunt’ finally stood up and allowed him to get away from the sissy girl and her dolls.  He was so relieved to get back to their cabin and out of the mortifying public gaze.

Later on his aunt popped out for a breath of fresh air before nightfall and came back quite excited.  “Wonderful news!  I’ve just met a lady who is a governess and I’ve engaged her to give you lessons for the rest of the journey.  She can teach you to be a proper girl so you won’t be found out!”  Joe sank further into his chair in despair.

The next day she dressed him in a flouncy yellow dress, similarly resting on layers of petticoats with matching bloomers peeking below his skirts and an even larger bonnet which did not restrict his view so much but had many more layers of lace trim.  There was a knock on the door.

“That will be Miss Hardbuckle.”  His aunt opened the door and Joe froze as the stern looking women walked in wearing a grey dress.  She held eyeglasses up to her eyes and studied Joe in his yellow dress.  Joe tried to do his best curtsey but was terrified under the woman’s stern gaze and wobbled a little.

“Yes well, I’m sure we can improve on that curtsey with plenty of practice.”  Joe looked at the floor nervously, resting his hands on his petticoats.  “Very well.  Let us start with some sewing lessons!”  “Excellent”, his aunt was pleased.  “I will leave you to it then.  I will return at lunch time.”

Joe winced.  Four hours under the tuition of this stern woman!  “Now sit down child”, she ordered.  He sat clumsily in his seat with his petticoats ballooning up around him.  “Good heavens!  I think we will need a few hours of deportment practice first.  Stand up!”  Joe stood quickly and tried to smooth down his petticoats.  His aunt smiled and left him in the capable hands of his new governess.

By mid afternoon after two hours of deportment training and another two hours attempting to learn sewing Joe sat disconsolately contemplating several weeks under Miss Hardbuckle’s tuition.

He was now under the constant watch of his governess who was diligent to a fault.  So everywhere he went he had to maintain the deportment of a well tutored girl or risk her wrath.  After a week of this he was drilled into flouncing daintily in his petticoats, curtseying to anyone he met and lowering his eyes demurely on encountering any males, hiding behind the frills of his bonnet.

The boys on board were the bane of his life.  They constantly lingered behind him whenever he went up stairs or steps sniggering as they glimpsed more layers of lace on his bloomers.  He tried to control his petticoats but the sea breeze frequently got the better of him and the wide spread of his skirts were practically designed to catch as much wind as possible.  With one hand required to hold his bonnet in place that left only one to hold his dress down and the boys were regularly given more thrills.

He was made to wash twice a day and got into big trouble if he got a mark on his clothes or hands.  He came to dread going near the boys on board who were dirty little rotters by comparison.  The boys realized this and teased Emily terribly.  Jumping out when least expected and laughing as Joe yelped and scampered off clutching his petticoats, determined to keep his dress spotless.

His governess made him practice his sewing by getting him to add more frills and bows to his already elaborately decorated dresses, bonnets and bloomers.  And when he wasn’t under her instruction he had to play dolls and skipping with the real girls onboard.  It was clear that the more plainly dressed girls found his frilly dresses and bloomers just as amusing as the boys did.  They seemed to have an inordinate fondness for getting him to play with his skipping rope endlessly, presumably amused by the flouncing of his petticoats and frills on his bloomers.

He couldn’t wait until the journey was over and he would be free to discard his dresses and get back into trousers and have an adventure roaming the streets of New York.

Despite a strong wind he insisted on going up on deck as soon as land was sighted.  He held his bonnet and petticoats as tightly as he could and smiled at the imminent end to his ordeal.

When the ship came by the dockside, Joe watched from the deck.  His aunt had made him change into his best pink dress, bonnet and matching bloomers, adorned with lots of extra bows he had sewn on just the day before.  There were lots of street boys rushing towards the mooring place.  He smiled as he watched them run and jostle each other.  Soon he would be able to jettison these mortifying frilly clothes and run with the boys.