Chapter 318.
ESDS divided their trainees into two streams, junior and senior. The juniors – the likes of Darren and Philip – were selected on the basis of cuteness and willingness. They received a narrow training. Their function would be, principally, to skip around looking pretty, flicking furniture with their little feather dusters, opening doors, taking coats at parties, running simple errands, and so on. They were little decorations, like tinsel on a Christmas tree, intended to do little more than provide a talking point for their mistresses and their friends – talk which often didn’t progress much past “ooh, isn’t he sweet…” or “where did you get him? I want one of those…” They had the gentlest of trainings, were rented out only to the kindest of mistresses, and in general revelled in the pretty outfits and the attention. Some of them enjoyed themselves so much, that as they grew older they wanted to be taught all the appropriate skills, and to progress into the senior stream – which of course they were encouraged to do. The senior had a much more rigorous training, as Tim was discovering, and there was a significant drop-out rate. The tough ones – Teri was a perfect example – took it in their stride, and became valued and sought-after maids. Teri was professional, but was up for pretty much anything, which made him popular with single women and women who craved male company. In between postings he received “extra training” from Nicola, the nature of which no-one cared to enquire into. The seniors often tended to be fairly streetwise, and knew how to make the most of the perks that came with the job.
So Tim was an exception. A senior based on age, but naïve, ruled by an innocent vanity, a desire to be liked, to elicit attention and praise. From his first entry into The Pitt’s Wood ambit, his mentors had made a point of complimenting him on his appearance, his good looks and his smart uniforms, and fostering his personal pride and exploiting his credulity, making him take people’s attraction, surprise, their smiles and laughter, as compliments, and as a cue to show off all the more. Such flattery also served to tighten their grip on him, so that now it would never even occur to him to question their authority, whether Miss Poole’s or the personnel of ESDS.
So perhaps the transfer to Shirley Foster had been the plan all along. For her, he was ideal material. Her methods could not have been more different from those at headquarters. She didn’t issue orders, but taught him by working with him. She’d do a load of washing, checking the garments with him to see if they needed a separate wash or a particular temperature. She showed him how to iron, letting him take over more and more. They cleaned together and chose cleaning materials, they cooked together, took it in turns to wait on each other or on Clara and Maggie, discussed etiquette, practised curtsies. When Tim did something well, he got a cuddle. Once Shirley would took him on her lap and stroked his hair as if her were a little kid. Another time he got hugs from the girls. She taught him trust, and from trust came confidence. After only a few days, he had lost most of his nervousness, he was relaxed, and he was doing his chores with calm efficiency. On Thursday morning, after he had served breakfast and was clearing the table, and Clara had left for school, he turned to Shirley.
“Miss? Do you think I’m ready to have my maid’s uniform back yet?”
Shirley patted his cheek.
“I’ve already sent in an interim report, Mitzy. Miss Sasha says, providing you complete the week satisfactorily and without incident, she’ll let you have it back at the weekend, and you’ll be allowed to stay till Sunday morning.
“Yippee! Er, I mean, Thank you so much, Miss Shirley…”
“Tim – we should call you Tim until you’re officially a maid again - I’m really enjoying having you here. You’re a pleasure to work with. But this afternoon, I have to go to a meeting, so I’m handing you over to Clara and Maggie for obedience training. You know what that is. You follow their instructions willingly and promptly. You mustn’t question or demur, or you will fail this vital element of the course, which means I’ll have to report it, and you’ll be sent straight back to ESDS as you are. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Absolutely, madam,” said Tim, confidently.
“Good. They’ll be back for lunch around twelve, so prepare some sandwiches – you know what they like – and wait on them in the kitchen. When you’ve done the washing up and wiped the table, I’d like you to give their shoes a quick polish. I noticed Clara’s were a bit scruffy when she left this morning. Let me see, anything else… I don’t think so. Okay. I’m going to get ready. You should change as well – put on the outfit Sasha brought. And let me see what you look like with your new shoulder bag and your outside boots. Go on. I’ll be down to check in ten minutes.”
“Yes, miss… Of course…”
When she returned, Shirley threw up her hands in delight.
“My goodness, how smart you look! You’d turn a few heads in the village, and no mistake.”
Tim blushed, and touched his cheeks, which had been burning ever since he’d changed. He wanted to believe she meant that in the best possible way, but he suspected that this outfit, enhanced with accessories Sasha had brought, might possibly attract the wrong sort of attention…
“Surely you’re not shy! From what I’ve heard from Sasha, you love showing off. Aren’t you going to be principal pageboy at a big wedding in a few days?”
“Yes, madam… I’ll have a really cool outfit, too… I’m sorry, I can’t tell you about it…”
“Well, you look pretty cool now, I can tell you.”
“Do I, madam…?” He looked at her doubtfully.
“Yes, you do. Now I have to leave. Have a good day. The girls will have a surprise. They’re going to love your new top. I’ll see you this evening.”
Topic: His Aunt Nicole (Read 131576 times)
