The following week on Tuesday, Daniel does his usual routine, starting in the bedroom and finishing in the lounge, then on the fridge is listed his additional chores which include tackling a large stack of ironing, plus cleaning all the interior windows, frames, and sills. “This might take me ’til about 2 pm Mrs Haverthwaite,” […]

A few days later, Felicity is having a cuppa and a chat with her friend Catherine. Her children, Peter and Emily are at school and Felicity is telling her about her niece and nephew, George and Alice. “He’s a good boy for the most part but he just won’t play nicely with his sister… you […]

St Ursula’s adjoins a small picturesque village called Compton whose railway station and the rural branch line survived Beeching’s Axe in the nineteen-sixties. I cantered through the narrow streets as quickly as I dare in my two-inch heels. One hand held my case and handbag, the other clamped my school beret to the back of […]

“Yes, Mrs Haverthwaite,” Daniel replied. He pushed his feet into the slippers he wears inside the house and began his regular routine; giving her bedroom a quick tidy, dust and vacuum, cleaning the bathroom, dusting the landing, vacuuming the carpet, polishing the brass doorknobs, sweeping the stairs, mopping and drying the hallway and kitchen floor, […]

A week or so later, Felicity is chatting with her sister on the telephone. The conversation is interrupted a couple of times when Penelope has to tell her son to stop doing something, to be quiet, and to stop teasing his sister. “Hey, I was talking to my friend last week… the one who puts […]

Twenty minutes later and the driver announced over the Tannoy that the next stop was Denbury. I quickly checked my makeup before getting my handbag and case ready. The train pulled to a halt and I nervously joined the queue of people waiting to alight. Once on the platform, I checked the time; 10.22 and […]

Daniel returned to the utility room, kicked off the slippers and pulled on his socks, then removed the apron followed by the jet black housekeeper’s dress. He hung it on a hanger and recalled the moment Mrs Haverthwaite suggested he wore it whilst his clothes dried. I seemed horrendous at first but after a while, […]

Penelope perused the pamphlet and found it intriguing, but wasn’t convinced that petticoating would work. For a start, getting George to wear girl’s clothes would be nigh on impossible, and Felicity pointed out that Brian, her husband probably wouldn’t allow it anyway. “I guess it’s easier for Catherine because she’s a single parent.” Felicity supposed. […]

Why are you wearing a dress? Are you a girl now? Do you like wearing dresses? “No… my mum made me wear it.” I muttered. “I hate it.” I sulked as I pushed past them and headed back to the house. “Oh don’t go Peter… please…” they pleaded, but I wasn’t hanging around. I went […]

Eight weeks ago I entered St Ursula’s wearing my own clothes. We all did. Some of us knew what to expect, some of the others clearly didn’t. After taking a mandatory shower, we were presented with a pair of knickers and a training bra, followed by our skirts, blouses, socks and shoes. It was a […]