She had said that dinner would be served at six-thirty prompt, in the dining room but until then I was free to do as I pleased. I could rest or use the time to explore the house and grounds.
She 'advised' most strongly, however, not to venture into the main part of the house. The soldiers there were very seriously wounded and she did not think it appropriate for me to be wandering about and getting in the way of the medical staff without any instruction.
I understood this and promised her I would keep away from the house.
I was exhausted from my journey by now and decided that the best thing would be to retire to my room, Melissa had already informed me that my trunk had been placed there, and sort out my possessions, such as they were, maybe snatch a couple of hours rest.
So, once I had finished my afternoon tea, I climbed the stairs and walked the long landing to my room.
Melissa was right, the trunk had been placed at the end of my bed but I didn't go to it. The bed itself looked so inviting I decided to lay upon it for a while and just relax, allow my food to digest for a while.
It was indeed as soft and comfortable as it appeared. Climbing onto it I lay back on top of the covers and closed my eyes. I felt as though I was sinking into it.
What seemed like minutes later I heard a voice.
“Yes, she is young, and very pretty, as I told you.”
Melissa? I opened my eyes to see Melissa and a much younger servant standing beside my bed.
“Is something wrong?” I asked but either they could not hear me or were totally ignoring me.
“Do you think she would?” the younger one asked.
“Maggie, you do have a short memory!” Melissa said, sharply. “She is a virgin and also a very naive and prudish young woman. We will have to be careful and steer her around to getting used to our ways.”
“What do you mean, your ways?” I all but shouted.
They both looked down at me and I lay still. It was as though I wasn't there and yet they were looking at me and talking about me.
Suddenly, I felt that strange feeling building inside me again, like when I was in the bath. I felt warm deep inside and my heart had begun to beat more strongly. I felt as though I were afraid, and yet... no, that wasn't it. It wasn't fear.
So what then? What was this odd feeling?
The young maid, Maggie, sat on the edge of the bed alongside my feet and gently touched my ankle. Moving slowly up my shin and beneath my skirt, she looked up at Melissa.
“Her skin is very soft, Mel. Beautiful legs.”
I didn't move a muscle but I was tense and felt incredibly shaky inside, as if every part of my body was electrically charged.
Maggie's hands were soft against my flesh and I was surprised that a housemaid would have such soft hands but when she reached my knee I was kind of paralysed. I could have moved, stopped her, and yet my inner self was holding me down, wanting to experience this, wanting to see what would happen.
Her hand moved slowly up my inner thigh, beneath my petticoat. I was shaking uncontrollably now, my muscles so tense they were vibrating and I gasped as her fingertips came into contact with my most private place.
I had never been touched in this way before and the sensations were out of this world.
I felt hot and my heart felt as though it would stop. The muscles between my legs were in spasm and my breathing was almost impossible.
As the young maid's fingers stroked gently up and down the soft satin fabric of my knickers, pressing it gently into the folds, Melissa sat on the mattress the other side.
She bent towards me and her lips hovered briefly above my own. I closed my eyes, waiting for the contact. her breath upon my lips, fresh and warm, her scent was intoxicating.
I heard a sound, like a low moaning. What on earth was it? Then I realised, it was coming from my throat, I could feel the vibration at the base of my neck and it was getting louder, rising in intensity, in sympathy with the cramping of my muscles inside and the beating of my heart.
Then, suddenly...
Knock! knock!
"Miss Victoria!"
I sat bolt upright and looked about me. I was alone!
"Miss Victoria!" the voice called again, this time with some urgency.
"One moment, please," I called back, a little shakily.
As I gathered my senses I realized my dress had been pulled up and my knickers were exposed and there was a small wet patch on them.
I understood, then, that I must have been dreaming, a dream the like of which I had never experienced before but, what was worse, I seemed to have passed water and wet myself.
I quickly covered myself and, swallowing, called out:
"Come in!"
The door opened swiftly and Melissa entered the room.
I frowned.
"Melissa. is something wrong?"
"Miss Victoria, Lady Helen sent me to find out where you were. She said she would overlook it this once, but that I should remind you of the importance of good manners."
"Good manners?" I queried, "Why Melissa, what have I done?"
"Dinner, Miss."
I looked at the small timepiece on my left wrist and gasped. It read ten minutes to Seven!
"Oh my Lord!" I exclaimed, "I slept so long!"
"So it would seem, Miss," she replied, "Would you care to freshen up before you come down? You must hurry of course."
"Yes, yes I would," I stammered, remembering the patch of fluid between my legs.
Melissa walked quickly towards the bathroom and I stopped her.
"I will see to it, Melissa, please?" I said, almost apologetic. I couldn't let her know I had disgraced myself as I slept.
"As you wish, Miss Victoria." she replied with more than a hint of resignation in her voice, "I will find you a suitable dress."
I walked quickly, almost ran into the bathroom and removed my knickers once the door was closed.
That was strange, the wet patch was sticky. It didn't feel or smell like urine... then what...?
I didn't have time to ponder the conundrum so I quickly cleaned the patch and wiped myself with my cloth, reasoning that clean water would soon dry and there would be no aroma.
I stepped back into them and pulled them up then returned to my bed chamber where Melissa helped me to change into a deep blue velvet dress which fastened at the back then, very quickly, gave my hair a brush.
"Do I look presentable Melissa?" I asked.
"Oh yes, Miss Victoria. Very presentable."
I followed the housekeeper along the landing and down the stairs to the dining room I had been in earlier.
Opening the door and stepping inside, Melissa addressed the assembled dinner guests.
"Miss Victoria Harcourt," she announced.
I blushed deep red with embarrassment as she stepped back to allow me to enter the room. Each place at the large table was occupied, bar one, my own, at the head of the table the opposite end to Aunt Helen!
There were eight guests in total, four either side of the table. Four men and four women. Two of the men were clearly army officers and two of the women were nursing yeomanry.
The other four guests appeared to be couples.
"I... I'm so sorry to keep you all waiting." I stammered, remembering the words of my former headmistress about what I had learned at the school, "I am afraid I fell asleep."
The four men had risen to their feet as I entered and so not to keep them waiting I went straight to the vacant chair at the end of the table where one of the housemaids pushed in my chair as I sat.
I was a little surprised that there were no male servants, but I reasoned they had all gone to fight in the trenches.
Lady Helen did not look at all pleased and spoke quietly with Melissa and then smiled.
"I can see that I shall have to provide young Victoria with an alarm clock!" she said for the benefit of her guests.
A small ripple of laughter followed the comment and my face must have glowed crimson red.
“ No, I am sorry, Victoria, I should not embarrass you so.” Lady Helen smiled benignly before addressing her guests, “I am afraid young Victoria has had a bit of a rough time lately. Her parents went down with the Lusitania on the Seventh and she has just arrived here after a long overnight journey from her boarding school in the highlands.”
The guests nodded sympathetically and muttered small sounds of understanding.
“Now, Victoria,” she continued, “Allow me to introduce you to my guests.”
She indicated the elderly, grey haired officer immediately to her left.
“This is Major-General Sir Michael Pilkington-Smythe. He is Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Army Medical Corps.”
Sir Michael stood and bowed.
“Charmed, Miss Harcourt. Lady Helen said you were pretty but she understated the fact.”
“Thank you, Sir Michael,” I replied with a smile, thinking 'you old charmer!'
Turning, then, to the mature lady to her right in the grey and white uniform of the nursing yeomanry, whom I guessed to be in her early to mid sixties.
Major Elizabeth Middleton. She is head of the nursing staff here.”
“Hello, Victoria. I am sorry we couldn't meet in more pleasant circumstances but welcome.”
“Thank you, Major.” I tried to remember whether this was the correct way to address her but, in all honesty, I had no idea about military etiquette whatsoever.
Next was a youngish officer, around thirty perhaps. He was introduced as Captain Simon Philpott, Officer-in-Charge of Administration and discipline.
“Good evening, Sir,” I said and he looked at me with the most charming smile.
“Simon, please, Miss Harcourt. You are not one of my men after all.”
I smiled back. “Simon,” I replied, noticing for the first time, his twinkling blue eyes and thin black moustache.
The final uniform was Sister Philomena Watson. She was a Red Cross nurse who was the Staff nurse in charge of the day to day medical care.
I was a little surprised that Sister Watson seemed so young for such a responsible position. She appeared much younger than Captain Philpott but surely she couldn't be... could she?
“ Good Evening, Sister.” I politely replied to her greeting, noticing that her eyes sparkled in the electric light which complemented the fading light coming through the high windows in the wall opposite her.
Lady Helen then indicated the smartly dressed gentleman and the pretty, middle aged lady beside him.
“ Doctor-Surgeon William Harris and his wife Christine,” she smiled.
The surgeon smiled warmly.
“Pleased to meet you, Miss Harcourt.” he said, standing. “Lady Helen told us earlier that you will be residing with her for the foreseeable future.”
“That is correct, Doctor. I really do not know how long that will be.”
“Well, I am sure we will see much more of each other. I am also lady Helen's Doctor and, I would imagine therefore, yours also.”
“I would hope that I will not have need of your professional services, Doctor Harris, but I am pleased to make your acquaintance nevertheless.” I answered politely but something about him made me uneasy. I felt that there was something untoward about him.
His wife smiled slightly and I felt she was forcing it for the sake of etiquette but her deep brown eyes did not smile. They seemed wary, as if she distrusted me, although for what reason I could not imagine.