My make-up was cleaned off after which I was stripped and bathed again, rubbed down with sweet smelling lotions and re-dressed, the only words spoken were for me to turn this way or that, hands up or hands down etc,By 5.30 I was dressed with only jewellry left to be added and that didn`t take long to add.

Ms Rose entered and once more we went through this afternoons lesson on table ettiquete, five minutes before it was time to dine she declared I was ready to eat with with civilised people and wouldn`t shame her or myself.

I was taken downstairs and shown into a small sitting room to await the arrival of Lady Margaret, While I was waiting I looked at some of portraits on the walls and some of them looked familiar to me. Lady Margaret or should I say Aunt Margaret arrived and we went into dinner, it was held in a small private dining room and the round table was set for 5 people.

There were three more people in the room and I was introduced to them,Mr & Mrs Duncan who were Estate Manager and Housekeeper and Mr Jamieson the Butler, these were three most important personages in Aunt Margaret's Household.

As luck would have it dinner was simple affair tonight as I didn`t think I could manage the array of cutlery of a formal dinner as yet, It was soup course, main course and sweet course, of course there was the cheese board and coffee afterwards.

The meal went well and in relative silence, except for the maids that were serving us I hadn`t many of the staff and had been told that around 150 staff were in employment around the house and estate.

After dinner we retired to a sitting room were the conversation started, it seemed that everyone had been told my history and what was happening to me, Mr Duncan said that I would be taken taken to the stable measured for a saddle and introduced to my pony and he would be teaching me to ride once I had a riding habit. Mrs Duncan told that she was responsible for the household accounts and employing staff while Mr Jamieson was head of the house staff.

All three of them assured me that I would be treated well by staff either in the house or round the estate, we chatted for another hour before they departed and I was left with Aunt Margaret. She asked how I was feeling and I told her I was still confused about everything, my head was still a bit sore and she told me that things would become clear over the next few days. At 10pm May was sent for and I was taken to my room ,undressed and put to bed.

I awoke the next morning and looking at clock saw it was half past ten, I started to panic I didn`t want to upset Ms Rose on my first day but Julia entered and told me not to worry I had two weeks before my schooling started and Her Ladyship had given instructions I was to be left to wake in my own time.

I got out of bed and was again bathed and dressed again I was wearing a corset, after which breakfast was brought to room. Once I had eaten I was led down stairs and was met by Mr Jamieson who winked and smiled me. Lady Margaret and her guest are expecting you Miss Lillian and proceeded to open the door of the sitting room and announcing me.

I entered the room and Aunt Margaret introduced me to her guest Dr Fleming, he was there to examine my head injury and told us that everything looked fine. I was dismissed and found Mr Duncan waiting for me in the hall, once more a wink and smile at me and I was asked if I was ready for my visit to the stables and off we went.

The stables weren`t far away only a few hundred yards a nice walk, I was told to call him Alistair and I said how about Uncle Alistair, he smiled and said that would be appropriate. We went to the stables and there on some type frame were several saddles, he asked if I had ever been on a horse before and I told him no I hadn`t.

He explained the saddles to be and told me they were for riding side saddle, Lady Margaret didn`t believe Ladies should ride astride he told me. we tried the various saddles and found one that I fitted into well and started to give me instructions about it`s care and maintainance. I found Uncle Alsitair to be funny and liked him, he also introduced the staff that worked in the stables including a a few children that were roughly my age.

I was taken to a row of what he called boxes and a pony was brought out, I was told it was called Elfin Lady but it had another name that was a mile long on it`s pedigree papers. As I wasn`t dressed for working with horses he took me back outside and lifted me into a carriage and told me he was taking me on a tour of the estate.

The estate had been in her ladyships family since Henry the eigths time and had always been well maintained and was immensly profitable, I was told all about the House and various buildings, about the farms the estate owned, the gardens and the livestock. Uncle Alistair had brought a picnic basket so it didn`t matter that we missed lunch although he had arranged he tour and picnic with full agreement form Aunt Margaret. The tour finished and we were soon back at the house, (why I call it house I don`t know it`s a mansion and quite big after all). I thanked him for the tour and the pleasant afternoon and as he lft I went indoors.

I was met by Mr Jamieson as I entered and he led me to Mrs Duncan's office, as she saw me arrive she showed me inside and once seated told me to call her Fiona, in the end we both agreed on aunt Fiona. this afternoon I was to be shown round the house and introduced to all the staff that were on duty, some where away on days off or on holiday.

We went down stairs into there kitchen where I met the Chef and the catering staff, the chef was a big woman with rosie cheeks and a sense of humour to match and told me that if there was anything I especially liked just let her know and she would do her best to arrange it. As we toured the house i was told which rooms were what and which were out of bounds to me. Not because they holding secrets but because they held priceless works of art or were offices for various people such as Lady Margarets secretary and such.

It was starting to get toward 5pm before the tour and introductions were done, It felt weird with everyone bowing or courtseying everytime I entered a room or passed someone, but aunt Fiona said it showed their respect though why they respected me I don`t know, I didn`t know them and they did`nt know me or so I thought. Of course I didn`t know it at time but all the household staff had been told about me and my past.

I went to my rooms and found May waiting for me, straight away my dress was removed and anther put on in it's place, May told me that Aunt Margaret had gone away for the next two days and Mr Jamieson would like to talk to me about dining arrangements. I found Mr Jamieson in aunt Fiona's office and once they had finished he led me to his office, he told me to call him Walter and I said uncle Walter and he said no that wouldn`t be appropriate under the circumstances, I suggested that I call him Uncle Walter when when we were alone and he agreed.

We talked about what to do about meal times until Lady returned, not knowing the formalities between the nobility and servants I suggested that I could if possible eat with the staff to enable me to get to know them better, at first he was a bit doubtful as that went against protocol so he went and spoke to aunt Fiona. The two of them returned a couple of minutes later and explained it wasn`t normally allowed but for now they would allow it but would speak to Lady Margaret on her return in case this situation arose again.

That night I ate in the servants dining room and was seated with Uncle Walter and the Chef, I started to put names to faces and we all chatted for a while before it was time for me to go to bed. I had really enjoyed myself today seeing everything and getting to people that worked on my behalf. I had`nt seen Ms Rose all day and wondered if something was wrong.

Both May and Julia were there when I reached my room and proceeded to undress me, I asked about Ms Rose and was told that she had gone with Lady Margaret. Once I was ready for bed we chatted for about half an hour, I was starting to feel close to these two young women and was beginning to trust them.

As I thought about today I could feel some off the confusion I felt ebb away, I run away because I was sick of always being punished and it had been the same in the foster homes. A boy wanting to wear dresses was wrong to them and they were determined to correct my attitudes and straighten me out.
When I awoke in a strange house and discovered how I was dressed it had shocked me, especially when I called YOUNG LADY for the first time, Lady Margaret had been told about habit of dressing and obviously how they tried to correct behaviour and had agreed to take me in and teach me to be a Lady and curb my rough and reckless behaviour, I strangely felt at ease now and at peace with the world for the moment. I had been offered a second chance and would grasp it with all my strength, if I had wear these resrictive and old fashioned clothes for a time then I would, I would prove I could be a young LADY like the best of them and take what ever they threw at me.