The Visit - Chapter 6
by Julie D Cole

Chapter 6

Apologies for delays in continuation of my story of Robert who visits London to meet an aged Aunt after her invitation and takes the opportunity to meet a young woman he met in Bristol who captured his heart. His feminine features caused the housekeeper/maid to believe he was a young woman dressed as Robert for safety whilst traveling and encouraged him to present as Roberta to his aunt for reasons he didn't understand.

The additional edit is to tidy up the story and remove mistakes in grammar.

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Chapter 6

Robert Deane is in London visiting a rich and aged aunt who never married and has accumulated wealth since she moved from her home in Bristol. Roberts father has worked hard in his business in Bristol all his life but never had success. Robert felt trapped working hard in his fathers business. By chance an invitation came from his aunt to visit her in London. Roberts father saw an opportunity for Robert to inherit his sisters wealth but Robert had his own reason to make the trip.
It was an opportunity to visit an acquaintance he had met recently who he had bonded with immediately. Adele was strong and confident and appeared from nowhere. She seemed delighted to meet him and perhaps she had her own motif. He didn't care because this was his first real friendship.
Aunt Roberta had been a beautiful young woman, but now refused to accept the aged woman in the mirror was her. She regretted that she had never married and raised the daughter she craved for who might have inherited her beauty and born her own daughter. She needed to feel her beauty and hard work was of value and that her life had not been in vain. Her only hope was her nephew Robert and when they finally met she saw in him the image she hoped she would have seen in a daughter.

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Robert had been forced to mount the staircase slowly step by step rather than his normal approach of two steps at a time. He was carrying the extra load of skirts and layers of undergarments.

He held the skirts in his left hand to avoid tripping and an open fan in his right hand to cool him as much as possible since his attire was containing all the heat being generated as he dined. He looked down at his narrow feet peeping from beneath the raised hem of the wonderful silk dress that must have cost more than he earned in a year to make. Polly had taken an age to fit and adjust it and he knew he would never have the patience to go through this procedure every day. His feet were indeed very slim for a man that had always been a problem and the bootmaker the family had used often commented. The shoes that Polly had selected for him fitted perfectly just like the dress and the undergarments. What he learned from the experience was that women of this class rarely wore pantaloons beneath their skirts that seemed strange.

Nevertheless he was enjoying this new feeling of womanhood and the relative privacy of his aunts home and attendance of Polly who was guiding him without realising he had little experience on which to call. He was not aware that the changes in his body were unusual since opportunities to undress others were rare and at school most boys played sport in normal day to day attire.

At least with Pollys guidance he was learning how to dress as a young woman of middle/upper class and how to present himself. He couldn’t imagine changing many times through the day and he now understood why many of the women he’d met were drenched in perfume.
What he enjoyed most of all was that dressing in female garb gave him chance to show his new assets nestling in front of him and free of restraint, seemingly bobbling up and down with each step. They were much happier with their new found freedom and it seemed like he would have to take care not to restrain them too tightly to prevent damage or bruising and he hoped to find more opportunities like this.

As he admired himself something stirred deep inside his stomach and it was a nice feeling that made him want to squeal. Not in rage but in delight. He reached the top stair and let his skirts fall. He used the fan to calm himself and took deep breaths. It seemed so pleasant to be dressed like this and he felt comfortable despite the layers of clothing and the waist band that added to his femininity. Skirts felt so much nicer than trousers and the rest of his boring male garb. .

He stepped forward towards his bedroom and felt a strong urge to look at himself in a large glass as he crossed the landing. It dominated the wall and in the subdued light he looked every inch a young woman of delicate features. He would without doubt have turned heads were he in a ballroom or hotel foyer. That might be an experience to try one day if he could get the chance or find the courage.

The events of the evening with Aunt Roberta with continuous chatter, an array of food and several glasses of wine and port had relaxed him to such an extent that his forehead no longer displayed a frown or any sign of stress or apprehension. He was completely at ease with himself due to his aunts acceptance of him in this garb. He was surprised that his voice had lifted at least a pitch and his movements were more delicate. He had not attempted to change it just occurred naturally so he supposed it was something that happened whilst Polly was chatting and dressing him.

Looking closely in the glass his hair was still held firmly in place with pins and his bosom and small waist looked in perfect proportion to his frame. He saw that he had quickly lost his masculinity and he felt quite feminine that made him shudder for some reason.
He was so impressed by the image in the glass that he couldn’t resist a curtsey which seemed to come naturally. He saw that his shoulders were as white as marble and narrow for a man of his age and still rather boyish in fact for a man and marginally broad for a delicate woman but still in proportion to the rest of his body. His waist was a good two inches smaller than its natural width thanks to the corset. He had hips on which to place his hands because of Polly’s hard work and the strength of the laces and it wasn’t nearly as difficult to move as he might have expected. His hands caressed his waist and then his tummy and then moved to his buttocks. There was no sign of the man inside the dress. No wonder Polly had believed he was a woman impersonating a man. He shuddered again. It was such a pleasant experience.

He was beginning to think that in a former life he must have been a female because he was so at ease like this. He compared himself with his first sighting of Adele in a gown when they met in Bristol. She had looked stunning and his long stare brought a smile from her face and a mock curtsey as he had just done. Was this a dream? He’d never imagined at the time that he would ever be similarly garbed.

Adele was a beautiful woman with strong features, not heavily endowed but ample enough to attract the eye. That beauty had attracted him immediately but now he wondered if it was something more than her features, maybe there was a little envy or desire to wear such clothes that turned the eye. Strange that even when dressed as a man Adele had turned a few eyes but on this occasion more from the ladies in the park and on the street than the men in the bar and the Gentleman’s club. She seemed to have a natural ability to blend and perhaps it was her confidence and her courage that helped project the image of a handsome young man.

He stared long and hard at himself realising that he was as feminine as any woman he’d met when dressed in this way and he wondered if he had the courage to continue the charade with Aunt Roberta whilst in the house since she showed far more empathy towards him. He was fortunate to have the help and guidance of Polly when dressing and access to a wide wardrobe of expensive dresses and accessories due to the slenderness of his body and as well as that he now had breast development. He decided to continue the deception or misunderstanding with Polly who believe him to be Roberta wearing male garb for reasons that were not her affair.

This experience of dressing and presenting as Roberta had felt exhilarating and free of risk of exposure since both Aunt Roberta saw him as female. He felt he would like to carry this on since it had been such an enjoyable experience and it didn’t seem to be causing hurt or offence. Some wonderful feelings had surfaced from deep inside. He had liked the opportunity to present and behave in a more gentle way with his aunt who had reacted positively and she had been much kinder to him. Did she understand what had happened or was she confused because of her age?

Aunt Roberta had been very talkative and he soon realised that she had a need to share her experiences with someone and that she wanted to release something that had irked her in her past that clearly had been pent up for too long. Maybe Robert as Roberta would hold the key and he felt he might be able to help whilst enjoying himself at the same time. He wanted to look through the full wardrobe of clothes that Polly had described to him since his own male wardrobe was very limited and of poor quality. Polly had indicated that there were some very beautiful and expensive clothes that Aunt Roberta had accumulated in happier times during her more youthful years. She felt that Robert had the slender figure to fit them as proven by his first experience.

The concern he was having was that if word got outside Polly, his aunt and himself then this may reach Adele and destroy his budding relationship with her. Robert wondered whether or not he should seek her opinion on his plan to please Aunt Roberta that had advantages as his father had pointed out quite bluntly but this might be viewed as fraud or criminal deception. He couldn’t risk damage to their relationship because that was after all the main purpose of this visit to London. Any inheritance opportunity was not important to him and anyway Adele seemed to accept him as she found him. Not poor but not rich. At least he was honest and law abiding.

He continued to pose in front of the Glass and wondered in fact what Adele might make of him dressed like this because there was little sign of a male at first sight and even he had to twice. She might hate him or get angry and turn and walk away but something inside gave him the feeling that she would be accepting and curious as he had been when she appeared in front of him as a young man. Dare he admit that based on his first experience he had enjoyed presenting as a young woman and had the features and mannerisms to carry it through. Furthermore Polly was sure he was a woman and she’d seen him almost naked.

He sat on a small leather chair conveniently placed to look at the paintings on the wall that he might review more closely in daylight. One painting was of a young woman with a baby in her arms looking into the eyes of a strikingly handsome young man with a cane in his hand who was either entering or leaving the room. He would ask Polly if this had been a casual purchase or if there was some family association. He stood up to examine the painting more closely and he was sure that the lady was a youthful Aunt Roberta but she had no children. Maybe it was his own mother which he dismissed immediately. The man was very slim and quite handsome though some would say even pretty. It was hard to distinguish if the baby was a girl or a boy but he guessed it was a girl based upon the bonnet.
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He was soon back in his bedroom undressing, with Polly’s aid, having first relieved himself in the bathroom to avoid the indignity of the chamber pot beneath his bed. The experience of relieving himself dressed in female garb was quite a task in itself handling the layers of dress and it was fortunate that he had not left it to late. Now he understood why Adele had disappeared for such a long time between dances when they first met. Even the checks he needed to undertake to ensure everything was back in place took time. At the dance he had felt sure Adele had left through a rear exit to avoid him but now he understood. There was a lot of layers to consider and he needed to sit rather than stand.

Sitting a while for his toilet gave him chance to consider what he might do when meeting Adele again. He hoped that might be the following day and with luck he would receive a message at breakfast. If not he would have to seek advice from his aunt how to send a message to her and after all it was his duty to be the suitor. But Adele cared not for protocol or tradition and he had no problem either.

As Polly helped him remove the layers he raised the subject of the painting he’d been observing. It was, as Robert suspected, related to Aunt Roberta’s past like most of the paintings in the house. Polly told him that his Aunt Roberta used to sit in the very chair that he had perched and that she often had to check on her several times before she finally retired to her bedroom or returned downstairs. Polly dare not pry since she knew that Aunt Roberta would not speak out. Sometimes there was a tear or two and sometimes she would hear Aunt Roberta speaking to the picture as if it was alive.

So Robert now decide that he had two pictures that might be used as topics of conversation. He felt he would find a way to introduce the subject with Aunt Roberta the next day. Maybe before Aunt Roberta would confide in him it would necessitate him taking up the role of niece rather than nephew during his stay and extending it with permission of his father. That prospect excited him.

Robert was still Roberta as he tumbled into bed in attire that Polly has laid out and aired for him. Polly fussed around him and finally tucked in his nightdress and helped him get comfortable in the large soft bed that was much more spacious and comfortable than his own at home. A fire that Polly had lit to warm the room still burned and Polly died it with water and placed a guard in front. He had enjoyed sitting in front of the dressing table in the firelight as Polly brushed out his hair that cascaded over his shoulders and already it was looking more soft and healthy and natural curls were evident. It was in fact now reaching below his shoulders so it spread across his pillows.

Robert felt that Polly was absolutely convinced he was Roberta so it would not be difficult to carry on the guise around the house and he was now certain this would please Aunt Roberta. He fell into a nice sleep still nicely perfumed and enjoying the butterflies in his stomach. It felt like a dream and he realised how lucky he was to have an aunt with so much wealth and a beautiful house in London.It had taken a long time for him to meet her and he wondered why.

He was awakened from a deep slumber by daylight and the noise of Polly drawing back the drapes. The bed linen was hardly disturbed as he sat up. Polly helped with propping of the pillows and produced a jug of water so that he could refresh his mouth. How strange it felt to be in such splendid surroundings and he noticed the room was sweetened by the smell of flowers and was taking a more feminine appearance thanks to other touches by Polly. He felt more like a woman with the possible exception that he had a stiffness that indicated that he needed to relieve himself so he hoped that Polly would withdraw to give him chance to use the chamber pot.

Polly disappeared to attend to the front doorbell so he took the opportunity to slide out of bed and remove the chamber pot. He hitched his nightdress and once again found it more convenient to sit astride that was fortunate because Polly was back before he was finished. At least the stiffness had gone so there was nothing to show as he stood up and turned to Polly letting his nightdress fall. She was excited and had a message for him on a small silver tray.

He was excited too as he opened it since it was from Adele advising she would like to him to join her for lunch at her Gentleman’s club to have a meeting with a friend of hers. She offered to collect him so that she could have chance to travel together. Polly smiled and looked knowingly at Robert since she knew it was the same young man she’d seen the day before and she suspected he may know Robert as Roberta and was an admirer. Robert must have been flushed with slight embarrassment because little did Polly know that the situation was not quite as she was suspecting even though she had seen the fondness between them.

Robert was left to refresh himself with the warm flannels after Polly gave him some privacy with bowl of warm water and towels discreetly placed behind a beautifully decorated screen. After he dried himself he applied some of the sweet fragrances displayed on the dressing table. Polly draped some fresh under garments over the screen and Robert hurriedly stepped into them before Polly would consider it appropriate to assist him. He removed the ribbon holding his hair whilst he washed and let it fall again to his shoulders and sat down on the stool in readiness for Polly to brush it and make it ready for the day. He’d never noticed how long and full it was since it had always been tightly brushed and tied back home in Bristol.

His hair was indeed in much better condition than when he had arrived thanks to Polly’s skills and patience with the brushes and the comb and he decided he should carry on the good work when he returned home even if was more feminine like this. He looked at his budding breasts that were protruding more than ever thanks to the bodice and felt a little embarrassed. His nipples were a little sore so he grimaced if Polly touched them whilst adjusting his dress.

Polly noticed his flushed cheeks during her duties and she felt so protective and proud to get the chance of attending to her mistress’s niece and wondered whatever possessed her to go out in male garb. She realised that her mistress had suddenly found a light in her life and her job was no longer a chore. After initial resistance Robert’s cheeks were quickly powdered that accentuated his new found femininity. He looked at himself in the glass in front of him already quite comfortable as female and noticed the smile of approval and a wink from Miss Polly who urged him to stand whilst she applied a corset to draw in his waist. She chose a simple long skirt and blouse and insisted that Robert wore a pearl necklace from a cask that was full of jewellery, stockings and shoes stored with the array of dresses and accompaniments in the dressing room that until recently had been locked and sealed. She insisted that Robert turned around and used the full length glass to see the end result.

Robert asked if he was required to send a message of reply to Adele and if so then how could this be arranged at such short notice. Polly hushed him since there was no need as the message was between two male friends and not marked with RSVP. Even though the meeting time was stated in the note it would be expected that Robert would be available and ready so Polly suggested that Miss Roberta should be back upstairs in good time if she insisted to appear to her friend as Master Robert.

Neither Robert or Polly expected breakfast to go beyond 10 am and that would leave enough time for a bath before changing into Roberts clothes that would be neatly pressed and clean.

Robert agreed to be ready sometime around noon and that as a man he should be prompt. Polly smiled and reminded Robert that he was not calling on a lady but to collect a male friend. Robert didn’t miss the quiet remark that Polly made under her breath that it was ‘a pity’.

Robert was now ready to take breakfast with Aunt Roberta and he was glad he had decided to accept the request she’d made for him to present as her niece since he felt rather pretty and he liked the feeling. It seemed natural to be dressed like this and certainly this pleased his aunt. Where could be the harm?

Robert asked Polly who this wardrobe of beautiful clothes had belonged to and marvelled at the way it fitted so well. Whilst the style might not be of current fashion it was almost timeless. Polly would not say so perhaps it had been his aunts but she was smaller and quite bent and frail so it was hard to tell. The fitting of the dress the night before was almost perfect and he liked that his new bosom was evident and in nice proportion to his waist and hips. The laced corset was the biggest factor in attaining the small waist and Polly hoped he would wear it continuously to train his body like most of the fashionable ladies she saw around the square.

As Robert walked along the landing towards the staircase he looked up at the large painting he’d seen the night before that was much more impressive with the benefit of daylight and the morning sunlight from the large window almost brought the face to light. This was indeed a very beautiful young woman with a baby girl and very a handsome young man who did seem to be letting go of her hand and departing on a trip by the expressions on their faces. Robert saw that he had some resemblance to the beautiful woman who was the subject of the first painting he had seen. Perhaps they were brother and sister. Maybe they were friends of his aunt. Who were this family?

Aunt Roberta was taking morning tea as Robert arrived to the breakfast room and his entrance and appearance as Miss Roberta brought a bright smile to her face. He knew immediately that he’d made the right decision and already he could see her face was softer and more welcoming. There were less lines today and her posture was straighter that was a relief. Robert kissed her politely on the cheeks and from somewhere came a natural curtsey. Mistress Roberta took his hand and squeezed it saying how beautiful he looked and how it brought back fond memories of her youth.

Breakfast started but they were talking so much that they both lost track of time. As they chattered fresh teapots appeared at least twice. They withdrew to the garden room as the sun was shining and Aunt Roberta explained about the plants and the colours in the garden and the sweet aromas. Polly opened the doors to the garden after finding a key on the long chain attached to her skirts and encouraged them to step outside to talk because she could see the benefit it was having on Aunt Roberta.

In the conversations Robert found out that Aunt Roberta had indeed had a relationship with a special young man although she had never married. She had fallen in love but they had parted even though she wanted to be married to him and he to her. Robert was too polite to pry further at that juncture and hoped to discuss this at some future time. It did seem that Aunt Roberta did keep contact with this young man and Robert concluded that he may have duties overseas as a trader. There were references to various business matters and many social occasions and it was clear that this man was Aunt Roberta’s one true love.

Whilst in the garden Aunt Roberta mentioned that this man had returned to London to see her several times and also to arrange some business affairs but then Robert was shocked to hear the man did not visit again. A tearful Aunt Roberta told him that he had been tragically killed in a shooting accident for which Aunt Roberta had never been informed until contacted by lawyers some 6 or 12 months afterwards. She was told that he had been killed whilst hunting but she knew it was unusual because in her opinion he would not hunt animals. He was much too kind and gentle.

Polly appeared at the door and tried to attract Roberts attention to let him know the time and that the morning was passing quickly. She hinted that he had a lunch appointment but Aunt Roberta seemed too emotional to leave at that juncture. There was no way he could politely leave. Finally as he heard the clock on the mantle sound for 11.30 am he took his chance and stood up. He made reference to a lunch appointment with a friend and quickly he kissed his aunt on the cheek squeezing her hand. Aunt Roberta thanked ‘her’ for being such a sympathetic and beautiful companion and a long lost niece even though Robert had arrived at her house as her nephew.

Robert was about to leave the room when the front doorbell rang and Polly went to answer. He knew it would be Adele arriving early so he decided to hurry upstairs as quickly as possible to change. As he dashed across the hallway to the staircase he seemed to have leaden shoes and was unable to avoid the glance of the visitor even though he never looked up and focused on avoiding an embarrassing trip running in the long skirts.

He heard Adele’s strong voice and he glanced back and was frozen for a moment. She was dressed appropriately for lunch at the club and looked very handsome that brought a smile to his face whilst here he was still fully skirted and not having had chance to take a bath to remove the feminine odours. Robert hurried as fast as he could towards the staircase hiding his face as best he could as Adele was escorted into the library by Polly.

For one brief moment Robert knew that when their eyes did meet there was a light in Adeles eyes. His heart was pounding as he mounted the stairs holding his skirt at the sides. His bosom was bouncing and it was a new experience so he let go of his skirt to hold them with his elbows slowing to almost a standstill.

He wanted to turn back.

to be continued.............