by Jacquimac
By Jacquimac Part one
I woke up feeling something tight around my body, I could see I was in a room and lying on bed but how I got here I didn`t know. I eased myself up onto my elbows and looked down my body.
WHAT THE HELL? I was wearing a corset, my vision was still a blurry and my head hurt, the last thing I remember I was running across some land and fell and must have knocked out.
" How are we feeling today young lady" a womans voice said
"Young Lady ?? I`m a boy" I replied
"That may have been true but you are going to be a young lady" was the answer as she left
A short time later two young women entered, one said " now Miss we`re here to make you presentable for her Ladyship.
They stood me up and the corset was tightened then a pair of what they called bloomers were put on me,these came to just above the calf, then a chemise followed by several layers of peticoats and crimolines, I hadn`t realised it but my long hair had been styled and now hung down in ringlets, make-up was applied and a pair of button shoes and lastly a dress with hooped skirts.
I was led to a mirror and saw I was dressed like the pictures I had seen of Victorian women, I hadn`t struggled as I was still a bit weak, I can`t remember when i had eaten last.
I had run away from the orphanage a few weeks ago because I was beaten and bullied all the time and didn`t know where I was.
Eventually I was led down stairs, I wasn`t used to wearing heels and stumbled and wobbled with the two girls helping me.
I was taken to a well furnished room amd one of the girls knocked, a middle ages but good looking woman looked up and bid us enter, I was led and stood in front if her.
She stood up , looked me up and down and walked round me inspecting me "Thank you girls, you`ve done a good job with what you had to work with, you may leave and I`ll ring for you" the two girls courtsied and left.
The woman told me sit and gratefully I did, she sat down facing me and her eyes bore into me.
"Well now I know all about you, how much trouble you`ve have had and caused since you parents died" She took a folder of the table and continued, "six orphanages and four foster homes have rejected you and finally you ran away for the fifth time a month ago. Well you won`t run away from here, you can make things difficult or easy your choice but one or another you will learn what society expects from it`s citizens."
She put the down and continued" You were found on my land injured and brought to this house, and we have looked after you. We contacted the police and found out all about and to that end I have agreed to take charge of you with full consent of the authorities. Starting now you are to be called Lillian May Jeffries and will be brought up as a young lady".
She paused, pulled a streamer of fabric and a maid appeared " Tea for two please Abby" she said, after the maid left she continued.
The woman who checked on you this morning will be your teacher and Governess, responsible not just for your education but to teach you to be a Lady in all respect, The two girls who dressed you will be your personal maids and will bathe, dress you and be responsible for looking after you in general"
"Do you have any questions" she asked
"Why are you doing this? , I`m a boy not a girl " I said
"Correction you were a boy, a very troublesome little boy and now you are a girl, granted your body is that of a boy just now but that can be rectified when you are old enough"
The maid entered with the tea and a plate of sandwiches which she placed on a small table and left.
The woman continued " I am Lady Margaret Anne Fitzroy Smythe but you may call me Aunt Margaret, to everyone in this house you are Miss Lillian ny niece and companion. It will take time before you are ready to be presented in public but believe me you will be ready eventually, I`m well aware of your proclivity of dressing as girl that is why I offered to take you in hand." She smiled and continued " make the best of it dear and I think you`ll do well and we`ll become good friends."
She poured two cups and tea and we sat drinking tea and I ate the sandwiches.
I thought about what her Ladyship said for a while and could also read between the lines, I had no where to go, no family and no future. Here I was being a second chance, OK I would have to live as girl and if I was right and did as instructed wouldn`t be beaten anymore.
I looked up at her Ladyships and she said " you wish to say something my dear" I nodded
"If I get this right, I`m to all intent and purposes your niece and will be treated as such by your household, I have to live as girl all the time and learn to be a Lady in every respect. I`m also to be your companion and will be educated and taught the social graces of a young lady" I said
"That is correct" she answered
"But your staff all know I`m a boy underneath these clothes so won`t that cause trouble?" I asked
"Not at all, my staff are extemely loyal to this family and all you clothing belonged to another boy who is now my sister" she replied
"Now you may be wondering why you have to wear such old fashioned clothing, well after my father died and we found out about my brother , Mother made him wear this style to improve his posture and body language for a year and you will dress the same until you are ready" she said
She pulled the streamer again and another woman and the two girls appeared.
She smiled and said " let me introduce everyone"
The woman stepped forward and courtsied " I`m Ms Rose your governess" she said and stepped back, The two girls did the same and introduced themselves and May and Julia
Aunt Margaret took me by the hand and I stood next her " Let me introduce my niece Lillian May Jeffries" she said.
After the introductions we dismissed and we all went to my suite of rooms.
May and Julia started removing my dress, "Don`t worry, we`re just getting you ready for this evening when you will dine with her Ladyship" said May
Ms Rose who`d had a table laid with all a lot cutlery turned to me " Your first lesson will be what fork to use with what food" she said
She spent the rest of the afternoon going over table ettiquite me until I had it near perfect " All young Ladies should be able to conduct themselves at all times in a correct and proper manner" she simply stated
After May and Julia had left she sat next to me and said " Look at me child" I looked at her and she continued " The next few weeks are going to be very difficult for you, It is my job to prepare you for your future what ever that may be, I`ve seen your school reports and they tell me your very intelligent, so I will be pushing you hard with your education which will start at 7am till 1pm after lunch you will be taught the mannerisms, posture and eveything else a Lady of a high ranking family should know. I`ll be hard but fair with you and will not tolerate misbehaviour or slacking I hope we can be friends but that is up to you"
"I Promise I`ll do my best for you Ms Rose, I`ve never had a friend before" I said
With that she left and the two young maids entered.
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.
By Jacquimac Part Three
"Julia don`t worry about it, I woke early and just decided to start by having a bath" I said
"Yes but Lady Margaret..." she replied
I interrupted her " Are you going to tell her, because I won`t".
We both giggled and after I was dried off went to get dressed. " Julia are you and May uncomfortable with what is happening?" I asked
" No, her Ladyship explained all about you and we volunteered for this duty" she relied
I gave her a hug and thanked her, once I was ready we sat aroung and chatted for a while, Julia showing me the dresses I had to wear along with the Jewellry and other accessories" I didn`t know but they were daughters of families that worked on the estate and had taken a gap year from University to earn some money.
I had breakfast with the various managers and dept heads, some like uncle Alistair and aunt Fiona I had already met and after my request yesterday were taking the opportunity to introduce me to everyone on the estate for which I was grateful for. Some of them I would rarely see but a few were going to be part of my education team. I apparently was going to learn how the household and estate were run over the next few years.
Once breakfast was finished I seemed to be at a loose end, I went into the office wing and found aunt Fiona in her office, she told me to sit and she would be with me in a moment. Once she had finished she took me down stairs she put het hat and coat coat and Julia did the same for me.
We stepped outside and got into a very large car, Aunt Fiona told me she was taking me to meet the Vicar Reverand Jones then into the village as she needed to go to the post office.
We arrived at the church and I was introduced to the Reverand Jones and was welcomed by him, he too had been told everything about me. The village and church were also part of the estate I was told as I was shown around the church, and a pretty little church it was too. After a visit to the post office we returned home, were a seamstress was waiting.
I was introduced to Molly and she took my measurement so she could make some skirts and tops that would be suitable for working around the estate especially the stables, a dress with hooped skirts definately wasn`t suitable.
At lunch uncle Walter ate with me and more of the staff which he introduced to me and also told me their duties. The more I learned of the people on the estate the more I was impressed they appeared to more like a family than just colleagues and although I didn`t know position within the organisation I felt close to each and everyone of them, why I don`t know.
After luch everyone went back to their duties and I went up to my room were I found Molly waiting, she had brought a top and skirt for me to try on, I did and they fitted well. She told me too keep them on and find some better footwear as I would be going to the stables and she left.
Julia came in with a few pair of calf length boots which I tried on till we found a pair that fit the rest she took away, I went round to the stables and found uncle Alistair waiting for me, he smiled when he saw me coming and told me that he was taking me out on Elfin lady.
I was taken to Elfin Lady`s stall and saw she had already been saddled uncle Alistair clipped a long leather strip to bridle and we went into the paddock. I was sat on the saddle and shown how to hook my right leg round the horn and the pony was trotted round in increasing circles until it reached the limit of the leather strap, this was kept up for an hour after which I was lifted of the pony and it was led back to stall to be unsaddled, Boy was I stff and sore after that.
After returning to the house I took a good long hot back and was given a good rub down, I rested for an hour before May helped me get dressed for dinner that evening. Tonight I was dining with some of younger estate workers with the chef presiding over them, again the meal was simple and the company was good not as young as I was but many of them had'nt long left school themselves.
I slept well that night and just a little stiff in the morning. This morning I was breakfasting with the main estate managers so that I could get some idea of what they actually did, OK a lot of it I didn`t understand but I got gist of it and found it helpful. I also learned some big and words as well heh heh heh. I was expecting aunt Margaret back today but she rang and said she it would be tomorrow night when she returned home.I spoke with aunt Fiona and uncle Walter about meals and who was left to invite, all the permanent workers I had met and was told that the seasonal workers changed from year to year.
The came into the office and invited me to dine with the staff for the rest of today and tomorrow rather than eat on my own and I agreed, she did however suggest that I wear something less constricting than what I usually wore and that she would speak to May and Julia, god I would get out of corsets at least for a little while. For the rest of the time I wore dresses that had been borrowed from some of the estate families.
If it wasn`t for the way that corsets restricted some of your movements they might have been bearable, I knew they being used to inprove my posture and bearing but they were also helping my rib cage to take the correct form and narrow my waist, not that I was fat. The dresses and layers of petticoats and crinolines were heavy to wear so the next hours would a reprieve that I would rarely have for the foreseeable future.
The rest of the day was pretty quiet and with the weather being good I sat in the garden reading one of the books I found in my dayroom, it was called "Lorna Doon" and I found it to be a very romantic exciting read written by R.D Blackmoor in 1869. The copy I was reading was the first book of a set three and very valuable as they were first editions and signed by the author himself, the books had a well read look about but you lso see that great care had been taken when handling them, I had been adviced to wear a pair of thin linen gloves, I loved reading and would take great care of any book I handled, my father before he died told me that good education is priceless and had taught me to read and value at a very early age.
By Jacquimac Part Four
The next day it was back to the paddock again and more trotting around on Elfin Foot, I was really starting to enjoy my riding lessons athough again I sore and stiff at the end, after another oiling and rubdown I rested had lunch and continued to read my book till it was time for dinner, after which I read for a while longer and finally went to bed. I didn`t hear Aunt Margaret and Ms Rose return at all.
The next morning Julia woke me and after bathing and dressing, I was taken to the small dining room for breakfast with the two ladies, after we had eaten Ms Rose left us to talk, I didn`t know anything about parents lifes. Truth to tell I only knew that I was they`re only child and they loved me and that both mum and dad had jobs in factory were we had lived. We hadn`t been rich but we managed and had been happy, neither mum or dad had many friends as far as I knew and no family that I had ever heard about.At their funeral there had been about ten people and myself there, for me it was saddest day of my life as i had them being lowered into the ground I was alone and scared in a big world.
I had been eight when they died and for the past 5 yrs I had been moved from pillar to post and poorly treated. Maybe it was fault, i didn`t know but the kids bullied me and adults had beaten me, I couldn`t help the way I looked or the way I wanted to dress it was all part of me.
Aunt Margaret took me into her private sitting room, this one of rooms I had been told to stay out of unless I was invited to be there, once we were sat down she looked at me for a few minutes.
She told me that she had been to see the authorities to find out more of my background, the information she was given didn`t tell her much so she started digging around and found out a bit more, I had been left everything that my parents owned, the house we had lived in had been sold and the money placed in a bank account for me along with the money my parents had in their bank account, the furniture hadn`t been much and had either been disposed of of given away. The only thing that I left actually belonging to them was whatever jewellry and photographs that had been kept, we never had a lot but then again we had had each other and our love. My parents had taught me the value of money and that love and respect were priceless beyond measure, I knew it saddened them when birthdays and christmas came round as I didn`t get much compared to other kids. They had scrimped and saved and worked long hours to provide what we had while at the time trying to save a few pounds for my future. I had been proud of my parents especially when they found out me my dressing and told me it didn`t matter what other people thought, I was the only thing that mattered to them.
Aunt Margaret handed me the mum's jewelly box, dad had made it specially and I knew it had a few secrets. Aunt Margaret commented on it's size saying it seemed a bit big and heavy for what it contained. I opened it and say dad`s watch,sygnet ring and the only pair of cufflinks he had, mum was different there were the usual rings , necklaces, bracelets, a few pair of earings and a couple of lockets. most of costume jewellry, mum and dads wedding rings were placed on their hands before they buried.
Slowly taking the contents out and remembering the last time I saw each item being worn I emptied the box then I don`t know why I told Aunt Margaret that it was box of many secrets.
She looked at me and asked what I meant, I told her that there many secret compartments and although I knew how to open them had never seen the contents. I placed dad`s sygnet ring back in the box with the crest downwards and a slim drawer opened inside was an envelope that contained birth, and marriage certificates, I handed it to Aunt Margaret who put it to one side, I carried on putting certain items in various compartments and find other jewellry items in the various secret compartments once I had completely emptied the box I put the original jewellry back in of the larger drawers.
Aunt Margaret was looking closely at the pieces I had out and told me that they looked familiar to her, she asked if she could borrow them and get them looked at by an expert jeweller, she assured me that they would be returned to me in the same condition as they were so I agreed.
I had never seen those items of jewellry before and hoped they hadn`t been stolen, Aunt Margaret seemed very interested in them and carefully put them into metal bax after wrapping them in cloth then placed the box in her safe.
Once she had sat back down she started asking me about my parents so I told her, she asked about grand parents, uncles, aunts cousins. I told her that as far I knew there had only ever been the three of us and the fun we had and how much we had loved each other. She told me she had visited the neighbourhood were we had lived and seen how everyone struggled to live, I was a bit abrupt but told her rather loudly I didn`t want any sympathy. I thought she starting to look down and was getting rather annoyed
I said "so we had been poor, didn`t live in a big house with loads of servants etc, sure we had struggle our clothes might have been cheap and sometimes second had like most things we had, but we had the most important things in the world, we had each others love and respect and those things were priceless, now all I have are memories and a few bits and pieces that were left"
With that said I ran out slamming the door behind behind me.
I ran out of the and kept running I don`t how long I kept going I fell into a dirty stream while I was struggling to get up the bank felt a pain in leg as if I`d caught it or something or had been bitten, but fish don`t bite I knew that. I ran a bit further and eventually stopped and sat under a tree and though about my parents and eventually fell asleep.
The was going down behind the far hills when I shaken awake, I was one of estate worker. "Lets be getting you home, her Ladyship has everyone out looking for you" he said we got into his Landrover and he took me back to the house.
By Jacquimac Part Five
It was almost dark when we arrived home, I expected to be in a lot of trouble when I got home but instead I was bathed and put to bed, it had been decided that the clothing I had been wearing were ruined and destined for the bin.
I was woken up by Julia the next morning and given a silk robe to put on, I was taken into another room and aunt Margaret was waiting for me, Straight away she hugged me and apologised for what happened the previous day, I apologised for my outburst and storming of like I had. We both went down to breakfast and afterwards we chatted once again about my parents, I told her what I had the previous the day and told her that was all I knew.
I went back to my room to get dressed and found that all the victorian costumes had gone and been replaced with more up to date clothing of course the corsets were still to worn. Julia helped me gte dressed and once finished she left as Ms Rose entered, I was told that corset were to be worn until my posture was corrected after that they would be discarded.
The rest of the day I was left to wander around as I wanted except for meal times, I spent most of the at the stables looking at the various pieces of saddlery I would be using.
The following day I was again with Uncle Alistair learning to look how to look the pony, later in the afternoon it was more riding lessons until I collapsed.
I woke up in hospital with a drip in my arm, and feeling really ill,I could see that there were people in the room but couldn`t focus my eyes making it difficult to see who they were, I felt a prick in my arm and darkness desended once more.
I don`t know how long I was unconscious but when I came to I felt a little better, the doctor was examining me at the time and when he saw I had come round he took a blood sample and proceeded to tell me what had happened.
I had collapsed with flu like symptoms and had been an injection of penicillin, which had thrown my body into anaphalactic shock and I almost died, fortunately they got it under control and one of the blood samples showed that I had caught an infection called leptospirosis which in the early stages shows flu like symptoms.which they treated with tetracycline another type of antibiotic. Nobody had known I had been allergic to penicillin not even me, funnily I had never been sick a day in my life before so my medical records were almost blank.
Thinking about my parents backgrounds were a blank to me, they had never spoken of any family and I knew they had very few friends. Were my parents trying to hide something from me? if so what was it ? was it for my protection ?, again more questions and the only people who could give me the answers were both dead. My life seemed to be getting more and more complicated all the time.
Another question popped into my head ,was it time to go on the run again? but I remembered my mothers jewellry that Lady Margaret had in her safe. Well I wasn`t going anywhere just now,not in condition I was in.
I hadn`t known but Aunt Margaret and Ms Rose along with a lot of the household staff had kept a vigil by at my bedside as I slowly recovered. When I finally did come round I saw aunt Margaret and Ms Rose sitting together sat my bedside. I tried talking but wasn`t very coherant until the drugs finally worked their way out of system.
When I finally got all the sedatives out of my system, Aunt Margaret told me all about my illness and the local gossip. Finally she got round to my mothers jewellry. The jewellry was very old and belonged to her family that was why she seemed to recognise it,but she couldn`t remember were she had seen it. After an extensive search it turned out that pieces were from her grandmothers collection and had been split between her and her younger sister who had run away from home several years ago.
The sister it turned out had been due to have been married to another very influencial and wealthy family but instead had run off and married a local master craftsman. There had been a bit of hue and cry about what had happened and that was why they gad changed their names and moved well away from the area. To help with deception they had both taken low paid jobs in a poor area and didn`t socialise much for fear of being recognised.The father had eventually disowned her and written her out of his will.
After further digging aided by a friend in some government department it was discovered that my mother was the missing sister who had absconded with her true love, that was why there were no photographs of them in our house.
I couldn`t take all this in at first and tried to blank everything out but the next morning after thinking about what I had been told I suddenly realised that Aunt Margaret was truly my Aunt and I was no longer alone in the world.
When Aunt Margaret arrived later on in day we chatted for a while about her family or I should say our family. Although my Grandfather had written mother out of his will, mother was very wealthy in her own right although she hadn`t known it.
Her grandmother had left her the whole of her estate with was a considerable sum so to had an Elderly Uncle and her mother had left her half her wealth.
We were interupted by several doctors who revealed the results of several scans other tests thery had performed during my illness, I was Intersexed leaning towards the female sex, I didn`t have any testies but i did have a full set female reproductive organs, and a choice would have to made soon about which sex I would like to be in case the internal organs turned cancerous. They allowed me time to consider but told me not to wait too long.
In the afternoon a battery of lawyers turned up wanting to deal with the various issues of my mothers estate,my father never had much but from both parents I got unconditional love the finest gift you can bestow on anyone.
Aunt Margaret showed them the door, telling them that her lawyers would handle everything on my behalf, too much was happening too quickly and I was going to need a lot of help and advice.
Oh don`t get me wrong I had some grasp of what I had been told, maybe not the specifics but in general and I needed time to think without being under pressure. Later on the doctor who had looked after me in the hospital came and after a final examination told us that I could go home the next day.
By Jacquimac Part Six
I was awakened I saw it getting dark outside the maid Milly told me that they found I was asleep when they brought the meal earlier and decided to leave me a while longer, I ate and afterwards showered and got ready for bed for which I was ready for.
I woke early the following morning and after washing and dressing went downstairs, there weren`t many people about, one of the maids saw me and told me that the rest of the houshold except for the duty staff were still asleep, it was only 5am. I decided to go into the kitchen and on arriving was handed a cup of tea and slice oif toast, i took a seat at the table with the cook who was preparing to get breakfast started and we chatted for a while.
Eventually I was informed that Aunt Margaret was in the small dining room and went to join her, when she saw me she greeted me and we chatted as we breakfast.
"I didn`t expect to see you this early my dear " she remarked
"I`ve been up since 5am "I told her
she told me the happenings on the estate while I`d been in hospital, who married who, who had a baby, who was sick and with what, just idle gossip. We finished breakfast and went to her study.
"While you`ve been in hospital I`ve had background check done on your jewellry on your family, It would appear you really are my sisters child " and she repeated the story she had told me days earlier.
"The hospital found out something most interesting when they examined you and conducted tests, your slowly turning feminine, your body doesn`t react to male hormones the way it should so you will have to decide what you want to do" she said
"You have three choices
1. You can remain as you are, but will always look like a girly boy.
2. You can start treatment to turn into a girl.
3. You can have treatment that will make you appear as a boy but you won`t be able to father any children.
It is your choice and I won`t pressure you to make a decision just to please me."
"The family lawyers will be coming to see you this afternoon and there is a specialist doctor coming to see you tomorrow. Now how would you like to meet them? dressed as a boy or as you are now?. We can go shopping for suitable boys clothes if you wish"
I left the study and went to my room, to think about what I had just been told, my mother had told me of these medical problems just before she died and told me that whatever decision I made I would still be loved by her and dad.
Just before lunch I went looking for Aunt Margaret, she was still in study so I went and knocked on the door, the door opened and I was ushered inside.
"I`ve made a decision" I said "I want to be a girl, but I want my mothers names"
"There`s no problem there, I can instruct the lawyers to get your names and all your paperwork changed" she said "Now I suggest that after lunch you get one of maids to help you get ready to meet the lawyers"
We had lunch and I got changed with the help of Sandra, on arriving downstairs again I was taken into the library were Aunt Margaret was entertaining a well dressed gentleman, she introduce us both and the lawyer Mr Grimes got down to business.
As I had been told previously my mother unknown to herself had been extremely wealthy in her own right, after a couple of very large inheritances, As she had run off with a commoner she didn`t know this, and all efforts to find her had failed until I produced certain itens of rather rare and priceless jewellry. They traced my history backwards and found my mother was the missing heiress and since her death everything was now mine as her only child, however until I became of age everything was now in trust.
He then brought up my medical problems and said he saw no problem with doing what i requested, he had been in contact with the doctors at the hospital and with statements from them could get my original birth records changes.
He spoke of several minor issues and I was informed that as I actually related by birth to Aunt Margaret the courts had deemed her to be a responsible person and was now my official guardian.
Some of what he told me was above me but he explained it wasn`t very important as he would be dealing with everything personally and that I was to call him Uncle Silas in future.
I didn`t know he was actually a distant relative of Aunt Margaret and I suppose myself now, but somehow i felt I could trust him.
The following morning I met with Mr Martin a specialist in gender surgery and phsychology, he explained what surgery I would have to have and that he would be monitoring with others my mental state before and after proceedure although surgery was a couple of years down the line, Mr Martin had to keep going back over things as I asked my questions and was very patient making sure I understood what he told me.
It had been a busy couple of days with the meetings, Miss Rose wasn`t to be seen anywhere and I was beginning to wonder were she was, until Aunt Margaret told me that she had gone to see her mother who was ill for a while. I did notice that everyone kept an eye on me to make sure there was no repeat of my last performance I suspect.