The Nanny Diaries

Part One - Another World

The Train

Nicola had decided to behave. She intended to ride out her punishment, as she thought of my unwelcome presence in her life, because she had somehow convinced herself that it was merely a temporary inconvenience. Back home and finally able to talk with her parents in private, who would certainly have calmed down, a lot, after fourteen days, she thought she would be allowed to start again having proved that she had learned her lessons. Obviously, I was never fooled for a single second, but her deceitful little strategy made my job a lot easier, so I did not let on, and spent a rather enjoyable two weeks putting her through her paces as a nursling, as disciples of the nascent Church of Christian Reform called their most devout little girls. She had no idea at all that her training had already begun and it was, basically, hilarious to watch her humiliating herself, whilst she thought that she was winning some sort of game. Even at the station, to catch the train back to London, and deliver her home, I was having immense fun with her. Lucrative fun as well, of course. My career was on the up, before it had even really started, and I was in a very good mood, looking forward to the future.

"Shall we mess them...before the train, Miss Deacon?" I suggested, addressing my colleague as we left the ticket office, and stepped out onto the platform, holding hands with our respective charges. Both girls, Nicola Hughes and Roberta Carlisle, were wearing their full Charlesfield uniforms, for the last time. Hooded raincoats, straw boaters, white knee socks and sandals were visible with kilts, blazers, jumpers, blouses and ties smartly hidden beneath, making the two of them look so young and fresh, even to my eyes. "Facilities on board will not be...suitable...and I don't think they will last two hours...do you?"

"Oh, definitely not," Bella replied, trying so hard not to laugh because she was in on my little joke. I had only known her for those two weeks, but we were already firm friends, after bonding over our shared interest in modern childcare. She was a Reformist, although I was not really sure how pious she was, and she had already taught me so much, as well as helping me find my feet on the first part of my assignment. "I have used the changing facilities here on several occasions...and we have fifteen minutes...Roberta, mess yourself, please."

"You too, Nicola." I smiled, turning to the child to watch the expression on her face. She had been back in diapers since her fall from grace and she hated it, of course. But after her first and so far, only, tender appointment with my trusty paddle, when she had quite quickly realised that she could not resist me, she had endured it, in private. But I had never asked her to mess herself before. Nature had always been allowed to take its course.

"Good girl, Roberta," Bella exclaimed, just seconds later, as her pupil rushed to obey. Sweet Roberta had no doubts about her immediate future. She had played no part in the breakout from Charlesfield, other than not telling on her foolish housemates when they went out of bounds to attend an illegal rave. But that had been more than enough of an excuse for her disturbed parents to rethink her status and she was a nursling, again, as I understood her background, probably for the next two years. She sucked piteously on her pacifier as she emptied her bowels into her diaper, with a rather pleasing burp of escaping gas, followed by the familiar scent of complete surrender. I raised a quizzical eyebrow at Nicola, as she realised what she was expected to do to herself, and waited for just a moment, whilst she evidently decided that her total capitulation would surely help her convince her parents that she was full of regret, and remorse. Then her own pacifier started to move, as she concentrated on the job in hand, and I saw the tears welling up in her eyes.

Exactly fifteen minutes later, we had the girls sitting in the window seats at our reserved table in the first-class carriage, whilst Bella and I stowed our four coats on the rack above us. I would have preferred to have left Nicola in her coat, but the summer rain had passed and the June sun was streaming through the glass. Making her a little uncomfortable would have been funny but boiling her alive would have been just a bit excessive. Bella winked at me, as we sat down, and I grinned, looking forward to getting Nicola home. She had messed of course. Not well, because it was mostly urine, but the tears had been real enough, which was progress. She was not broken yet, clearly. Nicola Hughes was a very clever girl, and she had known full well that her role as the ringleader of the year eleven end of exams escape party would get her into trouble. Even if the rave had not been busted by the police, it was almost impossible for eight girls to get in and out of a secure private school without being missed or caught, which was always going to cause a huge fuss. But that was the point, of course. It was almost the end of term and she had finished all of her exams, which she was predicted to pass, with top grades. So, getting expelled did not concern her, because she actually wanted to leave Charlesfield, and she knew that her beloved parents wanted her to return to take her 'A' levels. It was all just a calculated play, to get herself out of the strict, traditional, Church-run, boarding school, and into an institution much more to her liking once the dust settled a little. I thought she might have slightly outwitted herself, with the rave, because a bottle of vodka and a midnight feast would probably have done it at a school like Charlesfield, but she had met a boy, somehow, and she got a little carried away. And then the police found drugs, on the site. So, her poor parents had predictably overreacted, because the trouble she had caused was pretty serious, and embarrassing for them, since she was taking most of the blame. But she was still sure that the punishment would end, when I had completed my temporary assignment at Charlesfield, and delivered her home.