Nanny Diaries 2 - The New Litter

Ladies Who Lunch

"I am supposed to choose for you, but what would you like?" Annie said, frowning at the menu and then glancing up at Bella and me. She had collected us both from our respective houses and walked us into the village to eat in the café. It was a regular haunt for us, before my transformation, and I could tell that she was trying to be nice. She might have teased me before and then paddled me, but we were all friends, her only friends in Meadvale. Annie was dressed in civvies, because it was her afternoon off, a simple skirt and sweater, whilst Bella and I were wearing full gowns, obviously.

"Anything you think appropriate for us, Miss Stewart." Bella replied demurely. It was exactly the right thing to say, of course. Annie was certainly in charge. But I could tell that Annie was not inclined to impose her authority for once. She scowled at Bella and then turned to me.

"You like the lasagna, don't you, Daphne?"

"Yes, Miss Stewart...thank you, Miss Stewart."

"You don't have to be so...docile...I am off duty and I wanted to take you out as a friend...I am not going to tell anyone if you speak out of turn, I promise." Annie hissed, leaning forwards so that none of the other customers could hear. "It is probably best that you still call me Miss Stewart, but I mean it...lighten up, please?"

"Yes, Miss Stewart...thank you, Miss Stewart," I repeated, raising my eyebrows to show her that I understood.

"Ok...so, one lasagna...what would you like, Bella?"

"May I have the chicken and pasta, Miss Stewart?"

"Yes, you may...honestly, I do think this is all going a bit far," Annie murmured, glancing at the waitress. "I know I have had to do my job...and Bella, I know this is your community and your home...but Daphne, you can't be happy about this?"

"Daphne and I are both maidens, Miss Stewart," Bella responded, her eyes turning to me as she spoke. "Of our own free will...it is not easy being under discipline, but our families know what is best for us...don't they, Daphne?"

"I...I think so...and I was warned that it would be hard, Miss Stewart." I replied, uncertainly but honestly. I knew what Annie was thinking and I guessed that she wanted to help, but Bella was right, I had chosen my own path and I had promised to behave. Dear Annie clearly thought I was mad, and considering my first few days of maidenhood, I could see her point, but she did not understand how I felt about my Reformist family, or how much I wanted to be a part of the Meadvale community. I had tried to explain it to her before I took my vows, and although my first four days had not gone according to my plans, I knew that was my fault, because I was not giving myself completely to the doctrine.

"This is all about what that stupid American bitch said about you, isn't it? Honestly, you do not have to do this, Daphne...you have your own money, and your parents...we could leave with Bella, and you could go back to normal...because this is too much, isn't it?" Annie insisted as she looked at both of us, almost begging us to see sense. I glanced at Bella, wondering what she thought, whilst imagining doing what Annie was suggesting. She was probably right; I did have my parents and they would support any decision I made. But they would be disappointed in me. They liked Mr and Mrs Hughes, and I had told them how happy I was to be joining the church and the community. If I turned up on their doorstep after four days, they were not going to be pleased, because they had spent a lot of time learning about what I was doing and getting to know my new family. I did have money, which was something Bella had not had, when she was forced to choose between her family and her independence. But I did not know what use money would be to me without my sisters, and I was not sure I wanted to live in the modern world anymore. "You can't tell me that you really want to live like this?"