Nanny Diaries 3 - Pride and Prejudice

Catching Up on the Gossip

"Welcome home, Daphne." Bella said as she removed my pacifier, having helped me up onto the changing table in one of the changing pods in the church hall. She had cut me out of the big pack of nurslings coming out of the church for our bible classes, halfway through the Sunday service. Helpers did not mess everyone, even though the lengthy class on top of our time in the main service means lasting for well over three hours, but we are all checked, and some are then asked to mess, just for the hell of it, I think, sometimes. And Bella had told me to mess, for no apparent reason, other than she apparently wanted the chance to properly welcome me home from France. "Did you have a nice holiday with half the village?"

"Yes, thank you, Mrs Forsyth." I replied, automatically holding my legs up, whilst she got the skirts of my pink and white stiped dress folded back, feeling my waste oozing between my legs. I had become a very good messer. Not every nursling finds it so easy. Especially girls like me who had once been potty-trained, of course. But I was helpless to resist the command, eager to obey, and desperate to please. It made me feel pathetic, and I always cried a little, but it was becoming quite automatic.

"I have missed you all...especially you, dear...but I did not know when we would ever get a chance for a private word, since my grandmother will do almost anything to stop me visiting Helen...so, this was the best thing I could think of...and haven't you obliged!"

"Sorry, Mrs Forsyth."

"Oh, don't be...I asked for it...and you've messed me enough, after all...as a loyal Pastor's wife, I am only doing my parish duty...and as it is best practice to give you a nice warm bottle afterwards, we can have a nice fifteen minutes together," Bella grinned, wrinkling her nose as she carefully removed the soiled diaper. "Aren't you a lucky little girl, Daphne?"

"Yes, Mrs Forsyth...thank you, Mrs Forsyth."

"It doesn't look like I am getting my friend back anytime soon...you do know that you are enrolled at Deepdene for next term, don't you?"

"Yes, Mrs Forsyth...until December, at least."

"Grandma thinks you should do the whole year...but my husband thinks that your family are keen to marry you off, so December would be about right...then you can be a maiden for a few final months. However, that still means six more months in the nursery, of course." Bella shook her head, raising her eyebrows at me as she started with the wet wipes, clearly amused by the idea of me doing so much longer at Deepdene. "But what I really wanted to tell you, because no one else will and it might come as a bit of a shock...when you run into her, which you surely will, now that you are staying on at the school...is that you will have a new little friend in the same position as you...Annabel Ellesmere."

"Miss Ellesmere?" I gasped, which made her giggle. She was enjoying herself, I realised, in the same way that Annie used to, when she was teasing me. But she was right about the shock at any rate. I could hardly believe my ears.

"Not a Miss anymore...she has joined Camilla in the nursery with the dreaded Miss Danvers would you believe...apparently her father believes that eighteen is too young for maidenhood and as he has been forced to take Camilla back in, he decided that Annabel should keep her company for a few months. I had her on this very changing table last Sunday, which I have to say I enjoyed...she was always so superior to me, bossing me around all the time. I know you won't be socialising with her, because Helen will never let you near Miss Danvers, but I thought you might appreciate a heads-up, before you bump into her. She and Camilla are not at church today, because they have a cold or something...but she looks deliciously miserable!"

"Thank you for telling me, Mrs Forsyth." I murmured, and Bella shook her head again, with a broad smile on her face.

"And a lot of the other new maidens are looking very worried...you know how people tend to follow Mr Ellesmere's lead...John thinks Deepdene might have quite a few more girls sent back to them to finish off...I am turning out to be a bit of a trendsetter!" Bella laughed, before we had to get on with my change and my bottle. People would talk if she kept me out of class for too long and I was soon back with my sweet sisters, listening to a bible story. And then it was home for Sunday lunch, back in our normal routine after returning from France the night before. Mum and dad were our only guests and Mama was left to play hostess in her own house for once, which meant that we were allowed to go up to the nursery after our meal, to play and rest, whilst Miss Ford explored her brand-new domain. My sisters and I quite liked her. She was efficient, but patient and gentle. None of us doubted that she would use her paddle if we erred, but she set out her personal redlines, and as long as we stayed within them, she was quite relaxed, and allowed us all some leeway in return for good behaviour. Professionally, I rather liked her style. And that afternoon, she seemed quite happy to let us sit in the dayroom and do more or less what we wanted, whilst she explored, so I had a chance to update the girls, who were all as shocked as me.