Regenesis

Samantha - departure for hairdressers

And so it was, when, a lifetime later, the two nannies began their march back up the corridor towards her, speaking in hushed tones so that their charge may not hear that they were discussing her, but leaving her in no doubt that they indeed were discussing her. Their voices trailed off leaving the corridor to echo with the sounds of their heels on the tiles as they approached. Samantha's heart rate increased again, more out of the lack of eye contact with them, facing the wall as she was.

"Turn around, please, Samantha" Miss Ogilvie spoke quietly.

Without lowering her arms, Samantha slowly turned. The only difference in the two ladies' coats was the length. While Nanny Peters wore a dark blue gaberdine coat which came down to her calf, Miss Ogilvie's barely cleared her knees and the slight bulge of her petticoats promoted more than a hint of her junior status. Nanny Peters' more matronly hat was a matching blue and pinned into her hair, but Miss Ogilvie's was round, with a satin band around the brim, and with an elastic band which disappeared behind her ears to hold it in place. Samantha's recognition of this difference was plain to see and Miss Ogilvie lost no time in re-establishing her authority.

"Did you move out of position, little girl?"

Samantha looked down, afraid to admit to her mistake. Miss Ogilvie lifted Samantha's chin in her hand and looked her straight in the eye.

"When a nanny asks you a question, it is polite to answer her, Samantha......... Did you move out of position, little girl?"

"Yes, Miss"

"And you thought your disobedience would go unnoticed, did you?"

"Yes, Miss"

Nanny Peters moved closer and spoke in a quieter and kinder voice. "You need to know, Samantha, that you are being watched every minute of every day," she pointed up to a box on the skylight where a red light could just be seen blinking "and that whatever you do will never go unnoticed or uncorrected. We have rules for very good reasons and if you disobey them, there are many ways in which you will be punished. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Nanny" Samantha sniffed. Miss Ogilvie took Samantha's left hand, plucked the new hanky from her cardigan sleeve and efficiently wiped away her tears before holding it to her nose to blow. The indignities seem to pile ever higher for poor Samantha. Once the hanky had been replaced in her sleeve, she was led towards to main door where another row of hooks had been mounted, again with each girl's name and underneath hung identical wrist tethers which Samantha had been introduced to yesterday. As if to highlight her authority and underline Samantha's situation, Miss Ogilvie ran her fingers along the length of the row of hooks until she came to Samantha's name, before lifting it off and holding it out in both hands ostentatiously.

"Have you worn one of these before, Samantha?"

"Yes, Miss" came the embarrassed answer, as she momentarily looked up at Nanny Peters.

"And why do little girls have to wear them?"

"To keep us safe, Miss?" the answer came questioningly as if she was unsure what the correct reply should be.

"That's right, and to make sure you can't wander off"

Samantha felt her right hand being taken and the wristlet was clicked shut around her. She was now effectively attached to her nanny. Nanny Peters held her ring up to the panel on the door and Samantha heard the door click open. Miss Ogilvie stopped to pick up a leather bag before holding the door for Nanny Peters and ushering Samantha through into the bright sunlight.