Regenesis

Abigail - tested

Just as the regular and rhythmic sound of the clock ticking was lulling Abigail into a drowsy state, she was shaken awake by the shrill bells from an old fashioned phone at the other end of the room where the young assistant was busy quietly pecking at her computer keyboard. She rose to answer it, taking the handset from the cradle perched on a shelf at head-height. Abigail was curious about its inconvenient positioning but didn't dwell on it. The only words Abigail heard were "Yes, Ma'am. I'll bring her in now, Ma'am." before the phone was replaced to the sound of a single bell chime from the phone. The young lady walked around her desk towards Abigail. "You may lower your arms now, Abigail." Abigail's arms were now aching not just from this one instance, but from the many times she had been in this position during just that day and she brought them down with some relief.

"When you are shown in to see the Director, walk up to the desk, not too close, and curtsey formally. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Miss." came the sheepish reply.

The lady nodded imperiously before guiding Abigail by the elbow towards the thick wooden door, knocking on the wooden door and opening it, gesturing Abigail to go inside. Abigail hardly had time to take in her surroundings before walking up smartly to the large oak desk which dominated the room, behind which sat a very matronly looking lady in her late forties or early fifties, with beautifully styled grey hair and black rimmed glasses which gave her a very no-nonsense look. The lady was watching her intently as she walked across the carpeted expanse of the room towards the desk, and Abigail felt every step. Abigail chose a point two metres from the front of the desk and stopped before curtseying formally. The desk was laid out neatly with an old fashioned blotter in the middle, a brass lamp with a green glass shade to one side, an old fashioned grey telephone on the other. In front of the lady lay a buff folder with a name beautifully inscribed along one edge, presumably Abigail's, but it was too far away to make out. The lady smiled enigmatically at the girl standing before her before looking down once more at the double-spaced type-written page in front of her. Abigail's attention was drawn to the picture window behind the lady, which looked out onto the vast grounds outside, where a line of weary-looking girls in games skirts, polo shirts and white tennis shoes were running around the perimeter of the empty shingle parking space directly in front of the mansion. They too were being encouraged, none-too kindly, by another instructress who seemed to be carrying a short stick in her right hand. Abigail felt a lump in her throat but resisted the temptation to swallow. Finally, the Director lifted her head and removed her glasses, folding them and placing them neatly to one side of the blotter.

"Welcome to The Institute, Abigail. My name is Miss Adams and I am the Director here. You won't have heard about the Institute before, as we try and keep it out of the public gaze. You will no doubt be wondering what this "Institute" is and why are you here." She paused to let Abigail confirm her theory. "Y....Yes Miss."

"You will address me as Ma'am."

"Yes, Ma'am" Miss Adams smiled as the trained response. "The Institute is where certain.....chosen girls who have passed through the Programme with..... particular merit, are invited for further training, to become guardians, nannies and governesses within the Programme itself. It appears from your notes, that you have impressed your own superiors, the nannies, guardians and others set in authority over you. They have recommended that you be considered for enrolment as a candidate......" She paused here to let the good news settle in. "In the event that your application is successful, you will come and live here, at the Institute, for a period of one year, during which you will be trained to be a governess or a nanny. The training is arduous, detail-oriented and very strict, but at the end of it, if you last the course, you will have become a useful member of our society, able to care for and bring up the next generation of those who are enrolled in Nursery and beyond."