Story from Guinevere including new illustration

I’m just back from vacation and trying to get started on the next chapter of AVVE which I hope to have finished in a few weeks. Many thanks to all who ticked the “more box” I really appreciate your support.

Several weeks ago I was e mailed by Guinevere, who has been kind enough to comment favourably on AVVE and he/she – apologies never sure which pronoun to use – sent me the rough draft of a short story to read. Guinevere is fluent in English but it is not his/her first language ( but it’s much better than some of my own Irish friends), anyway a long story short he/she asked if I would identify and change any grammatical/idiomatic inaccuracies (why I don’t know as I’m crap at this) and considering posting it.

I did this to the best of my ability making only minor changes to the text, so the story below is approx 90% unchanged from Guinevere's original.

It can be a bit daunting putting your own work out there for people to read for the first time and even more so when it’s not in your native language. Bea encouraged me to post my stuff so it’s great to be able to do the same for someone else.  I hope readers will be supportive for Guinevere’s contribution to the blog. I hope you enjoy it.

The story is in two parts and I’ve added and illustration for the second part of the story at the end.

Carrie 

An Edwardian Tale.

By

Guinevere

 Dear reader,

To the innocent passer-by The Lady Marsha School for Girls is an exclusive boarding-school for the progeny of the upper classes. However we do know that within its formidable walls erstwhile boys are trained in the arts of femininity by formidable tutors. Far away from prying eyes are these troublesome sons of the aristocracy, now de-maled and provided with a whole new feminine identity. Since there is no longer need for their boyish garments they are distributed amongst the poor. Surgery of all kinds, hormone treatments, medication and long hours of the most rigorous feminine training help them to accept that they will never mature into manhood. In the words of one of the nurses: "once the last vestige of their masculinity has been surgically erased, their drawers will fit them better". A most interesting observation, indeed!

The new pupils of this establishment learn to dress, walk, talk, sit and comport themselves as young ladies. Encouraged to take an interest in fine needlework, music, painting, drawing and most importantly the latest fashions from Paris these boys are guided towards an elegant and feminine future. After a lengthy period of comprehensive education in the art of femininity most of these students will, like any natural born school girl, look forward to exchanging their austere black uniform for a more becoming frock. Of course there are a few pupils who stubbornly resist their training and these miscreants require a more intensive program. Dressed in fashion of years gone by or more contemporary garments, they attend local soirees to practise their social graces- under stringent supervision of course.

Naturally the school has a highly qualified equestrian instructor, a strict lady of mature years who teaches her pupils to ride their mounts in a graceful and ladylike manner. Dear reader, as mentioned a newcomer may resist this feminine schooling at first but be assured within six months the recalcitrant youth will have accepted his new life with grace and decorum- on the surface at least, for who knows what residual male stubbornness is suppressed beneath his corsetry and layers of silk and satin petticoats. Where he once fought against the tyranny of the corset this one time rebellious youth will now gladly urge a maid to lace his stays even tighter in order to compete for the smallest waist with the other new girls.

The head-mistress of the school can always tell if a new arrival has been educated by an efficient governess or left in the care of a male tutor. For, the first is properly dressed, wearing a becoming frock, whilst the latter is still burdened by his male garb. A boy who is raised by a strict governess as a girl is familiar with corsets and while not comfortable is compliant- as one would expect from a girl of his age.  He will consider it normal that is raised to become a young lady and his growing spine will have been kept in the correct posture. At the school will he continue to spend time lying upon a rigid back-board, to correct the habit of stooping. In the words of the head-mistress: "young ladies are never born, but always made". A new young lady must not stoop, must always hold her head erect whilst sitting or standing; the head and chest must be upright. Straight-backed chairs, backboards as well as other ingenious devices have been invented to prevent these newly feminised boys from reverting to the lax attitudes of repose dictated by their lazy and slothful male nature.

On meeting a mother for the first time the headmistress is fond of telling the lady that great emphasis is placed on deportment and during vacation it is vital that mother, governesses and indeed maidservants should ensure that the boy’s posture is maintained to the standard that not only the school demands but polite society requires of young ladies of breeding. Indeed on one occasion the head mistress was overheard telling a group of mothers:

“One of our pupils was found to develop weak legs and is now subjected to electrical treatment, and with considerable success. At his mother's request has now a device been developed to straighten her new daughter's nose. This has already resulted in the most delightful nose. We are living in a wonderful age, where boys no longer have to suffer from their birth".  

Dear reader, there is so much boys have to learn nothing seems to come natural to them, at least nothing of significant moral rectitude or respect for the female sex. A boy is conditioned to hide his feelings and even after a harsh chastisement he will do his utmost to pretend that nothing has happened and contrary to human nature he will only reluctantly shed the occasional tear. However bitter tears will inevitably flow when this same boy is laced into his first corset or when he sees small bumps on his chest. Some of them will even wake up in the middle of the night and cry uncontrollably. It is said that those most suitable for improvement resist the changes, fortunately due in no small measure to the education at the hands of their schoolmistresses they soon assimilate girlish ways and may even cry about a broken fingernail or a stain in a dress. It is accepted among the teaching staff that these boys are very privileged to live in a time and age where a youth can be surgically altered and trained in the feminine arts. Schooled to be promenade in becoming frocks, make delicate feminine hand-gestures, perform a flawless curtsy, and very importantly for a young lady- how to handle a parasol properly. I believe a parasol is the hallmark of every lady, unfortunately most new girls are so ungainly that they handle their parasol as if it was a fishing rod. In their final year all of them have become familiar with corsets, crinolines and bustles. They have changed beyond recognition and I have been reliably informed now that their troublesome nature has all but disappeared even their own mothers have difficulty in recognising them at their graduation. Naturally now that they have passed into the feminine realm like proper young ladies do they no longer have to share a maid with their sisters, but have a lady’s maid of their own. When they come home, a lady’s maid will be waiting for them, a complete new wardrobe, jewellery, and a well schooled horse.... 

Two years earlier...............

Dear reader, it is the sad duty of the head-groom to inform the young master that his horse has been stolen. 

The young master runs upstairs to his room, slams the door and in a most unmanly manner cries himself to sleep. The next morning he tells his stepmother that he is willing to do "anything", just to get his horse back. One week later his stepmother has a surprise for him and it has something to do with horses.....The boy looks down from his bedroom window, and is overjoyed when he recognises his horse but it has a side-saddle and when he rushes down to greet it he is informed that the police found his mount but without his own saddle. Needless to say that Julian is overcome with joy however he is reminded he has made his stepmother a promise. He has told her that he is willing do to anything to get his beloved horse back. Dear reader, it's the word "anything" that we must not forget. For as we have read elsewhere every obedient boy, is a new girl in the making.

Mrs. Fitzwilliam-Jones always wanted to have a second daughter. Thus, when the opportunity presents itself to humiliate her step-son, she does not hesitate. She asks her stepson, if he would like to ride out with her daughter. My, the young gentleman is in for a surprise. For, when he returns from his bath to change into a riding outfit, he finds a fashionable riding habit on his bed. He cannot believe his eyes and stammers that only females wear a riding-habit and stamps his foot in a most ungrateful manner and screams that he would rather die than to be seen in such attire. His stepmother has to remind him that he has made her a promise and a gentleman's word is his bond.

“I declare, you are most fortunate, most fortunate, indeed, that we have a spare side-saddle. However, you must wear a riding -habit. A respectable young lady can't be seen without a fashionable riding-habit on horseback however this riding-habit will not fit you, without a riding-corset, henceforth you shall also wear a corset. Disobey me and you may rest assure that you'll never see your horse again. Well, what is it to be?”

 His stepsister, who had already changed into her riding- habit and had gone to find out what was delaying her step-brother, stood in the door opening pulling on her gloves, amused at Julian's panic. As to be expected once confronted with this reality he offers little or no resistance.

He is assisted with his stockings, drawers, under-skirt and chemise, before the maids encase him in a heavy, short riding-corset. Martha and Betty, two strong maids made short work of Julian's lacing. When they threaded the laces of the shoulder straps the boy made some little gasps of protest, possibly because he was being deprived of most of his breath. Betty said to Martha: "if he is like this when being laced into a short riding-corset, what he will be like when he begins to wear a longer, training corset? His mother told the maids not to unduly disturb the young gentleman. Whilst adding: "Miss Julia, will get used to corsets, Betty added with a sly smile "we all have". Now carry on, we don't have all day, you know.”

 Mrs. Fitzwilliam-Jones watched as the maids proceeded to expertly lace her delicate stepson into his first corset.The riding-corset followed by a corset-cover of fine linen and a satin blouse with long sleeves. A big light grey satin cravat was tightly tied around his neck. Betty helped him with the long wide skirt of fine black cheviot and the small tightly cut jacket. It fitted him perfectly.

Two grooms were already waiting for the young ladies showing proper respect with their caps in hand. Miss Victoria told them to help Miss Julia, first. The groom, helped the young lady on the saddle, and then arranged her riding-skirt, to protect her modesty. Mrs. Fitzwilliam-Jones would later write to her best friend, Lady Victoria Barnwell-Smith. "Julian looked absolutely marvellous, if a trifle masculine, with his black top hat. He looked quite feminine, with his hour-glass silhouette, the long full skirt and the veiled hat. Victoria, he really should have been born a girl, you know."

Reluctantly but inescapably Julian becomes entangled in a web of femininity. He may ride his horse but only side-saddle and at all times dressed appropriately. Needless to mention, that he is always accompanied by a groom. For despite his diminutive and elegant appearance his commanding control of the horse is the object of admiring gazes of young men. Julian, is always told to ignore these young gentlemen, standing near the rails, as one would expect from a respectable young lady. I have it on the very best authority that he will soon attend a special school for new girls. My, "The Lady Marsha School for Girls", is a fine establishment of female learning. One can only imagine the joy of a mother, when she is informed that her erstwhile son is developing in all the right places. Such a mother has completely different plans for the future.

The End.