Chapter 8 : A Change in Direction

Liz Pays The Price

The Westhampton Ladies Circle was meeting in the home of Hannah Kleich. Hannah welcomed the group explaining the theme for their meeting.

"I know," she began, "that many of you missed out on our recent visit to Sir Geoffery's studio. It was a shame of course but Julia, Liz and myself had a most, what shall we say, instructive afternoon. Sir Geoffery has been kind enough to lend us some of his equipment again and we thought that we should take the opportunity to try out a few things. If at the end of this evening any of you wish to purchase any of the items, just let me know and I'll arrange it.

"Now, I think you will know about the problems that Liz, Julia and I had with our visit. As a result of that, Liz has agreed to help out this evening ... Mrs Elizabeth Henkle..."

There was an impromptu round of applause from Cassie and the others. Julia emerged from the hall where she had been waiting. She was wearing the items from Sir Geoffery's collection that she'd fitted to herself on the visit to his studio with Julia and Hannah, but that wasn't all.

Hannah had decided that Liz really needed to pay a forfeit for the mistake at Sir Geoffery's that had left Julia and herself helpless for so long. She had told Liz that she was going to be the maid to serve drinks at their next Ladies Circle meeting. After some protests, Liz had seen that Hannah's point of view was fair and she had given in. As well as showing off the head harness, gag and shackles, Liz had also been told to get herself into a maid's uniform and, in some ways, that had been the most humiliating part of the forfeit for Liz.

At first Liz had thought she'd be able to get something mail order or off the Internet but Hannah had vetoed the idea. "Oh no!" she'd said. "You can go and buy one over the counter. There's a workwear place downtown that specializes in all that sort of stuff. You make sure that you turn up dressed the part."

Liz had done as she was told. It was a curious sensation, she had never thought of herself as someone that liked to be bossed around but Hannah's implacable manner and Liz's own sense of responsibility for the unfortunate incident had been enough to propel her to the shop and to overcome the curious looks she got from the staff who seemed to know that she wasn't buying the outfit for her normal day job.

In the end Liz had decided to make the best of it and when she appeared for the rest of the Circle she was wearing a black maid's dress with short white cuffed sleeves and a white collar, a pressed white apron and, balanced on top of the head harness that held her gagged, a maid's cap.

The applause continued as she carried her tray of drinks into the room, taking short steps limited by the chain between her ankle fetters. Liz felt quite smug at the success of her uniform and at Hannah's look of approval at the way Liz had followed her instructions to the letter.

As Hannah had directed she passed drinks around to the assembled gathering and then, once all had been served, stood back, her tray in hand, while the other members of the Circle chatted amiably.