Chapter 1 - text

Text of Chapter 1 THE JOY OF SIX Chapter 1 – The Arrival A cold dank November Sunday and as dusk begins to fall and a mist begins to rise a black stretch limousine with heavily tinted rear windows moves gently up the drive to an imposing modern mansion ‘somewhere in the country’. Lights are already showing from some windows as it draws to a halt by the front door. A liveried chauffeur gets out and opens a rear door. After a few seconds a foot in a black high heeled shoe comes into view and drops to the ground, followed by a second and then the body of a tall slim woman emerges and walks a few steps away. She is exquisitely dressed in a trouser suit that shouts ‘couture’ and not ‘chain store’. Perhaps 35 years old her look is perhaps a little stern though not intimidating, and no one would deny her face and figure were attractive, but she does carry an air of authority. What is her name? She certainly has one but here she will only be known as The Mistress. She is indeed the mistress of the house, a super housekeeper who organises the staff and ensures all runs seamlessly for the owner but one week in four she takes on a wholly different management role. She is followed out of the limousine by six young girls, in their early 20’s, casually dressed, who gather in a group before the Mistress leads then in through the front door to a warm hall where they wait a moment for the chauffeur to bring in their cases. When all a reunited with their luggage the Mistress takes them down a long corridor to a large bedroom with three king size beds and six wardrobes. Bedside shelves and drawers on each bed have a printed sheet laid out. Each wardrobe has two cardholders on its doors. The large one is already holding a card with the name of one of the girls, the smaller is vacant. A door off leads to a spacious bathroom with three shower cubicles. The Mistress tells the girls that the summary of their duties for the week is on the printed sheets but for the moment they should know that they should shower in pairs and take full advantage of the situation, then they will find outfits identified for the day in their wardrobes which they should wear for dinner later in the evening. After dinner they will spend some time to finish their drinks in the drawing room before retiring. Night attire, if they require, is in their wardrobes and they should pai