The hand of sweet Mary. first contrary ..
Sorting through my Victorian attic I have discovered some really intimate and revealing confession by a certain well know gentleman of the Upstairs and Downstairs period in the early 1900's when servants were treated as chattels for the participation and enjoyment of their masters and mistresses as well as what they were allegedly employed for, to be of domestic service.
For little Mary Trayforth she soon discovered why the master wanted to know on her job interview if she had nursing experience, and of course she lied and said yes just to get the job.
He writes Mary was a veritable enticing and very attractive girl saying ' I could not resist asking her up to my bedroom on the context that I was poorly and sick and I needed her nursing.' The blaggard!
This is contrived from his writings.
I lay in bed in my nothing's and called for my maid servant to attend promptly with bowel, hot water and sponge to attend my cleansing.
"Have you given bed baths before" I asked of her as she stood so demurely looking absolutely divine with those big innocent blue eyes and rosy red cheeks, I do believe she was blushing. Well I might expect she would be given my unexpected demand of a service of which she really had no idea of executing, and that stood out a mile.
"!I do believe you have no medical experience that you were fibbing to me Mary?" I suggested and I saw that worried look and knew what I knew already.
"Have no concern, I can teach you, would you like that?"
She whispered that she was shy but if it would help her position, that he may not dismiss her then she would make up for those lies.