"Ladies. Ladies!" Corrine quieted the young women seated around the table. Everyone was dressed for the formal dinner, looking their best. Their eyes sparkled in the candlelight almost as much as the crystal glassware at their settings. "As you are all aware, we have a special guest joining our house for a week or so. Everyone, please meet Chester McMillan. I expect you to take some time to get to know Chester."
They all greeted him, some enthusiastically with smiles, others with a curious reserve, and a few with minimal mumbles.
"Umm, Chester?" Beatrice hesitated. Beatrice always hesitated. "I'm just wondering. Why do you wear women's clothes?"
The group broke into nervous tittering as all eyes first went to Corrine and then to Chester. Surprisingly, Corrine's face had turned red, while Chester seemed quite calm.
"Beatrice!" Corrine hissed.
"It's quite alright," Chester interrupted softly. "I get that all the time. I can't remember the exact details, but about four or five years ago, I came to the realization I preferred to dress as a woman. Over these past few years, I've taken it very seriously. Hopefully you can give me some pointers." He said the last with a shy smile, looking at their faces and then back to Corrine. "It's a problem for most of the guys I know, but it seems to be a great ice breaker with women."
Corrine could only think about his pointy
big
ice breaker buried beneath his formal gown. She licked her lips.
The admission
did
break the tension; the table broke into numerous conversations as the food was passed.
Several of the women asked Chester questions about his preferences for various designers, eventually realizing he had strong opinions about almost all of them. By the time dessert came around, most concluded that Chester was something of a snob: he had snubbed their opinions on several topics regarding dresses, slacks and proper shoes, not to mention accessories.
Corrine again called them to attention, striking her spoon against her water goblet. "Ladies! There is something else you should know about our new guest." She turned to look at him, watching him blush.
What does he think I'm going to say?!
She let him squirm for a heartbeat and turned back to her audience. "Chester really likes to clean. According to John, he's never seen the men's house so neat and clean. In return for staying with us, Chester has graciously agreed to help any of you in your household tasks. You are free to interpret that as conservatively or broadly as you see fit, but Chester has confided in me that he really, really likes to clean house!"
As all eyes returned to him, he blushed and looked down again, unable to stand the attention.
"Catherine, I believe it is your evening to clear? Donna, you are on washing duty, yes?"
Before the others could get up, Chester was out of his chair graciously collecting dishes and silverware to bus to the kitchen.
Catherine, who had been the quietest about Chester's presence in the house, stayed seated, more than happy to let him clear. "I've been saying we should have had a housemaid all along, but I'd never have imagined we'd get a house
boy
." No one seemed entirely surprised by Catherine's reaction -- it was rare to hear anything positive coming from her lately.
Chester continued emptying the table, stacking the dishes for Donna to wash.
"Did you want me to help with that?" He asked her quietly as Corrine entered the kitchen. Donna smiled and shook her head. "I'm fine. Thanks!"
Corrine looked down at his crotch to see a bulge beginning to grow.
Sheesh, just clearing the dishes turned him on. He must have blue balls all the time.
"I've made a copy of each girl's chores for the week. I assume you will make sure you've chatted with each one to see how they want to use you." Her raised eyebrows sought his acknowledgment.
"No problem," he assured her quietly, looking down.
"I want to be clear about this arrangement, Chester. The Council is just 13 of the 40 women who live in the house. Even though you're an upperclassman you should be quite honored at the privilege we're giving you: a seat at our table, an honorary member of the Council. But with privilege comes duty, obligation and responsibility, and I expect you to keep your end of the bargain. No fraternizing with the underclasswomen and no shouldering their duties. You serve at the pleasure of the House Council. Is that understood?"
He looked at here and nodded his head, making sure she understood
he
understood.
"Feel free to do your evening toilette in the Council bathroom on your floor. I've already told them you'd be in there, so don't feel you have to wait for it to be empty or anything." She tossed the remark off as she left the room.
He had a dozen questions for her, but she was already down the hall before he could get them out.
* - * - * - *
Chester entered the bathroom wearing a gauzy coral-chiffon robe carrying his toiletries case. As he stood in the doorway, scanning the room for an open sink, several of the women looked up.
He noted with a mixture of alarm and relief that Corrine wasn't there. Alarm because he had felt the beginnings of a bond with Corrine - that she might protect him as he was about to enter the lioness' den. Relief, because he had a sense of shame from the afternoon encounter with her, and he wasn't sure how to face her.
That Chester couldn't have been more off base in either assessment was as much a credit to his naivetΓ© as it was to Corrine's complete lack of concern for or about him. She watched him from down the hall, hesitating. From the moment she had seen him at the party the other night Corrine had concluded he was the biggest freak-show she'd ever seen. She just