Morning Routine

“Thank you.” Ella flashed a small smile at the maid who had been assigned to help her with her morning toilet; she’d not had a ladies maid in…well let us simply say a very long time and the strangeness of having someone bring in her bath water and help her dress was something she had never grown accustomed to.

“If you could help me with my corset?” logically she knew the girl would assume to have that duty, but the habit of polite requests instead of demanding orders was not one she was of a mind to break. Cornsilk hair was pulled over her shoulder to allow access to the laces - Ella could manage alone but effort would be slapdash - “not too tightly please.” she requested as the garment slide over her petticoats.

@megs

"Yes miss, of course miss." Clara spoke in the soft tone of someone used to service. She may not have any experience on ships, but she did know how to be a ladies' maid. That's how she had gotten into trouble in the first place. At least for a few moments she could be fairly certain she wouldn't do anything to draw suspicion.

Then again, what if someone did discover her? What could they do, turn the entire ship around to return her back to London? Still, it was best to keep her secrets while she could.

She waited for the lady to brace herself and carefully worked her fingers through the laces of the corset, tightening them without applying the rib-crushing and breath-stealing pressure that so many ladies seemed to prefer. They thought a narrow waist was elegant...Clara just thought they looked rather daft, gasping for air at the slightest exertion and fainting onto couches.

Once the task was finished to the lady's satisfaction, she stepped back again.

"Will there be anything else, miss?"

@kel

“Yes. If you don’t mind-“ Ella shrugged on the tassel and braid bedecked jacket with the ease of practice “a second pair of hands is useful.” She quipped smiling at the traditional 28 shiny brass buttons that made up the closure of an army officers jacket. “What’s your name?” She asked taking a seat at the vanity “do you have any experience in hair dressing? It’s been a dogs age since I’ve had the time to do more than a simple updo.” She explained, the glow of a woman looking forward to being primped brightening her expression.

“Or do you have other duties to get to?” She didn’t want to get the girl into trouble or steal the few free minutes she had in her day.

@megs

"Clara, miss." The young lady answered politely as she helped the officer with her buttons. It really did seem a bit over the top, but she couldn't argue with the quite dashing end result. The question abut whether she had other duties caught her a bit off guard. Since when did the swells care about the likes of her? She wiped the surprise off her face after a moment though and shook her head.

"No miss, it's alright." She would rather be doing the lady's hair than whatever other duty someone would find for her as soon as she finished here. Taking her place behind the woman, she began letting down her hair and gently combing through it.

"You have lovely hair, miss. If it's not too bold of me to say."

@Kel

Hibestky Ella too thought the full uniform was a bit silly, even more so when attached to the full white trumpet skirt she was expected to wear with it. But to be just as honest, it was no worse or more uncomfortable than some of the dresses she’d been laced into over her life.

“Have you been on the ship long?” She asked eyes sliding half shut in pleasure at the sensation of someone else brushing her hair.

“Thank you.” Soft blue eyes opened to smile at Clara in the mirror “I used to be in service when I was a child.” She confided softly “rather reminided of why my misstress enjoyed having her hair brushed so often.”

@megs

Clara smiled at that, nodding as she began to braid the lady's hair. Many in her place would have remained cautious, but she could sense nothing but friendliness coming from the other woman and that helped her to relax a bit.

"This is my first voyage aboard, miss." She replied honestly, leaving out the more interesting details. "I've never been nearly this far from home before." It was a bit overwhelming, really, and moreso because she knew she could never return.

The thought unexpectedly brought tears to her eyes, which she blinked away hopefully before the lady saw them.

@Kel

“Oh dear.” Ella reached back to squeeze Clara’s wrist comfortingly, “you poor girl. Is it at least an adventure for you?” she asked, “Very very few people get to fly, to see the world from above, it is service, but at least there is that.” and she wasn’t chained to one house for every day except a half day once a month, the zeppelin at least to Ella seemed more exciting than that fate.

“Do you have family to write to?”

@megs

"Oh, don't worry about me." Clara shook her head, blinking back tears.

"It's only that I've never been so far from home." Well, that was a part of it wasn't it? Not exactly a lie. Still she felt a bit of a pang not telling the whole truth to a lady who had been nothing but kind to her.

"I'll be alright." Her fingers began moving again, weaving the lady's blond tresses into an intricate updo.

"What made you decide to become an officer?" She asked in a somewhat desperate bid to change the subject of their conversation.

@Kel

Ella waited till the current loop was secured before rising and turning - “Don’t be afraid to cry little one.” a handkerchief appeared out of no where apparent moving to dab under Clara’s eyes pushing back any threatening wetness. “It is one of the things that makes us human. Even when others over look and use you thoughtlessly.” the fingers that skimmed over her cheek had their own calluses; a fine ladies hand from above...a workers roughness underneath.

“Like all of us I did what was necessary at the time.” her lips quirked into something like a humorous smile. “I had a skill that the British found useful, and they had something I needed.”

@megs

Clara nodded, leaning slightly into the woman's gentle touch for a moment as her kind words drew forth a few more tears. Sniffing, she took the bit of cloth and dabbed at her face, making a visible effort to gather herself. It wasn't done, crying in front of people, even if they used to be in service like yourself.

The kindness had been unexpected, and she felt all of her secrets bubbling at the back of her throat as if anxious to escape. Of course, she knew it would be madness to tell this woman why she was really aboard. If anyone knew she would be sent back at best, thrown in gaol at worst. She couldn't risk it, especially not simply because no one had been this kind to her in months.

"What..." Her voice cracked, and she cleared her throat before continuing. "What sort of skill? I you don't mind my asking."

@Kel

Ella let her compose herself, almost perhaps sensing the girl wanted desperately to unburden herself, and also realizing that trust took time, and better it earned than stolen in a moment of high emotion.

After all the odds a maid had information Ella would find interesting in a professional sense was slim, and so she could take her time and befriend her as felt natural.

What sort of skill…

Ella could feel the secretive, almost amused smile pull at her lips; what skill indeed. “Would you belive me if I said Once Upon a Time I was a princess?” Her tone was jesting, lightly teasing, seemingly deflecting the question with nonsense.

After all she had already admitted to being in service as a child; what sort of princess started a servent and was no longer one?

@megs

"A princess?" Clara blurted out before biting her lip. "That is...I'm not sure I understand." How was it possible for the lady to have been a princess and been in service at some point? It didn't seem to make sense, but she didn't want to sound like she was accusing anyone of lying.

Her fingers were busy as she waited for the explanation, deftly braiding sections of hair and pinning them up.

@Kel

Ella Just smiled, a little sad, a little nostalgic, “Once Upon a Time…” she whispered into the mirror sighing to herself.

“Are you interested in a career in the military?” She asked refocusing on Clara, “it’s a hard life, even more so for a woman, but it can be rewarding, and something most girls never get to see.” Bringing the conversation back around to what she had been asking about originally.

“Where are you from originally?”

@megs

"Westchester, Miss." She pinned a braid in place and took a step back to judge her progress, a bit more relaxed now that her hands were busy. She was not someone used to idle conversation.

"But I went into service in Kensington when I was quite young." She notably didn't mention in service to whom, which was an odd omission given her station.

@kel

Ella nodded at the place names, if the girl was there watching in the mirror she might notice the sort of vague nod of someone who sort of recognized the names but had no earthly clue of where they were on a map. Odd for a apparently educated English woman.

“Is you family in service?”
It usually seemed that way, or a child sent off to earn coin for her family in the city or farms.

Ella noted the non answer to her other question and did not for the moment press.

@megs

"Yes Miss, most of us are." Clara nodded, pausing for a moment as if to say something but instead setting back to work on the braids taking shape beneath her deftly moving fingers. She wasn't quite sure what else to say. This had already been a more personal conversation than she had ever had with someone so above her in station.

She carefully pinned a braid in place and stepped back to consider her progress, nodding. This would be quite lovely when she finished.

@KEL