Beatrice fumbled around the bottom of the tub, finding the plug and pulling.

The water slowly drained as Beatrice began to dry herself, before dressing. The clothing that had been offered to her seemed new. Perhaps this was what Vladislav bought from that shop after he had purchased her. Beatrice thought that this was most likely.

Vladislav had kept her close after he had purchased her, but in her nervous state, she had barely been aware of much going on around her, and had kept her head down, trying to remain obedient and docile. She did not know what her new master might expect of her at that point, and she did not want to annoy or anger him, in case he was cruel.

First, there was stretchy under-garments that fit her waist and chest. Then there was a thin under-dress that was frilled at the sleeves and neck. Atop of this, was another dress that Beatrice put on, of more substantial material, stretchy in all directions and light-beige in colour, with dark-beige imprints of flower patterns all over. Finally, on top of this Beatrice put on a pinafore dress. Worn as an overgarment, a pinafore, the word pinafore coming from the words ‘pinned’ and ‘afore,’ was worn to protect the clothing underneath. Maids wore it like an apron, children would wear these sometimes to help protect their clothes when they played. They were pinned on the front, easily removed, washed, and replaced.

Beatrice felt her body all over, shifting her joints and limbs, feeling herself in these new clothes, and familiarising herself with these new sensations. Physically she felt incredible, and smelled incredibly pleasant and fresh, though she could not identify the scent. She felt clean, her hair was washed and damp now. Beatrice stood there for a moment, thinking, considering.

She realised at that moment, that she felt good. Happy even. Though she did not smile.

 *

She went downstairs to find Vladislav working on something under the staircase.

There was a little unused space here, unused save for a few potted plants, of course.

Vladislav had cleared the space, and was building something in this gap.

‘It’s a bed’ Vladislav declared proudly, hearing her approaching. ‘Or at least it will be when I am finished. I will try to be as quick as I can. Regardless, it will surely be finished before nightfall.’

He looked at her properly now, taking in her new appearance.

‘You were able to put on all the clothes correctly?’ he asked her.

‘Of course.’

‘Well…I wasn’t sure if…’ Vladislav began to emit a high-pitched whine. ‘I asked the lady for something suitable, and she gave me several pieces. And some extras.’ Vladislav turned his head away, towards a point in hallway near the still open front door.

Here Beatrice saw a simple pale-wooden box.

‘Those are yours’ Vladislav explained. ‘What is inside I mean. And the box too of course. There are several different things in there for you. I wasn’t sure what to get, so I bought everything the lady in the shop suggested.’

‘Mine?’ Beatrice echoed. ‘This box is mine?’ she pointed to it.

‘Yes. The box is yours. A-and everything in it. At the moment it’s only clothes’ he explained, as Beatrice went over to it.

She knelt. It was a kind of box that had a sliding lid, and not one with a lid that opened outwards.

Opening it, she saw more garments inside, shuffling through, were many white items. Some more undergarments, under-dresses, pinafores, and another dress like the one she wore now that was beige, a dress to be worn on top of the other clothing, but under the pinafore. This one was a pale mint-green in shade, and had a darker pattern of leaves all over. The two dresses, the one she held now, and the one she wore, were different colours, and patterns, but were in the same style.

‘The lady in the shop said that she makes all the dresses herself’ Vladislav continued. ‘It’s a family-run business, so I was told. Her mother taught her how to work with fabrics, how to run the shop, as her grandmother taught her.’

Beatrice lowered the dress back into the box.

‘She has a daughter, about twelve years old I think’ Vladislav continued. ‘I didn’t see her, apparently she is quite shy, but she loves to make skirts and petticoats. She hasn’t worked on any large dresses yet. The lady of the shop also had a son, but he’s not interested in the shop. He’s more interested in what his father’s business is. Oh, listen to me rambling on. I nearly forgot; I have something else for you.’ Vladislav looked about him, reaching for a box behind him, ‘ah. Here.’ He placed the box before him, and Beatrice reached for it.

Inside there were several more items of clothing. Beatrice recognised these as night-dresses. They were short-sleeved, and material light and airy.

‘They’re made of cotton’ Vladislav told her. ‘They will be very comfortable to sleep it. I will also prepare a mattress and sheets and a pillow. The nights are comfortable here, at this time of year it is not cold at all. Though come winter, my home…our home, will be lovely and warm. There will be fires throughout, in many of the rooms.’

As he spoke, Beatrice lifted one of the night-dresses, there were several. The one she had chosen was lilac in colour, with no pattern. The skirt reached past the knees.

‘These are mine?’ Beatrice asked.

‘Yes, these are yours.’

‘These are my possessions?’ Beatrice pressed. ‘I own these.’

Vladislav began to emit a hissing sound, but there seemed to be no malicious intent behind this expression. It seemed to be a friendly gesture of some sort.

‘You own these clothes. They are entirely yours. And you can do with them what you please.’

Beatrice clutched the night-dress to her chest, tears shimmering in her eyes.

‘I’ve never had possessions before’ she breathed.

‘I’m sorry I didn’t hear what you said.’

Beatrice raised her head. When she looked around at Vladislav, her eyes were clear.

‘I said thank you.’ She told him.

‘You are most welcome’ he said, his eyes suddenly burning bright.

[END OF CHAPTER]