The Donovan Estate

Following Matthew's idea to start a new story to keep things fresh I thought I would do the same.

Pt. 1

Erin sat in the dark corner of her local coffee shop. Hunched over the table she sat pecking away at her phone. Furiously scrolling through job posting after job posting. She had scrounged up the last of her change so she could buy a cup of coffee. She needed the WiFi the purchase provided because her phone plan had run out of data. 

Just a few days before, her highschool sweetheart had dumped her and left to join the army, not wanting to be tied down by anyone back home. For the first time in her twenty-something years she was alone, and homeless. After burning though what money she had it was in this desperate moment that she landed on a job posting several pages deep. Was this the break she so desperately needed? With a hopeful click she started her application for a staff position at the Donovan estate.

She had heard of the Donovan family and their luxurious mansion a few towns over and how they rarely spent time there. They were always off jetsetting to vacations and business meetings in far away countries. Erin figured it wouldn't be too hard to help maintain their mansion that was barely used. Plus the job posting promised free room and board for any member of the staff. Something she very much needed at the moment.

Within minutes of clicking send her email account had a new message. With haste she opened it up and read through it's contents. The Donovan estate had reviewed her application and wanted her to come for an interview and estate tour the next day.

Erin finished her coffee and left the coffee shop, she walked back to the parking lot with a huge smile on her face. It seems like the big break she needed was right around the corner. While digging though her car that contained all of her belongings, she looked for her nice skirt and blouse from when she was on the debate team in school. With a little creative rearranging and luck she managed to find the outfit and was grateful it was still clean and fit.

Erin found a well lit parking lot and locked her doors. It was the best she had at the moment and she could freshen up in the morning. She drifted off to sleep in the front seat of her car for the last time that night. Tomorrow she was going to have a decent paying job and a warm bed to sleep in.

Pt. 2 (Had to get to the good stuff before I posted Pt.1)

Erin drove down the long driveway of the estate. She parked her car and walked up the stairs to the towering doors and knocked three times. She stood there with a nervous feeling in her stomach, unsure if she would get the job, hoping that her outfit was professional enough to hide the fact that she was living in her car. She wished she had a couple extra dollars saved so she could of at least bought a cheap pair of pantyhose, or that her shoes were more than a worn pair of flats from years ago. She had to put thoughts away because at that moment the door began to open.

Standing in front of her was a tall elderly gentleman. He was wearing a black suit and black necktie.
"You must be Erin" he said with a calm tone.
"Yes, I'm here for the staff interview" she said confidently.
Erin followed the man through the grand doorway and into a side room where there was another man sitting at a desk. This man was also wearing a black suit and necktie, he motioned for Erin to sit down while the first man left the room and closed the door behind him.

"My name is Mr. Harrington and I am the head estate manager of the Donovan house." He said in a firm stoic tone. "In one sentence tell me why you think you would be a good fit on our staff" he said to Erin.
She thought for only a moment and confidently said "I'm a hard working person with an exceptional eye for detail, furthermore I feel like my presence on the staff would benefit the esteem that the Donovan family name upholds".
"Very interesting" Mr. Harrington said as he nodded.
"You must understand that a position on our staff is more than a simple job, you must have some reason to seek this position" he said almost coldly.
"Though, it is not my place to pry into your personal history" he added. "We all have our troubles and trials in this life, what this position offers is a new way forward" he added.
Erin nodded her head and simply said "I understand, I am more than willing to begin a new chapter in my life".
"Very good, it seems like this will be a good fit. If you would follow me I will finalize your initiation into the staff of this estate" he motioned to the door as he stood up.

Mr. Harrington led Erin down the long hallways of the mansion, into another room almost on the other side of the estate. Her head was on a swivel admiring the numerous paintings and statues that lined the hallways. He opened the door and sitting behind an ornate desk was a dark haired woman he introduced as Ms. Lovett. The first thing Erin noticed was this woman was also wearing a black suit and necktie, for a brief moment she was taken aback by the poise and grace Ms. Lovett showed by simply standing up and greeting Erin.

"Welcome to the staff Erin, please sit down. We have many things to talk about" Ms. Lovett said in a soothing voice. Without saying a word Mr. Harrington closed the door as he exited the room and Erin sat down opposite of Ms. Lovett, they began to discuss the many rules and intricacies that entailed all staff members of the Donovan estate.

"Firstly as a representative of the Donovan estate your appearance must be impeccable at all times. These rules will either make or break your tenure on our staff." Ms. Lovett said like she had perfected the exact words to say.
"I understand Ms. Lovett" Erin said quickly.
"Very good, let's begin with the basics. The day will be divided between two shifts. The first shift begins at 8am and ends at 12 noon. There will be a three hour break before the second shift begins at 3pm until 8pm. The staff rooms all share a common room that is secluded in a far wing of the estate. You will have your own room." said Ms. Lovett
Erin thought to herself that it would be nice to have some free time in-between her shifts and to have a room all for herself.

Ms. Lovett continued "The most important aspect of your day is our uniform. It must be worn anytime you leave the common room, no exceptions, no excuses. You will wear a white long sleeve dress shirt with the top button fastened at all times. You will wear a black necktie tied in a full windsor knot, it must not slip down, loosen or ever show your top button. You will wear a black knee length skirt. You will wear black stockings secured by either a garter belt or girdle. You will wear black dress heels no taller than 1 inch. This will be the uniform that you wear everyday. You may remove your uniform during your three hour break between shifts, but you'll find that the other staff members choose to remain in thiers. We have a tailor on staff in order to ensure a perfect fit. Do you have any questions?"
Erin's head was swimming with questions but nothing came out other than "I don't know how to tie a tie."
Ms. Lovett looked at Erin with a puzzling look and said "No worries dear, you will have plenty of time to practice before your first shift. In fact why don't we start right now. Please stand up and follow me."

Erin stood up and followed the sound of Ms. Lovett's clicking heels down another long hallway into the tailors room. She opened the door and began to take various pieces of clothing out of a wardrobe marked staff. After assembling a dress shirt, skirt and tie that was roughly Erin's size she instructed Erin to change clothes in the changing room and that when Erin was fully dressed Ms. Lovett would teach her to tie her first tie.

The only thing that Erin could say in her torrent of thoughts was "Yes Mam."

SnTMG wrote:Following Matthew's idea to start a new story to keep things fresh I thought I would do the same.

Pt. 1

Erin sat in the dark corner of her local coffee shop. Hunched over the table she sat pecking away at her phone. Furiously scrolling through job posting after job posting. She had scrounged up the last of her change so she could buy a cup of coffee. She needed the WiFi the purchase provided because her phone plan had run out of data. 

Just a few days before, her highschool sweetheart had dumped her and left to join the army, not wanting to be tied down by anyone back home. For the first time in her twenty-something years she was alone, and homeless. After burning though what money she had it was in this desperate moment that she landed on a job posting several pages deep. Was this the break she so desperately needed? With a hopeful click she started her application for a staff position at the Donovan estate.

She had heard of the Donovan family and their luxurious mansion a few towns over and how they rarely spent time there. They were always off jetsetting to vacations and business meetings in far away countries. Erin figured it wouldn't be too hard to help maintain their mansion that was barely used. Plus the job posting promised free room and board for any member of the staff. Something she very much needed at the moment.

Within minutes of clicking send her email account had a new message. With haste she opened it up and read through it's contents. The Donovan estate had reviewed her application and wanted her to come for an interview and estate tour the next day.

Erin finished her coffee and left the coffee shop, she walked back to the parking lot with a huge smile on her face. It seems like the big break she needed was right around the corner. While digging though her car that contained all of her belongings, she looked for her nice skirt and blouse from when she was on the debate team in school. With a little creative rearranging and luck she managed to find the outfit and was grateful it was still clean and fit.

Erin found a well lit parking lot and locked her doors. It was the best she had at the moment and she could freshen up in the morning. She drifted off to sleep in the front seat of her car for the last time that night. Tomorrow she was going to have a decent paying job and a warm bed to sleep in.

Serious props to you my man

I love this!

Pt. 3 (Thank you for the words of encouragement, I'm also open to ideas you would like me to incorporate. Also there's a part of me that would like to turn this into a more "Adult" orientated story.)

Erin stood in front of Ms. Lovett with her shirt collar turned up and buttoned, a little too snugly she thought. Her trial shirt was a little bit too small for her, causing the collar to sit tight against her neck. Ms. Lovett assured her that the tailor would ensure everything would fit comfortably. She must of sensed Erin's apprehension, but nonetheless she slipped the black silk necktie around Erin's neck and knotted an elegant full windsor knot and pulled the tie right up to the top button. With a final nod of approval she flipped down the collar and adjusted the tie one more, this time Erin felt she may of tightened it a little too much.
"Perfect, just the way I like it. Don't worry dear, soon you'll forget your even wearing a tie. It will just become a part of who you are and what you wear." Ms Lovett said firmly to Erin.

"Now let's finish going over the rules. This is your uniform and if you are seen outside of the common room in anything else you will be terminated on the spot and required to repay any costs of employment. Monday through Thursday you will wear this all day. Now on Friday and Saturday evenings you will have another uniform to wear. Since this is the time that the Donovan's are most likely to be present we require a more formal uniform." Ms. Lovett said.
Erin thought to her self that all these rules about the uniform were kind of getting out of hand but she dared not speak up and lose out on the opportunity.
"For the second shift on both days you will wear a white wing tip tuxedo shirt, with black studs and cufflinks. You will wear a black self tie bowtie. You will wear a below the knee black tuxedo skirt. You will wear a black tuxedo vest. You will still keep your black stockings and shoes from earlier in the day and to finish off the uniform you will wear a black tuxedo jacket."

Erin simply nodded her head after hearing about the weekend evening uniform.
Ms. Lovett continued "All this may seem so overwhelming at first, but rest assured dear that after a few weeks your uniform will feel like a second skin for you. You will learn to take pride in your appearance. Come let's meet some of the staff"

Ms. Lovett led Erin out of the tailors room and down the long hallways. While she was walking and looking around Erin could feel the stiffness of the collar around her neck, she could feel the thickness of the tie knot under her chin. She would of felt embarrassed in any other situation but walking with Ms. Lovett who was also dressed perfectly in a suit and tie she felt a new sense of confidence. As they were walking Ms. Lovett stopped at a nearby mirror and slightly adjusted her tie knot, and brushed a few hairs off of her suit jacket
"It's important to always make these small corrections throughout the day Erin. Ms. Lovett said.
Erin stopped and looked in the mirror. This was the first time she had ever worn a tie that was knotted so tight. Her thoughts shifted to the fact that she would be wearing this everyday for the foreseeable future. She ran her fingers over the bulging knot and felt the silky texture, she copied Ms. Lovett and made a very small adjustment. For a moment she had the urge to tighten it a little more snug against her neck, but Ms. Lovett called out to another staff member.
"Aubrey come over and meet our newest staff member Erin" Ms. Lovett said almost demandingly.

As she walked over Erin could see that Aubrey was wearing the proper uniform of the estate. Her tie was just as perfect as Ms. Lovett's, the collar of her shirt looked almost as tight as Erin's.
"Welcome to the staff, I hope your orientation is going well." said Aubrey.
"It is, thank you" Erin replied.
"Now, let's go finalize your employment with your signature on the contract. If you could excuse us Aubrey." Ms Lovett said.
"Ohh by the way Ms. Lovett, thank you for replacing my stockings that got ripped during last night's service" Aubrey said quickly.
"No worries dear, I know how...instense your tasks can be" Ms Lovett replied.

Erin followed Ms. Lovett back to her office where they would go over the terms of the contract. Erin was to be employed for 1 year and anytime after that would be a month by month basis. All of her meal and housing would be taken care of. Her uniforms would be also provided for free. Being the newest member of the staff Erin would be doing any and all of the required day to day tasks. Since this was a Saturday Erin would start the following Monday morning. This would give the tailor time to make sure everything was the correct fit.

"Why don't you leave your shirt and tie on for the rest of the day dear. It will be good practice for Monday morning." said Ms Lovett. So Erin spent the rest of the afternoon break walking around the estate familiarizing herself with the layout and meeting the other staff. The whole time she could still feel the silky knot tied around her neck and the stiff collar restricting her slightly. Ms. Lovett requested that she remain in the common room for the evening shift, dude to Erin not having the correct uniform at the time. She watched as the other few staff members went into their rooms and changed into their tuxedos. They all lounged around and chatted with Erin before their shift began. It was hard for Erin to understand how they could all be so comfortable in such a formal uniform. When it was time for bed she went to her room and unknotted her tie, she tried to follow Ms. Lovett's instructions and retie her tie. After a few attempts without much success she decided to try again tomorrow. For the first time in a while she would sleep in a comfortable, warm bed. Tomorrow's big plan was to meet with the tailor and finish settling in before she started bright and early Monday morning on her new chapter of life.

This is exquisite. Loving the detail, and the focus on the intense feeling round her neck Mmm.

But I wonder what Aubrey was doing to incur that…?

Pt. 4 (We're almost to the first day. Half the fun is figuring out where I'm going while I'm writing. Still thinking about taking an "Adult" turn at some point, but it's almost too early for that.)

Bright and early Sunday morning Erin was to meet with the tailor. She knocked on the door and voice from behind it said "Come in please". Erin was greeted by a woman wearing a 3 piece black suit with a perfectly knotted necktie.
"Hello Erin, my name is Mrs. Harrington" she said.
Erin replied "Nice to meet you."
"It seems you met my husband yesterday, He's been the estate manager here for quite some time. He told me that you seemed like a perfect fit for our staff. Now it's my turn to make sure your uniform is a perfect fit too. Ms. Lovett told me that your trial shirt seemed a little light yesterday, but you were a good sport about it." Mrs. Harrington said.
"Yes ma'am, it was a little tight around my neck and the tie only made it tighter. After a few hours it was no bother to me though." Erin said excitedly.
"Good to hear, let me take some measurements now." Mrs. Harrington said as she grabbed her tailors tape.

Mrs. Harrington told Erin about how she came to be the staff tailor of the estate as she took her measurements. How the staff was in dire need of some discipline before she started. So Mrs. Harrington decided to start with the easiest approach, a strict but fair uniform. Once the uniform policy was put in place there was an almost overnight improvement not only in productivity, but also staff morale.

"Excellent dear, it seems like your measurements are almost identical to Aubrey's, so it won't take long to alter our current stock to fit you. Your wardrobe will include 6 white long sleeve dress shirts, 6 black skirts, 1 pair of shoes, 6 pairs of black stockings, 3 black silk neckties and one pair of cufflinks. You will also have 2 white tuxedo shirts, 2 black tuxedo skirts, 2 black tuxedo vests and 2 silk black bowties. Finally you have your choice of either a black 6-strap garter belt or a white panty girdle. Which would you prefer?" Mrs. Harrington asked Erin.
"I've never worn either of them. What is the difference?" Erin asked puzzled.
"Well, the girdle provides a bit more shaping to the body, while the garter belt holds your stockings up better. Since you're pretty young I would recommend the garter belt." Mrs. Harrington informed Erin.
"Ok, that works for me." Erin said.
"Now take the garter belt and a pair of stockings and change into them in the changing room. I'll make a few quick alterations and you can try the full uniform on." Mrs. Harrington almost demanded.

Erin went into the changing room and slipped the garter belt on, she then rolled each stocking up her leg and fastened them with the garter clips. The garter belt hugged her hips pretty tightly and the clips held the stockings firmly in place. Erin stood and admired how she looked in the mirror before Mrs. Harrington asked her to step out into the room.

"Marvelous dear, what a perfect foundation. Now let's try this shirt on." Mrs. Harrington ordered. Erin put her arms into the sleeves and Mrs. Harrington began to button the shirt starting with the bottom. When she reached the top button she flipped up the collar and slipped the black necktie around Erin's neck. She folded the collar back down and finished buttoning the collar button.
"It's not too snug is it dear?" she asked Erin.
"No ma'am, it's about the same as yesterday. It was at first but after wearing my shirt and tie all day it began to feel looser." she Erin enthusiastically.
Mrs. Harrington tied a perfect knot and tightened it up against Erin's neck, she almost took Erin's breath away when she did so. After the shirt and tie was perfect Mrs. Harrington slid the black skirt up Erin's legs. Erin could feel the silky lining rubbing against her stockings and the sensation sent a chill up her spine. Finally Mrs. Harrington helped Erin step into her shoes.
"There you go dear, this is the first time that you have the full uniform on. Tell me, how does it make you feel to be properly attired?" Mrs. Harrington asked.
"It feels a little awkward to be honest, but it's something I know I will learn to appreciate." answered Erin.
"Yes you will, by the end of the week you won't want to wear anything else." replied Mrs. Harrington with a chuckle.

Mrs. Harrington repeated the process with the tuxedo uniform. She had Erin strip back down to her stockings and made sure everything fit. When she was finished Erin stood and looked at herself in the mirror. Mrs. Harrington had to help her with the bowtie, she made sure it was properly tight.
"Now that we have everything sized correctly and your wardrobe in order you can have the rest of the day off. It's your choice if you want to leave the uniform on for the rest of the day." she told Erin.

Erin chose to remove the uniform and change back into her informal clothes. She spent the rest of the morning and afternoon relaxing. She chose a good book from the library and settled into an oversized chair in the common room. After an hour or two Aubrey came into the room after returning from a day out.
"Hey Erin, how was your morning with Mrs. Harrington?" she asked.
"It went well, I have my wardrobe ready for tomorrow." she replied.
"Good to hear, Mrs. Harrington asked me to make sure you knew how to tie your necktie. Let's do a little practice real quick." she told Erin.
The two women spent the next hour tying and retying their neckties until Erin was confident she could do it on her own tomorrow.

With the moon glowing in the sky it was time for bed. Erin hung all the pieces of her uniform up so it was ready in the morning. As she laid in bed her only thoughts were how much she wanted her first day to go perfectly. She didn't know what her tasks would be but she did know that she would be dressed appropriately for whatever the day had in store for her.

I'm very curious as to what directions this story will take if it goes the "adult" route. A simple relationship with a co-worker that goes beyond kissing, or something way more NSFW.

That said, I'm just happy we're getting another story that features a tuxedo. Way too many stories written in this forum use suits and ties, and never expand beyond them.

Pt. 5 (We've made it to Monday morning, I'll probably hold off on the "Adult" stuff for now but it will eventually find it's way into the story.)

Erin woke up early Monday morning, she quickly got a shower and laid on her bed for a moment. She wanted to take her time getting dressed so everything was perfect. She started with a plain white bra, then she wrapped the garter belt around her waist and made sure it was secured tightly. She slid both stockings on her legs and slowly smoothed them with her hands. When they were fastened by the garter clips she put a pair of black panties on over the garter belt, a tip that Mrs. Harrington had told her. She sat at her vanity and did her makeup in the mirror, they were allowed only a basic amount. She brushed her hair and put it into a tight bun. They were not allowed to have their hair touching the collar. She stood up and walked over to her uniform that was hanging up. She took the white shirt and slid her arms into the sleeves and buttoned it up, leaving the top button for last. The collar was upturned and the necktie ends were hanging down her chest. She proceeded to knot the tie into a perfect full windsor on her first attempt. When the tie was set in place snuggly agasit her neck she turned the collar down and made the final adjustments. Next came the skirt, when the lining rubbed her legs it sent that same tingle up her spine. Finally she put both shoes on her feet. After smoothing out the wrinkles and another adjustment of her tie she was ready for her first day on the staff of the Donovan estate.

A knock on her door and a voice from the other side snapped her out of the trance she had looking in the mirror.
"Hey, it's Aubrey, just making sure you're ready to start." Aubrey said from the other side of the door.
Erin opened the door and she was met by Aubrey who was already in her uniform too.
"Yeah, I'm ready" Erin said.
"Looks like all the practice paid off last night, your tie looks perfect" Aubrey said.
"I even got it on my first try." Erin bragged.
"Good for you. Come on let's take a couple minutes to get some coffee before our shift starts." Aubrey told her.

The two women walked to the kitchen while their shoes echoed with each step down the hallways. When they reached the kitchen all of the other staff members were already sipping coffee and chatting before their shift started.
"How early do you guys all get down here?" Erin asked.
"We all like at least 30 minutes to relax before we get going for the day". Aubrey replied.
When it was 5 minutes til starting time they all shuffled out of the kitchen and made their way to the main entrance.
Aubrey helped Erin by telling her where to stand for inspection.
Mr. Harrington appeared out of his office wearing his black suit and tie. He went down the line and inspected each staff members uniform for perfection. When he got to Aubrey he told her how she was a shining example of how a staff member should dress and carry themselves. Finally he reached Erin. His eyes fell to her tie knot, it was just the right width, just the right length. The only thing he noticed was that it could be a pinch tighter. So he snugged up Erin's tie against her neck and made sure the proportions were perfect before addressing the staff.

"Now, most of you know what is expected of you on Monday mornings. Get to it on the double" he said sharply.
"Now Erin, since this is your first shift we will have you doing something pretty simple and straightforward. You are to go into town and pickup the items on this list" he said as he handed her a list of items from a couple different stores.
"We will have a driver take you to town and you can then walk to wherever you need to. When you have completed the list he will bring you back here for further instructions." Mr. Harrington told Erin.

Erin head was a swarm of thoughts, her breathing started to get heavier as she thought about how she would be walking around town wearing her uniform. It was one thing when everyone else was wearing the same uniform but she knew she would stand out in the crowd with her shirt and tie. What if she ran into someone she knew? Before she had any more time to think Mr. Harrington asked her if she understood her tasks.
"Yes sir" was the only thing Erin could say.

The car ride into town was uneventful. The driver kept to himself and didn't say much. Erin stared out of the window looking at the scenery while she ran her fingers over her tie knot. When they arrived in town her first stop was the craft store. Erin stepped out of the car and spent a few seconds making sure her uniform was perfect before walking into the store. She walked up to the counter and asked the sales woman for the package that the estate requested.
"Ohh, yes dear I have it right here" she said as she handed Erin a small brown package.
"You young ladies always look so prim and proper when you come into town" she said.
"Thank you ma'am, it's actually my first day" Erin replied.
"I couldn't tell at all, you look so comfortable being all dressed up. I know I couldn't wear a necktie all day everyday like you ladies do." the sales woman said.
Erin thanked her and said goodbye, she walked out of the craft store with a new found confidence. She held her head high as she walked which caused her tie to become just ever so slightly tighter around her neck. Her next stop was the department store a few blocks down the road.

She walked through the doors and went to the customer service desk. The lady behind the desk lit up when she saw Erin standing there in her uniform. She explained how she loved seeing the ladies from the estate walk in for their weekly pickup. This time she informed Erin was extra special because Ms. Lovett had ordered this package all the way from overseas. After the package was handed to Erin she thanked the lady and walked out again with her head held high from the compliments.

Her last stop before returning to the estate was to pickup a set of keys from the locksmith. This was the only stop she had really worried about, because next door to the locksmith was a mechanics garage that her ex-boyfriend worked at. Erin hoped that he had already shipped off to boot camp but deep down she had a gut feeling. As she turned the corner she had to pass in front of the garage. Her gut feeling turned out to be right and standing outside of the garage was her ex, smoking a cigarette. There was no way to avoid the fact that he would see her, and she knew he would find something mean to say about how she was dressed in her uniform. Her plan was to just keep walking no matter what he said.

I love this story. I particularly like the bit about the skirt lining rubbing against her leg.

Pt. 6 (I took a longer break than I thought I would but we're back in business now.)

Erin strode with confidence past the garage with her ex standing out front. She just kept her head held high and her eyes forward. She thought that maybe her ex didn't notice it was her, but she could feel his eyes do a double take as she entered the locksmith. With a sigh of relief she closed the door behind her. The locksmith behind the counter greeted her.
"Welcome, it's good to see a new face from the estate." said the old gentleman. "I have your package right here."
"Thank you" said Erin.
"Excuse me ma'am, do you know that man standing outside?" the locksmith asked.
"Yes, he's my ex boyfriend. He works at the garage next door and he must of noticed it was me."
"I see, he won't give you any trouble I hope" the locksmith asked.
"No sir, I'm hoping to just ignore him. It's my first day working at the estate and I'm sure he has a lot of questions for me that he doesn't deserve an answer for." Erin said confidently.
"Good, good. I'd hate to have to show him that this old man still has some fight left in him". The locksmith said proudly.
"I appreciate the offer, have a good day sir" Erin said as she grabbed the package and walked towards the front door.

Before she could even shut the door behind her her ex was already asking about why she was dressed that way, how she was doing, where was she living, he tried calling her. The only thing Erin had to say to him was "If you like a woman in uniform so much I'm sure you'll have a good time in boot camp". He was left standing there as Erin walked away from him for the last time. With each step Erin's confidence and self assurance skyrocketed. She liked who she was becoming, she liked how her uniform made her feel. She was already turning the corner to meet her driver when she saw her ex standing there with a slack jawed mouth breathing look on his face. Erin chuckled to her self as she stepped into the car. Any worry or apprehension she had about her future melted away as she smoothed her skirt and brushed the dust off her necktie. The driver began the trip back to the estate where the rest of the day would unfold.

When Erin stepped out of the car she thanked the driver and checked her reflection in the window. She made a slight adjustment to her necktie by tightening it up just a pinch. As she walked up the stairs to the front door carrying the packages she could feel her stockings rubbing the lining of her skirt and stretching with every step. She opened the door and put the packages on the table just inside the door where she was instructed to place them. She went to Ms. Lovett's office for her next task.

She walked in and told Ms. Lovett that everything went well.
"Good, it seems like you managed to keep your uniform nice and neat. Tell me, how did you like walking the streets in your uniform?" Ms. Lovett asked.
"I was a little nervous at first, but all the shopkeepers were so nice to me." Erin replied.
"Excellent, all of those jitters will be a thing of the past. Soon you won't even think twice about your uniform. You might even wake up on a Sunday morning and decide to wear it all day just because it feels so natural" Ms. Lovett enthused.
Erin laughed "Has any one ever done that?"
"I have, many times in fact. I'll be tightening up my necktie when I realize what day it is. Seems like such a waste to take everything back off so I'll just go about my day a little more formal than usual." Ms. Lovett smiled as she told Erin.
"Seems like a nice way think about it" Erin said.
"Now, since there is only an hour before your afternoon break let's have you do something quick and easy. Go down to the kitchen and start folding the napkins and put away the silverware." Ms. Lovett instructed.
"Yes ma'am" Erin said enthusiastically.

When Erin was finished with the napkins and silverware she made her way back to the common room. There was another staff member already sitting at the table. She introduced herself as Morgan.
"How did you like going into town" Morgan asked.
"How did you know that's what I was doing?" Erin asked puzzled.
"Mr. Harrington always sends the new staff member into town for their first task. It's a way to get comfortable in your uniform" Morgan said.
"Ohh, that makes sense, it was fine. I ran into my ex boyfriend while I was out. He decided to break up with me before he shipped out to basic training". Erin laughed as she said.
"Wow, what a jerk, seems like you're over it well enough" Morgan replied
"Yeah, I needed a fresh start and the estate was a good way to start that." Erin told her.
"How do you like the uniform? I HATED it when I first started, I almost quit after going to town." Morgan said.
"Well, I've never worn anything like it in my life so I suppose it was just a part of my new start." Erin smiled as she said.
"Good to hear, I've grown to appreciate wearing it. After all it's just clothes, and the high standards make me feel like I'm a part of something bigger." Morgan said.
"It also helps that everyone else is wearing it too, I don't feel out of place." Erin replied.
"Exactly, you've got it figured out already."Morgan said excitedly.

The two women sat and chatted a while before the other staff members shuffled into the common room. Erin noticed that no one changed into different clothes or even loosened their ties. It seemed like everyone was absolutely comfortable in their uniforms. Erin stood up and excused herself to her room. She slipped off her shoes and laid down in her bed for a minute. All of her recent troubles slipped away as she ran her fingers over her tie knot. She was happy and she was home.

This was beautifully written.

Pt. 7 (This might be the final chapter in a while for Erin, though Aubrey's story will soon be beginning)

Erin said her good night's and told the other staff members she would see them in the morning. She opened her door and kicked off her shoes. She wanted nothing more than to crash onto the bed and fall asleep.
"Just 5 minutes" she said out loud. As she fell face down onto her bed. She didn't care that her necktie was still tightly knotted around her neck, or that her skirt had rode up and her stocking tops were showing. She needed this bed more than anything right now. Her head was buzzing with a recap of her day. Her trip into town, the ride back feeling like she conquered her past, her light kitchen work, the first break she enjoyed with new friends or the evening shift that flew by so fast she hardly noticed the time. The 5 minutes came and went as she laid there half asleep. With a groan she pushed herself off the bed and began to undress.

Erin started by carefully untying her necktie, careful to not pull it too hard. She unzipped her skirt and let it fall around her ankles. Starting with the top button she unbuttoned her white dress shirt. Erin walked over to her vanity and sat down wearing only her bra, garter belt and stockings. She removed her makeup and let down her hair. After brushing her hair smooth she slowly unfastened her garter clips and rolled the stockings down her legs. With a sigh of relief she unhooked her bra and hung it up next to her stockings. She stood up and took off her garter belt and panties. Erin placed her uniform in the hamper and before she climbed into the shower she got her uniform for the next day ready. After a brisk shower she was ready for one of the best night's rest she had earned in a while.

The rest of the week played out in similar fashion, she would wake in the morning and put on her bra, panties, garter belt and stockings before applying her makeup and fixing up her hair. She would slide her arms into her shirt sleeves and drape the necktie around her neck. Everytime she pulled her skirt up she would still get shivers from the lining rubbing her nylon clad legs, a sensation she would look forward to. Finally she finished off by tying her tie in a snug full Windsor knot before checking the mirror to make sure everything was absolutely perfect. Her day would be filled with various household tasks and errands. Her evenings would consist of dinner service and the final cleaning before she found herself face down on her pillow ready to fall asleep.

Thursday came and went and Erin once again crashed onto her pillow unable to move. This time though the 5 minutes flew by and turned into 15 minutes. For the life of her she couldn't will herself to get up. Before she knew it she was fast asleep, still wearing her uniform. Her tightly knotted tie was still snug around her neck, and her stockings still covered her legs. She woke up on Friday morning to the alarm clock blaring in her ears, feeling more groggy than she had all week. It took Erin a few moments to realize that she had fallen asleep in her uniform, her shirt wrinkled from the sheets and a few garter clips slipped off her stockings.
"I can't believe I slept all night in my uniform" she said to herself. Without hesitation she removed her clothes and hopped into the shower, only to put on her uniform for the new day immediately after.

Out in the common room she found Aubrey sitting down reading a book by the fireplace.
"So, have you ever fallen asleep while still wearing your uniform?" Erin asked Aubrey.
"Haha, ohh it's happened a couple times" Aubrey said with a deep laugh. "The key is to not even lay down for a minute", she followed up with.
"Yeah, I've had a bad habit all week of doing just that". Erin replied.
"Well you must feel comfortable enough wearing it to fall asleep in it". Aubrey told her.
"I guess so, it's starting to feel like a second skin I think." Erin said smiling
"Then it's all going to plan." Aubrey chucked.

The morning shift went just as smoothly and quickly as the others that first week for Erin. She soon found herself back in the common room a little later than usual. Much to her surprise Aubrey was already wearing her full tuxedo uniform for the weekend evening shift. She caught herself admiring Aubrey's bowtie, she could tell it wasn't a perfect pre-tied one, just enough imperfection to prove it was hand tied.
"You didn't hesitate to get ready for tonight" Erin said to her.
"I like to be prepared for anything, you never know if someone will arrive early and need assistance". Aubrey replied. "Go ahead and take your time getting ready, you really want to make sure everything is perfect for this evening." Aubrey told Erin.
"Thanks, I'll see you in a little bit" Erin responded.

Erin closed the door to her room behind her. She found a note on top of a small package sitting on her vanity. She opened the note and it said that these were to be worn with her tuxedo. Erin opened the package and found a pair of fully fashioned black seamed stockings. She thought that these must of been what she picked up from the shop on Monday morning. She carefully removed every piece of her uniform and placed them in the hamper. She rolled the new stockings up her legs and fastened them to her garter belt. Erin noticed that these ones didn't stretch like her daily ones, but they still fit perfectly. She took her tuxedo shirt and attached the studs onto the shirt. When her shirt was buttoned she closed the cuffs with her cufflinks and draped the black silk bowtie around her neck. She needed a couple tries to make sure the knot was perfectly tight and porportioned. Her skirt was next and the lining rubbed her legs in the right places, it was a few inches shorter than her standard uniform skirt. She would have to be careful to not let her stocking tops show when she was moving around. Next was her tuxedo vest, the black silky satin shimmering in the light caught her eyes. She made sure to leave the bottom button unfastened. Finally she slipped into her shoes and finished off the uniform with her tuxedo jacket. The lapels were peaked and had the same shimmering satin. She stood in front of the mirror and twirled around making sure the seams on her stockings were straight.

Erin opened the door to her room and stepped into the common room. Everyone else was already in their tuxedo uniforms ready for the evening. They all exited the room quietly with the only sounds coming from their polished black shoes echoing through the hallways. Erin didn't know how the evening would unfold but she did know that she loved how her tuxedo uniform felt. She loved the shimmering satin and the bowtie around her neck, she loved the seamed stockings and the lining rubbing against her legs. Most importantly she loved her ex's decision to leave her. She was a new woman and had new purpose in life. She was apart of the staff at the Donovan estate.