Help from an unexpected source

One moment a naked Jane Harker was staring at horror as her old friend Lucy Westenra ordered her capture by the army of maids at her command. The next moment, she was screaming "No!" while doing her damnedest to run back out the back entrance.

But she was too slow. The maids pounced on her before she got fifty feet and through sheer numbers, they managed to drag her back into the house.

Next thing Jane knew, she was standing naked in a tub while one maid after another poured a bucket of hot water over her. Another one reluctantly scrubbed her naked body while yet another maid held that maid's nose.

Then at long last, they stopped with the bath and toweled her off with a nice warm towel, only to snatch it away when Jane tried to use it to cover herself.

"Mistress Westenra says no clothes for you while you're here," said Tara. "If the neighbors wish to provide you clothing, that's their business, but Mistress Westenra prefers you to stay in the same state of dress that you arrived in."

"Damn it, Tara!" cried Jane. "I thought we were friends. How can you of all people go along with all this? Those neighbors Lucy is planning to send me to are evil!"

Tara just sniffed and adjusted the black scarf she wore around her neck. "We were never really friends, Mistress Harker. And anyway, I have a far deeper connection to my employer than I do with you. If she says that the neighbors are okay, then they must be okay."

And with that, Tara and all the other maids left the room. Save for one veiled figure which hastily re-entered the room and locked the bathroom door behind her.

Then the figure raised its veil and revealed itself to be...

"Fifi!" cried Jane. "Where have you been?"

"Quiet, Mademoiselle Harker," said Fifi. "It would not go well for you if you insist on announcing my presence to the other maids."

"But I don't understand," said Jane. "Why aren't you leaving with the other maids?"

"The answer should be obvious," said Fifi. "Look at my neck."

"Really, Fifi?" asked Jane. "Vanity at a time like this? I'll admit that your neck is pretty but just because I go a certain way doesn't necessarily mean --"

"I don't mean that, Mademoiselle Harker," said Fifi. "I mean, look at my neck. See what I'm wearing and what I'm not wearing. Especially what I'm not wearing that the other maids are wearing."

"So you're not wearing a black scarf, so what?" asked Jane. "I never found those things to be especially attractive anyway. Though I must admit that the cross you're wearing is kinda pretty."

"It's because of that cross that I'm not wearing a black scarf," said Fifi. "And because I'm not wearing a black scarf, that means I have not yet been turned by the same people who turned the other maids."

"Turned?" asked Jane. "What do you mean by 'turned'? And what does the cross have to do with anything?"

"No time to explain all that right now," said Fifi. "I'm sure you'll figure it all eventually, anyway." At this point, Fifi muttered something in French that Jane could not understand.

Then Fifi said, "Come with me quickly. I'll try to hide you away from the others till we can get some help."

"Er, can I please get some clothes first?" asked Jane.

"Of course," said Fifi. "I brought some clothes for you just in case. After all, as long as you're naked, you're far too visible."

And with that, Fifi handed Jane a black maid's uniform complete with white apron and black scarf.

"Really, Fifi?" asked Jane. "You expect me to dress like a maid?"

Fifi sighed and said a quick prayer in French.

Then Fifi said, "It's the best thing you can wear right now if you don't wish to stand out. Now please put it on, Mademoiselle Harker, before I give in to the temptation to -- how you English say? -- smack you."

"Smack me?" asked Jane. "Why would you want to smack me?"

Fifi just sighed and said, "If you have to ask, Mademoiselle Harker..."