No - Victoria prepares for dinner

Victoria drifted back to consciousness, vaguely aware of someone calling her. She opened her eyes to see Margaret looking down at her, a hint of sardonic amusement in her eyes. Victoria looked up, suddenly conscious of her hand still buried between her legs, her drawers down around her knees. Flushing scarlet she snatched her hand away and pulled up her drawers.
“It’s alright Miss, a number of the ladies find they need to let off steam after a caning. “ Victoria went even redder.
“I don’t know what you mean, Margaret” she managed to retort, but her own flushed face rather spoiled the effect, and the maid’s annoyingly knowing smile didn’t help.
“I’m sure you don’t Miss”
“What do you want anyway?”
“Mr Bartlett asked me to assist you to prepare for dinner.”
Victoria glanced round and was shocked to find it was already early evening.
“Please tell Mr Bartlett that I am feeling rather tired and would prefer to eat alone in my room. “
Margaret smiled again. “If I may be so bold, Miss, but I don’t think that Mr Bartlett was asking, it was more of an instruction, if you understand me. I can go and tell him if you like, but I think he would simply send David and Simon to bring you down to dinner. Of course, Miss, it’s your choice. “
Victoria shuddered at the thought of the two footmen re-appearing in her bedroom.
“You make yourself perfectly clear, Margaret; I will come down to dinner. Please run me a bath and lay out my dark blue gown. “
Margaret shook her head. “I’m afraid Mr Bartlett has already told me what you are to wear, Miss. “
Victoria’s mouth dropped open, and she began to ask Margaret about what she was supposed to wear, only to find that Margaret had already gone to run the bath.
Margaret re-appeared shortly to inform her that her bath was ready.
“If you excuse me, Miss, but I’ve run the bath a little cooler than usual, I think you’ll find it a little more comfortable that way.”
Victoria made her way into the bathroom and gently eased her way into the water. She gasped at the touch of the water, which seemed to revive the worst of her earlier caning, but then gradually the stinging reduced and the water actually seemed to help to soothe her battered flesh.
Getting out, and having very carefully dried herself, she returned to the bedroom. Margaret was nowhere to be seen, but laid on the bed were some cream stockings, a clean pair of silk drawers, a chemise and a yellow gown. Victoria frowned. Margaret had not laid out any petticoats or a corset. Impatiently she rang the bell. Shortly Margaret appeared.
“Margaret, you have not laid out my corset and petticoats.”
The maid smiled.
“I’ve laid out the clothes specified by Mr Bartlett, Miss.”
“I can’t go down to dinner without my corset!” Victoria protested.
Margaret’s smile grew broader.
“I’m afraid Mr Bartlett has had all of your corsets removed from the house Miss. He described them as ugly garments, only fit for ugly women.”
It was on the tip of Victoria’s tongue to retort that, in that case, Margaret was sure to be wearing one, but she bit back the remark, certain that Margaret would simply relay it to the tutor, who would inflict his own response on Victoria. She also reflected that in fairness it was not strictly true. Whilst Margaret was no classical beauty, she moved with a strength and litheness that was strangely reminiscent of a lioness she had once seen in a travelling circus; in fact all in all Margaret’s deep black eyes and thin smile also seemed those a predator. Victoria shivered; suddenly something struck her. How did the tutor know about her corsets? Had he been in her bedroom earlier whilst she was in the bath? Or even whilst she was asleep this afternoon? She flushed at the thought of him witnessing her curled up on the bed asleep, her hand between her legs. She wanted to ask Margaret, but considered that perhaps it would be better not to know.
“Would you like some assistance in dressing Miss?”
“Er no Margaret, that’s alright I can manage.”
Victoria reflected that Margaret had seen enough of her for one day. The maid turned and left the room, leaving Victoria to put on her clothes.
The stockings and the drawers were no problem. However, Victoria was shocked to find that the chemise was shorter than she was used to, and cut in a v-shape both front and back. The reason was soon apparent when she examined the gown. Like the chemise the neck was cut in a v-shape front and back, leaving much of her back exposed and the tops of her breast. She also noted that it was tailored tight around her waist, and with a narrow skirt. Looking at herself in the looking-glass she flushed pink. The gown left nothing to the imagination about the shape of her body beneath. It was with some trepidation that she made her way down to dinner.