... part 4
Life at Chadwick's Manor is never easy. A life of leisure is anything but leisurely. And Miss Barbara was there to make sure no time we lost. My first daily walk had been a real struggle, weighted under layers upon layers of smotheringly hot garments and teetering in heels that were too tall and thin to stand in, let alone exercise! But of course that had not been enough. At the behest of Miss Barbara, John had a device installed at the far end of the courtyard. Miss Barbara was happy to introduce this new device to me:
"This device was adapted from one of mister Chadwick's plants. It was a mechanical chronometer attached to a pressure plate. The main objective, as you might guess, is to keep track of how fast you're doing your laps. We can adjust the chronometer for a particular time lap. On each lap you have to step on the pressure plate to reset the lap timer. The chronometer will help remind you not to slack, a bell will start ringing when you're falling behind. The chronometer will also track your total time. If at the end of your daily walk you're running behind, we'll have to do a couple of extra laps to ensure that you're building the endurance necessary to keep the pace. A lady needs to be able to navigate the world even in her skirt and heels."
In no time whatsoever I was "walking". Or rather trying to run in my bondage to keep up with the unforgiving machine that was my task master. The ten laps I was asked to do kept me on my toes, literally. My toes were suffering tremendously inside the tight boots. After the first few laps, it was hard trying to concentrate on keeping the pace. The alarm only brought more urgency. I would try to hurry, but my legs could only move their burden so fast. My legs were weak, it was hard to breathe while being on the brink of heatstroke. After every lap, my corset felt tighter and longer, strangulating me little by little. My clothes felt heavier after every lap, as my sweat tricked down my body. My skirts, and specially the heavy leather petticoat, felt clingier, sticking to my legs and making every step a huge struggle.
Finally the ten laps were done. I knew had run behind the clock, the bell had been ringing. On the last lap I could hear the alarm. I awaited my reprimand and the extra laps for not walking fast enough.
"Well, you finished beyond the clock. I should give you extra laps, but since it's the first time, we will finish right now. Hopefully this session helped you find the right pace for your morning walk. There will be no concessions starting tomorrow. For now we'll give you your breakfast and then we'll go back to your deportment lessons." That little victory felt empty as I knew it would be hard to beat the clock tomorrow. I had made my utmost effort today, and had still fallen way behind. I felt set up to fail. And the next day did in fact prove to be a nightmare.
The next day, as expected, I was woken up, dressed in all of the garments that made up my uniform. Then I was taken downstairs and the cloak added on top of everything.
As I had feared, I was failing to keep up with the clock. Every fiber in my body was fighting to keep moving, to move faster. To keep putting one booted foot in front of the other. Heel to toe... Heel to toe... Just like in the deportment lessons.. Or at least as much as my leather petticoat would allow. Trying to get as much forward progress in every painful step. Resisting the burning in my confined toes. Resisting the cramping in my ankles trying to balance in the pencil thin heels. Resisting the infernal heat underneath my massive uniform. Resisting the thumping in my head. But it wasn't enough.
"You were more than ten minutes behind your target. This a process, but you need improve your rhythm. It's not easy, but with hard work you will get there. For now you will do two more laps. We will reset the chronometer to ensure you knowing if you're keeping the pace.
Starting the extra laps was hard. My legs and feet were already tired. I was sweaty all over, and could only breathe in shallow pants. My legs felt heavy, but I with much concentration I was still making progress, until the last quarter of the first lap, when things started to go bad. The thumping in my head got louder, I could hear the bell ringing, but it felt distant. It suddenly became harder and harder to breathe. I felt the high stiff collar of my dress closing around my neck, and my corset crushing my lungs as they tried to get just a bit of sure. I desperately tried to raise my hands to try to adjust my collar, but it was useless. My hands were pinned down by the weight of the cape and the cloak. I then tried to adjust my wretched corset, to pull it down and give my lungs more space to breathe. But it was impossible to grasp the edge of my corset through the tight fabric of the dress and the padded corset cover, all while my hands were encased in tight leather gloves. I couldn't even fell the edge of the corset, and even if I had been able to tug at it, it wouldn't have made a difference. As my vision began to blur my knees became weak and buckled under the weight of my limp body and my sweat drenched uniform.
I woke up in the chaise lounge in the dressing room. My vision came back slowly, my head still throbbing lightly. Miss Barbra was next to me. I had been undressed down to my corset, but I was still wearing my gloves and boots.
"Well dear, it seems you got a case of the vapours. Don't worry, soon you will be able to handle your daily walks." Miss Barbara said. "Meanwhile we'll dress you to continue with your daily deportment lessons."
"Can I keep my corset loosened like it is now?"
"Dear, we didn't loosen your corset at all..." I was shocked, since despite my headache the corset didn't feel as asphyxiating as it did when I fainted during my walk. After regaining my composure in the chaise lounge I was quickly dressed back again in my uniform. And without any concessions to the severity of my dress I was forced back into my routines of drills, walking, curtseying, and general deportment. It was one of the most excruciating days of my training so far, my body felt weak, and my head was still throbbing with a headache.
"We have no time to loose," Miss Barbara responded to any objections I could have.
Sleep could not come soon enough. However once bedtime came I was still kept in my tight corset gloves. As usual I was changed into my sleep boots and helped by the maids to the bed. Lying down felt great, but my head was still throbbing, and my legs were beginning to cramp from all the effort I had exerted on them. I tried finding a more comfortable position for my legs, but moving around with my legs stiffly encased in the sleeping boots and my torso in the vice like grip of the corset was close to impossible.
After hours of tossing and turning, I decided to try to loosen my boots, even if just a fraction of an inch. I tried to reach my boot laces, but despite the height of the boots, I could not reach them. The corset prevented me from bending at the waist. No matter how much I twisted and turned I could not reach the knot at the top of my boots. The corset was too stiff and wouldn't let me bend enough to reach my boots. In desperation, I tried to reach the lacing on the my corset behind my back. But between the voluminous nightgown and the tight leather gloves, it was hard to feel around my back for the lacings. After a few minutes I could feel my heart racing, and sweat trickling down my brow, yet I had made no progress removing my corset. I starting trying to peel off my gloves, but it was really hard to manipulate the tiny wrist buttons that kept the gloves shut. I had to take a pause to catch breath to focus on disengaging each of they tiny buttons. Finally I was able to pull off my gloves. After getting some circulation back into my hands, with my newfound dexterity I was finally able to tackle undoing the lacings of my corset. With a bit wrangling of the shoulder straps, I was finally free of its grip. Removing my corset was one of the most liberating moments. Feeling the fresh air caress my torso, covered in argy red welts left by the strict corset. But I still had work to do. Having been released of the stiff corset I was finally able to bend down and reach the lacings of the sleep boots. After some struggling with the lacings I was able to loosen the laces enough to pull them off. I didn't want completely pull off the laces so that I would be able to put the boots back on before dawn. However that was not to be. Between the exhaustion of my daily training, the struggle of removing the contraptions I was strapped onto, and the relaxation of finally being able breath freely and wiggle my toes, I was soon deep asleep, in the deepest sleep I had since I arrived at Chadwick's Manor.
My slumber was interrupted by a loud "humph". Miss Barbara has by the side of my bed, holding my discarded corset on one hand and my sleeping boots on the other. She did not looked pleased. I had overslept.
"This will not be tolerated, we cannot slacked on your training. You must be made to understand that. But right we must get you back into your training apparatus as soon as possible. Let's strap her onto the lacing bar."
I no time I was hanging from my wrists. The lacing process went by faster. They were not gentle as they pulled on the laces. Meanwhile my toes were again squished together in the confines of my walking boots. Once fully dressed, I was led down to my morning walk. Disheartened as I was, there was no letting up. The bell rang, my toes hurt, and it was hell inside the furnace of my uniform. But not daring to further raise the ire of Miss Barbara I complied as much as possible. That wasn't enough, as I finished way past the allotted time. Dejected, I took the extra laps as prescribed. Finishing those extra laps felt like a small victory, but I was still dreading with anticipation the consequences of having tampered with my corset, boots, and gloves. Nothing was said about the matter that, although Miss Barbara was very curt when giving me directions or correcting my deportment.
That night, I was prepared for bed as usual, I was stripped down to my corset and gloves, and my regular "walking" boot were replaced with the bizarre "sleeping" boots. I was led, barely teetering on my toes, to my bed.
As the covers for my bed were pulled back, I watched in horror what awaited me. Three straps of thick white padded leather with heavy metal buckles laid on top of the mattress, at waist level. They were attached to another long strap that seemed to go under and around the mattress of my bed.
"So this is my punishment for trying to remove this wretched corset?"
"Mr. Chadwick doesn't believe in punishment, but he does believe in preventative discipline. And in that fashion we have added some attachments to your bed. You might not like them, but they will help you sleep better, since now you won't have the temptation of tampering with you figure training apparatus. You simply won't be able to reach your lacings. Honestly I have to congratulate you on your self-control, most girls try to rip off their corset on their first night." Miss Barbara explained.
"But this is barbaric!" I balked back.
"I know that your feelings have not been consulted to establish this regime. But I can assure you that your training, although exacting, is far from being unduly cruel. I will take no more back talk from you."
They kept pulling the covers back, revealing two more straps, similarly padded in white leather. These were at ankle level, it wasn't hard for me to guess their nefarious purpose. I tried to pull away but the two maids holding in balance in my sleep boots held fast.
"There you go, you won't be able to reach any of the fastenings of your corset."
"And what's the difference between 'preventative discipline' and just plain old punishment? Because being strapped down to my bed after I removed this dreadful corset definitely seems like a punishment."
"As opposed to punishment, with preventative discipline the changes to your regime are not temporary but rather permanent."
