Mrs. Smith

It was almost ten o’clock. Mei was due to meet Mrs. Smith in the drawing room shortly. Mei tried to make herself as presentable as possible, stroking and pressing down on her sleeves and some folds on her blouse. Her hair was still neatly plaited into pig tails. Her heart started pounding as she made her way carefully into the drawing room. Other than cleaning it, housekeepers were not allowed into the drawing room. She knocked on the drawing room oak door gently.

“Come in” said a voice with a perfect British accent.

Mrs. Smith was more elegant than Mei had imagined. She was an English lady in her early forties, graceful and slim, dressed in a very smart royal navy dress, her brown hair neatly swept into a perfect chignon. She had blue eyes, very fair skin, a sharp nose and a long graceful neck decorated by a sparkly sapphire necklace. She sat by the bureau, writing what one assumed would be a letter, very elegantly poised. Mrs. Smith was used to a high position in the society, her husband a wing commander in the Royal Air Force, serving in Singapore. He was rarely at home. Mrs. Smith would often go out for charitable luncheons with other ladies in the society.

“Good..good morning ma..madam” greeted Mei in her broken English.

Mrs. Smith looked up, stopped her writing and gave Mei a smile. She explained in simple terms what Mei’s job would be. Mei nodded as Mrs. Smith explained on. Mei would be given fifty cents in the first couple of weeks in the trial and if satisfactory, her salary would be increased to a dollar. A whole dollar?! Mei was very, very pleased. Mei explained to Mrs. Smith about Anna. Mrs. Smith agreed Anna could work alongside Mei as long as she was well behaved. Before she left, Mrs. Smith asked to looked at Mei’s hands, presumably to look at her nails and cleanliness, she gave her a nod of approval.

“Thank you much much..” said Mei gratefully.

She returned to the housekeepers’ quarters and told Jen what Mrs. Smith had told her. Jen and Anna were both excited, but Jen sounded a note of caution that Mrs. Smith expected respect and obedience from all her staff and Mei should be careful to repay her trust.