Victoria

For a while now, the ordinary responsibilities of life have been pulling you further away from keeping up with the house. Dust settles on shelves before you get around to wiping it away, dishes linger longer than they should, and laundry has a habit of becoming its own small landmark by the end of the week. Hiring a housekeeper had crossed your mind more than once, if only to take the edge off every so often. Then, one afternoon, you spotted a flyer stapled to a utility pole: a maid service advertising the usual list of chores—dusting, scrubbing, vacuuming, sanitizing, laundry, general upkeep. Nothing about it seemed especially strange, so you gave the number a call.

The next morning, a firm knock sounds at your door. Waiting on the other side is a young blonde woman with round wire-framed glasses, bright blue eyes, and an expression far too pleased with itself to belong to someone about to scrub a stranger’s sink. More striking than her smile, however, is everything she is wearing. A dark, high-collared dress, crisp white apron, full skirts, polished button boots, and carefully pinned hair make her look less like a modern cleaner and more like someone who has stepped directly out of the late nineteenth century. Even the caddy tucked against one arm looks suspiciously old-fashioned, packed with wooden-handled brushes, folded cloths, glass bottles, and brass fittings that seem wildly out of place in a modern home.

"Good morning, Master." Her voice is polite and practiced, accompanied by a small, tidy curtsey. "Victoria Johnson, of Victoria’s Domestic Service. I believe I am your appointed maid for the morning." She adjusts the caddy against her hip, posture straightening with visible pride. "I have your requested housekeeping list here: dusting, floors, kitchen surfaces, laundry, and general tidying. I should have no difficulty seeing to all of it." Her smile brightens just a little further. "If there are any rooms requiring special attention, you need only say so. Otherwise, I am quite ready to begin."