The Governess- 5

The nurse had just handed Richard his drink when a young girl dressed in a blue
tunic dress entered the room, she stood just inside the doorway facing the row
of baths. She had a pretty face, her lips freshly made up with pink lipstick.
Her dark eyes had also been freshly made up with a pale blue eye-shadow
accenting the dark mascara of her long eyelashes. She looked toward the nurse
standing by Richard’s side.
‘Is this Richard Chambers?’ She asked reading from a paper she held in her
hand.
‘Yes this is Richard.’ The nurse replied ‘What do you want?’
‘I have him down here for a haircut, have you finished with him.’ The girl
walked towards them as she spoke. She stopped in front of Richard and looked
down at him as he sat drinking his orange juice. ‘It say’s he has to have a
haircut.’ she repeated to the nurse. ‘We haven’t got long so I had better take
him now.’ The nurse touched the boy’s arm and motioned for him to give her the
glass he had been drinking from.
‘You had better go, you don’t want to keep the doctor waiting.’ She slipped her
arm under his and helped him to his feet. Richard followed the girl out into the
corridor. He followed her as they passed several doors on either side of the
long passageway. The girl turned opened one of the doors and held it for Richard
to enter. “Here we are” She smiled at him as he passed before her into the room.
Bright lights illuminated two examination tables. To his left there was a
leather chair with an adjustable head rest, behind this were two wash basins
attached to the wall. A trolley stood next to the chair, on top of the trolley
were chromium plated cases. The girl turned to face Richard. “If you will sit in
that chair for me Richard.” She smiled at him once more, her eyes looking
straight into his, with a directness that made Richard blush. Richard noticed
the badge on her tunic as he lowered his eyes. The embroidered motif read
“Freda’s Hairdressing”. She moved behind the chair and began to pump the foot
pedal until Richard’s seat was raised to her satisfaction. She smoothed her
hands over the boy’s hair, feeling the thick texture. Taking a cloth from a hook
at the back of the seat, she threw it around him and gently tucked it inside the
top of his dressing gown. She took scissors from one of the boxes on the trolley
and moved to his side. “Turn your head to the right.’ She gently pushed his head
so that he faced the examination table. Richard could feel her soft breasts
press against his arm as she moved around him, her scissors snipping at his
hair. Her hand gently held the back of his neck as the scissors passed over his
hair neatly trimming around the ears.
‘You’re from the orphanage aren’t you?’ She asked as she gently moved his head,
her scissors busy on his hair.
‘Yes Miss.’ replied Richard. ‘I’m being fostered by Lady Rawlings.’
‘Well I’ll have to make you look smart for her then, wont I?’
Richard felt the girl’s body press against him as she shifted her position
around the chair.