Author's Note
As a young woman of eighteen, I found myself unexpectedly enrolled in a finishing school for ladies. For two years, the confines of a grand Victorian mansion-once the residence of forgotten nobility and later a wartime army barracks-became my world. Though I eventually broke free to pursue university studies, the experience left an indelible mark on my psyche.
This book, however, is not a memoir of my time there. Instead, it's a flight of fancy-a "what if" born from the fertile ground of my post-finishing school imagination. I've transported my musings to the 1950s, an era that has always held a particular fascination for me.
At the heart of this tale is Anna Henderson, a young woman whose journey to Larkstone Ladies College begins with reluctance but evolves into an unexpected love affair with the institution. Despite (or perhaps because of) the school's rigorous discipline and spankings, Anna finds herself thriving in ways she never anticipated.
While Anna's story is entirely fictional, it's infused with the essence of my own experiences and observations. Through her eyes, I've explored the complexities of personal growth within the structured world of a 1950s finishing school-a world of strict rules, high expectations, and surprising opportunities for self-discovery.
To those who pick up this book, I extend an invitation: step into the polished halls of Larkstone, feel the weight of tradition in its air, and join Anna as she navigates the challenges and triumphs of becoming a "lady" in post-war Britain. It is my hope that you'll find her journey as captivating to read as I found it to imagine.
Welcome to Larkstone Ladies College. May you enjoy your stay.
Jade Dexter