In Paris in 1955 Alec and Christopher are a fashionable gay couple who run an extremely fashionable and high end dressmaking salon. The pair's relationship is an open secret among the fashionable set, although they are of course not open about their relationship. Both are classically good looking. Alec is a blond, with high cheekbones and almost angelic good looks. Christopher is dark with wavy hair. They are both from wealthy backgrounds and used to being at their ease with servants, while expecting servants to behave decorously towards them. They’ve both got a touch of Bertie Wooster in their character along with the romantic hero. They’re very in love with each other, and their sexuality is an open secret among their friends but they are careful. They hire Clara as a parlour maid, who is a tall slender girl with a lovely face, who is quite a Tom-boy. Her hair is straight and it was bobbed but she hasn't bothered to cut it in months, so it's a bit past her shoulders in a black ponytail. She has been in service to Wilhelmina Carlyle, daughter of the earl of Riding-on-Stokes who is rather a tom-boy herself, a big game huntress with no particular interest in being feminine or expecting much in the way of feminine niceties from her maid, but Lady Carlyle is moving to India for better big game hunting and cannot take Clara with her. Thus Clara falls into the hands of Alec and Christopher, they have Clara's hair bleached white blond and waved, they make her pluck her brows, and wear makeup and a feminine uniform, and act lady like. Clara is horrified to find this all arouses her, which humiliates her further as she is city bred and understands Alec and Christopher have no interest in her sexually. Alec and Christopher are strictly professional and do not spend very much time with Clara or pay her significant attention. They are thoughtless in a manner born of privilege rather than intentionally cruel. They expect her to fulfill her duties with quiet efficiency and her transformation for them is nothing but another part of her employment. Clara however finds their disinterest and the transformation humiliating and profoundly erotic, a fact she finds deeply irritating.