When, in a sequel to the novel “Sins of the First Eleven”, Michaela Francis, the author’s eponymous heroine of St Margaret Clitheroe’s Catholic Girls’ Boarding School reports to Castlebridge Hall for a work placement at half term, trouble is almost bound to follow. She has barely set foot in the Hall before she is ordered to the library for a salutary caning over the venerable caning stool. From there, things only get worse.

It’s another day at Castlebridge Hall and Michaela, in her new role of house maid, starts it with a good hard strapping from the Head of Housekeeping. She also has an uncomfortable interview with Lord Castlebridge to face, a sound caning from the Hall’s butler to suffer, a complicated affair with her beautiful fellow maid Jessica to manage, the unwanted attentions of the lecherous Lord Stansbury and the haughty disapproval of the hideous Priscilla Armstrong to endure, a perilous night time mission through the Hall to negotiate and these are only the beginning of her woes.

Things are becoming ever more complicated at Castlebridge Hall. Michaela is deeply entwined in the devious, Machiavellian plots surrounding a pair of valuable paintings. The lecherous Lord Stansbury is eager to lay his grubby paws on the paintings (and Michaela as well), Lord Castlebridge is fighting a stubborn rearguard action to hold onto them and Lady Cynthia weaves her enigmatic webs on her own behalf.