After the Dreams (Caroline's Company)

by Wetherby, Caroline Jane

  ‘Caroline will do what Caroline does Cassie, all we have to do is enjoy it!’

  Cassie had learnt quite quickly that pleasant company though Sylvie was she was always Caroline’s slave girl, and wouldn’t answer questions about her mistress. That tattoo, “made by”; Cassie was still a little worried about that.

  ‘Now, let’s get you dressed. First question; What colour underwear?’

  ‘My dress is black so...’

  ‘Quite right, black knickers for you tonight! You had better manage those for yourself, ‘cos if I help you there might be unfortunate effects!’

  Cassie blushed, but took the small heavily elasticated garment from Sylvie, and went into the bathroom. She came out still wearing her dressing gown.

  ‘You can show me you know, after all I have seen it all already. Yes, I know you’ve seen all of me as well, but I’m used to it. Now off with that gown and come here.’

  Cassie shed the gown, but kept her hands over her breasts. Sylvie led her to the mirror and took her hands down.

  ‘Now you will look really nice. Don’t worry about your breasts. You agreed with Caroline that you would like to have proper breasts, and we will help you grow them.’

  In the mirror, Cassie could see that her nipples already looked a little swollen.

  ‘But suppose...’

  ‘Don’t worry my love.’ Sylvie gently kissed her nipples, left then right. ‘We think that you will grow into a lovely girl, and we’ll help you every step of the way. And talking of steps, you had better get your socks, or rather stockings on! Sit down.’

  Cassie sat down on the dressing chair, and Sylvie pulled up black grip top stockings on each smooth leg.

  ‘Now you will have to learn to do this as well. Especially how not to put ladders in them while you are doing it!’

  ‘I thought women had to wear those suspender things.’

  ‘Some people prefer them, but you need to have a more rounded shape to make them comfortable.’ Sylvie squiggled her rounded bottom on the floor. ’They are good for some purposes, and some men have completely strange fantasies about them. Grip tops work well as you can see and feel. Now for shoes.’

  Sylvie worked her nylon clad feet into court shoes, with a two inch heel.

  ‘Are those comfortable? We chose them specially so that you wouldn’t fall over yourself. You will be getting used to higher heels later.’

  Cassie remembered that she had never seen Sylvie in less than three inch heels, unless she was barefoot.

  ‘Now, come over to the mirror again.’

  Cassie almost tripped, but then stood with her hands over her breasts and saw...

  The young woman with the dark hair had lips outlined in a dark copper, with a lip gloss that matched the fingernails splayed over her chest. Her green eyes were heavily lined in black and copper. Her eyelids were bronze and shining gold. Her cheeks were flushed and her face was mostly pale, emphasising her eyes and lips to the maximum extent. She moved her head from side to side.

  ‘You look lovely Cassie, a really lovely delicate young girl. Just relax. Stop hunching your shoulders. You have nothing to be ashamed of, and you have nice shoulders and a lovely neck. That’s why I’ve pinned up your hair like that.’

  Cassandra stood, naked except for her black knickers and stockings. She was stunned by her appearance. Perhaps Caroline was right. She was a natural girl.

  Sylvie pulled her hands away from her chest, and kissed her fingers.

  ‘Now for tonight we’ll need to do this.’

  She wiped the other girl’s breast areas with a cold liquid that chilled her aching nipples. She held up a stencil pattern against each breast in turn and sprayed on an adhesive. She took flesh coloured breast forms, and carefully sprayed them with the same glue. With another aerosol, she spayed each glued surface lightly and put the breast forms into place.

  ‘Hold them there for a few minutes.’ Sylvie put the younger girls hands round her new breasts.

  ‘They tingle a bit.’

  ‘Don’t worry, that’s the glue setting. The second spray was an accelerant to make them stick faster and stronger.’

  ‘How do they come off?’

  ‘You need to use a removing fluid. I’ll show you how later. But don’t worry; they will stay on now for days if you want.’

  ‘Should I take them off at night?’

  ‘Probably not tonight, ‘cos you’ll need them tomorrow.’

  ‘Oh.’

  ‘You look disappointed young lady.’ Sylvie gave her bottom a slight slap. You’ve got to like your nipples being played with haven’t you? Don’t worry, the glue system has the effect of stimulating you anyway, and it will protect you as well while your own growth starts.’

  Cassie could still feel a not unpleasant tingling in her nipples.

  Now let’s get you dressed. Step into this carefully.’ Sylvie had laid out the black dress on the floor, and steadied Cassie while she stepped into it. Then she pulled it up around the younger girl. It fitted tightly round her hips and waist and up to her chest. The black cloth pulled up over her breasts (her breasts!) and came to a copper band which Sylvie fastened around her neck.

  ‘Look!’

  Cassie was stunned. Everything coordinated, and the dress showed of her slim figure, leaving her with bare shoulders.

  ‘Do a twirl.’

  Cassie saw that most of her back was bare below the hoops of black and bronze hair.

  ‘Just one thing more!’

  Sylvie held out a gold and bronze bracelet, and pushed it onto Cassie’s left wrist.

  ‘There you are my lovely. Now you need to spend a few minutes walking around in your heels. Remember the exercises we did earlier?’

  Cassie had had to practice walking about the house in her heels, and to go up and down stairs in a ‘practice skirt’, so she could learn to hold it up elegantly and had to learn to remember her bag. ‘You’ll love having a handbag. You’ll wonder how you ever did without one,’ Mrs Newcombe had said when Cassie had sashayed into the dining room where Belle was preparing the table. Everyone she had met, including Mr Newcombe who acted as butler when required, had complemented her and given her helpful advice.

  ‘Yes Sylvie. What will you be wearing?’

  ‘You will see! Now here is a little clutch bag. I’ve put in some lip gloss and some tissues. You shouldn’t need anything else, after all you are at home!’

  ‘Yes Sylvie. This feels wonderful. Thank you so much.’

  ‘And you look wonderful, but thank Caroline. She has all the good ideas. Come down to the hall in about fifteen minutes. All right?’

  ‘Yes Sylvie.’

  Cassie’s eyes glittered, she could hardly take her eyes away from the mirror. She practiced sashaying up and down. She practiced different poses. Remembering her clutch bag, she tried poses with that as well. Then (she wore no watch) she glanced at the bedside clock. After a final twirl for the mirror, she opened her door and stepped out onto the landing.

  *****************************

  As Cassandra managed the broad stairway using both hands to manage her skirt and her little bag, she heard the rumble of conversation from the hall. It fell quiet as she reached the bottom step, and she heard Caroline say ‘This is my new guest, my cousin Cassandra.’

  There was what sounded to her like tumultuous applause from the smartly dressed people gathered round the sculpture of the Three Graces. She was startled, and nearly fell on the last step. Caroline steadied her, and kissed her on both cheeks. ‘You look really lovely Cassie. I’m so pleased for you.’ Caroline put both hands in hers and whispered in her ear, ‘Do you feel lovely?’

  ‘Well...’ Cassie whispered back but was interrupted by a brief kiss. ‘Well you should,’ came in another whisper. Then more loudly, ‘Come and meet my guests.’

  Caroline led Cassie by the hand into the hallway. The first person Cassie was introduced to was a dark-skinned woman in a striking if rather plain long-sleeved black dress
. It mostly covered her in front, but when she turned round Cassie could see that it left her most of back bare. Her head had been shaved, and showed just a dark fuzz. Unaccountably Cassie wanted to run her hands over it. ‘You have already met Dr Josephine Startway.‘

  ‘But you call me Jo. Happy to meet you again Cassie.’ She kissed the girl lightly on both cheeks, and whispered lightly in her ear, ‘Don’t worry. We’re all friends here. We’ll talk more later!’

  Then out loud ‘And I have a husband somewhere – and here he is.’

  A slightly stout dark-skinned man in immaculate dinner jacket and black tie first bowed to Cassie then, putting his hands on her shoulders, kissed her on both cheeks.

  ‘Welcome Cassandra, I’m David Startway. You look very lovely.’

  Cassie could smell gin on his breath, and his hands took a little while to pull away from her.

  The other Dr Startway, Jo, intervened. ‘Let the poor girl be introduced to everyone else David, don’t maul her as soon as you meet her!’

  ’Don’t worry Cassandra. Some men are a bit like that. Are you OK?’

  ‘Yes thank you Dr...’

  ‘Jo.’

  ‘Caroline has given me a lot to read, to warn me of some things!’

  ‘Nothing but thorough is Caroline.’ Jo laughed. ‘You don’t have anything to worry about. Everybody here is a friend, even if some of them behave a bit oddly!’

  ‘But some people don’t behave oddly at all Cassandra.’ A smaller woman in a graceful black silk dress took her hands. ‘My husband and I, oh did I say that, are perfectly normal! I’m Janet and this is John.’ Another dinner-jacketed man bowed to Cassie, and gently shook her hand.

  ‘Welcome Cassie. But you’re far too young to remember Janet and John!’

  Cassie, who had heard of the early reading primer, thought that at least these people could laugh at themselves.

  ‘And welcome from me as well.’ Another woman embraced her and kissed her on one cheek. She was tall, and Cassie thought she was quite loud. She was almost overpowering in a glossy red velvet dress that showed off her considerable bosom.

  ‘I’m Poppy.’

  As she stooped to kiss Cassie’s other cheek, her breasts almost seemed to assault the younger girl.

  ‘Careful Poppy,’ said a very civilised sounding voice, and a firm hand shook Cassie’s.

  ‘She’s always enthusiastic is Poppy, it’s what she’s famous for!’ The third dinner-jacketed man had silver hair and a very fit looking posture.

  ‘Poppy is my wife, and I’m Philip. You haven’t got a drink. What would you like?’

  Suddenly Cassie noticed a girl at her elbow, and almost fell off her heels in shock.

  The serving girl was stark naked, carrying a glass tray with full and some empty champagne flutes. She had porcelain white hair in an ornate arrangement, and was barefoot.

  Rather stunned, Cassie recognised Sylvie, and was going to speak when the naked girl shook her head slightly.

  ‘Have some champagne,’ said the man called Philip, taking a glass from the naked girl’s tray, and handing it to Cassie.

  ‘I hope you like Caroline’s dinner parties!’

  ‘I’m sure she will,’ said Caroline, and then drew Cassie away to one side.

  ‘I hope everything is not too overpowering for you. If it is just say, and you can sneak away to your room.’

  ‘No. You did warn me, and all these people seem interesting in their different ways.’

  ‘Yes, they are certainly different, but they do look a smart group don’t they!‘

  Cassie looked round the room. Everyone was in formal black, except Poppy who was in bright red. Caroline, Cassie noticed, was wearing a black and silver dress suspended over her right shoulder with a black lace flower. It complemented her blonde hair which was looped up a little like Cassie’s. She also wore a round-shaped silver necklace of something like scales that flashed in the light, and had a matching bracelet on her left arm.

  ‘I hope you are not too shocked by our serving girls!’

  Cassie looked round. Girls? Plural?

  There was another naked girl, also in a white wig. This one wasn’t quite naked however. She was wearing a small white thong, with a strange little symbol on the front over her pubic mound. As she turned to collect a glass, Cassie saw that the new girl, like Sylvie, also had a tattoo on her lower back.

  ‘Is she like Sylvie? Do you...’

  ‘No, that is Sadie, and she is quite different to Sylvie. She lives here but she’s been away for a few weeks. I would say that you will see more of her later, but that would perhaps not quite the right expression at the moment!’

  Cassie wondered at this apparently conventional group of people, all formally dressed, grouped around the sculpture of three beautiful and naked classical figures, and totally unconcerned at being served drinks by equally naked but flesh and blood young women. It was clearly going to be an interesting party!

  It only came to her later, if there three marble girls, why only two real ones?

  A gong sounded, and there was a discrete cough. ‘Madam, Ladies and Gentlemen. Dinner is ready to be served.’

  (Cassie wondered at Mr Newcombe, ‘Fred’ as she had been told to call him the previous day, managing to remain so formal in this highly exotic company.)

  Mr Newcombe threw open the double doors, and led the way into the candlelit dining room. The full length curtains had not been closed, and a full moon shone into the room, supplementing the great candelabra on the table.

  Caroline took Cassandra’s hand and they walked into the dining room together. It looked completely magical to the younger woman. The butler helped her into her chair at the foot of the table, and then moved to the other end to assist Caroline into her chair. The other guests followed and sat with two women and one man on one side, and two men and one woman on the other.

  Cassie had Jo on her right hand, and John on her left

  ‘Cassandra, would you please say grace,’ Caroline asked from the top of the table.

  Cassie had been warned about this, and read from the little card in her place setting.

  Her voice was clear, and not too low pitched.

  ‘For what we enjoy, may we be thankful.

  For what we do not enjoy may we be forgiving.

  May we give help to those who are lacking what they might enjoy.

  For all out good things, may we ask blessing.’

  ‘May we ask blessing,’ echoed everyone at the table.

  It sounded a strange grace to Cassie. It was only on the following day that she realised how appropriate it was.

  The two serving girls brought in the first course, a light dish of melon wrapped round with prosciutto. It looked a strange combination to Cassie, until she tasted it!

  Sylvie and Sadie were now wearing little transparent dresses, with halter necks.

  Cassie saw that Sadie’s tattoo had the same symbol that showed on her front.

  ‘Combination,’ said Jo on her right. ‘It’s always about combination.’

  ‘Yes,’ said John. ‘Do you think there is a perfect combination?’

  ‘Well – prosciutto and mango are delightful as well.’

  ‘But the melon melts more easily!’

  ‘So melon and prosciutto are the perfect combination?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘So just like Janet and yourself.’

  ‘Well I can only say yes to that.’

  ‘Did I hear my name mentioned?’ Janet asked from the other end of the table.

  ‘Only as part of a perfect combination!’

  ‘What combination?’

  ‘Well either wrapped round a melon or wrapped round with prosciutto’

  ‘Thank you!’

  Mr Newcombe had served a flowery fragrant Moselle. They all drank to each other.

  Cassie wondered what the underlying part of the conversation meant.

  ‘There are many different sorts of good combination,’ said Jo.
/>   ‘And do they all have to have just two components?’ asked Cassie.

  ‘Ah, you are remembering Caroline’s house rules!’

  ‘Well, yes.’

  ‘No there can be more than two “components”. It just depends on how they fit together.’

  Cassie almost sniggered into her wine glass.

  She was still learning how to sip delicately, without smudging her lip gloss.

  ‘I can see that you are going to enjoy living here,’ Jo smiled at her. ‘But there are different types of combination. Several round this table in fact.’

  ‘But there are three couples...’ said Cassie

  ‘Just you wait and see,’ said Jo. ‘No such thing as a standard combination with people. We’re not like food. All our combinations work in different ways.’

  The dinner progressed. All the courses were quite light, as though planned to avoid over-filling the guests. The serving girls tripped to and fro. After the beef (sliced very thin, and served with equally thinly sliced pickled cucumber), David tried to take a pinch of Sadie’s bottom, but was restrained by Poppy, sitting to his right. When Sadie was next at the head of the table Caroline spoke softly to her. Cassie saw Caroline’s hand touch the nearly-naked girls face, and saw Sadie smile in response.

  Poppy for the rest of the time, carried on a loud conversation with the two men on either side of her, and sometimes made a braying remark to her husband across the table. Her laugh got louder and more horsey as the meal progressed.

  Cassie talked with Jo and John. She explained something of what had happened in London, and both older people were suitably sympathetic. As Cassie talked about this, her shoulders drooped and some of her girlish delight in her appearance and the company fell away. She also mentioned her cousin Lucy and her sudden departure for Africa, and that Cassie had not heard from her after the first few weeks. John looked up at that. ‘Does Caroline know about that,’ he asked?’

  ‘I’m not sure,’ said Cassie.

  ‘Make sure you tell her,’ said Jo.

  Then Jo, to lighten the mood, congratulated Cassie again on her makeup and dress, and went into a rather giggly account of another friend of hers with the most appalling dress sense.

  ‘You women are so lucky,’ said John. ’You can choose different looks and make what combinations you want.’