House of Intrigue

by Yvonne Strickland

  Karen went back to her room and was zipping up the top of the dress when Josephine knocked and entered.

  You must try it on in my room; there is a bigger mirror.'

  Karen turned. 'Yes, OK.' She followed Josephine along the narrow landing.

  Josephine's room was more spacious but contained much the same furniture, though there was a larger pine wardrobe with a correspondingly larger mirror on one of its doors. Karen stood before the mirror and turned about slowly, seeing how well the top of the dress fitted her slim body and defined her breasts and waist. The long skirt with its split side revealed most of her thigh as she turned.

  'C'est magnifiqueV declared Josephine.

  Karen smiled at her in the mirror then opened her mouth in surprise when she saw what lay on the bed behind Josephine. 'Oh! What's that doing -'

  'Just a little joke!' laughed Josephine, picking the garment up. 'It is very chic, no?' Karen turned and regarded it. The vinyl looked soft and supple. It's glossy, deep mauve was edged at the collar and waist with a contrasting deep brown trim and, as Josephine turned it around in her hands, Karen saw that the inside was lined with short black fur. These are designed to be fashionable as well as to ... to ... well -' she smiled at Karen - you know what they do.' Karen stood silent. 'Now,' continued Josephine, 'we must hang this dress up until we are ready to go.'

  She helped Karen unzip the dress from the neck to the base of her spine, and then to slip it off down her legs. Karen, wearing only her sheer black bikini briefs, watched as Josephine placed the dress carefully over the back of a pine chair. Too late she realised that she had left the blue gown in her room. Josephine turned to her with a smile and a hint of mischief in her brown eyes. 'Now perhaps we will try this other little thing.'

  Karen looked at her wide-eyed as she reached to the bed where 'this other little thing' lay and picked it up.

  'Josephine, no!' protested Karen, backing away and covering her naked breasts with her crossed arms. 'You're not putting that on me!'

  'Ah! Mon DieuV responded Josephine with a look of injured reproach. 'Do you think I would hurt you? I am your friend. Just to see for a moment how this fits you is all I want. It is a new line. Never before have I seen it in use.'

  Karen relaxed and said, 'For a minute - that's all.'

  Josephine smiled. 'But of course.' She walked up to Karen with her eyes fixed on hers. The effects of the drink played no small part in Karen's acquiescence. She swayed a little as she slipped her arms through either end of the internal sleeve and past each other until they were folded inside its snug embrace. The fur lining caressed her as Josephine pulled the garment about her upper body and moved around the back to tighten it. To the rasp of the buckles at its rear, the jacket constricted about her until it fitted as a smooth, sleek membrane from neck to waist. She found the sensation of the fur pressed about her body quite strange. It was comfortable, even comforting, and as she well knew, totally secure. 'Oh, I knew you would look good in this,' said Josephine, moving back to admire Karen's reflection in the mirror, it is perfect. It fits you like a glove, I think.' She moved around to face Karen and placed her hands on the sides of her face. 'Armand will not be here for a long time yet. There is no need to hurry.'

  'Josephine, you said only a minute! I only agreed -'

  The sentence was not finished, for Josephine's lips met hers in sensual warmth. Karen felt a tingling up her spine and a murmuring in the pit of her stomach.

  Josephine's lips brushed with fire across her cheek and to her ear.

  'I am famous for little white lies,' she breathed. 'Did you know?' Karen did not reply and their lips met again. She was aware of Josephine's intentions, or thought she was, and made no attempt to pull back as the cool fingers slid deftly under the elastic of her briefs and over the hairless skin of her vulva. 'I think now I will seek the little pearl in this shell of love,' breathed Josephine. Karen caught her breath and closed her eyes as the intruding fingers found their goal.

  As the currents stirred within her loins, a question lurked at the back of her mind. Why was Josephine so anxious to satisfy her sexually? There were normally two sides to a deal. Where was the other side to this?

  But for the time, the question was to sink beneath the waves of pleasure which were lapping over the threshold of her self-control. Josephine tugged the little briefs down and soon had them removed from her. Then as if in answer to Karen's stillborn question, Josephine slipped off her kimono so that she revealed herself naked for the first time. But Karen caught only a momentary glance of her slim body and its dark triangle of pubic hair before they were pressed together and they sucked and nibbled at each other's ears and lips as Josephine's fingers played their dialogue of lust with her. Slowly, they manoeuvred towards the bed until they were almost on it. With one hand, Josephine wrenched away the coloured bedspread and threw it over a nearby chair, revealing what had previously been hidden beneath. As Josephine pushed her down on to the bed, Karen glimpsed the double ended dildo, pink and purposeful against the black bed sheets. Josephine picked it up and Karen rolled on to her back, twisting against the vinyl restraint.

  'Look, it's getting awkward,' she gulped, i think I'm going to need the bathroom!'

  'Oh!' laughed Josephine, leaning over her. 'Me too! It is all that wine we have!'

  Josephine stroked again at the source of Karen's pleasure, inflaming her further, despite the growing discomfort elsewhere. Soon, she felt the cool, pink rubber head of the dildo caressing her and, resting on the pillow, closed her eyes, hoping that the fulfilment she so desired would arrive before her other need became an emergency. She did not see Josephine slip the other end of the ample organ into herself but was aware of a slight break in the attention she had been receiving from it. In a moment, it pushed hard against the inflamed lips of Karen's sex and she spread her legs wider to allow it to enter fully. Josephine, reaching above her, began to work it expertly inside them both with a laugh and a sigh of 'Oh la-lah!'

  Karen wanted to take it deeper into her and pushed her pelvis against the motion of Josephine's so that each squeezed against the heat of the other's stomach. This act fuelled their voluptuous urges and Josephine began to increase the speed of her rhythm, gasping as she moved. They swayed and lurched upon the bed in carnal abandon, Josephine letting out repeated, high pitch cries with each thrust, Karen gasping in unison. The boiling tide of sensuality overwhelmed them together, Karen moaning loudly, arching her back and twisting from side to side against the confines of the straitjacket, Josephine bucking wildly and crying out as though in desperation, both consumed in a golden frenzy of lust. They each let out a sigh and relaxed. Karen remained with eyes closed as Josephine withdrew the glistening instrument of delight from them and dropped it on to the disarrayed bedding. Karen squirmed about and attempted to get upright, saying, 'For God's sake, undo me before it's too late!'

  Josephine fell upon her with a mischievous laugh, pushed an arm under her and kissed her with undiminished ardour. They struggled up on to their knees together until they were face to face, Josephine still laughing and cooing, Karen with an expression of pained anguish.

  'Now I think we will come again!' chuckled Josephine, kissing her repeatedly and holding her with her arms around her neck.

  Karen, with mouth agape, tried to pull away and jerked her imprisoned arms uselessly against the restraining vinyl. She looked with wide-eyed desperation into Josephine's smiling face.

  'I can't hold it, Josephine! I can't any longer! Christ, I'm going to -'

  'Me too!' laughed Josephine. 'Me too!'

  She held Karen, with their lips sealed together, as the floodgates opened and both released a drenching cascade into the bedsheets, Josephine letting out repeated gasps of pleasure, Karen moaning loudly with exquisite relief as their fountains continued in copious flow.

  Josephine began to laugh again and Karen, aware of the sodden bedsheets under her knees, was speechless for long impossible seconds.

  'Now I wi
ll undo you,' said Josephine, shuffling around behind her.

  'Oh God, what an awful mess,' groaned Karen. 'Everything's bloody saturated - ruined!'

  'No, no,' laughed Josephine, 'it is OK. All goes into the machine for washing. I will do it when you have your shower, then I will take mine.'

  'But the mattress!' exclaimed Karen, pulling her arms free.

  'That is dry. It has a plastic sheet.'

  'A plastic sheet! You ... you mean you do this sort of thing ...?'

  Josephine regarded her with amusement. 'I do it just this once. I think it is very naughty but I always like to try this!'

  Karen stepped off the bed, avoiding the soaked sheets with her feet. She looked at the bed for a moment then back at the grinning Josephine. 'Another few days of this and I'll be bloody well exhausted. I'll need to get back to work for a rest!'

  -

  .

  Retribution Falls

  It had been Jackie's idea originally that they should have a picnic lunch one Sunday but, ironically, when they set off from the house late on that morning, Jackie was the one who was absent. Everyone knew why she and Rose ventured outside so infrequently during the day and why, when they appeared for evening meals, it was always together. When they were free to converse with others, nothing was mentioned about the wigs nor were their prolonged absences alluded to. Cheryl had gone back to London during the week and Sonia had left for Luxembourg the day after. Valerie had returned from Italy the previous day and Karen was expected back that afternoon. Pauline was, of course, in residence but no visitors were due until Wednesday when a business conference was to be held at the house with guests from Switzerland and the United States.

  The house itself had taken on an air of pensive quietness so that, carrying between them an ice box and three plastic bags, Valerie, Annette, Angela and Kim set out along the path feeling that life revolved around them for the present. Beyond the house, two of the girls could be seen in the tennis court and by the pool, Lorna and a companion sat reading under a sunshade in the still, warm air.

  it's going to be a scorcher today,' remarked Angela as they left the gravel path and made their way over the grass.

  it's a pity Mike couldn't come along,' said Valerie.

  i did ask him,' commented Annette. 'He could have carried most of this stuff for us if he had.'

  'You're cruel,' laughed Angela. 'He probably realised you only wanted to make use of him.'

  'More likely,' responded Annette, 'because we're only wearing summer dresses and not going out in black seamed stockings and mega-high-heel shoes.'

  'Poor dear's only human,' said Valerie.

  'You're right, Val,' added Kim, 'he is human. I can tell.'

  'What are you on about?' asked Valerie, eyeing her with deliberate coolness.

  'I'm just saying, he's definitely human - look.' They followed the direction of her gaze and saw the subject of their conversation approaching from the right, pushing a wheelbarrow. 'See,' offered Kim, 'only a human could do that!'

  'I'm going to give you to Pauline later,' muttered Valerie. 'She needs another victim.'

  'Hi!' said Mike. 'You're not off picnicking are you?'

  'No,' replied Annette blandly, 'we're catching Concorde.'

  'Take no notice,' said Angela as he stopped beside them. 'They're being sarcastic today. It must be the heat.'

  Mike looked up into the hazy sky. 'I wouldn't go out too far,' he said, i reckon we're in for some rain.'

  it does feel a bit close to me,' observed Annette.

  'The barometer was down this morning,' he added. 'How far were you going?'

  'Along the valley,' answered Kim. 'About halfway to the old bridge.'

  'Hmm,' he said, 'rather you than me.'

  'Why couldn't you come with us?' asked Kim.

  'Orders,' he replied. 'Jobs to be finished.'

  'But Sonia's away,' said Angela.

  'I know.' He smiled. 'But the creature from the black lagoon isn't - and anyway, like I said, it's going to rain.'

  'Oh well,' said Valerie, 'perhaps we'll not go so far.'

  'I could always come out and rescue you in those clinging wet dresses of course,' he said, grinning.

  'Randy sod!' commented Annette as he lifted the wheelbarrow and made to leave.

  After finding a spot, the girls had been sitting on the

  grass for less than three quarters of an hour when Valerie shielded her eyes and looked towards the distant sea. 'I think Mike's right, you know. It's looking dark out there and the breeze is picking up.'

  'I don't fancy the idea of running back with this lot,' commented Annette.

  'Why don't we go over by the summer house?' suggested Angela. 'If the worst comes to the worst, we can always shelter in there.'

  'A good idea,' they all agreed, and after collecting up their things, set off.

  They were only a half minute away from the summer house when the first drops of rain began to fall; large heavy drops splashing on the leaves as they passed by the trees.

  'Oh Christ!' exclaimed Valerie, looking up at the ominous, darkening sky. 'I think this is it!'

  Kim reached the door first, flinging it wide to allow them in as the skies opened and the torrent began. They stood inside the little octagonal building, looking about them as the rain thundered like a cavalry charge upon the wooden roof and the surrounding trees became obscured by the drifting curtains of water.

  'Oh well, it's only once in a while,' mused Annette, 'but I'd rather it was on a working day.'

  'Let's finish off the goodies,' said Angela, lowering her bag on to the wooden floor.

  'What are you up to?' asked Valerie, eyeing Kim.

  Kim was reaching up to where the wooden ribs of the roof converged and met at the top of the central iron post. 'Someone's pushed a note in here,' replied Kim. They watched as Kim unfolded the paper. It appeared to have been torn from a spiral bound notebook and was ruled with feint blue lines. It bore the message, 'Teusday - 22.00.

  f;

  'Somebody can't spell,' observed Angela on reading the black felt-tip message.

  'Wonder how long it's been here', said Annette.

  'Not all that long,' answered Valerie, 'Mike painted the place only recently.' i can't think of anyone who's name begins with "FY said Angela. 'Can any of you?'

  'There's no one at the house,' answered Valerie. 'I think this is from someone outside.'

  'Who to?' asked Kim. it wouldn't be any of us - would it?'

  Each regarded the others for a few moments.

  'Sonia will throw a bloody fit if any of us have been bringing a bloke in at night!' said Annette.

  'Who's it most likely to be?' asked Angela.

  'Well,' answered Valerie, 'we all know that, don't we? Except that Pauline won't allow her or Rose out after dinner, so that seems to let Jackie off the hook.'

  'Somebody will have to hide in the trees and watch,' said Kim.

  'I know,' grinned Annette, 'if James's cameras were switched on around eleven o'clock on Tuesday, we'd see who goes in and out of the house, won't we?'

  'Only Sonia can authorise that, I would have thought,' said Angela, 'and she's not back until next weekend.'

  'Karen could,' put in Valerie.

  'Yes,' said Kim, 'but what if it's her who's ...'

  'No,' responded Angela, 'it's not Karen. I'm sure it isn't.'

  'I agree,' added Valerie, 'and even it was, just our knowing would put a stop to it.'

  it's not Mike either,' said Angela, if he was meeting someone, he's got his own place to do it.'

  'OK,' said Annette, 'Val can talk to Karen when she's back and we'll all know the answer on Wednesday.'

  'You'd better put that note back exactly where you found it,' said Valerie to Kim. 'Whoever it's for will be coming to get it during the next day or two!'

  James tapped at the door lightly; so lightly that Karen, working at her word processor, did not hear. Eventually he pushed open the door and called her name.
<
br />   'Oh! James!' she said as the gaunt, white-haired figure approached her across the office. They met halfway and she stared hard at the large brown envelope he held out to her. She took it carefully and looked up at the pale blue eyes, regarding her with their magnified stare through the heavy spectacles.

  i take it,' she began, 'that you managed to ... that there was someone -'

  it's all on there,' he said softly. 'Everything you could possibly want - all inside this house.'

  'Er, I see ... so it is one of us?'

  Karen waited for a while in silence, wondering if he was about to reveal the name.

  'You may be in for a shock,' he said gently. 'Sonia must be informed about this as soon as she gets back. You'll see why.'

  'Of course,' answered Karen, squeezing his arm. 'And thanks for staying so late last night, James.'

  'Well,' he replied, turning towards the door. 'I hope we've done the right thing here. Do keep me informed, won't you?'

  The door closed and Karen ran her fingers over the envelope, feeling within it the hard form of the video cassette. She picked up the telephone and keyed in the beauty parlour code.

  'Val, it's me ... yes, I've got it ... no, he didn't say ... no, I don't mind - my room at 5.30.1 can't wait until after dinner either ... yes, I'll tell Annette, I think she's, er, entertaining our guests with two of the others at the moment ... yes, see you later!'

  'I'd better pour us all a drink first,' said Karen, pulling the black cassette from its envelope. 'Oh, there's something else in with it.'

  A small white envelope fell out on to the coffee table. Across the front of the envelope was written 'STILLS'.

  'Oh, he's done print-outs as well,' said Valerie. 'We could look at those now.'

  'I'd think I'd rather watch the tape first,' voiced Angela.

  'Me too,' added Kim, 'I love the movies.'

  With the main light out, they huddled around the television set as the screen glowed into speckled life. Karen poured each girl a glass of red wine.