“So it would appear,” the Paul answered. “We suspect a car theft.” He made this statement in such a matter-of-fact tone that Rose couldn’t help but grin.
“Chief, what happened to the baby?”
“Interesting thing, that. When we found the ADA in the passenger seat of his crashed car,” he paused for effect, “we took him to the hospital. Two officers went to his home to collect the baby. When they knocked on the door, the girl babysitting looked happy to see them! Puzzled, they let her do the talking. It seems she’s been waiting for the ADA to hurry up and get rid of the wife! He’s been banging the teenager and she has a notion she’ll be the next wife.”
Rose cringed at the idea of this man marrying again.
“The ADA will be in the hospital for a long time. He apparently took quite a beating and has two broken legs, one arm and the other hand, and several broken ribs. We informed the doctor he is allergic to all pain medications. Poor man will just have to suffer. He couldn’t answer very well for himself.” Paul looked at Robert. “It seems his jaw was broken as well!”
Robert smirked, “Glass jaw”.
“Anyway,” he continued, “The baby has been taken to the hospital for an exam and he and his mother will be brought here when they are released.
Drew finally spoke, “There isn’t a safer place in the world for her. Robert, do you want me to make arrangements for her? We can set her up in the guest room over the garage.”
Robert nodded. “We’ll keep her here until she’s healed, then we will send her to the farm.”
The Chief finished his coffee and bid them good morning, certain the rest of the situation was well in hand.
After he left, Robert asked Drew, “After you contact the farm, will you start the process for her new identity, please?”
Startled, Rose suddenly realized renaming a person and getting them the proper papers was not a one-time thing done for her alone. “Have you done this often, Sir?”
Robert smiled, “Often enough, my dear. Thankfully, most of the members here follow the rules and are honorable people, so it isn’t really often. The farm we’re referring to is in another state and when she has her new ID, she will stay with folks who will help rebuild her self-esteem. They will help her see by not protecting herself, she cannot protect her child. I’ll bet this louse has made her feel she deserved every kick she got.”
Robert nodded to the staff to bring breakfast. Rose remained quiet throughout the meal, pondering the situation and how fragile the human ego can be. Then she remembered something. “Joan did try to protect herself and her baby, Sir. She was running away when she had that accident on the other side of town.” She suddenly felt much more hopeful for the woman and her child, and the men concurred. It should be easier to build her up than someone who never tried.
*****
Rose’s walks were now more often limited to the shoreline around the peninsula. It was just too beautiful to go anywhere else! Some mornings, Robert would walk with her. Once in a while they would go out in Robert’s sailboat.
The first time he had taken her out for a sail was during her first week of training.
“Have you ever sailed before, my dear?”
She shook her head.
“No? That’s OK, I’ll teach you.”
They had spent an entire morning working on the language and identifying the parts and practicing how to make it work. After a few trips out onto the bay, her sailing had gotten much better, and clearly they both enjoyed these excursions. While they were on the sailboat, they were much more informal and Robert had taken to calling her Rose.
In the middle of October, the weather unseasonably warm, Robert thought it would be a great day for a sail. Rose had worked very hard with Gina and he felt she should take some time away from the house. Around midday, though, the wind died down. They were quite far from shore around noon, the sea unusually calm.
“The wind will pick up. Let’s have our lunch, Rose.” The kitchen staff had packed a lovely lunch of fruit salad and ham on pumpernickel with gourmet mustard and sandwich pickles. There were tiny cupcakes for dessert and iced tea. Rose sat quietly sunning her face and Robert just enjoyed watching her. They had become very close and so content with one another. Robert found his mind wandering to his training sessions with Rose. She did everything he asked of her. Her situation prior to meeting him was becoming more and more intolerable and she was smart enough to know doing her job well got her paid well. He thought it was more than that, though. He really thought her willingness to simply obey needed testing. Besides, he enjoyed keeping her on her toes!
As he took the cupcakes out for dessert, Robert quietly said, “Now, my dear, take off your clothes, please.”
Rose, not sure she really heard him correctly, hesitated. The look on his face told her nothing. “I’m sorry, sir, did I hear you correctly? You want me to take my clothes off – here?”
Robert said, “I do.”
Rose stood slowly without a word, color rising in her face, and started to remove her blouse.
“This is what my Master wants,” she told herself. She knew she was being tested for obedience.
“I want to please my Master,” she thought.
She took off her bra and tried to look nonchalant in spite of the potential of being seen. While she hated the idea of stripping where anyone in the world could see her, she must look as though it means nothing to her.
“No one is here besides my Master, and he has been so good to me! This is perfectly normal,” she continued her self-talk, slipping deeper into submission as she did. She slipped out of her shorts and panties.
Then she felt a smile turn her lips as she realized something. “I love my Master.”
The smile surprised Robert and he felt that pride again. She did so well, he decided to test her further. “Now, my dear, I want you to go to the bow and dive into the ocean.”
“Yes, Master,” she said, and started toward the front of the boat. She had to know the water would be cold in spite of the heat of the day, but she didn’t hesitate. Then she remembered that she was expected to tell her Master everything. As she moved toward the bow, she said, “but I can’t swim.” She stepped up to the bow.
“Stop, my dear!” His voice was less controlled than usual. She stood perfectly still and he came up behind her. “If you cannot swim, why are you about to dive into the ocean?”
Without turning her head she answered simply, “My Master wants me to do so, and I know my Master will protect me.”
Robert felt a swelling of pride in his chest such as he had never known before. He turned her head and looked into her eyes and saw her unconditional trust that all would be well when she did her Master’s bidding. He could see she believed it!
He’d never seen that much confidence from a submissive with so little training. He told her, “Don’t move.” He went back to his seat to admire her in the position of figurehead for a moment. She remained perfectly still, waiting.
“Come, my dear.” He held the cabin door open and she walked past him and down the stairs. He turned to see at least four boats coming closer to see more. Robert grinned and muttered, “Eat you hearts out.”
He took her into the first sleeping cabin and kissed her gently. He grabbed her nipples extracting a gasp of pleasure. She reached for his manhood, delighting him. They took their time exploring each other, tantalizing each other, before returning to shore.
Late that afternoon a car stopped out in front of the manor and Rose saw Joan and her baby from the window. The officer escorting her didn’t look familiar, but he treated her gently and held the baby carrier while supporting Joan with his other hand.
Rose joined them and Robert in the living room. “How are you Joan?”
Joan was black and blue everywhere skin showed, and her face was swollen beyond recognition. It was quite obvious how she was physically, but Rose asked about her spirit.
Joan gingerly lifted her baby and held him close to her. �
�I’m fine, Mistress Rose. Thank you for your kindness.”
Knowing she wanted the comfort of her child, Rose resisted asking to take him for her. Joan looked too weak to be doing anything, but she felt the woman needed to have the baby close. Instead, she asked, “May I hold him for a moment while you sit back and get comfortable? The seat you are in has a foot rest, see?”
Joan nodded and handed the boy to Rose. Rose turned and handed the baby to Robert without thinking and pulled the footrest out for Joan. Before she handed him back, Rose propped some pillows up beside her to rest the baby in her arms. When she turned to take the baby back, she saw the oddest look on Master Robert’s face. It made her smile to see him holding the child, even though it took him by surprise, and she wondered briefly if he had ever done that before. Joan smiled gratefully, but tears were streaming down her cheeks. It would take some time and effort to make her feel safe again, but this would be a good start.
Robert handed her a box of tissues and began to explain in his quiet tone what she could expect in the next few weeks. Shortly after he told her about the guest room over the garage, “Where you’ll be out of the traffic of the house,” Joan could hold on no longer and fell asleep. Robert smiled and, while Rose took the child from her arms, he covered her with an afghan. “She needs rest more than anything else, right now.”
Chapter 13
Rose went through the kitchen later in the day and saw Robert on the terrace with a pleasingly plump lady with a perfect coif wearing a designer suit of periwinkle linen over a crisp white shell. She noted he used the formal tea service while entertaining her, and she smiled to herself. Robert always reads a person so well; this woman must be accustomed to the finer things in life, and he made her feel very comfortable with this small gesture.
She went to check on Joan and found her napping. Her baby slept soundly in her arms and looked quite content, so she tiptoed back out.
She went through the kitchen again and Robert gestured for her to join them on the terrace. He and the lady had finished their tea and were putting the final touches on their conversation.
“Mrs. Parker, I would like you to meet my partner, Mistress Rose.”
The women shook hands and Rose sat down. Seemingly from nowhere, a cup of hot tea appeared in front of Rose, just the way she liked it. She was surprised by the gesture, but before she could say thank you, the kitchen worker disappeared. Robert smiled about the impact Rose had had on the kitchen staff in such a short time. They already treated her as well as they did him.
“We have been discussing Mrs. Parker’s fantasy holiday, my dear. She’ll be coming to stay with us for a few days next month,” he began. “There are a few alterations to be made in the west wing.”
Rose smiled, not letting on she didn’t realize there was a ‘west wing.’ “Do tell,” was all she offered at this point. Robert laid out the whole plan for her, including the costumes that would be left to her to arrange.
“Mistress Rose is a wonderful shopper,” he continued. “I once told her she needed more clothes and she filled an entire closet that very afternoon!”
Even Rose laughed out loud at this interpretation of her first day in Mayhew Manor.
“This will be fun,” she said, “I’m not sure at the moment where I’ll find enough Renaissance costumes for all the staff you will require, but I like a challenge!”
*****
The west wing, as Robert had referred to it, was the master suite on the main level of the house at the farthest end down the hall from the Robert’s study and the parlor. It consisted of a large bedroom with a round sitting room attached at the outside corner, a huge bathroom with Jacuzzi and two huge walk-in closets. This room had been reserved in the past for only the most prestigious guests, and the Mayhew House staff used the closets for their costumes.
“I don’t think the guests need two walk-in closets,” Rose commented, “so we can put all the costumes into the larger one and clean out the other for the ‘King and Queen.’ I assume they’ll be taking that role…” Robert nodded, indicating with a finger to the staff following them around, to put her plan into action.
Robert and Rose went to all the local antique shops, but one dealer found exactly the right furniture for the room. It was massive, and ornate, but perfect for the Renaissance look they wanted. The bed had a paneled footboard and the center panel crowned with a fan-shaped carving. The headboard was similar in panels, though higher, and topped with a cathedral shaped panel and crowned with ornate carvings of leaf and swirls. The vanity matched the shape and height of the bed and had a bulky base of drawers surrounded by columns. The two side shelves with the drawers and the lower center shelf in front of the long mirror were topped with Italian marble with a brownish hue. The matching night stands and bureau completed the set and set the mood for the room perfectly.
“I’m not sure there is any money to be made at the rate we are spending it on this project,” Rose commented. “I still think we could achieve the look …” her voice trailed off as Robert shook his head.
“You need not worry about money, my dear.” He knew she could hardly help it after her recent experiences, but assured her, “It is important to be authentic. Mrs. Parker is paying a fortune for a real experience.” He admired the settings and commented, “Your idea to repaint the walls to look like old plaster and hang those tapestries created the perfect touch.”
They continued directing the staff on the changes to be made as they went from the bedroom suite to the lower floor. “I think this round room directly under their sitting room would be perfect for the Throne Room,” Rose offered. “Also, we will need torches to hang on the walls in the basement - dungeon.”
Rose was excited about the project. “I can’t wait for you to see some of the gowns I found! Did you know one of your Mayhew House staff is an accomplished seamstress? Any chance we can offer her a change of position?”
Robert laughed aloud at the unintentional joke and just nodded. He enjoyed her rambling on about the project. He enjoyed her company during the shopping and redecorating and it was the first time he had seen her look so animated about a subject.
*****
Rose had harnessed Gina like a pony and hooked her to the eye bolts in the attic every night after the second night in the cage.
The mirrors in the attic were placed out of her reach, but positioned so the girl could look at herself from all sides. The first time she was taken there, she had a red raw tattoo outlining the marker on her ass to examine. Gina was surprised more of it didn’t hurt, but wondered immediately how she was going to get “Property of Mistress Rose” off of her butt. The next time she was placed in the attic, she had red stripes all over her body. Master Robert had agreed it is often helpful to allow your slave to admire the work done on them.
After her tattoo session with Drew, she became much more pliable, but occasionally Master Robert would see that scheming look in her eyes and warned Rose she wasn’t yet broken. Following his advice, Rose never left the girl an opportunity to do her mischief.
She already experienced several rooms, and Master Robert was anxious to put her into action.
*****
Drew spoke to her soothingly, though mocking her at the same time. Gina became accustomed to this, and now knew it was just part of his routine. She felt he was the only chance she had of an ally, since not another soul would speak to her but the Master and the Mistress, and that certainly wasn’t what you could call conversation. Drew talked to her and often allowed her to speak, so she felt she must try.
The pain between her legs made it difficult to concentrate, but she really only wanted light conversation. She asked him how he got into this line of work, and Drew laughed, “Just lucky, I guess!”
Then she asked, “Why don’t you ever talk to me when she is in the room?”
The light-hearted look on Drew’s face changed so quickly and so dramatically she thought something had happened that she missed. She wondered for a moment what
alarmed him so, but before she could reason it out he clamped his hand tightly on her jaw squeezing her cheeks between her teeth. “That lady is your MISTRESS, and you will never refer to Mistress Rose as ‘she.’ You do not question her orders. Is that clear?”
Panic rose in Gina; there was no longer any hope of an ally, or of an escape, either. Drew drove that point home further with a snarl, “You owe the Mistress your life. If you had done to me what you did to her, we wouldn’t be having any conversations at all. You would no longer exist!” He let go of her jaw so fast her head snapped back as he spat out the last remark.
She had never seen Drew show any emotion; he always just seemed to be enjoying his work. She had no idea of his loyalty to Rose, but clearly she was mistaken in the idea he would ever be her friend. Gina sobbed. Finally broken, and in total despair, the pain in her crotch and nipples seemed to intensify tenfold. There was no redeeming pleasure coming. The anguish she now felt compounded every ache, throb and stabbing pain. She felt dizzy at the realization; this was now her life, and she didn’t even have the means to end it!
Chapter 14
“Good morning, Paul. Sit down, have some coffee.” The police chief had called early in the morning and met with Robert in his study.
“Thanks, Rob. I finally have the information you asked for, but it wasn’t easy to dig out. The man was a POW for about five years, and even when they got him back, the red tape had him tied for months. His dog tags were taken while he was unconscious, maybe mistaking him for dead, then the enemy found him…”
The Chief took a long drink of the coffee, and Robert refilled his cup. “Anyway, we now know who the parents are for sure. They lived on the poverty level for about fifteen years before he died of cancer. They said it was the cancer the Middle East vets keep getting. The mother died a year later. Doc said she died of malnutrition and a broken heart.”
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