Miss Casey

At the spot she'd pointed to was a two-foot hole in the ground.

The hole turned out to be an old stone well, possibly medieval. Miss Casey hadn't been aware of it before. They'd returned to the house to get torches and some rope; fortunately, Miss Casey's father had been quite the climber in his day. Miss Casey had wanted to be the one to descend, but since she was stronger and heavier than Anna, there was only one choice.

Taking a deep breath, Anna lowered her legs over the edge, holding her sports bag in case there was anything in the well that needed to be retrieved. Miss Casey stood near, the rope wrapped around her waist. It was also tied around a tree and went through a pulley, which Miss Casey explained made it far easier for her to support Anna.

"I can feel your weight, Anna. You can start descending."

With a frightened smile back, Anna pushed off the well edge. The harness around her torso kept her from falling, and she watched as Miss Casey played out more and more rope, each release causing Anna to sink a little deeper. Her torch illuminated stone walls, and for twenty feet, that was all she saw. Then there was wetness in her trainers, and she realised she'd reached the water. She called up to Miss Casey to stop.

The torch showed nothing but black water beneath her. With a shout, she had Miss Casey let her drop another foot. She didn't want to go much further, because of the risk of drowning, but it didn't matter: her feet touched solid ground. With another shout, Miss Casey gave her some more slack, and Anna was able to bend down and look in the water.

She found sticks and branches, and she lifted one to examine it in the torch's light. It was about a foot long and white, and --

She dropped it as though it had been a hot coal. That was no stick; it was a bone. Human, she thought. She shouted up her finding to Miss Casey, who was silent for a moment.

"Gather the bones, Anna, into the bag. I think we need to perform a proper burial, to lay the spirit to rest."

The sports bag lay in an area off the side of the chapel. Anna had put everything she found in the well into the bag: bones, clothes, and a purse. The purse had been her mother's according to the driving licence in it, and so it was clear that is was her who had died there, either by suicide, or an accidental fall.

Miss Casey said a few words, then read from a Bible and sang some hymns from memory. Anna wanted to say something, but couldn't find the words. With a squeeze of her hand, Miss Casey told her it was alright, and she could return to say something in future if she wanted.

They'd discussed telling the police about the bones, but decided not to get them involved. One thing they couldn't explain was why Anna went down the well, especially in the middle of winter.

As their informal service ended, Anna sensed a calm about the house and grounds. Even the wind and snow seemed to back off for a moment. She wasn't sure, but it felt as though they'd set things to rights.

Miss Casey placed her arm around Anna, and the two made their way back to the house.

Anna woke to find Miss Casey's arms wrapped around her. After taking a moment to luxuriate in the warmth and comfort she found there, she slipped out of bed and wrapped herself in a silk dressing gown to fight the cold. She glanced through the curtains; the storm had passed, though snow still lay heavy on the land.

She had a breakfast of bacon and eggs sizzling when Miss Casey entered the kitchen. Anna took in the sight of her dressed in a beige pant-suit. After kissing, Miss Casey sat at the table while Anna served her food and joined her.

As they ate, Miss Casey said, "Given what we discovered yesterday, I thought you should know I intend to call off my lawyers as soon as I can get through to them on the phone. And I have a gift for you. Close your eyes and lean forward."

Anna complied, and Miss Casey's hands reached around her neck and fumbled for a moment before moving away.

"You may open your eyes again, girl."

Anna did so, and moving her hands to her throat, discovered a necklace. She looked at Miss Casey quizzically.

"When did you pop out to buy this, Miss Casey?"

"It was my mother's. I thought it would look good around your throat. Why don't you check it out in the mirror in the drawing room."

Dashing away, Anna was stunned at the beauty of the jewellery. It had a heavy golden chain, and was set with rubies and diamonds. It had to be worth a fortune. Miss Casey appeared behind her in the mirror, and wrapped her in an embrace.

"The front, little one, has the Casey family coat of arms on it. I'm sure my mother would have wanted you to have it."

Anna turned to face her, a smile on her lips and tears in her eyes.

"Thank you, Miss Casey. But I feel bad, because I have no present to give you in return."

Miss Casey drew her into a long embrace. "You don't need to give me anything. It's important you understand that, because there is something you could give me, but I would only want it if you truly wish to give it."

Anna looked up at her, resting her head on Miss Casey's shoulder. "What is it you would like, Miss Casey?"

They were silent for a moment, with only the ticking of the old clock on the mantelpiece to break the silence. Then Miss Casey spoke.

"I've been thinking about reopening the old stables. I could no doubt make money from running a riding school and breaking horses, but I'm more interested in the challenge. But I'd need to run it from the house, and that's not mine. I won't ask you for your half; that is yours, and I would never take it from you. But perhaps we could come to another arrangement."

She fell silent again, and Anna wondered what arrangement she could mean. As though she had come to a decision, Miss Casey continued.

"While I'm working hard in the stables, I'll need someone to look after everything else in the house. To cook for me. To clean for me. And when I come home after a hard day, she should be ready, naked and willing, to serve my desires, to let me do as I want with her body. I don't offer a partnership, at least not one of equals. I want a girl who will let me run both of our lives without complaint. Now I want you to think very carefully about your answer to my next question, because if you say 'yes', it might be the last time you ever make a choice of your own. Anna, will you live here forever more as my lover, at my beck and call, to satisfy my every whim? Will you be my slave from this day forth?"

Anna opened her mouth to speak, but Miss Casey put her finger on her lips.

"I told you to think carefully. So I'm going to wait a moment, and then ask if you've made your decision. And if you need more time to think, that will be fine."

For several minutes, Anna stood there in Miss Casey's arms. She adored Miss Casey, and the sex had been mind-blowing. But to live her life as a slave? In this day and age? Even as she thought that, an image came into her mind of Miss Casey coming home on a hot summer's day. In the fantasy, Anna (naked of course) greeted Miss Casey before sitting her at the table and serving her dinner and a cool drink. And while Miss Casey ate and drank, Anna climbed under the table to pleasure her.

"You're in a daydream, Anna. I asked whether you'd come to a decision."

Looking up into Miss Casey's blue eyes, Anna nodded. "Yes, Miss Casey, I have. I would like to be your slave, if I may."

A huge smile lit up Miss Casey's face. "Thank you. This is the best present I've ever received. I will train the horses in the day, and you in the evening." She released Anna and took a step back. "Now then, why don't you unwrap my gift for me?"

With a grin, Anna removed the gown and draped it over a chair.

"No more clothes for you," said Miss Casey. "Later, I want you to take your clothes from your room and launder them. I'll take them to the charity shop in town once the snow clears. I want you naked around the house, so I can admire my new possession. When I choose to take you out, I'll pick something for you to wear."

"Yes, Miss Casey."

"Good girl," said Miss Casey as she walked around her. "It's good to own something so beautiful. Lay your torso on the table here." A strong hand pushed on her back, driving her breasts into the wood. "That's a good girl. Grasp the edges of the table with your hands, bottom up, and legs further apart." She complied, with Miss Casey's touches guiding her into the desired position. "What a good girl you are. I'm going to get something from the kitchen. Stay still, and eyes down on the floor."

There was a light slap on Anna's bum, and then she heard Miss Casey walk away and the sound of a cupboard being opened and closed, followed by the sound of her return.

"You may look up now, Anna."

Anna saw Miss Casey standing before her, a large carrot in each hand.

"You have been exceptionally good today, Anna, so you've earned a reward." She tapped one of the carrots against her chin. "Now, where should I put these?"