Pt. 02: Reinforcement

"I don't think I have you know, and it's all down to you. How many husbands would be good enough to take their wife to an old colonel and his women's libber assistant for them to thrash her arse?"

I know, I know, I'm just too soft for my own good."

19

The streets were bustling as Kate and Helen locked up the gallery and headed out for lunch. Fridays always seemed to be busier than other days. Most of the people were probably office workers as the summer rush of tourists had subsided by mid-September.

"You know what's going to happen don't you?" Helen asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Melissa, she's going to give you another grilling about your slave thing, she'll want to know everything. Are you going to tell her about your training and what that colonel did to you?"

"No, that was just for your ears, anyway you know what she's like, she'll have passed on from that, some new boyfriend or interest will have grabbed her attention by now."

"Don't you be so sure."

"Anyway, as I remember it, last time you seemed to get more of a grilling than I did."

The café was busy but not crowded so they settled into a corner seat which was free.

"Here she comes, smiley as ever, don't you just love her?" Helen gave no response. She did love Melissa, of course she did, but was a little apprehensive about being put on the spot again if Melissa goaded her.

"Hello you two, lovely to see you," Melissa said, with the usual exchange of kisses, "how are you both?"

"Were both fine thanks, things are good." Helen assured her.

"Do you want coffee?" They both accepted and all three decided to order food later, there was no rush.

"He's bringing them over in a minute." Melissa informed them as she returned to the table.

"So, come on Kate, how's the slave thing going?"

"Told you, that's a fiver you owe me." Helen told Kate as they both laughed.

"What's up with you two then, what did I say?"

"I said that you'd bring it up casually during lunch and Helen said you'd come straight out with it, so I lost the bet, you owe me a fiver, Melissa." Kate joked with her.

"Sorry about that, so what's the latest?"

"I can't tell you the details, it's embarrassing enough that you know about it at all. I've been made to do...things...and you'd be horrified if you knew all the details."

"Wow that's great."

"Melissa, don't start again with the 'wow' and 'cool' stuff, Kate's fine with it."

"But are you getting lots of sex, are they screwing you?"

"Melissa!" They both yelled in unison.

"No, they're not, but Richard is, he seems to have...how shall I put it...'a renewed enthusiasm for my body', for which I have no complaints." They all joined in the conspiratorial giggle.

"So you don't have to screw other men then, but I thought that was the big attraction."

"No doubt I'll be used in that way at some time but it hasn't happened yet."

"Anyway there's more to it than that Melissa, Kate's not doing it to 'get screwed' as you put it. The whole thing is more meaningful for her than just gratifying what's between her legs." Kate immediately turned to Helen giving her an astonished look, but grateful of her support.

"What?" Helen defended herself. "Don't look surprised, she's making it sound cheap and tacky."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I admire Kate for having the balls to do it, I don't think I would. I know I have a lot of boyfriends, and have some fun, but that's where it stops. It turns out that you're the adventurous one amongst us, not me."

"We should get all the fun out of life that we can." Helen added.

"But are you sure that it's fun for you Kate, it sounds like pretty heavy stuff?" They both knew that Melissa was fishing for more information, without asking direct questions.

"It's not as bad as it sounds. The thrill is, that I don't know what's going to happen to me or be done to me, I've given my permission for them to do whatever they want, even if I don't agree at the time."

"Wow, sorry Helen. I mean fancy going out and not knowing what will happen by the time you come home."

"Yes, I don't make any of the decisions so I'm not to blame for what goes on, no guilt see."

"But there's a risk of getting hurt isn't there. I mean physically, or in your head. So why risk it?"

"Of course there is, but that's no different from lots of activities, why would people go parachuting, rock climbing, skiing or motor racing? They do it for the thrill and accept the risk factor, and that's what we're doing. If it looks like it's getting too much we'll stop."

"I'll be making sure she's OK and nothing nasty happens to her, don't you worry Melissa, but at the moment she's getting what she wants out of it, so we should give her our support."

"Thanks Helen," Kate's astonishment couldn't be kept hidden.

20

Kate arrived at the Oakham offices with plenty of time to spare. Grace told her that their first appointment was at 2.00pm so to meet at the office by 1.30pm would be fine. On entering the reception area, she felt the atmosphere to be much quieter and more relaxed than on her previous visit. Grace heard her approach and emerged from her office to greet her.

"Hello Catherine, how are you?"

"I'm fine thank you, nice to see you again. It seems quiet around here is everything OK?"

"Mr. Weston's away for two days, not back till Wednesday, it's always quieter and more relaxed. Generally we treat it as a bit of a break. That's why it was convenient to schedule you in for today, I won't be needed here."

"Where are we going?"

"First stop, the beauty parlour, Colonel Mason said that your hair had to go. It's very common, most slaves are kept smooth."

"Right, OK then. I just thought that I'd be told to keep it shaved."

"Oh no this is much better, it's smoother and lasts much longer, you'll see."

Grace put on a thin jacket, checked that her telephone was in her bag and they left. They took a taxi to the parlour, which was located in an area which Kate had never been to before. During the trip they chatted about general things and although Grace maintained an air of authority, helped no doubt by the dark business suit and white blouse, she was relaxed and put Kate at ease.

The parlour was impressive, very impressive in fact, certainly not your cheap, backstreet establishment. The friendly receptionist welcomed them warmly and from their conversation, Kate judged Grace to be a regular and respected customer.

"Is it the usual Miss Edwards?" she enquired, looking at her appointment sheet.

"That's right."

If you'd like to go straight through, Mary will see to you right away."

"Thank you, after you Catherine," she said, stepping aside to let Kate pass.

The treatment room had all the trappings of a doctor's surgery: the desk and chair, the tall screen and plastic topped bed, covered with a fresh roll of paper towelling. The girl behind the desk rose and introduced herself as Mary before inviting Kate to go behind the screen, undress completely and put on the disposable robe. It struck Kate as odd; the first time she'd been invited to undress in private since being with the group. As she emerged from behind the screen she noticed that grace had taken a seat in the chair next to the desk, facing the bed. She should have known there was going to be no privacy.

"OK let's get started. If you'd like to lie on your back draw your feet up and open your knees please." Kate complied opening herself to the girl who used her eyes and fingers to study the extent of the task. Kate found it quite thrilling to be touched so intimately and wondered if this was normal practice or reserved for Oakham customers.

"The whole lot?" She asked. Before Kate could even think of a reply, it came from Grace.

"Yes, completely." Kate lay back accepting the answer. After all it was no longer her body.

"Don't be embarrassed, it's my job, I do this all day." She smiled, trying to ease Kate's anxiety.

Mary spread the hot wax on one side of Kate's triangle of hair which made her jump.

"It feels quite hot but don't worry it won't burn, It cools quickly."

"Oh it's OK, I just wasn't expecting it that's all."

Actually it felt good. Mary then pushed a cloth strip onto the wax and waited for it to set around the hair.

"Ready?" Kate nodded and shut her eyes in anticipation of the pain she knew would follow. Mary ripped off the paper and Kate stifled a shriek even though the pain wasn't nearly as great as she'd anticipated. The process was repeated, wax, cloth and rip. Even the area on the side of her lips wasn't as bad as she'd expected, and soon the front was free of hair.

"OK we need to do the back now. If you could kneel over, spread them far apart and put your forehead onto the bed. Kate wasn't expecting that and as she turned she saw grace sitting impassively, watching the proceedings. Once in position she realised how open and exposed she felt with the two women observing her most private areas.

"It would help if you could reach round and hold yourself open for me." Kate did as requested, again wondering if it was strictly necessary or meant to humiliate her further. She felt the flat wooden stick spreading the hot wax around her tender opening, then the cloth and the quick pull which ripped out the small hairs. Mary was thorough in her work, checking for stray hairs and repeating an area if there was any trace of hair. Finally she was satisfied and applied a squirt of cold body lotion which she rubbed into the entire area, removed any excess with a small cloth and finished with a light coating of baby powder. The last task seemed very drawn out and thorough, not that Kate minded, she just hoped that her arousal wasn't too obvious.

"That's it. All done." Mary announced. "You can get dressed now. Well done."

Kate returned to the other side of the screen to dress. As soon as she was out of sight of the two women she immediately passed her hand between her legs—it felt good, so smooth and soft. She could see why it was preferred that slaves were kept hairless. She also noted how much it enhanced the view of the ever popular protruding lips.

As she felt down the back, between her buttocks, she remembered the marks left from The Colonels recent strapping and still visible across the whole area. Mary had made no mention of it, perhaps she was she used to seeing women in that condition, or too professional to let her aversion show. Kate was unconcerned either way.

Before they left, the receptionist gave Kate an appointment card and instructed when to be back for further treatment in order to keep the area in its present condition. She noticed that the card was headed with her number-73. No name was used.

"How does it feel?" Grace asked, as they walked away from the parlour.

"It's very nice actually, very nice indeed."

"We're not due at the shop just yet so we have plenty of time if you fancy the walk."

"That's fine with me, yes. What shop?"

"Clothes," was the single word reply.

The sign above the shop window read simply, 'Jane's'. They entered, to be greeted by a plump middle aged lady dressed in a knee length black skirt, white blouse and black opaque stockings.

"Good afternoon Miss Edwards, nice to see you again, so soon. We were expecting you." Classical music played in the background of the well-appointed, traditional lingerie shop. The wooden counter with its thick glass top supported a till with keys like an old typewriter. They were taken through to a back room which looked like a large private dressing room. The assistant closed the door behind them. High back wooden chairs were placed at strategic points around the room. The far wall supported a huge mirror. Grace took a seat, leaving Kate standing, and unsure of what to do.

"Would you like a tea Miss Edwards?"

"Why yes, that would be very nice thank you." None was offered to Kate. The lady opened the door and called to another assistant.

"Carol would you bring Miss Edwards some tea please."

"So this is another new one is it?" the lady said, referring to her clipboard, "seventy three."

"Yes that's right," Grace confirmed.

"Right, undress then, completely." Without hesitating Kate quickly placed her clothes on one of the chairs and stood naked before them.

"Stand in the centre please." Once in position the woman circled Kate studying her body. "Nice body, very nice indeed." She reached up and squeezed Kate's left breast. "Not big but very nice breasts too, they've found a good one here, Miss Edwards."

The door opened and a young girl entered carrying a tea tray which she placed on the side table next to Grace.

"Thank you Carol, I'll pour myself in a moment." The girl showed no sign of leaving the room, adding to Kate's embarrassment.

"She belongs to the group, so we'll need a complete set of measurements." Grace said.

"Carol, fetch the tape measure and bring the clipboard please."

For the next 15 minutes Kate was subjected to the most thorough review of her body. Every measurement was taken, some of which seemed to have no relevance. The usual waist, height, chest etc. were soon completed then the detailed dimensions followed. The position of the nipple on her breasts, wrist sizes, the diameter at various points along the length of her legs, neck size, arm length and so on. By the time they'd finished Kate assumed there would be enough information for a good sculptor to produce a fairly accurate replica of her entire body. There was no indication of how the data would be put to use.

When the measurement taking had been completed the chubby lady addressed Kate.

"You're here for us to show you how to dress to please the people who own you. From now on you'll have to conform to certain rules regarding what you wear and when you wear it. By the look of your backside you're aware of the consequences of ignoring the rules." Kate blushed at her words. "You need to dress in such a way that you retain some level of modesty but which will also please the men who'll be using you. Dressing a whore modestly is a difficult task but, fortunately for you we've had a lot of experience of it. Any clothing you need in order to carry out your duties will be provided by us. You can call in here or items can be delivered to you and will be placed on your account. If you choose an item from another outlet, use the credit card that Miss Edwards will give you."

Kate thought it was a dream come true, choosing your clothes from a high class outlet and putting them on an account you don't have to pay for, wow, she couldn't wait to tell Helen.

The chubby lady continued with the rules Kate was to follow regarding her dress code.

"Although you're forbidden to wear panties, some men prefer a woman in a G-string which is acceptable. If you've had no instructions make your own mind up as to which would be best for each situation. Trousers are totally forbidden unless for a particular purpose such as jogging suits when running. With your skirts and dresses, stockings with a suspender belt or hold-ups should be your first choice but tights are also acceptable if the top clothing makes stockings a problem.

Kate looked forward to following the instructions. She felt good when she made that extra effort to look her best and had sometimes thought she didn't do it often enough.

"Carol, would you bring a selection of lingerie in her size please, we might as well start now." The assistant took the clipboard for reference and went into the shop.

"I think we'll treat her to a corset while we're here," Grace decided, "Colonel Mason has a predilection for them."

"Do you have a particular style in mind?"

"Yes, I rather like that new range you had in for the spring."

"An excellent choice, I'll get one, any preference with colour?"

"Not sure, let's try white first, and see."

The woman returned with the corset and helped Kate put it on. The high arches left the buttocks and lower stomach completely exposed while two of the six suspender straps framed and highlighted her pubic area. The platform top gave support beneath her breasts but left the nipples exposed.

"This model has the hooks and eyes rather than the laces so she'll be able to dress herself without a problem."

"Yes, good thinking," Grace said, nodding her approval.

Carol returned with the selection of goods from the shop and handed the basket to the woman.

"Thank you Carol." Turning to Kate the woman explained the contents which had been chosen for her.

"Here's a selection of hosiery to keep you going for a while, in various colours and styles. The bras are transparent, as you can see, but with no seams to leave lines beneath clothing." Turning to Grace she proudly stated: "We have them made especially for us-very good quality, adequate support but nothing hidden, ideal."

"Here put this G-string on, it matches the corset." Kate obliged, stepping into the tiny white garment immediately made her feel sexy. The triangle of fabric barely covered her smooth mound, but it was the sensation between her buttocks which had the most effect on her, the freshly waxed area seemed far more sensitive to the pressure of the string.

"Put these on too." The woman instructed, handing her a pair of silky, tan stockings, fresh from the packet. They felt wonderful as Kate eased them up her legs before clipping the six straps into place, the dark bands at the top contrasting wonderfully with her creamy thighs. Stepping back into her heels Kate saw the result in the large mirror, and she was impressed. Wait till Richard gets a look at this, she thought. She knew that stockings were not as practical as tights but that slight bulge of the clips, just showing beneath a skirt or dress would always draw the eyes of a man. And look at the corset, which she thought enhanced her body perfectly, constricting her waist, framing her mound and supporting her breasts, leaving her nipples just teasingly visible. Sensual yet restrained, Kate thought, pleased with the result.

"Is there anything else we can help you with today?" The woman asked Grace.

"No, I don't think so thank you, you've already done a marvellous job, as usual." Turning to Kate she said, "you can get dressed, and keep those things on."

Kate pulled her blouse on and buttoned it up. Her exposed nipples rubbed against the fabric and the stiff corset showed through. The skirt, coming just above her knee, left nothing of the stocking tops or suspender straps visible, but did indeed show the slight bulge. Finally the jacket, and once buttoned became the saviour of her modesty, covering her blouse, corset and nipples. On checking herself in the mirror, what she saw on the outside was not a lot different from when she arrived. The biggest difference was on the inside—how she felt.

As they prepared to leave the shop, the assistant confirmed that Kate knew how to order items for delivery and invited her to visit whenever she was in the area. When asked to sign for the items she was taking away—in a neat package prepared by Carol—Kate once again noticed the heading-Seventy Three. The more she saw herself referred to as a number the more appropriate it seemed, and the more she liked it. It made her feel anonymous, dehumanised, just a body, and that was what she was becoming, a nameless body being prepared for the use and pleasure of others. She found the thought highly stimulating.

"Well that's all we have to do today." Grace announced once they were out in the street.

"You'll have to sort out your wardrobe now and make sure you're only wearing approved clothing. The sanctions for not conforming to the dress code are severe."

"I'll sort things out, thanks."

They said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. Kate noticed herself walking with a more upright posture, unsure if it was the effect of the corset or the new-found pride in her status.