Town and Country Ch. 13

When her owner appeared around dawn she was restored and alert, following Francesca upstairs to prepare her breakfast. Afterwards Francesca sat down with a mug of coffee and Anne knelt before her.

"We're the talk of the town today; there's even a couple photos - very revealing - of you and a story about how you got here." Anne wondered who the source was; probably Paul, happy to promote his business by talking about it. She made no move to show them to Anne though, and went on.

Taking a deep breath, she began to describe the events of the evening that had taken place out of Anne's sight as she hung on the frame after the performance.

"Mr. Schuyler couldn't have been nicer, Anne; I think he's my number one fan after last night. He even said good things about you, though I probably made a mistake in encouraging him."

"Why is that, ma'am?"

"Because that devil Nigel was with him; it brought you into the conversation and gave him the opportunity to try to buy you again. He offered me half of what he offered last time to teach me not to refuse him, but even that half was a lot of money. I gave him the same answer as before; a little more politely since Mr. Schuyler was present, but still no."

This was the time to speak, to urge her owner to sell her and take the money; but she could not. The memory of their intimacy before the audience last night was too strong. She could not bring herself to give up their relationship, the most beautiful thing she had known in her life.

"What did he say, ma'am?"

"He told me I would live to regret it; if I lived. And he would have you whether I agreed or not. Mr. Schuyler was shocked. He has his faults, but threatening me like that was too much for him. He said as long as Nigel was under his roof, he expected him to behave like a gentleman. I think he was really angry. Nigel was quiet after that and left to use Lise."

Anne noticed her mistress had dropped the "Sir". "How is Lise, ma'am? She looked worried last night."

"That's the other thing we have to talk about. Lise is in big trouble. I sat in Mr. Schuyler's office for a while just fuming over Nigel and too mad to meet the other guests, so he went out to make my excuses to them. Indisposed but grateful for their support, that sort of thing.

"After I don't know how long he came back and I could see he was at the end of his patience too. He told me Lise had been 'most unsatisfactory'. She knew her duty and she tried, poor thing, but she was just so tense that everyone was disappointed with her. Well, almost everyone: Nigel said he liked her like that. I think he hurt her."

"Will she be all right do you think, ma'am?"

"Yes, though she won't be able to sit down for a week. But that's not what I wanted to tell you. Mr. Schuyler has decided to get rid of her."

Anne gasped and her eyes went wide. Lise would be given to Sir Nigel; she wouldn't last a month.

"Wait; listen. Nigel behaved so badly that Mr. S gave me the right of first refusal. I can have her myself, or she goes to him."

"Oh. Oh. What are you going to do, ma'am?"

"That's what I have to decide today. And that's why I told you. How can I possibly take her on? I don't have the room or the money for it." Francesca was visibly distressed and at an impasse.

Anne thought for a moment, her mind racing; she was glad her mistress had waited until the morning to tell her.

"You already have the use of the coal bin for me, ma'am, so the extra expense would just be the pellets it seems like."

"But where will she stay?"

"With me, ma'am."

"Seriously? In that tiny space? Do you know what you're saying?"

"Yes, ma'am, I do; we can share the mattress - I know it's narrow but we can fit on it - or we can take turns on the floor. Or I can just use the floor, it won't be any worse than my cell at the academy."

"Maybe; but it means I'll have two of you now. You remember the discussion we had about you and me and Lise earlier? Do you think you could be comfortable with it?"

"I'll have to be, ma'am. Could I be comfortable sending her to Sir Nigel - you know what that means - just so I can have the mattress (or even you, she thought quietly) all to myself?"

"OK, you win. I hope we know what we're doing." (Anne rejoiced to hear that "we".) "But you're right; I couldn't live with myself if I said no. I'll tell Mr. Schuyler. You really are a treasure, you know."

"Oh, thank you, ma'am." Anne blushed all over; Francesca suppressed a smile at the sight.

She telephoned Mr. Schuyler while Anne washed and dried the dishes. It was arranged that Lise would be brought over the next day along with her book, a detailed record of her training at the academy and her personal history. They went down to the basement; the coal bin hadn't grown any larger, but it would have to do.

Lise was delivered in the morning. Pulled from the van and set down by the back entrance she smiled timidly at Francesca, who welcomed her and led her downstairs to Anne's cell. Since there was only a single chain from the wall, Francesca attached the end of it to their leashes; it held them close together, but that could not be helped. Anne showed her the bowls and the mattress, the dining room and bedroom of her new home.

Francesca left them alone to get acquainted and went upstairs; the recent events had set her coursework back and she needed to catch up. Anne sat on the mattress with her legs crossed; as Francesca predicted Lise was unable to sit, and knelt next to her.

Lise yawned. She had not gotten much sleep last night, between the injury Sir Nigel inflicted and Mr. Schuyler's condemnation; Anne wondered if Lise knew how close she had come to destruction but decided not to mention it.

"Would you like to rest now? You must be tired."

"Yes, please." She slumped down on the thin padding and was asleep in less than a minute.

Anne sat on the floor watching her as she slept; a smile spread over Lise's face and she stretched. Anne moved to allow her slack on the leash and felt her even breath, like a kitten's.

Lise awoke an hour later; she sat up for a moment, grimaced, then knelt on the mattress.

They talked about their experiences at the academy, and Anne saw the lessons that taught her obedience had frightened Lise into withdrawal. Lise needed a different sort of training; but how to provide it? She was unwelcome at Mr. Schuyler's, the basement was too cramped, and Francesca's apartment was small and thin-walled. She resolved to share her discovery with Francesca; she would know what to do, Anne was sure.

She told Francesca later as she prepared dinner in the apartment. Francesca agreed with her but had no solution. She led Anne back to the basement as daylight faded.

Lise squeezed over and smiled at them as Anne was chained up. Promising to show Lise her apartment next morning, Francesca left the two together.

Sharing the narrow mattress the first night was a challenge. They tried facing one another, and facing away from one another. They tried lying on their sides with Lise facing Anne's back, her small breasts against Anne's shoulder blades, and slept fitfully. Lise started every time a rat ran across her body. Eventually after much shifting they settled down with Anne behind Lise, partly covering her and letting the rats run over herself instead.

She found this position strangely arousing and tried to ignore the feeling; the more she tried, the more sleep eluded her. Finally she gave in to it; whatever would happen, would happen.

She pressed her belly close against her partner's back and drew her thighs up to Lise's until the two were nested like a pair of soft pink spoons. Tenderly she kissed Lise's neck and whispered her name.

Lise responded with a little wiggle of her behind - she had heard - and the two slept.

In the morning Lise was embarrassed by her fear of rats and Anne told her she handled her first night in the coal bin very well. Lise kissed her on the mouth and Anne responded in kind; they remained joined for over a minute.

Later, Francesca took her upstairs. Anne enjoyed having the mattress to herself. She stretched out on it until Francesca led Lise back down and chained them together for the day.

That evening after dinner, Anne sat at her feet and they discussed Lise.

"I read her book, Anne. She needs the right kind of treatment, but I haven't got the time or the place for it. Maybe something will turn up. Meanwhile be as nice to her as you can."

"Yes, ma'am; she's very easy to get along with. I'll do my best."

And she did. Forced into such constant proximity, Anne and Lise had to become either close friends or bitter enemies; but thanks to their natures and their training, they bonded.

Separated only by the length of their leashes, sharing the feed and water bowls, the mattress, and the primitive sanitation, they spent much of their days together playing word games or recollecting their experiences at the academy.

Anne told Lise of her once bright future as a young professional. And sleeping around with countless men who meant nothing to her until the fateful encounter with Eugene. How he took her from behind, she struggled and he pinned her down till he was done with her. How she begged him for more when they met again, and he fitted her with a metal collar and bracelets before turning her over to Paul.

Her apprenticeship at Paul's place, offered to his friends, taken to a brothel or sent out half-naked on the street to offer herself to strangers. Coming back to him every evening for more until he felt she was ready for advanced training and sale at the academy. Seeing Paul give Eugene his commission for scouting her.

She spoke of the joy she felt at surrendering herself, to being dust beneath another's heel, yielding totally to someone. She had forgotten the skills of her old life; she lived only to offer her body. Lise listened to her, alert and silent, absorbing every word. Anne could not read her thoughts.

They took turns cleaning Francesca's apartment and preparing her meals, leaving her free to concentrate on her studies. After they were returned to the coal bin at night, they shared the narrow mattress with each other and the rats, which Lise learned to live with. They made passionate love each night until sleep overcame them.