‘Katerina, wait outside until you are called.’
She left, rather grudgingly, and shut the door behind her.
His Lordship joined me on the bench, wrapping my trembling body against his warm, tweedy side.
‘I’m sorry it’s so cold,’ he said. ‘I’ll try to make this little introduction as quick as I can so you can get bathed and dressed and warmed up again.’
The idea of warmth struck the first cheery note of the day. I laid my head on his shoulder and listened.
‘Since this is your first day, I’m going to break you in gently. The staff have been instructed to keep their hands off you, except Kat there, who will bathe and prepare you, but no more than that. There will be no public training or use until tomorrow at the earliest. Once you are settled and in the right headspace, we can get a little more ambitious. But for the rest of the day, you will see only Katerina and me. Full introductions can wait until tomorrow.’
‘What’s going to happen this week, sir?’
?
?You are going to find the core of your submission, Keris. You’ll be worked hard and at times you might want to give up, but if you persevere you’ll find it well worth all the effort, I promise.’
‘I feel very alone here,’ I confessed. ‘And a bit lost.’
‘You’ll be well looked after. And nothing will happen unless you want it to. You can invoke your safe word at any time. I should warn you, though, that if you use it more than three times, you will be sent home. That doesn’t mean you’ve failed a test – it just means you probably aren’t suited to our version of the lifestyle. Does that sound too scary?’
‘No, that’s good,’ I said. ‘Thank you, sir.’
Just saying the word “sir” made me feel better. The fear dissolved and re-formed into something else, a flickering thrill that still contained that germ of intimidation but was also composed of many other things – exhilaration, anticipation, lust. I decided to trust him, and with trust came confidence.
‘Well, then.’ He stood and beckoned me to my feet, inspecting my naked body from head to toe. ‘You can’t wear that.’
His fingers reached out to Patrick’s necklace and I made a small sound of disappointment.
‘Does it have sentimental value?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘All the same, you can’t wear it here. Turn around and I’ll take it off. It’ll be kept safe, I promise you.’
I wanted to disobey, to stamp my foot and pout, but I kept control of myself and presented my back view to His Lordship.
He unclasped the necklace, removed it and then his hand landed on my bottom, taking a handful.
‘I see my chauffeur had to attend to you. What was that for?’
‘Asking too many questions, sir.’
‘Hmm, that doesn’t surprise me. But it isn’t a good start, is it, Keris?’
‘No, sir.’
‘I’ll have to address it myself later. Just before you go down for your bath, we need to choose a name for you.’
‘Oh?’
‘Yes. Well, I’ll choose for you and, unless you have any strong objections, that’s what you’ll be for the week. Since you’re at the bottom of the heap here, that’s what we’ll call you. Bottom.’
‘Seriously?’ An image of me with asses’ ears came to mind. ‘Bit Shakespearian.’
‘Indeed. But, as everyone will have permission to top you eventually, it’s rather appropriate, don’t you think?’
‘It’s not very … attractive, sir.’