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Chapter 11: Her Master's Wedding, Part 11, Bride and Groom
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Charlotte's Search Chapter 12: Her Master's Wedding, Part 12, The Reception
The meal is magnificent.Despite the earlier 'sauce debacle', the chef has conjured up an excellent replacement which complements the chicken very well indeed. I run the flavour over my tongue, swishing it around, trying to identify all the ingredients...Garlic... Tarragon... Black pepper...But there's something...Wonder if she'd share the recipe?Probably not....But I'm trying to distract myself. When I wrote my speech, I knew what I wanted to say, and I meant it with all my heart....You chose to do this....Every part of it....How can I let my friend down now? The friend who has stood side by side with me for years. The friend who has never let me down. Or, when we let each other down, we helped each other stand again, together.The meal is done. Waiters pass between the guests, filling flutes. I glance sidelong at the pair. They are indeed the very image of the 'Happy Couple'. Laughing and joking, he handsome, she so beautiful....Together....And abrup
Charlotte's Search Chapter 13: Her Master's Wedding, Part 13, The Wedding Night
I settle to read a book I ensured was waiting for me here. It's a long book, and one I left it until now to read so that, things being what they are, if I could not sleep, I'd have something to keep me occupied.Flipping to the first page, I sip my brandy. Then the second page. And I'm quickly hooked....The flames flicker, warm and welcoming. The brandy is excellent. And I try hard not to think about what will happen tonight....And which I won't be part of....My brandy glass empty, I glance around for the friendly waiter, but he's nowhere to be seen. Tucking a slip of paper into my book, I close it up and make my way to the bar. Sliding my empty glass across the counter, "A large one, please.""Of course, sir."But as the glass is pressed into my hand, I realise that I'm trapped. Marie is to my left and one of........ another one of......... Michael's aunts has wedged into my right. She beams. "I'll have a sweet sherry please, young man."Her accent could crack p
Charlotte's Search Chapter 14: Her Master's Wedding, Part 14, Marie
Another vacuous smile. "I'd love to, James."Alarm marches across Beth's face but I droop an eyelid to her. As I offer a hand to the small of Marie's back, to guide her outside, she's turning on Richard with an expression of real fury....Her Dom....And I suck in a smile....This is going to be the most entertaining moment I've had all day.The terrace is cool and pleasant with the perfume of hawthorn blossom carrying on the breeze. Were I in such a lovely place with my mermaid, I would have very different intentions, but...Marie gazes up at me, all starry-eyed. Taking her by the elbow, I steer her to a dark corner. "We don't have a lot of time, so just kneel down, here in the shadows...." She frowns. ".... They probably won't see us if they come outside...."She still doesn't get it.Going to have to paint it on thick for this one....".... Just so I know if I need to stand back when you're done, do you prefer to spit or swallow?"Her jaw drops, and I make as tho
Charlotte's Search Chapter 15: Her Master's Wedding, Part 15, The Empty Bed
Where am I?Sleep-addled, I see low embers, their glow a mere crack amid white ashes behind a fireguard. A side-light casts a sort of light over where I'm sitting in an armchair.A blanket covers my lap....Beth........ And Richard....This is when you find out who your friends are....My neck is stiff, but I'm warm and otherwise comfortable.And I think of the empty bed in my room....I'll stay here for the night....*****.... And I blink open to a maid swishing open curtains. Brilliant sunlight casts across me and for a moment I hold a hand over my eyes while I adjust."Morning, Mr Alexanders. I wasn't sure if you would prefer tea or coffee, so I brought both." She nods down to a tray by my side with both tea and coffee pots, milk, cream and lemon. A glass of water sits by a packet of soluble aspirin.And the evening before floods back....Oh, God....The staff think I was drunk....I was drunk...."It was a good day, wasn't it, Mr Alexanders?" she s
Charlotte's Search Chapter 16: Her Master's Wedding, Part 16, Celebrations
And I really feel like celebrating. I can't keep the grin from my face. Reaching into the ice bucket, I fish out the bottle. "It's a bit early for champagne, but I thought buck's fizz would go down nicely." And it does, citrus and bubbles complementing cereals, devilled kidneys and laughter.Everything I ever wanted....When even Charlotte's furnaces have been stocked with enough fruit, eggs and extra toast to halt an army....How does she eat like that and never put on an ounce?Plenty of 'exercise'......... we settle down a bit.I've been looking forward to this moment. I take an envelope from my pocket, passing it to Michael. "This, by the way, is my wedding present to the pair of you."He looks a little surprised but gulps back the last of his fizz. He cuts it open the envelope with a knife, wiping butter and marmalade in equal amounts on the paper, extracts the contents........ and reads....For a long moment his face is a blank, then he scratches an eyeb
Charlotte's Search Chapter 17: Her Master's Wedding, Part 17, The 'Facility'
"Everything in place?" Michael leans back against the wall, arms folded, watching as I fill the racks, shelves, cupboards and drawers he so carefully built."Almost.""Where is she?""Upstairs, lost in a good book.""Engineering?""Tolkien, I think."He nods. "I suppose we can rely on that when it's raining."I stand back, admiring the display. "You're sure she doesn't know?"His face splits. "I've certainly not told her. I'm looking forward to seeing...."".... her face?"He winks. "Oh, yes.""I see you made up the bed too."His mouth quirks. "Yup. Did it myself.... I'm not about to ask any of the hotel staff to make this bed." "Perhaps not," I agree. Then, I eye-point toward the concealed exit. "The bolt-hole?" He sobers. "I think that's a discussion for another day, don't you?""Sure. Who exactly knows about it?""Right now, only you and me. Perhaps Charlotte has an inkling, but I've not discussed it with her. It didn't need to be pretty, just secur
Charlotte's Search Chapter 18: Her Master's Wedding, Part 18, Safe Word
"Oh, this is your call, James," replies Michael. "Whatever appeals to you the most."I stand over and slightly behind her, where she should be able to see me in her peripheral vision. The falls smell of bees and honey, whispering as I trail the tips along her spine. Her breath hitches, she shivers and her arms goose-pimple."Charlotte?""Whatever you want, Master. It's for you to say."Good girl....I caress her skin with the soft tresses. "What are your safe words?" "Yellow, Master. And red.""Stand up."Her face still lowered, Charlotte rises. I swing the flogger, just a little, letting her see the sweep and shimmer of the tails as they sway by my leg. "Stand over there."She follows my finger to the ceiling hoop and the rope, casually looped through. Michael acts as aide as she positions herself below, lifting wide mermaid-eyes as he murmurs something soft and she offers up her hands.Binding her wrists, not tightly, but effectively, he tensions the rope, dra
Charlotte's Search Chapter 19: Her Lovers' Touch, Part 1, Elizabeth's Birthday Gift
RICHARDI sit in the conference room, wading through brochures, catalogues and websites, trying to find something........ suitable........ and just the tiniest bit original....And something she doesn't already have....*sigh*There's movement in my office beyond.Elizabeth?She's early....Quickly, I whisk a plan of the City Project site over my work area, but when I look up, it's not Elizabeth but Michael standing in the doorway."Hi, Richard... Hope you don't mind. Francis let me in. Thought I'd spend half an hour on some more of that lot while I was twiddling my thumbs." He gestures towards the stack of tattered and dusty boxes housing forty years of junk paperwork from Elizabeth's recently deceased Uncle Albert."Not at all. It's very good of you to keep at this on Elizabeth's behalf.""It's no problem at all. I'm waiting for James and Charlotte so it's not as if I have anything better to do 'til they turn up. And as I mentioned, I'm actually finding it q
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