Denise

*** Chapter 6, Decision.

Joan Lorde was expecting her husband to return in the late evening flight from Austin. Usually having the whole day to herself was a bore. Shopping or socialising.

Today was different.

She rang Gail as soon as she had breakfasted. There seemed little hope that her servant could have arranged anything so quickly but it was with almost bated breath that she waited for Gail to pick up the phone.

"Hello. Have you managed to contact your friend yet,” she had meant to be cool and cautious on the phone but somehow she could not wait.

"Yes,” said Gail. "You can call her to arrange a meeting as you like." With that she gave Miss Clearmont's telephone number to Joan. Gail continued. "Are we meeting tonight?"

Joan paused for a moment. "If the meeting brings any hope then you can expect me round tonight. I shall be expecting you to be ready to be punished."

Gail's heart leapt with excitement at the thought. "I shall be waiting for you mistress."

Joan put down the phone. After a moment considering the name that Gail had given her she dialled the number. She felt that Miss Clearmont's name was familiar, had they met at some social party or event? No matter, she would meet her and find out. The phone rang for several seconds before being picked up.

The voice on the other end of the line sounded stern and matter of fact but Joan arranged to call at Miss Clearmont's apartment in two hours. When she had put the phone down she realised where she had met Miss Clearmont before.

Maybe a year ago at a party given by some distant acquaintance. Yes that was it. All the maids serving the drinks and food had been outrageously dressed but the party had really gone with a swing.

Deciding to impress Miss Clearmont she dressed carefully and decided to drive there herself in the Mercedes. After all she did not want anyone to know whom she was meeting and where.

She found the apartment with no trouble and was let in by a pretty maid.

Led to Miss Clearmont's drawing room she was served a fruit juice and seated on a sofa to wait for her. She looked at the oils on the walls and the tasteful furniture. The huge mahogany desk alone must have cost 10,000 dollars. The whole room smelt of money. She did not have to wait long. Miss Clearmont entered. She was dressed in jeans and a sweater. With a slight smile Miss Clearmont proffered a hand. "Mrs. Joan Lorde I presume. I believe that we have met, about a year ago."

Joan relaxed a little. She had expected some sort of society high flyer but Miss Clearmont, on first impression, seemed to be self-assured and friendly. "Glad to meet you. Gail has spoken quite highly of you."

"I could not claim Gail as a friend, she is rather an acquaintance with similar interests,” said Miss Clearmont with a smile as she sat on an armchair opposite Joan.

"Well, I am glad that I can share my problem with you,” said Joan. "I'm sure that she has told you the basic facts."

"An embarrassing situation to be sure, but I am not quite sure yet exactly how I can aid you," replied Miss Clearmont looking serious. "As I understand it your husband, John, is seeing another woman and has promised to marry her," continued Miss Clearmont.

"Yes. About a week ago I suspected that he was seeing this other woman. Diane Faslane is my husband's secretary. She is certainly an attractive woman."

Joan pulled a wry face. "A few nights ago my inquiries revealed that he visited her for some hours. They had sex and..."

"Quite. So what course of action were you considering?" asked Miss Clearmont.

"Well. Divorce is not possible. I would be the laughing stock of New York." Joan paused and then continued. "If I confront my husband I'm sure that he will not see her again. But..."

"That would only push the problem away as long as he did not find another lover." Miss Clearmont had echoed Joan's thoughts exactly.

With a sigh Joan considered. She was beginning to like Miss Clearmont. Even if the talk came to nothing she had unburdened herself. "Absolutely. I must bind my husband in a way that will prevent him from straying again."

"I shall be perfectly frank with you Joan. Just fending off the secretary will lay you open to blackmail. I know, I have been the victim of a similar case. If you are to achieve your aim you must follow an illegal course."

Miss Clearmont paused to see the effect her words were having and was gratified to see that Joan neither flinched or started. In fact she leaned forward as if this was a conspiratorial meeting of minds.

"I have some ideas that may be effective but before we go on I need to know that you will not flinch from an unconventional and perhaps bizarre course."

"I would never stoop to murder,” said Joan with a determined look. "Revenge would be satisfactory but..."

Miss Clearmont sat back. Joan was coming round. "Murder is certainly not an option. But if we could cause your husband to find that his slut was unsuitable for him. Or perhaps we could change your husband's mind by tying him to you more effectively. These are the options that I was considering. Murder is much too risky. I have no wish to involve the authorities in any way."

"That would suit me, but how?" Joan had visions of a sniper with mirrored sunglasses taking pot shots at her rival. She pushed them aside and wondered how her husband and lover could be separated and put under control.

Miss Clearmont cleared her throat.

She was really enjoying this meeting. The phone call from George, her PI had dug up some useful information. For instance Joan had had several lovers before Gail. All submissives culled from small ads to a fetish magazine. Obviously Joan kept herself distanced from the sexual scene, but she could be brought in. The question was, fast or slow? If she came on too heavy Joan might be lost and the game would not be played. If she came on too slow then Joan might decide after all for a divorce, messy as it would be. She decided fast.

"You have opened up yourself to me,” said Miss Clearmont. "I will do the same for you. I will show you how I solved my last blackmail problem to my complete satisfaction." Miss Clearmont stood and went to the desk. "But you must promise me that my secret stays as hush as yours."

"I promise,” said Joan.

"You might find it a little disturbing but I think that you will find it elegant," replied Miss Clearmont.

She had already prepared for this moment and was confident that Joan would buy her lies. 'This will be interesting,” she thought.

Miss Clearmont pressed a call button on the desk and then sat behind her desk.

Moments later the door opened and in walked Desire. She was dressed in normal everyday clothes but wore a metal collar on her slender neck. Joan looked at Desire focusing on the collar. Desire walked to the desk with small steps.

With a smile Miss Clearmont sat back in her chair and said. "Tell Mrs Lorde your story."

Desire turned to face Joan and hung her head. "A year ago I tried to cheat Miss Clearmont of a lot of money by trying to blackmail her. I had a photo of her from many years before. When she found me out she captured me and got the photo back. She made me realise how I had so nearly damaged her place in polite society and took me from my former life as a prostitute."

Desire blushed with seeming shame and continued. "I am now her slave."

"That's enough!" Said Miss Clearmont to Desire. "I shall tell the rest." Turning her attention to Joan she continued. "Desire is now my little slave,” she waited for the effect and noticed that Joan seemed to be breathing more heavily. "Of course Desire was not her former name, that is forgotten. She lives here now and lives to serve me in every way. In many ways she is not the perfect slave but punishment for her original crime and other oversights is continual. I hope that in a year or so she will be ready."

"Ready?" Said Joan. "For what?"

Miss Clearmont smiled sweetly and continued. "To sell to a friend of mine."

Joan sat back in the sofa. This was so shocking but also exciting. Here was a slave and her mistress. The slave was ready to serve, the mistress to sell her. Her own relationship with Gail seemed so very tame. This was the next level. She felt so stimulated by the situation, no wonder that Gail had known Miss Clearmont.

"Would you like a demonstration of my slave's obedience?" Asked Miss Clearmont. Joan seemed almost dazed, was it lust or shock. Miss Clearmont decided to find out. Either Joan was in or out.

"That would be interesting, certainly."

Miss Clearmont turned to Desire. "Undress for my friend,” she said in a stern voice.

Desire took off her sweatshirt. Underneath was a lacy bra in white. Next she slipped off her skirt to reveal the stocking tops and lacy suspender belt that had been bought for her just this morning. The triangle between her thighs was covered in matching knickers.

"Now then Desire, turn round,” said Miss Clearmont. As she did so Desire showed her back on which was a tattoo which proved Miss Clearmont's ownership.

Miss Clearmont spoke to Joan. "Would you like to see the rest?" she asked.

"I am impressed by what I see already,” she replied. "Of course I should like to see all of your slave."

Desire slipped off the bra. Both nipples were pierced with a shiny ring. Next she stepped out of her panties. With a glance at Miss Clearmont to see what was required she stopped. Joan could see another ring peep out of Desire's pussy. She crossed her legs at the thrill that passed through her loins.

"Of course Desire is fully trained to please me or any other that I order her to." Miss Clearmont went to stand by her slave. With one hand she turned the slave to face the desk allowing Joan to see a slender chain that dangled from Desire's behind. "This chain is joined to a small plug. I prefer my slaves under my complete control."

Joan could just see something black peeping from between the slave's buttocks. A small frisson of stimulation tickled between her thighs.

Miss Clearmont could sense success but she had no interest in pushing Desire to really perform, yet. "Desire is due her punishment but you are not here for pleasure. I shall put her in her room and we can continue to discuss how we are going to solve your little problem. Would you like to come or would you prefer to wait here and perhaps have another drink?"

"I am very interested, I would gladly have a look at her room,” said Joan. She was disappointed that the show had come to an end but was not willing to say so.

Miss Clearmont attached a leash to Desire's collar and led her and Joan out of the room. They went down the tiled corridor to Miss Clearmont's fun room. As they entered Kathy heard the door click and Miss Clearmont's voice.

"This is my training and fun room. Desire will be punished here and afford me a little distraction before I retire for the night."

Kathy, in her box, stayed absolutely still. It would not do at all to upset Miss Clearmont.

With a click of a small padlock Desire's leash was attached to the four poster bed. Miss Clearmont went to a wardrobe and opened it to reveal a selection of canes and whips. She selected one and put it between Desire's lips. "Do not let it fall slut or the punishment will be doubled,” she said.

Joan, who was standing close to Desire, noted that the whip was knotted, rather more aggressive than the ones that she used on Gail. Without thinking one of her hands strayed to Desire's breast and fondled the ring embedded in the flesh.

She could not help commenting. "Your slave's nipples are so big, did you do that?"

"Yes my dear. I prefer sensitivity and awareness of vulnerability in a slave. huge nipples are wonderful to abuse and give me such pleasure."

"You have a few slaves then?" Asked Joan.

"I like to vary my diet," answered Miss Clearmont as she watched Joan's fingers pinch Desire's nipple and explore where the metal ring pierced the tender flesh.

"Men?" asked Joan not daring to hope.

"Male slaves are so vulnerable. Physically and emotionally, but I have more females. They are harder to tame and so much more satisfying to abuse. Violation to a woman is an invasion, to a man it is subjugation. I prefer subtlety, indignity and distress to raw pain."

Joan let go of the slave and followed Miss Clearmont to her drawing room.

"Let's discuss your husband and his slut,” said Miss Clearmont as they sat on the sofa. "My idea is quite simple. You have just seen an example of my speciality."

Joan looked at her glass. She had mixed feelings. It was obvious that the dominant Miss Clearmont was proposing nothing short of offering her a slave husband and a life of sexual servitude for his secretary.

If of course it worked. Jake was no push over. He had not made a fortune in business by being weak willed. She had not decided when Miss Clearmont broke into her reverie.

"If you have never had a male slave you have never had good sex. Perhaps you should come back tomorrow and I will show you what I mean."

Joan still hesitated.

But her heart spoke for her mind.

"Until tomorrow then."