Teena: A House of Ill Repute (28 page)

'The bitch!' Anne-Marie shrieked. 'I'll expose her in front of everyone at the next event. She'll have to be my slave this time and she won't get away lightly.'

'Don't be so naive,' I said calmly. 'If you say anything she'll just produce two identical sets and you'll look either stupid or like a bad loser. You might even end up having to be her dolly again, and you wouldn't like that. And don't forget, the two of us will have to go through the same again and I for one have had enough of cocks down my throat.'

My bluntness seemed to sober her somewhat, and she quickly switched the conversation to an update of my further adventures in the past. I related the important parts and filled in a few incidental details, at the end of which Andrea in particular seemed more than impressed, and at the same time not a little disappointed.

'Good for Indira!' she exclaimed. 'I just wish I could have been there.'

'If you had,' I pointed out, 'then things might have happened differently. You make quite a good girl in a lot of ways, but there's a mean streak to a vengeful woman no man could ever hope to understand, let alone copy.'

'Oh, so you reckon you can handle the rest of this without my help, is that it?' Andrea's freshly made-up face creased into a sulky expression that would have done full justice to a petulant twelve-year-old schoolgirl, but which looked slightly incongruous on the features of what was supposed to be a mature young woman.

'I didn't say that,' I replied, 'but as neither of us has any real control over who goes back and when, the question is entirely academic anyway. All I'm saying is that, assuming your time travelling days are over, I've got a very good deputy back there already. When the time comes, Hacklebury won't know what hit him.'

'And when do you think the time will come?' Anne-Marie asked.

I gave a little shrug and reached across for the last slice of toast. 'I'm not entirely sure, though it shouldn't be long. Everything is more or less set up now, and all we need is to reach Hacklebury through his so-called friends. If we continue the way we've started they'll give us one hell of a recommendation, and dear Gregory won't be able to resist coming along to see for himself. Of course, as everything is more or less set up, maybe I won't be needed any more. Perhaps Angelina and Indira will be able to carry it all out on their own and I'm now surplus to requirements. Maybe my part is also finished now.'

'Do you really believe that?' Andrea asked, standing up and brushing crumbs off the front of her jumper with a vigorous action that made her false boobs bounce alarmingly.

I paused, the toast inches from my lips. 'No,' I said finally. 'No, I don't believe that. I'll be there at the finish, I'm sure. And I'm owed that much anyway. Fate, or whatever, wouldn't
dare
not give me the chance to see this through to the finish!'

Maudie stood resignedly, bracing her stiff forelegs as Will Burrows fumbled with his breeches behind her. High above the stars blinked and winked in a moonless sky, while the night breeze rustled through the nearly leafless treetops with a forlorn sigh that seemed to echo her own feelings.

She had been so long in this awful canine guise, she had almost forgotten what it was like to walk upright, to be allowed to talk properly and to eat with a knife and fork or even using her own hands, which now felt stiff, numb and useless inside their leather prisons. She was even beginning not to care what happened to her any more. She was quite content to stand splay-legged while her keeper thrust into her, as he was preparing to do now, feeling little until the more base reflexes began their work and then, afterwards, when it was all over, curling up as best she could in her subterranean kennel and crying herself softly to sleep.

'Hold there, bitch!' she heard Burrows' rough command, and a moment later felt the pressure of his blood-filled knob pressing against her sex. As she had learned to do, she relaxed, allowing him easy entry. He slid into her quickly, grasping her flanks and pulling her back, slamming into her with a grunt of satisfaction.

'Woof!' she said in a commendable imitation she knew now would earn her the odd extra tid-bit and the odd small kindness. When he first instructed her on this Maudie had felt ridiculous, but now it, along with everything else, seemed almost a normal part of her everyday existence. 'Woof!' she repeated, and then started a low whining. She felt him withdraw partially, and then thrust in again. Her whine became a howl, for she understood now that her performance could control the length of time she was forced to endure this humiliation. The more convincing she was, the quicker the keeper usually climaxed.

She felt him picking up the pace, in and out, in and out... she howled again and felt her pulse beginning to quicken. She flexed her internal muscles, gripping and then releasing him in turn, an action she knew excited him and in some way also served to heighten her own pleasure, if pleasure it could be called.

'Good girl,' he urged. 'Good girl, now let's—'

His words ceased in mid-sentence as Maudie heard a dull thudding sound, followed by a short groan, and another heavier noise as she felt him slipping from her. She waited, her eyes closed, and then, when he did not renew his efforts, she tried to turn and look back. As she opened her eyes she was aware of a dark shadow looming alongside her, a hand reaching out for her neck, and a voice, a male voice, but softer, reassuring, not Burrows' voice.

'Steady girlie,' the figure whispered. 'It's all over now. Just take it easy and don't make any noise and we'll have you out of this god-forsaken hellhole. Everything is going to be all right now, you'll see.'

I - or rather, Angelina - had obviously been enjoying an afternoon nap on the long settle in the main living room. When I opened my eyes, I knew two things immediately without even having to think about them. The first was that this time I had been away from eighteen thirty-nine and Arundel for nearly a month. The second was that I could remember everything that happened during my absence. Furthermore, things had moved on apace and today was the day. I sat up, rubbed my eyes and looked around the room, my heart suddenly pumping wildly.

A moment later the door opened and Indira, dressed in a dark-blue sari, entered the room carrying a tea tray.

'Ah, you're awake,' she said, and then paused, looking me up and down. 'And you're back, aren't you?'

'How is it you can tell?' I asked.

She shrugged and placed the tray on the small table at one end of the settle. 'I don't know, you just feel sort of different from my real mistress, I suppose.'

'He's coming, isn't he?'

'Yes, tonight, with Lord Morlan and Mr Corner-Browne.'

'What time?'

'Eight o'clock.' She began pouring tea, completely calm and unhurried. 'It is now nearly four, so there is ample time to prepare. I have laid out your costume for you, complete with the special boots you ordered from Mr Faraday, though I must say they do look as if they will be very awkward to walk in.'

'Don't worry,' I assured her as another memory slipped effortlessly into place, 'platform boots are all the rage where I come from. The main thing is that the extra four inches the built-up sole allows on the heels will make me look so much taller than the real Angelina that Hacklebury will never guess the truth. Is everything else prepared as I instructed?'

'Yes, everything. Mr Faraday will arrive at six-thirty and will receive the visitors. He will be suitably attired, naturally.'

'Naturally.' I smiled. 'And he's quite prepared for his role?'

'Very much looking forward to it, I should say.' She smiled back. 'He is most keen.'

'Knowing you will suitably recompense him, I suppose?'

'He has had no complaints regarding his compensation so far.' She giggled, and I laughed with her.

'No, I'll bet. But what does the real Angelina think of it? Does she not feel jealous at having to share you, and with a man, at that?' I thought I already knew the answer, for there were all sorts of emotions swirling around just below the surface inside my head.

'Oh no,' she replied, confirming my assumption. 'Besides, I would not desert her arms completely, and in the meantime she has been continuing what I believe you started with Erik.'

'Then that's all right.' I smiled, taking the proffered teacup from her. 'And Erik is also ready for tonight's adventure? He knows to remain out of sight until the time comes?'

She lifted her cup. 'Of course,' she replied with a slightly superior look on her face. 'Everything and everyone is quite ready. We are well practiced and thoroughly trained. Hacklebury will suspect nothing until it is too late.'

I raised my cup in a toast. 'Then here's to us!' I exclaimed. 'To us, and to success.' I sipped my tea as Indira echoed my words. Then another thought struck me. 'What about Mad Meg?' I asked. 'Will she be coming with them tonight?'

She winked knowingly. 'No. By now I think she will have other things to occupy her attention, or had you forgotten the instructions you gave to Mr Marsh?'

'Of course,' I cried. 'How could I have forgotten? Was he successful? Is Maudie all right?'

'Well, she is safe, most certainly,' Indira answered gravely, 'but whether that is the same thing, I would not care to guess. However, we shall be able to judge for ourselves, for Marsh will be bringing her here in the morning, by which time our work should be completed. After that we can deal with Megan Crowthorne if we have to, but I suspect Hacklebury will draw her sting for us if everything goes to plan.'

'And it could hardly have gone better,' I said, taking the refilled brandy glass from Anne-Marie. 'Mind you, I was nervous as hell to begin with, and I felt sure everyone could hear my heart thumping, but thanks to Indira I got through it.'

'What about her voice?' Andrea asked. She was still very miffed she had missed out on the action. 'Surely her accent would have made him realise she wasn't English?'

I shook my head. 'Not a bit of it,' I replied. 'Indira is one hell of a girl, believe me, and a damned good mimic.'

The leather outfit Indira had prepared for me felt stifling, and I was perspiring profusely by the time I entered the room where Hacklebury and his friends were waiting for me. Despite the black leather mask covering my entire head, and the additional height of the platform-soled boots, I was suddenly certain Hacklebury would guess who I really was, but to my relief he seemed almost as nervous as I was.

'I thank you, Contessa,' he said, grasping my hand and bowing to place a brief kiss on my leather-sheathed fingers, 'for inviting me here this evening. I have heard much about you.'

I withdrew my hand from his - perhaps a shade too hastily? - and tried to make it look as though I was giving him a thorough but impassive once-over. To one side Indira, resplendent in her all white costume, stood tapping a long riding crop on her booted calf as if she was impatient, and perhaps a little bored. Silently, I blessed her for her composure. 'You are welcome, Sir Gregory,' I replied haughtily, trying to keep my voice pitched low and speaking very carefully, like someone to whom English was perhaps not a first language. 'And you too, gentlemen,' I said, addressing Morlan and Corner-Browne, 'it is a pleasure to see you both once more. I trust your journey went well?'

'Indeed, Contessa,' Morlan said, bowing slightly and following Hacklebury's lead with a kiss of his own. 'Of course, things will become much easier for all of us when they finally complete the proposed railway line between London and Brighton.'

'Indeed,' I nodded, 'and profitable, too. I take it you have all invested in shares of the company building it?' In truth, I couldn't remember who was responsible for that line, only that it would finally get underway as a proper business concern in about another three years, but I was speaking only for effect and, in any case, I didn't expect the small talk to continue. I decided to hasten matters along. 'You will remember Cassandra?' I said, waving a hand in Indira's direction. 'You, of course Sir Gregory, have not had the pleasure of meeting her. She has lived some years in the Arabian lands and is very skilled in the disciplining of errant young slave girls. Watch and listen to her and you may learn something, I venture.'

On cue, Indira cracked the crop harder against her leg.

'Well, gentlemen, if you will follow Cassandra, she will escort you to our costuming room. I have taken the liberty of selecting outfits I think will be suitable for our little adventure. This evening I thought we might start with a little walk along the river. We have just completed work on very singular stables, which I believe some of you will find very much to your taste. Are you familiar with the work of Mr Pottinger?'

I saw an immediate light glint in Hacklebury's eyes and knew then we had him. I could imagine the images already whirling about in his head, and smiled to myself. If he could have seen the images
I
was seeing, he would have fled for his life, or else he would have tried to strangle me on the spot. Of course, I had not dared make any approach directly or indirectly to Pottinger, for he would surely have recognised Erik if he had not remembered me, but throwing his name into the conversation was a stroke of genius, even if I do say so myself.

Erik emerged from the corner closet unit as soon as the sound of their retreating footsteps had faded. I turned to him, clapping my hands together. 'I do believe this is going to work!' I exclaimed excitedly.