Twisted Oak: A Sexual Odyssey (36 page)

“Yes, ma’am,” I said.

“You’re a lovely girl,” she said.

“Thank you, ma’am,” I said.

“One more thing, Neige Blanche,” Ms. Banning began, “is it true that Mr. Delacroix took your flower? Did you come to him as a virgin?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“How many others have you fucked since?”

“Three men besides Mr. Delacroix, and I have had sex with one woman, ma’am.”

“All at once?” she asked.

“No, ma’am.”

“Gregory, you’ve got your work cut out for you, haven’t you?” she asked.

“Yes, ma’am, there’s still more training ahead. As you can see, she’s very new and sensitive, but she will be ready to take on her role soon,” he said.

“Please do let me know if there is any way I may assist,” she said kindly. “I work well with new ones, even females.”

“Yes, ma’am, I’m well aware, thank you, but I don’t foresee the need.”

“Things change, Gregory. I don’t need to tell you that, so please keep in mind that I’m here to assist, if the need should arise.”

“I’ll keep it in mind, thank you. But right now, Ms. Banning, I need assistance with Jackson. Nezzie, you’re excused,” Mr. Delacroix said suddenly, and he gave me a slap on the ass that made me quiver. Dampness spread between my legs. I was conditioned and I loved it. I heard gasps and giggles from the group.

“Yes, my lord,” I said. A path slowly parted as I walked across the parlor. I wanted to run as fast as I could, but I knew if I hurried, he’d be disappointed.

Back in our rooms, Marie-Louise sat naked on a pillow in front of the sofa. Her eyes were closed as if lost in a trance as classical piano music played. I was loath to disturb her because she looked so peaceful, more so than I had ever seen her. She was centered on the music as if it was all that existed for her. Maybe it was. I took my shoes off in hopes of being quiet enough to pass without disturbing her.

“Miss Nez?” Her voice was calm and small.

“Hi,” I said with a smile, “are you feeling better?”

“Yes, ma’am, thank you,” she said. “How was the meeting? Were they all there?”

“Apparently, but it was so hard to know who was who because I wasn’t allowed to look anyone in the eye,” I said.

“Oh, I know, miss. It’s not easy at first, but pretty soon you’ll recognize the voices and their smell and how they touch you. Were they allowed to touch you?”

“No,” I said, sitting next to her on the floor.

“Here, take the pillow, miss.” She moved to the floor and sat gingerly. “Did you meet Mr. Ladnier?”

“Yeah, he seems pretty nice,” I said.

“Oh yes, ma’am, he is. I think he’s a good master. His girl is very sweet too. I can’t wait for you to meet her. He has a lot of them though. Two of them fly his airplane. They live in Baton Rouge and his friend Mr. Ainslie is around him a lot. Master, I mean, Jackson, says they’re business partners like he and Mr. Delacroix’s daddy. I’m not sure if that means they’re gay for each other or not. Did you meet Madame Charlotte, Ms. Portiere?” she asked.

“Yes, and Ms. Banning, too. Ms. Banning seems nicer,” I said, thankful for any information I could glean from Marie-Louise. “Ms. Portiere asked so many questions.”

“Don’t let Ms. Banning’s charm fool you, ma’am. She’ll whip your ass good,” Marie-Louise said with a smile. “She likes to make sure we all know who’s the boss, and I reckon she’s a good master because of that. But she has boys mostly.”

“Boys?” I said.

“Young men about your age, miss. She’s good at training the newbies. She turns out very disciplined men. That is why Mr. Delacroix is such a good master. He was her boy for a while.”

“He was?” I could not imagine it and jealousy reared its ugly head.

“Yes, miss, for a while Jackson lent him to her for training. Maybe this is why he’s such a good master, the things he learned from her.”

“She said she was also interested in helping to train me. She said she’s good with young women too,” I said.

“Oh, she is, but she’s harsh, and from the looks of your marks, I’d say you’re way too sensitive for her work. Unless Mr. Delacroix did it on purpose, made your marks so dark, which wouldn’t surprise me. He’s good at pressing limits.”

“Yes, he is,” I said dreamily. “What about Ms. Portiere? She’s of ‘Crest Hill’? Where’s that?”

“I’m not sure. I think it’s in the next parish. She visits a lot. Maybe one of her people can stay with me when you leave. I wouldn’t mind.” She got up on her knees and sat back on her heels. “She seems mean at first, miss, but she’s a good friend to Mr. Delacroix and Jackson.”

“Marie, have you ever been dominated by a woman?”

“Yes, Ms. Banning. It was after I came here and belonged to Jackson. Before I was collared he sent me to her. I learned a lot about how a lady is to behave. She was very diligent, miss.”

“Did you see any boys while you were there?” I could tell she was getting bored with our conversation.

“Yeah, a lot, miss. Like I said, she has mostly boys.”

“What’s it like for them to be dominated by a woman?”

“Mostly like it is for us being dominated by men, but some boys need a lot of anal training. She prepares them for everything. Makes them understand that they can also be fucked and will be whenever and by whomever she sees fit. She takes young, cocky boys and turns them into real men who understand deep pleasures, who appreciate their lovers’ sacrifices. Those are the ones who become good masters.”

“Were you there at the same time as Mr. Delacroix?”

“No. I hope he isn’t going to send you to her,” she said. “Was Mr. LeGeneret there?”

“Yeah, he was there, but I only spoke to him for a few minutes. He’s handsome,” I said, remembering his long fingers.

“He sure is, miss. You’ll like his dick and he uses it well. I wonder if I’ll ever get the chance to have him again.” Her smile faded. “Ma’am, I just don’t know where I stand right now.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I said. “Mr. Delacroix’s got your back and so do I. It’ll be all right. Everything will be okay.”

“I hope so, miss, because I really like you and I think we can be good friends,” she said.

There was a firm knock and an envelope slid under the door. The card inside was embossed with fancy gold foil letters that read
Twisted Oak
. The note inside was in Mr. Delacroix’s hand:

I handed the note to Marie-Louise, who let out a long sigh after reading it. I glanced at the clock on the microwave: 7:30. I was pleased to have the extra time to dress for dinner and hoped like mad that I would not have to spank Marie.

“Come, Marie,” I said, “let’s take your piercings out.”

Surprisingly, she complied by removing the piercing in her left breast. “Ma’am, can you help me with the last one? It’s hard for me to reach with both hands.”

I was skeptical. “Marie, if this is some kind of a trick, I won’t have it,” I said. “You saw the note.”

“No, ma’am, it’s not a trick. It’s just easier if I lay back and have you do it. Master used to do it for me, especially when it was new. He liked to make the post bigger every time.”

“Okay, just lay back, Marie,” I said in disgust. I really did not want to hear how Jackson gave her more pain, and I secretly hoped Mr. Delacroix was considering the idea of sending him to Ms. Banning, the harsh one.

“Miss, are you mad at me?” Marie asked as she sat on the sofa.

“No, sweetie, let’s just get this off of you. I think you’ll feel better when we do.”

She leaned back and spread her legs. Her private parts were pristine except for the bruises near the back, but in time, they would go away as sure as Marie would gain a new life.

“Is everything okay, miss?” she asked. My breath had caught at the bruising.

“Yes, my love. It’s just the bruises, but they’ll get better. We’ll need to change your bandage, too, before dinner. Hopefully, your dinner clothes will cover your wound.”

It took a few minutes to free her sensitive spot from the bondage of the clit ring, snugly fastened. The bar that went through her was thick. Once removed, the small piece of flesh seemed larger than normal, bare and swollen. The gaping hole remained visible. “How long have you had this?” I asked.

“I’m not sure. Maybe a year. Jackson would change it every month to make it bigger,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone.

“It had to have hurt pretty bad when he did,” I said, and went to the kitchenette to throw the diabolical jewels away.

“Yeah, I guess, though I’m gonna miss having that one, ma’am. But I understand that things are different now. I trust you and Mr. Delacroix. I understand how he feels about permanent marks. He thinks they’re ugly and maybe they are.” She paused and sat up. “Do I look ugly to you, miss?”

“Well, right now you don’t look your best, but you’ll get better,” I admitted.

“I’m gonna do everything ya’ll tell me to do without a fuss. I promise,” she smiled. “You and your master won’t regret helping me, miss.”

“No, we won’t. We all love you very much, ya know. I see the potential that Ms. Banning saw. It’s right inside you,” I said as I pointed to her heart. “Now let’s wash up and change the bandage. Have you seen Jackson since tea?”

“No, miss, I have no idea where he is, and I’m not sure what to do.”

“You’re to do nothing. He isn’t your problem anymore. I’m sure Mr. Delacroix has taken care of him.”

“Okay, miss, but I wonder what’ll happen, who he’ll go with.” Her eyes were wide. “Who do I belong to? What if he leaves tonight?”

“Mr. Delacroix knows what he’s doing. He always says to me that he’ll never put me in a situation that I’m not ready for and he never has. Listen to him for now. You are so ready to have Jackson gone. I know you don’t see it, but I do and so does Mr. Delacroix. You have to trust us. I’ll be right here and besides, Jackson may not leave tonight anyway. We have no idea what’s being said down there.”

“Okay, miss, I’ll listen to Mr. Delacroix,” she said as she arranged her hair in the mirror, “but I sure would like to belong to you.”

“It’s not my call, and you know it,” I said. “Besides, I’m not ready to be a good master to you or anyone. You deserve the best, Marie, and I’m not there yet.”

“I know, ma’am,” she said, disappointed, “I can wait.”

The library was aglitter in crystal lighting. Two young women dressed in pilot uniforms stood at the piano, hair in tight buns. They appeared masculine compared to Marie and me. I mistook them for young boys until they turned around to reveal beautifully painted faces. Marie followed my lead and remained demure.

The brown-haired woman greeted me first. “Good evening, ma’am. I hope our staying on tonight isn’t an imposition. The weather between here and Baton Rouge is terrible.”

“Not at all,” I said, waiting to hear her name.

“Oh, ma’am, I’m sorry. My name is Brandie and this is Candie, my copilot, who is very good, but not good enough to pick through this weather,” she said apologetically.

I was dumbfounded by their names. I felt like I was in Wonderland with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. “As Mr. Delacroix said earlier, there’s no reason to tempt Mother Nature. We’re glad to offer you safe harbor.”

“Our apologies for not dressing for dinner, ma’am,” Candie chimed in. “We weren’t planning on staying.”

Marie was looking at the piano longingly.

“I trust the two of you know Marie-Louise?” I said.

“Yes, ma’am,” Brandie answered for the both of them.

“Marie, say hello to our guests,” I said, hoping to encourage her to be more sociable. We had a lot of work to do before she could be on her own.

“Yes, ma’am,” she said. “Hello, Brandie and Candie,” she smiled.

“Marie, why don’t you play for us? Show me what you’ve been working on,” I said.

“Thank you, ma’am, it’s my pleasure.” She scurried behind the piano. “It’s been awhile since I’ve played, so if you don’t mind, I’ll start out with something a little easier to warm up.”

“Certainly,” I sad.

The gorgeous music she performed for us came straight from her memory. Mr. Delacroix was correct; Marie-Louise was anything but dumb. If anyone was the dummy, it was me. What did I have to offer? I stood amidst accomplished pilots and a piano virtuoso.

Thomas arrived with a tray of white, red, and sparkling wines. “Good evening, ma’am,” he said as he approached. “I’ve selected your favorite white for this evening, the Maison Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuissé.” He lowered his tray with a smile. “What will Marie have this evening, ma’am?”

I told him to give her a glass of champagne because I thought it would look pretty sitting on the piano. He obliged only after serving the pilots. Brandie took a red wine and Candie did the same.

“Thomas, when may I expect Mr. Delacroix?”

“The gentlemen are just finishing in the parlor, ma’am. They should be joining you shortly.”

Marie was still playing when the men entered the room. Both guests were still dressed formally in black tuxedos and bow ties. Mr. Ladnier had what appeared to be diamond button covers on his shirt. He was dashingly handsome, tall and classic with angular features, while Mr. Ainslie was shorter and a little older with gray dotting his auburn hair; his brilliant green eyes reminded me of his sweet Southern accent.

Marie did not notice them. When she played, nothing else existed in her world. The pilots set their wine down, faced Mr. Ladnier, and fell to their knees in complete submission.

Speechless, I looked to Mr. Delacroix for guidance. He held his hand out to me.

“Each family’s a little different, my dear. These are Mr. Ladnier’s rules, not mine.” He smiled. “You look so good.” He took my wine and kissed me on the mouth. As I had seen Sunny do with Jackson, I put my hands behind my back in submission to his next move. He reached behind me and bound my wrists hard with his wide, strong fingers. “You’re such a good girl,” he said, kissing my neck and handing the wine back to me.

“Thank you, my lord,” I said quietly.

“Nezzie, baby,” Mr. Delacroix said with a sigh, “Jack’s leaving tomorrow with Mr. Ainslie.”

Marie let out a small yelp like a kicked puppy. I saw the pain on her brow, but she kept playing in a vain attempt at staying calm.

“Marie,” Mr. Delacroix said, “it’s for the best. Jackson will stay with one of Mr. Ainslie’s colleagues, a doctor.”

“A doctor, sir?” I asked.

“Yes, Nez, a doctor of psychology who understands our lifestyle. He’s uniquely qualified to help Jackson overcome his grief and his inability to grasp these changes. Doc will help Jackson decide what he wants to do with the rest of his life.” He paused and took a glass of champagne from Thomas’s tray. “I hope he decides to come back home to Twisted Oak, but as we all know, there’s nothing keeping us if we don’t want to be here.”

“My lord, does the doctor live in Baton Rouge?” I asked.

“No, my dear, he lives in Atlanta, but Mr. Ladnier has been gracious enough to allow his girls to fly Jackson up there when the weather breaks.”

Marie stopped playing when Mr. Ladnier approached her. “My dear broken thing,” he said, “it’ll be all right now. Things are getting better. You just don’t see it yet.” He paused and put his hand on her head. “My poor child, this is best for you and for Jackson. I have a colleague in Baton Rouge who’ll rush your divorce through. Let’s make a clean break of it, shall we?”

She looked ahead, still as stone, except for the almost imperceptible shake of her head.

“Marie-Louise,” Mr. Ladnier said, “it’ll hurt as if you’ve been stabbed in the heart, but as much as it hurts now, the healing will come quickly and you’ll be strong for it. Best not to draw it out, don’t you agree?” Such gentle kindness as he ran his hand down her back.

“She’ll need some looking after, Mr. Delacroix,” Mr. Ladnier said. “Why don’t I take her back with me?”

“No!” Marie exclaimed. Her hands fell on the keys in disharmony as she rose to leave.

“Marie, stay!” Mr. Delacroix ordered.

She looked at me and my eyes pleaded with her to stay, so she sat.

“Marie-Louise, what have you to say for yourself?” Mr. Delacroix demanded in a low, compelling voice.

“I’m sorry, sir, Mr. Ladnier. I’m very confused right now, as you can imagine. I’m sorry, ma’am,” she said to me.

“It’s all right,” Mr. Ladnier said, “my poor little thing. I’ll send Girl to look after you. Won’t you like that? She says she misses you when she isn’t here.”

“I don’t understand, sir,” Marie said meekly as she began to play again.

“Let’s go sit at the table so we can all discuss this together and make sure everyone understands, shall we?” Mr. Delacroix lent his arm for me to take. I obediently stayed a step behind and he patted my hand. “Come, Marie,” he said over his shoulder.

The entourage followed us to the splendid dining table set in silver and white porcelain. Five lavender taper candles in crystal candleholders traveled the center of the table. Short vases overflowing with freshly cut camellia flowers accented the space between them. Name cards had been set at each place. Mr. Delacroix sat in the middle, facing the library door. I sat to his left and Marie to his right. Mr. Ladnier sat across from him, flanked on either side by his pilots; Mr. Ainslie sat at the head of the table to my left.

“Again, Greg, thanks for letting us stay on. I shudder to think about flying tonight. It’s awful out there,” Mr. Ladnier said. “The girls are self-conscious about their dress, however.” He touched their shoulders. “But I know you prefer clothing at the table,” he laughed.

“Indeed I do.” Mr. Delacroix turned to me. “Jackson’s getting ready for his trip and is taking dinner in Ursuline, where he’ll stay until he leaves tomorrow. I know you’ve been wondering where he’s been.”

“Yes, sir,” I said.

“Marie,” Mr. Delacroix turned to her, “don’t worry, everything’s fine. Mr. Ainslie’s colleague is a good man. I know him well. He helped my father deal with a few issues early on after my mother died. He’s very good at what he does and I’m sure Jack will come back a new man. In the meantime, you’ve got some work ahead of you.”

“Mr. Delacroix,” Marie said, “I trust your judgment and I promised Miss Nez that I’ll do everything you say, but I’m a little scared.”

“Rightfully so, my dear,” Mr. Delacroix said. “You’ve never really been on your own before. That’s why Girl’s coming. The two of you have always gotten along, and she’s been through some tough times. She knows how you feel and she’s very capable of looking after you, but you have to agree to be her subordinate until I get back.”

He glanced at Mr. Ladnier and then back to Marie. “I think you owe Mr. Ladnier a big thank-you for allowing Girl to come. Not to mention Mr. Ainslie for offering to help with Jackson.”

“Yes, sir, I’ll agree. Thank you, Mr. Ladnier, for letting her come. I don’t know what I’d do without her. Mr. Ainslie, I know Jackson’s been a disappointment to all of us, but I still wish him the best, so thank you for taking him,” Marie said as she stared at the men’s wine glasses.

“It’s settled then,” Mr. Delacroix said. “What a damned relief. Sometimes we really do need good friends to pull us through the rough times.” He lifted his glass as thunder rolled across the sky.

“Barnes, when will Doc be ready for Jack?” Mr. Ladnier asked Mr. Ainslie.

“He said he’d be set for him day after tomorrow, if that’s in keeping with your pilots’ discretion, Charles.”

“Yes, sir,” Brandie said.

Mr. Ladnier lifted an eyebrow in her direction. “You weren’t addressed, Brandie. Mind your Ps and Qs, darlin’.”

Brandie lowered her head.

“When you headin’ back to the city, Greg?” Mr. Ladnier asked Mr. Delacroix.

“As soon as possible. I should think after the roast Sunday. I fear my lady grows bored here.”

“Not at all, sir,” I said, “but will Marie-Louise be seen to before we leave?”

“Of course, my sweet sensitive thing,” Mr. Delacroix reassured me.

“I’ll send Girl by car day after tomorrow. It won’t take her long to get settled and take your direction, Greg,” Mr. Ladnier said as he sipped his red wine.

“Good, then we’ll leave Sunday afternoon,” Mr. Delacroix said. “Marie, do you understand that we’ll stay on another few days until Girl arrives? We won’t leave until after the roast. That way, you’ll be all settled into your new rooms with her. You’ll be in good hands. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir,” she said. Thomas set two platters of freshly baked French bread on the table with small plates of butter shaped like rosebuds. Samuel went around the table to refill water and wine.