The days passed for Leah in a strange dreamlike fashion. She tried to keep her hatred for Master burning, but as day passed into day, she became more desperate for the time when he would come to the room. The hours alone passed slowly even with the assignments he gave her. She hated how eagerly her body responded to his touch, to his voice, even to the sound of the key turning in the lock. Even now she could feel the moisture between her legs as she waited for him to bring in dinner.
To her surprise, Master entered with a couple of boxes instead of a dinner tray. He took his seat and smiled at her, "You have been so good, Little Rabbit, that I have a treat for you."
Leah sat perfectly still, she didn't want to ruin any chance at a treat. The treat must have something to do with the boxes.
Carlton smiled warmly at his slave girl. She had come so far in just a month. Her responses to training were beautiful. Tonight would be a good test of her training.
"I am taking you downstairs for dinner. I am having a small dinner party tonight and you will be attending." He said then offered the boxes to her, "You will wear these."
Leah couldn't conceal her excitement. She was going to leave these rooms? There would be other people? Maybe one of them could help her escape or get a message out to the authorities.
Carlton could read the plans in her eyes, "Before you get great ideas about escaping, perhaps I should tell you more about my guests. There will be two guests and their escorts. Mr. Fritz Bruger and Sir William are both slave owners. Appealing to them to rescue you would be only mean that your punishment would become part of the dinner entertainment. Both are brining their slaves."
Leah felt the hope ebb out of her and she wilted visibly.
"I know it's hard, Rabbit, but you are adjusting well. Enjoy tonight for what it is. Now open your boxes."
"Yes, Master," Leah tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice. She opened the smallest box and found a dainty black lace garter belt and what felt like silk stockings. She had never had anything this lovely before. The next box held a pair of elegant black high heel shoes. She knew at once that they were very expensive. Leah turned to the last box and now eagerly lifted the lid. Nestled in layers of gold tissue paper was a beautiful black dress with jet beading.
"Oh, Master, it is lovely!" she drew the dress out of the box and held it up.
Carlton smiled indulgently, "Put them on for me, Rabbit."
Leah looked up shocked, "Right now?"
"Unless you plan to go to dinner naked, yes. If you prefer to be naked, I will take you that way." Carlton teased.
Leah began to dress while her Master watched with obvious pleasure. When she was fully dressed she knelt again on the pillow feeling oddly vulnerable. Carlton looked her over critically. Her fair skin and red hair were set off nicely by the black dress. She would make a good presentation tonight.
"Hands out front, Rabbit," his voice was soft.
Nervously, Leah put out her hands. Gently, Carlton fastened black leather cuffs around her wrists and attached a black velvet leash to the silver ring. Leah felt a strange feeling settle over her like a cloak. If ever she felt owned, it was right now.
Carlton stood and tugged on her leash, "Come along, Pet."
He led her out of the room. Leah looked around trying to notice everything that would be helpful for a later escape. Right outside the door was a room with supplies, tools and bondage gear. She could see how the room could be supplied with firewood without having to risk her escaping. It also explained how Master always had cuffs or a crop.
He led her down gracious hallways to a suite of rooms. A man was laying out evening clothes. Leah pulled back on the leash nervously, but Carlton gave her a tug into the room.
"Kneel, Rabbit. Thomas will watch you while I dress."
The man laying out the clothes took the leash and smiled at Leah, "Might I complement your taste, Sir. She is quite lovely."
"Thank you, Thomas. She is coming along nicely. Is everything ready for dinner?"
Leah had knelt demurely with her knees together and Thomas prodded them apart with foot and gave her a stern look, "Yes, Sir. Mr. Bruger and Sir William are in their rooms freshening up. Mr. Bruger did enquire about the use of your dungeon. It would appear that his slave was being quite willful on the trip down."
Leah trembled. Did the whole household know that Master kept a slave? Was there no help for her at all?
Carlton emerged from his dressing room fiddling with his bow tie, "We shall have to see. Bruger doesn't have the best reputation." He slid on his jacket on and adjusted his sleeves. Taking the leash, he gave a tug and Leah arose to her feet.
As they went downstairs, Leah got more and more nervous. She could hear the voices of two men as they approached a room. The collar around her throat felt tighter than normal and she lagged on the leash until Carlton stopped her just outside the door.
He stroked her bare shoulder from the off the shoulder dress and kissed her gently on the forehead, "Don't speak unless you are directly asked a question. You obey no one but me. Do not give me a reason to punish you, Rabbit."
Trembling softly, Leah looked up and for a moment was lost in his eyes, "Yes, Master." She followed him into the room and the conversation ceased.
"Good evening, Gentlemen," Carlton spoke as he pulled the leash short, drawing Leah to his side, "I hope you have not been waiting long."
"Not at all, Carlton," drawled a dark haired man, "Fritz here was just telling me the most entertaining story."
Leah looked over at Fritz. He was a bald man with a salt and pepper mustache and beard. He looked like he lifted weights as a hobby, and there was something about him that frightened her. He held a metal chain leash that hung from a thick leather collar around the neck of a willowy Chinese girl in a tight red dress. She too had her hands cuffed in front of her. Leah thought she saw the shadow of a bruise under her makeup.
"Dinner is ready, shall we go in?" Carlton stepped toward a door and opened it. William nodded and took the arm of his slave, a buxom blond in blue that kept giggling and led her in. Bruger followed with his slave.
Carlton took the seat at the head of the table and made a gesture for Leah to kneel by his chair. Leah did her best to be graceful, knowing it pleased him when she was. Staff entered the dining room and served plates to the men, ignoring the kneeling women as if this were quite the norm.
The dinner conversation was all business. It appeared that her Master was buying a business from Bruger. Sir William had some ideas for expanding it. Despite the serious conversation, Master gave her plenty of food.
Halfway through the dinner, the Chinese girl cried out in pain as Bruger spilled some hot soup on her. Bruger rose out of his seat and yanked the girl off her knees with the chain.
"You fucking cunt! I told you to be quiet!" He hissed at her and then backhanded her hard enough to knock her into the wall.
"Please, Master, forgive this slave," she begged, pressing herself to the floor.
"You worthless piece of shit! I should sell you as a street whore!"
Carlton put down his wine glass, "That is enough Fritz. I will not have you abusing the girl in my house."
Bruger's face turned a brilliant red, "She is my slave, I will treat her as I wish!"
"Not if you want the deal to continue as planned." His voice was cool and firm.
Bruger stood for a long moment shaking with fury and then sat down with a glare, "You think you can order me around because you have me over a barrel."
Carlton offered Leah a bite of a meat, "No, Fritz, I just will not tolerate that type of behavior. Ming may be your slave, but she is still a human being. If you like, we can amend the contracts and I will include a purchase price for the girl. It would give you that much more cash that you desperately need."
Bruger snapped his fingers at Ming and she crawled back to her place, "And give you the pleasure of taking her away from me, too. I think not."
Dinner continued with a heavy silence until William recounted an entertaining tale of a visiting dignitary and his slave girl. Bruger laughed along, but Leah kept feeling his heavy gaze on her. Uncomfortable, she inched closer to Master.
To her delight at the end of dinner there was a decadent chocolate dessert. She did not care for the wine he made her drink and she felt lightheaded. She let her mind drift until a thread of conversation brought her back to the present.
"How long have you had your new girl?" Bruger asked leering at Leah.
"Almost a month and a half," Carlton replied calmly. "She is coming along amazingly well."
"I wasn't sure you were ever going to have another after Mariam," William commented, "It's been what, five years?"
Carlton's voice was thoughtful, "Yes, around that."