Chapter 7
When Rob, Cathy and Kim returned to Oxford, Helena was out walking Rob's dogs and Marion was busy making their dinner. When Helena returned to the flat, asked her into the kitchen to sit at the table.
"The owner of the bridal shop asked to attend the wedding. She'll take photographs, as she often does at marriages where it's one of her dresses. I told her it was your decision."
"She is welcome. How do I reach her?"
"She gave me her telephone number. I'd prefer you settle it, not me."
With Helena calling Lisa, Marion began speaking in her strict, mistress voice. "As soon as the dungeon is decorated, you must test it all out. I will supervise the testing." Rob couldn't tell if she was serious or joking and decided not to respond.
Marion looked at him as a wolf looks at its prey. Rob suddenly felt cold shivers over his back. He wasn't so sure he wanted to live in the same house with this woman, not when it had a playroom in the basement. It was easy to refuse her now, but soon she would be around him day and night, a dungeon under the same roof; it would become increasingly difficult.
Marion knew him better then he thought. A big smile on her face, she stepped over to kiss him. "I can read your mind, dear. I see you're afraid of me, but we must learn to trust each other. I shall be very good for you, in many ways.
Helena came in, Marion reached out to take her hand. "Helena and I will treat you well. We'll have a wonderful time with each other. With the S&M thing, you can say no to it, you can always say no. It must be consensual for all of us. Please, never, ever think we'd harm you. A little pain, naturally, but never harm. You know how we love you."
Rob knew he didn't want to interfere with Helena's friendship with Marion. This necessarily made both of them his life-partners. He knew he was also truly afraid of them, Marion more and also for her influence on Helena. He most feared them together, giving in to impulses. He pushed his chair back from the table, but he didn't rise. He looked at them with a somber face.
Then he knew what he should say. "Helena, I love you. I really do believe we are soulmates and I want you and I to be life partners." He paused. The next sentence would be difficult to say, even worse to hear. He forced himself to speak quietly, calmly. "But Helena, I am afraid of you. I cannot marry until this fear is resolved. Marion, I doubt I will ever stop fearing you, my early experience with you was quite terrible. You may have laughed it off, but I have not. My worst experience, Marion, was the uncontrolled anger on your face as you pulled out the whip at your first party. That experience has made a lasting impression. I am afraid of what I might do should you cross the line that badly again.
"Every time a scene has turned unpleasant, Marion, you have been there, often leading but at the least a very active participant. "
Marion began to respond, but Helena silenced her with a gesture. She was far more worried now than when he was angry. His calm showed just how serious he was. He was not acting on impulse, he was telling her his deepest feelings, something that would not change. Helena had just learned he was still in the process of deciding whether he would marry her. She didn't know how to respond; she, too, held her tongue.
Rob waited before speaking again. "You speak so confidently about trust, but you have done practically nothing to gain my trust. Quite the opposite, you have engaged quite a few times in things that take away my trust. So, both of you, right now my fear is winning out. If you intend to marry me, Helena, we must work on the fear. If you intend me to trust you, I must see you do something about it. So far, all I've seen is you just expecting me to begin trusting."
Helena spoke with more confidence than she was feeling. "Rob, be honest. You get horny as hell when you see us in our mistress outfits. The thought that we'll do a scene makes you tremble with anticipation. Maybe you take a little pain, but your dick proves you like it. I agree there is a time for everything but don't accuse us of being too demanding. Sometimes we're anticipating your needs, sometimes asking you to meet our needs. Because you are to be our husband, we will sometimes ask you to do something for no other reason than we wish it. As you've made plain, it won't be too often, only when we're really in the mood. I think this a small price to pay for your life with us. No worries, otherwise you can do what you want, you have your dogs and your other hobbies. Not to forget four attractive women who would do anything for a kiss." He saw the emotion in her eyes.
"Sometimes all we want is a hug and a kiss, just to make us feel loved, wanted. You're not so good at acting the loving husband, you require practice. It's new, yes; maybe it's a lot for you. But think about my feelings, Marion's. We're doing our best to give ourselves, all of us, a good life. You respond by being difficult. Maybe I didn't cover you up that night, maybe I didn't make coffee. Maybe you think I don't spend enough time with you. But I have a business for which I'm responsible. You now have little to keep you busy. You have time enough to overthink things. To be honest, I think you're quite good at seeing things that aren't even there."
Rob wanted to protest, bur Helena raised her hand to stop him.
"I've made mistakes, I admit it." She gestured to Marion. "We've made mistakes. But I have never intentionally hurt you. You have been hurt, true, sometimes by my actions. I hadn't foreseen the consequences. I will learn and Marion will learn, all of the ladies will learn. But you must learn as well. Not everything is as black and white as you think. We're all entitled to make some mistakes."
The timer rang and Marion stepped to the hob, lifting a lid. "Dinner is ready."
Helena took down a stack of plates to set out. Marion pulled Rob back to the hob and whispered urgently. "Just remember we love you. Helena gets carried away sometimes, but she's so afraid of losing you. Always keep this in mind!"
After Helena's speech Rob didn't feel like talking as they ate. They made small talk, Rob was relieved when they all finished their meal. When they were ready Rob asked if anybody wanted to drink something. For himself he wanted to make Irish coffee. Kim and Cathy excused themselves, saying they had a busy day tomorrow. They headed to their own houses.
Finally Rob, Helena and Marion were alone. the three of them sitting on the couch. Helena spoke to him softly. "I hope you understood what I said, Rob. You were quiet during dinner, I could see you were thinking."
Rob looked at her, she looked back, holding his eye without hesitation.
"I understand Helena. I also noticed what you didn't say. Perhaps you held back, you didn't want to hurt my feelings. You think I'm selfish, you might even think I'm acting in an immature way."
Helena tilted her head a bit. "You say these words yourself. Suddenly, you start thinking the whole world is against you. At those times you're the only person you can think about. Just believe this: Marion and I couldn't love you more. Don't ever forget it. The same goes for Kim and Cathy - they are both so much in love with you. I understand you saying it's too much sometimes, I totally understand. But for just one or two more weeks we're going to crowd in here, then we'll go to the estate. My house will provide all of us opportunities to withdraw to ourselves and do our own thing. But remember, we've chosen this collective life, however odd others might find it. Now we must live the life we've chosen, all the good things and all the bad taken as they come. It's hard for me too, you know it's hard for me having to share you. But I know where you are and why. I know you're here for me. I trust you and I know you love Marion and I."
Marion put a hand out to him. "Helena has made so many sacrifices for you, for all of us in the circle. You cannot imagine. She has such a big heart. She accepts us all. You must not think it's easy for her. I think you should be more supportive, less critical."
They sat in silence for a long time, Rob thinking. "Look, I appreciate what you're saying. I do realize it's difficult for you, for all the ladies, as well as for me. But I don't see why wanting things to not get out of hand can be called selfish."
Marion gave him a cruel smile. "Apology accepted. Still, you shall be punished for what happened today. When you return from walking the dogs this evening, you can expect to face two angry mistresses. Yes, Rob. You have been naughty. I shall exercise your arse tonight. If I were you, I'd drink more whiskey."
Rob rubbed his jaw. "Ehh, Marion and Helena, I'm not in the mood for S&M games, I'm sorry, but I'm tired."
Helena and Marion wanted to talk more with him about what they might buy for the playroom. They'd been looking through a catalog Bridget had provided. The builder's work at the estate was expected to be completed within another week. They wanted to plan their special details for the playroom. He didn't take much interest and soon withdrew from the discussion.
When Rob returned from walking the dogs in the cold, he heard Helena and Marion's footsteps in the attic. "What are you doing up there?"
"We're looking for something"
He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm going to bed."
He had his clothes off when he hear Marion calling to him. "Rob, can you help us please?"
With a sigh he put on a dressing gown climbed the steep stair to the attic. He had forgotten about their proposal to play.
The light was out and he saw a few candles burning. "Is the light out?" He turned to go back down to check the fuse box when a hand grabbed his arm and pulled him in. Helena and Marion, in mistress outfits, each took an arm, pulling him to the center, where the candles gave the most light. Helena held a whip, both had a cruel smile on their faces.
He warned them off. "I am not in the mood!"
"But we are!" Marion snapped a metal cuff to one wrist, then deftly spun him to quickly snap on the other cuff, trapping his hands behind his back. Helena fastened a collar around his neck, then a chain from the collar to the handcuffs behind his back.
They forced him to stand facing an old easy-chair. The chain up his back was shortened, his wrists pulled further up and more pressure from the collar on his throat. He heard the click of a lock.
"I'll get a cramp this way." He was feeling quite uncomfortable, his anger rising. He told them he wasn't in the mood, still he had let them catch him. It shouldn't be necessary to keep his guard up in his own home.
Helena loosened the chains, giving him a bit less pressure on his arms and neck. She gave a command. "Knees on the chair, face down, bum up!" A hand shoved him from behind, he stumbled into the position they wished.
Marion glanced at Helena, who gave her a reassuring look. They were acting angry, but this punishment was entirely for fun. Rob could learn this when they were done.
Marion handed Helena a cane, which she swished through the air a few times. Rob flinched every time he heard it, he knew what it meant, but didn't know which time the cane would land on him.
"Remember when you caned each of us, six apiece? We shall remind you it can happen to you."
Rob grumbled. "You deserved the punishment."
