05

Houses of Pain and Love

Four novels about being a submissive man to dominant women

Book 4: Michelle's House

by Doberinca

and

Henry Daniels

Chapter 1

Sunday morning's sky was dark. Low, dark clouds moved slowly across the sky, bringing rain squalls. Lightning flashes followed by heavy thunder kept the dogs uneasy, always alert. The flashes of lightning gave a sinister effect to the trees surrounding the Helena's house.

If any engagement party guests were awake, they hadn't yet emerged from their bedrooms.

Rob was standing at one of the large windows, staring outside. In a somber mood, he'd eaten a small breakfast quickly. He waited impatiently for a little break in the rain or at least for the heavy rain to pass and turn back to a shower so it would be more bearable. He was anxious to get out, he felt an urgent need to leave the house, get away from all the other people and breathe some fresh air to clear his head.

He thought again about Michelle, the session with her just a week ago, the odd questions she had asked during the session then, after, the shock of hearing her announce she would become his Mistress. There was some understanding amongst Marion, Helena and Michelle. He had the impression hours of discussion had gone into it. He anticipated unpleasant surprises would come from so much planning, Cathy had said as much.

His thoughts shifted to his own coming out before the party guests, dressed first in a bridal gown and later as a French maid. He had to admit it had not been bad, some bits even fun. Even so it had been madness to agree to appear in women's clothing. It was public exposure or nearly so: all those women he didn't know at all. Dressed indoors in front of forty women was not so different from going out in public. They had all seen him in a dress. Then there was the rest he'd been led to do, they'd seen him in lingerie, the dress gone.

It was true none of them had mocked or teased. Even so, it made him uneasy that these strangers had even seen him. His anger when Helena told him to strip - completely - in front of all those guests should not have surprised her. Thinking about the event made him relive his embarrassment. It was only after he'd learned the plan was they'd all do the same along with him, which he didn't think any better. There would most certainly be a discussion with Helena, and soon. This was the very last time he'd agree to play along in her little games. Invariably there was a surprise, invariably it went badly. What she had supposed would be a bit of fun had been instead upsetting, humiliating. Still he had called Helena's bluff and held his ground, apparently to her satisfaction.

Helena and Marion appeared, yawning and seeking coffee. Helena gave Rob a kiss. "We had a time, didn't we?"

"I totally agree." Marion stopped to yawn again. "I'm a bit drained. We had fun for ourselves, but the effort of entertaining was tiring. And how do you feel, Rob?"

He was slow to turn from the window to face them. "I'm okay. Yesterday gave me still more to think about, on top of quite a few things to think about from last weekend." His voice was somber.

The kitchen door opened and Sylvia came in, clad in her usual dark clothes under a raincoat, greeting them with a smile.

Helena smiled. "Good morning, Sylvia. Have some tea or coffee, please join us at the table."

After taking off her raincoat and hanging it on the hooks by the door, Sylvia poured tea and sat at the breakfast table, at first uneasy. Rob remembered she had become still another consideration. She'd been so keen to make love with him, then told Helena she would not. Well, he could blame himself, he'd given her reasons to demur. Still Helen was in her debt for turning him back the previous morning. And, once again, he was to pay Helena's debt. Normally, he would object to Helena giving him to another woman, but he has such affection for Sylvia it seemed pointless to object.

He saw the rain had let up. "I must go out, bad weather or not. I don't suppose anyone wants to join me?" He hope he might walk with his dogs in solitude.

"I'll walk with you." He was surprised to hear this from Helena.

Sylvia put down her cup of tea. "I want to go back outside, do you mind if I come along as well?"

Rob didn't notice Helena about to respond. "I don't mind at all."

"Yes, you all go, I'll keep an eye on our guests." Marion gave a dismissing wave from her chair. Rob noticed her wink to Helena, who smiled back. Another plan among these women?

He whistled for his dogs to come. They quickly appeared for him by the kitchen door.

The rain has slowed to a steady drizzle. They had walked only to the far end of the crowded car park behind the house when Helena made an announcement. "Sylvia, today I need you to keep an eye on our guests, supporting Marion. Rob and I won't be here this afternoon." Rob wasn't aware of any plans, he expected Helena would stay to socialize with her guests.

"So you want me to go back inside right now?" Sylvia was a bit confused.

"Yes dear. I appreciate you walking with us in this weather, but I'd like you back there with Marion. I absolutely don't want more of a mess. Our servants will have a busy week anyway - I'm even thinking of bringing in some extra hands to clean up the bedrooms. This engagement party has been fun, but at a cost."

Rob didn't understand. "I think everyone behaved last night."

"I agree - but I want to be sure they keep behaving. They're probably more relaxed now, their curiosity has been satisfied, still I don't want any troubles. So, Sylvia, there is your task."

"Alright." Sylvia was always obedient to her employer. She saw the sympathetic glance Rob gave her. Encouraged his kindness was still there for her, she smiled gratefully at him and headed back.

After walking in silence, waiting for Helena to speak, Rob prompted her. "You have something on your mind."

Helena just nodded.

"You have something planned for the afternoon." It was a statement, not a question.

"Yes, it's one of the reasons I came along. I do like the peace and quiet of the early morning, even when the weather is like this. But it also gives me the opportunity to talk to you about our next little surprise. Only if you're up to it, of course."

Rob looked at her a bit warily. "I have no idea what you're talking about and I don't like surprises, especially the ones you and Marion come up with. Most certainly, not after that awful surprise in front of all those women!" He growled the last words.

"I asked Michelle to be your new Mistress, here is an example of why. We've had so many misunderstandings and fights, I'm afraid - and so is Marion - those misunderstandings will damage our relationship. I don't want to hurt you unintentionally and from now on every game we play must be discussed in advance. We're still your Mistresses, but like you, we're to be trained by Michelle - on both sides of the whip." This idea surprised Rob. They would feel the bondage and pain he was feeling?

Helena saw the question in his eyes. "Yes dear, Marion and I shall both become the subs of Michelle, to learn and to feel ourselves what we inflict upon you or anyone else. You must stop being so fearful of her whip and seek training under her guidance."

"Her whip is the least of my fears. Your games, no, let me be clear, your awful pranks ending in my humiliation, I will never tolerate again. Do you understand? And who do you mean by anyone else?"

"You were not humiliated - only in your imagination." Helena spoke over Rob's attempt to respond. "Let it pass - everyone thought you very brave. I thought you were brave and clever both, the ladies even seemed to think the ending you improvised had been planned.

"Rob, yes, there will be others. There is Lisa and there's Kim, our friends, we cannot say no to them. And I must admit, I like to give it to them, I get aroused by doing it. I like being a Mistress, but I want to be a splendid Mistress, like Michelle. I never thought it would be so erotic, so sexy and so satisfying." Helena chuckled. "Look at me. I warned you about Marion and Jenny's plan back then and now I am becoming the same."

Rob was silent. To give him some more time before answering Helena's statement he picked up a stick and threw it far away. Nicky and Inca picked it up - each on a side - and started to pull. With a snap the stick broke and both dogs proudly carried a piece of the stick back to him.

"So you're to fully become a Mistress? A professional?"

"Only in the good sense of the word. Professional skill, not because of the compensation.

"Which brings me to the reason I came out with you. You are my life, you know it, and Marion thinks exactly the same about you and I. We knew this was to come, we had an in depth conversation with Michelle before she examined you herself. Our other reason for the session with Michelle last weekend was for her to evaluate whether you could be trained at all. Marion too appreciates Michelle's absolute superiority. Whilst you currently wear Marion's collar in the playroom, we thought about the best thing for you to do. Marion shall take her collar back from you, only temporarily, then she will hand you over to Michelle - not in person, but you know what I mean. You will wear Michelle's collar for as long Michelle thinks you need her guidance."

What she said had so many errors, but the count didn't matter. There was a principal point. "I wear no collar now. This will not change at Michelle's."

"Rob, I think you must -"

"Must? There is nothing I must do."

Helena was not going to let details take her from the main thrust of the discussion. "Presence or absence of the collar changes nothing. We'll give you into Michelle's charge this afternoon. Marion will stay here, attending to our guests for the time being, with Sylvia's support. I'll take you to Michelle's, we'll start by talking things over, just the three of us. That is, if you're willing to talk. Michelle is waiting for my phone call. She went home instead of spending the night with us so she could prepare. I want to make it perfectly clear it is your decision to go along - or not. It's completely your choice and your choice alone. We can advise but we cannot command. Another possibility for you is to wait for our lessons, until we're more experienced. Even Marion knows she's hardly as capable as Michelle. I believe Cathy too wants to join in for some lessons. So we all will be very busy - with or without you."

"You did a lot of thinking the days I was away."

"Yes - I knew you were coming back..." her voice trailed off. "At least, I thought you would be - until our awful misunderstanding." She remembered her feelings when she was convinced he wouldn't come back. She also knew he returned so quickly only because Sylvia and Jenny had persuaded him he was responsible for her well being. She had felt so lost in those painful hours.

Rob understood all too well the event she mentioned. It was no simple misunderstanding about his consent before watersports. Absolutely nothing had been done to address the lasting issue of how casually they had risked injuring him. The action itself might have been harmless, but their astonishing negligence at the end, walking away laughing, unaware of his distress, seemed a betrayal. His safeword had not influenced them, not even calling cruel. All the times she'd pledged to honor his safeword, but when it truly mattered she never had.

Despite all these misgivings he had returned, unwilling to lose her.

Helena was surprised to see sorrow, not anger as he recalled. She took his hand. "It still hurts, doesn't it?"

He took his hand back. "Yes. It isn't clear how much the pain will subside." He turned his back on her and walked away.

She did not understand. Yesterday, the big engagement party and all her careful plans to make this an event never forgotten; a big success. She realized his memories of her were not just the most recent. She ran to catch up with him. When she did she walked beside him for several steps, then tentatively took his hand again.

She tugged on his hand, encouraging him to stop, turn to her. "Rob, please wait. Let's talk!" She sounded more desperate than she wanted to sound.

"What about?" His voice was defiant, he kept walking. "I did my duty yesterday. I protected your reputation. You weren't forced to cancel your party again. I came back to fill my role as you wanted, didn't I? I played along, but don't imagine everything from before the party has been forgiven. It certainly isn't forgotten! Too much has happened, it seems obvious more will happen. I fear the day when something bad will happen again and I no longer have a hole to disappear into!"

The sorrow on his face was changing to anger. He took a deep breath to compose himself before speaking. His voice was almost reasonable. "Your stunt at nine sharp. You humiliated me in front of all those women - what were you thinking? I stopped my worst impulses, behaved better than you deserved, because I didn't want to embarrass you any more than I already had. My first impulse was to retrieve my car keys and make sure everyone in the house heard the door slam as I left. Look, here is the connection: I do not like to be humiliated and I experience humiliation with nearly every one of your surprises. Now, insisting I simply must go to Michelle's today is another surprise." He spread his hands. "History tells me to anticipate another humiliation."

He drew a breath, but paused before speaking. "Helena, much of your party made me uncomfortable. Now, looking back, I'm still uncomfortable. I remind you we've now signed an agreement, scenes only in the playroom, and only by consent. I'm not convinced you've read each and every word in the agreement you just signed. I doubt you take it seriously. If you haven't thought about the consequences your signature shows you accept, you 'd better read them soon. You have no latitude."

"But that's why we must talk with Michelle. She will guide you and if things go wrong - you cannot blame me or Marion. The whole point of the exercise is to have no surprises; ever again."

"Helena, if you want no surprises, you're the one who requires training, not me."

She frowned, this was a new concept for her.

Rob continued. "You've said so much about what you want. I've prompted you many times, you persist in telling me why you want it. You're still missing why I should want to do this."

"Because it's the price of staying together."

His laughter was the last thing she was expecting. "Helena, you're a terrible gambler. You're making a bluff, but we both know you have far more to lose than I."

"I, I - what?"

He put his hands on her elbows, sliding them down to take her hands. She suddenly felt like a child receiving a correction from her tutor. "Helena, Sylvia convinced me to return yesterday by speaking of what my leaving would do to you. Do to you. What she said to me was to protect you. I returned and went through your party to protect you. You can't threaten to separate from me, it seems to me you'll find a separation more difficult than I.

"Which is precisely why you must read the agreement. Read it carefully."

Helena felt panicky, thinking, not again, dear God, not again. After all the trouble we went through to get him back. She didn't want to, but she started to cry. She let go of his hand and turned, walking slowly back to the house. Her spirit was broken. Was Rob right, would it be better to tear down the playroom? No more games -- far less risk of losing him again. It was not worth it - she would speak to Marion and Cathy immediately.

Nicky and Inca appeared alongside her. Then she felt his hand taking hers. She looked at Rob, his face solemn. "Maybe it's the best thing for us both to talk to Michelle. You may be right."

"I think she's the best option for you; you know her already, you like her. She is fond of you. Her house isn't far, she is prepared to begin today. But she knows you, she understands you may be very reluctant. She won't be offended should you decide not to train under her."

"I promise nothing, but talking can't do any harm. I may ask her to advise you instead of training me."

"So, Marion is taking her collar back?" He chuckled. "Must I find one to give her, since I never let her collar me? That door was closed, locked and nailed fast, by her own hand, in her own house, the same day I met you."

"Perhaps we shall collar you, properly, before all our BDSM friends." She chuckled. "It would be another scene. You get collared and as reward you get a beating." She laughed, her mood improved. Rob felt better as well, not because of what she promised, but because Helena had cheered up. He hated seeing her sad or even worse, crying.

He wasn't all that willing to visit Michelle, but Helena worried him. The episode when she didn't want to eat and sleep told him what a separation would cost her. He was glad he'd come back in time to prevent worse. He, too, bore a great deal. He didn't normally stay angry long, but it seemed the sting of humiliation took the longest to pass. Bruises in his mind, scars on his soul, hurt far worse than clamps, a paddle or a whip.

When Helena finished talking on the phone with Michelle, she told Rob they should leave immediately for Michelle's place. She promptly raised the stakes. "Wouldn't it be fun if we were both dressed a bit formally?"

What an odd notion. "Whatever for? We're just going to talk, you said."

"It isn't required, but won't it help us get in the proper mood? There are no plans to do a scene. This is just to talk. She might show us her dungeon. I promise, together we'll decide what to do next."

"This is how we must approach these things, Helena. Engage me in the decisions instead of making an announcement."

She appeared to have missed his complement, already planning. "I shall bring my domme attire - and you bring along what you think she will tell you to wear. You know her better than me - so you must have a pretty good idea."

He didn't care for her mocking tone, she didn't see she was working against her own wishes. "It appears your idea of formal and mine aren't the same. I'll not wear anything today I can't wear on the high street." And what made her say he knew Michelle better?

"As you wish." Helena turned, walking to the stair.

"Helena!" His hand on her arm stopped her. "Another issue hasn't been discussed yet."

Helena's face colored; she knew exactly what Rob was going to say. She had hoped to avoid the subject and let things go as they might. It might be better she didn't know what they did with each other in bed. She knew he was asking for her clear permission.

"You mean - sex with Michelle?"

"No. I mean absolutely no sex with Michelle. I stand by my claim of monogamy. Yesterday I made an exception for you and I regret it."

"It would be unfair to deny sex entirely, to you and to her. But when I'm present, and usually I will be, anything we all agree to is permitted."

"No. Monogamy, even when you are there. Breaking this limit breaks your promise to me." He held up his left hand, displaying the ring he now wore before reaching to point to hers. "You're wearing a reminder of your promise."

"Such things will work themselves out, we must talk it over with Michelle." Helena made a point of not responding directly. She understood it would be difficult for him to participate in most of the planned training without some kind of reward. Some early sessions were already planned from their discussions, preparing for Rob's examination the previous weekend. There was a curriculum to be followed, a path for Rob to follow. Michelle was a true friend, Helena considered herself lucky to have such a good friend, who had such good insights about her issues with Rob.