The Summer of Francesca

Paul did leash her on their next date, but they did not go back to Le Coq d'Or or to the park. They traveled out of the city to an upper-class suburb of tasteful homes set amid wide lawns. Their destination was a large two-story sandstone building at the end of a driveway. Paul gave his name to the servant at the door and the madam came out of her office to greet them. She realized he had taken her to a brothel.

Madame Byrne was a tall attractive woman in her mid-forties. Anne liked her at once. She led them to her office where her two children awaited them. Morgan was a handsome youth of about twenty with sandy hair; his younger sister Carmen had a Spanish look. Anne guessed they had different fathers.

She told Anne to remove her clothes. These moments of undressing on command before strangers were special, a kind of ritual in which she prepared herself for sacrifice. Anne handed her shoes to Carmen; she undid her skirt and lowered it to the floor, then placed it in a box the girl held out. She unbuttoned her blouse and pulled it off her shoulders. Putting it on top of the folded skirt she stood before the others, ready for use.

Paul attached the leash to her collar. Morgan pulled her wrists back and fastened the bracelets together with a brisk authority that impressed her. He was a natural master; Anne hoped to see more of him.

The madam inspected her closely. "Hair needs trimming soon around the edges. Teeth good, neck just the right length. Breasts full but firm, good; nipples respond well to touch. Belly flat, yes. You said she's juicy, I'll take your word for it. Buttocks firm and round, a bit small but nicely tight; thighs solid, calves and ankles well shaped. No marks on her yet, I see. Looks like she has stamina. She should appeal to my clients. I like the collar and cuffs; you must have a new source."

Yes, Paul said. Ilse was in the next town over, had a workshop in her house - did very good work.

She pointed to the dark triangle at the top of Anne's thighs. "You might consider having it removed."

"We leave that up to the buyer."

"I understand."

Morgan held her leash while Paul and Mme. Byrne went to discuss terms. Anne looked furtively over at the boy; yes, he was quite good-looking. Perhaps later when the paying customers had gone home... She found herself growing warm, but he paid no attention to her.

The two principals reached an agreement; Paul retrieved the leash and Mme. Byrne ushered the couple though a pair of doors into the parlor.

It was already occupied by half a dozen girls. All of them were naked, but only two were fettered like Anne; a young man held one leash, an older woman the other. The remaining four stood, sat, or walked about the room. Anne knelt in front of Paul, meat for sale as Athene's friend described her.

On her way out of the room, Mme. Byrne paused to speak with the woman. Anne saw them looking at her. She turned away hastily and waited for business.

She did not have to wait long. Less than five minutes later, a middle-aged man entered from the main hallway with his son. The boy began to inspect each of the women in turn. A wave of fear washed over her but she forced herself to stand. She held her shoulders back as Paul taught her to emphasize her breasts, pulled her belly in and opened her legs. This caught the boy's attention; he approached her and examined her closely. She felt her heart pounding.

"This one."

The father nodded to Paul. Her first customer; she hoped Paul would be pleased with her.

Paul walked her up a wide carpeted staircase to a room on the upper floor, where the two men left them and sat outside.

Ernest removed Anne's leash and freed her hands. She asked him how he would like to use her. The question appeared to confuse him and he said "the usual way". He told her his father took him here today for his first experience as a birthday present.

Anne said this was her first time here too; they laughed and he kissed her. She asked if he would like her to remove his clothing and he nodded.

Slowly and respectfully she knelt before him and untied his shoes. They were an expensive brand; Paul would be well paid for her services tonight. The boy put his hands on her bare shoulders to brace himself and she felt him trembling. She noticed she was too, a little. She had never undressed a man before, she liked it. Knowing that he was about to take her made it even better.

Kneeling before him again, she loosened his belt and lowered his trousers and put them on a wooden chair. Returning, she unbuttoned his shirt and removed his underclothes. He was young and athletic; he would give her a good workout. As he stood over her she saw his member hanging limp, he was probably nervous. She would need to encourage him.

She brushed its tip with her lips and felt it quiver. Heartened by this, she kissed it boldly and then took it in her mouth, gently stroking its underside with her tongue. Afraid of overexciting him, she held it there with occasional little squeezes for a minute, feeling it rise in her before releasing it. She stood up in front of him ready for use.

He tentatively extended a hand toward her. She grasped it and placed it on her breast - to put it between her legs might seem too forward and frighten him - appealing to him to explore her. He began hesitantly but soon gained confidence, caressing her entire body. He ran his hands down her and she opened her legs invitingly (she hoped). He declined the invitation, but clasped her in a tight embrace. He was aroused now, that was obvious.

When he released her she took both of his hands in hers before leading him to the bed. She had not lain in a bed for weeks, this would be a treat for her.

He did not know how to penetrate her so she guided him in and made the first motions of lovemaking. He quickly caught on and drove deeply into her with energetic thrusts that had her moaning.

After a period of growing excitement on both sides he brought them to a powerful climax. He kissed her and called her his "angel". They lay entwined and exhausted until Ernest withdrew from her, got up and dressed.

He went to the door and let his father and Paul in. Anne stood at Paul's command to be leashed and bound.

At a gesture from the father she bent over the back of a padded chair and spread her legs; he took her from behind while his son watched and he continued the conversation he was having with Paul. Yes, mining stocks were a risky investment in the present economic climate but manufacturers showed solid returns.

The boy grew resentful at his angel's easy compliance with another man. When his father was done and Anne stood up wearily he cried out "She's nothing but a whore; that's all she is, just a whore!" and struck her.

His father held his arm back from a second blow and said "Yes, son, she's just a whore. But don't hit her again; they charge for that."

The boy's disillusionment was painful to see; Anne could not help feeling sorry for him. The man took out his wallet. Paul agreed to waive the extra fee. He explained that customers were to settle their accounts with Mme. Byrne, but if they were particularly pleased...

The man looked at his son who nodded sullenly, and handed a large denomination bill to Paul.

Paul took Anne down to the "hygiene room" in the basement for cleansing and disinfecting. As she worked, the hygienist recommended widening Anne. He agreed; it was on his list; others had mentioned it. But for now, a little grease... The woman reached for a tube and applied it.

After twenty minutes, Anne was back at work in the parlor. Some of the other girls had gone upstairs with clients, and a pair of well-dressed gentlemen selected one and went off with her, leaving Anne and Paul alone with two unbound girls.

The main door opened and a man walked briskly in. Recognizing him, Anne turned her face away but too late. He walked up to her. Mr. Bradford was the principal client of Anne's firm. She had managed several cases for him and was humiliated to appear before him now selling her body. She stood up on command and he traced the outline of her rosy mouth with his index finger before nodding to Paul.

She preceded the other two on her leash back up the stairs. The first room was occupied and audibly in use, but the next one was open. At a gesture from her new client she knelt and took him in her mouth, but she was so agitated that she began to cry and could not concentrate. She shook even though Paul put his knee at her back to steady her, and failed miserably at her task.

After a couple minutes of this farce, Mr. Bradford grew angry and pushed her head away. He told Paul he expected more for his money and wanted her punished.

Paul respectfully disagreed. Punishment would not cure a case of nerves; she had to become accustomed to her role. Handing him the end of her leash, Paul wrote on a piece of paper and passed it to him. This was Anne's home address, her door was never locked, she was available at any hour. He was welcome to visit her unannounced whenever he liked, and to bring friends. After a few such visits Anne should become properly broken for use. If she continued to balk, he would consider more drastic measures.

Mr. Bradford took the paper and said Paul was right; and the vice president of his sales department had expressed an interest in her. Anne listened with bowed head to the plans for her education. After he left Paul dried her face and walked her down to the parlor.

Her next two customers restored her confidence a little. The first was a regular at Mme. Byrne's, a businessman who came here often to ease himself and greeted each of the girls by name. He picked Anne out at once; he led her upstairs to an empty room, bent her over, had her, and returned her to Paul in five minutes. The only words they exchanged between thrusts were "New here?" and "Yes, sir. Ohhh." He handed Paul a generous tip and said he hoped to see her again.

He was followed by a tall gentleman in a tweed suit, evidently British, who wanted to "take her outside". He led Anne through a pair of French doors onto a glass-roofed patio with a nude marble statue of Diana, the virgin huntress stalking her prey. At his orders Anne lay down on the stone floor at its base. She was uncomfortable with her hands beneath her, but she made the best of it as he used her slowly and thoroughly.

When he was done she thanked him. She always felt grateful to the men who used her. He rose and went inside, leaving her alone on her back. She could not get up so she lay there and awaited rescue.

The moon was not quite full yet, in a sky filled with stars. The sight reminded her of a time about a year earlier when she made love outdoors under it.

Her date - she did not know his name - had driven them into the countryside beside a newly plowed field. She took off her clothes and ran into the center. She compared the furrows with her own as she lay between two rows while he took her; stubble pressed into her back but she was oblivious to it. She remembered thanking her lover afterwards. And how he got up without a word, to relieve himself in a nearby stand of trees.

She lay in the dirt, admiring the moon and stars above. After a while she began to wonder if he was coming back. She hoped he would not drive off and leave her, all her clothes were in his car and she did not know where she was. Eventually he returned, brushed the dirt off her and took her home. Did she ever see him again? She did not think so. Idly she wondered if the farmer noticed the depression she made, and what he planted there.

After a time Paul came outside; he helped her up and led her to the hygiene room.

She had not been back in the parlor many minutes when she heard the noise of voices in the hall and a dozen young men entered. She found out later that a local rugby team was on the town celebrating a victory. They chose her and led her upstairs while Paul waited below.

Two of them wanted to use her at the same time. The bed would not do, they put her on the floor and she took one in her mouth while the second entered her from below. This was a challenge; she could not concentrate on both at once, so she devoted herself to bringing the upper boy (who seemed a little shy and needed encouragement) to a fever pitch. The one behind her needed no such help; he skewered her relentlessly while his teammates cheered him on.

After a minute or so the boy in her mouth began to come around and she was able to bring them both to a nearly simultaneous climax. She lay spent and limp on the floor, but quietly proud of herself while the team congratulated them. It was a new accomplishment for her, she learned something from it and hoped she would have the opportunity to practice it again.

After that exhibition the other boys took her one at a time, which was easier.

Paul returned after they had left to find Anne draped over a leather-covered chair too exhausted to move; the team had used her in every way with the athletic energy of youth. He gave her a minute to recover, then said "Time is money; stand up" and brought her back downstairs. After cleaning her the hygienist gave Anne a drug that revived her spirits for the next round.

Her last customers were the strangest. She had been passed over by several men and wondered if anyone else would want her when the door opened and eight conservatively dressed women walked in. Their leader, a tall woman younger than the rest, handed Paul a list and they went to a far corner of the room. The others inspected her closely without touching her.

Paul and the leader returned. Taking Anne's leash from one of the women, he marched Anne up the stairs her fifth time to an empty room. They stood around her silently in a half circle.

Reading from the list, Paul ordered Anne to assume a series of positions. Some were quite easy and familiar; kneel as if to take a man in her mouth, or extend her tongue to penetrate a woman, or bend over and spread her cheeks to be possessed from behind.

Others were more difficult; prepare to be mounted by a stallion, for example. She had no idea and merely posed as she imagined the scene. Or a Great Dane; this mortified her, what did they think she was?

Of course she knew. What the boy and his father called her: a whore. They were right; here she was in a brothel, doing tricks for money.

And she reveled in it. At times the pain or the shame was more than she could endure; but when it was over she was glad she had gone through it and always came back for more. She hoped Paul would not mate her to an animal, the thought filled her with revulsion, but if he ordered her to she would do it without a moment's hesitation.

After a few more positions like pleasuring herself in front and in back, Anne reached the end of the list. The ladies thanked Paul and left.

By that time the evening's work was drawing to a close. Paul took her back to the madam, who called for her clothes to be fetched. Mme. Byrne noticed the bruise on her face and raised an eyebrow as Paul explained. Anne wondered if she would be beaten the next time Paul brought her here.

As she dressed, Paul described her transactions to Mme. Byrne who sat at the desk. She calculated Paul's commission and called for a taxi. A half hour later, Paul showed Anne to the door of her building. She let herself in and walked upstairs to her apartment.

In it was Mr. Bradford sipping a glass of Scotch. She removed her clothes and knelt down. She was more resigned to her fate this time and satisfied him. Afterwards he let her hold him in her mouth for a minute; she took this as a sign she was forgiven and caressed it until he pushed her away. After he left she went to the kitchen, washed his glass and drank a bowl of water in the corner.

The effects of the drug they gave her at Mme. Byrne's were wearing off and she was very tired; she went straight to her rug and collapsed on it. Her sleep was filled with dreams of the men and boys who had her that evening, but they were good dreams and she awoke with the feeling that she had passed a milestone in her education.

Since so many men (Mr. Bradford, her neighbors, total strangers) were taking advantage of her at night, she tried sleeping on the living-room carpet occasionally. That way she would be able to greet them at once when they entered; though the outside hallway light was in her eyes and she often could not tell who her visitor was.

Sometimes they took her in darkness and left her wondering afterwards who it had been. Or they turned on the inside light and had a drink while they enjoyed the sight of Anne on her knees before they used her. Once the last man left the light on and she had to crawl to the bedroom to sleep.

It did not really matter, of course; or whether they left money on the table, she handed it all over to Paul at her next lesson.