Maude arrived shortly before opening time. Anne looked up in fright when she opened the case. But she held out a handful of feed pellets and Anne took them gratefully. Paul knew that Anne trusted anyone now who fed her; he told this to Martinique, who told Maude.
She began to stroke Anne's breasts and soon Anne would follow her new friend anywhere, her fears of the night abated. She looked down warily; no spiders. Could she have dreamed them? No, there were a few lying still on the floor; they existed, these creatures, but they only came out in the dark. Anne hoped she would not have to spend a second night here; Martinique said only "most of the next day", and she had to work on that Howard matter before Monday.
Cher entered the store. At a sign from Maude, she led Anne to a corner of the shop and gave her breakfast before taking her out behind the building to squat. It was cold outside and Anne was glad when the women put her back in the case. Maude set up a placard with her name and the words "In training".
Sunday was a busy day. The shop was filled with customers inspecting harnesses, crops, and other paraphernalia. And Anne; several of them paused to watch her.
Cher came by during quiet moments. Anne smiled at her and wondered if Cher would feed her again, but she did not.
A trio of girls wearing school uniforms studied her; they tapped on the glass and she wiggled a little to entertain them. Two of them kissed and the third put a hand under her skirt; no one saw it but Anne. It made her happy. Maybe in a few years one of them would be here in her place to entertain whoever came by. Maybe all of them; she smiled as they waved at her and walked away.
Anne remembered looking up to see Iris approach the case accompanied by a young blonde wearing a pinafore and a metal collar; a new protegee or possession most likely.
Or she thought she remembered it. Suspended for hours in there, her mind wandered crazily and spun fantasies; it was so hard to concentrate on anything or collect herself and she gave it up. She wondered if...if...what? She could not recall the question.
A little before closing time Martinique arrived to take Anne home. Cher joked that her night and day in the "bug jar" probably shaved twenty points off her IQ. Martinique laughed and said "If only" as Anne put her clothes back on.
Anne followed her three paces behind again. It was warmer this time; the sun was still out though low on the horizon and there was no wind. She was more contented than on the cold dark outbound journey. All thought had been driven from her head and she felt better for it.
After her feeding as she lay bound on the rug that night three men visited her. One of them lived in the building and was a regular, though she did not know his name. Two of them were new; Maude probably sent them. The first one was young and vigorous and left her exhausted. The second was an older man, not very energetic; but he left the biggest tip and Anne hoped he would return. Did Maude get any of it? Once Anne would have wanted to know, but she let it pass. What happened to her earnings was none of her business.
Alone when the gentlemen had done with her, Anne reviewed in her head the facts of the Howard case for tomorrow. It was difficult to recall them, harder than she expected. Memories of last night returned to her and would not be put aside: her shame at dropping the ball; dancing with Susan and especially with Ashley; being spanked by her secretary; and the spiders, again and again the spiders, she could not expel them from her mind. Eventually she managed to work out a strategy and memorize the outline since she was unable to write it down.
Monday morning she dressed carefully, wearing her leash beneath her suit. She opened the top of the blouse to make sure her secretary would notice the link hanging from her collar. Debbie had seen her naked and degraded at Maude's, had punished her and stood above her as she knelt; maybe she would like to feed her too. No, that was an impossible dream.
And yet when they sat across the desk from one another that day, Debbie looked at the leash and smiled wickedly. Anne became nervous and hot; she opened the top of her blouse further while Debbie watched.
There was hope. Anne wondered how to bring the subject up.
Martinique solved that problem a day later; she invited Debbie over for lunch.
She prepared a West Indian stew, fragrant with tropical spices. Anne got no breakfast that morning and as she set the table was driven nearly wild by the smell coming from the kitchen. She knew it was not for her, but just a few feed pellets would ease her hunger so much...
At the appointed time Martinique opened the door for Debbie and gave her a welcoming hug. Anne knelt with bowed head in the living room. She was freshly bathed with a pretty pink bow in her hair. Debbie greeted her with "Good morning, Anne."
Anne was pleased to be noticed. "Good morning, ma'am."
Martinique offered her guest coffee. She told Anne to stand up and serve them. Going into the kitchen, Anne put the cups on a tray and carried it out. She knelt again and set them on a low table, and waited in silence for instructions while they chatted in front of her.
Martinique asked Debbie what she thought of Anne. But perhaps Debbie would rather not speak in front of her; she could lock her away in the back closet.
No, said Debbie; she was welcome to listen.