Surprise!
The winter passed quickly. The women from Oxford visited from time to time, in various groups, as their studies allowed. Sometimes they rode and sometimes they just walked in the garden. They laughed a lot and and occasionally looked towards Peter as he worked.
Most Saturdays Peter played rugby, and kept away from The Manor on Fridays. He would often arrive late on Saturday and stay over that night. The ladies left for Oxford after Sunday lunch. There were more pub lunches.
After riding one morning Sophie came up behind Peter in the stables and wrapped her arms around him. She looked wonderful: white blouse, riding moleskins, light coral lipstick - Peter's favourite - and her platinum hair in a pony-tail.
They kissed, softly at first and then with more emotion. While Peter was standing Sophie straddled his left leg with both hers. He reached up, a hand on her left breast. Sophie leaned in towards him. They stood together, absorbing the moment. "Is this real?" Peter wondered to himself, "because if it is, I'm not sure how to handle it."
He had no need to worry.
Sophie broke the kiss, wrapped her arms around Peter's neck, and leaned in to him forehead to forehead.
"You know I like you a lot, Petey" she began "but I'm afraid there's no future for us: we are going to have to back off now. Daddy has told me I have to take a year's leave of absence from college to do the 'coming-out' thing."
"I thought that was all in the past, but it's not. Daddy's not as wealthy as we all thought and it's up to me to make sure we keep The Manor by marrying well. Ugh! Apparently there are any number of potential suitors, mainly military of course, and I have to do the rounds to make a choice."
"Of course he will have to O.K. my choice but I know what I want. And I will not be led to slaughter like mother was 20 years ago. I can tell you who will be wearing the trousers, and the man I end up with will not have any boyfriends!"
Peter believed her.
Sophie looked flushed as she spoke with vigor, and Peter could see the determination in her look.
"But we have had a good time together, eh Petey?"
"And I will really miss you -- and your great bod -- and dick" she grinned. I was beginning to feel sad but relieved. Sophie was my only girlfriend up to then and I would really miss her. But I knew that as long as my studies were no finished, I was not ready to settle down.
"Perhaps one more date? When is your next game?"
"Well, we play on Wednesday against another local Bristol side, but there's no Saturday match: Swansea cancelled."
"Good" said Sophie, "come up in my room at 9 Friday evening: I'll have a surprise for you."
The week flew by. I had a lot of work that week: lectures, labs and a visiting lecturer. Finals loomed in six weeks and I needed to start studying seriously soon.
But there was always a bit of spare time to read porn on the web and look at sexy pictures and videos.
Friday arrived. I came back early, showered and changed, and put some clean working clothes in my duffel bag ready for Saturday. I would sleep in the den tonight.
I arrived at 8.30 and tidied up the den. At 8.45 I climbed the back stairs and quietly made my way to Sophie's room, next to Lady M's. I tapped on the door and Sophie let me in.
"Now Peter" (not Petey: this is serious!). "Will you do everything I ask, without question? I promise you it won't hurt you and you will enjoy it."
"Very mysterious" I replied, "but OK, I agree."
"So, take your clothes off, as I am going to do" and we both stripped off down to our underpants. My god, she looked delicious. What on earth had she dreamed up?
"Get up on the bed Petey, and lie down on your back," which I did.
Sophie knelt across my chest and reached under the pillow. She took out the soft cotton rope we had used before and tied my arms apart towards the corners of the bed. Then she lifted my knees together and wrapped a strip of towelling around them, securing them with a Velcro tie. The same with my ankles. I was truly immobilized.
From the top drawer of her chest she pulled out a black foam ball-gag.