Everybody in this story is over 18, and you should be, too! It follows on in the sequence of stories about Diana, and is pure (or not so pure) fantasy.
*
My life took a wholly unexpected turn in early spring that year, one that I could never have foreseen, or wished for. I was summoned in to see my Mistress one gloomy morning, rain beating against the windows, and she informed me, in a matter-of-fact voice, that she had an incurable disease, and had been given three weeks, at the most. She was going to a 'retreat' she said, in Sweden, where nobody knew her, to die in peace. She wanted no visitors, and would inform me of her last wishes by letter. Her will was in the hands of the company's solicitor.
I left her office reeling at the news, unable to take it in. My dear Mistress, whom I loved with all my heart, would be snatched from me so cruelly β I couldn't believe it. But after sobbing for an hour in my office, the door firmly locked, I went and knocked again at her door. No answer. I tried the door, and it swung open. Helen Barrington was gone, together with her briefcase and her coat. I rang reception, and was told that Donald, the chauffeur, had taken her to the airport.
When I got home, Astrid and Su-li were both shattered by the news as well, and I was in a daze for the next couple of weeks. I invited Astrid into my bed, and we made love, but almost mechanically, our grief at the impending loss of our beloved Mistress so hard to take. It was on a Saturday morning that the fateful message came through β I was asked to go into the office and meet our lawyer, Ms Templeton, at eleven, as Helen had died. I dressed in a sombre business suit and had Donald pick me up in good time. When I got to the office, the middle-aged but well-groomed Ms Templeton, surprisingly clad in a grey Armani suit, peach silk blouse and heels, greeted me with pleasant efficiency, and I ushered her into the conference room.
'Shouldn't the directors from City be present?' I asked, assuming that she was bringing bad news about Helen.
'No,' she said, 'I am carrying out Ms Barrington's last instructions. First of all, I have to inform you officially that she passed away peacefully last night.' She let that sink in, before continuing, 'It is my duty to inform you of the contents of her will.'
'Me?' I said, 'why me? Has she no family?'
Ms Templeton looked at me in a manner which seemed to say, 'shut up and don't interrupt again!' But she was too polite to say anything like that, and merely waited for me to stop, then said, 'Ms Barrington has, in her last will and testament, bequeathed her entire estate to Diana Carter β yourself, in fact, on one simple condition.'
I was completely and utterly bowled over. I just couldn't take it in at all, and it was only as an afterthought that I thought to ask what was the one condition.
'That you do not marry,' came the answer.
I was still in shock as Ms Templeton handed me a large envelope, then took her leave and left me to read the contents. It was a letter in Helen's beautiful, flowing hand.
My Darling Diana,
I am so sad to leave you like this, of course, but maybe it is for the best β I could never face growing old, anyway.
I leave you everything I have, as I have no family worth mentioning, and you are so dear to me. I know you will cherish my beloved Astrid, and carry on your good work with Su-li. I think you are perfectly suited to take on my role, both in the business and socially. I hope you will change nothing more than details for at least the first year you are in charge of the household. You must insist on being known as 'Miss Diana' at all times, and punish harshly any infractions. You will need to engage another slave as Astrid moves up a place. I suggest your old friend Cindy, who is already on our staff, but she must be made aware of the change in relationship, and I think this can only be done by a certain strictness in the way you treat her. I have almost always managed without recourse to male company, and Donald has been at my command, as he will be at yours, should any need arise.
In respect of my business dealings I have left matters in good order, I think, and you will not be called upon to do more than attend a few meetings, sign letters, and interview staff from time to time. The executives at City will deal with day-to-day matters admirably.
It remains for me to bid you farewell. I have loved you as a slave, and as my best friend
Your loving Mistress
Helen
I read through it twice, with tears staining the paper, then folded it and put it back in the envelope, called Donald, and asked him to take me home.
It wanted a bit of taking in. On the next Monday, I went through all the papers with the Company Accountant. I was extremely rich β rich beyond my wildest dreams.
I called Astrid into the office, having avoided telling her anything all weekend, and told her to sit down. I told her everything, and she just sat with her mouth open, listening. When I had finished, I half expected her to storm out, have a fit of temper, or something, but she calmly said, 'Congratulations, Mistress Diana,' and walked over to my side, standing beside my chair. I ran my hand around her smooth, slender thighs, and she bent down to kiss me. I let her insert her tongue in my mouth, feeling the tip of it encountering my silver stud, then I pushed her gently away, and told her to send Cindy in to see me.
'She isn't going to replace me, is she, Mistress Diana?' she said, her eyes wide.
'No, darling, of course not. You will be my number one slave and Su-li my personal servant - I leave you to tell Su-li, would you? If Cindy is satisfactory, she will be my second slave.'
Astrid tripped out of the office, a smile now on her face, but I called her back at the door.
'Jealousy doesn't suit you, Astrid. I shall have to punish you later.'
'Yes, Mistress Diana,' she said, and curtsied prettily.
Cindy looked around the door
five minutes later.
'Hi, Di!' she called, brightly.
I set my face as sternly as I could. I was going to have to get used to this.
'Sit down, Cindy.' She sensed a change in our relationship without my having to say anything else.
'What's wrong? What's happened?'
I told her. She listened, her mouth dropping open as I moved on from Helen's untimely death to the part where she had left me everything, and looked about her with a new understanding at the palatial office we were occupying.
'Wow!' she said.
'You understand, I think, that we cannot be friends again, Cindy, don't you?' I said.
She nodded dumbly.
'It doesn't mean I think any less of you, and it's important you know that. It's just that my role has changed dramatically. Do you understand?'
'Yes.'
'Yes, Mistress!'
'She looked at me and paused to think before replying, 'Yes, Mistress.'
'Mistress Helen suggested that I offer you a position as one of my slaves. Do you want that?'
'And if I don't accept?'
'You go on working here in the office, and no hard feelings, Cindy.'
'I'll give it some thought, Mistress.'
She left, and I thought I had detected a touch of irony as she uttered
that final 'Mistress.'
It was no surprise, then, when she called me later, and politely declined my offer, and I was secretly relieved, but wondered whom I should invite to take the position, until Astrid made a suggestion in the car on the way home.
'What about the girl who did the striptease at Mistress Helen's last show? You know, Mistress, the one in the long velvet dress. Would she be interested? I think you know her, don't you?'
God, I thought, Talia, if only! I just daren't believe she would want to come, but if she did, I'd be so happy. I was surprised that Astrid had suggested her β maybe she had wanted to show me that she wasn't jealous after all. I leaned over and kissed her as Donald turned into my driveway.
'I may not need to punish you after all, darling,' I said.
'Oh, Mistress, I think I deserve to be punished, really,' she replied.
Remembering my late Mistress's customs, I called Su-li as soon as I got in and had her lay out my evening clothes for me. A long, flowing grey silk gown, halter-necked and backless, with a pair of silver stilettos, was the sum-total of my apparel for the evening, and as the little Chinese maid was straightening the dress on my bed, I checked to ensure that she was correctly attired. She wore, as usual, a black silky miniskirt, white peasant blouse and black patent stilettos.
'Come here, girl,' I told her, and when she did, I pulled down the elasticated top of her blouse.
'And where are your clamps?' I demanded.
'Iβ¦I thought you wouldn't insist, I mean now that Mistress Helenβ¦β¦β¦' she didn't complete the sentence.
'Su-li. In the evenings, when I am in the house, you will wear nipple clamps at all times. Is that understood?'
'Yes Mistress!'
'Then fetch me the crop.'
'Yes Mistress.' She walked over to the wardrobe, and took the long leather crop from where it hung, and then bent over the arm of the couch, raising her skirt.
'No, my dear, stand up, and take off your blouse!' I told her, and she turned and looked at me with eyes like saucers, but did as I told her.
'Stand by the bed, and hold on to the post,' I said, and she did so, her arms now reaching above her head, long mane of black hair trailing down her back to her waist. I caught it up, and threw it over her shoulder, so that the white flesh of her back was presented to me, then I took aim and lashed her hard across the soft tender flesh of her upper back, just below her shoulder blades. She flinched and let out a small cry of 'oh' as I saw an angry red welt appear, the serrations of the crop now indented prettily on her young skin. I thrashed her again, enjoying my role more with each stroke, feeling the warm dampness between my legs that I knew was even now reflected in what Su-li was feeling, as the agony of the whip mingled with an ecstasy no-one who hasn't felt it can understand.
When I judged she had had enough, I told her to get dressed, and go and find Astrid, whilst I changed.