Manon and Belle

After Eric had left, the three young women seemed almost frozen in place for a while. Melissa was kneeling in front of Manon, her new owner, who had a hand on her head, just gently touching her with her fingertips.

Belle broke the spell first, saying, "Miss, if it's alright with you, I'd quite a like a soak in a hot bath, and I thought you might want some time alone with my new sister?"

Melissa looked surprised at being called Belle's sister, but then smiled, clearly happy at the idea. "That's very thoughtful of you Belle dear," Manon told her, "perhaps I might send her to join you after a bit." Belle grinned at Manon, and kissed her cheek, before bending to kiss Melissa on the lips, lingering for a moment.

"You are a very lucky girl," she told Melissa, and headed for the bathroom.

Melissa looked up at Manon, who was looking down at her, a small smile on her lips. "How do you feel Melissa?" she said, and stroked the girls face, trailing her fingers over her mouth.

"My lady, I'm scared, and excited and well, all mixed up," Melissa said.

"Scared because you know I am going to punish you?" Manon asked her.

"Oh, no not that my lady. I mean I'm not exactly looking forward to it, but I know I deserve it," she said shrugging, slightly pink in the face. "It's the thought of leaving here my lady, the hotel, Bordeaux, and wondering what London will be like."

"I understand Melissa, but Belle and I will look after you. Oh and my lady is fine, but now you really are my girl, I'd prefer you to call me miss, like Belle does."

"Yes miss," Melissa said a flash of her cheeky grin appearing and disappearing quickly.

"Now kneel there Melissa, we need to talk," Manon told her.

Manon sat on the edge of the bed, looking at her new slave. "Melissa, I'm not in fact going to punish you, at least not yet. I think the next few days are going to be difficult, and much as I would enjoy turning that lovely bottom of yours pink, I don't want you distracted tomorrow when you are driving us."

"You may be sure that when we are somewhere where Belle and I can relax, that you will get a spanking to remember." Melissa's grin disappeared quickly on hearing that.

"Now there is one particular reason why you will be punished severely, and that is because you told one of Eric's secrets, when you knew you shouldn't. I know you thought you had good reason, and you did."

"But, and this is a big but Melissa. You know that I work for some very serious people, doing things that are often dangerous and difficult. I can have no secrets from you Melissa, I want to keep you that close, but you can never, ever tell anyone else anything about my work."

"So, your punishment will serve to warn you, and make sure you really understand that I am serious. There won't be another warning Melissa, and if you ever betray me or Belle, I will sell you, or to be more accurate what is left of you after I have punished you. Do you understand?"

Melissa was crying, "Yes miss, I do and I really am very sorry miss."

"Hush girl, I know you are. If I wasn't sure of that, I wouldn't have wanted you. Now on to other things. First, I want you to go downstairs, and find the assistant manager, and inform him of your new status as my slave. If he has any doubts, tell him to come and see me and he can inspect the paper work."

"Next, ask the hotel to present me their bill, on the basis that we stay tomorrow night as well, and take our breakfasts and dinners here as well. Then you can order us some dinner to be served in our room, I don't feel like going out or using the restaurant again. While you are doing that, I am going to join Belle in the bath. "

"Yes miss," she said and at Manon's nod got up and headed for the door.

"Oh Melissa?" She turned and looked at Manon, "Don't be long, it would be nice if you joined Belle and me in the bathroom," Manon said smiling at her.

"I shall be very quick miss," Melissa said, her grin back in place. Manon undressed and walked into the bathroom. Belle sat up quickly, looking very pink from the hot water and surprised.

"Oh my lady, I thought you'd be longer with Melissa," she said, holding out a hand to help Manon into the bath.

"Well I thought about that," Manon said once she'd sat down leaning back against Belle with a contented sigh. "She's due some serious punishment, as well as some quality time, but I thought both should wait. I'm very uneasy Belle, about what Eric told us is happening with the new Duke, the trip tomorrow to the château, everything."

"So you don't want to be distracted by Melissa or have her distracted because she has a sore bum and can't walk straight?" Belle asked, straight to the point.

"Correct Belle dear, exactly so. In the morning Belle, I want you to go to that livery stable behind the hotel. Hire us, well, let's see, six horses, mounts for you, me and Melissa and 3 remounts, to be kept ready for us from then on. I'd like to leave by ship, but I want to be sure we can get away quickly if it's required. Tell the stable master that we are bound for Marseilles when he asks, and make sure he gives us enough feed for that journey for them."

"Are we really going there miss?" Belle asked.

"Well we might be, but if it comes to it, I'd probably go north, head up the coast. But we don't need to tell the stables that. If anyone enquires of them about where we are going, Marseilles is believable and would put them on the wrong scent."

"Be careful Belle, and watch your back, I don't like to ask you to do this on your own," Manon added.

"I will be, and it would be odd if you were organising things like that yourself, it's what you have slaves for," Belle said grinning. "Well one of them," she said as her hand travelled down Manon's body and started fingering her pussy.

Manon groaned, that felt nice, but she didn't think it was the right time. Then, on the other hand, maybe she did, as Belle started fondling her breasts and teased her pussy relentlessly.

Melissa ran into the bathroom then, hopping along as she tore her skirt off, having already got naked from the waist up. Belle went on fingering Manon, but looked at Melissa, "Get in, you can help," she said.

Melissa got in, kneeling facing Manon. Belle pulled her up a bit, and pushed her legs wide apart with her own, and with no further hint Melissa bent down putting her head in the water and started to lick at Manon's pussy. She had to keep coming up for air, but went on licking Manon until she orgasmed, at which point Manon very nearly drowned her, by pressing Melissa's head firmly into her cunt as she climaxed.

Melissa shot up, red faced and coughing and spluttering when Manon realised her predicament, but grinned at Manon and Belle as she wiped her face off.

"Well that was unexpected," Manon said, once she'd got her breath back properly. "But very nice," she added grinning.

"Sit down girl, we've already got so much water on the floor a bit more won't make an difference. Wash yourself, and then you can wash me and then Belle," Manon told her.

"Now since I have both of you here, let me explain some things. You two are my inner household, and we will have no secrets between us, save only that Belle and I won't tell you everything about our work Melissa. But we will discuss it in front of you, confident of your discretion in that as in everything else."

"Yes miss," Melissa said, a serious look on her face. Which was a little undermined by the fact that Belle and Manon were both watching her closely as she stood up and soaped her body down.

"Melissa, you will serve Belle as you do me, and obey her. You are sisters now, but you are the junior here. Your job will I suspect change over time, but for now it will be to act as my lady's maid, looking after me and my clothes, and Belle's as well. Like tomorrow, if I have occasion to use a carriage or coach, you will most likely be asked to drive it."

"Melissa, Belle and I, together or alone, will use you in any or all ways we choose, whenever we choose, but I don't want some passive toy, I expect you to continue to eagerly take part, just as you did with me a moment ago."

"Is that all clear to you Melissa?"

"Oh yes miss, very, thank you," she said as she sat down and rinsed herself off. Manon stood up then, and Melissa quickly started to wash her new mistress, humming quietly to herself as she did.

"Belle dear, I know I don't need to tell you, but so Melissa is clear. You are my number one girl, and always will be, but I expect you to look after Melissa, like the sister she now is to you."

"Gladly miss, you may rely on me," Belle answered.

"I always do Belle darling, I always do. Now Melissa, I don't think my pussy is really that dirty, so perhaps you could rinse me off, and then I shall leave you and Belle together."

A few minutes later, as Manon left wrapped in towel, Belle had picked a giggling Melissa up. The smaller girl had wrapped her legs around Belle's waist, and was shrieking as Belle plunged her fingers into Melissa's pussy from underneath, in between exchanging passionate kisses with her.

Smiling to herself, Manon shut the bathroom door, cutting the noise down somewhat.

By the time room service had delivered their dinner, and Belle and Melissa had mopped the floor in the bathroom up, Manon had finished dressing but told both her girls to stay as they were, enjoying the sight of them naked as they sat with her and ate.

After dinner Melissa sat and watched nervously as Manon and Belle cleaned and oiled their revolvers, before Manon took them all off to bed. Once they were all settled, Manon sandwiched between Belle on one side and Melissa on the other, sleep came quite quickly.

Sometime during the night Manon woke from a nightmare again, seeing Claire and the other girls lying dead in front of her, but this time was less violent, and she hadn't woken Belle or Melissa. She lay awake for a long time after that, listening to the comforting sounds of her girls sleeping on either side of her.

Belle woke early, and finding Manon awake kissed her and cuddled with her for a bit, before gathering up her clothes to dress in the sitting room. "Off to the stables miss," she said, "I'll have them send up breakfast in 45 minutes, I'll be back by then."

"Go careful and come back safe," Manon whispered, and pulled Melissa into a cuddle as Belle left. Sometime later Melissa woke up, and got flustered and worried when she found Belle had already got up.

"Melissa, what's the matter?" Manon asked.

"Miss, I should have been up with Belle, if not before," she said.

"No girl, you should have been and were cuddling with me, which is what I needed. Now get us dressed."

Breakfast arrived just as Belle came back, tea and warm bread rolls, with some butter and jam. After that Manon and Belle armed themselves and all three went downstairs, to find that Travers was waiting for them already, with Beth, Poppy and Jen and most surprisingly Tess Carter, now 1st lieutenant Carter, the Captain's wife.

Both she and Travers were well armed, swords and pistols, and carrying rifles, and Beth had two rifles slung over her shoulders as well.

"Thought you might want some more long guns," Travers said by way of a good morning, as Beth handed them the rifles. Beth and Melissa were talking, and Manon couldn't help but notice they seemed easier with each other again, Melissa wasn't so tense.

"You are a welcome but unexpected surprise," Manon said to Tess Carter.

"Well, this will be my last day off before we sail, thought I might do something useful with it," she said with a slight smile. "These girls are my crew too." Which Manon knew was pretty much all the explanation needed for both her and Travers's presence.

They set off five minutes later. Beth elected to sit outside with Melissa, who it had to be said was obviously enjoying driving the big carriage. Travers sat on the top of the carriage, keeping a wary eye out, and the other three sat inside with Manon and Belle.

It was a quiet journey inside, no one seemed to be in the mood for talking much, but being early the traffic on the road was light, at least leaving the City like they were. Plenty of wagons and carts were heading in, but only a trickle leaving like them.

It seemed much quicker than Manon remembered, arriving at the Château. It was shut and shuttered, somehow already with that strange feeling that empty buildings got, even after such a short time.

As Manon led her little party around the house and down towards the two graves, they were surprised to see the figure of a man stand up, who'd been kneeling by the graves. Manon gestured for everyone to relax, as even at this distance she could see it was the major domo who had first welcomed her to the Château when it was put at her disposal.

He wasn't nearly as ostentatiously dressed this time, though, in plain but good quality dark jacket and trousers, and dark riding boots. His horse was tied to some branches some way off.

"My lady," he said bowing respectfully.

"I'm sorry," Manon replied, "We came to pay our respects, and so the girls could say goodbye to their friends. We didn't mean to intrude."

"No apology is required unless it is from me my lady. I am on the same errand. I worked with Madam Persil for over twenty years my lady, and with her three girls since first they came into the late Duke's service."

"Monsieur, perhaps you would do me the honour of walking with me for a little while? I'd give the girls some time alone if you wouldn't mind."

"At your service," he said bowing politely.

"Belle, keep an eye please," Manon said over her shoulder. Belle had taken up a spot over to the left, Travers had stayed with the girls, and Carter was over on the right, so Manon was happy that no one was going to get close without being spotted.

"I'd ask a favour of you, if I may impose," Manon said once they had gone a little way. "If I were to leave some funds, perhaps you could organise some proper headstones and graves? I believe I will have to leave shortly, and cannot myself do them this last service."

"My lady, that is most kind, but that matter has already been taken in hand. I am in fact meeting a mason here later. I believe you will know who I mean, when I say that our mutual friend Eric left me monies and instructions my lady."

Manon laughed quietly, "Eric has made a habit of anticipating me," she said. "We can all say that my lady, it was why his brother the late Duke valued his service so highly."

When they returned to the graves, Manon asked for a little time alone. Belle stayed with her, and Melissa hovered only a little way off, pushing the definition of alone to it's limit. Beth led Poppy and Jen away. She was herself stony faced, but Poppy and Jen were crying quietly.

"Belle, I still have no idea who this Stephanie is, but it seems she is at the bottom of all this. We are going to find her Belle, and end what she started with this, and end anyone else she is involved with as well."

"I like that idea my lady, I like that a lot. I did have a thought, but even I think it's far fetched. You remember Nicola, at school?" Belle asked.

They had started walking back towards the house and the carriage on the far side of it, but Manon stopped in surprise.

"Belle dear, you know I do. She tried to kill me, but paid for it, royally. Unless there's another one?"

"No miss, that's the one. Do you remember, she had a sister that was at senior school, that was expelled when Nicola was branded and sold?" Belle said.

"I do, though I didn't know her, but I remember the story," Manon said.

"Well miss, I was at senior school, and I remember Nicola's sister. She was three years younger than me, but a nasty piece of work, just like her sister."

"Miss, her name was Stephanie."

"Good lord. Really? And you think that Stephanie is the one who wrote me that nasty little letter?"

"Well, in all honesty, I have no idea miss. But it's the only Stephanie I've ever heard of, and the note seemed to suggest she had a grudge against you."

"Yes, it did, all that melodrama about forgone revenge. Well if she blamed me for what happened to her sister, it could be her I suppose," Manon said.

"Clever Belle, that's an intriguing thought. Since it's the only idea we have, I guess you and I are going to be going back to visit school dear. If it is her, the trail starts there, and even if it isn't, we need to know that too."

The carriage drive back to Bordeaux was quieter if anything than the journey out, until Melissa turned the coach towards the docks, when Poppy and Jen both started to get a little excited and cheered up.

"Quiet down you two, don't spoil milady's surprise," Tess Carter growled at them. It took a while to get through the docks district. The rest of the City might be oddly quiet, but trade was obviously flourishing as there were wagons and carts everywhere all moving things to or from the docked ships and warehouses.

"My lady, your ship," Tess Carter said grinning at Manon when she stepped down on the the dock.

Manon, who still knew next to nothing about ships, having been on just one in her life, the poor Ruby, was nevertheless impressed at what she saw. The ship was at least half as long again as Ruby had been, with three much taller masts.

Even more obvious, looking up at her from dockside, this ship was taller, a two decker, as was clearly shown by the gun ports on both decks, still painted yellow Navy fashion giving the ship a black and yellow chess board look.

"If you wouldn't mind waiting a minute or two my lady?" Tess Carter asked formally.

"Ah certainly," Manon said. She'd seen Travers and the three girls run up the gangplank quickly as soon as they arrived, so stood waiting, Belle on one side of her and Melissa at the other.

There was a shout from onboard, and Carter ushered her up the gang plank. "The Captain awaits you on the quarterdeck my lady." As Manon stepped on to the deck, she was acutely aware that all the previous bustling activity on board had stopped, and more and more crew members were assembling on deck, facing the quarterdeck where the Captain stood waiting, smiling down at Manon.

"Permission to come aboard Captain?" Manon called out, taxing her nautical manners to their limit.

"Granted my lady, and welcome," the Captain called out.

Manon got to the quarterdeck, standing at the railing by the Captain, looking at what she was now sure was all of the crew. There must have been about fifty of them, all women Manon noted, and Beth, Poppy and Jen were stood with them. Susan was standing in the middle of the crew, smiling and looking every inch the sea dog it appeared she was rapidly becoming. Belle and Melissa were stood to one side of the crew with Travers, who for once looked almost cheerful.

Two women, neither young, in long tailed navy blue coats climbed up the companion way on to the quarterdeck, followed by Tess Carter, and they all stood behind the Captain, who murmured "my new officers, I'll introduce you later."

"Mr Travers, I seem to have some lost sheep!" the Captain called out loudly. There was a murmur of laughter from the crew, and the sound of Travers muttering loudly, and two more women in officer's long tailed coats suddenly ran up the companion way, to stand with the others.

Not women, girls, Manon corrected herself. They were both very young, maybe only 15 or 16, and their uniforms were so obviously brand new that you could imagine the labels still showing. They were positively red faced with embarrassment.

"So, now we are all here," the Captain said in a loud voice, to more quite laughter from the crew, "I am pleased to present to you the Lady Manon, who will I hope forgive me if I don't mangle the rest of her name. Lady Manon is the part owner of this fine ship that we are here to rename today, alongside myself."