| Chapter
3
Madelyn was nervous. They were to leave on
this new retreat this afternoon. Her mother had arrived this
morning and would stay with the children for the week that
they would be gone. We’ll have a great time, really
we will, Madelyn told herself.
The information packet had included an invitation
to a formal dinner for the first night. Shit, was her black
velvet sheath formal enough? Ian had told her to be presentable.
He must be nervous too. He usually just trusted her to look
her best. He liked showing her off and Madelyn liked being
attractive, but she figured she better look really good tonight.
She packed her cosmetics and pulled open her underwear drawer
and hesitated. This was a marriage retreat after all, even
if the church ran it. She had spent a great deal of time and
money in fancy lingerie shops over the past few months. Judy
had inspired her to be more adventurous with her underwear!
She pulled her black corset and thong out of the drawer and
added them to her suitcase.
She thought for a moment. They had assumed
the church was running this retreat; but really, there was
nothing official in the information packet that had accompanied
their registration. Oh well. At the very least they would
have some time away together, and if these sessions were as
useless as the last ones they could always leave. She finished
packing the clothes Ian had put out in the morning and waited
until he got home.
They drove in strained silence. The fall
colours were spectacular in this part of the country, but
Madelyn hardly noticed them. She had asked Ian how his day
had gone, but frankly she didn’t care very much and
had not really listened to the answer. After a while conversation
was reduced to the occasional navigational instruction. They
arrived at the manor slightly before the required time. When
they stopped the car, a valet met them and opened the door
for Madelyn. “Good evening, Sir… Madam. Please
go right on in. I will take care of the car and have your
things sent up to your room.”
The manor was a lovely old gothic building
with leaded glass windows, massive stone walls and, amazingly,
real gargoyles. The front door was a huge oak affair with
complex carvings and wide metal braces. Madelyn took Ian’s
offered arm and they walked up the stone steps.
As they entered the vast front hall a striking
woman dressed in a tight red dress and high heels met them.
“Good evening, you must be the Standishs,
I’m Claire, chatelaine here at the manor.” Claire
was of medium height with a lovely dark complexion, dark eyes
and short black hair. “If you would care to follow me,
I’ll show you to your room.”
Claire led them through the hall with its
immense carved pillars and groupings of comfy looking overstuffed
chairs, to a wide staircase. Maddie thought she had stumbled
onto a movie set and was glad she did actually have something
suitable to wear tonight. The second floor in the “north
wing” contained the guest chambers.
“Make yourselves at home.” Claire
opened the door and turned on the light. She put the key down
on the coffee table beside a large vase of roses and a bowl
of fruit.
Madelyn looked around the most sumptuously
luxurious room she had ever seen; chilled wine, fireplace,
even their own robes and toiletries.
“Alexis will be your guide and assistant
while you are at the manor. She will come to escort you to
dinner in about forty-five minutes. Is there anything else
you need?”
“No, thank you very much, this is wonderful,
I’m sure we’ll be fine,” Ian responded.
Claire bowed gracefully and closed the door behind her.
Ian opened the wine and poured two glasses.
“Well, this is quite something. I think we’re
going to have a great time!”
Madelyn laughed, “I hope so. Would
you like first dibs on the shower?”
“You go first, you always take so long
anyway.”
Madelyn took her wine into the bathroom and
started the shower. As the water warmed up, she explored the
closet and found literally everything she could need. The
hot water washed the dust from the road and stress of the
day down the drain.
By the time Madelyn got out of the bathroom,
the valets were just leaving having unpacked their luggage
into the armoires. Ian was enjoying his second glass of wine.
“I think I could get used to this!”
He gave her a quick kiss and disappeared into the bathroom.
Madelyn started searching around for her
things. She opened up the drawers in the bedside table expecting
the usual Gideon’s bible. What she found stopped her
in her tracks. There was a vibrator still in its original
packaging, a bottle of lubricant, and something she had never
seen before. The package said “Butt Plug”. A rush
of heat swept through her as she contemplated its size and
shape. Her nipples contracted into hard little buttons at
the sight of a dozen clothespins; she remembered what Judy
had done with these! There was a small jar of green gel, some
massage oil, extra batteries and a few more items she honestly
couldn’t imagine what their purpose would be.
She quickly checked the drawer on the other
side of the bed. This one was also full. She was finding it
hard to breathe while she pulled the leather cuffs out of
the drawer. There were leather straps and chains of all different
lengths. A blindfold, gloves and a studded collar filled out
the inventory. Her pussy was throbbing. What kind of place
was this? She wondered if Ian had found these things and what
she could do to inspire him to use them on her.
Then a startling thought occurred to her.
What if Ian had brought them? Heat infused her belly at the
thought. She was caressing the leather and letting the chains
run through her fingers when she heard the water shut off.
She hurriedly replaced all the toys and continued her search
for her clothing.
She found her dress hanging in the armoire
and corset and thong in the second drawer. She struggled into
the corset, thinking it was no wonder Victorian ladies had
a staff to help them get dressed! Well, hopefully she would
have help getting out of it! Maddie loved the sensation of
wearing a properly fitted corset. It kept her posture straight
and pushed her breasts up to lovely soft pillows. It made
her feel sexy and powerful and she was un-nerved enough at
the thought of seeing Stephen again any extra help she could
get from her clothing was welcome. The dress slipped over
her shoulders easily, hugging her corset-accentuated curves.
Nothing like a velvet dress over a satin corset!
She had painted her nails a deep crimson
colour Ian particularly liked so she chose to wear no stockings.
She preferred to let her painted toes peak out from the open
sandal. She was just buckling the last strap on her shoe when
Ian came out of the bathroom.
She looked at her husband with new eyes as
he walked out of the bathroom buck-naked and went to the armoire.
He was a fine figure of a man. A few years older then Maddie
herself, but he still had a full head of thick coarse red
hair. His green eyes sparkled under bushy brows. He worked
out regularly and enjoyed the fruits of this labour. He was
strong and healthy. She remembered back to the joys of their
courtship. You know, he really hasn’t changed that much.
He is still playful and clever and an all-around wonderful
man. Could he really have brought those things without telling
her?
“Better hurry with your hair, Maddie.
We only have ten minutes.” He collected his clothes
and started to dress. Madelyn shook herself from her reverie
and went to the bathroom to finish drying her hair and fix
her makeup. They were ready by the time the knock came. Madelyn
opened the door.
“Good evening, Ma’am. Are you
ready for dinner?”
Alexis was wearing a German style dress known
as a dirndl, all in black with bright red embroidered roses
around the hem, up the centre of the bodice and on the matching
apron. The skirt was very short and she wore high-heeled sandals
on bare feet. A small lacy blouse under the dirndl barely
covered her nipples and the tight bodice pushed up her breasts
accentuating her lovely cleavage. Her strawberry blonde hair
was done up on her head with soft cascades of curls leaving
her neck long. A black velvet choker necklace completed the
ensemble. She was stunning. Ian obviously thought so too.
“Darling, do you have the key?”
Maddie tried to get his attention. As Ian turned to get the
key, Maddie caught the eye of the girl.
“That’s some uniform.”
Madelyn observed. “Comfortable?”
“Yes Ma’am, actually it’s
quite comfortable. Master Stephen likes his girls to be…
pleasing.” Alexis smiled warmly and licked her lips
playfully.
Maddie smiled back, thinking Alexis was very
‘pleasing’ indeed. Ian locked the door and they
followed the girl down to the dining room.
The dining room was just as beautiful as
the rest of the house. The table was glittering with silver,
crystal and candles. By the time everyone was assembled Madelyn
counted three other couples, each escorted by their own ‘Alexis’.
Alexis went to the bar and returned with
two glasses on a small tray. “Master Stephen and Lady
Claire will arrive shortly and then dinner will be served.
Is there anything else Alexis can do for you while you wait?”
Ian took a sip of his wine. “The information
packet was pretty vague on what will happen here. Can you
tell us what the structure of the retreat will be?”
Alexis looked from Ian to Madelyn and back
again. “Oh well, not exactly Sir. You see, every retreat
is slightly different, and of course everyone experiences
the retreat differently too. Alexis really couldn’t
say how it will be for you. Only that you are sure to find
it helpful. Alexis is sorry she can’t be of more help,
Sir. Please forgive her. Ah, here they are.” Alexis
looked genuinely relieved at the arrival of Stephen and Claire.
Maddie found Alexis’ speech pattern strange. Why was
she speaking of herself in the third person?
These musings were quickly banished when
Maddie caught sight of Stephen. She felt the flush creep up
her throat as she remembered some of the things she had fantasized
about this man. He was easily as captivating as she remembered.
He was dressed formally in a black tuxedo and black tie as
were all the men in the room, but somehow he seemed to own
it. Maddie was again amazed at how easily he moved, and how
he seemed to radiate light with his smile. It didn’t
hurt he had the lovely Claire on his arm. She practically
flowed. The short red dress she had been wearing earlier seemed
to have grown into a longer more formal version of the same
gown. It hugged her breasts and flowed like liquid fire over
her hips and to the floor.
Stephen and Claire moved through the group
quickly offering greetings. As they got closer Maddie found
it again difficult to breathe, her belly burning, her ears
ringing. Then she found herself enveloped in Claire’s
fragrant embrace as Stephen and Ian shook hands. It happened
so fast, then they moved on. Maddie took a deep breath as
Alexis showed them to their seats.
Alexis attended them all evening, as did
the other girls to each of the other couples. Madelyn had
mostly recovered from her initial shock at seeing Stephen
again. She was actually pleased she didn’t seem to be
having the same intensity of reaction she had at the first
retreat. That would have been too distracting. She did notice
there seemed to be a hierarchy among the serving girls. The
girls serving the guests were all dressed as Alexis in the
black dirndls with the embroidered red roses. But the girl
serving Claire and Stephen wore a magnificent green and gold
dirndl that perfectly highlighted her dark complexion and
almond eyes. Maddie noticed there was a subtle sensuality
to her movements that aroused her just by watching. She moved
like a cat, but more than that, she made the serving of the
dinner into an erotic art. The timing of her movements was
exquisite. She would put down the plate and wait just a heartbeat
until she would withdraw; and each time she withdrew she bent
just a bit, dipping her head slightly. All this was done silently
and without any notice from Claire or Stephen at all.
There was also a dozen or so of ‘lesser’
servants shuttling dishes from the sideboard to and from the
kitchen. It actually took Maddie some time to even notice
them, but once she did, she started to watch them more carefully.
These girls wore quite plain dark blue dirndls with longer
skirts, low-heeled sensible shoes and more modest blouses,
but what was most impressive was they moved the dishes without
a single sound. There was no jarring jangle of cutlery on
china. No clanging of pots. There was a grace and efficiency
of movement between the girls in the blue dresses and Alexis
and her sisters that reminded Maddie of a well choreographed
dance; a dance that was almost invisible and did nothing to
detract from the excellent food and friendly conversation.
Maddie wished all her fancy dance training could have taught
her to move so well.
When the coffee and deserts had been served,
Stephen stood up.
“Good evening all. By now you have
realized this is not your usual marriage retreat. As I told
each of you when I invited you to call, I belong to an ancient
order, one dating back to before the crusades. It has been
the mandate of this order to assist people in finding their
God-given nature and expressing it in their lives. We have
retreat manors all over the world and this one is dedicated
to finding couples who need help repairing the natural power
relationship in their lives. Let me explain…
“In all human interactions there is
an element of power transfer. Some people call it status.
We all know people who collect huge amounts of power and others
who are perfectly content to serve selflessly. There are people
who are strongly dominant and others who are deeply submissive.
The vast majority of the population fall in the middle, they
will dominate sometimes, be a leader in some situations and
be submissive or a follower in other situations. These people
are not the concern of our order. We are concerned with you.
“In today’s society, it is not
politically correct for one person to dominate another, even
if that is precisely what the other person wants and needs.
It is also unthinkable in the face of almost universal feminism
for a strong, confident and self-sufficient woman to voluntarily
give up her power and submit to her husband. But I would propose
to you that is exactly what you should explore.
“Since the beginning of recorded time
the most common relationship between the genders has been
one where the male dominates and takes responsibility and
the female submits and serves. The men have been responsible
for providing the family with food, money, and necessities
of life. They defend their family, their women and children,
from outside threats. It has been up to the women to take
the wealth the man provides and to create the home. To provide
the strong support base he needs and deserves.” Stephen
stopped briefly and looked around the room, letting his words
sink in.
“But today the focus of life has shifted
from responsibility and service to self-satisfaction and empowerment.
As a result some people find themselves lost in a morass of
dissatisfaction, without a clear focus in their lives. They
end up in marriage retreats feeling even more hopeless; or
worse yet, in psychologists’ offices being told their
normal impulses are deviant.
“I have identified each of you as fitting
this profile. Now if you elect to stay you will be given training
in how to express this innate order in your lives. Your marriages
will improve as will your own contentment in life. The women
will be trained separately from the men. For the women, the
rules are simple: honesty, trust and obedience. For the men,
it will be a bit more complicated. You will learn honesty,
self-control and responsibility. Take your time; discuss it
with your spouse. If you decide not to participate, you may
leave now.” Stephen sat down and took a sip from his
coffee cup.
Madelyn looked at Ian. “Shall we try
this?” She desperately wanted him to agree. The memory
of the toys in the bedside table and the open sexuality of
the serving girls had kept her aroused all evening. What Stephen
had said about responsibility and service had resonated deep
within her. For the first time in months she felt real hope;
she did not want to leave now.
“You want to submit to me?” Ian
looked perplexed.
Madelyn wanted to shout ‘Yes, yes,
yes… Please dominate me the way Judy did! Please make
me feel what Stephen did!’ But she didn’t want
to frighten him. She was afraid he would be disgusted and
reject her. But if this worked for him too…
“Honestly? I don’t know. But
I am willing to try if you are.”
Ian looked at her long and hard. “Ok,
we’re in then.”
There was a commotion of raised voices across
the table. One of the women got up. “If you think I
am going to let him boss me around, you are out of your little
tiny mind! I’m leaving.” She stormed out. Her
husband muttered some apologies and hurried after her.
Stephen looked calm and composed. “Fine.
Now the gentlemen may stay here and the women will leave with
Claire.”
“Come along, ladies. Let’s leave
the men to their discussions.” Claire stood and waited
for the others to join her.
Madelyn felt a stab of panic. What had she
just agreed to? Ian gave her a reassuring pat on the thigh
and smiled. “Have fun sweetheart, I’ll see you
on the other side!”
Ok, it would be ok. Maddie got up and followed
Claire and the others.
|
