Well Made and Enduring

As part of her education, Elspeth had years of dance training. Yet, ragtime was not part of it. No matter. With a head gesture, Dr. Richards instructed Elspeth to assist Miss Martel. Joined by Jasper, they spent six hours learning and demonstrating a list of ragtime dances, as well as more familiar tangoes and waltzes. Almost a dozen of the dances made their way to YouTube. It was one of the most rewarding evenings of Elspeth's life.

However, Elspeth watched the highlight of the evening from the sidelines. Dr. Richards broke the period theme with a portable CD player. Miss Martel and the bride, Sheila Schwartz-Richards, took places on the floor. Despite their ballroom dance attire, the CD was from Tchaikovsky's ballet The Nutcracker. Almost immediately, Elspeth recognized the dance of the Prince and the Sugarplum Fairy.

It was impossible. The dance is almost the definition of traditional ballet complete with toe slippers and tutus. The Sugarplum Fairy is mostly done en pointe. The Prince does leaps and lifts. Francine Martel managed to give the impression of toe stands with her salsa heels. Mrs. Schwartz-Richards proved capable of the physicality required of the Prince, while being even more fluid than her partner. When the music stopped, Elspeth realized she had stopped breathing. Fortunately, Dr. Richards had the floor.

The bouquet was tossed, followed by a garter. Elspeth had the impression that the bride was not wearing a garter for that purpose. She must have been wearing garters to hold up her stockings. Elspeth was also fairly sure the bride was not wearing panties. That did interesting things to her libido as she followed the crowd down to see the couple off. Trailing the vintage Rolls Bentley was a pair of mismatched Army boots, which made her laugh.

After the Bentley drove off, most of the guests went back to the ballroom. Dr. Richards lagged behind with several members of the house staff. As the car disappeared around a turn, Gerald turned to Dr. Richards. A hush fell as he spoke, "You did well." To Elspeth this seemed appropriate enough, but mouths fell open among the rest. She would find that Gerald's lengthy and acerbic critiques were legendary among the staff.

Dr. Richards and her escort went back up to the house. Behind them, easily unnoticed, was Christine. As Elspeth began to follow, Christine turned to look at her. While not as confrontational as one of Dr. Richards inspections, this was nearly as scary. Christine was the Maid-of-Honor and generally the bride's constant shadow. However, Elspeth had seen how smoothly Dr. Richards and Christine could work together. Now, Christine seemed to be on loan during the honeymoon.

The rest of the day confirmed some of Elspeth's worst fears. Christine stuck to Dr. Richards like a second skin. While the girl—Christine could be no older than twenty, if that—had no education, she was not stupid. Indeed, there had to be a reason why she was the Maid-of-Honor and Francine Martel was only a bridesmaid. For that matter, Dr. Richards had stood beside her brother, not by the bride.

The more Elspeth watched, the more frustrated she became. Christine was attentive to the point of obsequious, yet she could vanish in plain sight. It was a skill Elspeth often wished she possessed. Christine's interest in Dr. Richards also included the physical. Though they were not intimate, Elspeth was sure that Dr. Richards was at least bisexual. Indeed, bi only because of the tall German man who was hanging around. However, duty called.

Elspeth returned to the dance floor. That was deja vu. Wednesday night, Dr. Richards had come to the motel with music. The group had a quick lesson in ballroom dance. Elspeth was the most experienced, so she was one of the demonstrators. The lesson finished with Elspeth dancing with Dr. Richards. Though she was much the better dancer, Elspeth let Dr. Richards lead, which she did. Firmly. At the end of the dance, Dr. Richards leaned forward and kissed Elspeth. Pulse pounding in her ears, Elspeth kissed her back.

Elspeth chewed on her feelings. She was unquestionably jealous. That was also deja vu. Thursday, Francine Martel had brought in a twenty-something California girl, Roxanna. She and Elspeth had bristled on contact but it passed. Though Roxanna had shown interest in Dr. Richards, she was more interested in Jason Porter. Jason had a surfer-dude vibe that had half the women swooning. Oddly, his glance always seemed to be toward Christine.

The thing that burned was that Roxanna received an invitation to the rehearsal dinner and Elspeth did not. The rumors were of an exceptional feast. Dr. Richards had no escort, as if it were a family meal. That struck Elspeth as wrong. The family meal part was clearly not true, but that was not the problem. Elspeth slowly realized that she considered her place to be at Dr. Richard's side. More deja vu.

Thursday morning Dr. Richards had shown up at the Waffle House with news. Reporters were beginning to infest the town. In fact, there was one a couple of booths over. Dr. Richards told them to pack up and move to the manor. In the parking lot, Elspeth asked, "What do you want from me." Dr. Richard's response was everything Elspeth hoped and feared.

Dr. Richards said, "I considered taking you back to my room last night and fucking your brains out. I considered it long and hard. In the end, I chose not to for three reasons. First, there are two men who have expressed interest. I intend to see where that goes. Second, I have had an expert makeover, which put me in a forgiving mood. The real reason is that I do not think it would be good for you. I think you will make an excellent wife and an exceptional mother. I do not want to keep you from that.

"I know it is not currently considered appropriate to talk of finding a man to make your life complete, but I think that is the route you are suited for. Just choose wisely. Your best match may need your sharp expressiveness. He may be too quiet for his own good. Or not. I am not the Oracle at Delphi. I am saying, look past the surface and try to hear what the quiet ones have trouble saying.

"For myself, I need your sartorial skills. Sheila and Francine-yes the bride and her Broadway diva best friend-are not available today. Friday we will be going for the final fittings. I expect part of that to be hair and makeup. I also need something between the jeans and what I am wearing now. This is good practice, but I need everyday clothes that are presentable. Where should I start?"

Elspeth was at a loss for words. Finally, she said, "If you only knew how many times I have made fun of your appearance, half wishing I could take you for a makeover. On second thought, maybe you know. Damn you look good in that suit. Who picked out the Blahnick pumps? I would kill for those in my size. What did you pay? $750?"

Dr. Richards replied, "I'm not sure. It was either Sheila or Francine. They were really excited about finding them. The shoes came in a plain brown box. No name. This suit is supposed to be Dior, but the label says Carriage Club. All I know is that we filled up this car and the bill was just under $3000."

Elspeth exclaimed, "What the fuck!" Grandmother would be very disappointed. Only people losing an argument needed to resort to vulgarity. "You have to be wearing over $1500. Are you saying there was a lot more?" When Dr. Richards nodded, Elspeth slumped. It was unfair. There was no way she could match that sort of bargain. Fortunately, she would not need to.

Dr. Richards went on, "Today I am paying retail. I just need two outfits, some more sensible shoes and a start on hair and makeup. Francine's professional will be upset if I do too much." Laughing in resignation, Elspeth climbed into the car. The rest of the morning was memorable.

Dr. Richards drove east. Not much later, she pulled into a truck stop. In the handicap stall, Elspeth tightened the cords on Dr. Richards' corset. One mystery explained. An half-inch less in the waist made Dr. Richards look more than ten pounds smaller. Though she did not need the figure control, Elspeth was jealous of the corset. It was another item to chew.

They stopped in a mall outside Union, NJ. In addition to Dillards and Marshalls there were some boutique stores. Surprisingly, Ashley Stewart turned out to be the right choice. Dr. Richards' height was one issue. The size of her back end was another. Hair and nails took most of the time. While Dr. Richards was getting trimmed and manicured, Elspeth located a store specializing in salsa dance. She bought two pairs of dance heels, one for each of them.

On the way back to the wedding preparations, Elspeth asked Dr. Richards, "Were you serious when you said you would fuck my brains out?" Elspeth blushed at the language even as she used it. Dr. Richards said nothing. A couple of miles later, they stopped at a light. Dr. Richards reached over and pulled Elspeth into a kiss. It was long, full of tongue, and very possessive. As Elspeth sat back in her seat, Dr. Richards simply put the Mercedes in gear.

Chapter 5 - Submissions

All this was running through Elspeth's head when the wedding reception finally broke up. It was almost one in the morning. Elspeth's feet felt the hours on the dance floor. Even Francine Martel, the original Energizer Bunny, was drooping. Dr. Richards called a meeting. Individually, she thanked them for their contributions. Before she let them all go, she announced that she would be tying up Christine and whipping her. Anyone that wanted to watch was welcome, provided they were also restrained. Fatigue seemed to vanish from Elspeth's mind.

On a memorable day, in a memorable week, it was the most memorable event. Only one of the nine chose not to attend. Evaine had stayed all week with the Amish. She returned once again. Everyone else was sent to dress comfortably and meet in an hour in a recently cleared storage room. Most returned wearing sleepwear. Elspeth chose baggy workout clothes over her usual lingerie. Much to her surprise, Dr. Richards was not in the room. Christine wordlessly greeted everyone.

Prominently placed was a camera. No explanation was given. Instead, Christine led everyone to a table full of pre-tied rope links. Some were clearly pet toys. That did not make them ineffective. Conrad was already kneeling with his thighs held together and his arms behind his back. He wore hospital scrub bottoms and no top. Next to him was Kerin. She was wearing only the scrub top and a gag as far as Elspeth could see, though clearly her hands were bound behind her back in some fashion.

Turning her attention back to the table of restraints, it seemed to be a choose-your-poison situation. Feeling very self-conscious, Elspeth took two pairs of figure eight rings and a gag. Taking off her slippers and the bottoms of her pants, Elspeth pulled the larger of the figure eights over her ankles and knees. Getting them past the calves was tight but she managed. Kneeling, she removed the workout top, put her hands behind her back, and slipped the other figure eight over her wrists.

Somehow, Christine was there to help push the ropes over the elbows. At that point, Elspeth realized she had not put in the gag. Reaching to pick it up, the arm restraints pulled her up short. Christine smiled and held out her hand. It was politely placed but clearly a command. Elspeth flushed and began to comply.

The leg restraints could barely be forced past her knees. There was no slack. However, her arms were bound at the elbow. Elspeth had some range of motion there. Pivoting at the waist and stretching her arms til the shoulders hurt put her within an inch of the gag. Hunching and twisting harder made up the last inch. Elspeth could just touch the gag with her finger. Using her manicured nail for all it was worth, she dug into the hard rubber ball and pulled it closer.

The first try was barely a twitch, but it was enough to show it was possible. The fourth attempt managed an inch. The fifth attempt pulled it next to her leg. With a feeling of accomplishment, Elspeth picked up the gag and held it as far forward as she could manage. Christine took it from her hand and held it in front of Elspeth's face.

With a jolt, Elspeth realized she had labored long and hard to have herself gagged. It was degrading. It was humiliating. It was wonderful. With a sigh, Elspeth opened her mouth and allowed Christine to place the ball between her teeth. There were a few moments of physical closeness while Christine lifted Elspeth's hair and fastened the clasp. Forced to breathe through her nose, Elspeth became very aware of Christine's musky scent.

When the moment was over, Elspeth had leisure to take stock. She was bound in public, kneeling and gagged, wearing only her bra and panties. Not only had she consented, she had helped. One part of her was mortified. Another part of her wanted to do it all again. Elspeth had no doubt that she was more aroused than she had been in months, maybe years, maybe ever. She was aroused and there was nothing she could do about it.

They say waiting is torture. Grandmother said waiting was discipline. Many times she placed Elspeth in a corner, forehead on both walls, for the count of one thousand. Elspeth thought of those times and counted in an attempt to distract herself from the itch between her legs. One thousand came and went. Then two thousand and three. While she counted, the room filled up.

All the others came except Evaine. That was understandable. Only Kerin and Elspeth chose the gag, but everyone took some form of restraint. Harshini's was only symbolic. She sat in a lotus with her wrists bound in front. Of the girls, only Vivian was topless. Everyone wore some form of clothing, but only one layer. Once all were in place, Christine began her own preparations.

They were simple. Christine was only wearing shorts and a pullover shirt. She removed both, folded them and placed them on the floor. As she worked, Elspeth saw extensive bruising on Christine's legs. She had no chance for a close look, because Christine knelt, knees far apart and sat back on her heels. She reached behind her back, grasped both elbows, and adjusted her position. Then, nothing.

Elspeth was well behind Christine. Within moments of assuming the position, the only movement that she could detect was the slow rise and fall of the one C-cup breast in Elspeth's range of vision. Sighing internally, she began to count Christine's breaths. They were slow and widely spaced. Elspeth tried and could not match the timing. She felt a surge of admiration while the count climbed.

At one hundred fifty-seven the door opened and Dr. Richards entered. All other thoughts fled. This was worth the wait because Dr. Richards made a hell of an entrance. She wore the corset, which no one but Elspeth had seen. Over and below were matched black lace bra and panties. On her legs were silk stockings, held up by garters, and black ankle-strap pumps. In her hand was a flogger.

In keeping with everything up to that point, Dr. Richards said nothing. Instead, she went to the corner of the room and picked a rolling secretary-type chair and a mop handle. She placed the chair in the middle of the room. Holding the mop handle vertically, she nodded to Christine who unfolded and rose. When she did, Elspeth had her first good look at bruising along Christine's legs. It ran from crack to ankle on both legs.

Dr. Richards made sure everyone had a good look, then sat Christine in the chair. Picking up a length of woven rope, Dr. Richards folded it in half, then reversed the line over itself making two side-by-side loops. These she slipped over Christine's wrist to form a simple hitch. Dr. Richards repeated the process on the other wrist and the ankles, though with the ankles the line was doubled. Once done, Dr. Richards placed the mop handle behind Christine's neck and tied the wrists to opposite ends. Elspeth winced when she realized what was coming next.

The ankles were tied next to the wrists. This held the legs in a wide V. Dr. Richards rotated the chair so everyone had a good look. The details came to Elspeth in flashes—shaved pubic hair, open outer lips, bruising less pronounced than from the back but including the sex, drops of glistening honey, a peace filled smile, prominently pointed nipples. Elspeth realized she had stopped breathing and was forced to catch up. The gag made gasping impossible, so this took a while.

When Elspeth was again able to breathe somewhat normally, Dr. Richards was already working on Christine. She began with light fingers brushing over various places—the breasts, inside the knee, along the edge of the feet, inside the thighs. Everywhere but the primary erogenous zones. Elspeth felt her whole body ache in sympathy.

Dr. Richards picked up the flogger. She repeated the path of her fingers, using the tips of the flogger and occasionally grasping the end of the tassels into an impromptu brush. Elspeth squirmed as Dr. Richards brushed the line between the balls and toes each foot. With no warning, the flogger struck the inside of one breast. Up to this point, Christine had been still as a statue. She twitched. Her sex opened wider and honey dripped out. A couple of the watchers orgasmed in sympathy.

Dr. Richards went back to stroking and tickling with the flogger. Every now and again, increasingly often, it would strike. Eventually, everything was a strike, though varying in force. Some were token strikes. Others left reddened skin. Ten strokes were alternated between the breasts, followed by a long session of minimal contact. A dozen or more strokes pinked the thighs. This time, there was no backing off. Instead, Dr. Richards spoke a single word and struck directly on the sex.

Christine jerked so hard she slipped sideways on the chair. Dr. Richards grabbed the mop handle to right her, then began releasing the restraints. When Christine was free, Dr. Richards went to Vivian and applied two strokes of the flogger to each bare breast. Vivian shuddered. Looking around the room, Dr. Richard's eye fell on Elspeth. Christine was on her feet, so the chair was empty.

Dr. Richards placed the chair in front of Elspeth and sat. Before she realized what was coming, Elspeth was dragged from her kneeling position onto Dr. Richards' lap. The first swat had already fallen before Elspeth could react to the humiliation. The first orgasm came on the fourth swat. The second, much larger one came on swat twelve. Dr. Richards went all the way to twenty before pushing Elspeth back to kneel on her heels. With a wink, she rose and left the room.

About ten minutes later, Christine removed the restraints. Everyone else was already gone. Christine also winked and left, leaving the gag in place. Elspeth wondered if it was some sort of comment. She would never know.

Chapter 6 -- After Party

Elspeth dragged herself back to the room she shared with Harshini and Vivian. Though the hour was late and the day had been long, that did not account for the fatigue Elspeth felt. The others were sitting cross-legged on the beds, discussing the scene they had witnessed. Vivian was again (or still) topless. She stroked the pink marks on her breasts. Harshini was asking about how the pain had colored the orgasm.

That did not shock Elspeth. Harshini was from a region where the Kama Sutra was a lifestyle, much like yoga. Vivian was another story. She was from the rural Midwest. Yet she voluntarily removed her top and showed no sign of embarrassment when Elspeth entered the room. Elspeth had expected something more conservative, even repressed. Evidently not. Elspeth fought an urge to reach out and stroke the tits and their pointed nipples.