'How...' They were now tightly wrapped together in a taxi and they both started to ask similar questions at the same time.

Lucinda indicated he should go first. 'Did he hit her at all? Was it all an act? It was well done if it was.'

'You saw how frightened I was!' She turned towards him and kissed him gently on the cheek. 'I've worked with circus people for years and I've never seen a man, who could use a whip like that. And not hurt! He's frightening.' She now asked her question. 'Why didn't the electricity kill her?'

He smiled realising how even someone as intelligent and well-read as Lucinda was, can be completely ignorant about science. 'You know that those van der Graaff generators were probably giving out about a million volts.' He was milking her ignorance, but what he said was totally true.

'But they don't use that much in an electric chair!'

'No! But it's the current that kills and she was protected inside her own little Faraday cage, as all the electricity passes on the outside of any conductor. You saw how carefully he tied that metallic bag around her, that was her protection and you can see it worked.'

'You've lost me! You're having me on! Who was Faraday anyway?' She was very doubtful and the look on her face showed it. 'I always thought van der Graaff Generator were a rock group?'

'Think! Have you ever been in an aircraft that has been struck by lightning?'

'Yes! It was in a thunderstorm near Pittsburgh!'

'Well then!' He kissed her. 'Do you believe me now?'

***

'Are you going to let me out now?' They were downstairs on the sofa in the suite. He was sitting normally and she was laying full-length with her legs over his lap. His hand had been inevitably drawn to that naked triangle. 'I feel very turned on and need to be fucked.' He stroked her provocatively and carefully. 'Stop that! I also need to go to the toilet.'

'Did downstairs turn you on?' He had dragged her by her lead all through the lobbies and saloons of the hotel to cheers and catcalls, whilst she had carried her suit, neatly tissued, folded and placed in the sort of bag one gets at high-class dress shops. Except that the bag was emblazoned with the picture of a cruel man and the word Marquis.

She did not say a word, but he knew her answer. She repeated the question. 'Did downstairs turn you on? Now please unlock me!'

'Give me one good reason why I should!' He carried on stroking. 'After all, I've now captured you. I have all your keys. You're mine until I let you go!' He picked up her hand and kissed it. 'Why should I ever let you go?'

'You must unlock me soon, as I'll wet the sofa!' They laughed. 'You'll let me go though! You're the sort of man, who's brilliant at a technical and a business level. But let's face it, you've not been too good or even lucky in love. One runaway, one manic drunk and a lady you see so rarely you build her up to be some sort of goddess. I guess there have been others. And then there's me!'

'Are you a bad choice too?'

'No, I couldn't say that! Could I?' She smiled. 'But as I think my tattoo would say, I'd be the property of Lucinda. I've made the same bad choices all of my life as you have and now I can't trust my heart, when it tells me my judgement is wrong!' There was the suspicion of a tear in her eye. 'I love all the things we've done; the games, the business, the company, the picnics, the champagne and the sex, but why can't I give myself totally to you? It's as if I'm afraid of what you do to me!'

'She used to say that to me!' Lucinda noted he had used the past tense. Did it mean anything? 'She accused me of wanting to control everything in her life! But I never wanted to hurt her. I did, never physically and only through mental neglect and selfishness. I'm never going to let the same things happen again!'

***

'Give me your feet!' She curled her legs, so that her feet and the towering shoes were available to him. 'I guess, if you're ever going to be released, we start here! But, let's leave the analysis for now!'

'Yes, Master!'

Slowly, he took each foot and undid the two padlocks to release each shoe. He kissed and sucked each stockinged toe, massaging them gently to ease any pain, that had built up during the constriction. He then stroked and kneaded the tendons in her feet and backs of her calves, as they recovered from the stretching they had endured due to the high heels. 'Do you feel, you can stand now?'

'Yes, Master!' She swung her legs off the sofa and stood facing away from him. She bounced her heels up and down a few times to celebrate their release.

He stood behind her and turned her towards him, kissing her extravagantly. 'You must promise that tonight you stay all night and only leave when I say!' She nodded. 'I want you to say it properly!'

She broke away from his grip and dropped to her knees in front of him, bowing her head and placing her hands behind her back. 'I do, Master!'

He placed his hand under her chin, lifted her head and indicated that she should rise. As she did, he turned her and reached for the locks at her back. Tantalising he teased her, by taking a long time at each lock, to find the correct key amongst the dozen or so in his bunch. He paused before tackling the last. 'I need a drink. Would you like a beer or a Coke?'

'No thank you, Master!' She had a strange grin on her face, which was a cross between anger, anticipation and an appreciation of his humour.

She remained absolutely still, whilst he took ages to get the beer from the fridge and then remove the cap. He prolonged everything by taking a large drink before continuing. The last lock was removed from her back and then he applied his fingers to the knots and the laces, gradually easing the garment, so that it could be rolled down. Slowly he unpeeled the black latex from her body, releasing her bust and easing it over her hips. He could not resist dipping his fingers into her dripping sex as it became exposed, before dropping the garment down her legs to the floor. Quickly she stepped out. 'Did I give you permission to do that?'

'No, Master!' She smartly stepped back in.

'Do you want to take a break now?'

'Yes, Master!'

***

'I didn't say you could take the tights off!' She stopped in her tracks and went back.

'Is that better, Master!' She was now laying across him again, with her tights pulled down slightly and her sex comfortably exposed and positioned for his hands and his pleasure. He was carefully examining its beauty, kneading and folding the labia and massaging her clitoris. He could see from her face that she was enjoying his touch.

Abruptly he stopped his teasing and withdrew his hands. 'She's had enough pleasure today. I saw all the nobbles and ribs in the crotch of that suit. You've been very naughty. You must have been having orgasms all night!'

'No comment, Master!' She was grinning widely.

'I think we'll keep her on short rations tonight!'

***

He pushed her legs off his lap and stood up, dragging her after him by the use of the still-attached lead and collar. Slowly, he pulled, lifted and manhandled her up the stairs, as she gave a rather poor imitation of resistance.

The balcony was dark and as he switched on the light he saw the surprising present that Lucinda had laid out before they had left. Four fur-lined black leather cuffs were placed at each corner of the bed and linked to it by chains. A gag, hood and various straps and restraints were meticulously arranged on the pillow, with a vicious looking whip in the centre of the bed.

Copyright 1999 by Ewart Higgins