Everyone had changed positions and Alex found herself sitting between Suzy and Alan.

'Are you comfortable, Alex?' Suzy spoke, as she tucked into the disgusting pudding of mainly strawberries, cream and Cointreau. 'You don't seem to want your gorgeous pudding!'

'Very comfortable! Surprisingly so! As to the pudding! What space I had left, has been squeezed out of me!' She giggled and put her hands to her highly constricted waist. 'It almost feels my hands can touch!'

'It is rather formidable. And also very beautiful!' Suzy turned across to Alan. 'Alan likes it too. Don't you?'

'Yes!' He stopped his staring at Alex. 'Sorry, but I was looking at how it was made.'

'Really! Cobblers!' Suzy laughed. 'I thought you were checking out those naked breasts with the beautiful pert nipples, the very small and highly-sculptured waist, all that dark blue strongly-boned polished leather and the eight suspenders framing the delicate thong!'

'Surely, a very liberated woman like you, Suzy, would never wear anything like that?' Alan was defensive.

'I never thought I would, but Susan got me into one when I had to dress formally when we won an award.' She laughed. 'Me in a frock. Let alone a posh ball-gown with a tight corset underneath! Don't laugh!' She laughed again towards Alex. 'Susan can be very persuasive.'

Alex giggled again. 'Don't I just know it! She feels everyone should dress the part!'

'I wear a corset now when I want to be properly fucked!' She kept laughing. 'Rather than be seduced or made love to!'

***

Everyone turned as a drum roll sounded.

After a few seconds, the triplets entered carrying three large and very elaborate candelabra, each with a dozen or more burning candles. The men and even some of the women clapped and cheered, as they saw that the girls were completely naked except for their initialled thongs and extremely tiny bras, which barely covered. They then marched slowly with their heads bowed to the windows and placed the candles so that they bathed the whole room in a flickering light. The light level had now risen to a brightness, that made everybody in the room clearly visible. The girls turned and walked back out of the room only to return within twenty seconds carrying three more candelabra, which they placed at the other end of the room. They then retrieved bottles of champagne, white and red wine and passed around making sure that everybody had more than enough to drink, before retreating through the door.

'This is interesting!' Suzy made the observation. 'Those girls are so lovely! And very very naughty!'

It was perhaps a minute or so, before there was another drum roll.

This time a small procession entered, led by one of the triplets carrying a flaming torch, best described as very gothic. She was followed by a man in a floor-length leather cloak with his head in a sinister all-enveloping mask, with just holes for his eyes and mouth. The other two triplets walked in step at the rear. As they walked silently and slowly around the room, Alex could see that the following girls were carrying whips, chains, cuffs, hobbles and other paraphenalia of a questionable nature. The procession stopped in front of the windows with the triplets a metre or so behind the man.

Alex reckoned that the man must be Pete, as she had noticed that he was not in the room. He stood with his arms folded and waited for quiet. 'I need to be satisfied with a virgin! But I suspect that I have come to the wrong place.'

'You have mate!' Suzy shouted back. There was quite a bit of laughter.

'There's always us!' One of the triplets came forward.

Pete looked them up and down. 'Virgins! I doubt it! If they are they're certainly not wise to be dressed like that!'

***

'What the hell is that?' Alan started as the lift in the corner rose through the floor with its cargo. The chariot was onboard and when the lift stopped it moved from the corner to the centre of the room. The various arms started dancing and all of the conversation in the room stopped.

'Now! Ladies!' Pete swirled his cloak. 'Would anyone like a ride? It certainly won't be boring!'

None of those addressed said a word!

'So you had better all come forward!' Suzy was first and gradually they all came and stood in a wide circle around the chariot.

'What does it do?' Jane was curious and asked the obvious question.

'You lie strapped down in it, with your head in a padded leather cushion for safety and security.' He pointed to the bench and the various restraints. 'Then you are paraded around the room, so everyone can see all your secrets. Then I fuck you!' A ripple of apprehension went round the circle. 'Perhaps you'd all like a chair. Gentlemen! Chairs for the ladies! But ignore those awful triplets!'

***

'And you are?' Pete approached the woman nearest the window.

'Jane!'

'You're in!' Pete looked around the circle. 'I think I'll keep just the corsetted ladies. They need to be firmly constrained with a small waist to survive the ordeal I will inflict. And anyway, I like ladies to be dressed like that! Let me see if I remember all your names.' He pointed to each in turn as he spoke. 'Jane! Lizzie! Daisy! Anita! And Alex!' He waved the others away leaving the five ladies sitting equidistant around the chariot.

He pointed at Lizzie and beckoned her forward to where he was standing by the chariot. 'Do you think you could ride this fearsome machine?' He had the control in his hand and moved the bench to an approximate position for Lizzie. 'You lay over there with your head and hands in those holes. Open the pillory and see for yourself.'

'This thing here!' She pointed at the wooden bar with the padded holes. Pete nodded and Lizzie lifted it up. 'Would you like me to get in?'

'It's not a question of like!' Pete waved her to lie on the machine. 'You will get in as you are going for a ride. I'm just assessing you as a possible victim!'

***

'That wasn't too bad was it?' Lizzie was beaming as she stood up after being released from the machine to applause from the others in the room. 'I was only very gentle with you! You rode all round this room with your bottom in the air! It was just to show how safe the machine is.'

'Who smacked me?' Lizzie tried to look at her bottom. 'I bet it was my husband! He's a bit like that, but luckily it was only a tap!'

'You did well!' He waved Lizzie to return to the table with her chair. 'Now who's next?' He pointed to Alex. 'How about you?'

She stood in front of him and he walked around her examining her fully, testing the laces and pulling her suspenders. 'I'm going to reject you now! It's all very nice that corset. And quite severe too! I like you like that! So you are lucky this time. Pick up your chair and go back!' Alex complied. Pete looked around the three left. 'I'll take you in white now.'

'I'm not you!' She smiled cheekily at him. 'I'm Daisy!'

'I know you are!' He looked her up and down. 'You're very smart for a plod! Do you wear a corset that for undercover work against perverts? It must be good for stopping bullets and knives!'

'No! I fight terrorism!'

'I thought you fought judges in mud!' Susan had made sure that Pete had had a full briefing on everybody.

'Susan wasn't a judge then!' Daisy corrected him.

'Who won by the way?'

'Susan did! Does it matter?'

'Yes!' He paused and smiled menacingly at Daisy. 'I don't play with losers. Take your chair and go!'

***

It was now a choice between Jane and Anita and he picked out Jane. She stood up and walked towards him, still with her hands securely cuffed behind. 'I have to remind you that I'm a very successful QC.'

'So what! You don't look it dressed like that!' Pete waved his gloved hand. 'I'm a very successful performance artist, who specialises in sexual depravity!'

'If this goes wrong I'll sue you for every penny you've got!' Jane looked around, but her expression was saying she perhaps wasn't totally serious. 'I've also got all these people to act as witnesses, too!'

'Well in that case, I will make an exception. Much as I would have enjoyed taming someone as rich and infamous as you! I'll think I'll pass!' The audience laughed loudly. 'Back you go to the table!'

'Please! No!' Jane cuddled in close and wrapped her legs around Pete as best she could. 'Can I have a ride?'

'No! Unless you get down on your knees and plead.' Jane knelt and bowed as deeply as her corset and the restraints would allow. 'Why don't you kiss my feet while you're down there!'

***

'Did you enjoy that Lizzie?' Alex whispered as she stood behind her to get a better view of the show. Lizzie just smiled and watched intently as Jane was being securely strapped into the chariot. 'I think Pete wants the keys to the cuffs.' Lizzie stood up, removed them from the top of her corset and threw them to Pete. He caught them expertly, unlocked Jane's hands and continued his work.

Pete now addressed everyone. 'Would anybody like to learn how to drive this machine?'

Alan immediately stood. 'Does the fact that I'm her husband rule me out?'

'No! I suspect it might make it more interesting, as you should know her limits a lot better than most!' Pete beckoned Alan forward and handed him the control. 'It should be fairly easy for anybody who's driven a radio controlled model before! Start by driving her round and round. Keep it slowly and don't be too ambitious!'

Alan drove the chariot round in front of the tables. Slowly at first and then as he gained confidence, he increased the speed before provocatively stopping in front of David. 'David. Why don't you take off her shoes and tickle her? She hates it!' He allowed David perhaps a minute to stroke and tickle Jane's feet, whilst she tried desperately to squirm them out of the way, before moving the chariot back to it's place in the centre.

'How are you doing in there?' Pete bent over close to Jane and asked the question. 'If you've had enough there is a panic button under your finger.' He moved her hand into place. 'Just press it!'

'I'm fine! Really! But Alan!' She was easily heard. 'You rotten effing bastard!'

'Do you want to be released?' Alan was worried that he'd gone too far.

'Of course not!' A muffled laugh was also heard.

***

'Are you ready for a real ride?' Pete had taken control. 'Make sure you have the button and then give me a loud yes or give a thumbs up if you're ready for a lot more! Say no at any time!'

Everyone thought for a moment that Jane was going to chicken out, but after a longish wait an affirmative yes was heard and a thumbs-up was given. Pete started to press buttons and there was complete silence, except for the motors of the chariot, as they raised Jane into an almost vertical head-down position. More buttons were held and more motors whirred and her legs were stretched and separated into a vee. Claps and hoots echoed around the room, as Pete slowly paraded the chariot in front of everybody. 'Here comes a pirouette!' He held two buttons and the machine twisted. Jane screamed through the padding of the cushion, but held her finger firmly off the button.

Alex watched as Lizzie stood in front of her, walked round the end of the table and up to Pete and the upturned Jane. 'Can I join in?'

Pete stood back. 'Be my guest!'

'I'm going to punish you Jane! Test and tease you too! Find out what your limits are!' Lizzie was speaking clearly and everybody could hear her in the absolutely silent room. 'I won't start until you say so! Remember you can always push the panic button at any time!' She paused. 'I'll give you thirty seconds to say yes!'

Someone started to count down and then virtually everybody joined in. 'Twenty! Nineteen ... Eleven! Ten! ...'

Lizzie raised her hand and the count stopped. 'You have ten seconds left, Jane!'

'Yes!' The sound was rather quiet and muffled.

'Did everyone hear a yes!' Lizzie checked.

'Yes! Yes! Yes!' This time Jane was much more definite, a lot louder and she raised both thumbs.

***

Lizzie was standing alongside the chariot, with her hand casually around Jane's naked thigh between her stocking and her knickers. 'I think we should remove Jane's knickers. It was so thoughtful of her to wear these delicate undies with these lovely bows.' She felt no reaction as she said the words. 'But it would not be fair to everyone here, if I removed them without their authority. Shall we have a vote.'

There were several shouts for removal and others were against it.

'What do you think, Susan?' Lizzie addressed the host.

'Perhaps, we should put it to the vote?' She looked around at everyone. 'At least it seems most are in approval of that!'

That proved nothing as equal numbers were in favour and against. Susan had abstained declaring that she was the host. 'I think that means that Jane has the casting vote.' Lizzie stated the undecisive and infuriating result.

Copyright 2004 by Ewart Higgins