After pouring herself another coffee, she started to read the letter.

It was almost dissappointing, in that it contained the simple command to open each of the packets in order starting at number one, read all of the enclosed instructions and carry them out dilligently and absolutely to the letter. It also added a warning that you must read everything properly. 'Cheek! Who does he think he is?' She shook her head at what she felt was a patronising tone in the letter. 'Doesn't he realise I'm an intelligent woman?'

She looked at the packages, all in a silver gift wrap, picking up each in turn and then laying them back down again in a perfect line.

Number one was a small square four-inch cube, which felt hard and solid and weighed rather heavy for its size. No clues as to what it was! It didn't rattle or make any noise, either! She sniffed it for any smell. There was none!

Two was half the height of the first, of a similar weight and feel.

Three was flat, about the size of a dinner plate and a couple of inches think and much lighter! Again no rattle or clues.

The fourth was the largest parcel, but didn't seem to be very heavy at all. It would have to be opened to give up it's secrets.

The last three were all solid boxes about the size of a large hardback book. Or perhaps one or more might be a typical computer software package, which she felt must be present somewhere! They could even be books, but number six rattled too much for that. She hoped she hadn't broken or damaged anything by shaking it. But then she reasoned that the stresses and strains of the long journey from England would have been much more.

***

She almost felt like a bomb disposal expert, as she carefully took the first beautifully wrapped package and cut open the silver paper. A small and apparently expensive looking box covered in a heavy cloth with a tartan-like pattern was revealed. The box had a lid covered in the same material attached by an old-fashioned brass piano hinge, held by eight tiny screws. The lid was held shut, by a simple clip in brass, like a hook and eye.

The box was almost a work of art in its own right!

As she lifted the box from the wrapping, a small, simple, but high-quality card fell out. Picking it up, she read just two words in a rather scrawled hand-writing. 'Be Careful!' She was being careful, wasn't she?

She started to open the box, exactly in the manner she had been directed. The clip was tight and needed a little firm persuasion. But after pushing with the nail of her right thumb, it started to move. Finally it gave and slipped out of the eye.

The lid rose quickly as if on a spring. A gruesome Jack complete with a pointed hat, jumped out of his box and she screamed loudly, jumped back and almost toppled onto the floor. 'You, bastard!' But it was meant with very little malice, judging by the smile on her face! He couldn't have known, how she would have been dressed, when she opened the package.

***

After she had regained her composure, she turned her attention to the second and smallest package. It disclosed a black box containing a simple but exquisite silver bracelet and another card with a badly-written note. She would have to speak to him about his hand-writing!

She could not wait to put it on and slipped it over her left wrist. She then closed it shut, with a satisfying and solid click! 'That makes up for Jack!' She rolled it round to look at the patterns. 'He didn't get this in a five and ten cents store!' She raised her arm and examined it further. 'I think I'll wear this today!'

***

She moved quickly to the third and she found a black leather belt with a large H-shaped buckle. 'Very nice! Look's like a genuine Hermes!' But then would he send anything that wasn't the real thing?

Again she ignored the card and moved to examine the beautiful belt closely.

She noticed that there was a clever device that enabled her to adjust the size continuously between twenty and a couple of inches more, so she could wear it however she was laced. 'Clever!' He did seem to think of everything! At the smallest size, it was a tight fit even for the twenty inches to which, she had laced herself this morning. Set slightly larger, it would go well with many of her suits. Business or otherwise!

She set the belt to it's smallest size, wrapped it around her very contrained and taut waist and clicked it shut. She mused that it would probably look better with a dark suit, rather than against the extremely dull and boring beige of the training corset!

***

The third and largest parcel contained a toy car about twelve inches long.

The box claimed it was a Lotus Elise, an open sports car with an inane looking male driver sitting in the right hand seat. It was a car she knew nothing of, and she pondered why it had been included. It was obviously meant to be controlled by radio, but where was the controller? Perhaps in another of the boxes.

The mandatory card gave little help. It just said 'Enjoy!'

***

She had been standing still, except for Jack's interruption for perhaps twenty minutes and as her ankles, calves, legs, hips and back were all feeling the strain of the heels and the unremitting corset, she decided to stretch her legs. Perhaps, she might even lie full length on the sofa for a while! And she would certainly take a look at the belt in the long mirror in the hall.

Standing in the hall, she decided that the belt could be notched a little tighter. But she couldn't remove it. It didn't matter, as she would go and look at the instructions, she should have read earlier. Perhaps, he had been right!

Back in the kitchen she was horrified as she read the note that came with the belt. 'It is not recommended that you put the belt on before you have connected and validated the hardware and software, you will find in later packages.'

Copyright 1999 by Ewart Higgins