The next two weeks passed quickly for Maria. At first it was full of the moving in process that can take so much time to do.
Furniture was delivered and Alan's former office became a very nice bedroom. In it, Maria continued to sleep at night bound the same way Joseph had put her in since she met him. The only difference was that she shared his bed rather than sleeping in a golden cage. He had mentioned changing that at some point though.
Another change made to the house was the instillation of a ramp where the porch steps once were. Peter Brown did that job and Maria tried to keep out of his way as much as she could, but Joseph wanted to meet him.
They met and talked while Peter worked on the ramp, their conversation guarded at first but slowly warming to something approaching normal. Maria avoided Peter because of their kiss, but having to tend to Joseph while he sat outside meant she couldn't completely hide herself away. It didn't help Peter either that Maria was wearing an extremely tight T-shirt, cut off just below her breasts and her sarong. It was obvious through the shirt that Maria wore nipple rings and Peter couldn't be sure what she was wearing under the sarong.
Just being there was torture to him. Since they had last met, Peter had considered calling Maria and asking for a date, but had noted at once how ridiculous that would have been, especially since she was with Joseph.
He tried to keep his eyes off her whenever she was around. Joseph appeared not to notice anything wrong with the two younger people, but after a while he couldn't help seeing the tension between the two and how they avoided each other.
At first he put it down to the history they had together, i.e. Alan's death, but that didn't explain everything. He kept a close, but quiet eye on the both of them.
Shortly after the ramp was completed, Joseph's new electric chair arrived which greatly improved his mood. In it he could now roam the immediate area around the house and yard at will. It also helped the moods of the three women he shared the house with since he was no longer underfoot. There was talk of the two women moving back to Lisa's apartment, but Maria insisted on Melissa and Lisa staying. She had no desire to evict her friends.
They stayed, and life began to return to normal. Melissa and Lisa lived upstairs, and in private began playing some of their bondage games again. Sometimes Maria would participate too, but usually Melissa would ask her to give them some "Private time".
Maria's relationship with Joseph also returned to it's former form. She didn't spend near as much time in bondage as she had done with Alan, but Joseph kept her happy by continuing to develop her submissive side through domination.
As the second week progressed Maria began feeling better about most everything.
One evening in that second week they had Thomas and his fiancee over for a barbecue. Melissa and Lisa joined them and it began like any other barbecue you could find, with a group of people out enjoying a meal in the open air. But as the conversation turned to their guest's hobby, things got a little more open between them all. First Maria, and then to everyone's surprise, Lisa, began loosing clothing, until they continued the meal nude. Encouraged by this, Thomas stripped down too, which in turn prompted a blushing Trina to follow. Only Joseph and Melissa refrained from joining the rest.
The conversation flowed, as did the alcohol, and Thomas began asking more and more questions about the pony cart and how they came to start doing things like that.
Trina just wished he would shut up, and was actually grateful when it began to rain.
It was two weeks to the day of their arrival when Cynthia Booth-Parker showed up.
It had been raining almost steadily since the day of the barbecue, with only a few short breaks in the weather. The rain naturally put a damper on all outdoor activities although at first everyone was glad it was coming down.
Trapped in the house, Joseph began to feel a little stir crazy, so that night Robert took him into town to visit a few of the local watering holes. Maria knew that Joseph intended to hit the whiskey, and again warned him about what his doctors had said. It concerned her enough that he had refused to participate in the physical rehabilitation program they had set up for him, but his drinking against doctors orders worried her more. That was why she had brought him out here. She had hoped that a change of scenery would re-energize him to the point that he would be willing to go back and work on getting himself back in shape. It was possible, she was told, that because his spinal cord had just been bruised, not severed, that he could someday regain a limited use of his legs. But he had to encourage the healing process to begin. His body wouldn't fix itself if it didn't see the need. But this night Joseph had overruled her objections and took up Robert's invitation.
Lisa and Melissa were also gone, both at the Diner for the supper crowd.
This left Maria alone in the house for the first time since she got there, and she would have spent the time either upstairs rummaging through Alan's things, or downstairs looking through the bondage devices in the basement, if Joseph hadn't had chained her to the fireplace.
Attached to her ankle was a long chain which kept her pretty much in the vicinity of the living room and den. So, she found a book and curled up in a chair to read. It was rather late when she heard a car pull up. She didn't pay it much attention, thinking it was just one of her house mates coming home. But when she heard a knock at the door, she sat up.
She wondered if it was Peter Brown, and got up to see. She worried about how she was dressed. All Joseph had allowed her this evening was an oversized T-shirt. The rest of her clothing was in their room which was just out of her reach.
She could reach the front door though, and when she opened it she got a shock. Standing in the doorway in a very wet fur coat, was Cynthia Booth-Parker.
Cynthia was looking out at the yard when Maria opened the door, and when she turned Maria didn't miss the barely concealed sneer that always seemed to decorate the face of this overbearing woman.
"Well, aren't you going to let me in?" Cynthia barked.
"Sorry, Maam." Maria replied, and stood to one side.
"First tell me where your Master is, then go fetch my luggage." Cynthia ordered as she marched into the house.
"Joseph isn't here, Maam." Maria said, breathing deeply to control the anger this woman always generated in her. "And I can't go anywhere." she finished, shaking her chained ankle.
Cynthia stood with her arms held out from her body, dripping water on the hard wood floor. "Why isn't he here? Didn't he get my letter?"
"I don't know, Maam." Maria answered patiently.
Cynthia's scowl deepened. "Of course you wouldn't. It probably hasn't got here yet, the mail service out here is still being delivered by horse. And I suppose he took the key to that chain with him as well?" Maria was tempted to say that he did, but she knew Cynthia Booth-Parker well enough to know that she would check up on her about it, so Maria told her that the key was hanging just inside the door to their bedroom.
Cynthia glanced over at the door for a second, her expression showing what she thought about Maria and Joseph living in that den of iniquity. "Well?" she said, shaking her arms a little, "have you lost all your training?"
Maria closed the front door and helped Cynthia with her thick, wet, fur coat, getting wet herself in the process. Once free of the heavy coat, Cynthia made a bee line for the bedroom door, while Maria struggled to find a place to hang the coat. She kept wondering what the hell the Woman was doing here.
"Come!" barked the Woman.
Maria hurried over and Cynthia gestured for her to lift her bound leg. In one hand she held the key to the cuff on Maria's ankle.
"Now go. Five bags. Put me in a room with a good view, if such a thing exists in this house, and make sure there are fresh sheets on the bed."
"Yes, Maam." Maria answered as her cuff was removed.
Of course the rain was cold, her single item of clothing was soaked through before she even got to the car. It was also very muddy due to several days of non stop rain, and as expected, each piece of luggage was large and heavy.
By the time she had hauled in all five pieces she had mud up to her knees, her shirt was practically transparent, she was shivering with cold and her arms ached from carrying the bags upstairs. She put Cynthia's stuff in the bedroom that used to be Alan's father's. It had been cleaned out completely except for basic furniture. She didn't change the sheets.
She would have toweled off in the bathroom if Cynthia hadn't come up the stairs at that moment. She had a drink in her hand which told Maria that she had evidently found the bar.
"That bag there." Cynthia said, pointing, "Pick it up and show me the bathroom, that is unless you still use out houses here." Maria gritted her teeth and picked up the appointed bag.
In the bathroom, still muddy and wet, she followed Cynthia's commands and began to run a bath for the Woman. While the bath ran she unpacked Cynthia's bathroom stuff, which was considerable, and then unpacked...undressed Cynthia herself.
All through this Maria wondered where Cynthia's own house slave was. As a member of New York's BDSM community, Cynthia Booth-Parker had a house full of submissives she could have brought along, but instead she came alone. So Maria was stuck with the job of bathing a woman she despised.
Through it all, between commands, Cynthia kept up a steady stream of questions about Joseph, where he was, how he was, had he talked about her...etc. Once in the tub she let Maria peel off her sodden covering to bathe her and Maria finally began to stop shivering as she answered the older woman's questions as best she could. Cynthia evidently wasn't happy with the answers because her mood remained offensive.
After being toweled off, Cynthia had Maria unpack her mink robe, a hideous covering that enveloped the Woman from neck to toe. Wearing nothing else and a pair of heels, Cynthia left the bathroom like a cruise ship leaving port, leaving Maria instructions to first clean up the bathroom and then herself. With fists clenched, Maria turned to her tasks.
It was an hour later by the time someone else arrived.
Maria was downstairs, kneeling on the floor beside Cynthia who reclined on the couch. Maria was nude, not having had a chance to go get another shirt, a chance she lost when Cynthia locked her chain back on her. She also wore a set of leather cuffs on her wrists and ankles, and thick leather collar. Cynthia had taken offense to the way Maria hadn't been properly outfitted as a house slave, so, using bright red leather cuffs she had brought herself, she proceeded to outfit Maria to her liking. The cuffs were wide, and Maria thought they were quite comfortable despite the hideous color. She was also glad that Cynthia didn't connect them together, although she noted with dismay that the Woman locked the key to the cuffs and collar in a small lockbox she had brought.
Cynthia looked up to see who was coming through the door, a big smile on her face, which quickly fell when she saw who it was. Maria couldn't see from her position on the floor, but she recognized the voice.
"Who the hell are you?" asked Melissa.
"I could ask the same of you. Is Joseph with you?" replied a very snooty Cynthia.
"I asked who you were, and where is Maria?" Melissa stepped into the room and finally spotted Maria on her knees.
"What's going on Maria?" Melissa asked her friend.
"She has nothing to say to you right now. I forbid her to say another word," jumped in Cynthia who go up from the couch. "I have to say that Joseph is letting his taste in women slip," she said, looking Melissa up and down.
Maria could almost see the hair on the back of Melissa's neck stand up.
"Who's in here?" asked another voice, and Lisa came in to the room.
"Another one! Well, Maria," Cynthia said, turning to the kneeling girl, "I see that Joseph's experiment in monogamy has failed again!"
"I asked who you were, and if you don't tell me I'll call the police and have you removed, which I may do anyway." Melissa said evenly.
"There's no call for that kind of treatment. I am Cynthia Booth-Parker."
"Who?" Lisa asked.
When Cynthia didn't answer, Maria did for her. "She's Joseph's ex-wife."
It was an uneasy truce that held over the group until Joseph got home. Lisa went to bed, stating an early shift at the diner as the reason, so that left only Melissa, Cynthia, and Maria who hadn't left her spot on the floor.
Conversation continued only as far as it took to establish that neither Melissa nor Lisa were a part of Joseph's 'harem'. Beyond that, there was an uneasy silence, filled only with music from the stereo that Maria had turned on before all this had started. When Joseph rolled through the door, all three women stood up (well, one did in spirit), and turned to face him.
As usual, despite having spent an evening drinking, he looked as sober as ever, although his face paled when he saw who was waiting for him.
"Hello, Cynthia." he said without emotion.
"Joseph, darling!" Cynthia called out as she rushed to his side. "How are you? I should have been there for you when you were in hospital, but you know how hard it is to get away from Monaco at this time of year."
"Yes, I know Cynthia." Joseph said, and rolled forward until he spotted Maria kneeing on the floor. He gave her an apologetic look. Cynthia didn't notice. "I had assumed you got my letter, but your girl claimed to know nothing about it."
"I got your letter I...must have forgot."
"Silly man, you always do that."
Maria couldn't believe it, she actually patted his head, and more incredible, he took it.
"Now, I'd love to stay up and catch up, but I've been driving for hours and simply have to get some sleep. I'll let your girl help you to bed then you can send her up to help me."
"Fine, Cynthia fine." said Joseph, unenthusiastically.
"Good. I'll expect her up in fifteen minutes." and with that she turned and went up the stairs.
"What's going on?" Melissa asked Maria and Joseph. Joseph ignored her and headed slowly to his room
"Maria?" she said.
"It's a long story, one I don't have time to tell you right now. Could you get the key to my chain? Cynthia hung it up on it's hook inside the bedroom door."
"Not until you tell me what's going on. What do you mean that's Joseph's ex?" demanded Melissa.
"Please," pleaded the naked girl, "it's best you let me explain later. Trust me!"
Melissa knew something heavy was going on, the expression on Maria's face was enough to tell her that. She did as she was asked and Maria disappeared into her bedroom to put Joseph to bed. Shaking her head, Melissa went upstairs to hers. In their bedroom, Joseph sat in his chair, head hung low.
"I'm sorry, I should have told you she was coming."
"Yes you should!" said Maria sharply. She was very angry at him right now. "I bet that's why you were so eager to get out of the house tonight too!" His lack of response was all the confirmation she needed.
"Dammit!" she swore, and proceeded to help him out of his chair. Ten minutes later she arrived breathless in Cynthia's room dressed in another T-Shirt.
Cynthia stood naked at the dresser, her body firm and well muscled. She turned to the doorway.
"Take that silly thing off." Maria hid a sneer of her own as she pulled the shirt off over her head.
"I've unpacked my beauty bag already, although I should have had you do it. I didn't want to wait. You can do my other bags in the morning, although I will need something to wear laid out for me. I picked up some clothes for 'roughing it' and I expect you to arrange something suitable for me."
"Yes, Maam."
"Good. Now, you can give me my rub down, it's been a long tiring day. It's the green bottle there on the dresser."
"Yes, Maam." said Maria, picking up the bottle.
Cynthia climbed onto the bed and complained about how hard it was. Maria climbed on and knelt, straddling the Woman's knees. Cynthia was on her front and lay still as Maria poured lotion onto the back and began to kneed it in.
Only once before had she had to do this, and that was about two months into her time with Joseph. The building Cynthia was living in at the time was having something done that required all it's tenants to move out for one night. Rather than go to a hotel like the others, she chose to stay with Joseph. One of her own slaves would have done this for her but she had kenneled them all for the night, so Maria was again left holding the bag.
She hoped this night would turn out better than that one did. As Maria worked on her back Cynthia felt something tickling her butt crease. Turning to look she saw that it was the little silver chain that hung from the girl's engorged clitoris. Hiding a smile, Cynthia turned forward again thinking how much fun she would have with this one this time.
Maria's hands were getting tired as she worked, but she was grateful that the Woman at least kept her mouth shut. Maybe she had fallen asleep and Maria could get away without having to finish. She wasn't that lucky. As she got done with the last portion of Cynthia's anatomy, the woman rolled over so Maria could work on her front.
Maria tried to ignore Cynthia's eyes as she worked, she was embarrassed enough just sitting naked on the Woman. To make matters worse her clit chain now dipped down and rubbed Cynthia's hairless slit, her nipples growing with arousal. Maria bent to her task wishing it to be over soon.
"You're in a bit of a hurry aren't you?" Cynthia asked. Maria didn't know how to reply to that, she kept quiet.
Cynthia reached down and grabbed the clit chain, making Maria yelp. "Have you lost your manners entirely?" hissed the Woman.
Tears in her eyes, Maria shook her head. "I'm sorry, Maam."
"Joseph has certainly let your training slip hasn't he. I may have to do something about that." Keeping hold of the chain in one hand, Cynthia reached up and put a finger through one of Maria's nipple rings. Slowly she pulled down until the younger woman almost lay stomach to stomach with her, their faces only inches apart.
Maria was aware of only the pain in her groin and nipple, and the smiling face that filled her vision. A face that scared her as much as anything right now. The face moved closer.
"Don't!" Maria said, wanting to pull away.
"Ah...Joseph's little rule about your sexual privacy. You don't honestly expect that to apply to me?"
Her heart thumping Maria reached up and pulled the hand from her nipple. She then reached down and freed her clit chain, getting up from the bed as soon as she could. Cynthia rolled over to keep Maria in sight.
"Wake me at ten, and be sure to remember to have my clothes laid out ready." she said.
"Yes, Maam." said Maria, ready to strangle her.
"Now go."
"Thank you, Maam."
As Maria went down the stairs, angry and humiliated, she was followed by the echo of Cynthia's laughter.