Chapter 21

I follow the other Fillies’ example and help myself to something from the buffet laid out on the table. I later learn that Green and Pink have prepared tonight’s buffet, and that the Fillies take turns to prepare a buffet on Monday nights. The four Fillies who chose the whip or cane for their punishment are still careful about moving about and they seem reluctant to sit down. I’m glad I switched my choice of punishment. Nine strokes of the cane on my arse would have left me unable to enjoy the rest of the evening.

Throughout the evening I notice that each of the other Fillies is submissive to her respective minder, even where there is a family or marital relationship. I suppose that should be expected given what being a pony girl requires, but it makes me feel more comfortable when the others see me defer to Mistress Lyn. It also creates a common bond between the eight of us. The minders and the masked overseers sit on one side of the room socialising and only briefly interact with our group.

“Are you related to Stella,” I ask Green.

“Be careful, Red,” replies Green. “You must call her Mistress Stella when you speak about her, or you may incur a punishment. And yes, we are related. She’s my aunt.”

“When I saw you together at The Manor yesterday I thought you might have been mother and daughter,” I respond.

“Sshh! You mustn’t talk about yesterday,” replies Green. “I don’t know what was discussed, but it clearly isn’t something a Filly is allowed to know about. Being too curious about what goes on at The Manor can get you into deep trouble.”

“Oh! Sorry. And thanks for the warning.”

“That’s alright. You aren’t the first person to think Mistress Stella and I are mother and daughter. I suppose in some ways she is my mother. She has looked after me since I was fourteen years old. I have no recollection of my real parents. They died when I was only three years old.”

“That’s a coincidence,” I reply. “I was separated from my parents when I was fourteen. I grew up in an orphanage not far from here.”

“We are all orphans of a sort,” adds Blue. “Some of us have parents who died, others have been removed from them by the courts. I think only orphans get selected to join the pony club. I don’t know why.”

“But you have your uncle as a minder, and Green has her aunt,” I reply.

“That’s true, but Green and I spent several years living in an orphanage before our respective relative took us in.”

“So did you know each other before you joined the pony club?” I ask.

“Not really,” replies Green. “We lived at the same orphanage, but our age difference meant Blue and I had very little contact with each other. Even now, we only get to socialise with each other on a Monday night.”

“Yes,” adds Black. “Have you noticed that when we are at The Manor, we are never able to talk with each other. We are gagged as soon as we arrive, and our half-hour breaks are timed so that they never overlap.”

“But you three were at Mistress Lyn’s party the other Tuesday night,” I say.

There’s a sudden silence as though I’ve said something wrong. The three of them are looking puzzled. Suddenly Black shakes her head, and smiles.