Chapter 14: Nicole

April is being ambitious in committing to a date for the reopening of three more accommodation buildings, one for each caste, before the additional staff arrive. We’ve doubled the island’s capacity from the week after next, giving our additional staff less than a week to settle into their new jobs. I’m not concerened about Beth and Tessa, who should have little difficulty with their new roles as head gardener and slave overseer respectively. Jessica, Vicky and Zoe will have a harder job. Each is undoubtedly skilled in their respective fields of cooking, maintenance and housekeeping, but adapting to island life isn’t straightforward. At least Jessica is an existing member of La Chatte Heureuse.

My own workload has eased now that Chloe has taken over managing the slave duty roster. April is impressed by Chloe’s strict but fair style of managing slaves. April has even relieved me of my responsibilities towards managing Melissa’s time, having delegated those tasks to Chloe instead. I’m still concerned about Melissa’s well being under the bizarre mistress-slave arrangement she has with April. But unless Melissa complains, there’s nothing much I can do. At least she seems to get on well with Chloe. At times the pair act like lovers, but Melissa’s red arse from Chloe’s riding crop suggests otherwise. Or is Melissa more of a masochist than I realised? April certainly approves of the way Chloe has Melissa grovelling to satisfy both April’s and Chloe’s slightest whims.

Like the rest of staff on the island, I respect April’s skills in business administration, but as a person she is hard to like. Why she took on a role that requires living in a lesbian resort is beyond comprehension. At times she must be very lonely, particularly as her accommodation is in the north block, well away from everyone else. However, that will change soon, once all of the northern accommodation is reopened.

“I’ve received three inquiries this morning asking about special events in the Tower,” says Helen. “Have you any idea when we will be resuming them?”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” I reply. “April hasn’t seen fit to share her plans for the club beyond the next month or so. You could try asking Melissa. She seems to hear more about April’s plans than the rest of us.”

My last remark is unkind but true. More than once over the last month I’ve felt that Melissa rather than April is the driving force behind the club’s future. Which, given their respective positions, is a ridiculous thought.

“So, what am I to say to members who ask about special events?” asks Helen.

“Nothing for the moment. I’ll talk with April and see if I can get any indication of her intentions regarding special events,” I say to Helen.

At this time of day, particularly in fine weather, April will be walking around the gardens. I’m not sure if she does that for the exercise, or as a means of finding fault with Melissa’s work. While Melissa has been assigned a steady stream of Field Slaves to help her, neither she nor her helpers are experienced gardeners. Nevertheless, the gardens look tidy and the lawns are kept mowed. Beth will be starting as head gardener next week, so that should relieve some of the pressure on Melissa.

“The lawns around the west and south blocks have weeds growing in them,” complains April as soon as I meet with her in her office.