Chapter 12: Plans For Training & More

“I’ve got a detailed set of proposals from Ms Courten,” Henry announced to Julia as he brought her coffee into her office. “I thought you might like to go through them so that you can brief the Minister.”

“That’s very helpful, Henry,” Julia responded. In spite of the fact that she’d deprived him of the amusement of being Raven’s demonstrator, Henry had kept working on the project with no less diligence. He didn’t seem to have been disturbed by the start of their sponsorship arrangements either, even though it had mainly consisted of him keeping the flat clean and tidy. She sat back in her chair and folded her arms. “Off you go,” she said.

“Well, Ms Courten is proposing a series of nine, two-hour sessions – that way they can be fitted around normal work schedules. She is suggesting that she authors a work book for each of them and sets a series of practical exercises. Each of the sessions would be on a specific topic focused on society’s requirements from the programme. She hasn’t really looked at the personal issues relating to sponsorship but my own view is that would be too broad a view for a programme like this. If the basics are covered then students will be able to apply the principals to their particular circumstances and their particular expectations. This programme is designed to produce men that can function in today;’s society not household servants or bedroom playthings. The sessions that she proposes are, ‘Why New Order - The Legacy of the Patriarchy’,’The Regulatory Framework and Restriction of Male Freedom’, ‘Helping The Man Understand The Respect Agenda’, ‘Setting & Meeting Behaviour Targets’,’Meeting Targets at Home and at Work’ ‘Sanctions & Corrections’, ‘Sexual Appetite Control As An Aid To Sponsorship’, ‘Identifying, Discouraging and Dealing With Dissident Interests’. The later sessions would start with a review of experiences from the previous sessions. The final session would be creating a personal sponsorship plan for each of the attendees that they can use to track their own progress after the courses.”

Julia nodded. She could see how the sessions together made up a comprehensive set of guidance for just the sort of things she had been bothered about. The political stuff she could do without, she felt, but she supposed it was needed to give context and to explain what was hoped to be achieved as a result of all this.

“The aim would be to effectively produce a set of course materials that could be franchised to local providers with similar experience to Ms Courten.”

“A national network of dominatrixes?”

“Effectively. Although I think Ms Raven and the Minister would prefer ‘National Sponsorship Support Team’. It would mean that sponsors would have a consistent curriculum across the UK and if the Government wished they could award a certificate of competence based on the sessions. That might help improve take-up.”

Julia nodded. They seemed like sensible proposals.

“It might also be the case that the Treasury could be persuaded to give some sort of tax break to those that complete the course. But it’s probably better if we let them think of that idea.”

Julia smiled. Good heavens, she thought, you’re starting to think like a woman.

“As well as that, Ms Courten has also come up with an additional proposal. The members of her network could provide a service to look after sponsored males when the sponsor is unavailable for whatever reason. For holidays or sickness or a business trip for example. I don’t think that the DOSA scheme currently has a plan for alternate sponsors does it?”

“No, I don’t think it does. Ms Courten really does seem to have thought things through. Or was this one of your ideas, so you could go trotting back there any time I’m not available?”

Henry looked shocked and Julia felt just a little guilty for teasing him. “Was there anything else?”

“Oh yes, Ms Fain. Ms Courten has also provided a detailed proposal for arrangements for multiple sponsorships. You’ll remember that was one of her original ideas as a way of alleviating the sponsor shortage and providing additional work for her association’s members.”

“Oh good. I’ll read that through. I’m pretty sure cabinet are going to be supportive of anything that helps improve the way sponsorship works at the moment. The Minister was saying that the PM has been complaining about the levels of dissident activity and disruptive behaviour lately. It will be good to give her something that will contribute to the discussion.”

Henry gathered up his papers. Just before he turned to leave he said, “There was one other thing. Of a personal nature. I know you said that I should discuss any concerns I had over our,” he paused, “arrangements. I wondered if we might have a talk this evening?”

Julia had been dreading this. She was sure that Henry was going to be looking for more active supervision as part of their sponsorship activities. She wasn’t at all sure how to navigate the situation. She had never thought of herself as sexually dominant, although she did like getting her own way in the bedroom. And, when she came to think about it, pretty much anywhere else, too.

It turned out that Julia had very little time to worry about the evening’s discussions during the rest of the day. Sylvia had, indeed, been receptive to Raven’s proposals and she had wanted to go through them thoroughly so that she could brief the Cabinet. Julia has ended up re-working some of the cost implications and it was almost seven o’clock by the time she was able to leave her office. Henry had left already but, Julia was pleased to discover when she got home, had used his time to make sure the flat was tidy. He greeted her with a welcoming gin and tonic as she got in.

“I thought you might need this,” he said as she shed her coat over the back of one of the living room chairs.

“I certainly do. I’d say you must be psychic but it’s not really much of guess, is it?”

Henry shook his head and smiled. He knew the pressures of the job. In some ways he wasn’t sorry to have left them behind.

“Why don’t you join me?”

Henry looked hesitant for a moment but then grateful. “Yes, thank you. I’ll have a scotch if that’s OK?”

“Of course.”

Julia sipped her gin while Henry fixed his own drink. He’s looking more relaxed, she thought. He might not have wished for the change of role but he certainly looked less harassed than he had done when he was in her position. And, Julia thought, he seems to have lost a few pounds too. “You’re looking well. I hadn’t really noticed. I’m sorry.”