Chapter 8: Accepting a Punishment

“I suppose that if I’m going to be your dom, then I should commission you to make me a suitable outfit,” I say.

“I’ve already started designing one for you, Mistress,” says Sarah. “I’ll have a design ready by Saturday for your approval. If you will permit me to take some of your measurements tonight, then I could have an outfit ready for you by this time next week.”

“Yes, okay. I can come round after my Saturday morning run to look at your design. Would you like me to be here when Greg calls round on Saturday evening about the contract?”

“Yes please, Mistress,” says Sarah. “I’m not certain how Greg is going to react, and I don’t think Pete is going to be here.”

We move upstairs to Sarah’s workroom. She immediately starts to measure various parts of my body. I’m curious about the outfit she intends to design for me, but I resist the temptation to push her for details before she is ready.

“Just remember that I’m a poor student,” I say when she has finished and we’ve returned to the living room. “I can’t afford anything too expensive.”

“This will be my gift to you, Mistress,” replies Sarah. “Please allow me to show my appreciation for what you are doing for me.”

“Don’t thank me too soon,” I laugh. “Do you remember when we used to play pirates and captured princesses? You might find me to be a demanding mistress who treats you cruelly.”

“Oh, Mistress,” sighs Sarah. “I do hope that’s so.”

Sarah’s words stir what is becoming an all too familiar thrill inside me. Out of mischief I have her bring some padlocks and one of those boxes with a time lock on the lid. As I prepare to leave for home, I lock her wrist cuffs behind her and her ankle cuffs together. I leave her lying face down on the living room rug in a state of near rapture. I put the keys in the box and set the timer for two hours. My slight feeling of guilt at leaving her alone like this is drowned by my powerful arousal. In any case, Pete should be home in an hour or so and he can check on her. Just to be on the safe side, I add my mobile phone number to her telephone’s single-button-dial directory and leave the phone within reach in case of an emergency.

On Saturday afternoon I let mum know that I’ll be with Sarah this afternoon and tonight. I’m sure mum has noticed a difference in me over the last week, but she probably can’t identify the cause. She, of course, remembers the slightly scruffy Sarah-Anne of old, so mum would be expecting me to dress down into T-shirt and jeans, rather than put on one of my smarter dresses.

“You look nice,” comments mum. “Going on a date tonight?”

“No. Sarah-Anne’s boyfriend may be joining us though,” I reply, hoping we don’t have to repeat last Saturday’s exhibition.

The weather is fine, so I choose to walk to Sarah’s house. I could have asked to borrow the car, but getting home would be a problem. I only have a restricted driving license, so I’m not supposed to drive after ten o’clock at night. By the time I reach Sarah’s house it is nearly three o’clock. Pete has already returned from wherever he’s been, and handed Sarah the sealed bag of clothes from Greg. Greg has sent instructions via Pete that he’ll be here at five o’clock, so Jennifer has gone to take a shower and get changed.

“Sarah tells me that you’ve agreed to take over from me as her dom,” says Pete.

“We have been discussing the subject,” I reply. “But we have a few details to sort out before I can finally agree.”

“What sort of details?” asks Pete.

“Mainly about you and Greg. You and I can’t both be Jennifer’s dom. And Greg is an unwelcome complication.”

“Well, I’m easy to sort out,” laughs Pete. “I can move out tomorrow if that’s the only impediment to you taking over as Sarah’s dom. Greg might be a bigger problem though. He still tries to control Sarah like one of his prostitutes.”

“It’s not just you moving out that’s the issue,” I reply, putting the subject of Greg to one side for the moment. “What about your control over Sarah’s phones and her email account? And you introduce customers to her clothing business. I’d like those issues sorting out between us before you move out.”

“The block preventing incoming calls on the land-line can be switched off at any time. I’ll give you the password to do that now if you like. My advice, though, is to have incoming calls diverted to an answerphone. That way Sarah isn’t going to be harassed by former clients wanting sex. Her regular clients know that she has quit prostitution, but some of them seem to have difficulty accepting her choice. Perhaps enough time has passed since she quit for those calls to have dried up.

“As for a mobile phone, then that’s up to you. Sarah was far too distracted by the thing, so again, my advice is to deny her access to one. The same goes for her internet access. I found that’s she’s a lot more focussed on her work if she doesn’t have the distractions of social media.”

Pete gives me the passwords and details for me to access Sarah’s phone and email accounts. I notice that he’s left it up to me whether I retain control of them, or give them to Sarah. As for introducing new customers to her business, then he’s agreed to continue doing so for a commission on the first order a customer makes. I think that is fair, but I tell him that he must negotiate the commission rate directly with Sarah.

“You’ll be a great mistress for her, you know,” says Pete. “You have the right mix of caring and cruelty.”

“Cruelty?” I ask, suddenly puzzled by his terminology. “How does what I’ve done compare to you locking her in a leather bondage harness the other night when she had a friend coming round to visit.”

“That was cruel, I admit it,”concedes Pete. “But you locked her wrists and ankles together when you left her on Wednesday night. You could have at least made sure she had used the toilet before you left her like that. The poor girl couldn’t hold on until I got home, so she had a rug to clean up before she went to bed.”

“Oh no!” I exclaim. “How thoughtless of me. I’ll apologise when she comes out of the bathroom.”

“You’ll do no such thing!” laughs Pete. “You must punish her for soiling the rug. Besides, I think Sarah did it on purpose so that you can scold her. Even bound as she was, she could have at least made it into the downstairs bathroom. How do you think she manages when she’s trussed up on a Saturday night? Don’t go soft on her. Sarah is happier if you handle her with a firm hand. She’s already testing you.”

I’m surprised at Pete’s words, but I realise that he could be right. Sarah could be testing me and I need to exert my authority over her from the outset. I wish I had better prepared myself for this challenge.

Sarah comes downstairs having changed into Greg’s chosen outfit for tonight. Like last week, she’s removed her steel collar and cuffs. She is wearing a floral pattern, snug fitting dress with very short sleeves and a deep round neck which gives the merest glimpse of her cleavage. The narrow fitted dress reaches down to her shins. It would be difficult to walk in it were it not for the long slit down her left side which almost comes as high as her waist. Unlike last week, tonight’s outfit is decent enough to go into any club or bar.

“Is that your complete outfit?” I ask, remembering that last week there were leather collar and cuffs to add to her attire.

“This is everything, Mistress,” replies Sarah.

“Well, it’s an improvement on last week,” I comment. “I believe you have something to confess about last Wednesday evening after I left you. Is that so, Sarah?”

“Yes, Mistress Jennifer,” replies Sarah, dropping to her knees before me. “Please forgive me. I soiled the rug after you left me. I deserve to be punished for such a disgraceful act. Please punish me, Mistress.”

Her words would have more effect on me if I felt they weren’t spoken with a hint of enthusiasm. Pete was right when he said Sarah is trying to push me into punishing her. Which means I must think carefully before deciding what to do. I could fudge the issue by saying that I’m not her dom yet, but that will only postpone this battle of wills until another day.

“And what punishment is appropriate for such an act?” I ask Sarah.

“Whatever you consider appropriate, Mistress. Master Pete normally has me stand in the corner for minor offences, or a spanking if my faults are more serious.”

I look towards Pete, who nods in confirmation of Sarah’s words.

“And do you agree to accept whatever punishment I choose to impose?” I ask.

“Yes, Mistress Jennifer,” replies Sarah, suddenly looking nervous that I might come up with a punishment that is actually a punishment, and not something Sarah likes.