I know, I know, I always say I’m on top of any problems but this one really came in under the radar. Jennifer and I really were going through the farm accounts when Susan called. Honestly. I don’t subscribe to the theory that because it’s a woman she’s probably hysterical, not to worry, because I’ve come across just as many men who are exactly the same. I also like to have some assessment of the people around me, and what I knew of Susan said to me ‘get moving there’s a problem’. Having said that I know you are all enjoying schadenfreude because I obviously didn’t get the twins right.

I saw Susan crossing the drive when I got to ‘The Grange’ and followed her into the kitchen. There were three women already there, Dee, who I knew slightly, and Susan introduced Susanna, mother of Jeremy who had worked at the stables. There was more there, but I’d get up to speed on that later. Then there was Cilla, a teenager, whose story would make more sense as the narrative unfolded, Susan said. She sat me down and Dee provided tea. She then gave me an accurate and lucid account of what had happened today, culminating in the twin’s departure. At my request she then went back to the beginning when she had been recruited to work at the stable, and what had happened when she went to clear up the stables at ‘The Grange’. She also filled in the side story of how she became a model, and that she had an important audition on Monday that she wasn’t going to miss, but other than that she would help wherever she could, as would Dee. Fair enough. There was then the problem that there might be recorded material of whatever had gone on here.

I sat back and thought for a moment. The first thing to do was get the place secured. I phoned my security people and ordered a twentyfour hour guard starting immediately. Susanna was a ‘loose end’ but she was an adult. She decided to go home, but requested that we keep her informed about the twins; she was worried about Jeremy as well she might be. Cilla would go with Susan. Susan and I agreed to meet at Annie’s first thing in the morning. They all left, and I had a rummage through to see if I could find anything whilst I awaited the arrival of the security people.

Susan took Dee and Cilla home. Frankie was in the sitting room watching television, but as soon as the situation with Cilla was explained to her she joined Dee in almost smothering the poor girl. Frankie told her about her situation, and Dee said she knew all about being a dreadful stepmother, and basically they left Susan with her thoughts. In amongst all of this Dee cooked a meal, with assistance from the other two. Afterwards Susan said she would have an early night, and the others agreed that this would be a good idea. Nevertheless, by the time they got everyone and everything sorted it wasn’t really early. Susan sat reading whilst Dee and Frankie fell asleep quite quickly.

After about half an hour Susan realised that the sound she could hear was crying. Clearly Cilla was upset, hardly surprising she thought, and went to see her. Cilla was sitting up with a box of fresh tissues and a pile of wet ones.

“Shove over,” said Susan, lifting the bedclothes.

Cilla sniffed, and moved over, and Susan put her arm around her.

“Now, shall we deal with the problems one at a time?”

“This afternoon. I’m not like that. I don’t even know why I was there ... She just said we’re going somewhere, you’ll enjoy it. And I did, but...”

“Okay, first you don’t do girls, that’s fine. No one here will ever do anything you don’t want. Which part of the afternoon did you enjoy?”

“Most of it, well, I’m not sure about that tail,” she sniffed and giggled, “or the bells. Just standing there peeing was...”

“Relieving?”

“Yes,” Cilla giggled. “It made me feel free. Liberated.”

“Now, you’ve more worries than that.”

“Yes. What’s going to happen, where will I live?”

“First, you can live here. Right where you are now.”

“What about school? I’m doing quite well and I want to go to uni.”

“We’ll sort out how to get you to school, that can’t be too difficult. University is in the future, we’ll deal with that when we get to it. Tomorrow you and Dee can go and get your stuff.”

Cilla was quiet.

“Can I ask you ... the others ... Dee and Frankie ... and you ... I don’t want pry, but I don’t want to put my foot in it.”

“Our relationship? Okay, Dee was the horrid stepmother, we had a big set to, in fact I gave her bottom a whack. Well, more than one, and at the end she was upset and wanted to be cuddled, just like we are, and we just stayed like that. And then Frankie was in your position, as you know, and ended up in the middle. Dee thinks she likes men, as does Frankie, and I, well, I think I’m happy either way. There does that answer the question?”

“Yes. Thank you. Can we just cuddle?”

“Of course.”

Sunday morning Susan got up and left Cilla sleeping peacefully. She peeped into the other bedroom and saw that the others were still fast asleep. She went down to the kitchen to make coffee. Within the next half hour the others joined her and Dee began to get breakfast.

Susan’s phone rang.

“James! Good morning.”

“...

“Dee’s phone number? Didn’t she give it to you?” Susan giggled.

“...

“Oh yes, I’m sure she’s been waiting for you to call.”

Dee was looking at Susan in horror.

“...

“Tell you what, James. I need a favour if you’re free.”

“...

“Good, if you come and pick her and Cilla up, go and pick up Cilla’s stuff and then you can take them both out to lunch, she can have my credit card to pay for it.

“Cilla? She’s a new part of the family. Her stepmother has thrown her out.”

“...

“I don’t think two constitutes a collection, James.”

“...

“Apology accepted. I’ll get it organised. See you soon.”

Susan rang off.

“You’d better get yourself dressed, Dee, it’s a bit soon for a man to see you like that!” Susan told her with a big grin.

Dee made a rude face and left.

“If the wind changes you’ll stay like that,” Susan called after her.

“Okay, Cilla, have you got ... what is her name?”

“Mary Mead,” Cilla told her and gave her the number.

“Mary Mead, hmm, seems familiar.”

Ten minutes later Susan had spoken to the woman and arranged to pick up Cilla’s stuff.

“You’re sure you’re happy about this, Cilla? Once done it’s difficult to go back,” Susan said. “And we’ve got to sort out school.”

“Yes. I’ve thought about what you said last night, and I’m sure. We’re on half term at the moment so I don’t go back to school until Wednesday. I can get my work done tomorrow.”

Good, I’ll take you on Wednesday, and have a word with the secretary.”

Susan pulled up outside Annie’s got a grip on herself and got out. Annie was outside working in the garden.

“Hello Susan,” she greeted her. “You’re early, have you got a problem?”

She looked past Susan. “And here comes George,” she sighed. “Something tells me I’ve got a problem.”

“Sorry,” said Susan, for want of anything better.

“Never mind, come in and we’ll have coffee.”

George and Susan were sitting at the table and Annie was making coffee when she began.

“What have they done?”

“We aren’t sure,” said George. All we know at the moment is that they’ve bolted.”

“And taken Jeremy, or rather Jemma, with them,” added Susan.

“The young lad who got Binky in the pudding club?” asked Annie.

Susan laughed. “I haven’t heard it put like that before,” she said.

“From when I was a girl,” said Annie, “anyway who’s Jemma?”

“Jack has Jeremy drugged, and is turning him into a little girl,” said Susan.

“Oh for fuck’s sake! I knew they were up to something, but ... I should have kept a closer eye on them.”

“Not your fault, Annie,” said George. “I haven’t been much in evidence myself recently. Susan was there when things went tits up, and saved the day.”

“I’d gone along with some of it,” Susan admitted. “But when that damned woman was going to tie Cilla down and have her raped I lost it.”

“And Cilla is?” asked Annie.

“Her step daughter,” said Susan. “She’s in my care now.”

“First Dee, then Frankie, and now ... are you collecting them?” asked Annie.

“You are not the first to suggest that.”

“I’ll do what I can to help,” said Annie. “I’ll try and get hold of my offspring, but I can’t do much more.”

George and Susan left for ‘The Grange’.

As they arrived at ‘The Grange’ they met the security guard and identified themselves. He told them that there had been no visitors. In the kitchen Susan immediately went for the coffee pot. Annie’s coffee was good, but they needed to stop and adopt a plan. She had one forming in her mind, but it would wait ‘til later. They decided that the first place to examine should be the stables, since Susan had a good understanding of what had gone on there. And the next ‘first’ was Susan showing George the harnesses. George looked at them and was about to comment when Susan forestalled him.

“Forget it, George,” she told him. “I’m not getting into one of these today. If you really need to feed your fantasies, I’ll get one of the girls to do it,” Susan grinned wickedly. “D’you think Jennifer...”

George had a curious look on his face for a moment, and then said. “Certainly not!”

Food for thought crossed Susan’s mind.

George followed Susan out to see the sulky.

“It’s just a damned rickshaw really,” Susan commented.

“What about the old dungeon?” George asked.

“Still there, I think, but not used as far as I know.”

A tour of the new dungeon followed, with little comment, and then they went upstairs to the bedrooms.

“Luxury is hardly the word to describe this,” said Susan on entering the first bedroom. “And en suite too, nice. Are they all the same?”

“As far as I know,” said George. “All the same and bloody expensive.”

Susan bounced onto the bed. “Have you tried this?”

“No ... should you be on the bed with your shoes on? Perhaps I should take them off.”

Susan held out one foot, and George slipped the shoe off. The other quickly followed.

“I don’t think wearing jeans in bed is a good idea,” George grinned.

“But I’m not in bed,” Susan replied. “Do you think I should be?”

“I rather think I do.”

“Then you’d better help me up and give me a hand.”

“Where would you like the hand?”

“Wherever you think it’ll do most good,” Susan took his hand and came up into George’s arms.

Their lips met, mouths opened, and tongues duelled. After a while they broke the kiss.

“You want this?” asked George.

“Yes.”

They turned down the bed and then George took hold of Susan and slowly undressed her. At the same time she removed his shirt, his trousers fell to his ankles and in an attempt to move they fell on the bed laughing. George had, however, managed to get Susan’s sweater off, and her bra undone. He now removed that and marvelled at the beautiful shape and firmness of her breasts ... He stood back and pulled her jeans off.

Nice when a plan comes together Susan thought.

“My god, you are beautiful,” he breathed.

Susan smiled. “I’ll bet you say that to all your women.”

“I probably do,” said George, “and it’s always true. But in some cases truer than others.” He kicked off his trousers and got onto the bed.

They spent the next few minutes kissing and then George nibbled Susan’s neck, and then went down to her breasts kissing every inch and ending up sucking Susan’s very succulent nipples. He spent a few minutes here and then worked his way lower, swirled his tongue around her navel and then headed further south.