Chapter 14

Charlie

When Lucy and I arrived at Castle Fortune, her parents were already there. They had set off the day before and stayed at one of Inns on the motorway service stations once they had crossed the border into Scotland. This gave them a nice easy run the next day. One of the castle employees carried our bags up to the room which had been allotted to us and as they had been about to have afternoon tea we were invited to join them.

My mother kissed Lucy on both cheeks and told her how pleased she was to have her visiting again so soon. Her mum and dad also told her that they were pleased to see her. The conversation was fairly general. We were asked about our studies and we told them things were going well since we could help and encourage one another, because this year as it was last year, we were taking the same classes.

"We arrived at our choice of subjects quite independently because we chose them before we got together. It is not surprising though, for both of us are doing French, German and Spanish to advance level this year and both of us had decided to major in psychology." I told them

"By taking four subjects in each of the two years we will have one subject more than we need to obtain and ordinary master of arts degree and keep up our proficiency in our languages," Lucy said."

"If you are going on to do an honours degree in psychology why do you need to take extra subjects to obtain an ordinary MA?" Bill wanted to know.

"We don't need to do it but some people do so because if they end up with a third class honours degree which leaves them at the bottom of the pile and that doesn't look good on your CV. Inthat case they can just put down the fact that they graduated with an ordinary degree and no one needs to know why they did poorly in their honours exams." Lucy informed them. "It may also be that for one reason or another they fail their honours degree and this means they have a safety net because they have already graduated MA."

"That certainly is not the reason why your daughter is taking it," I told them with a smile. "She will finish first on the list I bet with a first class honours. Her work rate is good and her intelligence quotient is almost off the scale."

My mum looked really impressed. She knew from our last visit that Lucy was highly intelligent but she just did not know what the results of her psychology tests had revealed."

"And don't let Charlie fool you either," Lucy chipped in, looking at her mum and dad. "He is just as certain to get a first in his degree. He is also very intelligent and hard working. The reason why we are both doing it is because we want to keep up our language skills, especially the German so that we can read some of the texts of Freud and Jung in the original language in which they were written."

Lucy

Later that afternoon my mother got hold of me when I was alone and began to quiz me about my relationship with Charlie.

"You said that you were certain he was the man for you and the way you have become more open about yourself and about what you are would suggest that he has given you the confidence to accept yourself and be open about it to others."

"Not to everyone mum, which would be foolish and leave me open to abuse, but to those who know me and whom I trust, yes. He has no difficulty accepting and loving me just as I am. More than that though, he says he can only treat me the way I need to be treated because he loves me and accepts what I need him to do. He also admits that he has a sadistic streak that enjoys punishing me, but his concern for me means he would never want to go beyond my limits. As far as I am concerned he's a very special guy and just the kind of man I needed to find"

Mum smiled, "I think you are a lucky girl because you set out to bribe him with what you had to offer so that he would help restore our family's fortunes and you find he is exactly what you need. I am much happier about your forthcoming wedding for I have seen the changes being with him has wrought in you and what you have told me about the way he treats you. He is doing more for you in this short space of time than I have been able to do for your father. He has never managed to be so open about what he is."

"He let Charlie into his secret mum."

"Yes, that surprised me, but there were special circumstances there. Firstly your young man challenged him about how easily he accepted what he had to tell him about his daughter. He was also concerned because he thought you might have inherited these traits from him, though I don't really know if this is a genetic kind of thing that you can pass on.

"Well because of that all of us know where we stand as a result of his opening up to Charlie and telling him that he was like me and that you were his dominant other," I said

"Not quite," My mother said, "Charlene knows about you but she has no idea that Bill is to me what you are to Charlie."

"Then perhaps sometime this weekend you should let her in on the secret so that all of the family knows what we are like. While you are at it you could explain about dom/sub relationships and find out how she feels about having two couples who are in that situation. She accepts my relationship with Charlie but I don't think she understands it. With your much greater experience perhaps you can help her with that."

"If I get a chance in the course of this weekend I may do that Lucy, but only if I think she wants to talk about it."

"Fair enough mum, but it will be good if you can do it."

Charlie

In the late afternoon the sun was shining and Lucy and I took a stroll in the quite extensive garden and grounds of the castle. Since we were moving into early November the garden was not at its best, but she still found it quite impressive. While we were walking hand in hand she told me that her mother had been worried about the trade she had made with in turn for my restitution of her estate. She wanted to know if I was happy with the arrangement now that we were a good few weeks into it."

"So are you happy with the arrangement?" I asked with a smile.

"You know I am," she told me. "She had asked me that question when she phoned about this weekend at your castle and I told her I had never been as certain anything in my life as I was about wanting to marry you, because I loved you."

"So is she convinced it is a good thing and ready to give us her blessing without any reservation?"

"She is now," Lucy told me with a smile, "After what I told her on the phone and also spoke to her about our relationship today and what it meant to me, she said she was glad I had found a man who could meet my needs and yet at the same time keep me safe and give me the confidence to be myself."

She thinks I helped you to be yourself, in what way." I wanted to know,

"Because of you I am more open about my submissiveness and my need to be dominated. She is right about that for you have given me that confidence; not only to be more open with those I trust but also to accept myself for what I am and this has made me a much happier person."

"I am glad you feel like that sweetheart, but it is a two way street. As I told you, you have made me a very happy young man by be being with me and loving me, even if the nature of our relationship is quite a bit different from the normal run of things."

Over dinner that evening we were quizzed about the kind of wedding we wanted. Lucy and I had both agreed that we did not want anything too elaborate.

We felt that a ceremony at which family and a few friends could be invited would be enough. Both my mother and Lucy's mother argued that we would need to expand it to be a bit more than that. We should also invite some of the people who work for us and who rent their farms from us.

Because of their unanimity on this point, I knew we might as well give in to their suggestions as we would lose the battle in the end. I whispered as much to Lucy and she giggled and then spoke up.

"Since you and Charlene are going to be doing most of the arrangements for this wedding, we will leave the guest list in your hands, but we have to decide on a place. I know it is traditional for the bride to be married from her home, but having seen Charlie's place I think Castle Fortunes Long room would be a great place to have it if you and dad can agree to that."

"Since you made Charlene aware of the reasons behind your proposal to her son and therefore also made her aware of our financial situation, she has generously offered to meet the total cost of the affair" Lucy's dad told us." We have accepted this and I think in return we should agree that it should be held here. It is as you say Lucy, an ideal place for it, though it will mean people from our area having a long journey, especially those who work for us or rent from us."

"That won't really be a problem," my mum said. "We can book one of those big luxury coaches with sixty plus seats. The local bus company here has two coaches so if you need them we can hire them or you may find a more competitive quote at your end. Either way we can ferry people to and from the castle and they won't need to worry about driving after the reception."