My story begins when I was about nine years old and our family was living just outside of Hull in the north of England. My father was a second class engineer on a merchant ship and not home all that often so it was up to my Mam to be the head of the house and to keep all us kids in line. Besides me Helen, and my Mam our family consisted of my big sister Kate who was thirteen, my little brother Terry who was six and the baby Pauline who was two. My elder sister and I were inseparable, we played together, fought together and we even slept in the same bed. We lived in a small village outside of the city and had a gang of companions who played all sorts of games together whenever we could. The movies influenced our play and as we all went to the matinees on Saturdays we would get some great plots to keep us going for the rest of the week. Most of the movies were either cops and robbers or cowboys and Indians with the odd pirate film thrown in so there were lots of opportunities for some one to get tied up and as I was the smallest of the gang that someone was usually me. All we had was old rope or in some cases string but it didn’t seem to matter as I usually wound up being tied to a tree or some other object that I couldn’t get away from. One of the boys, Arthur Johnson who was two years older than I, would generally hang around when I was tied up and sort of keep an eye on me to see that I came to no harm and he let me loose if the others forgot about me or when my Mam called us in for tea (supper in the USA). My sister Kate would sometimes make a ‘Drummer’s Chain’ out of the rope to simulate the chain that we didn’t have and then she would tie one end to the tree and the other end around my neck or foot and make me promise not to get loose or she would put one end around one leg and tie the other end to my other leg so that I could be marched along as their prisoner. My Mam didn’t seem to mind our games and often would give us a good piece of cord or heavy string when my Dad sent her a parcel while he was away.
One day Arthur’s Dad took him off to his Granny’s house, as his Granddad had died and she was going to sell the house to move into a smaller one, they were going to clean out an old shed at the bottom of the garden and take some stuff to the dump. There were a lot of old toolboxes, some tools and a load of junk that had to be shifted so he and his dad took the tools, the toolboxes and anything else that looked useful, home and the rest to the dump. We went over to Arthur’s house to see what was in the toolboxes when they were opened and besides old nuts and bolts etc Arthur found a heavy packet wrapped up with plastic and wound with string. He opened it and inside were two pairs of handcuffs, shaped like ‘D’s’ with a short piece of chain and a piece that spun around between them, with one pair larger than the other and both closed up tight. They were a bit rusty and without the keys it was impossible to open them and where could they have come from? When he asked his Granny she told him that his Granddad had been an Auxiliary Policeman during the war and must have been issued with them. Arthur’s dad was going to throw them out with the rest of the rubbish but we pleaded with him to let us have them to play with and after some coaxing he said "Alright you can have them but don’t get into any mischief with them". We took them to my house, found some emery cloth that my Mam used for cleaning the old cook stove and set to work to make them shine. They seemed pretty useless without the keys until my lovely sister suggested that they try them on me to see if they would work as they were, so the small pair went over my wrists with me holding them in place with my curled fingers. The larger pair would go all the way up my arm to my shoulder and still be too loose but Kate thought that with some coaxing and some soap they would just slip over my ankles to go around my legs. That day I was tied, or should I say chained to the tree with the handcuffs. They tried to make up to me by calling me Little Princess or at times Harem Queen depending on the game we were playing but it was always me that ended up getting stuck. We showed our treasures to my Mam and they had me parading around to show her how I looked which gave her lots of laughs as I played the part of the captive to the hilt and so the handcuffs became a part of our toys with even my little brother trying them on as the others couldn’t get their hands or feet in them.
About three or four months after we found the cuffs Arthur came over to our house to play with us and he seemed all excited as he held his hands tightly closed behind his back. He called us to come out and asked us to pick a hand. Kate chose the right hand, when he asked me which one I wanted I said the left so he held out both hands to show strange looking boltlike keys.
"What are they," I asked?
"I’m sure that these are the keys to the handcuffs. I found then in a tin box when I was rummaging around in one of Granddad’s toolboxes. Where are they and we’ll try them out to see if they work?"
We ran inside to find the cuffs and tried the keys but although they would screw part way into the locks they still wouldn’t open.
"I know," said Kate, "They must be rusty inside and need some penetrating oil to see if they will free up, I think Dad has some in his work shed and I’ll take a look." She disappeared inside the house to get the key to the shed and soon returned holding up a tin of ‘Duck Oil’ penetrating fluid that she generously tipped inside the locks and let them stand to do its work.
"Let’s play a game while the oil soaks into the locks and then we’ll try them to see if they will work."
So we played a game of ‘Tag’ for a quarter of an hour or so before we returned to the task in hand. One by one Kate and Arthur inserted the keys, each working on a pair of cuffs while I watched, turning them in a little and then out again as they got tight, each time going in a little farther until at last one of the cuffs opened. It wasn’t too long before they had worked all four enough to cause them to open but they wouldn’t close again and we took them over to Arthur’s dad to show him. He took a small punch and setting each cuff in his workshop vice one at a time, used it and a hammer to tap the locking bars this way and that, with generous applications of penetrating oil, to free them up in their slides then he put in some ‘Three in One Oil’ and worked the keys again until the cuffs would close with a loud snap and open with the key.
"I’m going to keep one of these keys right here in my toolbox in case you lose them both; then some one won’t be able to get out. It will be a safety precaution but don’t lose the other key or you won’t have them to play with again, you all understand that?"
We all said we did and then he took one pair and locked them on Arthur’s hands while he locked the other pair on Kate as he pocketed the key.
"Now you both can enjoy them until teatime when I shall let you out and you Helen can make sure they don’t get into any trouble. I’ve watched as they have put them on you many a time but now it’s their turn to be your prisoners, go and have fun." With that he shooed us out onto the street again with the two others looking sorry for themselves as they tried without success to get loose. We wandered around as they found out just how limited their freedom was and as we went down the street we had the other kids come around to explore, tease and share their feelings before we went into our house to show Mam. The cuffs got a lot of use from then on as we concocted and played our games but as usual it was me who ended wearing them but then Arthur always seemed to hang around close by while I was. He would show me that he had the key even though he wouldn’t let me loose, unless I needed the bathroom really badly, but when I came back it was back to the original locked up position. After a while I got so used to them that unless my hands were cuffed behind my back I didn’t seem to mind. Behind my back, especially if there was a tree or a post in the way that held me there, was my least comfortable position and then I would plead with Arthur to help me.
One Friday after we had started back to school following the summer vacation I was being mouthy to my Mam. She had asked me to look after my little brother and I wanted to read a book so he had got into mischief through my inattention and I got into trouble, she told me to lay the table and I gave her some cheeky answer. The next thing I knew, she had picked up the small pair of cuffs that were lying open on the end of the counter, had pushed me back onto one of the straight backed kitchen chairs, and pushed my hands through the upright bars and locked the cuffs on me. Suddenly it dawned on me that I was attached to the chair and wouldn’t be going anywhere until I was released.
"Mam; what are you doing? Unlock these things and let me go!"
"I’ve just about had enough of your lip for one day Young Lady, you’ll stay there until you apologize for your behavior."
"I’m sorry Mam, please don’t do this to me, I’ll be ever so good," I wailed as I struggled to get free.
"No way my girl; you just sit there until I’m good and ready to say otherwise. I’ve had enough of you today so sit there and take your punishment, it’s only for your own good you know." She finished laying the table while I cried my heart out but I had to just sit there and let my tears run down my face and to make matters worse Kate came in and asked what I was crying for.
"Pay no attention to her Kate, she’s being punished for being rude and not doing what she was told. When I put her meal out you can feed her and see that she eats it all. We’ll see how she likes that."
I had to ask Kate for every mouthful and I hated her for making me do that but I caught my Mam winking at her when she thought I wasn’t looking. I didn’t get any desert that night and it was my favourite, rice pudding with raisins. After the table was cleared away my Mam picked up the chair with me in it, turned it around and placed it so that I was facing right tight into the corner of the room with my knees touching the wall, I could hear the others talking and hear the telly but I couldn’t see what was going on. About an hour later I heard a knock at the back door and Arthur came into the room to ask if I could come out to play. I was ashamed to let him see me like this but my Mam said. "Helen’s being punished for being rude and disobedient so she has to stay in the corner."
I could hear him and Kate going into the living room and later my Mom went in there too, I could hear them talking but I couldn’t make out what they were saying. The next thing I knew Mam had returned to the kitchen and was unlocking the right handcuff while she held the left one and pulled me up out of the chair and pushed me towards the bathroom.
"You get in there and use the bathroom and don’t forget to wash those teary tracks off your face and comb your hair while you’re at it, go on now; chop chop." She had left the opened cuff dangling from my left wrist without making any move to unlock the other one. I went quickly and did as I was told for when Mam was angry she meant what she said and when I came out she again caught hold of the cuffs.
"Arthur you might just as well make use of our bathroom too and come back to me when you come out." Still holding onto me she went over to turn the telly off and when Arthur reappeared he came over as he was told. Quick as light she caught his right hand and locked the other cuff on his wrist, we were now joined together.
"I’m making you her guardian for the rest of the evening, look after her and bring her back at nine-thirty in time for her to go to bed." As she released her hold on the handcuff chain she said with a grin, "Never knew these things would be so handy to have around the house, I think I’ll get a couple of sets of my own. Now off you go and show your friends what happens to naughty girls." She pushed us out of the door as we looked around to see if anyone was looking. Kate had gone out and told the rest of the gang what had happened so there were lots of onlookers with questions asked and advice given but all I wanted was to hide away and lick my wounded pride for this was for real and not a game, my Mam had the key and I didn’t know what was coming when I got back home again. Arthur made sure that I was close beside him and held my hand letting me put it in his pocket with his to hide the cuffs as we walked away from the crowd and along the street towards the outskirts of town where no one would see the cause of my shame. Soon his cheerfulness and jokes restored my humour and when he brought me back for bed I was my old self again. My Mam unlocked us both, thanked Arthur and sent him home, left the opened cuffs on the counter where I could see them, gave me a hug and told me to be a good girl in future or she wouldn’t be so soft with me the next time.
"Next time you’ll wear them for twenty-four hours behind your back, and that’ll put the nonsense out of you, it’s only for you own good you know."
Mam bought herself a pair of handcuffs before too long from a company called Gamages in London who were a mail order firm that sold government and military surplus as well as hardware supplies. Mam and Dad had bought things from them before whenever they spotted whatever they wanted in the ads that were in the newspapers. The postman delivered the small, heavy rectangular box wrapped in brown paper and sealed with transparent tape and Mam had left it on the counter by the back door so we kids were dieing to know what was inside. After our tea she started on the box with a knife as we all crowded excitedly around to watch. When the package was finally opened there stood a small blue cardboard box and when the lid came off there was the shiny new handcuffs and two keys. They were covered in a protective coating of grease, wrapped in tissue paper and had a sheet of instructions on top of them. Mam read the instructions on how they worked and sent me out to the shed to bring in some paraffin oil (coal oil or kerosene) so that she could remove the grease with an old piece of cloth. Then she polished them with another duster and tried them to see how they opened and closed. They were the ratchet kind that could be closed to fit any of us kid’s wrists, as well as able to put on in a hurry and had a swivel on each cuff which were joined together with two links of chain. Unlike the old cuffs we found in Arthur’s granddad’s shed, which had the large swivel and the four large links of chain joining them, these would hold your hands much closer together. Mam put one key on the ring with her house keys so she was the only one who could open them and later hid the other key so that she always had a spare in case her keys got lost. For a long time we searched the house for that extra key but we never found it, years later she told us she had hidden it in a canister of sugar she kept on the sideboard, dead crafty our Mam. She showed us how the cuffs closed making a quiet sort of rasping sound and how they could be double locked so that they wouldn’t accidentally tighten any further then, using the rolling pin she showed us how they could be quickly applied by pressing the closed cuff against the pin and seeing its momentum carry the bow around until it locked into the frame.
She asked, "Well: who is going to be first to try them on? Any volunteers?"
Although we were all curious about how they would feel no one wanted to be first.
"Come on now you are all going to try them before I put them away, who’s first?"
We looked at each other wishing that the others would speak up until Terry said, "I’ll probably be the one who will wear them the most so you might as well try them on me."
That broke the ice and each one of us in turn had to put them on somebody else and double lock them as well as have them put on us, later we would wear them for ten minutes or so to see what they felt like.
Arthur came in then and he was included in the demonstration and for the rest of the evening we were allowed to play with them locking and unlocking them until we felt at home with them. As we were doing this Mam produced a brass cup hook that she screwed into the back of one of the higher cupboard doors and after we were sent to bed the cuffs were hung there ready for further use. Every time that door was opened or shut we could hear those cuffs rattling against it and we knew they were waiting to do their job if any of us got out of line. As you may guess they saw plenty of action for she invented what she called PEP; Passive Effective Punishment. Her favourite expression was, "Do you want a little pep time?" if we misbehaved or if we were out and committed some indiscretion, "You’ll get a pep talk when we get home." Most of the time she meant what she said.
My little brother Terry was the worst for Mam used to call him ‘Terry the Terrible’ as he was the one most in trouble. When he misbehaved and knew that Mam was going to get him, he would put the chair in the corner and sit on it with his hands between the bars waiting for her to secure him. He never caught on that his time started from the moment Mam fixed him. To give her her due though she never released any of us without giving us a big loving hug and a kiss and if we had to sit still during a mealtime she made sure that we had something to eat afterwards. Her way was quite effective and we all were punished equally with PEP even Kate the eldest. Depending on our ‘crime’ we would sit, sometimes for hours, facing that wall with nothing to do but contemplate our transgressions and although we could listen to what was going on in the room we couldn’t take part but as she said, "It’s only for your own good."
The years passed and Kate left home when she finished school to enter into a teaching hospital to become a nurse. She was nearly finished the three-year course, lived at the nurses’ residence and came home on weekends when she wasn’t working. I was doing well at school in my last year and was waiting on the results of my ‘O’ levels, I had studied bookkeeping and typing thinking I would get a secretarial job when I graduated. Arthur was in Manchester University to get an Engineering Degree, as he was a brain and very clever with his hands having spent lots of time in his Dad’s workshop. He could make or repair lots of things and if anything broke down he was the first person to go to. He had finished his first year and was home for the summer and looking for a job when he wasn’t going out with me or over at our house.
One evening Arthur came over to call on me and asked me to go for a walk with him along the riverbank, one of our favourite places to be alone. We found an unoccupied bench along the path and had sat down when he pulled something out of his pocket and shyly showed it to me. It was our old set of Darby cuffs that we had found in his granddad’s shed so long ago.
"Remember these," he asked?
"Where on earth did you find those? I had thought that they had got lost long ago."
"I was looking through an old box of photos in my room and found them at the bottom of the box, I don’t remember putting them in there but I must have. Do they bring back any memories?"
"Do they indeed; I must have worn them hundreds of times, it’s like meeting old friends," I said as I took and hefted them running my fingers over them feeling their obdurate smoothness. "These are the ones I wore that night when Mam first tried PEP on me. You know I never did figure out why she cuffed us both together and sent us out that night but I’m so glad she did."
Arthur looked at me with a smile, "Well when we were in the other room I told her that I was partly to blame for your outburst for I had been teasing you out in the street and put you in a sour mood. I also told her that I loved you."
"YOU DID WHAT? That must have given her a chuckle, what did she say to that?"
"Nothing at that time, I also asked her not to go too hard on you because of me and wouldn’t she reconsider. She thought for a moment and said, ‘That’s honest of you to own up but she has to learn to control her temper, it’s for her own good you know, but seeing that you are partly to blame, maybe you’d like to share her punishment?’ ‘Ok’, I said so she went and sent you and I to the bathroom before cuffing us together and chasing us out. I didn’t quite expect that but it worked out all right."
I threw my arms around him and gave him a big kiss, "Fancy telling her that you loved me, and you never told me until now? Arthur Johnson; what am I going to do with you?"
"Well it was true, I thought that you were something special the first time I met you and I fell in love with you before too long, I still do but I couldn’t say anything then in case you laughed at me." I kissed him again.
I was still toying with the cuffs feeling their familiar strength all the while remembering the thrills I had experienced while wearing them, all the confining situations the kids had put me through and as I did I could feel those familiar tingles beginning to build and run through me. I knew that I wanted; no I craved to be held in their confining embrace again and I asked him, "Do you have the key?"
He pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to me, I tried it in the locks and found that they still worked quite smoothly so I locked one cuff on my left wrist and gave him back the key.
"Are you game to be on the other end for tonight?"
"I was hoping you would ask that," he said as he held out his hand and I locked the other cuff on his right wrist.
We kissed again and set off down the path joined hand in hand, not saying anything but exchanging the odd smile. As the sun was going down we found another empty bench and sat down again to watch the sunset. I had Arthur’s hand in my lap and was toying with the chain that held us together.
"You know Arthur, this is like old times and it seems so natural to be wearing these, I’d almost forgotten the feeling they give me but it is coming back stronger than ever. I can feel the thrill of being held by a tree or a post knowing that I can’t get free but also knowing that ‘My Arthur’ was standing guard for me."
"Would you like to feel that thrill again tonight for I can easily fasten you to that tree over there if you want me to you know?"
"Umm, that would be grand, as long as you stay around to release me, come on; let’s do it, be a dear and lock me to the tree so I can see the sunset in peace while you watch out for me."
He brought out the key and released his wrist and walked me over to the tree, had me stand with my back to the trunk, pulled my arms back behind the tree and relocked the cuff on my wrist once more. "There; that should hold you and I’ll keep an eye on you from over there." Then he kissed me hard as I tried in vain to hug him back as I kissed him. He turned abruptly away and went to sit on the bench leaving me to my thoughts and to watch the sunset, which in the north of England takes the sun quite a bit of time to do.
The tree was warm as it had been a nice day and I relaxed, as much as I could as between the girth of the tree and the cuffs there wasn’t that much room, by leaning back against the trunk feeling it’s warmth seep through my dress and into my back. I closed my eyes as these thoughts were running through my head and it was almost like my Mam’s pep, as I stood there controlled by the tree. I could feel the rivers of fire charging through me and I suppose nowadays that would be called hormonal imbalance but I knew different, I knew how lucky I was to have a friend like Arthur who not only understood my needs and desires but also could and was willing to help make them become reality. It was a sensation beyond compare to know I was loved and looked after so well; lucky me. I looked at the sky and watched the colours change as the day faded into twilight. A couple of lovers passed by but took no notice of a girl leaning against a tree while her escort looked on, maybe they never noticed the handcuffs and if they did they were too wrapped up in each other to comment on them. Gradually the light faded as the heat left the day and soon I was looking at the stars as they appeared.
Just as I started to shiver I heard the rustle of the grass and Arthur spoke to me as he bent over to kiss me, "Well Princess, have you been here long enough; would you like me to take you home now?"
"Yes please and thanks for an exciting evening."
"Behind please," I said as I put my hands behind me and he rejoined them together.
"There that should keep you out of mischief for a while," he said as he put his arm around me and we went along together with my head resting on his shoulder.
"Would you mind if I kept them for a few days, as I’d like to wear them again, maybe fulfill one of my fantasies and sleep in them?" I asked as I wriggled my wrists, "Mam would never let us do that when we were small but now she’ll never know."
He handed me the key saying, "Keep them for as long as you like and remember I still have the other pair if you want those too, they would be big enough for your ankles and would really look good there."
"Also be a bit awkward as they are too close together to let me walk in them, remember how I tried years ago?"
"I could always lengthen the chain for you if that would help."
"That would be super if you could."
"How long would you want the chain to be?" I thought for a moment or so.
"Mmm, maybe about eighteen inches should do."
"Right Princess, your wish shall be granted for I think there’s nothing lovelier than a beautiful girl wearing chains and you wear them so well. Will you put them on again the next time we go out?"
"Arthur Dear, I’d do anything for you, you know that. Sure I’ll wear them any time you want me to and sometimes when I want to."
We headed for home and that night I slept in his cuffs.
We had a date to go to the movies on Monday night and Arthur came to take me. My Mam greeted him at the door, "Hello Arthur, everything all right, do come in?"
"Good evening Mrs. Jones, is Helen ready yet?"
"She shouldn’t be too long, I’ll give her a call for she’s still up in her room."
Since Kate left to go nursing I’d had that bedroom to myself except when she came home on the odd occasion. Mam called up the stairs to say that Arthur was waiting for me and I replied that I’d be right down. Mam was going to the Bingo and was just about to leave when Arthur had called so she said, "I’ll be on my way now Arthur as I’m meeting Flo Walsh and I’m a bit late but you make yourself at home till she’s ready. There’s some fresh tea in the pot if you fancy a cup so just help your self, I’ll see you later," and she was out the door.
Arthur called up the stairs to me, "Helen, would you like some tea; I could bring it up if you like?"
"Please Arthur, put a little extra milk in it then I can drink it quickly, it’s all right to come up for I’m dressed and just about ready."
He poured two cups and brought them upstairs pushing the door open with his foot, put them down on the dresser and said, "I have something for you," as he handed me the cardboard box he was carrying under his arm. I took it, surprised at its weight, opened it and inside was the other set of cuffs only now they were connected with a much longer piece of heavy chain. He had cleaned them up till they shone, the key was tied on with string and they looked lovely lying there on a piece of red velvet. I took them out of the box and held them up to inspect them, the new chain looked as if it had always been part of the original set as it was neatly welded on to each of the cuffs.
"There you are Helen, you can try them on any time you like and they’re all yours."
"Thanks a whole bunch darling; I didn’t expect you to do them this quick and they look very professional, you certainly did a beautiful job. If you don’t mind I’ll try them on later for I’ve just put these new nylons on and I don’t want to ruin them, also if we don’t get a move on we’ll miss the movie but I promise that you will have the ‘Lord’s Right to be the first’ to put them on me."
I put the box in the bottom drawer of my dressing table under my night and underclothes closed the drawer and we headed down the stairs.
"Let me have the other pair if you like and I’ll clean them up for you as well."
I patted my handbag and winked at him, "I will after you bring me home from the movie."
As we left the house it had started to rain so I went back inside to get my blue plastic raincoat, which had a hood to keep my head dry. I had put on a smart shirt and my big bulky sweater with the wide sleeves, that were all the fashion and my Mam had made for me, as I didn’t want to get them to get wet. We went to the cinema sitting in one of the special ‘Lover’s Seats’ that held two people without an armrest in the middle to get in the way, I think they were originally installed for obese people but the younger population soon put them to good use as seats where two could be in close proximity for as long as the show went on. There were about ten or twelve of them in this cinema so we wanted to get there early to claim one, as they were quite popular. We were lucky and the one we sat in was at the end of the back row. The cinema was filling up and the house lights were bright as we took our place but before too long the lights dimmed and the theater darkened with Arthur and I sitting with his arm around me and my raincoat over our legs. The movie commenced and the crowd’s attention was on the screen, I cuddled close to Arthur as I opened my handbag and directed his hand inside to where I had placed the cuffs.
"Darling;" I whispered, "I’m ready to wear your cuffs."
He slowly withdrew them and gently placed them, one at a time, around my wrists as he closed the locking bars with a quiet snap, placed the bag on the floor in front of my feet and gave me a sly kiss. The sleeves of the sweater came down over the cuffs so only the connecting chain was visible but in that dark place no one noticed. During the interval he bought us some ice cream bars, which I had to eat with the cuffs still on but again no one noticed and I timed my trip to the Lady’s Room so that the rush was over as the intermission finished. After the show we left with me carrying the raincoat over my hands to conceal the cuffs and when we arrived at my house he took them off as he kissed me goodnight, put them in his pocket and left me to go to bed with some beautiful memories. When I went into the house my Mam was making herself some toast and cocoa, she asked me if I wanted some and we sat there talking about the movie and the bingo she had gone to. She had won twenty pounds for an evening’s outlay of four pounds so she was quite happy with that. The young ones were already in bed and after a short while we followed them to ours as well. When I had closed the bedroom door and had put my nightdress on I took the box out of the drawer and looked inside at the cuffs as they lay on the red velvet. I lifted them out and was very tempted to try them on but I remembered that I had promised the ‘Lord’s Right’ (a throwback to feudal times when the Lord of the Manor had the right to be the first to do whatever he wanted and exercised it often) to Arthur so instead I just examined them feeling their weight. He had used a piece of bright twisted link chain so that the chain would lay flat, and welded the ends to a cuff without the swivel making a beautiful job of the welds. The chain was about as thick as a small pencil and there was enough room between the links to pass a pencil through, the whole assembly had been polished and they looked as if they were factory made. I caressed them for a little while before returning them to their box and putting them back in the drawer. That night I dreamt I wore them.
It was my birthday on Friday and Arthur had bought tickets to take me to the Grand Hotel in Hull for their dinner dance on Saturday night to celebrate. My Dad was home on holiday, as he had earned his ‘Chief Engineer’s Ticket’ and was waiting to take over a ship that was being refitted in Birkenhead, and he had given my some money for my birthday so Mam and I went into Hull to look for a dress to wear to the dance. We found a lovely blue full-length gown and had some money left over for a trip to the hairdressers so I was all dressed up waiting excitedly for Arthur on the Saturday evening. He arrived in good time giving me a big kiss as he pinned a lovely rose corsage on my dress and saying our goodbyes, held my hand as he escorted me to where his dad’s car was waiting. The Maitre ‘D took our tickets and showed us to a table close to the dance floor, and while we waited for the dinner to be served and during the meal the band played some soft music as their vocalist sang request numbers. The dinner was superb, roast turkey with a lovely sherbet for dessert and boy was I surprised when the band played ‘Happy Birthday’ as the waiter brought a small candle lit cake to the table and the rest of the guests applauded.
I’m a pretty good dancer and Arthur is very smooth so we had a lot of exercise as we hit the floor dancing nearly every dance together, sometimes during an ‘Excuse Me’ number we were separated but it wasn’t long before we were together again. The evening ended all too soon and we drove home with me very happy and thankful for such a nice time as I held onto Arthur’s hand. We kissed at the front door after we had cuddled in the parked car when he asked me, "Have you tried out your legcuffs yet?"
"No for I’m waiting for you to exercise your ‘Lord’s Right’ as I promised."
"It’s just that I thought that seeing I haven’t seen you for a little while you may have been anxious to try them on and had done so already."
"No, a promise is a promise and although I admit I have been tempted, I’ve been a good girl waiting for you to fasten me tightly."
"Well in that case how about we go on a picnic tomorrow and we can do it then, I’ll borrow the car again and call for you about one thirty?"
"That sounds like fun, and I’ll say it’s part of my birthday present."
"OK. I’ll be around for you about one thirty tomorrow and don’t forget to bring some thick ankle socks for your toys."
"I’ll do that and I’ll ask my Mam to make us some sandwiches for the picnic, good night my darling and thanks again for a lovely evening." We kissed again and I stood there watching him drive out of sight, closed the front door and went into the house to tell my Mam all about the dance. She and Dad were sitting in the front room watching the telly and they were interested in my outing, I told them all about it and said that Arthur wanted me to go on a picnic with him the next day.
Mam said, "I will be cooking in the morning so I’ll make you something nice to take along."
I thanked her and as I was tired I went off to bed leaving them holding hands as they watched the set. Up in my bedroom and before I went to bed, took out the cardboard box and checked the contents again for the umpteenth time since I first put it away in my bottom drawer. I loved to feel the smooth links and the heavy cuffs but after a little while I put them back, climbed into bed to dream of my Love.
Mam made us some apple dumplings and fancy buns as well as sandwiches to take with us and around one thirty Arthur was at the door to help me out to the car with the things I was taking.
"Did you bring the heavy socks Helen?" he asked as he put my things in the boot.
"Yes they’re in the carryall inside the cardboard box, you didn’t think I would leave those behind did you?"
"Just checking."
I had packed the cardboard box with a pair of woolen ankle socks inside in my carryall bag with some warm clothing, as it looked as if the weather was on the change, and the food in another basket so we were all set to go. After our good byes we set off into the Yorkshire Moors to what is commonly called ‘Herriot’s country’ with its villages, hamlets, farms and good places to stop. We drove to the edge of the moors when Arthur pulled over to the side of the road and said, "Close your eyes and hold out your hands."
I did as he asked and felt him put cuffs on my wrists and close them with a snap.
"Ok; you can open them now," and as I did so I saw that he had polished up the other set of handcuffs to match the ones I had in my bag.
I examined them and turned them on my wrists admiring the way he had cleaned them up, "You certainly did a good job on these for they look brand new," I said as I put them around his neck and pulled him over to me to kiss him.
"There you’re my prisoner now for the rest of the day, how does that suit you?"
"If you think these will stop me from running away my boy you had better think again," I said as I was getting into the mood of the game he was setting up for the rest of the day.
"They will do for now until I get you kitted up later on."
We drove off following some small side roads, twisting and turning amid some of the most beautiful scenery in England as I toyed with the cuffs feeling their familiar weight and matter how hard I tried they didn’t give one little bit either. At last we came to a disused farm with some apple trees and old buildings that had seen better days when Arthur got out of the car, opened the gate to drive up close to an old building and shut off the motor before going to close the gate again.
I was opening the door to get out when he called out, "No; you stay where you are, I’ll let you out in a minute."
He opened the boot to get the box and the socks from the carryall and came to the side where I was sitting, opened the door and lifted my feet on to his lap as he sat on the doorsill. He removed my shoes, pulled the socks on and lifting the cuffs out of the box kissed each one as he put them around my legs and locked them shut. He replaced the shoes and reaching behind him brought out a short length of chain and two opened padlocks, one of which he put through one end of the chain and fed the hasp through the one of the links on the handcuff chain before snapping it shut. He then put the second padlock through the other end of the chain and passed its hasp through the middle link of the legcuffs and likewise snapped it closed.
"Now; let’s see how far and fast you can get away with that lot."
"I sure hope that you’ve got the keys to all these locks for there will be questions asked if I have to wait till I get home to have them cut off."
"I’ve got them all right," he said as he held up a ring with a few keys on it.
Putting his hand under my arm he helped me out of the car and walked me across the grass to a large stone where he told me to sit. I had never been so closely confined even when the kids used to tie me up. With the eighteen inches between the leg cuffs held up by the chain to my wrists I could just shuffle along and this chain to my hands held them by my belly button. I was at once very restricted yet thrilled.
"You certainly don’t want me to wander very far do you?"
"Isn’t that the whole idea and you did say you wanted it tight, how do you like what you’ve got so far?"
"What do you mean ‘what you’ve got so far’ you’re not going to add anything else are you?"
"Not for the moment but I warn you my girl, you had better be good and mind your P’s and Q’s," he said laughingly.
He left me to explore the extremities of my freedom, which was severely curtailed, as he unloaded the items he had packed in the boot of the car, a couple of blankets and a groundsheet to sit on, the picnic supplies and another haversack that thunked as he set it down. Sitting on the stone I could just about reach my nose with my hands but to push my hair back out of my eyes would require me to bring my feet up under my bum as the connecting chain was that short. He had threatened to add more restraints but I wasn’t sure if he was joking or not, I had better watch my step. I felt the handcuffs and those cuffs around my legs and was glad that he had suggested wearing thick socks for although the cuffs were smooth and nicely rounded, not like my Mam’s cuffs that were a lot thinner, had sharper corners and weren’t anyway near as comfortable to wear for any period of time, these could have caused me some discomfort if I wasn’t wearing some sort of padding. I sat there as he unloaded our things out of the car and brought them over to the grassy area to spread the groundsheet and the blankets on the ground before coming over and helping me walk over to sit down. Until then I had never considered the part our hands play in maintaining our balance while walking but it was far harder to do with the way he had me trussed. He sat beside me for a long time cuddling and kissing with him doing all of the cuddling as we talked about the dance and a lot of other things as lovers do, the time passing quickly.
"Well Helen it’s time for your exercise for all prisoners get an exercise time, so it’s three times around the buildings while I put the food and drink out for I’m sure you must be getting hungry. There’s a good girl, of you go," as he lifted me to my feet.
"And how do you expect me to walk that far the way you have me fixed," I said as I rattled my hands, "I can barely move my feet?"
"Ok; I can soon fix that," and he bent down to unlock the padlock through the end of the chain on my legcuffs, then he took the chain and wrapped it around my waist pulling it tight as he put the padlock through the chain and locked it to another link on the handcuffs. Now my hands were closely held in front of my tummy, I had gained some freedom in my feet at the expense of my hands, some fix.
"There that should do the trick, is it tight enough for you for I can make it tighter if you wish," he smiled as he said this.
"It’s quite tight enough thanks," I replied sarcastically.
"Then off you go and mind you don’t trip over the chain on your legcuffs, I’ll be here if you need me, just shout." He turned to lay out our picnic ignoring me so I went off to do as I was told and made the three slow circuits of the old buildings being very careful not to trip for I found out that it was an easy thing to do in my present condition. When I was at last finished he helped me to sit down once more.
"Did you enjoy your walk?"
"Yes thanks, but now I’m ready to eat so will you please release me," I asked as I tried to hold out my hands.
"No, you will stay as you are and I’ll feed you," and this he proceeded to do wiping my mouth when required as the apple dumplings were full of stewed fruit and sometimes I dribbled.
"I wonder what my Mam would say if she could see me now?"
"I think she would tell you ‘it’s only for your own good you know’."
We had a good chuckle about that but it’s just the sort of thing she would come out with.
The meal was finished with some to spare, so we just lay there together again as he held me close and gave me the occasional kiss and I couldn’t help thinking what a nice jailor he was.
Soon my need to answer nature’s call became pressing so I said, "Arthur I badly need to go to the ‘Loo’."
"Ok my Love, go right ahead."
"How can I the way you have me fixed?"
"That’s all right, I’ll help you."
"You’ll do no such thing Arthur Johnson, please unlock me, my hands anyway,"
"If I do that you might run away."
"Arthur; I’m desperate, I have to go."
With that he picked up the haversack that had been lying in the grass and pulled out a length of chain and something else that I didn’t get a good look at as he approached me from behind. The next thing I knew there was something encircling my neck and he was fiddling with it as he attached one end of the chain and padlocked it in place. Then he unlocked my handcuffs and legcuffs and helped me to stand and using the chain as a lead he walked me around to the other side of one of the buildings where there were the remains of on old fence to lock the other end of the chain to a solidly embedded post in the ground.
"There you are Helen, I’ll leave you to your own devices, just call me when you want to come back."
He kissed me and walked off as I watched him go and when he was out of sight I attended to my relief. After rearranging my clothing I felt the object around my neck to find a solid collar with a lump at the back I took for the hinge and one at the front that had a pin for the closure with a padlock and its attached chain hanging underneath. I stood there thinking there’s no end to this chap’s ingenuity and looked around walking back to test the limit of the chain, which I took to be about fifteen feet long. I walked around in a circle to see just how much space the chain allowed and as I was good at math it didn’t take long to figure out that I had about 700 square feet of roaming space with this restriction but I was still confined although not as tightly as before and couldn’t get away. The chain was heavy on my neck as it was suspended off the ground and I watched it hang down between my breasts as I walked over to the post to find it securely locked there.
I called to Arthur who came over to release me from the post, "All right Helen," he said when he got there, "See I told you I could help you?" He undid the padlock on the gatepost and coiling the chain in his hand pulled on it to get me to follow him back to the blankets to sit once more.
"Where on earth did you get this?" I asked as I lifted my end of the chain so as to not sit on it.
"I made it just for you but I wanted to surprise you; you’re not angry with me are you?"
"No but it did come as a big surprise, what ever gave you this idea?"
"I remembered a movie I saw a long time ago called ‘The Flame and The Arrow’ with Burt Lancaster and Virginia Mayo where he and his partner, a small chap that talked in sign language, kidnapped her from the castle and took her to their den in the forest. She tried to escape on his horse but the horse threw her off and they took the chain and collar off a small bear they had as a pet and put it on her. I know I had shivers up my back and went again and again to see that movie so when I was making the alterations to your cuffs I remembered it and made this as well."
"Can you take it off so that I can see it?"
"Certainly but you’ll have to be cuffed up again before I do, you might get loose on me and I can’t have that." He brought over the handcuffs and legcuffs and locked them on me before opening the padlock under my chin to withdraw the pin that held the collar closed. He opened it and gave it to me to examine and I was impressed with the workmanship but then he always was clever with his hands.
<>"What did you make it off?""I used a piece of steel pipe and put it in the lathe in my Dad’s workshop to clean it up with a small cut outside and in. Then I rounded the ends of the piece at each end so that there wouldn’t be any sharp corners to hurt you and cut it into two pieces before welding on the hinge and the closure. The pin goes through the holes in the closure to fasten it and is long enough to have a hole in the opposite end to the head to take the lock and it works as you found out. It’s a bit cold when you first put it on but it soon warms up, I know for I tried it out."
"You certainly did a good job of finishing it for it is very smooth."
"Yes I polished it in the lathe and again after it was welded, you didn’t mind wearing it did you?"
"Not really for after all this is only our games, do you want me to keep it; what would Mam say if she saw it?"
"I can keep it if you like and bring it along when you want to play with it."
"Be a good thing for our picnics or to wear when I go out in the car with you, under a turtle necked sweater of course."
"There you go; I knew that you’d like it. Do you want to try it again," he said as he held it up and open ready for use. I leaned towards him and he placed it around my neck closing it and inserting the pin then he picked up the small length of chain, fastened it to the collar with the padlock locking the other end to my handcuff chain with the other padlock.
"Try that combination and see if you like that."
I stood up and moved around to get the feel of the irons realizing that this combination gave me a bit more freedom. "Seems to me there’s no end to your ingenuity, you find so many ways to control me," I said as I pulled him to his feet and kissed him as soundly as I could without being able to hug him.
"I could always use a bit longer chain that would go from your collar to your legcuffs, that way I could lock your hands at whatever height I might be most suitable, how would you like that?"
"Now that could be very interesting, we might just try that sometime."
As the time was getting on and it was still a good way away from summer the evening was beginning to cool down so I asked Arthur if I could change my skirt for the slacks and put on the heavy sweater I had brought in my carryall. He unlocked one of the legcuffs and the handcuffs but left the collar and chain in place as he passed the clothing to me to put it on. It felt strange to work the slacks over the cuff on one leg with the chain and the opened cuff dangling although the handcuffs and collar didn’t really get in the way as he helped by passing the chain through the neck of the sweater before I put it on. Once I had the slacks adjusted, I removed my skirt and was sitting back on the blanket when the handcuffs were reattached, as was the other legcuff and I was back where I had started. We lay there and pulled the other blanket over us to keep warm as we talked about different things. Arthur told me that the next day he would be going to Newcastle On Tyne in answer to a letter he had written to an engineering firm to try for summer employment that would help with his university expenses and advance his career. If he was successful he would find accommodation there and only come home on the odd weekend. This news disappointed me but I knew it was essential to his education and anyway I would soon be looking for a job myself and weekends would probably be the only time I would have free and with a bit of luck he would be back in town. We finished off the last of the food and decided that it was late enough that we should be heading back home so Arthur packed the things in the car and escorted me to the passenger seat for the final bit if our game. He removed the chain from the collar but left it on me, had me sit with my arms behind the seat where he handcuffed them and then he unlocked the legcuffs to pass the chain behind the seat frame before locking it up again leaving me in a position where I could hardly move. We drove like this till we reached the main road where he had applied the handcuffs early in the afternoon and then he released me of all the restraints and put them in the boot. After a few kisses, where I could hug him properly, we drove the home to my house and unloaded the car before going in to see my parents. Arthur thanked my Mam for the lovely food she had provided and had some talk with my Dad as we drank tea and eat some scones.
"I must be going for I have to be up early to catch the bus to see if that job is mine," said Arthur as he wished my parents a goodnight.
"Lots of luck lad, I hope everything turns out well for you. Be sure to come back and tell us," said Dad.
I went out to say goodnight and thanks for an interesting day, "I had a great time and maybe we can do it again soon. I hope you get that job although it will be tough not to run to your house to see you whenever I feel like it, I wish I were going with you." I gave him a really long kiss before we parted and watched as he drove on out of sight.
When I came back inside my Dad said, " That’s one nice young man; got his head screwed on the right way. He’ll make out all right."
I didn’t see Arthur for almost two weeks when he came back home for the weekend. He had landed the job and had found that some other university lads that were working in the same firm, had rented a flat and had a spare room so he joined in with them. He had called home on the Tuesday to tell his Mam about getting the job and she had come over to our house to tell me. He was working in a drawing office for a company that designed machinery and they were very busy working overtime so he had worked the weekend rather than pass up the money. As I had missed him and his nonsense I had stayed in that last weekend watching the telly instead of going to the pictures as it wasn’t much fun without him. He came over to our house on the Friday evening for my parents had gone out to visit some friends and I was babysitting my little sister. Because she was around we didn’t play any games that time but the next night we went to the movies with me wearing his collar under the turtle necked sweater. Sunday I walked him to the bus station for his return to Newcastle.
The next day my Dad said he was going into Hull and did I want to go with him? I wasn’t going to school that day for I had received my results from my ‘O’ levels and I had done quite well getting an 82% average and as I was leaving at the end of the term, going didn’t seem that important besides it wasn’t often I had the chance to go out with my Dad so I jumped at the idea. He was going into the shipping office to find out how soon he would be required to report to his new ship. He was still officially on holiday for another week and goodness knows when I would see him again for the planned cruises of his new ship had yet to be announced. We caught the early bus and were soon at the shipping office where the first person we met as we entered was Mr. McMinn the general manager, one of the nicest people who worked there.
"Hello Dougie boy, what brings you here when you should be on holiday? By the way congratulations on getting your ‘Chief’s Ticket’, you should be proud of yourself."
"Just came in to see how the new vessel was coming along and if she was still in drydock."
"I understand that the yard plan to flood the dock this Thursday or Friday when they’ve finished painting her, I’ll ring them in a moment to find out for sure if you want me to."
"Please, I’d like to have a look at the hull and underwater fittings while she’s dry."
"Want to have a good look at the ‘Paddles’ eh," he chuckled, "Remember we have a station wagon that goes over there every day and just say the word and I’ll have them pick you up at your front door and bring you back when you’ve finished. By the way this wouldn’t be young Helen would it," he took my hand and kissed my fingers, "You’ve certainly grown into a beautiful young lady, and are you still at school?"
"Thank you Mr. McMinn; I’m just on the point of leaving as I’ve finished my ‘O’ levels"
"Actually Mr. McMinn she’s looking for a job and after we’ve finished here we’re off to the job center," said my Dad.
As we were talking Mr. McMinn had walked us into his office to make the phone call to the shipyard and he motioned for us to sit down.
"And just what kind of a job were you hoping to get Helen?"
"I’ve studied typing, book keeping and general office work in school so I was hoping to get some sort of a secretarial position if I can find one."
"How are your typing skills?"
"Right now I can type 30 words a minute but with a better machine than the old relics we had in school I would expect to better that."
"How would you like to work for us, we have an opening for a stock clerk and although it’s not a secretarial position, it is a place to start for we are always looking for bright young people to staff our offices."
"I would like that very much and thank you Mr. McMinn."
"Then I’ll see if Miss Herbert is free to give you an interview and we’ll take it for there, shall we?"
He made a call on his intercom and presently an older lady appeared.
"This is Helen Jones Miss Herbert, Dougie’s daughter, would you please interview her with that stock clerk's job in mind and report back to me."
"Certainly Mr. McMinn, please come this way Miss Jones," she said as she led the way to her office. There she had me answer lots of questions, type some memos and showed me some of the things I would be asked to do if I worked in that office. She took me down to the stockroom, had the chargehand show me what was required there ask me some questions and show me the basics of shipping and receiving procedures. She was very pleasant and at the end she said that she thought I would do just fine in the offered position. We went back to Mr. McMinn’s office to find him and my Dad deep in conversation with ships plans covering a table that was on one side of the room. We waited till they had finished their conversation before Miss Herbert gave her report.
"Miss Jones seems a pleasant bright young girl quite competent in what I asked her to do and I’m sure she would be an asset to our staff."
"Well there you are then, the job is yours if you would like it, sort of keep it in the family as it were. What do you say?"
"I’d say ‘Thank you very much" Mr. McMinn, I’d be delighted to work here."
"Then that settles it, please take her along Miss Herbert and attend to the paperwork to get her started next Monday. I’ll look forward to seeing you here bright and early at eight o’clock."
That was how I joined The Shipping Federation office and spent many pleasant years there. I went home with my Dad to tell Mam that I was starting work and then I went to school to tell the teachers that I wouldn’t be coming back and to thank them for educating me. The next time Arthur came home for a weekend I had lots to tell him about the new firm.
Arthur and I continued to go out with one another whenever we could but with both he and I working and living so far apart our meetings were not as plentiful as I would have liked. When he was home for a weekend we went out to the movies or some other place where we could be alone and I wore his collar or his cuffs, sometimes both. When he was away I often put them on when alone or sometimes slept in them while I dreamed of him, thus the time went by. I kept them in my bottom drawer in a box marked ‘Private’ and if my Mam knew about them she didn’t remark or question me. My sister Kate had graduated from nursing school, had taken a job as a nurse in the operating rooms in The Manchester General Hospital and had a flat close by, I sometimes went to stay with her for a weekend and that gave me a chance to be with Arthur for he had by this time gone back to the university to complete his next year. It was coming up to Christmas and I had gone to Manchester as Arthur’s date for a big university dance that was to be held to celebrate the occasion. I had asked for some time off work, had left on Sunday and was to stay for the rest of the week. When he took me for a tour of the university, as I had never been there before, I noticed on their bulletin board that on the Tuesday and Wednesday night they were having a variety concert at which one of the acts was an escapologist and featuring a straitjacket escape. I asked Arthur if we could go to see the show as both he and I were interested in restraints and we might get some ideas for new toys and besides although I had heard of straitjackets before I had never seen one up close, anyway he agreed. We decided that we would go on the Tuesday and that night we went to queue up for the tickets. While we were waiting a woman who introduced herself as Bobbie and a part of the show, came over to have a word with us, off to one side of the line up, and to ask if we were interested in seeing the show for free and as we said we were she said, "That will depend on your girlfriend agreeing to be part of the act."
"What would I have to do?" I asked.
"Well at every show we pick out a suitable person that we call up as a volunteer to assist with applying some of the things we use on the main attraction who happens to be ‘The Illusive Fredrico’ also known as my husband. Mind you he sometimes applies some of these things on the volunteer just to get even but it’s all in good fun. He has chosen you as a good foil for his skills and hopes you will consent."
I hesitated a moment as I looked at Arthur to see if he had any objections but he was nodding his head, as he knew I would love to participate in something like this so I said, "Oh; all right you’re on, just tell me what I have to do."
"Now I knew you were a good sport the moment I saw you; when you enter the hall the usher will show you to a prearranged seat and when Fredrico is looking for an assistant he will single you out. At first appear shy but let me come to bring you up on the stage and he’ll give you the cues from there. Don’t worry we won’t hurt or embarrass you but it is better if the audience thinks that you’re not a ‘Plant’ so just act naturally, ok?"
"How did he come to pick me?"
"Just between us, he checks the audience as you line up for the tickets and the prettiest girl wearing slacks is asked to be his accomplice, as you certainly fit that description he asked me to come over to talk to you. Now take these tickets and give them to the lady in the box office wicket and we’ll do the rest, thanks love and enjoy the show." With that she gave Arthur the tickets and hurried away.
The usher showed us to seats about four rows back from the front and just in from the aisle, smiled as she made sure we were seated and left us to take off our outer coats and get comfortable. The show started with singers and dancers doing their routines, then a couple of comedians followed by a magic act and with a great fanfare coupled with smoke and an explosion the Illusive Fredrico was on the stage. He made some patter and put handcuffs on his assistant (his wife) who struggled to get free without success and then with a flourish he took her hands in his and she was instantly freed of the cuffs.
"I need a volunteer from the audience to help me with this next part of the performance," he said as he shaded his eyes to look over the crowd as the spotlight moved over the people. "You Sir," he pointed only to reconsider, "No you’re too skinny, what I really need; is a lady, a pretty lady, like that lady there with the blue sweater," here he pointed in my direction and the spotlight landed on me, "Would you be so kind as to come up and help me?"
"Let me see you get out of these," I exclaimed as I put them on him. He held his hands high above his head to show the audience as he struggled a bit while the crowd clapped and then with a downward swing he was free holding the opened cuffs in his hand.
He pulled me towards him and put the cuffs on me saying, "Let me see if you can do that?"
I strutted around with my hands above my head like he had done and swung my hands down quickly but I was still locked up and the crowd roared so I tried again a couple more times with the same result.
"I thought you were watching me," he said.
"I was but it didn’t do me any good."
The audience laughed at that.
"Well then, watch again," and with that he caught hold of my arms, held them high and swung them towards the floor. I felt the cuffs come off as they passed my waist but I didn’t see what he had done to get them off me.
"That’s how it’s done; now try again," and instantly I was locked in them once more. Oh I tried and tried but they were on to stay or till he let me loose. No matter which way I tried or swung myself it didn’t make a bit of difference and these things were solid.
"Well let me try something else that’s not as difficult and you can help me." He had three cupboards joined together by their back edges to form a triangle with a caster at the corner of each where he kept the articles he used in his act so now he spun them around to open one of the doors and took out a jacket with long sleeves and lots of straps. "Now you can help me get into this nice coat and chain the belt on, you don’t mind doing that do you?"
I held up my cuffed hands, "It will be pretty hard for me to do that the way I’m fixed, my hands are too close together."
"Yes you do have a point," and with that he put the jacket down, raised my hands in the air and with a downward flourish I was free once more. He had me pick up the jacket, which was quite heavy, made of thick canvas reinforced at strategic points with leather, and hold it up for him to put his arms in the sleeves with the opening of the jacket behind him. "Now start at the neck and do up the straps down my back and don’t forget to make them tight," he coached me as I did his bidding. I pretended to heave on the straps as I put my knee in the small of his back to get purchase and did all the four straps up.
"Now put the right hand sleeve strap through the little loop on the left side and do the same with the other arm." I tried to put the two straps through the same loop so he bellowed at me, "the left one on the right side."
"Well you didn’t say that, you just said do the same thing with the other arm."
"Have you no imagination, have you never seen one of these jackets before?"
"No," I said nonchalantly, "I don’t have any of these in my wardrobe." Then I put the straps through the correct loops and pulled the buckle tight. There was another strap hanging down at the front so I lifted it up and flipping it up and down asked demurely, "Where does this one go?"
There were catcalls, laughter and suggestions from the students in the audience before they quietened down again and Fredrico told me to pass it between his legs to fasten it to the back of the jacket but he cautioned me not to pull it too tight or he would sing alto. I did as he instructed with him moaning if I pulled the strap too quickly or tightly. Then it was a length of chain that Bobby handed me with instructions to put the padlock through it to hold it around his waist, back up around his neck and down the front putting it on the padlock as it went by to go around each leg in turn and back up to his waist where the end was locked. He had me test the fit of the chain and to all intents and purposes he was truly secured. He thanked me for a job well done, went down into the audience and invited people to examine his bonds to feel their tightness. He had a stop clock set up to one side of the stage and returning to there once more he had a roll on the drums as the clock started and he commenced to struggle inside the jacket to get free. After a moment or two his hand came out from in under the rear of the jacket to undo the crotch strap and worked its way up his back undoing the straps as it went then he pulled the chain from around his neck getting enough slack to let it fall to his waist to free one leg after the another. Stepping out of the pile on the floor the clock stopped to show that he had taken three minutes and forty three seconds to get out. The crowd applauded wildly with whistles and catcalls.
I had watched all his moves and seen that he had gained space inside the jacket to allow his arm to come free and after that the rest was easy so bravely I said, "I bet I could do that."
"Oh you think you could do you? Well I’ll bet you can’t in fact if you can get loose in twice the time I took, I’ll buy you and your escort dinner tomorrow night."
"All right you’re on."
"But!"
"But what?"
"If you can’t you will have to pay a forfeit. Are you going to the dance on Friday?"
"Yes we are."
"Then if you can’t get loose; I’ll require you to wear the jacket at the dance for a period of shall we say; two hours?"
"That’s a bit steep isn’t it?"
"Well you said that you can get loose so what have you got to loose, we have to make the bet meaningful don’t we?"
"I suppose so, but we get to pick the restaurant."
"Brave girl; agreed," and turning to the crowd he said, "How about a round of applause for Helen the challenger."
Bobbie unlocked the padlock on the chain to pull it clear and lifted the jacket giving it to Fredrico, then he said, "You’re sure you want to do this?" As I nodded my head he went on, "Then put your arms into the sleeves and I’ll get you strapped up."
The jacket felt heavy on my shoulders as I stood there with my hands not quite reaching the ends of the sleeves as he spun me around for the audience to see what he was doing. The neck strap was first with him asking me if I were comfortable, and then he went down my back fastening the straps tightly to pull the jacket around me. First the right arm, then the left one was pulled to the side to pass the ends of their straps through the little loops before he secured the ends with the buckle leaving me tightly hugging myself and then he lifted the remaining strap in front of the jacket, held the end up asking the audience where it should go. Again there were hoots and calls from the floor as he passed it between my legs and secured it to the back of the jacket. The inside of the jacket was beginning to get warm but he wasn’t finished yet as the chain was applied and locked as he had been.
"Now go down into the audience and let them decide if you are as well secured as I was, but remember I am a lot bigger than you so that jacket could be a bit loose on you but never mind, a bet is a bet."
Bobby helped me down the steps, for it felt odd to walk with my arms lost to me, and she stayed close to me as she walked me around letting the students check my lashings promptly vetoing any that wanted to check the crotch strap.
Then it was back up onto the stage once more where Fredrico asked me, "Are you all set or do you want to lose the bet right now?"
"I’m all set but would you please scratch my nose before we start?"
"You can do that for yourself when you get out," he replied, then he reset the clock and with a "One, two, three go," the clock started and I began to wriggle as I had seen him do to gain some slack inside the jacket. I tried as hard as I could but I only managed a little slack that wasn’t enough to let my arm come out of the sleeve. I sat down on the floor and tried harder, turning and squirming this way and that but there was only a little give and not enough to let me get free. ‘Come on don’t panic; think,’ I said to myself as I struggled to no avail, then I relaxed and tried again but it was of no use, the time had passed so quickly and he had given me the full eight minutes before he called a halt. He helped me to my feet and the audience was on its feet clapping and whistling as he hugged me and wiped the sweat off my face.
"Well I see you are still in there; what happened, I thought you were going to get free?"
"I don’t know; it looked so simple when I watched you, but maybe I’m out of practice."
"Well one thing I do know; you’re one hell of a good sport but a bet is a bet and I’ll be there on Friday night to claim my prize."
"That’s ok, I’ll be there too and I’ll pay my forfeit, but I wouldn’t mind if you could let me loose now."
"You’re sure you are not just saying that and you’ll be off the moment you’re freed never to be seen again?"
"No, you won the bet fair and square; I’ll be there for you to lock me up tightly again."
"This time wasn’t tight but I can do it tighter next time if that’s what you want."
In my bravado I said, "Yes make it tight the next time."
He unlocked the chain as he and Bobbie undid the straps and let me out of the jacket then he held my arm up over my head like a prize fighter and said, "I think you did very well and just to show you my appreciation for your efforts I’m going to honour my bet and send you and your friend to dinner tomorrow night; however I shall be waiting for you on Friday." The crowd cheered me as I went back to my seat beside Arthur and he gave me a big hug. After the show Fredrico came to us and gave me his card upon which was an endorsement for dinner for two at the restaurant of my choice and he thanked me again for my help in making the evening such a success.
Arthur told me how proud of me he was as we walked back to the bus stop to go home to Kate’s flat. "You looked like a seasoned trouper up there on the stage. What did it feel like to be in the jacket?"
"Quite warm and very restrictive but somehow also very comfortable, I’m glad though my Mam only had handcuffs and not one of those for us to wear for PEP but I’ve always wondered what they would be like and now I’m really going to find out on Friday if Fredrico shows up."
"Oh he’ll be there all right for he’s one of the professors at the university and only does this kind of thing as a hobby."
"Well he seemed quite professional up there tonight, I’d like to know some of his secrets."
The dinner at the Ambassador Hotel was scrumptious and the atmosphere friendly but as I ate my meal I couldn’t help thinking about Friday night. It wasn’t that I was scared or anything like that but for the short time I was inside the jacket I had managed; but could I go for two hours with dancing into the bargain, aw well, in for a penny in for a pound.
Arthur and I went to the dance, which started at eight o’clock with a live band, and we had a few dances together before I saw Fredrico and Bobbie enter the hall and go up onto the stage and speak with the bandleader.
When the band finished their number he took the mike and addressed the crowd, "Good evening all you happy people, as you know on Tuesday we had a young lady who challenged me to a straitjacket escape and lost. Her forfeit was to wear the jacket for two hours here tonight and I’m wondering if she has come tonight as promised? If Helen is on the floor would she please come up on the stage."
I looked at Arthur, "Well this is it; I just might as well get it over with so come on with me," as I took his hand in mine and walked towards the stage.
"Hello Helen," said Fredrico as he helped me up the steps "I’m glad to see you didn’t chicken out, all set to honour your end of the bargain?"
The dancers were crowding around to see the fun and they clapped to give me encouragement.
"Yes I’m ready if you are," I countered.
"Right then let’s get started," he turned to Bobbie, ‘The jacket please, Bobbie. I’ve brought the one that Bobbie wears at times in our act, it’s a little lighter and should fit you better for you are both about the same size, now if you’ll just put your arms in here," he indicated the sleeves and he proceeded to put the jacket on me. This one had laces up the back as well as the straps which he fed through the holes in the jacket and between them, he and Bobbie tightened it on me and tied off the laces behind my neck, the straps came next with the first strap completely covering the laces where they had been tied, followed by my arms being passed through a large loop on the front of the jacket before their straps, going through the little loops at the sides, were buckled tightly together. As he was fastening the buckle Bobbie was holding my elbows and pushing them together so when he was done I was really hugging myself very tightly. There were two straps hanging on the front of this jacket sewn in about six inches apart and they were passed under my body to be fastened to their buckles at the back, the right one going to the left buckle and the other going to the one on the right. When these were pulled tight it felt as though I were wearing a pair of very tight panties for the straps crossed underneath my body.
"We won’t bother with the chain tonight for you are quite secure enough without it but just to make sure no one interferes with your straps and tries to pull them a wee bit tighter we have these," and Bobbie handed him a handful of small padlocks which he proceeded to pass their hasps, one to each strap, through the tongue of the buckle and snap them shut. These also meant that he would have to be the one to set me free.
"Now off you go and have fun, I shall be here by the band if you need me and I’ll let you out in two hours from now," he said as he looked at his watch. Arthur helped me down off the stage and just to show that I wasn’t totally overpowered he put his arms around me and we started to dance. It felt strange to dance without being able to hold your partner and the crossed straps were playing all kinds of funny games down there. Every movement of my feet was transferred and amplified to my crotch. The students called out to me as they danced past and when the music stopped they came over to examine my bonds, check out the padlocks keeping me in there and to ask questions about how it felt to be so tightly confined. We sat out the fast dances and only did the slow ones for I was hot and beginning to feel the effects of my portable prison as my shoulders started to ache, yet at the same time the feeling was sort of indescribable with electric shivers running around inside me. Several times Bobbie came over to ask how I was getting on and if I wanted to get out, each time I asked her how much time I had left to go for I was determined to go the full two hours. Arthur had bought us drinks but he had to hold mine up to my mouth so that I could drink from the straw but other wise I felt ok. I wasn’t short of partners for some of the other chaps came over to ask me to dance with them and Arthur joking told them that it was all right for them to dance with me for I couldn’t do anything to get into mischief. Apart from the warmth of the jacket I was enjoying the attention I was getting and then suddenly it was over.
"Helen; your time’s up," called Fredrico over the address system, "please come to the bandstand and I’ll release you." I made my way through the crowd as they clapped, whistled and patted me on the back. Fredrico had them count as the padlocks were opened one at a time and then it was the turn of the straps and laces to loosen the jacket, which he lifted off me. The cool air felt wonderful as I shook my arms to bring feeling back into them and Arthur put his arms around me and kissed me hard.
"Let’s hear it for Helen," said Fredrico, "She’s been a wonderful sport and incidentally the first one to accept my challenge and go the full two hours." He and Bobbie led the applause as Arthur and I walked away from the stage to find a table as the dance continued. Then Fredrico came over to ask if he could have a dance with me and we glided away in a waltz.
After the waltz ended Fred (as he told me to call him when he was not doing his act) thanked me for the dance as he led me back to the table where Arthur and Bobbie were sitting talking. He excused himself telling us that there were a couple of things he had to attend to and would soon be back. Arthur also excused himself to go to the men’s room leaving Bobbie and me talking together.
"You did extremely well tonight Helen, for not many people can stand a jacket for that length of time; is that the first time you’ve worn one?"
"Yes, apart from Tuesday night. Up till then I’d never even seen one up close."
"You did away better than me; for I couldn’t last twenty minutes my first time before I was begging to be released."
"Well a bet is a bet and I lost so, fair Dos," I said as I shrugged my shoulders.
"You’ve also worn cuffs before haven’t you?"
"What makes you say that?"
"There’s something I can’t quite put my finger on that tells me that they aren’t all that unfamiliar to you, I’m not quite sure what it was but you didn’t flinch when I put them on you on Tuesday night and most first timers do, so I’ll ask you again. You’ve worn them before haven’t you?"
"Yes I have, when we were kids we found a couple of old pairs at Arthur’s place and as I was the youngest of the gang I normally ended up wearing them." I didn’t tell her though that I still had them and what Arthur had done to them for me. We chatted and I told her of my Mam’s PEP talks and she was full of questions about that. I told her how Arthur had always taken care of me when we played, looking out for me and that brought me to telling her about the first time my Mam had chained me to the kitchen chair and how he had got me a reprieve.
"I can see he still looks out for you for his eyes were never off you the whole time you were in that jacket tonight. Are you going to be staying here long, for I’d love for you both to come round to our flat and visit? We have some other things I think would be of interest to you and you could try out. Fred is quite a collector and spends time in his workshop repairing the things he finds as well as trying out new ideas."
"You mean things he uses in his act?"
"Well yes; that and things he uses on me as well."
"You mean he puts these things on you at home?"
"Indeed he does as we both enjoy the feelings they provoke, you know how you felt with your Mam’s PEP, now I often wear the jacket you used tonight, that’s how I knew it would fit you for we are about the same size."
"I would love to come and see them but I have to go home on Sunday to get ready for work on Monday, I have been staying with my sister, who works in the Manchester General, for the past week and I was lucky to get the time off but I’m afraid it’s off to work again on Monday."
"What a pity we have an engagement tomorrow evening in Liverpool otherwise you could have come then but the next time you are here let us know for we will have to be sure to meet again."
Arthur and Fred had returned and had joined in the conversation with Arthur adding a few bits that I had forgotten about and he said that he hoped that it wouldn’t be too long before I came back to see him again.
"Then that settles it," said Bobbie, "The next time you’re here you must come over for dinner and spend an evening with us, right Fred?"
"I’m very much looking forward to that."
Arthur came home for Christmas and we spent as much time together as we could but with family commitments, for my Dad’s ship was in home port and he spent one of his seldom Christmases with us, and Arthur visiting his relatives our time just flew. The two weeks disappeared and it was time for him to be back at university. As I didn’t have enough time in the firm I worked for I couldn’t get time off to go to visit him before the Easter holidays in April. I caught the train right from work on Thursday afternoon looking forward to the four day weekend knowing that I would have to be back home on the Monday night to be in work on Tuesday. In answer to Fred’s enquiries Arthur had told him that I was coming and we were invited to spend the day with them on the Saturday. We arrived at their ground floor flat shortly after two o’clock, were welcomed inside their beautifully decorated home and told to make ourselves comfortable as we sat and chatted. Fred and Bobbie were gracious hosts and interested in what we were doing and how were had been since our last meeting. Presently Bobbie suggested that Fred take us to his Den and show us his collection of escape items. This room was filled with different sorts of restraints some of which I had seen in pictures and some I had only dreamed about. He was very knowledgeable about the history and working of the various items he had on display and we spent a good hour or so in asking questions and generally learning about the things he had, even trying some of them on for a few minutes. While this was going on Bobbie was busy in the kitchen preparing the dinner and I left the boys to join her to offer my help, she thanked me and said that as I was there as a guest she could manage on her own and suggested that I continue to enjoy the tour of Fred’s display. While in Fred’s room I noticed a strange looking polished wooden ball on his desk and asked him what it was used for? He took it up and passed it to me to examine where I found it had twelve sides like one of those novelty calendars that display the months on each face only these faces were marked with the names of different restraints on all but two of the faces. By now Bobbie had returned from the kitchen and she offered the explanation.
"We use that to play some of our games," she said, "We roll the dice and whichever face comes up when it stops, the person rolling it has to wear that device for the duration of the period of game, the two blank faces mean a free period for no device is worn for that round."
I looked at the faces to find them inscribed with handcuffs, legcuffs, collar, collar and cuffs, waist band and cuffs, spreader bar for feet, spreader handcuffs, yoke, sirik, and brank.
"That’s some game," I said, " With a brank even," I knew what that was for I’d seen them in museums, "Do you play it often?"
"Occasionally when I’m bored and want a little excitement or if we have trusted friends come to visit; but don’t take too much notice of the brank for its more a collection of leather straps with a built in gag rather than a real metal brank although Fred has one of those around here some place, don’t you My Love," he nodded his head?
"Interesting; but what is a sirik, I’ve never heard of that?"
"Then you’ve never read any of the ‘Gor’ books by John Norman have you? It’s a combination of collar, handcuffs and legcuffs inter-connected by a chain and is featured in his books, and with a harem costume it’s quite effective for fancy dress dances."
"That sounds interesting."
"Maybe you’d like to try your luck with the dice for a half-hour stake," asked Fred?
"I will if Bobbie will join me," I said as I looked at her?
"Ok, I’m game for a half hour, then the dinner will be ready and I’ll have to quit but you can continue to play if you like and seeing that you’re our guest you can have first roll."
I looked over at Arthur, "You don’t mind if I do this do you?"
"No, you go right ahead for I’m just as curious as you to see what turns up."
I picked up the dice and rubbed it between my hands and rolled it down the carpet on the floor. Bobbie bent over to look at the uppermost face.
"Oh no, the yoke; Helen you’ve rolled for the yoke," she looked at Fred, "Maybe we should let her roll again for the yoke is a bit severe for a first time player."
"That’s for Helen to decide."
"What’s the matter with it," I asked?
"It is very restrictive and I know what it is like to wear for I’ve been in it many times, might be a bit severe for you for the first time."
"That’s alright; everything has a first time and besides I knew the rules when I rolled the dice and I’m going to abide by them, no sense in taunting fate. Just tell me what I have to do," I said.
"Spoken like a true trooper; if you can handle this challenge as well as when you wore my jacket at Christmas you’ll be all right."
Bobbie smiled encouragingly at me as she held the dice to her lips, kissed it as she tossed it onto the floor where it rolled and came to rest; Fred went over to look at it.
"Good Show Bobbie; you’ve rolled the leg spreader," Fred chuckled as he lifted the dice from the floor.
Bobbie groaned, "Not my favourite device either but that what’s the dice demands I’ll have to go along just the same as Helen."
Fred sat me down on the stool in his den and went to a cupboard to return with a long metal bar that had a circle in the middle and cuffs dangling from short chains at each end, it was obvious what the circle was intended for and I noticed that it was hinged where it joined the bar with a hasp formed by the other ends of the hinged portions. He handed the yoke to me for my inspection and I saw that two pieces of pipe about one inch in diameter and just over a couple of feet long were welded to the circle one on each side. The circle was made of three pieces, a half and two quarters with the two quarters hinged to the half just in front of where the bars were joined on. When the two quarters were brought together they completed the circle and their ends were bent at a right angle to come together with two matching holes drilled in each face, obviously for the lock. The whole thing had been finished in shiny black paint and it was a bit heavy. I passed it over to Arthur for him to have a look at and he opened and closed the circle a couple of times remarking on the workmanship before handing it back to Fred. He took it with both hands holding the bars on either side of the collar and as the opening was towards him he used his thumbs to open the collar wide then he lifted it over my head and brought it to bear on the back of my neck as again, using his thumbs, closed it about my throat. He held the collar closed with one hand as he fished in his pocket for the opened padlock, which he fed through one set of the holes and snapped it shut. I reached up to feel the lock dangling from the front of the collar as he took my other hand and guided it to the end of the bar to affix the open cuff around my wrist and squeeze it shut to confinement. The other hand was similarly dealt with, the cuffs double locked and I was in the yoke. It wasn’t too uncomfortable but I could see that it soon would be when my arms got tired and their weight would come on my neck and shoulders.
"There that’s got you taken care off; now it’s Bobbie’s turn," and he went back to the cupboard to return with a bar about three feet long with a solidly welded hinged cuffs at either end. Bobbie and I exchanged places on the stool as he knelt and fixed the cuffs around each of Bobbie’s legs and padlocked them in place.
Then he set the timer on the shelf for thirty minutes and placed it on the table saying, "That will ring loudly when your time is up, now why don’t we all go into the living room and sit down where it’s more comfortable?"
I had little difficulty walking through the door and finding a place to sit on the chesterfield beside Arthur but poor old Bobbie had some fun trying to negotiate the doorway with her wide spread legs, it was obvious that she had done this before for she knew just how to make her feet dance to get the three foot bar through the narrower doorway before she could waddle over to a chair and sit down, in the end though I think she had a better time than I for that yoke became quite heavy and painful on my shoulders before release time was up. After five minutes or so my arms began to get heavy and as I relaxed them their weight came onto the cuffs and ultimately the yoke itself, which was heavy on my neck. I tried to get comfortable on the chesterfield which was curved so the ends of the bars connected first and as I leaned back the rest of my body was held in an awkward position without actually touching the back of the couch. Arthur, good old Arthur, slid in behind me and cuddled me to give me as much relief as possible but it seemed an eternity as the hands on the stop clock moved so slowly.
At one point Fred asked me if I wanted out and I told him, "Yes; but I’m going to endure it for the full time and then you can let me out. Do you use this in your act and if so how could you possibly escape with your hands so far apart?"
"Bobbie sometimes wears it as a finish to the show but it is inescapable and I have to release her afterwards or behind the curtain, if you are on your own you are in it till someone comes along who has the keys."
I asked Bobbie, "What is the longest time you have ever worn it?"
"One Saturday Fred locked me in it just after lunch and went out to the shops and it was teatime before he returned so I had it on for just over five hours. I was in tears when he showed up and had gone to lie on the bed to get some comfort. I wouldn’t want to go through that again but I can usually stand it for an hour or so."
At one point I got up off the couch to walk around to see if that gave me any relief and as I turned around I caught sight of my reflection in the glass doors of their china cabinet and I started to laugh. The others looked at me in amazement till I explained that the sight of me reminded me of a scarecrow as I stood there with my arms held akimbo.
Talking passed the time and suddenly the stop clock began to ring and Fred came over with the keys and let me free for Arthur to rub my shoulders and the base of my neck. As he was doing this Bobbie was freed so she and I went into the kitchen to see to the meal, meanwhile Fred took Arthur down into the basement of the building to see his workshop.
"You stood up to that very well Helen," she said as she brought out some of the dishes we would use, "Are you game to try again for the duration of dinner?"
"I suppose so but I wouldn’t want that yoke again so soon. I’m glad my Mam didn’t use one of those for her pep talks"
"Don’t worry about that for the rules of the game are that you can’t have the same device twice in the same game and our games generally go on all day. Should you roll the yoke again you’ll get to try again until you roll something else."
"All right then; I’ll give it another whirl if you will too, let’s finish getting the dinner ready and then we’ll tell the boys. Tell me; what was it like to be in that spreader bar, those cuffs really held your legs wide apart and it must have put some strain on your hip joints?"
"Yes it does if you are standing but it’s not so bad when you are sitting down, come over here," she commanded, "You and I are about the same height so I can give you some idea of what it’s like, now put your toes in front of mine," and she spread her legs. I spread mine as I matched the distance she had her feet apart with my toes directly in front of hers, immediately I could feel the strain on my hip joints and knew that wearing the spreader would be just as much a problem as the yoke.
"That’s quite a challenge and yet you were able to walk while wearing it, you must be in practice. Do you wear it often?"
"I’m afraid so for Fred likes to see me in something in the evenings and this way I at least have my hands free to do other things."
"Was it hard to get used to wearing it and to walk in it for you make it look easy?"
"The walking is not so bad but you must be aware of your balance for with your feet so far apart and held that way it’s not very easy to correct yourself if you tip over and you are at a disadvantage if you fall, I know for it has happened to me on occasion. The first few times I wore it was terribly hard for me, after ten or twenty minutes I was pleading to get it off me then one Friday night just after teatime Fred put me in it and ignored my pleas, he told me to shut up, quit whining and get used to it or words to that effect; he didn’t let me out until Sunday night."
"That’s forty-eight hours; you put up with it for all that time?"
"Actually it was forty-nine and a half before I was freed. I had to learn to walk and as I was in here I had to learn how to go through the doorways to get to the other rooms especially the bathroom. I found that I could swing one foot in an arc while the other one acted as a pivot and then repeat with the other foot and by moving my feet forwards and backwards I could crab sideways as you saw just now. Fred calls it ‘tacking’ from his sailing days where sailboats do the same thing to go against the wind, it’s slow but it does get me through doorways."
"How did you manage about sleeping?"
"Once in bed either on my front or me back I was there for the night, getting into bed was the hardest for the bedclothes got in the way and after a little while I learned to sort of slide in sideways or throw the clothes to the foot of the bed and cover up when I was in there, same went for getting up, but Fred was very attentive as I laid there with my legs splayed out," she grinned as she told me this.
"Where does Fred find all these things?"
"He goes to auctions and sales, you never know what you’re going to find at jumble sales and what he can’t buy he makes in his workshop, that’s where he’s taken your Arthur now. Ever so proud of that workshop is Fred; mind you he doesn’t show it to everybody only a privileged few. Then he also keeps a log of what’s worn, by whom and for how long, he even has a page for you for after that first night when you helped him on the stage and then when you wore my jacket he said that he knew you were interested in the same things we were."
"Beside your acts, has anyone you didn’t want to ever seen you wearing these devices, that’s what I’m always afraid of for I have some cuffs at home that I wear around the house when I’m on my own and I keep the doors locked but I’m ever so careful in case the unwanted visitor comes along? Most of the time I just wear them when Arthur is there to protect me and he’s an old friend that’s in the know."
"One night a student that was having difficulty came over to ask Fred to help him and I was in the spreader, luckily I was sitting down in the easy chair and had a rug handy that Fred threw around my legs before he answered the door so he never caught on, he was a special student that Fred had told to call for help and had forgotten that he was coming. I thought he would never leave for I was dying to go to the ‘loo’ and it was ages before he finally left, but I’m like you, apart from trusted friends I make sure I’m safe. You know, now that you have admitted it, I feel relieved for I could tell you had worn cuffs before from the first time we met." She reached over to press a button on the wall by the kitchen door, "That will tell Fred the dinner’s ready, ever so handy that button for it rings in his workshop, they’ll be back here soon."
When the boys reappeared Bobbie told Fred that we were ready to roll the dice for the duration of the dinner and for him to bring it back into the dinning room so he went and fetched it. As the meal had been set out on the table we rolled the dice again with Bobbie going first and she came up with the spreader handcuffs while I got the waist band and cuffs. Fred went in to his den and returned with the required items giving the waist band to Arthur telling him that it was his turn to put it on me as he put handcuffs with a twelve inch solid bar between them on Bobbie’s wrists and double locked them. Arthur examined the adjustable hinged waist belt that was about two inches wide, had slots in it for adjustment and two short chains about three inches long, one on either side with attached Darby cuffs. He had me stand to put the belt around my waist adjusting it so that although it was not too tight it wouldn’t fall down on account of the flare of my hips and locked it with a padlock. The Darbys were then fastened on my wrists and we all sat down to eat. As I couldn’t reach too far and certainly not to my mouth, he had to fill my plate and feed me but the grin on his face told me he was enjoying every moment of it. Fred had to help Bobbie as she could only use one hand a time seeing that they were held so far apart. There was much fun and laughter as we enjoyed the excellent meal and good company. After we had eaten the keys were handed to Arthur for my belt and cuffs as Fred reached round to free Bobbie.
"Oh excuse me; what’s this all about, what’s going on here?" I asked.
"Well dinner’s over and we are releasing you to do the dishes and then we’ll have coffee," said Fred.
"Oh no; the meal’s not finished till the dishes are done including the coffee things and as we’re locked up for the duration of the meal you boys will have serve the coffee and do the dishes, isn’t that right Bobbie?"
"It sure is," said Bobbie getting her nerve up, "I’ll have mine black if you don’t mind."
"Looks as if we have been out-maneuvered Arthur," said Fred, "Let’s go to the kitchen."
Coffee was served, cards and scrabble were played afterwards by teams of Arthur and Bobbie, Fred and I with the fellows holding the cards or moving the pieces, which due to our incarceration we were unable to do for ourselves. We wanted out to make a foursome but they kept telling us the meal wasn’t over till the last dish was put away so Bobbie and I stayed locked up till it was time to say goodnight after the dishes were done and on the way home I was left wondering just who had had the last laugh.
Spring was rapidly giving way to summer, the days were lengthening and Arthur was finished with university for another year. He was back working for the same firm that had employed him last summer only this time for some lucky reason he was working out of Hull on a big project the firm had going. He had arranged to board with one of his co-workers and the accommodation suited him fine but more importantly he was closer to me and came home to his house on the odd weekend he was not working on the ‘Big Project’. I also saw him in the evenings if I stayed late in Hull after work and I was quite happy with this arrangement. Having weekends at home also meant that he could borrow his Dad’s car on Sunday and take me on picnics where we went back out to the old abandoned farm house and had some fun with our toys. He had wanted to make me a waist belt like the one that I had worn at Fred’s house but the problem was, where to keep it away from prying eyes as my little sister Pauline was getting quite nosey and I had to be very careful as to keep our toys hidden from her. One Sunday when we were out at the farm lying in each other’s arms Arthur asked me to marry him and of course I readily accepted. We had been working up to this for some time expressing our love for each other and I knew in my heart that he was the one for me. He understood me and my wants, was always ready to give in to me and to look after me as he had done since I first met him when going to school together. He suggested that we go to visit his uncle Harold, his father’s brother, and his aunt Eve who had a nursery business just outside of Hendon, north of London, for our annual holiday and we could shop in London for an engagement ring. I was all for this plan for I had been with our firm long enough to get two weeks summer holiday and Arthur’s firm was going to shut down for their annual holiday big project or no, and I had never been to London although I had always wanted to go there. I had gained some advancement since I started as a lowly clerk and was now the personal secretary to one of the junior partners in the firm so I knew I could get the time off. Choker necklaces had been the fashion rage for some time and I was no exception in wearing neck decorations, these were usually fancy ribbons or lace affairs of various widths, some girls were even wearing dog collars to match their leather belts. When Arthur asked me to be his bride we had been lying in the long sweet smelling grass just enjoying the beautiful warm day and after I had said ‘Yes’ he had excused himself to go to the car returning with a little flat polished wooden box.
He sat down beside me and said, "I haven’t bought you an engagement ring yet but I do have this ring for you if you will wear it for me." He opened the box and took out a lovely highly polished neck ornament made from stainless steel and handed it to me. I turned it over in my hands feeling its smoothness and looking for the closure.
"That’s beautiful Arthur where did you get it?"
"I made it especially for you but I had to ask you that question before I gave it to you, to make sure you would wear it and not be embarrassed by it."
"Nothing you would make for me would do that," I said as I hugged and kissed him, "How do you put it on?"
He took it in his hands turning it till he found the right spot and with a quick tug the ring separated on its hinge.
"There; that’s all you do and to close it you just push the ends together."
I looked at the opened ring to see the clever way he had made the hinge and the closure, which had a central piece on one end, and a ‘U’ slot on the other. The central piece had two small balls fitted in it and he told me that they were held in place with a tiny strong spring to make what he called ‘bullet catches’. He had made the piece out of 7/8 inch wide by 5/16 thick stock and where the catches latched had ground out recesses for the balls with a slight lead-in where they entered the U, when it was together you could hardly see the joins or the hinge.
"Will you wear it for me?" he asked.
I held out my neck, "Of course I will, don’t keep me waiting just put it on," he passed it around my neck and using both hands squeezed the ends together until the balls seated with a little click that I felt rather than heard. It was a bit cold at first but it quickly became warmed to my skin and I just had to get my compact out of my handbag to see how it looked in place, it was truly a work of art. It wasn’t too tight and I played with it turning it around and feeling its weight and moving it up and down.
I kissed him again and told him, "There’s only one thing wrong with it, where do you attach the leash?"
"I’ll make provision for that on the next one," he said laughingly.
I was so excited when I got home I could hardly tell my Mam the news of my engagement, she was very happy for me and told me that Arthur would make me a good husband. In answer to her question as to when the wedding would take place I told her we were waiting until Arthur had graduated and found a suitable job, then we would marry and settle down. I showed her my new necklace which she admired and told her that it was on there to stay and when I went to work the following day all the girls wanted to know where I had got it for they wanted one just like it, Arthur could have made a fortune making them.
He wrote to his uncle and asked if it was all right to come to visit them and in a couple of days the reply came back to tell him they would be delighted for him and his intended to stay for the two week holiday so when the time came on the Friday after work we caught the train and headed to Hendon. The large six bed-roomed beautiful old farmhouse was just outside the town a short bus ride from the station, aunt Eve had had three children a girl, Melissa now a flight attendant for British Airways and two boys, Robert and Stanley who were married and lived in other towns. Melissa had a flat in Reading near Heathrow Airport; Robert was a shipwright and lived in Grimsby where he worked in a small shipyard and Stanley, a maintenance mechanic, worked for British Rail and lived in Darby. Since the family had moved away aunt Eve had set herself up in the bed and breakfast business but when we visited it was in late August, the tourist season was nearly over and the visitors fewer leaving lots of room at her house. I had met Harold and Eve at Arthur’s house a couple of years before so we knew one another. Hendon was on the Northern Line of the of the London Underground Railway known as ‘the tube’, with the RAF museum close by giving Arthur someplace to go for he was very fond of aircraft and all things mechanical. We went to London to shop on the Monday having spent Saturday and Sunday with Harold and Eve looking over their nursery and some of the other spots they wanted to show us, generally relaxing and winding down from work. I was thrilled to be in the big city, wanted to see everything that it could provide and the many places I had only dreamed about. Arthur had been there before, knew his way around taking me to Buckingham Palace to see the changing of the Guard with all the pomp and ceremony where I enjoyed the bands and the colours of the parading soldiers.
After, we went shopping on Oxford Street where I reveled in the latest fashions and bought some things for my sisters and my Mam. In the afternoon we ended up on Euston Road to visit the jewelers there to look for an engagement ring of which there were loads to choose from. Arthur cautioned that we should look around before deciding on the one for me and we left the decision for a later date as we had another week before returning home.
On our next trip down we ended up in Piccadilly Circus in the afternoon and as we walked along when Arthur asked, "Would you like to see some unusual fashions in leather Helen?"
"Sure; do you know where there are some?"
"Come with me but keep a tight hold on your purse," and he led me up some side streets to a small shop that had footwear and dresses on the main floor with a sign indicating a basement showroom. We went in and I looked at the fashions on display when it suddenly dawned on me that nearly all the footwear had provision for padlocks on them and inspection of the dresses revealed the same thing. Arthur was grinning as I looked in his direction and he winked towards the steep narrow stairs leading downwards. I followed him down and there hanging on racks and displayed on tables were polished leather harnesses, strait jackets and much more equipment than I ever imagined.
"Ever been in a shop like this before?" he asked.
"Never; how did you find it, mind if I have a look around?"
"That’s why we’re here, look around to your heart’s content."
I took my time hefting and feeling the items on display, their weight, strength and smoothness, the buckles that would secure them and keep you tight inside, the attachments for other things. There were items that I had never seen before and there was one that Arthur called a single glove that looked particularly mean and restrictive that would hold both your arms securely behind you; that I’d love to have tried on. I was mesmerized but soon a shop assistant came down and was all pushy to have us buy something, his job I suppose but the spell was broken and we left the shop remarking that we were only looking around and would return later when we had seen what was on offer in the other shops. We walked up a narrow street with barrow boys selling fruit and vegetables; mountains of empty boxes and trash littered everywhere and I wondered out loud how it would all get cleaned up.
"Don’t worry Helen, by tomorrow morning there won’t be any of this left for it will be removed during the night," I hoped that he was right.
We went by a shop that had loads of metal decorations for adorning leather jackets that were all the rage at that time, different shapes, some with rhinestones or other coloured baubles that could be hammered to the leather and we went inside to look at their stock and to pass a bit of time. Towards the back of the shop there was a table covered with cardboard boxes containing tiny handcuffs with a few of them opened up and out on display.
"Look at these Arthur, ever seen anything like them?"
The shop assistant came along as we were examining them and told us that they were the latest shipment of thumbcuffs.
"Just the latest thing; you’ll notice that each cuff locks independently," he said "Very handy for holding the thumbs together and quite inconspicuous, works well on toes too," and looking at me, "Would you like to try them on?"
Arthur had a set in his hand trying out the key, "I see they’re double locking as well, want a try Helen?"
Shyly I held out my hand and Arthur locked one end on my thumb squeezing it snug then he took the other hand to secure it likewise. I looked at my hands held a couple of inches apart with little movement allowed, very helpless and when I dropped them down in my lap the restraint almost became invisible.
"How does that feel?" asked Arthur.
"Unusual; a bit like Fred’s figure eight cuffs in as much as I don’t have too much movement in my hands, they’re held so close together and I don’t think I could get out of them."
Arthur asked the man, "How much are these?"
"Right now they’re five pounds each but I could let you have two pair for eight. Need a second pair for her toes that way you’ll know she won’t get away on you," he joked.
Arthur thought for a moment "Two for eight; then on that scale it should be four for twelve, right?"
"Oh I couldn’t do that governor, no, no way; but I’ll let you have the four for fourteen."
"Deal, I’ll just pick out the ones I want then I’ll come and pay you." Arthur tried the keys in several feeling their workings and making sure that the same keys fit all of them before he put them in their boxes and brought them to the desk to pay for them. As we went outside I asked, "Why did you get so many?"
"Well for a start that way I got a spare set free and I have plans for you my girl. We didn’t bring our others along on this trip so these will do nicely in their place, now give me your hand."
"Arthur you can’t do that to me here what would people think?"
"Just give me your hand and I’ll show you," as he took my left hand, put one of the cuffs around my middle finger up past the knuckle and shut it, then he put the other end around my thumb and shut it also double locking them, saying, "Now you can wear that with your hand in your pocket and nobody except us will know, just let me know if you get loose."
I looked at my hand and from the front all I could make out was two rings one around my finger and the other around my thumb, the body of the device being concealed in the palm of my hand, I put my hand in the pocket of my cardigan as instructed and tried to get loose but I couldn’t get my finger out at all and the thumb was entirely out of the question. I looked around but the world went by without anyone taking the slightest bit of notice.
I caught Arthur’s arm and gave it a squeeze saying, "My you are a clever chap, when are you going to let me out?"
"Probably when we get back to Harold’s, that is if you’re good otherwise I might let you wear them all night."
"You wouldn’t dare, how would I manage for without my thumb my hand is almost useless."
"I know but you still have your other hand, that’s unless you want me to fix that one too?"
"No thanks; one is enough to get on with at present."
We walked around seeing the sights and ended up to a small-secluded pub for our evening meal and no one seemed the wiser that I was handicapped. Eating with my fork was a bit of a challenge but after Arthur had cut up my roast beef and veggies I managed very well much to his surprise. After, we went to Covent Garden to watch the buskers and the acrobats that perform there in the open air, and very talented they were. When we got on the train about ten o’clock the crowds had thinned out and we had the coach practically to ourselves, Arthur took my other hand and applied another set of thumbcuffs to it leaving me with both hands practically useless although when we approached Harold’s house he let me loose for the night.
Every day we went into London and did all the touristy things as well as some other sight seeing, one day was spent in the museums, the Kensington Science in the morning for Arthur, the British and London museums for me in the afternoon. We went to the Tower, Saint Katherine’s dock where we toured the famous ships there, we went on board HMS Belfast lying in the river just off the Tower and we saw the London Dungeon all in one day. We went to Madame Tussauds to see the famous wax figures, the tableau of the battle of Trafalgar with Nelson dying down below and of course the Chamber of Horrors with all the scary things there. I had asked Arthur to take me to specific places while in the city and one of those was the London Dungeon, the others being Portobello Road, the famous flea market on Saturday morning and Petticoat Lane on Sunday. Portobello Road was a sight to behold with the cars lined up on both sides of the road selling just about everything out of their boots (trunks) as well as the boutiques in the old houses on both sides, and the buskers playing their music, the old sailor with his parrot and the ladies with the pet monkeys. We found a cozy pub at the bottom of the hill where we had a bite to eat and afterwards walked on up the other side of the valley to buy fruit from the barrow boys, then it was retracing our steps visiting the antique shops with their brass ship’s instruments, old swords, medals and all sorts of exciting things. We went into one old house that contained numerous stalls selling jewelry and watches looking over their stock when I spotted a lovely old ring.
"Look at that Arthur, isn’t it beautiful; now that’s a ring that would do for my engagement ring?"
Arthur had a look the ring I was pointing to and agreed that it was, "Would you like to try it on," he asked?
I told him ‘yes’ so he asked the proprietor if we could see it and how much he wanted for it. The old chap passed it over to me and I tried it on but it was a bit tight and a little out of shape to fit on my finger. It had a diamond in the center surrounded by six tiny blue sapphires in a lovely setting.
He quoted a price and Arthur began to bargain with him but I interrupted them telling them that it wouldn’t fit.
"I can soon fix that lady, seeing it is only a little bit tight, if you buy it I guarantee it will fit on your finger before you leave here."
They argued back and forth before reaching an agreement and the old gent produced a long tapered polished steel rod that had thin lines around it at various places and a set of small rings on a wire for measuring the size of a finger. He had me try on a couple before he found my right size and then he put the ring on the tapered rod and gently tapped it with a small wooden mallet to make the body of the ring round and expand the metal enough to make it my size.
"There lady, try it now," and when I did it fit perfectly. Arthur paid the man thanking him and we left the stall to go up the street with me walking on air clinging to the chap I loved. He later told me that he spent a lot less than he had budgeted for on the ring and we could use the excess for the rest of our holiday. Harold and Eve were delighted when we showed them the purchase when we arrived home at their house later that night. Next day we went to Petticoat Lane on the Sunday morning and I stood in wonder at the crowds of people with London Bobbies everywhere as there were warnings of pickpockets in the area. We watched one chap kneeling on the ground selling bottles of French perfume until his partner came and whispered in his ear, with that he simply disappeared into the crowd with his stock of cardboard boxes just like a magician’s trick. Arthur thought he might be the decoy for the thieves operating in the area for as he disappeared two policemen came walking by. Having looked through the market and bought a few souvenirs we traveled on by overhead railway through the dockland and on towards Greenwich. There we crossed under the Thames by walking through a tunnel and surfaced beside the Cutty Sark the old sailing ship, then on up the hill eating delicious fish and chips to the observatory where we stood with one foot in the eastern hemisphere and the other in the western as we straddled the prime meridian. We returned up the river by boat to get off at the Tower Bridge and dined in the Dickens Inn at Saint Katherine’s dock. We went home for an early night to spend some time with Harold and Eve as we didn’t see too much of them during the first week as they were busy with their nursery business clearing out the old stock preparing for the next season.
The following week Arthur wanted to take me to see the place where he had lived before his family had moved to live on our street, this was where he had spent a great part of his early years when his Dad was in the army and stationed at Colchester. We took the bus to travel there going up on the top deck to the front of the double-decker and reveled in the quaint English countryside for an hour and a half as we sped along through farmland and small hamlets to get to the village of Halstead. Once there he took me to see the house where he had lived, the school he had attended and some of the local play areas where he and his Dad had enjoyed their time together. Soon it was time for lunch and we walked through the village shopping area to find a suitable café where we could eat. As we passed a shop called ‘Grandma’s’ which sold wool, patterns and such like items I noticed some unusual hanging baskets of flowers above the doorway and in looking in the window I was surprised to see a sign that said ‘Get Your Chastity Belts Here’. Lying in the window were three or four metal belts with one other mounted on a wooden display stand and hanging up around the back of the display were pictures of a shapely young woman wearing an old fashioned one piece bodice suit that was tied together with laces. She was also wearing one of the offered chastity belts firmly locked around and through her and the camera had been set low so that the shot was focused on the tops of her legs, the belt and the rest of her body. The back of the window was closed off from the rest of the shop by a lace see-through curtain hung on a brass rod just high enough that a person inside could look out over the top, with a balding man standing behind the counter looking out at us looking in.
"Was this here when you were living here?" I asked as I ogled the display, "This is something I have heard about and it fascinates me. I wonder what it would be like to wear one of those; how would you like to have me in one of them?"
Arthur had just seen what I was referring to and was tightly holding my hand.
"I remember the shop but I’ve never seen those belts before."
The man in the shop had pulled the curtain to one side and was rearranging the skeins of wool at the back of the display, then he closed the curtain and came outside pretending to inspect his efforts.
"Hello, nice day," he said as he noticed us looking rather intently at his window, "Would you by any chance be interested in a chastity belt for the young lady? They’re very much in demand and today they’re being offered VAT (value added tax) free."
"Well we were rather taken by your display as we’ve never seen those on sale before; are they heavy?" asked Arthur.
"Why don’t you step inside and you can examine one for yourselves," he said as he held the door open invitingly. We entered his shop to find a table along one wall that was covered with the belts and a shelf above that held miniatures. The man lifted two of the belts and passed one to each of us.
"There as you see for yourselves they are solid but not too heavy and one hardly knows one is wearing it, they come apart for easy storing when not in use but won’t come apart when they are. There is a small amount of adjustment in them and they come complete with a lock and two keys, one for the keyholder and one for your bank manager or you can use your own lock. We sell these all over the world in fact we have a shipment just being put together for California as they are much in demand there. Recently we sold two to a Frenchman, one for his wife and one for his mistress so that both ends were covered as it were. Would you care to examine our scrapbook," he said as he took a loose-leaf binder from a shelf behind him and passed it over to Arthur? "You might have seen us in the evening papers or on TV for we have been having a debate in Parliament about the belts as the tax department say they are items of apparel and thus taxable while we contest that they are items of security and therefore not. Also our belts were featured in the movie ‘Up the Chastity Belt’ with Frankie Howerd." Turning to me he asked, "Would you like to try one on for my wife will gladly do the fitting for you if you should?"
Arthur looked at me and I nodded my head a couple of times so he said, "Yes please, if it’s not too much trouble, I think Helen would. By the way how much do they cost?"
"No trouble at all just let me get my wife. We are selling them for six pounds fifty pence, we were selling them in Harrods in London at ten pounds but here it’s like factory direct and as our overheads are not so big we can sell them at a discount," and he disappeared into the back of the shop to return with a fortyish lady with wavy hair and a merry twinkle in her eye, he introduced us saying, "This is my wife Anne and I am Robin Hugesson at your service," with a small bow, "And you are?"
Arthur answered, "This is my fiancé Helen and I am Arthur."
"Ever so pleased to meet you," as he shook hands all round, "Now Helen if you would care to go with Anne, she’ll see to your needs while I talk to Arthur," he said as he took my arm and motioned me towards the rear door.
She led the way through the back room where she had several boxes being packed with the belts remarking as she gestured, "These will be shipped out tonight or tomorrow with quite a few going to the States, but we will go in here where we won’t be disturbed," as she opened the door to a small room with a wash hand basin, a couple of chairs, a small table with boxes underneath and a couch covered with clean white paper. We entered the room and she locked the door as she offered me a seat.
"Have you had any experience with chastity belts before or is this your first time?"
"Never even seen one although I have read about them and often wondered what they would be like, are they hard to wear and how noticeable are they, would they be seen with normal clothing?"
Here Anne put her arms in the air and made a couple of pirouettes like a flamenco dancer, "Do you notice anything," she asked?
"You mean; you’re wearing one now?"
"Why yes; I wear one most of the time I’m in the shop except when Auntie comes to call once a month, can’t you tell," here she took my hand and ran it over the front of her belly and sure enough I could feel the belt underneath. The only thing you have to remember is not to sit down suddenly for you could nip the delicate parts but once you do that you’ll never do it again; just sit down slowly like a lady should, now does that answer your question?"
"Yes and it certainly puts me at ease for that was the first thing that popped into my head."
"Then let me tell you about them. Our belts are made up of three sections all of which are specially coated to prevent rust and to make them easy to clean, two half’s to the waist band and then the crotch guard, here let me show you how they work, the crotch guard has this slot at the back where the two waist sections can be inserted one at a time by fully opening the waist, sliding it into the slot and swiveling it around as a hinge to the front. The two pieces are inserted one after the other, for they won’t go in simultaneously, then as you see the other end of the guard is bent forwards to accept the slots in the end of the waist sections and when they are in place the lock is put through the hole in the end of the guard to keep the whole thing shut. By taking it apart it is easy to wash it or store it as the pieces lie flat together until it’s time to put it on again, very handy for carrying in a suitcase," she showed me how it worked as she talked and had me assemble and disassemble them a couple of times to make sure I knew how, especially how to spring the waist bands to fit over the end of the crotch guard. The waist was just plain metal about 1 ¼ inches by ¼ of an inch thick shaped and slotted at the appropriate places, the guard was the same thickness and size but it widened as it curved to go between the legs with three fore and aft slots about three inches long at the front and a trefoil hole at the back before it narrowed again, the back end had the slot to take the waist sections while the other end bent forwards at 90° with the hole for the lock.
"Now before we begin I suggest you visit the loo at the back of the storeroom," and she opened the door to show me where it was. When I came back she locked the door once more.
"I’ll have to take your measurements to make sure of the fit and as it fits best next to your skin you should disrobe so if you would be so kind as remove your skirt and panties we’ll get started."
I took off the items she suggested and she approached with a tailor’s tape to get my waist measurement and had me hold the end of the tape by my belly button as she threaded it between my legs pulled it up tight to the back of my waist and recorded the reading. As I was standing there she redid the measurements three times over each time having me sit down for a couple of minutes as we talked and then stand up again as she took the readings.
"Why are you so fussy with the tape?" I asked.
"We have found by experience that three readings are required to get the right size, or as close to it as we can the first time, as some people are nervous and change ever so slightly as they sit and rise again, this way it saves time. By the way I hope you won’t think me rude if I say that’s a lovely necklace you’re wearing, do you mind me asking where you got it?"
"Arthur made it for me and gave me it when we were engaged, he said he didn’t have an engagement ring so this would do in it’s place until he bought one for me and he did just that last week when we were in London," here I held out my hand for her to see my ring.
"That’s beautiful; and I wish you a long happy life, but to get back to your necklace, it almost looks as if it is all one piece, can you take it off?"
"Yes it will open; it is fitted with a friction lock and a strong pull will release it but I haven’t taken it off since he put it on me."
"May I take a closer look?"
"By all means," and I lifted my hair out of the way so that she could get a good look at it and turn it around as she did.
"I must say he does beautiful work, Robin does that kind of work and has made things for me so I can appreciate a good job when I see one and that’s one of the better ones. Anyway let’s get on with the job in hand shall we?" She went to the boxes under the table, looked at the sizes marked on paper stickers on the various pieces and chose three to put them together to form the belt, then she asked me to lie on the couch (it’s easier to put it on when you’re lying down) and slid the opened belt up in under me till the waist band was at the appropriate height and the crotch guard in place before bringing the ends to the front of the guard one at a time and sprung the slots over the end of the guard.
"We’ll just try that for size for we might have to adjust it a tiny bit to get it comfortable for you," as she helped me to my feet, "You’ll notice how the waist sits higher at the sides and lower at the front and back due to the looseness of the joints which is more comfortable, than a solid band around your middle firmly fixed to a guard which has no give, while at the same time it flexes a little to match your movements. Now how does it feel?"
"Strange; but not too uncomfortable although I think it could be a shade tighter on my waist."
"All right lie down again and we’ll try one a bit smaller," as she opened the belt and took it off going back to the box to return with two other waist pieces which she exchanged and repeated the fitting. This time when I stood up I could feel that the belt was tight all the way around and didn’t flop about. She picked up a padlock, pulling it upwards through the hole in front and turning it over let it dangle there.
"That will keep it closed for now, just walk around, try sitting and bending to see if there’s any problems, I’ll be back in a jiffy so if you like you can lock the door until I return." She left me to try out the belt in various positions but it was clear that the belt fitted me and would be as good a security device as it was supposed to be. Shortly she returned with two cups of tea and I opened the door as she requested to sit, drink tea and chat as I got more used to the restriction of the belt.
At last she said, "Well are you happy with the belt, did you try it out as I suggested?"
"Yes; it seems to be fine and doing its intended job."
"Then I take it that you’ll want to keep it, and don’t forget if you have any problems give us a call and we’ll do all we can to help. You might find that there are small adjustments to be made and I’m sure your Arthur will be able to manage those for you but we are always here if you need assistance."
"Yes; I think I’ll keep it and I’ll remember what you said."
"Then let’s take it off and I’ll wrap it up for you."
"I know Arthur would like me to wear it so I think I’ll leave it on if it’s all the same to you."
"Have you far to go to get home for there won’t be many places where you can remove it when you leave here? You need to take your time to get adjusted to the belt, wear it for a short time to begin with and then a little longer each time till you can abide it for longer periods, sort of work up your endurance."
"I don’t think I’ll have any problems for we’ll be home by six o’clock and I’m sure I can last that long."
"Then in that case there’s only one thing left to do, please stand up," and she pulled a packet out of the table drawer that contained a new shiny brass padlock with two keys, she tried each key in the lock several times showing me that they both worked, then she lifted the front of my sweater, removed the dangling lock replacing it with the one in her hand and closed it with a snap. "There you go my dear, enjoy your new appliance and please mention us to your friends," she kissed me on the cheek as she handed me my skirt and panties to put them on once more. When I was dressed she opened the door and we walked back to where the men were talking in the shop.
"Well Helen, what did you think of the chastity belt, did it live up to your expectations; are you wanting one," asked Arthur?
"Yes to both your questions; I would like one," I said with a giggle, "In fact; I’m fitted with one right now, would you care to feel," as I took his hand and rubbed it across the lock and the front of the belt. His eyes opened wide and he reached into his pocket to pay Robin who handed him his receipt, as Anne handed him the two keys, then we said our goodbyes and left the shop.
Outside Arthur was full of questions as he pocketed the keys and we walked along with me holding onto his arm, "What all did you do in there, you know you were gone for over half an hour, still it gave me time to have a good old chinwag with Robin, quite an interesting fellow?"
"Anne showed me how the belts went together and I tried a couple on to get the size right, then she had me do some walking, bending and sitting while we had tea before she locked me in for good, she’s quite girl I’ll have you know; did you realize that she was wearing one too?"
"No!!! You’re not pulling my leg are you; I’d never have guessed if you hadn’t told me but just fancy that, chastity belts in this day and age and you’re in one? How does it feel, is it heavy, comfortable?"
"It is a bit heavy in your hand but you don’t really notice it when you have it on, feels a little strange to have it between the legs as I walk though, like riding a bicycle without the wheels or handlebars but it’s not that uncomfortable at least not as yet, I’m sure after a while I’ll forget it’s there."
"Well I won’t especially when I put my arms around your waist. Did you know that there are other people making them as well, at least that was what Robin told me? Some chap up near Sheffield has a business called Ridgeway Forge and he’s making them and then he told me about another in that same area who is making them out of stainless steel but he said they cost a bomb and he very slow to fill his orders. Not like the quick attention you got today." We went through the village until we came to a small café where went in to have lunch and it was there that I felt the wisdom of Anne’s advice about sitting down as I nearly pinched myself whilst doing just that. Then we strolled back to the bus station to catch the bus for home.
Harold and Eve had really good singing voices, his a rich baritone and hers a soprano and they loved to sing duets, my favourite being ‘Only a Rose’. They belonged to a Choral Society that was putting on ‘The Merry Widow’ sometime in the early autumn and both had leading parts in the play. We had promised them that we would be back in time for the evening meal and we would clean up afterwards so that they could get an early start. They were getting close to the dress rehearsal and told us they would be late getting home as the gang usually went out for a bite to eat after and sat around talking things over. The bus ride seemed to take ages on the way back and I was beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable, I could now see the wisdom of Anne’s remarks.
"I can see Anne knew what she was talking about when she said that I should just wear this thing for a little while and increase my endurance a bit at a time, it’s killing me right now. You’d better give me the key so that I can go right upstairs when we get home and take it off for I’ve had it on long enough for the first time; it’s beginning to rub in the wrong places and pinch me so would you please give me the key or unlock it for me?"
"What right here and now?"
I poked him playfully in the ribs, "No you silly goose, you can’t do that on top of the bus; when we get to Eve’s," he made out he was searching for the keys pretending that he had lost them just to tease me, "Besides I’m getting desperate; I have to go to the loo." Just as soon as the bus stopped by Harold and Eve’s house and we got off Arthur produced the key, gave it to me and once inside the front door I hurried off to the bathroom quickly closing the door as I was lifting my skirt while fumbling for the lock at the same time. I opened the lock, sprung the waistband open and let the belt slide down to the floor as I stepped out of it and went about my business. I then disassembled the belt, washed and dried the pieces before wrapping them in a towel to take to my bedroom. Feeling a lot more composed I went down to find the meal all laid out on the table and all but me sitting down ready to eat. During dinner we talked about our outing and the things we saw but never mentioned Grandma’s till the dinner was finished and Arthur and I were alone clearing the table to tidy up, while Harold and Eve made ready and left for the theater.
"Well Helen it looks as though we have the house to ourselves for the rest of the evening so would you like to try out the thumbcuffs we bought or do you want to go out for a walk?"
"I think I’ve had enough walking for one day thank you so I’m all in favour of playing games. What did you have in mind?"
"You sit in the living room and make yourself comfortable and I’ll get the toys." He went off upstairs and came back with the cuffs in his hand.
"Take your shoes and socks off and we’ll try a set of these on your toes." I did as he asked and he approached me with me sitting on the easy chair and him on the floor with the opened cuffs in his hand. He lifted them up to catch my big toes, one in each end of the cuffs as he swung the cuffs closed, tightened them and double locked them, then he did the same thing with my thumbs.
"There you go; stand up and move around to see how they fit." Well that was easier said than done as I had almost no slack in either set, had to shuffle with very tiny movements of my feet, all the time worrying about my balance as without my hands to catch me I felt very vulnerable and I soon sat down again. They certainly held me in close confinement with my feet and hands held close together without any chance of escape for even if I had the key it was impossible to get it into the lock to unlock them. After sitting like that for a little while with Arthur being quite attentive he changed the cuffs to hold my hands behind my back, then he rolled me onto the floor, brought my feet up to my hands and used the other two sets to lock my toes to my thumbs. He pushed me onto my side and I was quite helpless, just lying there like a beached whale, as he went into the kitchen to make us a cup of tea. When he returned with the tea tray he released my hands, sat me in the chair again and decided that I would look better if I were restrained once more so he put one set of cuffs on each thumb and locked their opposite ends to my necklace. There I was with my hands almost touching my ears as he poured the tea and held the cup up to my lips to take a drink.
"Very versatile things are those cuffs, looks like I can use them to put you into all sorts of different positions; now you see why I bought four sets."
"Yes; and none of those positions are all that comfortable, that one where you had my hands and feet together behind my back was the worst, I don’t think I could have stood that for very long."
"Well how about we just sit quietly and watch the telly, here let me change your position and see how you like it." He released my hands from my neck, removed one set of cuffs and had me put my hands in front of me with the back of the right one in the palm of the left before connecting them up again and double locking them. When the program was over he sat me on the floor, placed my feet together with the soles touching, joined my big toes with the cuff, tried to put another set on my other toes but they wouldn’t stay on and ended up tying the little toes together with a piece of string. I felt very vulnerable sitting there with my knees spread so far apart and no chance of moving my feet but he couldn’t tip me over sideways although I had challenged him to try. He eventually did upset me by pushing me on my back and with my hands joined the way they were I was unable to help myself or get upright again. I lay there for some ten minutes before he removed the cuffs from my toes, untied the string and had me sit on his lap so that he could put his arms around me and cuddle me.
"I think we’ve had enough play for one day so let’s watch the movie that’s coming on." He had turned the lights down low, brought a rug to put around us and sitting there on his lap with his strong arms around me I felt that I was queen of the castle, his castle. The movie was ‘Paint Your Wagon’ with Lee Marvin in a comical part, also quite long so we sat there for the rest of the evening until it finished at eleven o’clock when he released my hands and said, "Time for bed I’m thinking," as he helped me to my feet. I was loath to leave the comfort and warmth of the chair but I was tired and ready to go to sleep but then a thought came into my mind.
"Arthur my Darling, would you like to do something for me?"
"Yes my dear, what would you like?"
"Lock me in my, I mean your belt for the night," as I put my arms around his neck and kissed him several times.
"What so soon after this afternoon when you wanted it off in such a hurry, are you sure you can stand it all night?"
"Yes; I have to start getting used to it sometime and tonight’s as good as any, that way I can dream that you’re in beside me and know I’m safe and sound till I wake up in the morning; only you’ll have to come in quickly with the key to let me out to go to the loo."
"Well you know that I like to sleep on when I’m on holiday and I may not be that quick in letting you out but if you can stand that... sure I’ll lock you up."
I hugged and kissed him again as I led him by the hand up the stairs to my bedroom and gave him the pieces of the belt to assemble as I changed into my nightie. I turned out the light and stood before him with my nightdress pulled up as he placed the guard in position, pulled the waist band around my hips and sprung the ends over the slot for the lock and put the padlock into the hole.
"You know all I have to do is squeeze it and you’re in for the night?"
"That’s what I want; go ahead and close it," I told him as I found his lips again and kissed him deeply the sound of our kisses deadening the sound of the lock. He felt around the belt to make sure everything was in order and then let my nightdress fall to my ankles, pulled the covers down on the bed, lifted me in covering me up as he kissed me goodnight and left me to explore the confines of his belt. At first I tossed around to find a comfortable position as when lying on my back the belt was pressing hard against me but when I put my hand there I found a gap between my back and the joint that was holding the belt off and allowing it to press on me when I was flat, now I knew what Anne was talking about when she said that some small adjustments might be necessary. I would get Arthur to make a bend in it tomorrow so that it would contour against me, then I found that if I lay on my side and brought my knees up the pressure eased considerably, I pulled one of the pillows in front of me pretending it was Arthur and as I cuddled it I fell asleep.
Next morning when I awoke Arthur was standing beside the bed with a cup of tea and the key in his hand but before I allowed him to unlock me I showed him the gap at the back of the belt.
"Do you think you could curve it to fit me a bit better?" I asked.
"No problem, I’ll do that when we get home and I can use Dad’s workshop for I’ll need to put it in the vice and Harold doesn’t have one here, only a couple more days and we’ll be home."
The rest of the holiday just flew and I spent every night as well as part of the days wearing the belt to the point where I felt undressed without it. Once home, Arthur was as good as his word taking me to the workshop at the end of the garden where with the door locked and the curtains drawn he bent the waist band to the correct shape which made sleeping and sitting in the belt a lot easier. On the weekends when we went out to the farm or to the movies he introduced a new wrinkle to our games by having two pieces of light chain about six inches long slipped over the waist band halves, one on each half and then he would bring the ends of the chain out at either side to attach the thumbcuffs which were then fastened to my hands. I sometimes traveled on the bus like this with my coat fastened cloakwise around my shoulders. The thrill of being secured like this whilst out in public was unbelievable but nobody knew what we were doing or how much we enjoyed ourselves. We went to visit Fred and Bobbie one weekend when I wore my belt and showed it to her and she was all for trying it on but alas we were of different sizes around the hips and it didn’t quite fit her. She asked where we had obtained it, took the name and address telling Fred he must take her there to get one for herself.
The next couple of years passed quickly with Kate studying and passing her exams to gain promotion to ‘Sister’, as the head nurses were called, in charge of an operating theatre in the orthopedic section of the hospital. She was engaged to be married to a young surgeon who was in the last stages of his training and I was to be one of the bridesmaids with my sister Pauline. Arthur had graduated as an engineer and was working for the same firm that he had been with during the summers when he was at university and we were making plans to marry next year when we had saved up some more money. I was still living at home, working for the same shipping firm and had risen a little on the salary scale to what was called ‘comfortably off’. Mam had decided that the house needed sprucing up before Kate's wedding and was going around measuring for new curtains she was planning. Ever since we were small my Mam had insisted on her children being able to take care of themselves so she made us help around the house, making our own beds and keeping our rooms tidy and as we grew older helping with the cooking, cleaning, laundry etc; she used to tell us ‘it’s only for your own good’. When she and Dad had bought the house they had looked for one with sufficient bedrooms so Mam and Dad had the big one on the second floor at the front with two smaller rooms at the back, one each for Terry and Pauline, while Kate and I had a bigger room in the attic with windows built into the roof. After Kate left to go into nurses training I had the room to myself and Mam did not climb the stairs all that often so it wasn’t too hard to hide my toys away from prying eyes. Mam came up to my room to get her measurements and she happened to spot a set of thumbcuffs that I had left out on the dressing table by mistake, she picked them up to examine them and ratcheted the bows through the cuffs a couple of times and was bouncing them in her hand as I came into the room.
"Are these yours or Arthur's?" she said as she played with them, "Not as heavy as mine but I would think just as effective."
"They belong to Arthur, I just borrowed them."
"So you and Arthur are still up to your old tricks then," she said as she laughed at me, "I’ll bet these keep you in line, now put them away in case Pauline sees them." I just grinned and said nothing, taking them from her and putting them in my pocket. She now knew we used the cuffs but I’m sure she didn’t know about my chastity belt and I wasn’t about to tell her, but to give her her dues, she never pried into our private affairs. The belt, which had provided so much pleasure since Arthur had bought it for me, was beginning to show signs of wear, the finish was worn off in places and there were rust spots. I had remarked on this to Arthur and he had taken it home a couple of times to polish out the rust and give it a coat of paint saying that maybe that chap making them out of stainless steel knew something after all. He also had made some improvements by replacing the bent piece in front where the lock fitted, with a round piece and had fitted a better locking device, which didn’t rattle around, lay flat against my body and didn’t show so much. To match the round pin he had opened out the adjusting slots to round holes that fit the pin more closely, still have a bit of give but also be quieter; quality engineering he called it.
Kate married her doctor and I was a bridesmaid as was Pauline and a couple of her other friends from the hospital, it was a lovely wedding with some tears as well as lots of laughs. Arthur was there getting to sit beside me for the wedding feast and we danced together afterwards, he told me how pretty I looked in the smart dress I had worn and said he hoped it wouldn’t be too long before it was our turn. He was doing well in his job and had just had a raise in pay so the target of savings for our wedding was coming closer all the time. I was saving a bit of my pay also as I felt I should pull my weight in this undertaking. We still played our games whenever we were together and I still wore his belt, mostly at night but also at times when we went out or to the pictures and once when we had gone to visit Fred and Bobbie to show her what it was like. I think she eventually got one for herself as she hinted in that direction but I was never completely sure.
Arthur had to go on a job down south that had suddenly come up, would be away for a few weeks and I wasn’t too pleased about that but he told me that it was to open up a new factory, would involve working a lot of overtime and probably be a little bonus at the end of the job if everything worked out as planned.
"Be a big boost to our savings and advance the wedding date," he told me so putting it like that I quit pouting and told him to write to me often.
As it was coming up to Christmas and he wouldn’t be back until close to the big day, we were discussing the list of presents just before he left I asked him, "What are you giving me?"
"Now you’ll just have to wait and see but it will be something you’ll like." Try as hard as I could he wouldn’t tell me any more, not even giving me a clue.
Before he knew about this job he had asked me to bring him the belt, as he wanted to do a modification on it and I had obliged but he left without returning it to me. I had to make do with wearing his cuffs instead while he was away as I couldn’t very well go and ask his mother if he had left it lying around; such are the trials of an engineer’s girlfriend. He wrote to me a couple of times a week and called me on the phone at the office but it wasn’t the same as having him nearby and I told him to hurry up and get back to marry me. He returned the week before the holiday with a big smile, as the job had been a huge success with the factory going into production as soon as the holidays were over. He was home for Christmas but spent more time at our house than he did at his own however his parents understood and I made sure we spent some evenings with them to compensate. On Christmas morning he was here bright and early bringing me a beautiful ladies gold watch with his sentiments inscribed on the back as well as some other, as he called them, ‘trinkets’, whispering to me when no one was around that he had another surprise for me that I would get later. I tried and tried but he wouldn’t tell me what it was. A couple of nights after the ‘big day’ his parents had invited my Mam and Dad to join them for a night out going to dinner and afterwards to a show in Hull. My brother and sister were entertaining their friends at our house so Arthur and I went over to his place to be alone. After our tea, which he had cooked, and the table cleared away he took me up to his bedroom and handed me a large brown paper bag saying, "This is for you Helen, I think you will find it more comfortable than the one you already have."
I opened the bag to find a new chastity belt the kind of which I hadn’t seen before, it was made of stainless steel and it gleamed.
"Where did you get this?" I asked as I held it up and examined it closely, "It’s beautiful and looks very well made."
"I hope so for I made it just for you when I had some spare time when I was working on the last job. A great deal of stainless steel was used in the installations at that factory and I used some of the scrap pieces to make this one in their workshop in my spare time, if I couldn’t be with you at least I could make something for you."
"Is it any wonder I love you so much," I said as I gave him a big kiss. "Where did you get my sizes and come up with the design?"
"I copied the sizes off your old belt that I told you I was going to modify for you and I remembered what Robin had said when we bought it, I had found the chap over by Sheffield who was making them and one day went to see him when he showed them to me, it wasn’t too hard to make one similar to his."
"You crafty rogue; can I get to try it on?"
"I was hoping you would ask that, yes you can try it on now or when you get home, it’s your choice."
"Ok let’s do it now."
He went downstairs to lock the front door and I had a good look at his handiwork, the waistband was one piece with some fancy curves with three pins sticking out at one end and three matching holes at the other, two funny looking double chains covered with what looked like a piece of rubber tube were attached to the middle of the waistband about nine inches apart, they joined the front piece to the waistband and this piece also had three holes in the end. The front piece had a long slit about 3/8 inches wide and three or four inches long just ahead of the chains, was formed so that it was convexed and I knew where this would fit when worn. All the metal with the exception of the chains was covered with a thin layer of some sort of soft clear plastic and the metal below had been buffed to a high shine. The center pin on the waistband was bigger than the other two and was obviously meant for the lock, which was the same as the modified one he had made for my other belt. I looked in the bag again and found the new lock with its stainless steel guard plug lying in the bottom together with the keys. By this time Arthur had returned and I had started to undress down to my panties and bra, then the panties came off as well. He took the waistband and springing it apart placed it around my waist pulling it tight again to insert the pins in their respective holes the curves allowing the front and back to lie lower than the sides just as it did on my other belt. Then reaching in between my legs he guided the front piece through and up to fit the end over the pins.
"I haven’t finally fixed the chains for I might have to adjust them to your liking to get this piece snug but this will do for a trial," he told me.
"It feels fine to me but I’ll know better after I’ve worn it for a little while."
He lifted the lock off the bed, "Are you ready for this now?"
"Yes my Darling, go ahead and lock me up," as he placed the lock over the pin, slid it close to the metal of the belt and squeezed it shut.
At first it felt a trifle cold but it soon warmed to my skin as I walked around the room, sat a couple of times in the chair and then lay on the bed to see if there were any problems. I tried worming my finger under the front section and found that with some perseverance I could get it past the guard defeating its purpose but the convex shape certainly was comfortable.
"I think you’re right about adjusting the chains for it is a bit loose in front but otherwise a very good fit, seems like school wasn’t wasted on you after all," I told him laughingly, "This the nicest Christmas present I’ve could ever have received," and hugged and kissed him again as I pulled him on to the bed to lie on top of me. Now don’t get me wrong but although we had explored one another during our heavy petting and necking we had never, in the language of the day, gone all the way. When I was thirteen or fourteen my Mam had taken me to one side, as she had done with my two sisters in their turn, and explained the process of birth to me in detail so that we wouldn’t make ‘any stupid mistakes’ as she and our Dad had done with Kate. She told me they were deeply in love but the ensuing pregnancy had caused a lot of difficulties and heartaches with both their families and she didn’t want that to happen with any of us, this was one reason I welcomed the belt.
"No chance of me doing anything naughty to you is there?"
"Not while I’m locked inside of this there isn’t," I replied.
"Well you’d better wear it for the rest of the evening or you don’t know what might happen and I wouldn’t want to get you into any trouble."
"OK we’ll wait till we’re married and in the meantime I’ll stay locked up."
I dressed again, went downstairs with him and we halfheartedly watched a movie as we petted and necked on the sofa. Perhaps after the other belt I was used to wearing one but this one was ever so comfortable and protecting and it didn’t pinch at all. An hour or so later I suggested a cup of tea and went into the kitchen to make it, brought it back on a tray where we had it in front of the fire then took the tray back to the kitchen to put the things away and tidy up.
"How does the belt feel now that you’re moving around?"
"Comfortable but you’re right these chains are away too loose and if I had it on for any length of time they would chafe me down front for there’s too much movement there."
"Well I can soon fix that and tighten them up for I purposely left them a bit long until I saw how they fit."
"By the way where did you get the funny looking chain? I’ve never seen anything like that before."
"Dog collars; I saw a chap walking his dog with that type of chain collar on it and I said, ah ha, that’s what I’ll use on Helen’s belt, works well too by the look of it, quite strong but quite slim at the same time."
"What about the stuff you’ve covered it with, where did that come from?"
"We were using that to cover some of the hangers on the conveyors we were setting up, it comes in the form of a dip that you put the metal in and then apply a bit of heat and it hardens, the salesman told me it is quite durable, I used some of it on a piece of scrap to try it out and it seemed to work very well then I dipped your belt parts in it. Time will tell how it lasts on you belt and if it doesn’t we’ll try something else for they’re always coming out with new materials."
"Are the tubes on the chains always going to be loose?"
"No when I find the right length on the chains I can use a hairdryer to apply some heat and they will shrink to become tight on the chains but it’ll protect your clothes and be more comfortable when you sit."
He had me lie on the table face down as he undid the small screws that held the ‘D rings’ on the waistband and moved the rings several links closer together before replacing them and helping me up.
"There try that for a while and tell me if it’s any better," he said. I could immediately feel that the guard was tighter on me, was hugging me differently and I tried to insert my finger under it as I had done upstairs. I could just manage it so I knew it was still a bit on the loose side.
"I think it needs a couple more links taken out and then it should be all right," I told him as I climbed back onto the table where he removed another three links on each side before replacing the screws. This time when I got off the table I could definitely feel it was better and the finger test proved negative. But my lips were protruding out of the slot.
When I mentioned that to him he said, "That’s the way it is supposed to be worn according to the chap I spoke to, there is another piece that fits over the slot that covers that and I’ll put it on for you in the morning when I fix those chains to the belt permanently but it will do for tonight to let you feel what it’s like."
"You mean you want me to wear it all night?"
"Only if you feel up to it, I’ll give you the key and then you can take it off if it gets too much for you, then wear it over here tomorrow afternoon when it’s quiet and I’ll finish it off."
"Great; this is so comfortable right now that it shouldn’t be a problem and not as heavy as the old one, there did you hear me call it the ‘old one’ and I’ve only had this one on for a few minutes, now that’s progress for you," I laughed as I told him this.
When I went to bed I still had it on and resolved to wear it as if it was a permanent item so the first thing was a trip to the bathroom before climbing into bed, a bit messy but that would improve with use and experience. The next day I was over at Arthur’s just after lunch and we went down to the workshop for the adjustments.
"Well Helen how did it go, no problems?"
"I’ve worn it since you put it on me and it seem fine."
"In that case let’s have it off you and we’ll do the necessary," as I started to give him access to the belt. He removed it, cut the excess off the chains and riveted on the holders for the ‘D’ rings with two rivets in each one, then the hairdryer was used to shrink the tubes over the chains.
"I’ll show you how to put the cover shield on as it can either be fixed permanently or left off at your discretion," he said as he showed me how the one end fitted with a couple of small short pins, one on either side, could be pulled forwards into a couple of matching tubes on the crotch guard at the bottom end where it joined the chains and the upper end with it’s three holes put over the pins at the same time as the guard was fastened to the waistband. This piece was also made of stainless steel, not quite as wide as the guard, bent in such a way to be about ½ inch from the guard where it covered the slot and tight against the guard as it went up to the waistband. Besides being drilled with rows of small holes, it had the sides bent down at four places on either side so that it couldn’t collapse against the guard. It was clear that this piece couldn’t be pulled away from the guard after it was locked on. I let him replace the belt on me turning for his inspection to make sure that it fitted as it should before he applied the lock and fastened it on.
"There; it’s all complete, try it out and let me know if you have any problems," he said as I kissed him my thanks and dressed again. This time the finger test was definitely negative for there was absolutely no way I could touch myself anywhere down there. I wore it for the rest of the day going shopping and then to the pictures in the evening without any discomfort. It was my constant companion from then on sometimes with the cover on and sometimes without, I wore it at night and sometimes to work but always when we went out together and he could feel it under my clothing when he put his arm around my waist.
Winter gave way to spring and we set the date for our wedding having reached our target of savings, we found a flat, bought some furnishings, filled the cupboards with groceries and he moved in until the big day arrived. My Mam had the time of her life helping me make all the arrangements and having prior experience with Kate thought of all the little things the made the day complete. The wedding was set for two o’clock in the afternoon; the morning being taken up with the hairdressers and last minute adjustments as the hour approached until at last it was time to put on the lovely gown that Mam and I had picked out. After my bath I started to dress the first thing going on being my belt, then the rest of my adornment. Mam and Kate came in to help with my veil and shoes then it was time to be off to the church. Dad was in the car with me, a beautiful Rolls Royce and to walk me down the aisle. The photographer took the usual pictures as we alighted from the car and entered the church with me on Dad’s arm as we walked slowly towards where Arthur and his best man stood waiting. Everything was going to my plan as I stood beside Arthur and when I took his hand I pressed the key I had carried into his hand, leaned over to him and told him, "Don’t lose this for you’ll need it tonight."
He looked at me and raised his eyebrow as I nodded ‘YES’ to him. I wish the photographer had captured the look on his face at that moment as he whispered to me.
"You little vixen, I’d never would have guessed."
After the ceremony and the reception we danced together and with friends and I had a hard time keeping their hands from my waist but I don’t think anyone realised what I was wearing under my dress. That night in the honeymoon suite at the hotel when I was lying in bed waiting for my husband to come to me I felt around the belt to make sure it was all in place, then he slipped into bed beside me, turned out the light, kissed and cuddled me as I felt him put the key into the lock.