CHAPTER FOURTEEN - SUNDAY 2nd JANUARY

12:30 am

The journey from the 'Bows and Ties' club to Vicky's residence took much longer than Malcolm had expected. They had been driving for probably thirty minutes before Vicky announced: "Nearly there now Malcolm."
Malcolm had made full use of the thirty minutes throwing questions at Vicky. To begin with he found out her age and full name. She was twenty-three and her surname was Bailey. In full she was Victoria Elizabeth Bailey; and Nick's was Nicholas Quentin Barrington-Smythe. She also revealed that their cohabitation was more of a Master and slave relationship than simply two lovers shacking up together. Malcolm found this very interesting. Vicky outwardly was quiet in her mannerisms but did not appear to be the subservient type. But then again, in this weird BDSM world he had now become very much part of, then nothing surprised him anymore.
As for Nick himself, he was away with his parents skiing in Switzerland at present. He was actually halfway through his two week break and not due back until the following Saturday. Apparently this was an annual event with Nick and his family, and to have Vicky along with him was something very much frowned upon within his own family circles. She had therefore been left behind to run the 'Bows and Ties' club for the fortnight that Nick was away. Thus the reason for her presence with the keys last evening.
However, no matter how interesting all Vicky's personal slave life appeared to be, it was what she had to say afterwards about Katie that proved to be far more revealing. The redhead was shacking up with Brian Bensen. Malcolm had guessed as much and this came as no great surprise. But he also learned the reason for Brian's apparent leaping around and always apparent lateness. It seemed that their current flat was far too small for the both of them, and a move to someplace bigger was on the cards. Brian was actually trying to finalise a deal whilst Malcolm and Katie were at the club. If all went well then he would try to tap up his parents for a loan to pay for the new place. And that was where he was off to in the morning. His parents actually lived in semi-retirement in Cornwall now, in the very south-west of England, and he was proposing to be away for at least four days, maybe five. Apparently, just like Nick and his family, a visit at this time of year, whilst he was still on holiday, was a normal event and something expected of Brian too. But he needed to get some sort of deal done concerning the new flat before setting off. Thus the apparent haste.
"Just up this road and we're there," Vicky announced as they swung right at a T-junction.
Malcolm, looking out from the passenger seat of the large Volvo estate could see that they were now passing through a very posh neighbourhood indeed. The avenues here were all tree-lined and every house looked detached and well spaced out in their own separate acres of ground. At the top of a small rise and on a bend Vicky pulled into a driveway bounded by a pair of large brick pillars. There were no house numbers to this street. How common! A large plaque on a pillar told him that this place was called 'Marshbrook Mansion'. The drive was long and the house in the headlights looked big and spacious. A large double garage stood alongside the main building. One set of double doors were open. A sensor picked up their presence and orange floodlights came on to illuminate the complete front of the house. There was ample space in the driveway for Vicky to simply swing around in one manoeuvre and reverse into the garage. More sensors picked up their presence and lights came on inside the garage.
"Stay in the car until I've shut the doors," Vicky told Malcolm as she switched off the ignition and stepped out of the car.
Malcolm was impressed. This Nick fellow, whoever he was, must have been a very wealthy man. Lucky Vicky he was thinking. And now he could see why the two girls wanted Malcolm's presence to remain a secret. Vicky had a good thing going for her here, and it would be a shame to have to give all this up on account of a jealous Master. He considered his lips to be sealed.
Once the garage doors had been closed Vicky escorted Malcolm into the house. There was a door from the garage that led directly to the house. From here they negotiated a number of doors and corridors until they finally arrived in the spacious hallway. From here a very wide and sweeping staircase ascended to the rooms above. At the bottom on a pedestal stood a large Chinese vase. There was another one in an alcove about halfway up the stairs, and a third on a window ledge near to the top.
"Ming?" asked Malcolm stopping to study the vase on the pedestal.
"Not quite, they're from a latter dynasty, but they're still very expensive," she told him.
Malcolm wondered just how much 'very expensive' was? He guessed it must have run into thousands of pounds.
They moved on up the stairs with Malcolm carrying his small suitcase. There were many doors along and 'L' shaped corridor. As they passed the first door Vicky pointed to it and said: "That's my bedroom there Malcolm. Yours is just around the corner. Come on I'll show you."
Malcolm was led to a very large room that was overlooking the back of the house. At present everything outside was in darkness so he had no appreciation of the vast expanse of lawns and gardens that surrounded the house and tumbled away to a brook at the bottom. But all the same he was still very much impressed with everything he had seen so far. At every turn the house exhumed a feeling of grandeur and wealth.
Vicky drew the curtains and patted the bed. "Is this comfortable enough for you Malcolm?" she asked, then added: "Oh, and there's a toilet and bath with a shower through that door there. Every room in this house is 'en suite' so you should be comfortable enough."
Malcolm had been impressed from the time he had arrived, and did not really know how to answer. "Everything's just fine Vicky. What more could I ask for?" he finally told her.
Vicky smiled nervously. It was her turn to ask for something now and she was not sure what Malcolm's reactions would be. She swallowed hard and gathered up all her courage.
"Malcolm, will you do just one thing for me before you go to sleep?" she asked.
"What's that Vicky?" queried Malcolm and depositing his case upon the bed.
"If you come with me! I'll show you," she said heading for the door. "It won't take long, I promise you. It's just a small favour."
She had decided that if she showed him what she wanted, it would prove to be a lot easier than asking.
Malcolm followed Vicky back down the corridor to her own bedroom. He was starting to wonder what this was all about, but continued to tag on behind the quick stepping Vicky all the way down the corridor.
Vicky's bedroom was even bigger than the guest room, with not just one window but three. She drew all the curtains then moved to a large built-in wardrobe that ran the full length of one wall. She placed a hand against the handle of a sliding door at one end of the row and waited for Malcolm to gain her attention.
She gathered up all her courage. It was now or never.
"Malcolm, will you tie me up for the night?" she asked, then slid open the wardrobe door. "I think you'll find everything you need in here."
Malcolm was surprised, however he was half expecting something like this. Vicky had sat around all evening watching everyone else at the club having fun, and he guessed her to be feeling horny and very frustrated by now. As for the contents of the wardrobe, although possibly a bit shocked, it bore a strong resemblance to the cupboard back at Cuckoo Cottage. There were handcuffs, blindfolds, ball-gags, chains and ropes inside. The only difference being that these items were all laid out a little neater than those in the dungeon and certain items were hanging on hooks against the back wall. Furthermore there were some extra gadgets in here not present in Mr. Mortimer's collection. For a start there were several vibrators all stacked together on the top shelf along with a box of what looked like brand new batteries.
"I thought you only used ropes?" questioned Malcolm on seeing the vast array of other equipment.
Vicky breathed a quiet sigh of relief. At least Malcolm had not rejected her request. Encouraged by the initial reaction she though it best to explain everything.
"Ropes are just the Club's rules. Back home you can do what you like. If I'm at home and on my own I usually slip on handcuffs around my wrists and ankles. It helps me get to sleep. But Nick usually ties me up when he's here. I prefer it that way," she explained to him.
Amongst the equipment Malcolm could see a leather hood very similar to the one he had placed over Jenny's head back at Cuckoo Cottage. Out of curiosity he picked it up and began to examine it. Like the other one, this had a zip for the mouth and flaps for the eyes, but in this case there were no small padlocks to keep everything in place. Instead there was a large zip up the back that pulled everything tight around the head, and the eye flaps used press-studs to either keep them closed or held open above the eyes.
"Is this yours?… Do you wear this?" he asked.
Vicky nodded. "Yes it's mine…That's my slave hood... I'm made to wear it when my Master's at home… He has his own rules which I must obey... When it's on my head then I become his slave and must obey everything he tells me, otherwise I get punished... If he pulls the zip across my mouth then I know that I mustn't speak, and if he closes the flaps down over my eyes, then I know that I must stay exactly where I am… My Master just loves to be in control, and the hood does exactly that for him,… With it on my head then I am reminded constantly that I am his slave," she explained and at the same time revealing all their most intimate secrets.
"And you let him control you all the time this hood is on?" asked Malcolm.
"Of course!… It's great… Nick is a wonderful Master… and I guess I'm just born that way… I just love to be dominated and tied up… they're my two greatest desires in life," she told him with a sigh.
Malcolm put the hood away thinking what a weird girl this Vicky was turning out to be. But time was pressing and he just wanted to get on with the real reason for being brought into this bedroom. He turned back to face Vicky.
"Well I'm not sure about the domination bit, but I guess I can oblige with the tying up part tonight," Malcolm told her. "Will that be okay?"
A broad grin crossed Vicky's face. She had not asked or expected anything more of Malcolm.
"Yes please Malcolm, and you can do it whichever way you want as long as I'm on the bed and able to sleep," she told him.
Malcolm seemed happy enough with the arrangement. At one point he had become a little worried, thinking that Vicky was wanting him to play Master and slave with her, and even go to bed with her. That was the last thing he wanted. If he was not careful things might have got out of hand, and as desirable as Vicky was, he was determined to remain faithful to Katie.
"Okay," agreed Malcolm, and bending down to pick up several coils of ropes and sorting them out into single strands. "I suggest you get undressed then Vicky, unless you want to sleep with all those clothes on."
"Oh thank you Malcolm," said a very excited Vicky, and she pecked him on the cheek.
"Go on, get yourself undressed," he told her, patting her backside.
"Do you want me completely naked? Or if you like, I can put my nightie on, or even some of my slave gear?" queried Vicky and giving him various options.
"Naked!" he responded given the choice.
Malcolm was looking ahead. Already he was having visions of that bondage magazine left behind at the club, and he had a fair idea just as to how the final picture would look. He even thought about making a sketch of her, but considered this to be inappropriate, and anyway he had not brought any drawing equipment with him. In the end he settled for just tying her up and heading straight for bed. It had been a very long day and he was feeling very tired.
As for Vicky she was highly delighted with the way things had gone. She had finally got her way, and it had been a lot easier than she had thought. She had plotted to get Malcolm here, then braved herself into asking to be tied up for the night. She did not know how Malcolm would react, but in the end he had agreed to everything without batting an eyelid. He even accepted her Master and slave relationship with Nick as being something quite natural. This Malcolm was one hell of a fellow, and her best friend Katie had definitely picked a good one here. Furthermore, she had helped by keeping everything a secret.
With a spring to her step she bounced across the room to the other end of the long built-in wardrobe. Here she slid open a door and hooked her large winter overcoat on a hanger inside. She then set about removing the rest of her clothes. First a jersey pulled over the top of her head, then a skirt pulled down around her long shapely legs. This was followed quickly by a slip, then shoes and finally a pair of tights.
Malcolm ran several lengths of ropes through his hands and waited for Vicky to finish undressing. It seemed that lately everyone was willing to take off their own clothes for him. Firstly it was Jenny in the shower, then Katie at the club, and now Vicky in her own bedroom. Somehow he was really getting to like this BDSM scene, and it also fitted in well with his own aspirations to sketch and paint pictures of damsels in distress.
Standing in only bra and panties, Vicky asked: "Mind if I do a wee first Malcolm?"
"Carry on Vicky," said Malcolm and gesturing towards the bathroom door.
Vicky strode across the bedroom floor and disappeared into the bathroom.
Malcolm took the opportunity to select the largest vibrator from off the top shelf and load up two brand new batteries. He switched it on and let it buzz for a few seconds to test that it worked. He then move to the bathroom door and waited. He heard the toilet flush and the running of water afterwards.
He tapped on the door and called: "I hope you're not going to take all night?"
"I'm coming Malcolm," he heard a gargled reply through the door. "I'm just scrubbing my teeth."
About a minute later the door opened and out stepped a completely naked Vicky. He could see inside the bathroom that she had rinsed out her bra and knickers and hung them above the bath to dry. Malcolm eyed the young woman's naked form up and down. She looked quite a stunner with beautifully proportioned breasts and long shapely legs, and there was one thing for certain, Vicky was a natural blond. Just a light wispy tuft of blonde pubic fuzz graced her mound. He thought of the sharp contrast between Jenny's black mass of hairs, Katie's long ginger curl's, and then this little bit of fluff. It seemed that he had gone through the whole spectrum in just one day.
"Right, I'm ready now Malcolm," she announced. "What are you proposing to do to me?"
"Hogtie," he told her simply.
Vicky saw that Malcolm not only had ropes in his hands but also a rather large plastic object.
"And what's the vibrator for Malcolm?" she added with glint to her eye.
"Just something to make it a little more exciting for you," he responded.
Vicky by now had become highly aroused. Nick was always one for tying her hands to the top of the bed and her feet to the bottom, usually with legs spread so that he could enter her if he so desired. But with no Nick around, and with a Master and slave scenario only a remote possibility, then hog-tying complete with a vibrator inside her sounded a most exciting alternative.
"Do you want me to lie face down on the bed then Malcolm?" she asked.
"No Vicky, just turn around first. I'll do the hands whilst you're standing up to begin with," he told her.
Vicky turned around and put her hands behind her back in readiness.
Malcolm tied Vicky's hands in much the same manner as he did Katie's earlier that evening. First going around the wrists several turns, then switching to the other direction by going around between the wrists. He then moved on up the arms. The same piece of rope was long enough, and he bound the elbows together with what was left. Vicky took in a sharp intake of breath as her elbows were drawn together behind her back, but other than that she made no complaint.
Taking another piece of fairly long rope, Malcolm then proceeded to lash Vicky's upper arms to her body. Round and round he went, passing the rope above her breasts, then below, then criss-crossing between her tits to establish a neat and balanced finished result.
Vicky found the tightness incredible. The whole of her upper body was now set rigid with no movement affordable whatsoever. Malcolm was proving to be quite a rope expert and she appreciated being tied by someone so knowledgeable. She also now realised why Katie had been so thrilled with her little session back at the club. When it came to the tying of ropes, Malcolm was good. Very good!
 "Right, up on the bed," Malcolm told her and he pulled back the sheets so as she could get in.
Vicky climbed on the bed and lay down on her stomach with head resting on a pillow. Malcolm waited for her settle before continuing.
"Open your legs wide," he instructed.
Vicky obliged and Malcolm slid the vibrator into what was an already extremely damp and well lubricated passage. He then set the batteries going and pulled her knees back together so as to hold it in place.
With the vibrator buzzing merrily away, Malcolm took a fresh length of rope and lashed Vicky's ankles together in much the same way as he did the wrists, going round first one way and then the other. After that, with a separate length of rope, he bound her thighs together just above the knees. Finally he drew up the feet to touch the hands then lashed everything together tightly.
"How's that feel?" he asked once he was done.
Vicky tested the bonds and writhed her hips. Malcolm had done a fantastic job on her. It was impossible to move in any direction and the vibrator was stimulating her at a point just where it seemed to have the most effect.
"That's lovely thanks... I should sleep well tonight Malcolm," she told him. "Especially after I've come a few times."
Malcolm drew up the bedclothes to cover her naked body, then leant forward and kissed her on the cheek.
"Good night then Vicky… pleasant orgasms," he whispered to her as he straightened up and began to walk towards the door.
"Good night Malcolm… See you in the morning,… and ooow!… I think I'm about to come!" responded Vicky as Malcolm moved through into the corridor beyond.
"See you in the morning then Vicky," echoed Malcolm as he closed the door behind him and set off along the corridor to his own room.
It had certainly been a long and interesting day and he was ready for some sleep.
He also hoped Vicky was enjoying herself to the full.
From the distance of a corridor away, and through the thickness of a solid oak door, he heard a muffled cry: "Aaaaagh….. Aaaaaaaagh!….. Aaaaaaaaaagh!"
Malcolm stopped to listen and smiled.
Vicky was certainly making the most of the situation.
He was glad that he had been able to please.

9:00 am

Nine o'clock on a Sunday morning and Inspector Hawkins was back in his office. He had just arrived and flopped a whole pile of Sunday newspapers down on his desk. His first task for the day was to plough through this little lot to see if anything had been written about Malcolm Smith and his Littlesea dungeon exploits.
Quickly he came across the first mention of his escaped prisoner. This was an encouraging sign, but not a lot was written other than stating the suspect's name and describing what the police had discovered in the dungeon. But no photographs. There was a little bit in two more of the tabloids, but all were limited to a single column of comment, and again no pictures. It seemed that the ferry disaster was still hogging most of the limelight, with lots of amazing new allegations. Apparently the captain of one vessel had been drunk at the time, and the other had been bonking a cabin stewardess in a small locker room behind the bridge when the two ships collided.
For a while the Inspector was feeling a little downcast until he moved on to a broadsheet. This was not exactly a mass media Sunday newspaper, it was more for the posh and well-to-do in his opinion, but at least here they had devoted an entire spread of two pages, complete with photographs of the dungeon and equipment.
The Inspector's hopes were raised a little on seeing the article, at least it was there now, in print, and he hoped that the publicity, although limited, would trigger off somebody into informing the police about someone of Malcolm Smith's description acting suspiciously.
There was one other piece of news brought to his attention. There was a message on his desk sent from the East Midlands Police Force. Apparently a car belonging to the girl reported missing in Norwich had been located in their area. It had been found abandoned in a car park at a site close to the village of Muddleton Morton. The Inspector had not got a clue were this place was and he called through his door to the office beyond. There was only one man out there. It happened to be PC David Grantford, but it could have been anybody.
"Grantford," he called. "Get out the detailed road maps and find a village called Muddleton Morton for me will you?"
"Yes sir," replied the constable and set about his allotted task.
Meanwhile the Inspector returned to his desk and read the report on the missing girl in full. After reading it through from start to finish he thought about cancelling his instructions to PC Grantford. The local police in the area were saying that there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the girl's disappearance. Apparently she had gone there to paint some old mill, and almost certainly had fallen into the swollen waters at a crossing point over a weir. It was suspected that she was carrying a whole load of equipment at the time and got swept away. A chair of hers had been found stuck to an overhanging branch about a mile downstream, and the car, which was awaiting forensic tests was all locked up and did not look tampered with. The girl's parents had been informed and they were now searching for the body which could be anywhere up to ten miles down stream.
On the face of it the disappearance of Jennifer Stansfield looked a none starter. But all the same, the Inspector did recall his own hastily drawn conclusions over the disappearance of Wendy Bartlett from Castle Point. With thick freezing fog and a cottage placed right up on the cliff tops he had assumed the worst, and for days afterwards he had concentrated most of his limited resources into scouring the cliffs and rocky bays that surrounded the old castle area. He decided to keep an open mind on this, but all the same, he still expected nothing to come from this lead.
PC Grantford entered the office with a detailed road map of the British Isles in his hands. Walking to the map on the wall, and holding the road atlas open at a certain page he pointed to a spot somewhere in the East Midlands.
"Muddleton Morton is somewhere about here sir," he said holding his finger on a certain point of the map.
Inspector Hawkins picked up a pin and stuck it in the map where the constable had indicated.
He now had four pins in his map.

10:00 am

Malcolm was awakened by the constant chiming of a bell. It was a pretty sound with mellowed tones that echoed about the rooms and corridors of the large mansion. He sat up and realised that it was a doorbell that was ringing. He then recalled that he was the only occupant capable of answering the door. He also remembered that Katie had promised to call at the house that morning to wish him fond farewells. Quickly he got out of bed and pulled on a pair of trousers from his case. He had slept naked and this was quicker than putting on his motorcycle leathers.
He left the bedroom and made his way quickly to the top of the stairs. From here he could look down on the front porch to see exactly who was calling. He smiled as he recognised the redheaded  figure stood below. It was, as he had expected, Katie come to see him off.
Moving swiftly down the stairs he opened up the front door to greet his visitor.
"Good morning Katie," he said with a big smile across his face.
Katie smiled back at the figure stood naked from the waist up and with nothing on his feet.
"Good morning Malcolm, did you have a good night's sleep?" she asked.
"Smashing… slept like a log," he told her.
Katie stepped into the house and kissed him on the cheek. She hung up her fur-collared coat on a hook in the hall and extracted a fat copy of the Sunday newspaper stuck halfway through the letterbox in the door. Around here the little paper boys were paid well, and a copy had been delivered to the door at around seven o'clock that morning.
"Phew! That was some walk," she said still a little out of breath.
"Did you walk all this way?" he asked.
"Yeh! It's taken me about an hour and a half I guess. But there's no buses on a Sunday morning, and besides I like walking. I used to do it every morning to work, remember?" she told him.
Malcolm nodded his head. He did remember, and it was probably because of that they had met up in the first place. But all the same it was still a very long way to walk.
"Couldn't Brian have run you?" he asked.
"He left about half an hour before I did. And besides he's not to know I've come here. Remember what I told you? As far as anyone is concerned Vicky is sleeping alone whilst Nick's away," she reminded him.
"Of course! Sorry, I was forgetting," apologised Malcolm.
"Talking of Vicky, where is she anyway?" she asked looking around.
"She's a bit tied up at present," remarked Malcolm trying to make a joke of it.
"She got you to do it then?" remarked a not very surprised Katie. "She got you to tie her to the bed last night I presume?"
"Sort of!.. Anyway she's up in bed at present and won't be coming down until I do something about it… I've only just woken up myself… so I guess I'd better go and finish getting dressed, then set her free if she wants some breakfast," explained Malcolm.
"Tell you what, you did it, so you go and set her free, and I'll put the kettle on," suggested Katie.
"Okay, I'll finish getting myself dressed, then let Vicky loose, and you go and make us a nice pot of tea," agreed Malcolm.
"Okay, that's settled then Malcolm," confirmed Katie giving him another peck on the cheek.
And with that the two went their separate ways, Katie off the kitchen with the Sunday newspaper tucked beneath her arm, and Malcolm firstly to his own bedroom, and then on to Vicky's room in order to set her free.
Malcolm called in the bathroom then finished dressing. He then set off down the corridor to Vicky's room. Near the top of the stairs and just when he was about to enter the bedroom, he heard Katie call from somewhere about halfway up the stairs: "Malcolm, what's all this about you in the Sunday paper?"
He looked to see her storming up the stairs to confront him with the newspaper in her hand. It was open and folded somewhere near the centre pages.
"Malcolm, what on Earth have you been up to?" she said sternly and held up the paper for Malcolm to see.
The page had a headline: 'Four Girls Tortured by Sex Crazed Youth in Dungeon'. There was a photofit picture of a seventeen year old youth the police were looking for to help them in their enquiries, and also a picture of the dungeon and one of the rack.
Malcolm's mouth dropped. He could see that Katie was extremely angry and he was not prepared for any of this. This confrontation was never meant to happen. He had thought the ferry disaster had diverted all of this away from the public eye, and considered himself safe from publicity. Now suddenly here it all was, spread out in all its gory details in the middle of Vicky's Sunday newspaper.
"It… Err… I…. I did it all for you Katie…" he stammered.
"For me?… what all this?… all for me?… you must be crazy!" she retorted.
"Err.. you wanted…err.. Tracy Goodyear… stretched out on the rack… so I got her for you," he tried to explain the best he could.
Katie read the names of the four girls. She had not done so before. She had recognised instantly the picture of the dungeon and the rack, and then saw the name Malcolm Smith as the person being wanted by the police for questioning. She could see it now. Tracy Goodyear's name was also there in print, along with that of a police officer and two other girls.
"You're mad Malcolm!.. Utterly mad!… I didn't mean you do anything when I said those things about Tracy Goodyear… it was just a joke… it was just something I said in anger, but that's all…. and what about these other three girls… I didn't say anything about them did I?… and one's a police officer for Christ's sake!…. You got her for me as well did you?…" she argued bitterly.
"Err.. Katie!… please… listen to me…. They just got in the way…. I had no choice… It was only Tracy Goodyear I wanted…," said Malcolm trying hopelessly to explain.
"Well I'm going to the police Malcolm.. I'm going to report you… I've got to… you're insane!…" she threatened.
And with that she turned and started heading down the stairs.
"Wait… listen.. stop Katie…," called Malcolm chasing after her.
Halfway down the stairs Malcolm grabbed her by the shoulder.
"Let me go you beast!" she shouted and flung his hand away.
"Katie, please listen to me," begged Malcolm.
He did so much want to explain. But Katie was in no mood to listen. She turned and headed off down the stairs again. Instinctively Malcolm grabbed the large vase from out of the alcove and brought it crashing down upon her head. The vase shattered into hundreds of small pieces and Katie tumbled and rolled all the way down to the bottom of the stairs.
Malcolm ran down the stairs to kneel by Katie's side. He turned her over on her back and lifted up her head. There was blood in her hair and it was starting to form  a pool on the carpet.
"Oh Katie… I'm so sorry!" he told the unconscious redhead.
Why he had struck her he did not know. Not to his beloved Katie anyway. But she was going to tell the police, so what else could he do? She had left him very little option. He had to stop her somehow!
Malcolm sat down on the bottom stair and put his head in his hands whilst still staring at Katie lying on the floor before him. He had to think of something, and do it fast. He realised that he was in danger. The story of his Littlesea exploits was now public knowledge and people everywhere would be looking for him. Suddenly nowhere was safe. Except Cuckoo Cottage that was!
He formulated a plan. He would use the Volvo and take Katie back to Cuckoo Cottage. There he would tend to her injuries and nurse her back to health. He would then work on her and try to explain why he had done everything for her. It might take days, it might take weeks even, but he was sure that in the end they could become great friends once again.
Just then Vicky called from the bedroom. He had partially opened the door just as Katie was coming up the stairs and he could hear her calling quite clearly. He then realised that he had a double problem. Vicky knew too much. If she was left here she would tell the police all about her overnight guest. He concluded that the only safe thing to do was take Vicky along with him as well.
Malcolm climbed the stairs to Vicky's bedroom and entered. She was lying on the bed just as he had left her. The vibrator though had stopped buzzing. Obviously the batteries had run down in the night.
"What was that noise Malcolm?" she asked. The loud crash had actually woken her up.
Malcolm thought quickly. He wanted an excuse that would not panic her. He thought of something and gave it a try.
"I was bringing up breakfast on a tray and I dropped it," he told her. "I was just tidying up the mess when you called... Sorry, but I'll have to do it again."
"Don't worry Malcolm, I'm not that keen on eating anything yet. I don't usually eat till lunch time anyway," she told him. "Just untie me and I'll help you clean up the mess."
Malcolm smiled. Vicky did not suspect a thing. Now he had the perfect excuse to do what he wanted. He also had another cunning plan involving Vicky.
"I've got a better idea," he told her. "How about putting this on?" And with that Malcolm crossed the bedroom floor to take something from out of the wardrobe.
Vicky stretched her neck to see what Malcolm had collected. Then on seeing the hood her face took on a puzzled look.
"What?… Me?,…  be your slave Malcolm?" asked Vicky.
"Yes, why not Vicky?.. I've been thinking about you and this all night... and it turned me on like you'd never believe!… The way I see it,… I don't have to go back today,… and Nick's not here for at least another week... So it could happen… So what do you say Vicky?.. Will you be my slave for a few days?.. Please Vicky?… I'll be the best Master you've ever had!.."  begged Malcolm and trying his best to turn on the charm.
Vicky gave a broad smile. The offer sounded fantastic. But she had one worry. The thought of Nick ever finding out was never far from her mind.
"Nick won't ever get to know will he?" she asked.
"My lips are sealed," promised Malcolm. "And Katie won't say a thing either, I'm certain of that."
"Okay then Malcolm, I agree," said Vicky. "I'll be your slave for a few days, as long as you're gone from here before the weekend. That's my only stipulation. Nick mustn't be allowed to return and find you here. And you must agree to that. Do I have your word?"
"You have my word Vicky… I'll be gone before Nick gets back… I promise," swore Malcolm.
"Right, my new Master, what are you proposing to do then?" she asked. "Do you want to put the hood on me now?.. Or please can I have a wee first?.. I'm bursting!"
"Hood first I think," he said, " and then the loo."
"Whatever my new Master wishes then," she agreed. "You may put it on."
Malcolm slipped the hood over her head and pulled down the zip at the back. To begin with he made sure that the zip was open across the mouth and the flaps were up so that she could both see and speak. He would close everything up afterwards. But first he needed a few positive answers.
"Right my slave, this is what I want you to do... I'm going to untie you and let you go to the loo and scrub your teeth first… I do that because I am a kind Master to obedient slaves… When you have finished in there you will then collect a pair of handcuffs from the wardrobe and put them on about your wrists at the front… You will then sit on the bed and wait for me to return… At no point do you put any clothes on… Those are my first orders to you my new slave... Do you understand?.. But be warned, get them wrong and I will punish you most severely!.. Is that understood slave?.." said Malcolm in his sternest voice.
"Yes Master,… I understand everything, and will obey your commands," replied Vicky.
Malcolm set about undoing her bonds. He wanted to be quick about it and return to Katie. The redhead was his number one priority, and with Vicky acting out her slave scenario, then hopefully she was not going to prove to be too difficult and get in the way of things.
However, there was to be one more order issued before allowing Vicky to head for the bathroom. On untying her legs Malcolm discovered the vibrator still wedged firmly into her virgina. He had forgotten all about this, but quickly he had an idea that amused him greatly.
On extracting the vibrator he told her: "And one more thing slave…. You will put fresh batteries in this vibrator, then keep it in your hands in readiness… I may from time to time give orders for you to use it… Is that understood slave?"
"Yes Master, I will do everything my Master so wishes," she replied.
Vicky was already becoming very wet between the legs. There was something about this Malcolm and his ways that aroused her deeply. Nick had never done anything like this. He was more into just making her do housework and other such chores. But this was so much more exciting. It was the not knowing exactly what he proposed that was the stimulus. And if this was only to be the start, then what were the next two or three days going to be like?
She just could not wait to find out.

10:30 am

In a hospital ward in Littlesea General Hospital a patient was undergoing a medical examination.
"Well I don't think there's any reason for keeping you in here a moment longer," announced the doctor once everything had been checked out thoroughly.
Georgina smiled. This was just the news she wanted to hear. She had received a message via a nurse to ring a number in Lancashire and was eager to find out what the girls had to say.
"That's great news doctor. Can I get dressed now?" she asked.
"Yes, but I'll get a nurse to help you. I want that arm kept in that sling for at least another two weeks. I'll see you again then. I'll get my secretary to make an appointment for two week's time. And in the meantime be very careful with that arm. No lifting or carrying, and no driving of cars. Is that understood?" said the doctor.
"Perfectly! I'll be very careful with it, I promise," she assured the doctor.
The doctor smiled and looked to his watch. He had a lot more visits to do that morning. "Right, I'll get a nurse to help you get dressed. And I guess you need to phone someone to take you home. I'll get the nurse to sort that out for you too," he concluded.
"Thank you doctor," said Georgina.
Her parents could be at the hospital within half an hour to collect her. She could then make the call to Lancashire from her own home. It would be more secretive that way.
As the doctor departed, Georgina looked across the ward to the bed opposite. Wendy Bartlett had been told to wait at least another two days before being allowed to go home. Her thumbs, though very much better now, were still not healed sufficiently for her to handle anything efficiently, and both her hands were still swathed in bandages.
"And then there was one!" Georgina called across the ward to Wendy.
"Don't worry about me Georgina... I'll be out soon… Just make sure that if you find that Malcolm Smith, I want to be there with you… Just don't leave me out,… Please!.." she said and reminding her fellow patient of the pact they had made between all four of them.
"Don't worry Wendy… We'll do nothing without you… I promise..," Georgina assure her.
At that point the nurse walked in and the conversation stopped.
It was time for Georgina to get dressed.

11:00 am

Malcolm drove the large Volvo car out of the garage and down the long drive. At the tree-lined avenue to the front of 'Marshbrook Mansion' he turned left and headed on down the hill. He was not sure which way he was going. But this was the direction he had come in. Eventually he hoped to pick up a sign pointing to some place he recognised, then he would navigate his way back to Cuckoo Cottage using as many back roads as possible. It might take a lot longer that way, but at least it would be safer.
In the back of the Volvo, Malcolm carried two passengers. He had folded down the back seats and laid out a comfortable quilt on the floor behind. Here he had placed Katie down carefully, and tried to make her feel comfortable by resting her head on a pillow. Unfortunately he had found it necessary to use some of Vicky's handcuffs on her. He had locked her hands behind her back and also clamped a pair about her ankles. He was sorry, but if Katie came round whilst he was driving, and was still in the same angry mood, then he wanted to feel safe from attack.
Alongside Katie rested Vicky. The two girls lay back to back. The zip and flaps on Vicky's hood were now firmly closed, and like Katie she had handcuffs around her ankles too. Malcolm had covered up both girls with blankets and tucked them in nicely. Whatever Vicky thought of it all, he did not know. But he hoped she still thought they were playing their little game. He had taken them down at separate times and told Vicky that Katie was playing roughly the same game. Anyway he had ordered her not to communicate with her partner in the back, and she had seemed willing to co-operate. So there did not seem to be a problem there. However, the suggestion of taking a ride in the car probably did rock her a little, but being the good slave she was, she accepted her new Masters wishes. And anyway the zip was across her mouth at the time so she refrained from making any protest.
Malcolm glanced at his watch. The time was just after eleven o'clock now. By taking all the back roads he did not expect to arrive at Cuckoo Cottage until sometime after six o'clock that evening. It might even be much later. Somehow the timing was all wrong. What he really needed to do was return the Volvo quickly and collect his motorcycle, but he could not see that happening until tomorrow now.
But never mind, he could relax and think more clearly back at the cottage. Perhaps he would even come up with a better plan.
He also decided to purchase some proper milk on the way back, and then he could really have a really nice cup of tea.He

1:00 pm

Georgina was home at last. Her parents had collected her from the hospital about an hour ago. Since then her father had gone out and her mother was busy cooking in the kitchen. Moving silently to the hall she dialled the number on the piece of paper the nurse had given her.
"Hello, Coach and Horses?" came the reply from a rather deep female voice.
"Ah!… Could I speak to a Davina Townsend?" Georgina asked.
"Hang on, I'll go and get her," the woman replied.
There was a wait. Finally someone came to the phone.
"Hello, Davina Townsend speaking," came a female voice she recognised.
"Davina, it's me Georgina… I'm home... They've let me out," she announced.
"Great… and the arm?" enquired Davina.
"It's fine as long as I don't do anything with it," she told her.
"Smashing!… Now listen," she told Georgina, and finally getting down to business. "He's here… Malcolm Smith's up here… we've seen him… but he's not with Katie Brown… he's with someone else…"
"What!…Great!…" exclaimed Georgina at the news. "So what's happening now?"
"Not a lot I'm afraid... We saw him drive off in a Volvo.. but we were too slow and couldn't get to our own car in time… so we lost him…," she explained.
"So where are you now?… And what are you doing?" asked Georgina.
"We're staying at a pub called the Coach and Horses.. It's not too bad.. and the room's fairly comfortable… even though it's a double bed… the woman did give us some funny looks when we told her we wanted this particular room and not one with two single beds… but she never complained… she thinks we're a couple of lesbians… Anyway, that's not the point... what's more important is that Malcolm Smith has left a motorcycle here... It's parked in the corner of the pub car park and we're constantly keeping a watch on it… Tracy's up there now in the room looking out of the window… We're ready and in the starting blocks waiting to follow as soon as he returns," said Davina and relating the entire story thus far.
"Now you two be very careful," Georgina warned Davina. "Malcolm Smith is a very dangerous person. Don't be doing anything silly, will you?"
"Don't worry!… I told you before, he's not going to get me again," answered Davina flatly.
"Good, now listen. I'm back at my home now. So ring me here tonight. Let's say at nine o'clock this evening… If I don't hear from you, then I'll assume the worst and see if I can get some help… Okay?" Georgina suggested.
"Okay Georgina, I'll report back at nine o'clock. Look I'll have to go, the landlady here is giving me some strange smiles… I think she fancies me… She looks a little butch so I'm not surprised," said Davina at a whisper.
"Goodbye then!," said Georgina and the line went dead.
She had to smile. Davina was the last person in the world for anyone to think of as being gay.
But all the same, the news on the other front was great. They had seen Malcolm Smith and they had a hot lead in the shape of a motorcycle.
All she hoped for now was that Davina and Tracy kept out of trouble.
 
7:00 pm

Malcolm drew the Volvo up to the end of the drive at Cuckoo Cottage then went back to the gate to close it. He had returned much later than he had thought mainly because of his failure to negotiate all those narrow lanes around the Muddle Valley area. But still, he was back safely now, and as far as he was aware, no-one had followed him. There was one disconcerting moment however, as he passed through Muddleton Morton he could not help but notice a police car parked on the edge of the village green and next to the bridge that led to the Muddleford Mill Tourist Centre. Luckily they were not stopping anybody and he guessed that they must have found Jenny's car by now and were searching the area for her. They might even come knocking on the door. He decided to be ultra-cautious from now on, but one thing was for sure, he could not hang on to the Volvo much longer. He would either have to ditch it someplace miles away, or stick to his original plan and swap it for his motorcycle.
However, that was not his main concern at that precise point in time. More worrying was the state of Katie's health. For the entire journey he had heard not one sound from her. At about the halfway point in the journey he had been forced to stop for petrol and taken a peek in the back. Katie was still unconscious at that time, but looked to be sleeping peacefully. Vicky had also remained quiet like the good slave she was, and for the whole of the journey he had not heard a sound from either of them.
Malcolm opened up the tailgate and removed the blankets that covered the two girls. It was pitch black out side, but two small lights came on in the back of the Volvo to illuminate the inside of the car. Katie looked to be sleeping soundly, she was lying on her side with head resting on the pillow. The two girls were lying back to back just as he had left them. Vicky was facing the other way, with hands and feet handcuffed together, and the black leather hood obscuring her face. She was also clinging on doggedly to a vibrator in her hands. If she wanted to move, then the rules forbade it. She knew that with the flaps down over her eyes then she was to remain perfectly still until her new Master summonsed her.
He decided that Vicky could wait. She was not going to go anywhere. It was Katie that required immediate medical attention and he decided it best to take her up to his own bed for the night. Lifting up the unconscious body from the back of the car, he slung her over his shoulder in a fireman's lift, closed the tailgate of the Volvo down, then set off for the front door of Cuckoo Cottage. From here he carried her up the stairs and into his bedroom.
Malcolm gently lowered Katie onto the bed and waited until he got his breath back. It had been quite an effort to carry the body all the way up those steep stairs. After a few minutes rest he set about making her as comfortable as possible. She still had her hands handcuffed behind her back and her ankles locked similarly together. But all the same he laid her on her side and with loving care covered her up with the blankets.
Once Katie had been laid out properly on the bed with head resting on the pillow and tucked in comfortably, he considered what best to do. Top priority it seemed was to boil up some water and bathe her head wound. Her head was caked in blood and her bright red hair had become stuck together in one big congealed mass. He considered that she would most probably need the wound bandaged. He wondered what best to use? In the end he decided to rip some strips off one of the bed sheets and use that.
He then considered restraint. This was his beloved Katie and he did not want to punish her any more than was really necessary. But all the same, he considered her to be a high risk, and might at sometime attempt to escape. He decided that one ankle restraint very similar to how he had been chained to the bed in the hospital would suffice. He recalled seeing a pair of handcuffs with a long chain between the bracelets in the cupboard in the dungeon. He decided to go down stairs, put the kettle on, then collect the ankle chain from the dungeon.
A little while later Malcolm entered the dungeon and looked around. His drawing equipment was still there in the middle of the chamber, and the ruined painting stood on the easel facing the X-frame. There was also a chair with half a bottle of cooking sherry and two cups resting on the seat. He remembered Jenny in the cell and crossed to peer inside.
She was obviously awake, and as he approached he saw her get up off the mattress and fumble blindly for the bars. She was very much as he had left her. Her hands and feet were still shackled together and that hideous leather hood remained covering her head. Malcolm was pleased to note that she had discovered the food he had left her. The loaf had been opened and several slices were missing.
The front of her body however looked in a bad way. The lash marks, if anything showed some signs of healing and brown scabs were appearing where once red raw stripes had been. But all the same it still looked very painful, and it showed in the slow way she moved.
"Feeling better?" Malcolm asked her through the bars.
Jenny could only hear the arrival of someone in the chamber. She had hoped that it was someone come to rescue her. Her heart sagged when she heard Malcolm's voice.
"Please let me out of here," she begged through the zip opening across her mouth, then apologised: "Malcolm, I'm so sorry about your painting. I was feeling sick and didn't mean to do anything to it. Honestly I didn't!"
Malcolm still hated her for what she did. She had ruined a masterpiece, and no matter how much remorse she now showed, it was not going to change a thing.
"You ruined my painting," he told her. "Now you must suffer the consequences. So the hood and chains stay. But if you're a very good girl… I'll probably bring you a nice breakfast tomorrow," he added.
Jenny sank slowly down to her knees, and put her hands together.
"Oh God!… Please help me get out of here," she began to pray.
Malcolm turned away and moved to the cupboard. There was nothing more he could do for her, and Katie's needs were far greater than hers. Jenny was just a hindrance. Somebody who just happened to get in the way.
He found the handcuffs with the long chain he was looking for. In fact he found two pairs and collected them both. He knew roughly what he was going to do from now on. First he would fill up a bowl of hot water and take it upstairs to bathe Katie's wounds. Then, when he had done all that he could, he would sort out Vicky.
Malcolm thought about bringing Vicky down here and strapping her to one of the many devices. But on second thoughts changed his mind. It was too risky. Left alone down here overnight with Jenny in the cell could cause problems. They may begin to communicate with each other and then what might happen? He dreaded to think. He could ball-gag them both, but after the struggle he had with Jenny last time, he just did not want the trouble. Right now Katie needed him, and that was far more important. He had another idea. There were two single beds in the second bedroom. He and Vicky would sleep there tonight. In separate beds of course! But all the same he could still have a bit of fun.
On returning to the bedroom with a bowl of hot water and towel tossed over one shoulder, Malcolm could see that Katie was beginning to stir beneath the bedclothes. He took this to be an encouraging sign and thought that perhaps she was ready to regain consciousness.
Malcolm placed the bowl of hot water on the floor, then sat himself down on the edge of the bed behind Katie. Here he pulled back the bedclothes and removed the handcuffs from behind her back and those that held her feet. Next he began to pull away her clothes and being very careful not to make contact with the wound in her scalp. He had no sinister ulterior motive for stripping Katie. He was just trying his best to make her comfortable. If she was to be staying in bed for a while, then he considered this to be the best thing for her.
Slowly and delicately he removed all the items one by one from her body until nothing remained. He then folded up all her clothes neatly and laid them in a pile on top of the chest of drawers and alongside the large vase. They would be there for her to get dressed once she was better.
Returning to the bed Malcolm secured Katie's right ankle to the bottom using one of the long-chained handcuffs from the dungeon. She was lying on her right side with head on the pillow, and he covered the naked body up with the sheets to keep her warm. Then taking the towel and hot water, he sat down on the edge of the bed behind her and began to dab away the congealed blood from the back of her head.
"Poor Katie," he whispered. "I'm so sorry!"
Katie heard a softly spoken voice and sensed a few light gentle pats to the back of her scalp. She was coming round slowly, but her head was till spinning and she was finding it hard to focus. She turned over to discover someone sat behind her. She thought that she recognised the blurred figure, but was uncertain.
"Malcolm?.. Malcolm?… Is that you?" she asked and tried to make one image out of the several she was seeing.
"Yes it's me Katie," he replied softly and warmly.
"Where am I?" she asked and sounding very confused.
"You're at my place," he told her.
"You're place?… So where's Brian?" she asked.
"He's gone to visit his parents," Malcolm told her.
"As he?" asked Katie.
Her senses were returning now and so was the pain. The top of her head was really beginning to throb. She raised up her hands and felt the matted hair and the massive bump at the back of her skull.
"Ouch!" she yelped as she managed to touch a really sore spot, then asked: "What happened Malcolm?"
"You fell down stairs Katie," he lied.
"Fell down stairs?… What stairs Malcolm?… We live in a ground floor flat!" she said still very confused.
"You fell down Vicky's stairs," he told her.
"Vicky's?… Was I at Vicky's?… What was I doing there?" she asked
Slowly Malcolm was beginning to realise that Katie had no recollection of what had happened. There was a complete blank in her memory.
"Yes, you were there this morning, and you fell down her stairs and cracked your head open," he told her.
"Vicky's?… I don't remember being there?.. I was with Brian wasn't I?" she said now totally bemused and trying desperately to recall her last whereabouts.
"What do you remember?" he asked.
"Malcolm, I just don't know… I can't remember a thing?… Oh it's all very confusing!" she said holding her hands to her eyes and resting her head back down on the pillar.
"Do you remember being at the club last night?" he asked.
"The club?… Was I there?… With Brian?… I don't think so.. We'd told everyone we weren't going for some reason… But I can't think why that was!" she mumbled.
It was obvious to Malcolm that she was still very tired and confused.
Malcolm pulled the sheets right up around her body and cuddled her down.
"Just lie there and try to get some sleep Katie," he told her. "And I'll see if I can do something about this wound."
And with that he re-dampened the towel and began to wipe away more of the congealed blood from the back of her head.
Poor Katie!
He felt so sorry for her.
But now she was safe.
She had him to look after her.

9:00 pm

The phone rang at precisely nine o'clock.
Georgina picked up the receiver and answered: "Hello Georgina speaking."
"Hello Georgina, Tracy here," came the reply.
"Hi Tracy, where's Davina?" asked Georgina.
"She's up in the bedroom keeping an eye on the motorcycle. It's her turn to keep watch, and besides she's trying to avoid the landlady down here. She thinks she fancies her!" said Tracy.
Georgina had a little chuckle. "I guess nothing's happened then?… No sign of Malcolm Smith?" she asked.
"No, sorry… we're beginning to wonder if we've done the right thing by stopping here… Maybe we should return to staking out Katie Brown's place as originally planned… But never mind… we're going to give it until tomorrow afternoon anyway… then if nothing's happened by then we might consider other plans…," she said sounding a bit despondent.
"Well keep plugging away… Maybe tomorrow something will happen," encouraged Georgina.
"Will do… Look, best go… The landlady's smiling at me now!… We'll phone you again tomorrow Georgina… say about ten o'clock… will that be all right?" she asked.
"That's fine… I've got nothing else to do anyway… Hear from you at ten… bye…" said Georgina signing off.
"Bye," echoed Tracy and the line went dead.

  10:00 pm

It was getting late, and Malcolm had still not done anything about Vicky. Caring for Katie had taken up most of his time since their return to Cuckoo Cottage, and the blond-headed girl had remained in the back of the Volvo all that time.
Malcolm returned to the car and opened up the tailgate.
"Come on slave, we're going for a little walk," he told her.
He unlocked the handcuffs about her ankles.
"Can you sit up slave?" he asked and offered a hand to help her out of the back of the car.
Vicky struggled to sit down with legs overhanging the back of the car. She looked very unsteady. Lying still and on her side for nearly twelve hours had made her very stiff.
"Try and walk," he told Vicky, lifting her by an arm and urging her to take a few steps.
With a lot of patience from Malcolm, Vicky slowly began the tortuous barefooted amble across the gravel and towards the front door of the cottage. As the walk progressed her movements became easier, and when asked to ascend the stairs most of the stiffness had gone.
Malcolm laid Vicky down on a single bed and locked the second long-chained handcuffs around one ankle and to the bottom of the bed.
"For being a good girl all day slave, I will now allow you to use the vibrator… I shall be in the room below, and I want to hear you making full use of it!… I will know if you fake anything… and if you do I will punish you most severely… Is that understood slave?" said Malcolm.
Vicky nodded her head. She was not allowed to answer because the zip was across her mouth.
Malcolm set the vibrator going and guided her handcuffed hands between her legs. "There, you may begin now slave," he told her.
Vicky moved the vibrating tip to lightly touch her clitoris and slowly move it around in a small circular motion. She had every intention of coming, and coming quite quickly.
Malcolm smiled and departed the bedroom. Vicky was not going to be a problem whatsoever. As he descended the stairs to the kitchen, he began to consider his best plan of action. Earlier, whilst sat on the edge of the bed and softly bathing the back of Katie's head, he had considered all the alternatives. He still very much wanted to return the Volvo and bring back his motorcycle, but with Katie in this condition he just felt that he could not leave her in bed with no-one to look after her. Ideally he would have loved to leave very early in the morning and do the round trip all in one day. But that could not be tomorrow now. That was impossible. Katie needed him here more than ever.
He decided to return the Volvo the day after next, and hopefully Katie would be feeling a little better by then. He knew that he was cutting it all a bit fine doing it this way. But as he saw it, Nick was still away on holiday until the weekend, and Brian would not be back for at least another couple of days. He was therefore working on the assumption that if anyone was going to report either of the two girls missing, then it would not be done until at least one of these men returned to find their loved one missing. That was his theory anyway! He just hoped that he was right.
Malcolm arrived at the kitchen. He had purchased some real milk from the petrol station shop on his way back, and now he was going to make himself a nice cup of tea.
He considered that he deserved it after suffering such a hard and gruelling day.
He also kept an ear cocked on what was happening in the room above.
It sounded very much like Vicky was obeying his orders to the letter.

End of Chapter Fourteen