Alleyn, Fredrica (9 page)

'All right,' she agreed at last. 'I don't have a strapless bra though.'

'You don't need a bra with a boned top!' laughed Cassandra. 'All you need underneath that is a pair of stockings. Do you use a suspender belt or wear holdups?'

'I wear tights,' said Nicola flatly.

Cassandra shook her head. 'That will never do. They're so unsexy. I'll let you have some hold-ups; I've got dozens of packets unopened in my cupboard.'

'What are you wearing?' Nicola had asked her.

'It's a very simple dress. Like a long silk chemise in emerald green.' Cassandra didn't think it wise to mention the plunging neckline or the lace breast panels that meant people had tantalising glimpses of her breasts when she moved.

'I suppose you put your hair up, do you?' Nicola enquired.

Cassandra nodded. 'Yes, but that's because it feels hot on my neck if I don't. Your hair's perfect as it is. That's the good thing about such a simple style, it always looks nice.'

Nicola had smiled, but she'd thought to herself that she didn't really want to look nice, she wanted to look sophisticated. She decided there and then to let her hair grow until it was long enough to draw back into a pleat.

Once Cassandra had felt certain Nicola would be suitably dressed, she had hurried into the kitchen and told Monique and Sophie how they were to dress for serving dinner and then made certain that the small drawing room where they would be taking coffee was equipped with everything the baron had listed.

After that she just had time to bathe, dress and get

Sophie to put her hair up before it was time to go down and make quite sure that the evening was a success. If anything went wrong tonight she would be blamed, and that would be a disastrous start to this new game that her lover was clearly longing to start playing.

The baron had decided that they would eat in the smallest dining room in the chateau, since he had no wish to overwhelm Nicola at her first meal with them, particularly when the evening's events were intended to be so exciting.

When Nicola heard the gong she started to leave her room, hoping to meet someone who could take her downstairs, and was pleased to find Cassandra waiting outside her door. She looked at the other woman and felt a pang of envy.

Cassandra's dress clung to her like a second skin, in fact Nicola couldn't imagine that she had any underwear at all beneath it, and the emerald green suited her dark eyes and shining dark hair, so carefully piled up on the top of her head. Her perfume was delicate, with a hint of jasmine and lilies, and her makeup impeccable, so light that it was hard to be certain she was wearing any until Nicola saw the subtle dusting of coral blusher along Cassandra's high cheekbones.

Nicola felt gauche and immature next to her, but Cassandra admired her dress and complimented her on her high-heeled strapless sandals so she decided that she couldn't look too bad. The two women then went downstairs together.

Nicola was amazed when she entered the dining room to find that it was predominantly lilac in colour. She'd been expecting a huge, dark, tapestry-lined room with a long table and instead found herself in quite a small room where the deep lilac walls were covered with detailed pen and ink sketches and the two long windows on the east side had light lilac curtains hanging in pleats from a high curtain rail, tied back at the sill by matching swathes of material.

One of the walls was covered by cream bookshelves; the books all had leather bindings and looked like collector's editions, while the small round table in the middle of the room could take just four chairs, although even as they entered, the chauffeur she'd met that morning was removing one of them and carrying it out through the cream double doors into the passageway beyond.

'It's a much lighter room than I'd expected,' she exclaimed.

'Dieter's had every room in the chateau refurbished, but not all in the same style. You'll probably get quite a few surprises before your stay here's over,' said Cassandra softly.

Before Nicola could reply, the baron - wearing a dark blue evening suit and white bow tie - joined them. He smiled at each of the women in turn and Nicola felt a surge of excitement when his wide-set eyes met hers. He was easily the most attractive man she'd ever met, and she silently thanked Lara once more for inadvertently being the cause of her presence here.

'How charming you both look,' he said happily. 'Good wine, good food and two lovely women for company. What more could a man ask for!' He pulled out chairs for both of them, but it was Nicola's that he waited behind, moving it in as she sat down and standing so close that she could feel his breath against the nape of her neck.

Cassandra watched him and knew that he could hardly stop himself from touching the girl's exposed shoulders, and when he walked back to his seat and needlessly adjusted one of Cassandra's dress straps on the way, she sensed that it was out of frustration for Nicola, not desire for her. It wasn't a pleasant realisation.

The meal started with crayfish cooked in wine, accompanied by a light dry
Madlouis, Les Batisses.
This was then followed by one of their chef's specialities,
tnignon de veaux aux morelles,
which was veal done with mushrooms, and to drink with this the baron had chosen a
Pouilly-Fume.

All the time they ate, Sophie, dressed in a black stretch velour mini dress with integrated white lace top, arms and choker, kept Nicola's glass topped up just as Cassandra had instructed her. This meant that she had no idea exactly how much she was drinking.

Their dessert was a breathtakingly light, melt-in-the-mouth
mille-feuille
accompanied by a
Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux,
which had such a lovely sweet buttery taste that Nicola felt sure it must be innocuous and drank two glassfuls rather quickly.

There was relatively little conversation during the meal. Occasionally the baron and Cassandra spoke of people they knew or matters relating to the chateau, and once the baron asked Nicola if she wished to telephone her father to let him know she'd arrived safely. Nicola explained that he was unreachable for the next six weeks and then returned to her delicious meal, unaware of the smile of pleasure that crossed her host's face.

Cassandra watched Nicola innocently drinking and eating and inside it felt as though a spring was coiling tighter and tighter. She could hardly swallow her own food and left her dessert untouched, although she savoured all the wines.

Finally the baron signalled with his eyes to Cassandra, who pushed back her chair. 'Let
⁷
s take coffee in the small drawing-room,' she suggested lightly. 'That will leave the servants free to clear away.'

Nicola rose to join her and immediately felt giddy. She gripped hold of the tabletop for a moment and the baron laughed. 'Nicola looks as though she needs some coffee. I'll join you both in a moment.'

Cassandra led their guest along a short passageway into a tiny square room where, despite the warm weather, a log fire was blazing in the huge old-fashioned hearth. There was one low-backed soft armchair in the room, a strange heavily-cushioned sideless couch with a raised head and a more conventional chaise-longue. All the walls were covered by heavy tapestries depicting brightly coloured scenes that Nicola's eyes couldn't quite focus sufficiently on to decipher. The ceiling seemed unusually low and the two windows were small, allowing in little light.

Cassandra crossed the room, drew the thick velvet curtains and then switched on several muted wall lights that cast a soft golden glow over everything. It was attractive, but Nicola felt slightly claustrophobic and suddenly longed for fresh air.

Monique brought in the coffee, placed it in the hearth and left quickly, casting one pitying glance at Nicola as she went. She could well imagine the kind of thing that would be going on in this virtually soundproof room, much favoured by the baron.

'Why not rest on the couch,' suggested Cassandra as she poured the coffee. 'I think you drank a little too much tonight.'

'Perhaps I did,' agreed Nicola. 'I'm not used to it I'm afraid.'

'Not used to what?' demanded the baron, entering the room.

'You were right, Nicola's drunk a little too much,' said Cassandra placidly.

He raised his eyebrows. 'Really? Then we must encourage you in other excesses!'

Nicola had no idea what he meant. She took her cup of coffee gratefully and began to sip at it. The baron stood in front of the blazing fire for a moment. 'Are you hot, Cassandra?' he asked abruptly.

'A little,' she conceded.

He nodded. 'Then perhaps you'd care to take off your dress.'

Cassandra's eyes widened in surprise. She glanced at the stunned Nicola. 'I hardly think you need our guest's permission, my dear,' he said warningly. Silently she started to lift the dress over her head, but then the baron stopped her. Instead he moved her to stand in front of him, facing Nicola on the couch, and then his hands eased her shoulder straps down her arms until they were trapped at her sides. Now his fingers moved into the deep v-shaped neck of the dress and busied themselves beneath the lace panels.

Cassandra felt her nipples leap to life as he brushed against them, and when he cupped each small globe and lifted it gently her belly went tight and her head moved back a little. Very lightly he touched the taut flesh of her neck with his lips, kissing it so softly that she could almost have imagined it.

His hands were still on her breasts, gripping them more firmly now as they swelled with her rising passion. Gradually his mouth moved up to her ear and he nibbled on the lobe, feeling her squirm with delight before letting his tongue stab inside her ear in an imitation of the other, more intimate penetration she was longing for.

Cassandra gasped, and at the sound the baron released her breasts and slid his hands down over the top of her silk dress, massaging her upper and lower abdomen with firm circular movements that produced whimpering sounds in her throat. As his hands slid still lower Cassandra's hips began to move.

'Keep still,' he said firmly. She obeyed at once, knowing that whatever he ordered it would only enhance her final pleasure and in any case she had to show Nicola how obedient she was to the baron's instructions. That was her role in this game. The girl would learn from her example.

As she continued to be stimulated through the emerald green silk, Cassandra's eyes closed and her whole body grew damp and swollen but Nicola's eyes were wide open as she stared in dry-mouthed disbelief at what was happening in front of her.

When Cassandra's breathing quickened and started to catch in her throat the baron tenderly pushed her away from him, directing her closer to Nicola. 'Now you can take off the dress,' he said thickly.

Cassandra's hands seemed clumsy to her as she hurried to do his bidding but at last the dress was off and she stood naked except for her hold-up stockings, the firelight dappling her back and the wall lights casting a glow on her breasts, stomach and thighs.

Nicola studied the tall, slender young woman carefully. Her small breasts were very tight, the delicate pink nipples hard and the muscles of her stomach and thighs seemed to be rippling constantly beneath her skin as she waited for whatever her lover chose to do next.

Dieter glanced at Nicola. Her cheeks were crimson, her neck and shoulders covered in a sheen of perspiration and her mouth was full and a deeper shade of pink than normal. She was clearly aroused, but equally clearly didn't understand her own feelings.

Very slowly the baron knelt between Nicola and Cassandra with his back to the younger girl and as Cassandra remained standing above him he parted her legs. Only the sharp intake of breath as he separated her outer labia with his hands revealed her almost overpowering need for release.

With slow, careful movements the baron let his tongue slide up the length of each of her inner lips in turn and both times, when he reached the spot where the fold of skin covered her clitoris, he let the tip of his tongue flicker beneath the edge of the hood.

Cassandra felt ready to explode. When his tongue invaded her entrance and drew out some of her own lubrication before spreading it upwards, tight cords seemed to knot together behind her pubic bone and treacherous sparks of impending release began to shoot upwards through her stomach.

'Not yet,' he cautioned her, and she felt like crying
_w
ith disbelief because straight after the warning he
eased
back her protective hood and drew the damp, tight needy little bud into his mouth for a moment before releasing it and pressing against the outer creases at the top of her thighs instead.

This meant that all the jangling nerve ends, all the insidiously aroused tissue, were compressed and re-stimulated and the pre-orgasmic sparks increased as Cassandra's belly thrust forward.

'No!' he said firmly.

While Cassandra struggled to deny her clamouring flesh, Nicola remained rooted to the couch, aware that she was watching something both wonderful and yet dreadful at the same time, and tried to ignore the extraordinary sensations her own body was experiencing for the first time.

The baron paused for a moment and then pressed his thumbs firmly into the soft flesh above his mistress's pubic bone. 'No! I can't stand that, not now, please,' she gasped. Nicola shivered at the beseeching note in the other woman's voice.