Chapter Seventeen

Angela woke up before dinner, after which Jake and Gabrielle left with the twins. Their grandchildren often took turns staying with them. Jessie however, didn’t surface at all that night.
”She’s worn out,” Daniel said, trying to spoon some food into Lily’s constantly moving mouth. “We have big babies and she’s such a little thing.”
”Just like little Angie,” Patrick said, ducking agilely as she swiped at him. “You’re still so easy to tease,” he grinned.

“Grandmaman says that Daddy and Uncle Patrick are big kids who are never going to grow up,” Josh confided to Lee, sounding much older than his years.

“And she’s right,” Angela said, picking up Kelly out of her high chair. “Bed time for you, lovely.”
”Already?” Patrick asked. “But I wanted to stay up and play for a while.” Angela ignored him, pausing only to let him kiss the baby before she carried her down the hallway.

“Are there lots of people coming tomorrow?” Josh asked. Lee nodded.
”About ten people,” she said. “Camera people and lighting people and makeup people.”
”Aunty Mim does makeup,” Josh said. “We could have brought her.”
”And who would look after your house then?” Patrick asked him. “And your two dogs and our two dogs and the cat, and the three budgies, eight fish and two guinea pigs?”

“Nine fish,” Josh corrected. Patrick opened his mouth, then closed it again. That sad piece of news hadn’t been passed on yet.

“Of course,” he said. “And there are probably about twenty guinea pigs by now, anyway.”
”Aunty Mim was buying more?” Josh asked, wide-eyed. Patrick opened and closed his mouth again.

“No,” he said. “Why don’t I feed Lily while you field questions for a while, Daniel?”
”Why, when you’re doing such a good job?” his brother asked dryly, but he handed the spoon and bowl over. “Don’t bother too much about getting it in her mouth. She prefers to absorb it through her skin.”

”She wants to feed herself, don’t you, Lily?” Patrick asked her. She nodded.
”Which means that she’ll then flick it all over us,” Daniel warned. “Do not give her that spoon. She looks like butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, but she’s mischief on legs,” he explained to Lee. He ran his finger down the side of his daughter’s beautiful little face as he spoke.

“She takes after Jessie, obviously,” Lee replied, straight-faced.

“Obviously,” Daniel agreed. “Joshy, you’re not going to eat that potato, are you?”
”Yes,” Josh giggled, preparing to defend his food.

“You think?” his father asked. “You really think you can keep me from taking it? Oh, I don’t think so!” A heated battle broke out, involving pokes in the ribs, take-no-prisoners wrestling and an unfair amount of tickling. Daniel didn’t respond to most of it. He just waited for his son to wear himself out, then trapped him in one arm and reached for the potato. He’d have got it, too, if Lily hadn’t chosen that instant to let fly with the food she had on the spoon her uncle had relented and given her.

“Great,” Daniel said, wiping food from one of his famous green eyes while everyone around him laughed. “Now my babies are ganging up on me.”

“Poor dear,” Angela said, kissing him on the top of his head as she breezed past him. “Lily, my love, you need to finish that off so you can have a bath and go to bed.”

“No,” Lily shook her head vigorously.

“Yes,” Patrick nodded his, just as vigorously. “Otherwise you won’t look your best for all the excitement tomorrow, will you?” She started to nod, then shook her head instead, then hedged her bets by attempting to do both at the same time.

“You’re going to shake your head off,” her father pointed out.
”And then we’ll have a new ball to play with tomorrow,” Patrick said. “Arggggghhh, no! A Josh punch! I may never recover!” He fell to the floor, nursing his arm and groaning. His nephew dived on top of him, going for the kill.

“Come on, baby,” Angela reached for Lily.

“I’ll do it,” Daniel said, stepping over his brother and son.

“I don’t mind,” she protested.

“I do,” he grinned. “Quite apart from the fact that you need to sit down, I rather like spending time with this little alien.”

“Not an alleeen,” Lily protested.

“Sure you are,” Daniel said, lifting her off her booster seat. “I can see your antennae coming out of your head. Right here, and here. Oh, and look! There’s one coming out of your nose, too!” Cuddled against him, the little girl giggled all the way down the hallway to the bathroom.

“So,” Angela said, approving of the smile on Lee’s face as she watched them go. “Have you recovered from the shock of being recognised and remembered?”
”No,” Lee admitted. “I feel like an idiot.”
”Why?” the other woman asked. “I mean you weren’t wise to take Daniel on that day, but you were young. He shouldn’t have taken advantage of you like that. And neither should Patrick.” She took the opportunity to dig her toes into his ribs while he rolled around the floor. Josh had him in what would have been a headlock if his arms had been long enough to go around him. Patrick was making choking noises.

“You don’t mind that I’m writing the article on them, given that I have a bit of a history with them?” Lee asked. Angela smiled.
”Sienna’s interviewing them tomorrow,” she pointed out. “And she has even more of a history with them. With one of them in particular.” Another none too gentle poke in her husband’s ribs followed.

“Watch it, woman,” he said from the floor.

“Or what?” she teased.
”Or…the presence of a minor prevents me from specifying,” he said. “I’ll leave you to work it out. And now. Time for the counter attack!” With that, he picked Josh up and carried him over to the kitchen counter, laying him out on it and tickling him mercilessly.
”It’s this bad ALL the time,” Angela assured Lee. Lee noted that she didn’t look at all upset by the fact.

…………….

Keyed up about the big television interview, even though she knew she wasn’t going to be expected to do much except be there while Sienna asked the questions, Lee woke up very early the next morning, while it was still dark outside. She sat up in bed, annoyed with herself. Once she woke, she always had trouble going back to sleep, and she had a busy day ahead of her. She pushed back the covers and got out of bed, feeling around on the chair beside the bed for her dressing gown. Having toyed with the idea of turning her light on and writing up some more notes from the day, she dismissed it. She didn’t want to disturb anyone, particularly any of the children. Lee walked over to the window and looked out, smiling. Moonlight silvered on the waves, and the beach looked white and endless. Perhaps if she went for a walk she’d tire herself out.

Tying the sash on her dressing gown, she quietly opened the door of the lovely guest room she’d been given, and walked silently down the long hallway, out through the open door that led from the living areas to the grassed lawn outside. It was only as she stepped onto the grass that she heard the voices and looked over to the pool. And immediately ducked out of the light and into the shadows of the bushes that surrounded the house. Jessie Sauniere, her hair spilling down her back, her skin white in the moonlight, was sitting on the side of the pool, kicking her legs in the water.

“…not coming in,” she said. “I look enough like a beached whale without taking the t-shirt off.”

“You look beautiful,” Lee heard Daniel say. She couldn’t see him, but Jessie was looking down, so he was presumably in the water. “Loveliest beached whale I’ve ever seen.” She laughed softly and kicked out at him. Judging by his splutters, she’d given him a face-full.

“Come on, babe,” he said. “Your back is sore, you’ve been hot all day and you can’t sleep. Just slip the t-shirt off and come and float in my arms for a while.”
”Daniel, one of the children might come out,” she protested.

“So?” he said. “They’ve seen you naked before.”
”Not at eight months pregnant,” Jessie said. “I’d terrify them.” She leaned back suddenly, and Lee could see why, as Daniel pushed himself up, his hands on either side of her, his body between her legs.

“You’re beautiful,” he said again, kissing her. “Now get that thing off and get in here, or I’ll help you.”

“Get off!” Jessie was pushing at his bare, wet shoulders, laughing. “You’re making me all wet.”
”I am too,” he commiserated. “Look at that. Dear me. You’ll catch your death in that t-shirt. Just let me help you off with that.” He swung himself up onto the other side of Jessie. Lee could see his dark, wet hair above his wife’s head. “Don’t fight me, love. Just take it off.” Jessie gave in with a sigh, and Lee looked around to see if she could sneak back inside. She really didn’t want to be caught here, spying on a private skinny dipping session. But the way she’d come looked very well-lit, now. She sighed too, but much quieter than Jessie had. She’d just look away, and hide until they went back inside.

“There,” Daniel said. She heard him slide back into the water. “Now come here to me.” His voice was so rich, so laden with feeling that she couldn’t help but look back as Jessie leaned forward into his arms. “Mmmm,” he said. “You feel so good. Both of you.” Jessie laughed softly. Then she protested again.

“No, don’t hold me like that,” she said. “My belly is going to be sticking up out of the water.”
”Yep, it is,” he said cheerfully. “Look at that. Cute, isn’t it?” Lee heard a kissing sound, just before Jessie protested again.

“Lie back,” he said. “Just float. There’s no-one here but you and me.”

”And me,” Lee thought to herself, wishing she wasn’t. She looked to her left and decided that if she stuck to the shadows close to the house, she could probably go all the way round and get to the back door. She had no idea whether it was open, but it was worth a try. So, stepping carefully and silently, she moved away, wanting to leave Jessie and Daniel to their early morning swim. She went right along the front of the house without incident, staying close to the wall, then, just as she reached the corner, stepped on a branch that snapped under her foot. Freezing on the spot, she waited, but there was no sound from the pool. Letting out her breath and advancing slowly, carefully, she crouched down near the bushes to regather her resources. And blinked as she heard voices again.

She looked up and saw she was under an open window. She grimaced as she realised whose window it was.

“Stop! Stop it. It feels too good,” she heard Angela say. Patrick replied, laughter in his voice.

“There’s something wrong with what you just said, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.” Angela’s sudden gasp of breath suggested that he’d put his finger on something else.

“Stop it, Patrick,” she insisted.

“You know you don’t mean that,” he said.
”I do. I do mean it.”

“Okay.” There was silence for about half a minute, just the sound of Angela’s breathing wafting out through the open window. Then:

“Oh damn it. Do it again!” And the quiet sound of Patrick’s deep, wicked laugh.

Didn’t anyone sleep around here? Were the Sauniere brothers and their wives at it all night, every night? Lee gritted her teeth in annoyance at her dilemma. No wonder they’d had so many children in such a short space of time! To her frustration, she discovered that there was a fence just to her left, just past the window she was crouched under. She sighed silently again. There was nothing for it but to go back, and to hope that she could make it to the door without disturbing Daniel and Jessie. It was as she rounded the corner when she realised that the plan definitely wasn’t going to work. A tall, dark-haired man, wearing nothing but water, was blocking her way. She resolved to not look down, however tempting it was.

“Some late night investigative journalism?” Daniel queried.

“I came out for a walk,” she explained quickly. “And then I heard you in the pool and I didn’t want to disturb you, so I thought I’d go back into the house this way, and then I was under their window, and…” She saw his teeth as he grinned.

“It’s okay,” he assured her. He stepped aside. “Go back to bed, Donna. And yes, I will remember to call you Lee while we’re on air tomorrow. Go on. You need to get some sleep, little one.”

“You sound as if you’re talking to Lily!” she protested. His teeth flashed again.
”Want me to carry you to bed and kiss you goodnight?” he offered. Before she embarrassed herself by agreeing to that, Lee brushed past him and hurried to the door, his soft laughter following her.

..………..

The twins arrived back in time for the excitement, with not one but two planes landing at the small airstrip, and all four of the local taxis put to work delivering the visitors to the house. Because the weather was fine, they decided to do the interview outdoors, which presented all sorts of logistical problems in terms of sound and lighting. But ten minutes before the appointed time, dressed and made-up, and only panicking about one thing, Lee sat down on one of the chairs and waited. And eight minutes later, the one thing she was panicking about resolved itself as the Sauniere brothers strolled out of the house and sat down beside her, one on each side.
”Were you worried?” Patrick asked, leaning in to kiss her cheek.

“Not at all,” she lied. Daniel kissed her other cheek.

“Break a leg,” he said. “And don’t stress out, Donna Lee. We’ve spent a little time on television. We can probably help out a bit if necessary.”

“Finally here!” said the location director, a harried looking woman. She had a nest of tangled blonde hair and a floral dress stretched across an obviously pregnant belly. She stood still and looked at them, sizing up the impromptu set. And smiled. They were worth the wait. Both of them were wearing crisp white shirts, dark trousers and open jackets.

“Can you sit down while the interview is underway?” Daniel asked her.
”Why?” she responded. “Am I distracting you?”
”No,” he smiled. “You just need to get off your feet.”
”They’re experts on pregnancies, Ellen,” Lee explained. Ellen smiled again, then listened to the voice in her ear and stepped back.

“Counting,” she said. “Five, four, three and you’re on.”

“Hello Sienna,” Lee smiled into the camera.

“Hello Lee!” Sienna trilled back, her face beaming on the monitor in front of them. “And hello King Dazzler and The Cat. My oh my, don’t you look good?”
”Yes,” Patrick replied. “Well, I do, and Lee does. I’m not sure about Daniel.” She smiled.

”You have more on that you did last time I saw you, gentlemen,” she went on, voice laden with mischief. Patrick grinned.

“Oh, do you really want to go there, Sienna?” he responded, eyes gleaming. “Do you really want to compare notes about the one night you have on us and all of the memories we have of you?” She coughed.

“Moving right along,” she said. “Lee, what’s it like there?”
”Just wonderful,” Lee said. “The setting is beautiful, as you can probably see. It’s so relaxing, so restful. I’m being spoilt.”
”She even scored a massage yesterday,” Patrick offered.

“You have a masseur there?” Sienna demanded. Daniel grinned and stretched his fingers. “You?” Sienna asked, astounded. “That’s it! Get that skinny woman out of there. I’m coming to interview you myself! Yes, and at least half the audience is coming with me. So Lee, they’ve been welcoming?”

”Very,” Lee responded honestly. “Jessie and Angie in particular have been lovely, and Jake Miller, former owner of The Shame Institute, and Gabrielle, his partner, couldn’t be nicer.”

“Did you notice any omissions there?” Daniel asked Patrick. Lee controlled a smile.

“And the children are so sweet,” she said. Patrick cleared his throat.

“How many children are there now?” Sienna asked.
”Five, with another two on the way, would you believe?” Lee said. Patrick cleared his throat again, louder.

“Would you like to know what it’s like to be tickled on national television?” he asked Lee, reaching out to drape an arm across the back of her chair.

“I imagine it’s somewhat less embarrassing than appearing naked on national television,” she came back gamely, prompting another laugh from Sienna.
”Who said the two were mutually exclusive?” Daniel asked, playing with her sleeve.

“And Patrick and Daniel have been very, very nice to me as well,” Lee gave in, and their hands moved away from her, the audience laughing. “When they’re not threatening me, that is,” she added in an undertone.

“What a brave child she is,” Patrick commented, smiling nicely at her. When she risked a quick look at him, he bared his teeth at her. She looked back at the camera fast.

“Don’t look the other way, Lee,” Sienna warned. “The Cat was the one with the really dangerous smile, and he’s aiming it right at you.”

“You don’t really need me here, do you, Sienna?” Lee asked, pretending to pack up her things to leave.

“I do,” Daniel said, his arm around her shoulders now. “It takes me back to old times. What about you, Patrick?”

“How many should we give her?” Patrick responded. Lee squealed as they both reached out and tickled her sides until, to her mortification, she was giggling. So much for professionalism.

“Unhand my reporter!” Sienna insisted. Both men looked back at the camera, grinning unrepentantly.

“So, FIVE children and two more on the way?” Sienna asked. “Do you have time to do anything else?”

“Yes, just not the inclination,” Daniel responded, to more laughter.

“Angie and I are one up on them at the moment,” Patrick explained. “They’re doing their best to catch up, but we’ve already got that covered.”
”How many boys and girls among them?” Sienna asked.
”Daniel and Jessie have one of each, Josh and Lily, and Patrick and Angie have twin boys named Sean and Luke and a baby girl called Kelly,” Lee answered for them. Patrick looked at her in apparent wonder.

“If you’ve memorised their birthdays too, we’re never letting you go,” he said. He looked up at a noise to his right and smiled. “I knew they’d never keep away once the lights went on. It looks like you’re about to meet some of them in person,” he told Sienna. “Come here, you lot. Yep, come on, it’s okay. Right up here.” Josh and the twins, bedraggled, sandy and dressed in shorts, approached warily. “This one is Sean and this one is Luke,” their father said. “They’re mine. And that one is Josh, and he’s mine too.”
”Am not,” Josh objected. “He’s my Daddy.” He pointed at Daniel, who grinned and reached out for him.

“Sure am,” he said, lifting his son onto his lap. Patrick’s sons each climbed up onto one of his legs.

“Your boys look like you, Patrick,” Sienna said. “And Daniel, your eyes look amazing in a handsome little brunette.”
”Lily’s got Daddy’s eyes too,” Josh said, already comfortable in front of the camera.
”What are the lights for?” Luke asked Patrick.
”So that the viewers can see all of the lines and grey hairs you’ve given me,” his father answered him.

“They haven’t done it on their own,” Daniel said. “Here comes another of the main contributors. Hang on. We’ll have a catastrophe here.” He put Josh down and walked quickly across the set to scoop up Lily, who had escaped from Jessie and was charging over cables and past several distracted adults on her way to her father.
”Sorry,” Jessie mouthed at him. He grinned and shook his head to say it was alright. When he walked back to the set, Lily snuggled in his arm, Josh was sitting on his chair.

“He’s good,” Josh was saying, answering the question the nice lady on the television set had asked him. “He plays lots and he’s really good at kicking a ball and stuff like that. And he can carry all of us at once. He did it this morning.”
”And is still recovering,” Daniel said, reaching down to gently shift his son off the seat so he could sit down. “Want to come back up?”
”No, I’ll sit on Lee,” Josh announced, surprising her by doing just that. Sienna was smiling broadly. Then she looked back at Daniel and her jaw dropped.
”Oh Daniel, she’s perfect,” she said.

“Her?” Daniel responded. He turned his daughter around, held her up so she was facing him with his hands around her waist and her feet dangling above his legs. “Naaah. She’s not even big enough to be a legal catch. I think we’ll throw her back. What do you think, Lily?” He was smiling at her as he asked, and the sight of the big, handsome man with the beautiful little girl who looked like a miniature version of him was enough to have most of Sienna’s audience sighing audibly.

”Naaah,” she copied him, giggling as he sat her back down, side-on to the camera. She stroked his white shirt. “Pretty.”
”You like that?” her father asked. She nodded. She looked around.

“Uncle Patty’s dress is pretty, too,” she pronounced. Patrick exhaled loudly.

“What did we say about calling me ‘Uncle Patty’ on national television?” he asked, keeping his voice light so as not to scare her, particularly since Sienna’s audience was rollicking with laughter. “And I am NOT wearing a dress, just in case anyone was wondering. I swear my reputation is ruined.”

“Well you won’t mind this, then,” Angela said, entering from his side of the set. “Kelly wants to play ‘this little piggy’, and only Daddy will do.” Patrick hung his head as he took his baby daughter onto his already crowded lap.

“How are you, Angela?” Sienna said.
”Great, apart from morning sickness,” Angie answered. “Which is, of course, completely Patrick’s fault.” He looked up at her, ready with an answer, but stymied by the presence of his children. The look of frustration on his face was enough to have the studio audience laughing again. “How are you, Sienna?”

“I’m just fine, and all the better for seeing one of the guards from that famous night of television history,” the host replied. “Is Jessie there, too?”
”She is,” Daniel said. “But she doesn’t want to come on the set because she’s a little pregnant.” There was an exasperated sound off to his left, and one of the cameras moved to capture her, shaking her head and trying to glare at him.

“Just a little?” Sienna repeated. “Good heavens. When is the baby due?”
”Three weeks,” Jessie admitted. “No, I don’t want to sit down, Daniel.”
”Bad luck,” he said. “Can we get another chair? Actually no, don’t worry about it.” Instead of vacating his chair for Jessie, he tugged her across and sat her down in his lap, relocating Lily into her mother’s arms.

Sienna was shaking her head on screen.
”I never thought I’d see the day that King Dazzler and The Cat would be family men,” she said. “You two were such rogues!”
”Never,” Patrick said. Angela’s hand was on his shoulder and he tilted his head back to look up at her. “We were always softies, weren’t we, Angie?” This time it was she who was prevented by the presence of the children from answering. Patrick grinned as he looked back down.

“Are they hands-on fathers?” Sienna asked.

“Very,” Jessie answered that one. “Although we might be biased. What do you think, Lee?”
”Very much so,” Lee answered, grateful to have a chance to talk. “They help with everything.” She grinned. “Including playing ‘this little piggy’, as Patrick is currently demonstrating with Kelly.” Patrick shot her a sideways glare, then went back to playing with his daughter’s toes.

“You do know you’re going to pay for that, don’t you?” he said casually. Lee’s grin widened.
”Kelly is beautiful too,” Sienna commented. “With those genes, none of your children are ever going to be plain.”

“Or shy,” Lee added, causing laughter from the adults around her.

“So, Patrick - no regrets?” Sienna asked them. Patrick looked up from his baby, who was framed by two little blonde boys with sand in their hair and devilment in their eyes. He reached back to cover his wife’s hand with his own.
”What do you think?” he asked simply.

“And Daniel? Same thing?” Sienna asked him. He grinned.

“Well, I do have some regrets about that forty minutes, Sienna,” he said, grinning when Jessie smacked him on the shoulder as Sienna’s jaw dropped open.

“You wicked man,” she said. “Changing the subject quickly, I do have a few questions I’d like to ask Patrick, Daniel and their wives, but I’m a little concerned about the suitability of them in light of the presence of their offspring.”

“Off you go, offspring,” Patrick said to his sons. “Go ask Grandmaman to tell you some more stories.” The twins looked torn. Grandmaman told great stories and she always fed them sweets as well, but it was interesting here with the cameras and lights and people. And this didn’t happen every day.

“Come on,” Josh said, slipping down off Lee’s lap. “Let’s go.” Jessie smiled as he led them away.

“Captain, my Captain,” Patrick saluted, grinning after them. “He’s a natural leader, that one.” Two extra chairs were brought onto the set. Angela sat in one, and Jessie, with some assistance from Daniel, stood up from his lap and sat on the other.

“I stay,” Lily said.
”Not a good idea, baby,” Daniel said.
”I stay,” she said firmly.
”But Lily,” said a deep male voice off set. “Who am I going to give horsey rides to?”
”Granddad!” Lily squealed, slipping off her mother’s lap and racing off. A cameraman followed her move and captured Jake Miller swinging her up into his arms. He smiled wryly at the camera, well aware of how incongruous the image would be to all of the people used to seeing him as the Governor of the Shame Institute.

“Hello Sienna,” he said.
”Hello Jake,” the television host responded. “Slightly different role for you now, it seems.”
”Just as challenging in its own way,” he said. Lily wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tight. “And I mix with nicer people these days.”
”Horsey,” Lily demanded. Jake shrugged.
”I have my orders,” he said. He turned his back on the camera and walked away, bouncing his little granddaughter in his arms. He’d always preferred to leave the television work to his sons when it had to be done.

“So, King Dazzler and The Cat,” Sienna said, drawing the focus back, shaking her head at the thought of the formidable Jake Miller as a doting grandfather.

“Patrick and Daniel now,” Daniel corrected. “Or Uncle Patty, if you prefer.”

“He’s always thought he was funny,” Patrick said. “We’ve never had the heart to tell him the truth.”

“So you’re never The Cat anymore?” Sienna sounded disappointed. “Or the King?”
”Oh, I wouldn’t say never,” Angela said mischievously. Immediately, both pairs of male eyes were turned on her.

“Be scared,” Patrick advised.

“Or better still, be quiet,” Daniel said. She laughed.
”Because there is the anniversary performance,” Jessie said, grinning broadly when Daniel turned to her, mouth open in surprise at her betrayal.

It had started exactly a year after the last “Shame Game” show. Three month-old Josh had been left with a delighted Gabrielle and a wary Jake, who had only just sold the Shame Institute and was still based locally, tying up loose ends. It was difficult to say what made him most wary – the piles of supplies, or the bottles of expressed milk Jessie left for the baby. But he put a brave face on it, smiling as his two sons and their wives left for an afternoon and night at the huge penthouse of a luxury hotel.

The men had arranged for Angela and Jessie to be taken by limousine to one of the best shopping districts in town, and when they’d arrived back at the hotel, they’d been laden down with expensive looking bags and energised by the experience. The private elevator had opened into the penthouse, and they’d stepped out, groaning with relief as they eased their shoes off.

“We’re back!” Angela called out. “Where are you?”

“Right here,” Patrick said, swivelling a large armchair around. Both women burst out laughing as he grinned. He was wearing an authentic-looking crown and a long, purple velvet cape that covered him from neck to toes. He had one knee bent up over the arm of the chair, and was lazing back against the other arm. The crown was dipped at a rakish angle over one eye.

”You are the most decadent-looking king I have ever seen,” Angela smiled, putting her shopping bags down and walking over to him.

“You think?” he asked casually.

“Oh yeah,” she said. “But you don’t have many props, Your Majesty. Aren’t you supposed to have jewels, and a velvet footstool? Or at least a sceptre and orb?”
”Funny you should ask,” he said, opening the robe wide to show he was naked underneath it. She laughed again, and Jessie covered her eyes.

“I see,” Angela said. “That’s quite a sceptre.”
”There should be a couple of orbs about there, too,” Patrick said, blue eyes dancing.

“You have no shame, Patrick,” Jessie said, then she squealed as something brushed against her legs. She took her hand away from her eyes and burst out laughing again. Daniel, without any props at all, was crawling on all fours, rubbing sinuously and cat-like against her, nude.
”Oh my,” Angela said appreciatively, looking over that way before giving her attention back to the wicked king who was drawing her onto his lap. Daniel made a purring noise, slanted a look of green-eyed invitation up at Jessie, and then leaned down to lick a line all the way from her ankle up to her knee. Jessie looked down at him, amazed as always at how beautiful he was, his straight, pitch-black hair falling around his handsome face, his body sleek, muscular and perfect.

“Do we get this treatment every year on the anniversary of the auction?” she asked as her husband began moving again, twining around the outside of her legs.

“If you’re lucky,” he grinned.

“The treatment isn’t over yet,” Patrick said. “Up you get, woman. I can’t lift all three of you.” He smiled at Angela as he said that. They’d only had it confirmed the week before that she was carrying twins. It was already obvious that she was pregnant, even though she was only three months along.

“Poor weak old king,” she commented, getting up. “Given Daniel’s state of exposure, I think we can dispense with the robe.” With a roguish gleam in her eyes, she undid the button that held it together at his neck and slid it back off his broad shoulders as he stood up.

“Just because he’s an exhibitionist doesn’t mean I have to be,” he protested, shifting the crown from the golden hair on his head to the golden hair at his groin.

“Oh yeah, you’re just a picture of modesty, you are,” Angela commented, holding her hand out for the crown. He sighed and handed it over.

Daniel rose to his feet, uncoiling gracefully, all but sliding up the back of Jessie’s body until he was towering over her, his arms around her middle, her head resting back on his chest.

“See you in the morning,” he said to Patrick and Angela, and bent down to pick her up, holding her high and walking quickly down the hallway towards one of the two huge bedroom suites the penthouse boasted.

“If you go quickly, you can leer at his butt,” Patrick suggested. Angela laughed.
”I’d rather leer at yours,” she said. “Great butt, King.” She reached round him and grabbed it with both hands.
”I like yours, too,” he said, doing the same to hers. He spun her round slowly, advancing a step towards the hallway as well. And then he also bent down and picked her up.
”You said you couldn’t carry the three of us,” she reminded him, wrapping her arm around his neck.
”I lied,” he said. They heard Jessie suddenly give a shriek of laughter from behind the closed door of the suite at the end of the hallway. Angela raised her eyebrows in puzzlement.

“You’ll see,” her husband promised with a smile. He shouldered open the door of their room and took her inside. As he put her down, she laughed as well. Attached to the headboard of the bed that dominated the room were large, heavy-duty handcuffs. Patrick grinned and held his hands up.

“On the bed,” she said, straight into the spirit of things. “Now.” Laughing ruefully, he obediently crawled onto it, lying on his back and lifting his arms so she could cuff him.

“Mmmm,” she said, running one hand down the front of his body, from neck to thigh, lingering for a while, and then going back up again. Then she walked over to the door, opened it, and called down to the other room. “Jessie! How about we each torture them for an hour, and then swap for a while?” She distinctly heard Daniel yell out ‘no!’ through their door before it opened.

“Oh God, no,” Patrick said from behind her.

“I don’t think so,” Jessie smiled from her open doorway. “I’m going to enjoy playing with this tom cat for a loooong time.”

“I can understand that,” Angela grinned. “And I was only joking anyway. Believe me, I wouldn’t trade a night with a helpless King Dazzler for a month of shopping.”
“I knew this was a bad idea,” Patrick said as she came back towards him. “I told him we should never put ourselves at risk like this. I knew that –”

“King?” Angela said, leaning over him and putting her fingertip on his lips. He nodded. “Be quiet. And stay quiet.”

He did his best, but the sounds of his laughter, heavy breathing, gasps and groans carried out into the hallway and mingled with Daniel’s for hours after that.

Despite that, they’d come up with a new way to commemorate the anniversary every year. The second year, they’d dressed up in the only remaining white and black leather outfits they still had from the show. The others had all been auctioned, albeit not with as much flair as the ones they’d worn on the fateful night, but they had each kept one set. They had not only managed to get themselves into the leather suits, they had also got into role and stayed in role all night, making dreadful puns and flirting outrageously. The waiters and waitresses who brought the sumptuous meal to them in their hotel penthouse that night had difficulty serving the food because they were laughing so much. They left before the real show, where the men performed a very raunchy and entertaining strip-tease for their wives. For the first time, Jessie watched Patrick as well. Angela clearly enjoyed Daniel’s performance after all, and it did seem silly to look away from someone who looked as good naked as Patrick did – and who was as totally unconcerned by his nudity as Patrick was. Still, she watched through her fingers.

The following year, they served the food, setting up a table in a small restaurant they’d hired for the night and delivering their wives’ meals to them. They started out in three piece suits, beautifully groomed and handsome. Every time they went into the kitchen, however, they removed an item of clothing. Once Angela and Jessie realised this, they made a point of requesting things every time their ‘servers’ came out, and had them stripped down to their trousers by the time the main course arrived, and to nothing by five minutes later. By then, Jessie had lost any shyness where her brother-in-law was concerned, and she enjoyed herself as much as Angela did, finding excuses to send them to and from the kitchen for the rest of the meal so they could admire their bottomless waiters from all angles.

Then the fourth year… Jessie stopped running through it all in her head, realising that Sienna was talking to her.

“Jessie? What anniversary performance?” Jessie smiled impishly at Daniel, who was watching her, laughter, love and mischief in his eyes.

“Let’s just say that Angie and I get some sort of repeat performance every year on the anniversary of the auction,” she said. Sienna gasped delightedly.

“On the anniversary of the auction?” she repeated. “Not on your wedding anniversaries?”
”No,” Jessie said. “Daniel and I were married just two days after the auction, and Patrick and Angie were a month after that, but we have separate celebrations for those. The auction anniversary we always spend together, and it’s always somewhat…what’s the word, Angie? Special? Creative?”
”Unique,” Angela suggested. “Or maybe ‘revealing’ would be a better word.’ Patrick casually put his hand over her mouth, and when Jessie opened her mouth to continue, Daniel leaned over and kissed her.

“Details!” Sienna demanded, once her audience had settled down. “I want details!”

“Oh, I don’t think so,” Patrick intervened.

“Neither do I,” Daniel said. “And I’ll keep kissing Jessie if I have to.”
”Oh dear. Anything but that,” Jessie said, smiling broadly.

“Yes, and I’ll make the supreme sacrifice too, if I have to,” Patrick said. “It’s such a trial having to kiss Angie, but I guess someone has to do it.”
”Not a trial you’ll have to put yourself through for some time in the future, I can assure you,” Angela said airily. Patrick laughed, and steadying Kelly with one hand, hooked his other hand around his wife’s neck and tugged her to him, giving her a kiss just as deep and audience-provoking as Daniel had given Jessie.

“Don’t listen to them, ladies,” Sienna said. “And don’t be distracted by all of that kissing. In fact, stop it immediately. You’re both pregnant already. Look at the trouble kissing has got you into!”

“Is that what does it?” Patrick asked, looking back at the monitor. “Gee, and I thought it was…”

“Lee, have you heard anything about these auction anniversaries?” Sienna interrupted him before he could finish.
”Not yet,” the reporter said, smiling at Angela, who was giving her an exaggerated wink. “But I certainly intend to.”
”Be very careful, little Lee,” Daniel said, and when she turned mischievous eyes on him, she was startled by the full force of the famous Cat smile Sienna had warned her about before. She made a show of gulping and looking away.

“Angela, what do you think about Penelope Walker’s recent interview, in which she announced that Patrick was the best lover she, or any woman had ever had?” Patrick turned to look at his wife, who laughed delightedly. She’d thought the interview with the actress was a scream, and had teased Patrick about his old girlfriends for some time.
”I think she’s right,” she said. “And if she wants to write to us, I’ll consider sending her a badge and sticker that says she’s a member of the ‘I’ve done it with King Dazzler club’. If it existed, it would have a large membership, but no scope for new recruits.”
”And never will have,” Patrick added.

“Oh, I know,” Angela replied, looking into his laughing blue eyes and grinning.

“Can I have the badge and sticker too?” Sienna asked, causing a roar of laughter from her audience, as well as from her guests.

“Honey, I’ll even send you a t-shirt,” Patrick promised, grinning broadly.

“I’ll hold you to that,” she assured him. “I feel that I earned special treatment, given that my initiation to the club was shown on national television.” Sienna had a policy of being very up-front about her past, now. No-one was ever going to embarrass her by reminding her of any of her humiliation – she’d turned it into a growth experience.

“And was memorable, to say the least,” Patrick said, not deterred by the presence of his wife, who would only stop him if he said something nasty.

“Oh really?” Sienna came straight back at him. “You didn’t look like you were finding it memorable at the time.”
”I’m a good actor,” he assured her, grinning. “Believe me. You were memorable.” Sienna sighed loudly.

“Jessie,” she moved on. “How did you feel about Daniel’s recent nude modelling stint?”
”I thought it was in a very good cause,” Jessie answered. Daniel had his arm around her chair, his hand stroking her upper arm. “We’ve been interested in helping prevent domestic violence and in raising money for setting up shelters for victims of domestic abuse for some time. The ‘Most Men Aren’t Ugly’ campaign was an opportunity for Daniel to contribute. As you know, the famous auction was also for that benefit.”
”And every time you get involved, you seem to take your clothes off, Daniel,” Sienna teased.

“Some times more willingly than others,” he pointed out. “But you’re right. I guess they just don’t want me for my brains.”

“It’s a pity they didn’t show all of you in the photographs,” Sienna said mischievously. “And no, I’m not talking about your brains.”
”They could hardly show all of me in photographs that were appearing in mainstream magazines,” he responded reasonably.

“Or on this program,” Sienna smiled. “We’re just putting them up on the screens here now. Looking very dishy, Daniel.”

“It’s amazing what they can do with airbrushing,” Daniel said, giving lie to that by looking just as dishy.

“And how do you respond to the criticism of your presence on that campaign, given that you made a living smacking women’s backsides on national television for three years?” Sienna asked.

“By referring the critics to any of those women,” Daniel said calmly. “You, for example. Did I hurt you, Sienna?”
”Only my dignity,” she responded honestly. “And in all fairness, it was in a punishment context, not in a domestic setting.”

“That’s how I respond,” he said, smiling. “Although, and I have said this to the organisers, I do believe they need to recognise that not all abuse is male to female, and not all abuse is physical. They’re working on that now.”

“And the same arguments about Daniel’s worthiness and appropriateness will be aired again this year,” Jessie said. “Because Patrick is posing for them this time.”

“He is?”
”I am,” Patrick confirmed. “And it’s the last time I’ll be getting my gear off in public, however good the cause. I’m thirty-nine. I’m getting on a bit for this sort of thing.”

“Never,” his wife said, leaning up to kiss his cheek. The audience expressed its disagreement too, and Kelly joined in, burbling her opinion at the same time. Patrick picked her up and cuddled her closer, her soft red-gold curls tickling his chin.

“I wanted Angie to pose with me,” he went on. “But now she won’t, because she’s gone and got herself pregnant again.” He grinned at the gasp of outrage from the female members of Sienna’s audience, not to mention from his wife.

“Weren’t you there when it happened?” Angela recovered. Patrick tried to look innocent. “Well, perhaps you weren’t. If you were, you obviously weren’t memorable, like Sienna was.” The audience roared at that.

“Have any of the women from the Shame Game days contacted you?” Sienna asked, when she’d stopped laughing.

“Apart from you?” Daniel asked, grinning. “Some have, yes, usually to tell us how well they’ve done. We’ve made it known that we’re very interested in hearing about success stories of Shame Institute graduates, and some of them have taken us up on it, which is great.”
”And no nasty letters or recriminations?” she asked. He shook his head, then hesitated.

“Well, a couple,” he admitted. “But not too many, no. Actually, Jessie received a strange letter from someone who was indirectly related to the Institute, didn’t you, hon?”
”Daniel,” she shook her head at him reprovingly. “I’m not talking about that. It was horrible.” Patrick disagreed, smiling.

“It was justice, Jessie,” he said.

The letter had arrived in a large envelope, with three photographs enclosed. Mim had opened it, as part of her position which basically involved looking after all administration for both families – a job she adored. She’d come into Jessie in the kitchen, where she and Daniel were having a coffee.

“Just in time,” Daniel said, getting up to make her one.

“Thank you,” she smiled at him. “I don’t know whether or not you want to see this, Jessie. It’s a letter from a man who claims he knew you a few years ago. A Bradley Clarence.” Daniel had reached out for the letter immediately, but a look from Jessie had stopped him.

“I’ll look after myself, thank you very much,” she said firmly, her smile taking the sting out of it. Daniel had held his hands up in surrender.

“It’s this fellow who looks like he needs looking after,” Mim said. “Here, you take the letter, Jessie. Daniel – you can have a laugh at these. No, I don’t think you should be looking at them in your condition, my girl,” she added to Jessie when she reached out for the photographs as well. “I’m sure it wouldn’t be good for the baby.” Daniel gave a choking laugh when he saw the photographs, and Jessie unfolded the letter, which read:

Dear Mrs Sauniere,

You may not remember me. My name is Bradley Clarence, and I used to work with you on the School Board. I am writing to you under the direction of Mistress Esther, who controls my life. I was a bad boy last week, and as punishment she is making me enclose some photographs which show the way she treats me, and to tell you about how I live now.

If you remember me as I was, you will remember that I was a bad boy then, too. Mistress Esther caught me and took me in hand. In doing this, she has been very stern with me, and has transformed my life completely, as you will see. As part of this, she controls what I eat and drink, where and when I sleep, how often I shower and go to the bathroom. In addition, she spanks my bare bottom twice daily, whether I have been good or bad, and she chooses what clothes I wear.

She obtains suits for me to wear when I am with her or those she trusts. These suits cover most of my body, but leave my genitals and buttocks available for pleasure and punishment at all times. A photograph of me in one of these suits is enclosed. You will note that the front opening is quite tight, which means that my penis and testicles bulge out of it. If I remain in a suit for long, this part of my anatomy becomes extremely tender, and Mistress Esther likes to then tickle me there with a scratchy paintbrush, or sometimes a stiff feather. If I don’t remain completely still, like a good boy, she makes me wear the suit for another hour, then gets the paintbrush or feather out again, sometimes with an ice cube to add to her pleasure.

Even when I am not in the suits, I usually have to remain naked from the waist down for Mistress Esther’s amusement, and for the amusement of her friends, who often visit us and take pleasure in taunting me. All of them have photographs of me displaying myself, usually in the most servile and exposed of positions.

If I have been naughty, Mistress Esther doesn’t allow me to wear anything below the waist except socks and shoes when I go to work, which means that I have to arrive early in the morning so no-one will see my exposed lower half, which I am not allowed to cover. It also means that I have to remain at my desk all day and cannot stand up when clients are present. My Mistress makes me leave by six pm, in order to be home in time to make her dinner. This means that there is a risk I will be seen by the other accountants or their staff, which always worries me. Mistress Esther insists that I put my hands on my head and run to the elevator and my car. She calls this ‘scampering’ and she often walks behind me and laughs, as my buttocks bounce when I run. She finds this very entertaining.

She also finds it entertaining that, after more than three years of servitude, I still blush when she tickles and handles my testicles, even though she makes me kneel up on my desk with my trousers around my knees at least twice a day, while she fondles and plays with these parts of me. A photograph of me in this position is enclosed. Mistress Esther insists that I point out that I am blushing in this photograph. At work, I am only allowed to sit on a hard wooden chair, and when I give dictation to Mistress Esther (she is my secretary), I have to remove my trousers (I am never allowed to wear underpants) and kneel on all fours on the desk with my bare bottom pointed towards her and my knees well apart. If I dictate anything Mistress Esther does not approve of, she uses her pencil to smack my bottom, my inner thighs or my genitals.

I am dictating this letter now in that position, and Mistress Esther has already smacked me twice, once for taking too long to collect my thoughts, and once because I begged her to not make me write this letter to you. I find it deeply humiliating, as you probably realise.

At least once a week, Mistress Esther takes me to a semi-public place and instructs me to run or walk around naked. Usually, she ties my hands behind my back so I cannot be tempted to try to cover myself, and sometimes she ties my knees together as well so I have to waddle quickly, rather than run. As you would appreciate, this means that it takes me longer to cover the set distance and it makes me look even more ridiculous than Mistress Esther says I do normally. I have been seen by people on a couple of occasions, but they have only laughed, which has been a relief to me. It would have been impossible for me to explain to the police what I was doing and why.

Mistress also regularly takes photographs of me, bound, naked and outdoors, and sends these to the amateur pages of the ‘Men in Bondage’ magazine. I am now one of the most popular models there. At first, she always covered my face to preserve my anonymity, but over time, she decided that she didn’t mind if people saw that, too. So now, bondage enthusiasts all over the world know me as ‘Bradley the Bad Boy’ and hardly a week goes by without someone requesting another photograph of me trying to wriggle out of ropes or negotiate outdoor hazards such as streams or rocky paths, while wearing nothing but chains. My Mistress was delighted when the magazine included a whole page devoted to “Bradley’s Wobbly Bits”. She refers you to Issue Number 832 if you are interested in viewing it. It is at page 63.

It was a magazine which spurred this letter. Last week, my Mistress caught me looking at a picture of you and your husband in a women’s magazine. I tried to excuse my bad behaviour by explaining that I knew you once. She then tickled and spanked me until I gave her all of the details of how I knew you, and what I once tried to do to you. As punishment for reading her magazine, she said I had to share with you all of the details of my current and ongoing shame. Mistress Esther says that she hopes you will be amused by the fact that I am now her personal plaything, and that I am kept in an almost constant state of nudity, embarrassment and frustration. No real pain is involved, except to my pride, and that is constant and incalculable.

The last photograph shows me naked and asleep at the foot of my Mistress’ bed. I always sleep on the floor now. If I’ve been a good boy, I only have my hands chained to the leg of the bed, and I am given a blanket. If I’ve been bad, my Mistress chains my hands behind my back and then ties my penis to the leg of the bed, so I have to sleep with my legs apart and my private parts pressed against the cold metal.

Initially, my servitude was to last only twelve months, but Mistress Esther has enjoyed it so much that she has extended it twice now. She says that it is to come to an end soon, because she plans to travel overseas and she’s becoming bored with me anyway. She doesn’t know how I’m going to live without someone to tell me what to do, and is considering giving me to one of her friends. She specifically instructed me to tell you that if you have any instructions or wishes with regard to my person, she would be delighted to hear from you. She will also send more photographs if you’d like them.

I am very sorry for any difficulties I caused you in the past, Mrs Sauniere, and I hope I have not taken too much of your time with my letter and photographs.

Humbly yours,

Bradley R. Clarence

Jessie had been horrified.

“Oh Daniel, this is dreadful,” she said. “The man is living as a slave! No-one deserves to live like that.” She gave him the letter.

“Some people like it,” Daniel pointed out. “Some people choose to live in that sort of relationship all the time, and it works fine for them.” He’d heard a tape of all of the things Bradley Clarence had once told ‘Gerald’ he wanted to do to Jessie, and had little sympathy for him.

“Yes, but he hasn’t chosen to live like that, and it isn’t fine for him,” Jessie said. “I know he was a creep, but we can’t leave him like that, Daniel. Show me the photos.”
”Nup,” Daniel said, holding them out of her reach. If she saw them, she’d be even more determined to rescue the man.

But Jessie had insisted that they do something. Eventually Daniel gave in and went to see Patrick, who, once he stopped laughing, had flatly refused to be part of any rescue, and started making plans to get hold of the appropriate issue of ‘Men in Bondage’.

“Talk about being hoist on your own petard,” he said. “Unpleasant little shit. He deserves everything this Esther woman does to him.”

Angela, however, had sided with Jessie. She remembered all too well the man’s threats, but she’d also had enough experience of living without dignity to wish it on anyone else for a prolonged period of time. As a result, Patrick, despite protests, eventually gave in as well, as he always did where his Angie was concerned. Two days later, he and Daniel showed up at the offices of Clarence, Witherington and Morton, having made an appointment with Bradley Clarence under false names.

When they arrived, they were greeted by a plump, middle-aged woman who seemed both organised and intelligent. She wasn’t quick enough to hide the fact that she recognised them, but she made no comment about it.

“If you’d like to take a seat, Mr Miller and Mr Miller, I’ll see if Mr Clarence if available,” she said, turning towards the closed office door.

“Actually, it was you we came to see, Esther,” Daniel said. She turned back, a small, tight smile on her face.

“You received his letter, then,” she said. Daniel nodded.

“We certainly did,” Patrick said. “What a formidable woman you are, Esther.”
”I do my best,” she said primly. She was sizing them up, appreciating them visually with her cold eyes. There was absolutely no doubt how she was picturing them.

“Don’t bother,” Patrick spoke again, biting back a grin. “As you know, we spent a lot of time in leather suits. We’re not planning to get back into them any time soon.”
”Particularly not ones with strategic cut-outs,” Daniel added.
”Pity,” she gave that small smile again. “Mind you, having watched the ‘Shame Game’ auction, I’d be happy to dispense with the suits altogether in your cases.” Daniel’s lips twitched at that. As he and Patrick agreed later, it had been a while since they’d been so blatantly viewed as sex objects.

“So,” Daniel said, perching on her desk. “What would it take for you to let him go?”
”Oh, a great deal,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

“More than a year’s first class travel around the world?” he asked. Jessie hadn’t wanted the woman to be bribed, but once Daniel had pointed out that whatever crime Clarence was guilty of would become public if they reported the situation to the police, she’d agreed.

“Hmmm,” Esther said, her eyes turning mercenary. “Anywhere in the world?”
”Anywhere,” Daniel said. “You let us know when you want to go and where, and we’ll even have it arranged for you.”
”But in exchange, you’re going to have to let Clarence go,” Patrick said. Esther sighed.

“Well, it’ll be a wrench,” she said flatly. “It has been a great deal of fun. But I suppose all good things have to end. Where do I sign?” And as easily as that, Brad Clarence was free.

When Daniel and Patrick had walked unannounced into his office, he’d jumped and looked initially disconcerted. Then, having recognised them, he looked scared.
”I’m sorry about the letter and the photographs,” he said, wriggling on his seat. “I didn’t want to send them.”
”It’s alright,” Daniel said. Looking at the man, he was actually pleased Jessie had talked him into rescuing him. He’d lost weight and he looked even more pasty and unhealthy than he had before.

“You’re free, Clarence,” Patrick said, and even he, tougher than his younger brother, said it without any real nastiness in his voice. “We’ve paid Esther off, and you’re free.” Clarence went to get up from his seat, his face a picture of disbelief, then sat down again in a hurry.

“I…I can’t get up,” he said. “I’m being punished today, and I don’t have any pants on.” Patrick looked away to hide the smile that sprang to his lips. He quelled it fast. It wasn’t funny, it was pathetic.

“That’s alright too,” Daniel assured him. “Esther has left already, so whenever you’re ready to make your way to your car, you can go. It’s up to you now, Clarence.” He was starting to wonder whether the man was going to be capable of living his own life now. Perhaps Esther had been right. Clarence looked bewildered. He focused on Patrick.

“Please, may I ask…you were Gerald, weren’t you?” he blurted.

“Yes,” Patrick said. “I was. But I have to say, Clarence, that Esther came up with a much more comprehensive punishment than Amanda and Gerald ever could have.” Clarence’s chin shook, and for an uncomfortable moment, the brothers thought he was going to cry. He controlled it.

“Thank you for freeing me,” he said. “I don’t know how you did it, but I am very grateful. If I can help you in any way in future, please let me know. And Mr Cat…Mr Sauniere – “ Daniel nodded.

“Your wife has nothing to fear from me, ever.”
”I know that already,” Daniel said. “And it was only on her insistence that we did this. Keep that in mind.” The man’s chin quivered again.

“Look after yourself, Clarence,” Daniel said, wanting to get away.
”And be careful when you’re hiring secretaries in future,” Patrick added. The man was still saying “thank you” when they closed the door behind them. Just those words “thank you”, over and over again.

They’d only heard from him once since, when he’d sent them a card to say he’d moved cities and changed names, but that if they ever needed a good accountant, he’d be delighted to help them. They had all decided that it was extremely unlikely that they’d be taking him up on the offer.

Once again, Jessie dragged her attention back to the present.

“How do you view your involvement with the Shame Institute and ‘The Shame Game’ now, Patrick and Daniel?” Sienna was asking, having discussed for some time several of the other Shame Institute alumni who had managed to put their lives back together. Both men considered her question before answering.
”Jake put it well yesterday when Lee asked him something similar,” Patrick eventually said. “We kept a lot of women out of jail. I can’t imagine for a minute that any of them would thank us for that, but as a social experiment, it was innovative and successful. As well as being cruel and unusual, of course, before Jessie starts arguing with me and Angie starts smacking me.”
”And our initial motives were pure,” Daniel said. “Dad always intended it to be an alternative to prison for women who had committed crimes that weren’t worthy of jail, and we were firmly behind that. We were, of course, also supportive of any initiative that was going to give us lots of lovely, naked women to play with. What?” Jessie had poked him in the ribs. “I’m being honest!” He smiled at her.

”He certainly is,” Patrick said. “And of course, on a personal level, those years led us to our ladies and our kids, and to the lives we have now. So it’s hard to regret them.”
”All in all, although we’re glad it’s over, it was one hell of an experience,” Daniel summed it up.

“As someone who was once in the hands of King Dazzler and The Cat, I can vouch for that,” Sienna shuddered. “And no, before you say anything, the auction was NOT sufficient payback!”

“Perhaps we should invite Sienna to the next auction anniversary?” Angela suggested to Jessie, who laughed as both men shook their heads in a definite no.

“You needn’t think I’m going to forget that offer,” Sienna said to Angela. “So, that’s the past, gentlemen. Where to in the future? Neither of you have returned to the careers you had prior to your Shame Institute experience, I believe. No more physical therapy, Daniel? No more industrial chemistry, Patrick?”
”Private massages,” Daniel said, giving Lee’s knee a friendly, teasing pat. Then a stroke that went up her leg, playfully edging her skirt up. She pushed his hand away.

“And private inventions,” Patrick added. “No, we’re not planning to go back to those jobs. We’re kept constantly busy with the business of the Sauniere-Miller schools, which, as you know, is now a world-wide operation. Administration and management aside, we’re always purchasing land and supervising building, giving grants and so on. We employ nearly eighteen thousand people.” Sienna shook her head, even though she had already known that.

“Whatever you gentlemen become involved with is always going to be big, isn’t it?” she said.

“It seems appropriate,” Patrick said, straight faced. “Jessie and Angie are tiny little things, but Daniel and I are big.” He had his arm up, defending himself from the anticipated attack from his wife.

“From memory, big in many ways,” Sienna said, going for the smut, her tawny eyes wicked. It was unclear whether she was referring to her viewing of their bodies on the night of the auction, or her personal experience of them in the Institute. Only she and they knew that her experience in that regard was limited to only one of them.

”Oh, you’re DEFINITELY getting a t-shirt,” that one grinned. Angela leaned over and pretended to cover Kelly’s ears. In the studio, Sienna’s director reluctantly gave her the wind-up.
”Much as I would enjoy continuing this dicussion, I’m afraid we’re going to have to leave it there,” she said. “Lee, we’re all looking forward to reading your article and hearing your in-depth impressions when you arrive back, if they ever let you go. King Dazzler and The Cat, sorry, Patrick and Daniel Sauniere, Angela Myers and Jessie Sauniere, along with assorted children born and unborn, thank you for your time.” As the show went to an ad break, she stole her last couple of minutes with them.

“I meant it about replacing Lee with me,” she insisted. “I’m flying out as soon as I get a break!”
”You’ll be very welcome,” Jessie said. “But wait until after this one is born,” she patted her belly.

“And make sure that we’re actually here,” Daniel added. “We only holiday here, remember?”
”You don’t all live together, one big happy family, all the time?” Sienna teased.

“Heaven forbid,” Patrick said. “We’re at each other’s throats as it is, aren’t we, Lee? Come on, we’re going for the fashionably dysfunctional family angle here, I’m counting on you.”

“That’d be good,” Daniel agreed. “Enough of this wholesome family stuff. We have a reputation as wild men to uphold. Don’t let us down, Lee.”
”Well, I have witnessed several quite violent altercations,” she backed him up. He nodded approvingly. “But only between little boys and their fathers and uncles, I have to say,” she added with a smile.

Patrick shook his head.

“You had to spoil it,” he said regretfully. “She has been a bit cheeky today, hasn’t she?” He was talking to Daniel.

“She has,” Daniel agreed, shaking his head. “And then there’s her shocking behaviour early this morning, tiptoeing around trying to collect dirt for her article.” He went on as Lee gasped in protest. “She must pay.” Patrick turned to Lee. “You do know what that means, don’t you?” He passed Kelly to Angela and reached up to unhook the microphone from behind his ear.

“And we’ve already done the tickling, so it’s on to the second level, now,” Daniel said meaningfully, taking his coat off and unhooking his microphone as well. Lee was watching them warily, looking from side to side, like she was at a threatening tennis match. As both men started to stand up, she unhooked her microphone as well.

“Sienna, thank you, but I think I’d better…” As they feinted towards her, her sentence ended in a shriek and she took off, knocking her chair over and racing off towards the house, Daniel and Patrick in immediate pursuit.
”Leave my reporter alone!” Sienna yelled, laughing. Angela and Jessie looked at each other and shook their heads.

The camera followed, a pan across green grass, flowering bushes and blue skies until it zeroed in on the source of the noise. Daniel had caught Lee and was holding her trapped, his arm around her waist, her feet off the ground. She was laughingly protesting - he was just laughing. Patrick advanced, his back to the camera, bent down and tossed her over his shoulder. Then he turned and grinned at the camera before heading off towards the house. Daniel followed him, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt as he went.

“They’re hopeless,” Angela said. “Mind you, while they’re occupied with her, they’re not bothering us.”
”Good point,” Jessie conceded. “Sienna, do you have any other stray reporters you could send us for the boys to play with?” Still laughing, Sienna said her goodbyes and returned to her program.

“Thanks everyone,” Ellen said. “Pack it all up and we’ll have a rest for a while before we head back.”
”You’ll stay for lunch, won’t you?” Angela asked. “Here, come and sit down for a while.”
”I shouldn’t,” Ellen said, her hand at her lower back. “But I will. This is my first baby. It does get easier, doesn’t it?”
”No,” Jessie disabused her of that idea, but smiled while she did it. “Do you want to put your feet up as well?”
”No, I’ll go to sleep if I do,” Ellen said, sitting down with a sigh. “So, how do you manage those guys, your husbands? I mean, they’re drop-dead gorgeous, but they’re both dangerous as hell. You can see it in their eyes.” Angela laughed.

“It’s all for show these days,” she said. Ellen didn’t look convinced.

Just for an instant, Jessie thought back to the time she’d seen their faces, larger than life, on the back of a bus, shortly before her future hit her. She remembered thinking how handsome they were, how wicked they looked, and she remembered reading the question ‘Do you really want to put yourself in our hands?’ She smiled to herself. That’s exactly where she’d ended up.

There was another shriek and then a loud splash.

“Sounds like they put her in the pool,” Angela said, shaking her head. “And in that lovely outfit she’s wearing, too.”

“Should I rescue her?” Ellen asked, not looking too keen about the prospect of getting up. “She’s very good at the job, but she’s only young. She’s certainly no match for your men, no offence intended.”
”None taken,” Jessie assured her. She leaned back in her chair, put her hand on her stomach and turned her head to smile at the woman. “But don’t worry about her. I speak from experience when I say that she’s in very safe hands.”

THE END