Chapter 1 - Bold and Brash

 

Malcolm walked up the drive of the four bedroom house confidently, he had just started to work for Alan's Kitchens, and was eager to impress by getting this contract signed.

The house was set back off the road; in a quiet cull de sac, there were just four houses in the cul-de-sac; they had been built here in isolation, off a country lane. They were all the same style, and were expensive looking, upper middle class he thought, a good profitable order.

He rang the door bell, and waited for Mrs Dooby to answer the door, which she did after a moment's wait.

"Evening Mrs Dooby, what a lovely neighbourhood you live in. I have always fancied one of these houses, may I come in, thank you," he said entering without invitation.

"This way to the kitchen," he said walking down the hallway, without being told he could do, "Yes, yes, indeed I can see why you called us in, very poor, low quality, cheap if I may say so, and old; you would think Noah had built it. Yes, you are right to call on Alan's Kitchens; we will have you in a new quality kitchen, in no time. I hear voices, you are in a position to sign tonight aren't you, and I mean it would be a waste of time, to delay."

Miriam cocked her head to one side, and looked at him, then decided against telling him that she was not, Mrs Dooby allowing him to go ahead, and make a fool of himself.

"I might be; I do have guests, but they are my neighbours, and will not interfere," she said, putting a false smile on her face, "Just give me a moment, to tell them, will you?"

"Yes, yes of course, I will get started measuring up your kitchen, and with the design, please speak to them. I wouldn't want to break up your coven now, would I?" Malcolm said smiling back at her. Miriam nodded politely, and left him.

"Girls, girls, I have one right prat in the kitchen, he is measuring up for a new kitchen for me. I know Janice it was for you, and at your house, but he was straight in, and told me that my kitchen was in a terrible state, badly designed, and just awful, so I want to play along with him, if you don't mind?" she asked.

They looked at each other, and shrugged their shoulders, not caring, "OK, I don't mind, I know I do not need a new kitchen, but I am weak, and they nagged and nagged at me. Perhaps when we throw him out they will get the message," Janice said laughingly.

He walked into the lounge, and sat down, "Well Mrs. Dooby, I have done the plan for you, see what a big difference there is. That awful sink, has to go; a single bowl, not acceptable in modern times. I've put a one and a half sink in, much better, and that waste of space under the back window, I put a dinning table there for you," he said smiling.

"Where have you put the sink?" she asked.

"Under the other window, women don't spend as much time in the kitchen as they used to you know; not with all the modern prepared foods available," he said proudly.

"Oh, and what if I don't use, prepared foods?" she asked.

"Come now Mrs. Dooby, that would cut into your time for shopping, and we all know how women like that, a new dress or skirt, or peeling vegetables, ha, no competition, hey?" he went on digging a deeper and deeper hole, for himself.

"No competition girls, hey," she said sarcastically, but he missed the sarcasm.

"I bet a woman designed that kitchen," he said foolishly.

"What a remarkable insight you have, a woman did, in fact," she replied.

"And I bet it was her thingy, you know," he said awkwardly wishing he hadn't.

"Her thingy, erm, no, what thingy?" she teased him.

"You know, the week," he said in inverted commas.

"Oh, yes that week, yes she was forty six," Miriam said.

"Oh, that says it all, so moody, and out of control, yes it was a bad day for her indeed, and you paid for it, now," he started.

"Sorry, but if you don't mind I need to go to the toilet, erm you know that week, can you do something for me, just check where the drains are for when I get back?" she asked smarmily, again lost on Malcolm, he got up, and left.

"Janice go, and get that old washing line you took down today, I will need it," Miriam said.

"You're not going to hang him, are you?" she asked jokingly.

"No, but do it, please, then again," Miriam said, and smiled.

"You designed that kitchen two months ago, what is he on about, old?" Jane asked.

"Do not say anything, just let us give him enough rope, hey," she said angrily.

"I checked the drains, and as I thought they are under the back window, oh Mrs. Dooby not back yet, well ladies quite a nice gathering isn't it. I am free to help you with your kitchens as well, if you like? I can make bookings for appointments now, whilst we wait for Mrs Dooby, to come back, bleeding nuisance, isn't it?" he said laughing at his unfunny joke.

"Hum," Jane said, with a smarmy grin, "So you design kitchens, and then the firm builds, and fits them, is that right?"

"Yes, all in the same firm, we make our own carcasses, much better than any other firm, a very high standard, in fact ladies much better than the old firm, when he died it did us all a favour, if you know what I mean, poor, very poor quality," he confided in them.

"Ahem," Miriam coughed from the door; she changed the daggers look to a smile as he turned around.

"I was just telling the ladies that we actually build our own carcasses, and we fit, so it is all under one roof, keeps the ball as it were in our court, so to speak," he said.

"Yes, I heard, the drains?" she asked quizzically.

"Yes, as I thought; they are under the back window, and run down the side of the house," he said confidently.

"I see, so wouldn't it be costly to put the sink on the other wall, having to run new drains?" she asked.

"Well; in with the job, it would be minimal," he said shrugging his shoulders.

"Well; I need to be careful since my husband died, every penny counts, and the cooker isn't that a long way from the socket?" she said.

"Again a small job for our lads, pennies, and you can afford it," he said confidently.

"But wouldn't that mean also, retiling?" she asked.

"Well I didn't think you'd want to leave those god awful tiles on, really Mrs. Dooby, I thought you had more taste, than that," he said in faked shock.

"Sorry I needed to go home for something, have I missed anything?" Janice asked as she came back.

"No, Malcolm, I may call you that, may I?" Miriam asked politely.

"Of course, I didn't catch your first name?" he replied.

"Miriam, Malcolm was just telling us how much better the firm was now that the old owner has died, much better quality and style, apparently my tiles are what was it, god awful," Miriam said.

"It takes a man to understand design, too many weeks not their full shilling, that's the problem I think, I mean one in four that's a lot," Malcolm said, now feeling uneasy, a touch.

"Humm, yes, well, a cup of tea I think, sorry Bev, will you do the honours, so that I can look more closely at this design?" Miriam asked wanting to throttle, Malcolm.

"Yes sure, Joan, will you help?" she said, and they both left the room to make the tea.

"Now then Malcolm, oh, sorry must go again, Janice I might need help," she said, and they got up leaving Malcolm alone, to look around.

"Janice that rope where is it, and where is the highest point on the house so that I can hang, the bastard?" she said when they were up stairs.

"Now calm down, it was you that allowed this charade to go on, more fool you, but I wouldn't mind taking him down a peg or two, myself," Janice said.

"Here, put the milk in his cup, and this, I know what we will do," Miriam said, handing Janice a tablet.

"What is this?" she asked.

"Oh just a relaxant, he won't be able to stand for a few minutes, and then I will start on him. You can all go if you want, or you can stay to watch the fun. I will make him crawl on his knees for forgiveness," she said in a determined voice.

"What are you going to do?" Janice asked.

"I am going to get my own back, now if you stay you will find out, if you go you will know nothing that, is the best way," Miriam said, and went back down stairs.

"Back again, it is a pain in more ways than one," Miriam said smiling.

"Yes, so I believe, a painful bleeding nuisance," he laughed.

"Yes indeed," she agreed mockingly, "Ah the tea, milk already in the cups, good, now Janice," Miriam said, handing her a cup.

She passed one to Bev, then the next one to Malcolm, and one to Joan, and took one for herself, and left the last one for Miriam, they all took a sip.

"Now Malcolm, how much will this beautiful kitchen, cost me?" she asked.

"Twenty five thousand, but I can offer you a ten percent discount immediately so to you, and if these other ladies also wish to book within the next two weeks. They will get the same discount, and you can have a beautiful, guaranteed new kitchen, for twenty two thousand five hundred pounds now what about that?" Malcolm said beaming from ear to ear.

"So much discount that is generous of you, but I, no I am going to have to turn you down. I can't afford so much; can you not help, a widow out?" Miriam said pitifully.

"I, wow, sorry I, sorry I'm going dizzy, working to hard, wow, c," was all he managed before flopping back on the settee.

"Don't worry Malcolm, the effects don't last long, just a few minutes," Miriam said, as she got up, and started to remove his shirt. The other girls joined in, and stripped him, and then tied his hands behind his back, and his ankles together, and gagged him.

"Humph, humph," he said into the gag.

"Yes Malcolm, you are naked, and tied up. I now understand why you have a car with such a long bonnet, a phallic symbol," Miriam said leaning over him, still supping her tea as he lay on the floor.

"Humph, humph, humph," Malcolm said into the gag.

"This is no use, come on girls, help me," she said

They got up, and carried Malcolm bodily into the dinning room, dumping him on the floor.

The girls left, and Miriam crouched down next to him, "Now Malcolm, the least you could do is be quiet, when we are talking, apart from it being rude to talk with your mouth full. I mean I gave you something tasty to chew on. I've worn them all day, so it serves you right to be bungled out of the lounge, into here. When we have finished I will come for you, now be a good little boy, and be quiet. Oh, yes, it's a condom, we did have a problem finding one small enough, and with enough room to tape it on, but urine stinks the place out, don't you think? We didn't want you pissing on my nice carpet now, did we?" she asked in her matronly voice, as if to a small child.

She stood up switching the light off, and closing the door leaving him in darkness.

"What are you going to do, wasn't that enough to embarrass him, I thought you'd release him, now that he has been embarrassed?" Bev asked.

"No, that was just the appetiser; he seams to think women are stupid, and uncontrolled. I want to show him that we are in control, by controlling him, you are all free to leave, this is up to me, now," she said.

"I don't like it, what if he calls the police, it is kidnapping, after all," Joan said.

"He won't, because I shall have a chat with him, and get his permission for me to help him, he will agree to my proposition. Then I will lay it on the line, that he will lose his job, if he does not accept my rule, and I think with a little training he will make a good, salesman," she said.

"And you are going to train him, by tying him up?" Joan asked.

"No, by making him into a woman, for a few days, two should be enough, periods are funny are they, well let's see how he likes them, everything prepared? Well I do not use that rubbish, so he can do all my chores for two days, see how much time he has for shopping. He will ring his boss in the morning, and tell him that he is sick, watch if he doesn't?" Miriam asked them.

"OK, I am in," Bev said, Janice also, and then Joan joined them.

"So is he going to work nude that, should be fun?" Joan asked.

"No, dear nothing so crude, I have some lovely uncomfortable underwear that he can wear, and a dress, and make-up, you have a wig don't you, Bev?" Miriam asked smiling sadistically.

"Yes, I do, so he will be a woman, to what degree, like a nice bikini wax, to start with?" she asked, warming to the idea.

"I hadn't thought of that, good idea; why just bikini, why not all his legs, and shave under his arms and groin, ohh, just think if you, sorry Janice, but you were a nurse. What if you came at him with a razor, and shaved his balls for him," she said smiling, and screwing her eyes up, in an evil smile.

"He'd relieve himself, great, when can I do it," she asked, just as evilly.

"Now, to-night, I want him ready for work in the morning at seven, like I am, is it alright if I have a word with him alone, for me and Brian. He insulted my deceased husband's name, when he called our company?" Miriam said, adding "Out of interest, this new company has got such a bad name, why on earth did you call them Janice?"

"I didn't, it was a ring around, cold calling, but it was your number, so I went along with it. I'd forgotten that your house number was the firm's number, as well," Janice said.

"Really, I will deal with that now," she said, and got up ringing the firm.

"Mr. Brownlow, please," she said and waited, "Ah Mr. Brownlow, I have heard from a friend that contrary to our agreement you are still using my number, and my name. I agreed that you could do, but only for a month, it is now three months, but the phone was to be immediate. I will be contacting my solicitor in the morning, and by the time you hear from him. I expect the name to be changed; I do not wish my good name to be soiled, by your company's poor record.

I also expect by return a cheque for the use of my number covering the calls made by you. Finally, Mr. Jones has now left my friend's house, hence my knowledge of the corrupt means you are using. Feeling unwell, I told him that I would notify you of his illness, and that he won't be in for a few days, thank you, and good night," she said, and put the phone down, not giving him chance to speak.

"Brilliant Miriam that covers everything, you certainly put a flea in his ear," Janice said.

"OK girls, to work," Miriam said and left them.

"Ah, still here I see Malcolm, good, now for your information, I designed that kitchen two weeks before my husband died. You may know the name, Brian Alan, of Alan's Kitchens, you see Malcolm; I am not Mrs. Dooby, I am Miriam Alan, and this is the wrong house. I believe the arrangements were that you would collect, Mrs. Dooby from here, and go to her house. Stupid mistake, and yes it is a quiet cull de sac, there are four women living here, two divorced, and two whose husbands unfortunately died early, in life.

The contract for the sale of the company, stipulates that the name would be changed, which it obviously hasn't, and I take a distinct dislike to my husband's work being rubbished, as for the design, I am qualified, well qualified, having studied design at university, and getting a degree in the subject. I don't suppose you have that qualification, do you?" She asked him lying prostrate, and stunned on the floor.

"Hu, Hu," he said shaking his head.

"No, I thought not, in fact I doubt you having any qualifications at all, so what I am going to do is give you an education. If you try to escape, or go to the police, then I will be forced to ensure you never work again, full stop. I do have that power, or the women do, between us, two days of learning how to do your job properly, and it will stand you in good stead. I can assure you of that, or out of work, and you will never be able to afford a house in this cull de sac, now do you agree to me training you, nod or shake," she said.

He looked at her, and then mumbled into the gag.

"I have told your boss that you went home ill, and will not be in work for two days, now nod or shake," she said coldly, he nodded.

"Good, it may not seam as though I am training you in design, but there is a lot more to your job than design, there is etiquette, and manners, and that is where, I will begin.

To demonstrate this, you will allow us to do whatever we need to. I have a contract here just sign it, or leave, oh, your clothes, yes in the boot of your car, and here is the key, handy for me that the boot key is different than the car key, don't you think," she said, and slipped it down the front of her trousers, "To get it you will have to sexually assault me, not good on a CV, sexual assault now, is it?"

"It says 'I Malcolm Jones, herby agrees that Miriam Alan, and any assistants she needs, can teach me good manners, and etiquette in any way she feels necessary. I accept that this may not be to my liking, but agree to abide by her decision, and will conform to any request she makes of me, as long as it is legal.' OK, simple, but effective, I think, and covers you in case I say that you have to rob a bank, or something, now to sign, or not to sign that, is the question?" she asked smiling evilly.

"Humph," Malcolm said, and nodded.

"Girls, come here I need you to witness this," she called out, they came in.

"Malcolm has agreed to allow me to educate him, isn't that good, now he will sign the contract, then we all will. Bev, you're the one with judo and kick boxing training, untie his hands please, here I will put the pen, and contract there. Oh just the hands, do not take the gag or ankle ties off, all you need, is your hands," she added smiling.

Bev untied his hands, and he signed, then she tied them up again, and they left him again in the dark.

When they returned he was still in the same place, Miriam thought he had accepted his fate by that, to some degree, he had.

"Untie his ankles, and then bring him," Miriam said, Bev untied him, and helped him to his feet.

She then ushered him after Miriam with the others following on.

"The condom is still empty; shouldn't we allow him to use the toilet?" Joan asked looking at him.

"Yes, and no Bev, I'll get Brain's bottle, I still have it, will you take him into the toilet, and hold it for him?" Miriam asked.

Bev said that she would do, and took him in the toilet, holding the bottle Miriam had given her, for him to pee, after removing the condom; he did, blushing as he did so.

Bev now led him down, and into the laundry room, and to the massage couch/table Miriam had in that room.

"Now Malcolm, up onto the couch that's it, no, sit up," Miriam said, as if still talking to a child.

As she held him they tied his ankles to the couch, his legs apart, and then they untied his hands, and tied them outstretched to hooks in the walls of her laundry room, for the clothes line.

"Malcolm there are several degrees of education, knowledge is the lowest one. I want to help you to the understanding level, for this you need to experience things; you were quite rude, and nasty about a woman's period. It is not funny, see knowledge, I intend on giving you some experience, breasts can be a pain, again you will feel them, understand what it is like having them, see understanding, a level above just knowledge, ah Bev," she said.

She smiled to herself, as she saw Malcolm's face when Bev came in with a cut throat razor, and strop.

"We do have the contract you agreed to sign, and did so, but you can leave, at anytime. You see the part I needed was the part that you would do anything, I said. Your clothes are in the boot of your car, and the key is where I said. That means that you have to sexually assault me, to get the key, or drive home naked, or accept that we do know what we are doing, and it is to your advantage," Miriam said and stepped back, "Well do you wish to leave?" she asked him.

He thought for a moment and then shook his head.