"Ah, here they are," said Sedgewick. "Reggie, may I present you with your birthday present!"

The handsome younger man lifted on eyebrow, but otherwise gave no indication that he was surprised by that announcement.

Placing the brandy on a table, he beckoned with a gesture for them to step forward. Darlene moved first, coming right up to stand before the man while Melinda hesitated.

"Sir, we were kidnapped..." began Darlene. Her carefully prepared speech was cut off by a sharp blow with an open hand to the side of her face. She gasped and almost fell sideways.

"Do not speak unless told to," he told her evenly. "And you, come here," he added, looking at Melinda.

With firmly set lips and a frown, she took the half dozen steps to stand next to her mother. As soon as she was within range, his hand again swung into action, landing a stinging slap to her left breast. She gasped at the unexpected pain, and then glared at him. Harsh words of reproach were eager to jump to her lips, but she managed to hold them back. Still, the look she gave him spoke volumes.

Reggie, actually Reginald James Harcourt, slowly walked around his birthday present, noting with undisguised delight the large, firm breasts and shapely legs so well displayed by the nylons and high heels. And the long blonde hair hanging down in back to cover the top of the single gloves. He also noted that the tiny panties could not hide the fact that these were real blondes.

When he came back around to the front to stand again by his father, he tilted his head a bit to one side and studied the women carefully.

"Thank you. I am sure that the older one is not, but could the younger possibly be a virgin?"

"Ah, yes, your preference for virgin slavegirls. Couldn't say, haven't checked."

Reggie turned to Melinda and asked, "Are you a virgin?"

Again there was that anger on her face for a second, then a slight shake of her head.

"Too bad. Would have been nice," he commented. "But virgins are so hard to find. Still, I'm sure I'll have fun with them."

"You were planning to leave tomorrow, right?" asked his father.

"Yes, I was going to inspect the Belfast factory," he replied, then smiled and added, "But now I think I'll change my plans. I think a little holiday at the hunting lodge would be nice."

Darlene knew that smile; it meant sex was on his mind. Melinda pretty much understood his intent also, and glared hard at him. Nothing came from her mouth, but her thoughts were focused upon the desire to kick him right in the balls. True, she was no virgin, but then again she preferred to choose her bed partners.

Being much less emotional about such things, Darlene offered a weak smile in return to his. She had been true to her husband ever since they married and had no wish to have sex with anyone else. Still, Reggie was a handsome man...

"I'll call Bernard and tell him to prepare the lodge," Sir Sedgewick said. Being busy businessmen, they did not often have the time to visit the hunting lodge located in the Scottish Highlands midway between Inverness and Aberdeen. Still, they kept a small staff there for those times when they could get away. The out of the way lodge was also a wonderful place to keep slavegirls, especially since the father and son's little hobby was a well kept secret from Lady Harcourt. The Lady was usually busy with her teas and socials, and spent more time in London than at their home in the New Forest, but the men still did not want to upset the wife and mother.

"Thank you. I'll take them back down to the dungeon before mother comes in looking for you."

"Good idea. Well, I'll go now. Have fun with your present," Sir Sedgewick said with a wave of his brandy towards the two nearly naked and restrained women.

"Thank you again, father. I shall!"

The older man left them standing before the blazing logs.

Having owned slavegirls before, Reggie already had a fair idea of the nature of these two. The older woman would resist but in the end she would give in easily; her resistance being more for show than anything else. She would quickly come to understand the nature of her slavery and accept it.

The younger one, on the other hand, would be a problem. Not a long term problem, for there was no woman who could not broken and tamed, but a real handful in the short term. She would resist and mean it. It would take much carefully applied pain and training to make her into an obedient slavegirl. Reggie almost licked his lips at the thought of the weeks and months of training and punishment he would have to inflict upon this young and beautiful woman.

"A few rules first," he began as he picked up his brandy and then sat in a padded leather chair. "You do not talk unless spoken to. You do not attempt any kind of escape. Attempts will be punished severely. As will any attempts to harm any member of my staff or myself. You will obey any order instantly and completely."

He finished off his brandy and stood. In two steps he was directly in front of Darlene, his face only a few inches from hers. The rigid nipples almost touched his silk shirt. "Understand this: you are now my property. I own you. I may do anything I wish to you. Your previous life is over. You will not see any friends or relatives ever again. Is this clear?"

He stared hard into Darlene's eyes. She could not meet his stare and turned her eyes down. Then he stepped over to Melinda. "You understand this?" he asked her directly.

Her eyes did not avert themselves, but instead glared back with a fire she made no effort to disguise. "You can go to hell!" she said through clenched teeth.

Reggie laughed in her face. Not a loud guffaw, but quiet chuckle that clearly said he understood her feelings and was not worried in the slightest about them.

"That may be... Someday. But for now, I am your Master. The sooner you accept that, the sooner the pain will cease." He patted the bare breast that he had slapped before, almost affectionately now. "By the way, any time either of you address me, you will call me 'Master.' Is that clear?"

It was not hard to see the fear in Darlene's eyes. Fear, along with a certain touch of hopelessness. She whispered, "Yes, Master."

Melinda said nothing.

Reggie smiled.