The meal is magnificent.Despite the earlier 'sauce debacle', the chef has conjured up an excellent replacement which complements the chicken very well indeed. I run the flavour over my tongue, swishing it around, trying to identify all the ingredients...Garlic... Tarragon... Black pepper...But there's something...Wonder if she'd share the recipe?Probably not....But I'm trying to distract myself. When I wrote my speech, I knew what I wanted to say, and I meant it with all my heart....You chose to do this....Every part of it....How can I let my friend down now? The friend who has stood side by side with me for years. The friend who has never let me down. Or, when we let each other down, we helped each other stand again, together.The meal is done. Waiters pass between the guests, filling flutes. I glance sidelong at the pair. They are indeed the very image of the 'Happy Couple'. Laughing and joking, he handsome, she so beautiful....Together....And abrup

Another vacuous smile. "I'd love to, James."Alarm marches across Beth's face but I droop an eyelid to her. As I offer a hand to the small of Marie's back, to guide her outside, she's turning on Richard with an expression of real fury....Her Dom....And I suck in a smile....This is going to be the most entertaining moment I've had all day.The terrace is cool and pleasant with the perfume of hawthorn blossom carrying on the breeze. Were I in such a lovely place with my mermaid, I would have very different intentions, but...Marie gazes up at me, all starry-eyed. Taking her by the elbow, I steer her to a dark corner. "We don't have a lot of time, so just kneel down, here in the shadows...." She frowns. ".... They probably won't see us if they come outside...."She still doesn't get it.Going to have to paint it on thick for this one....".... Just so I know if I need to stand back when you're done, do you prefer to spit or swallow?"Her jaw drops, and I make as tho

And I really feel like celebrating. I can't keep the grin from my face. Reaching into the ice bucket, I fish out the bottle. "It's a bit early for champagne, but I thought buck's fizz would go down nicely." And it does, citrus and bubbles complementing cereals, devilled kidneys and laughter.Everything I ever wanted....When even Charlotte's furnaces have been stocked with enough fruit, eggs and extra toast to halt an army....How does she eat like that and never put on an ounce?Plenty of 'exercise'......... we settle down a bit.I've been looking forward to this moment. I take an envelope from my pocket, passing it to Michael. "This, by the way, is my wedding present to the pair of you."He looks a little surprised but gulps back the last of his fizz. He cuts it open the envelope with a knife, wiping butter and marmalade in equal amounts on the paper, extracts the contents........ and reads....For a long moment his face is a blank, then he scratches an eyeb

"Oh, this is your call, James," replies Michael. "Whatever appeals to you the most."I stand over and slightly behind her, where she should be able to see me in her peripheral vision. The falls smell of bees and honey, whispering as I trail the tips along her spine. Her breath hitches, she shivers and her arms goose-pimple."Charlotte?""Whatever you want, Master. It's for you to say."Good girl....I caress her skin with the soft tresses. "What are your safe words?" "Yellow, Master. And red.""Stand up."Her face still lowered, Charlotte rises. I swing the flogger, just a little, letting her see the sweep and shimmer of the tails as they sway by my leg. "Stand over there."She follows my finger to the ceiling hoop and the rope, casually looped through. Michael acts as aide as she positions herself below, lifting wide mermaid-eyes as he murmurs something soft and she offers up her hands.Binding her wrists, not tightly, but effectively, he tensions the rope, dra

James suppresses a smile. "I've had Charlotte at the proofing yards down by the docks. Some useful add-on training in failure testing on metals and other materials."I scratch my chin. "How did you pull that off, James? We don't have connections with any of the firms down there do we?""City NDT would like to tender for the contract on the bridge, for the testing and maintenance program." He flashes brows. "I took the opportunity to take a favour.""Does blowing something to bits in a proofing yard qualify as non-destructive testing?" I ask."Nooo...." he concedes, "but their director mentioned that they were running a series of tests on rocket motors for a new government contract, so I, um, eased a lever into the crack. It's all useful experience for a trainee engineer, especially as...." He nods towards Charlotte.... ".... It's going to be all knuckling down academically for a while now, with exams coming up."He turns back to Michael and Elizabeth. "What was all the laught