Chapter 7
Within the hour, Nathalie had more visitors. Astrid and Hedda returned to unchain her.
"How are you, my dear?" Astrid asked.
Nathalie shuddered. "It was awful," she answered.
"But now you have clothes. See!" Hedda said brightly as she dumped an armload of things onto the bed.
"Oh, thank heaven!" Nathalie cried.
She grabbed up the garments and was about to slip into them when she stopped, a perplexed frown crossing her brow.
"What sort of things are these?" she demanded, examining them closely.
"They are rather special," Astrid admitted.
"They are meant only for the occupant of this room. Here, we will help you dress."
"No!" Nathalie snapped. "I want my own clothing!"
Hedda shrugged. "I am afraid all of your things have been burned, Nathalie. It was their first order after you arrived."
"Then I must wear these or go naked?" she asked.
Astrid nodded. "Yes, dear. These are called the 'Conditioning Clothes'. You will have to wear them as long as you occupy this apartment."
"Conditioning?" Nathalie asked suspiciously. "For what?"
"To help you learn to feel," Hedda answered.
"And how can they accomplish that, since I do not want to learn?" she demanded.
Astrid picked up the dainty panties and held them for Nathalie's inspection.
"See? These panties are satin. Inside out, they are still satin. Everything that touches your body is made of satin. It would take a very strong constitution indeed to feel nothing in these."
"Well, I cannot go about naked," Nathalie snapped, and grabbing the panties from the girl, she quickly climbed into them.
"I shall feel absolutely nothing," she promised.
Hedda shook her head dubiously. "It would be a monstrous joke on the Bjorsons, would it not, Astrid?"
Astrid snickered. "It is impossible," she said wistfully, "but it makes for delightful supposing, at any rate."
Nathalie shivered at the feel of the satin against her flesh. She took a deep breath, forcing back the sensations that crawled across her flesh. With more hesitancy, she slipped into the bodice. There were no stays. The darts had been sewn in with exaggeration until the slippery satin cupped her mounds firmly, allowing them to jiggle about as she moved, but holding her breasts cupped rather than allowing them to rest against her body.
The gown was a long, flowing affair of the sheerest gauze-like silk. It seemed to cling to her at times, then billow away from her only to float back to rest lightly against her. When she was completely dressed, even down to the satin-lined slippers, she stood before the mirror and shivered as she saw her sensual-looking reflection.
"How long will I have to be here?" she asked thoughtfully.
Hedda shrugged. "Who knows? Some, they have tired of within a few weeks. Some are kept months. One erotic little beast from Asia lasted nearly a year, but she died within a month of her release. She was such a pig with lust that she killed herself trying to get enough to satisfy herself."
Nathalie frowned. "How long do you think I will have to stay here?" she wondered.
"That depends," Astrid said. "How can anyone fathom the minds of the Bjornsons? They are.. . "
"I know," Nathalie answered quickly. "They are really quite mad. I angered her this morning and she was insane for a time with anger."
Hedda giggled and quickly covered her mouth.
"How did you manage it?" she whispered.
"She displayed herself wantonly before me and asked if I did not think she was beautiful," Nathalie said simply, but then she shuddered at the memory. "I told her she was old and ugly and I did not like looking at her at all!"
The two girls' eyes had grown very large, the hands flying to their mouths in shock.
"You are making it up!" Astrid gasped.
"No. Truly, that is what I told her," Nathalie said.
"What did she do?" Hedda asked.
"She slapped me-quite hard, but it was worth it, nevertheless."
Astrid turned to Hedda. "Have you never heard of anyone so bold?" she whispered.
Hedda shook her head. "Nathalie, you might never come out of here at all if you are not careful. Both of them have vile tempers. Be careful!"
"I am not afraid," she told them. "I should rather be put to death than to be debased as I have been by those two."
"Do not say that, please," Astrid begged. "It is not so bad below. You must think strongly and hold your tongue until she sends you to us."
"And then what happens?" she demanded.
Hedda had gotten to her knees and now she lifted Nathalie's skirts and snapped a short chain onto one of the anklets.
"You asked about escape," she suggested. "We have been thinking about that ever since."
Hedda snapped the free end of the chain to the other anklet.
"What is that?" Nathalie demanded.
"A hobble," Astrid explained. "It will keep you from taking such long strides when you walk."
"Do you have a plan for escape?" she asked.
"My brother, Roald, does," Astrid said. "He works in the kitchen and is allowed to move freely throughout the estate. He will think of something, you may be assured."
"We must leave now," Hedda urged her friend. "We have been here far too long already."
"Now that I am hobbled, I suppose you will not be locking the door?" Nathalie asked hopefully.
Hedda shook her head. "That is not the purpose of the hobble, Nathalie," she explained. "It is to force you to take short little steps that make the satin rub against your flesh. The door will always be locked so long as you are here."
"Please," Nathalie pleaded. "Do not leave."
"We must, sweet," Astrid said, leaning over to pat her cheek. "We will return every chance we get until you are with us."
"Couldn't we escape now?" she wondered out loud.
The two girls shook their heads as they reached the door and turned around to smile their farewells. "Be patient, Nathalie," Hedda called. Patient! she snorted as the door closed behind them. What a preposterous thought! Only the enfeebled could be patient with such circumstances as these!