This story is for persons of eighteen years or over. All comments, good or bad, are welcome and all will be answered.
Part One
My name is Daniel Redgrave and refer to myself as being an author, though this is rather a misnomer for I've only written one novel. It was a best seller, according to the pundits, but found that I couldn't come up with another good story line as a follow up, so I turned my hand to writing autobiographies.
The two I had written were good, not brilliant, but gave a new slant on the persons of whom I wrote. They were well received which led me to be commissioned to write one for Sir Tobias Felting, a millionaire through his efforts in the textile trade, and unlike the previous two, was still living.
I had started as a cub reporter of a local rag and not long after, obtained a position on one of the national papers. I wasn't brilliant, but got by with what I wrote and knew that I had the gift to write a novel that would outshine all others. We all dream when we are young, and so I wrote this book whilst working for the paper and because I was convinced that it would make my name, left the newspaper and started freelancing.
The book sold but I didn't get far with my freelancing and so I turned my hand to writing autobiographies because I just could not come up with a story to equal my first.
I was a failure as a reporter and realised that I would never be a serious author and moved to churning out two biographies of persons who'd never even been rated to be mentioned in Debrett's.
I was now in my early thirties, thirty three to be precise, and beginning to despair as to where the next pay cheque was coming from when I received a letter written on behalf of Sir Tobias Felting by his secretary, Miss Muriel Burgess. It was an invitation to visit her with the prospect of writing the life story of her employer.
The letter, at the time, didn't say who her employer was, but the address given spoke volumes for it was in Mayfair. I duly presented myself and met Miss Muriel, a woman of about my own age, a rather curt and severe looking woman in this mansion of a place in Mayfair.
I'd been in quite a few homes in my career, but not one as opulent as this. It exuded money but was lacking in taste from the décor, furniture and pictures that adorned the walls. To me, it was the home of an upstart. A person with money but no taste in how to use what money he had in the decoration of his home. It was here that I learned of the man I had wanted to meet for two years now, having heard of him from a friend of mine.
I was greeted graciously by Miss Muriel, which is how she wished to be addressed, and went through an interview as to my capabilities in writing of the life of her employer. It was intensive but she didn't ask all the right questions and there was a lot that I didn't tell her either, but it transpired that I was given the task of chronicling the life of one Sir Tobias Felting. A cheque for five hundred pounds was given to me as a retainer and under the direction of Muriel, was given lots of correspondence to wade through during the first week while she gave me a potted history of Sir Tobias.
It was two months before I met him in person and that was only for an hour, though I did get to speak to him for one hour a week after that. It was a most difficult task for he himself was very hard to get close to and he kept throwing names at me to see what they said about him and to try and put these in the proper context of his life and rise to the position he now held.
It was a very frustrating time those seven months or so, talking to other people and yet not getting a fraction of the time with him. When I took him to task on this, he surprised me by inviting me aboard his yacht for a cruise in the Caribbean where he would give me more of his time.
I was delighted at this chance of getting closer to him and accepted with alacrity, and so, three weeks later, I was on board a flight, paid for by him, bound for Nassau in the Bahamas. The flight and service was impeccable and when we landed, eight hours after leaving London, it still being before midday there, I was then at a loss. There wasn't anybody there to meet me and all I knew was the name of the yacht and assumed that it was moored somewhere in the harbour. So I got a taxi to drive me to the waterfront from the airport and the driver was happy enough to accept sterling as I didn't think of getting any money changed at the airport. He dropped me off there and I wandered about seeing three yachts in the harbour and had to ask people about the one that I sought.
This waterfront was a bustling place, it being only one street away from the main thoroughfare of the town, and had many street vendors selling nearly everything that you could imagine. Most of those I asked knew nothing of the yachts in the harbour there also being three seaplanes carrying the logo of Lyon Airways, and many speedboats as well as fishing boats either tied up to the wharves or anchored out in the harbour.
I eventually found somebody who knew and understood what I wanted and directed me to a set of steps where several boats were moored. It was one of these that agreed to take me out to the yacht, for a fee of course, and like the taxi driver, was quite happy to do so for one pound sterling.
I boarded the small speedboat with my one suitcase and within two minutes, I was faced with the small gangway down at the yacht's side to climb up. The man obligingly heaved my case onto the lower platform before smiling at me as I got onto it myself before roaring off back to the quayside.
The ladder, or steps, swayed somewhat as I climbed up them with my case and felt relieved to reach the top to be met by a young man.
`Who are you and what do you want?' he asked in a not too kindly a tone.
My name is Daniel Redgrave and I'm an invited guest of Sir Tobias Felting,' I said as I dumped my case down on the pristine white deck. If you would be so kind as to show me where I might find him and then you can take my case and place it in my cabin.' I said the last bit somewhat forcibly and got a scowl in return but he turned and beckoned me to follow him.
With the gangway, for that's what the steps were called, being near the after end, he led me forward on the starboard side, that being the right hand side as you look towards the front, to a door halfway along and opened it for me.
I stepped over the coaming, that is a step that prevents water that cascades down the deck from the sea or washing, from entering the boat itself, onto a deep pile carpet that I learned was in the lounge.
`Ah, Daniel,' Muriel said, being the first one to see me enter, and came over to greet me.
I saw that Sir Tobias was there as well as two other men and two females. They were what caught my eyes first for they were wearing the skimpiest bathing costumes you could imagine. Their breasts were full and ripe and were barely concealed. You could even see the nipples quite clearly beneath the thin fabric of this upper piece of body clothing. The men were dressed in gaudy shirts and shorts and were wearing sandals, even Sir Tobias.
Daniel?' said Sir Tobias. I didn't think you were due till tomorrow,' he said as he came forward and shook my hand. `I do apologise. I would have sent somebody to meet you if I'd known.'
He cast a glance at Muriel and I'm sure I saw a look of venom in that fleeting glance, but he turned back to me with a wide smile.
Anyway, welcome. Come and meet the others. Steward! Fetch a drink for Mr Redgrave,' he shouted towards a doorway towards the aft end of the saloon. This is David Knox, my financial adviser as well as being my accountant.' I shook hands with this florid faced man with thinning hair, a paunch and the veined nose of a heavy drinker. `Stephen Scott, my chief designer.' A young fair haired man with an open face and a nice smile and a handshake that wasn't as macho as that of Knox.
`And the best of the models that ever walked on the catwalk, Stella and Tricia.'
I caught the grimace of Tricia before she switched on the smile that they both now wore like they did when dressed up to show off the clothes bearing the Felting label. Neither of them got up from the deep chairs they were reclining in but lifted up their glasses in a welcoming gesture as a glass was suddenly placed in my hand by Tobias from the tray held by the steward.
Oh that's James by the way,' he said, indicating towards the back of the steward as he left the lounge. Anything you need, just call for him. Now for you who don't know,' he said turning to face the others in the lounge, `Mr Daniel Redgrave is my auto biographer. Feel free to answer any questions he may ask. If I don't like the answers that he writes, I'll have them cut out of the final draft,' he chuckled. I could see that the others there were not amused at this remark and knew that I was on to an uphill climb to get the truth out of them. But I knew more than they knew I think, so it didn't worry me in the slightest.
Without being asked what I would liked to have had for a drink, I found that I'd been given a gin and tonic as I sipped at my glass. Though it was a drink I enjoyed, I thought it would have been polite to have asked me first what I would have liked, but I let this pass. There was almost a silence in the lounge as I drank except for the whispered asides between the two women seated and it was only broken a minute or two later by James, the steward coming in to announce that lunch was now ready.
`Follow me Daniel.' Sir Tobias said, moving off and so I followed him into another section inboard to see a large table that could have sat twenty people at a pinch and was more than big enough for those of us dining there. This was what they called the saloon and I was waved towards the end that had been laid out with silver and glasses.
`Sit here, sit here Daniel,' Sir Tobias said, touching the back of a chair next to the one at the head of the table where he was obviously going to sit. The others started to take their places and I could see that there was a pecking order which I think I upset for I saw Muriel, the secretary give a hard look at one of the models who moved down a place so that she could sit opposite me, a notepad and pen placed beside her place setting.
I think that I upset the status quo by having the accountant, David Knox moved a place down beside me. The models then sitting opposite each other with Stephen, the designer at the end of one side.
I'll introduce you to the crew later and explain that you will be talking to them too, so hear up everybody,' he said in his loud voice, tapping on one of the glasses with his knife. Daniel will be talking to you, looking for anecdotes about me. Speak freely and if I don't like what you say, I'll toss you overboard,' and he laughed, but I didn't see any of the others follow his lead in this.
He gave me a rough outline of his life whilst lunch was being served of how he rose from poverty street to millionaires row. On the backs of others, I said to myself as I ate, drank and listened to him pontificate about himself.
Quite frankly I was glad when the meal was over for me to plead jet lag and wished to get a few hours sleep before starting work.
James!' Sir Tobias called out, and when he attended the table, show Mr Redgrave his cabin and that he has all the usual comforts,' giving a snigger as he said this.
I stood up and thanked my host for the lunch and gave my apologies to the rest at the table for leaving early and followed James to the cabin I had been allocated.
We went down the stairs which are known as a companionway on board a boat, to the deck below and along a plush alleyway till a door was opened and I was invited to enter what would be my sleeping quarters for the trip.
Thank you,' I said. It's James Sinclair isn't it?'
`Yes sir,' he said as he checked the water carafe by the bedside.
`You know I'm here to write about Sir Tobias?' I asked.
`Yes sir, but I don't think I could help you there,' he replied.
`Oh you'd be surprised. I'd like to talk to you later and take notes. Like when and how you came to be employed by Sir Tobias and how you get on with him. Who he's had on board the boat, that sort of thing.' I noticed the quirky twitch of his mouth at the last part of what I had said, but didn't remark on it at the time but would bring it up later when I was doing the actual interview of him. I thanked him and asked him to give me a call before dinner. This he promised to do and left the cabin.
I found the en suite bathroom myself for a pee and looked in the mirror and saw that I looked as tired as I felt and it wasn't long before I was stretched out in bed and fast asleep.
I didn't hear James enter the cabin and only woke up when he shook my shoulder.
`One hour before dinner sir,' he said as I came awake and opened my eyes.
Six thirty sir,' he said as my eyes focused upon him. I would suggest long trousers and a shirt sir. A tie is not necessary on board here. I'm just about to serve drinks in the lounge.'
`Thank you James,' I said throwing the sheet back and getting out of bed, not giving any thought to my being naked as I went through to the bathroom as he left the cabin. I had a wash and a quick shave and dressed as suggested and turned up in the lounge a few minutes later feeling much refreshed from the nap.
I found my way to the lounge and was greeted by Sir Tobias and had a gin and tonic put into my hand.
No pad and pencil?' he joked as I took the glass. No matter. I didn't expect you to start straight away. Tomorrow will do and when we're away, you can start talking to those here and when you've finished with them, I'll introduce you to the rest of the crew for their input.'
I managed to get another drink served to me before dinner was announced and the seating was the same as lunch time but I was asked by the host to give the others a brief resume of my career and what I expected from them.
It was a potted history of my beginning, my working life in a small newspaper office before progressing into proper journalism. But this running about for interviews and stories had quickly palled and turned to writing. After one novel, which was successful, began to write autobiographies. I had written two but not of anyone as illustrious as the host of whom I was now researching. The last was rather sugary and I noted that it didn't go down well with the others at the table but it made Sir Tobias preen a little.
`For this opportunity I must thank Muriel for recommending me. How did that come about?' I asked, taking this opportunity to have a drink for I was now rather parched from talking so long and try to eat some of my dinner before it was completely cold.
`Oh it was somebody I knew that mentioned your name,' she said without any facial movements which told me that she didn't know of the connection, though I knew exactly to whom she had been referring. I nearly told her to thank the person but knew that she couldn't and I didn't want this knowledge revealed.
I was glad when dinner finished and we all went back to the lounge for more drinks where my host told us that we would be doing a cruise around the islands of the Bahamas, to explore the small uninhabited islands with lots of opportunities for swimming or stretching our legs ashore.
`I'm afraid I didn't bring any swimwear with me,' I said and noted that Stephen was quick to come up with an answer to that.
`I have quite a good selection of our latest designs that you could try. I'll bring them to your cabin for you to pick something out,' he said with a smile.
Even though it was still early in the evening, my nap hadn't been enough and I soon said my goodnights to one and all and left for my cabin. If my research had been correct and what I had heard in the lounge, I knew I could expect a visitor within a short time. I got undressed for bed and went through into the bathroom and brushed my teeth as well as using the toilet before turning in. Almost as if on cue, I heard a knock at the cabin door and I shouted for them to enter. I wasn't surprised to see Stephen inside with a variety of bathing costumes for me.
Well you are one big man aren't you,' he simpered as he saw me enter the bedroom naked as he put his armful down on the bed and looked critical at me. Bigger than I thought,' he said looking pointedly at my groin. `So there's only a couple here that would suit you.' He pulled out three and had me put them on to see how they fitted and I knew that I had been right when he helped me adjust myself to make them fit properly. I was amused at this first attempt to pick me up as it were knowing full well that he would have found some excuse to do so and I had provided the perfect one for him.
He was a bit downcast when I accepted the three that fitted well and ushered him out with the rest in his arms. I smiled to myself as I took off the last pair I had modelled for him and got into bed and went off to sleep knowing that I was now well on the way to achieve what I had set out to do.
I came awake to the feel of a vibration through the boat and knew that the engines had just started and it was confirmed a few minutes later by feeling the slight rolling movement us the boat began to pick up speed and guessed that we'd just left the harbour and was about to enter the ocean proper. The bedside clock showed seven o'clock but I got up all the same and saw to my toilet and shave before putting on a swimming costume but adding a pair of shorts and a shirt for when it would be breakfast time.
I left the cabin and made my way up and out onto the open deck and made my way forward and found Stella, one of the models already out near the bow. She looked gorgeous standing there with the wind caused by our movement, taking her hair up into a flying pennant. She was wearing a brief costume like the one I'd seen her wearing the day before, so little at the back that the thin strap disappeared up between the crease of the cheeks of her backside. I could see some red angry stripes across them that showed she had been recently beaten with either a thin strap or a cane. Was it masochism or sadism that had resulted in these marks? It was a starting point to find out.
`Good morning,' I said as I came up close to her near the bow.
Oh!' she jumped, turning round and grasping a stay, a running line that holds the mast or other parts of the superstructure. You startled me,' she said, on small hand up to her mouth. `I don't normally see anyone up here this early.'
It's Stella isn't it?' I asked. I didn't quite catch all the names last night,' Liar, I said to myself. `Jet lag, you know,' I finished.
`Yes, and you're Daniel.' I'd offered my hand we shook them rather awkwardly for there wasn't much room where she was standing.
`Do you think we could get somewhere more comfortable to have a talk?' I asked. She gave me a slow smile and I could see that several possible places flitted through her mind before she answered me.
Just back here will do,' I said pausing before adding, for now,' giving her a smile back, getting across the message that there were other places that were more comfortable where we could talk in private. She smiled back at me.
`Okay. It will do until we get to know each other a little better,' telling me that she'd got the message and was really saying that she would like the alternative which was proved later that evening. We moved back a bit to some cushions that were scattered on the fore deck and made ourselves comfortable.
Well as comfortable as I could make myself for I was still a relatively young man and the sight of her barely concealed breasts were arousing me. The nipples were even more pronounced than the first time I saw them. Was she having the same or similar thoughts to those that were running through my mind as I sat down. With great difficulty, I put these carnal desires to the back of my mind as she lay down on these cushions and faced me.
`Your name is Stella Close and you are a model for the designs made by Sir Tobias?' I asked as an opener. She gave out a snort.
`Toby couldn't design a paper bag!'
`Toby?'
`That's what we call him in private,' she replied.
`We? In private?' She had the decency to lower her eyes for a moment before looking at me again but with her eyes quite on the hard side.
`Yes. Tricia and I. When he has us in his cabin.'
Does he beat you often?' I asked softly and saw the tears come to her eyes. I've seen the marks.'
Yes,' she replied in almost a whisper. It's the only way he can rouse himself up to an erection I think, by beating us. Thank God there's two of us for I don't think I could stand it every night.'
`Why do you stay then?'
`It's a small price to pay having that sadist beat your backside for the money and luxury we live in,' she said bitterly.
`Does he...?' I left the question open.
`Yes when he finally gets aroused from using his belt on us.'
`Tricia gets the same?'
`Yes, but I don't think she can take much more of it. The life and money is one thing, but to be beaten every other night is another. She'll break soon and when she does, I hopes she kills the bastard,' she said, hissing out this last bit.
`Do the other's know?' I asked.
`I should think so. You saw my backside so they must have.'
`Why haven't they said anything?' She gave another snort.
`They turn a blind eye. The captain and crew have got a soft job and wouldn't do anything to jeopardise it. That fat Knox is milking Toby and wouldn't lift a hand to kill the golden goose. His secretary is a mouse in a trap of her own making and that fruitcake, well!'
`Fruitcake?'
`Stephen! As queer as a two bob watch. He sucks up to Toby. In fact I'm sure he does more than that in that line. He's not a patch on the previous designer! Nowhere near in ability.'
`Who was that?' I asked.
`The best designer that Toby ever had. Martin Towers. He was bent too, but Toby ruined him. Got him hooked on drugs and they say that he died of an overdose, if you can believe them.' I didn't push her any further on this for others had now come up on deck and called out that breakfast was just about to be served. I got up and reached out my hand and pulled her up.
`We will talk again?' she asked as she came up close enough for our bodies to touch, her thigh brushing against the front of my shorts. I had half an erection and was sure that she felt it.
`Oh yes, I would like to, and as you said earlier, somewhere comfortable and with a bit more privacy,' I smiled at her. She smiled back and the tip of her tongue came out from between her lips and slowly moved around them.
`I'll looked forward to that,' she smiled back and gave my hand a squeeze which meant that I would have her in my bed in no short order.
So we went to join the others for breakfast with me having learned that Sir Tobias was something of a sadist and that because his previous designer had obviously rebuffed his advances, had been introduced into drugs which either killed him by an overdose or he had been deliberately given enough to kill him.