I woke up alone. I think it had been the clattering of a helicopter that had disturbed me. The sun was filtering through the drawn curtains of my suite and I lay between silk sheets and remembered the previous evening. My hand moved without my consciously directing it to my pussy where, as my legs spread, I stroked myself languidly.

Mira’s smell was all around me and there were still damp patches on the sheets as evidence of our lovemaking. I lifted my knees and my finger slid into me, stroking deep inside and all too quickly I felt my breath quicken, my back lift and the orgasm rolled over me like a warm wave. I rolled onto my side and squeezed my hand between my legs, clinging to the last vestiges of my climax.

A rap on my door was followed by Irina’s arrival with a pot of tea for me. I am sure she knew what I had been doing but seemed completely unfazed. She placed teapot and cup beside my bed, poured milk and tea and stood back to stand patiently waiting for me to come to. I sat, oblivious to my nakedness and thanked her and drank my tea gratefully.

‘Miss Ivanova, the Mistress’s assistant has arrived.’ That, perhaps, explained the helicopter. ‘She is waiting for you in the main saloon, Miss. She said to tell you not to hurry.’

I got out of bed and Irina held a robe for me. Did her hands stroke my arms just a little as she helped me into it? I tied it and followed her to the saloon. ‘Not to hurry’ always meant the opposite I had found in this company and I joined Ivanova who was seated at a table with cps and pots set. She looked stunning, no hint of her obviously early start.

‘I have six candidates for your secretary.’ She handed me a file and while I read through the papers for each candidate she poured tea for herself and coffee for me. “They are arranged in the order I think most suitable.’ I could not fault her choices and finally said that I’d like to meet the first two of her candidates. She smiled and nodded in acknowledgement.

Mira burst into the room as we sat. She was dressed in jeans and a white silk blouse, her glossy black hair tied back.

‘You are not dressed? We have work to do. Please go and prepare while I talk to Ivanova.’ I stood hastily, feeling chastened and hurried to my suite to change. Irina had made my bed and cleared my tea and left clothes on the bed for me. I showered and dressed and made my way back to the saloon. Mira’s hand was under Ivanova’s skirt. They were talking and both turned to look at me. Mira’s hand did not move. I was, somehow, becoming used to this sort of casual sexual behaviour and felt no shock or jealousy where, only a few days ago, I should have been appalled and hurt.

‘That’s better. Please ensure you are ready for work by 8.30 every morning. Irina will be punished for not preparing you correctly.’ She took her hand, reluctantly it seemed to me, from between her secretary’s legs and stood. Ivanova tells me that the textiles will be arriving in 30 minutes. Follow me.’

She led me once again to the ballroom and as we entered she slipped her finger into my mouth.

‘Taste Ivanova,’ she whispered. Then she kissed me very hard, her hand roaming over my breasts, across my arse and between my legs under the pale yellow dress I was wearing. As abruptly as she had started, she stopped and was all business. Clearly, the workday had started. It did not finish until 8 that evening. We had one stop for coffee with the textile people and nothing to eat all day.

‘I have to spend time with Ivanova this evening. Irina will ensure you are fed.’

Thus dismissed I went to my quarters and poured myself a welcome drink. Irina came to me around twenty minutes later. Her eyes were sad, dark rings under them. Mutely she served me some food and as she turned to leave I caught sight of a livid bruise on the thigh. I enquired about it.

‘I failed to prepare you correctly this morning, Miss. I was punished.' I lifted the hem of her dress and saw she spoke the truth.

‘Who did this to you?’

‘The Mistress, Miss.’

I stood and felt myself shaking with outrage. I went to the door but Irina tried to stop me.

‘Please, Miss. If you argue with her I will be punished again after you have been dismissed. I beg you, do not go to her.’

I took her hand.

‘I will not have anyone beaten. Stay here.’ I pushed her aside and made my way to the saloon. There was no sign of Mira or Ivanova. I walked around the ship, my anger growing. Finally I came to Mira’s suite and rang the bell. Ivanova answered the door. She was naked below the waist. Mira was sitting in a chair, her girl cock poking up from between her legs. She was naked.

“To what do I owe this intrusion?’

‘You beat Irina.’

‘And?’

‘I wont have it. It was as much my fault as hers that I was late. How could you do such a thing?’

Mira reached for a champagne flute that stood on a table beside her. She took a draught from it and replaced it casually. She returned her gaze to me.

‘How could I do such a thing? I can do it for a number of reasons, because I choose to, because she deserved it, because it was necessary, perhaps even because I enjoyed it. You know nothing of my life, my ways. I will forgive this, this time but you will never again question me. Do you understand? Now leave.’ Ivanova opened the door for me but I stood my ground.

‘I will leave - in the morning and for good. Goodnight.’

I turned and left the suite, noting as I did so a smile on Ivanova’s face.

When I got back to my room Irina had left. My bed was turned down, my nightdress laid out and a glass of water stood beside the bed. I sat in a chair looking out over the harbour, dark save for a few twinkling lights. I rose and poured myself a brandy then pressed the bell to summons Irina who arrived within seconds.

‘I will be leaving in the morning. Please let me see your wounds.’

‘They are nothing, Miss.’

‘Show me.’

She turned and lifted her dress – her arse was naked and striped with what looked like cane strokes. I led her to my bathroom and put cream on her welts. I held her as she sobbed.

‘You do not understand. It is right that I was punished.

I accepted it as I have before and will again, especially when you are gone. It is the Mistress’s way.’

‘Well. It isn’t my way. Now, go to your room and in the morning please pack my bags.’

I threw the nightdress onto the floor, stripped and without showering got into bed. The communicating door opened. It was, of course, Mira. She turned the lights on and I sat up, ready to argue, fight if need be.

She was wearing a robe. Her hair was loose and her eyes shone, I did not know whether it was with anger.

She sat in the chair in the corner of my bedroom and said nothing for several minutes. Then, having apparently made up her mind she spoke.

‘To your western eyes the beating of a servant may seem feudal. I can understand that. What did Irina say?’ I suspected she knew.

‘She said it was right that she had been punished, that she accepted it and that she expected more, especially if I leave.’

‘She is wrong. She is punished for her mistakes, not yours. She will not suffer if you leave. You cannot understand unless you have lived as we have lived, as Irina has lived. People would fight to work for me. They are well fed, they have health care if they need it, they are paid well. They know and accept my rules. Just as you accepted those that apply to you. Is your behaviour normal for a western woman? You find me fucking my secretary but you say nothing. Is that normal for a western woman?’ Her eyebrow lifted questioningly. I said nothing.

She pressed the bell to summons Irina and within seconds she arrived, dressed also in a robe. She stopped dead in the door when she saw Mira.

‘Come in, Irina.’ Hesitantly the maid walked into the room, closing the door behind her. ‘Do not be afraid, you will not be punished when you have done nothing wrong. Did you fail me this morning?’

‘Yes, Mistress.’

‘Did you deserve to be punished?’ Irina nodded. Mira turned to me. ‘You see? She understands and accepts.’

‘It is savage.’

‘It is our way. Have you ever been beaten?’

‘Certainly not.’

‘Perhaps you should have been but no matter. Leave us, Irina.’ The maid obediently left the room. Mira stood and let her robe slip off her shoulders and came to my bed. She sat on the edge and pushed my hair back from my eyes. ‘You will come to understand and then you will appreciate what this life of mine is about. I surround myself not merely with beautiful things but with beautiful people whom I can trust and trust implicitly. Russia is not safe like your country.’ Her hand caressed my face. “Irina knows the cane and she knows the rewards. Do not judge me.’

Despite myself I was warming to her touch. Her gentle stroking seemed so at odds with her harsh treatment of Irina.

‘I like that you stand up to me. It will make it so much more fun. I do hate “yes women.” You will never be that: or will you I wonder.’ Her hand slid down over my chin, curled around my neck and then slithered down to cup my breast. ‘Do you know the exquisite pleasure pain can bring?’ She stifled my next comment by covering my mouth. ‘You cannot imagine the intensity of it. Irina not only accepts it, she loves it, craves it. One day, perhaps, I will show you. In fact tomorrow night we will go out together and you will learn something new.’ She slipped between the covers of my bed and held me in her arms. I knew I would stay. I was totally convinced when her thigh slid between mine, her pussy found mine and they kissed as we kissed. She was hungry and I thought to myself that she must be insatiable.

The following morning she was gone – Irina woke me promptly and it seemed that my intended resignation was forgotten. I went to breakfast where Mira and Ivanova were already eating. We worked through the day and around 4 Mira told me that her workday was over and that we would have cocktails on the sun deck.

The late afternoon was warm and she suggested we swim. Naked, we swam and enjoyed the heat of the sun on our bodies. She swam to me and we stood breast deep in the cool water, her hand between my legs.

‘Tonight we are going ashore. You will wear the clothes Irina will have laid out for you. The boat will take us ashore at 9. We will dine and then we will go to my club. Do you understand?’ I said I did. ‘Excellent. Be nice to Irina.’

She left and I followed her out of the pool, slipped on a robe and made my way back to my suite. I opened the door and was astonished to find Irina, naked, sitting in a chair. She rose as I entered.

‘Did Mira send you to me like this?’

‘Yes, Miss.’

‘Why?’

‘She said you have a lot to understand and that I might help.’

‘Help how?’

Irina walked to me, knelt at my feet and slowly, looking up into my eyes, pulled my robe open. Without a word she buried her face in my pubic hair and I felt the slick of her tongue as she licked me. I tried to push her gently away but she held my buttocks tightly and her tongue overcame my reluctance. She was fabulous with her tongue, it curled and probed and, flat and I discovered, pierced, rubbed me, flicked at me, caressed me.

When I stopped trying to push her away, her hands opened my buttocks and her fingers worked with her tongue. Her hair stroked my thighs like silk. My nipples were hard, aching and I squeezed them as her mouth worked its delicate magic. She held me tightly as I came; not the hardest ever but good, slowly rising within me then breaking over me and I gripped her hair and held her there as she licked me down from my high.

She stood and led me, still shaking to the shower and washed me gently. I wanted to give her an orgasm too but she said she was not allowed one – I did not enquire why. After she had dried me she led me back into the bedroom and asked me to sit while she laid out my clothes for the evening. She remained naked throughout. When the clothes were ready she opened a drawer and took out a silver butt plug which had a long tail of black hair attached to it. She also removed a bottle of lubricant then asked me to stand and bend over the end of the bed.

‘Mistress’s instructions, Miss.’

I did not want Irina to suffer again at her Mistress’s hands and so allowed her to lubricate me with her fingers, and gently ease the plug into me. It felt delicious and I groaned softly as I closed around its stem.

I wondered what the evening held in store for me in this crazy world of Mira’s.