He found Laura fast asleep in his bed and did his best to undress quietly. Slipping under the covers, he remained a discreet distance from her, not sure, even after everything that had happened, whether he would be able to resist taking her. Just knowing she was naked in his bed was enough to make it a long time before he slept.
He awoke first nonetheless, getting up and dressing before visiting the playroom. Maria was also asleep, still bound in place. He checked the bonds were tight enough before returning to Laura, waiting for her to awaken.
She did so shortly afterwards and as she sat up he passed her a dress. “Put this on and come with me,” he said. “I have something for you.”
“What is it?” she yawned, taking the dress from him as she did so.
“Just come with me.”
He led her across to the playroom, unlocking the door to the doctor’s surgery to reveal Maria’s prone form. “That is Maria,” Laura said in a voice loud enough to wake the tied down woman.
Maria immediately shouted through her gag but Edward ignored her. “What should I do with her?” he asked.
“I know the perfect punishment,” Laura replied, a smile flickering across her lips. “When I arrived here, a little wanted to examine a patient.”
“Oh yes?” Edward replied, raising his eyebrows.
“Here is the perfect patient for her.”
They left Maria in the playroom and made their way downstairs, finding the other littles already drinking their bottles in the dining room. “I have a treat for you today,” Edward said, as he took his seat. “No lessons this morning.”
The littles all grinned but none spoke, knowing the consequences if they were to do so.
“In the playroom there is a new toy for you all to use. After you have finished breakfast you may go and play.”
Laura picked up the bottle from her place and sat sucking the milk from it as one by one the other littles left. Finally only she and Edward remained. “Will they hurt her?” she asked as she put her empty bottle down.
“I doubt it,” he replied. “Though by the time they are finished I suspect she may regret her voyage into criminality.”
He recognised the discomfort in her eyes and continued after a brief pause to sip at his coffee. “Do not be alarmed Laura. I have spoken to Mrs Flanders. Mara will be given a choice, something she was not good enough to give you.”
“A choice? A choice of what?”
“She can join in with their playtime or take her chances with the law. I suspect she will choose the life of a little.”
“But what of my father? He must be told what she is like?”
“Did I not tell you that you need not worry? By the time she leaves her she will be the perfect submissive little for him. He will have no fear of her nefarious schemes and neither will you. My methods are foolproof.”
“They have not worked on me.”
“Have they not? You are still here. You are taking part in a conversation like a decent human being. You have not whined over your ordeal, you have not stamped your feet, nor demanded punishment for Maria. In fact, your first thought was compassion towards her. I think my methods are working better than you realise.”
Laura blinked and then got to her feet. “I wish to check on Maria.”
“Very well,” Edward replied. “Though only once for then you will return to your little life.”
They walked upstairs and then entered the playroom together. To his right Edward could hear loud moaning and it only took the briefest of glances through the door for Laura to realise what Maria had decided. He pulled the door closed and turned to Laura. “Well?”
She returned his gaze without blinking, looking more beautiful than she ever had before. “You were right, papa,” she said.
Chapter 17
It was a strange sight for Laura to see Maria amongst the other littles. It had been three days since her return and in that time she had not seen Maria since spying on her in the doctor’s surgery, watching as three littles in white coats treated her every imaginary ailment. All Edward would tell her when she asked was that Maria was in the intensive one on one nursery, kept locked in a portion of the house she was forbidden to enter.
She never did find out what happened in there but Maria emerged wearing a nappy and a babydoll dress with a dummy in her mouth and a placid look in her eyes. She joined the others in the playroom and when Laura saw her, it took some time for her to accept who it was playing with the dolls in the corner.
The rest of the day was spent in lessons but as the evening drew on Mrs Flanders told her she had been summoned by Mr Westall.
She found him in his study and he looked as if he had been waiting for her to arrive. He held up a letter as she entered. “This is from your father,” he said. “He has agreed to the marriage and as such you are mine to do with as I will.”