“If he’d taken your stepmom’s money it seemed likely he’d take yours as well,” said Nevis.
“I’ve been doing some waitressing, then traveling on a bit more, but I hadn’t been able to get a job lately and was almost out of money. Then I got hired at a bar in the town at the foot of the mountain and I was to be allowed to sleep in a storeroom there as well, which meant I’d be able to save most of my wages. But a patron pushed his chair back into me and I spilled the drinks I was carrying and I got terminated on the spot. So with no money, no tips, and no accommodation, I just started walking up the mountain.”
“And you still don’t know why?”
Andorra glanced at Nevis. She was lying back in the water, her head resting on the edge of the pool, but her eyes were open and her gaze fastened on Andorra’s face.
“I suppose I sound crazy. But first I simply wanted to climb the mountain. And then I kept thinking if I could get to the top it’d solve all my problems. Kind of like a little kid hiding under the blanket from the boogey man I guess. The boogey man would never think to look under the blanket. And getting to the top of the mountain isn’t going to give me a home and a job or my family back.” Andorra shrugged then laid back under the water.
“So what will you do?” asked Nevis.
“Get a map of the most direct route down the mountain, ask if I can have some food to take with me, and find a town where I can get a job. There has to be plenty of places where I can work my way through community college and get a job.”
“What kind of job do you want?” Nevis said and sat up a fraction in the water.
“That’s part of the problem I suppose. I’ve never known what I wanted to be when I grew up. Just happy I guess. As long as I have friends to share my life with, I’d be content in an office or in an outdoor job. Whatever. What about you? What’s your job?”
“I was a speech therapist and I just got totally burned out. The little kids were great to work with, but there were also a lot of people with acquired brain injuries and so many of them were aggressive. They didn’t want help to speak, they wanted to lash out at a cruel world which had left them with their injuries. I could see their pain, but got exhausted trying to encourage them to look past the present and into the future. So I quit and came up here to rest.”
“So you knew the hot springs were here? Do they take paying guests, like a hotel, or did you know about the place already?” asked Andorra.
“It’s not a hotel. There are some vacant rooms for when the managers of the transportation business need to come here to visit with Master Kingston. But I knew about the springs from a friend who dated Master Kingston for a while.”
Andorra was very grateful for the open way Nevis was answering all her questions. She crossed her fingers superstitiously, and asked, “What about the BDSM here? Can you tell me something about that?”
“Master Kingston is a BDSM Dom and he lives the BDSM lifestyle. Some of the other people here do, too. Do you know anything about the BDSM lifestyle?”
“Not much. My stepbrother took me to a BDSM club and I found the whole concept very intriguing. I think it would be really wonderful to have someone who cares so much about me that he’s focused on my pleasure. I’d be happy to serve such a man. Not that it’s going to happen of course. Do you have a Dom? Or is that a rude question? I’m sorry, I don’t know the etiquette. I don’t mean to be impolite.” Andorra rolled onto her side so she was staring directly at Nevis. The water was so warm it was like being in a giant bathtub, except for the rocky base and surroundings.
“I don’t mind answering you. I’d love to have a Dom of my own again. Long ago a Dom introduced me to the lifestyle and we were very happy for a couple of years. But just when I thought our arrangement would be permanent he seemed to change. Gradually I understood he was no longer happy in the role and eventually we parted. When I moved up here into the mountains I thought perhaps I might find a new Dom, but that hasn’t happened yet.”
“I’m sorry. I hope you find the right man.”
Nevis smiled at her. “Maybe it’ll be you who finds a Dom. What do you think of that idea?”
* * * *
Raleigh went to Kingston’s office to tell him he’d decided to do a brief tour of some of the more distant company branches. He wasn’t there, so Raleigh walked up to the top floor to see if he was in his apartment. When he didn’t answer the door, Raleigh pulled out his cell phone and texted him.
“Planning a trip. Got 5 minutes to talk?”