Helena and I laid in the guest bed together and she cuddled into my chest. We didn't speak and just held each other. After some time that seemed to pass by in moments, there was a knock on the door.
“Give us a few minutes!” Helena said loudly and climbed off of the bed. “I forgot they were coming back with your clothes.”
I gave her a look and her face flushed red.
“It's not my fault that when we're together, you make me forget everything else.” Helena admitted and turned away from me.
I climbed out of the bed and hugged her from behind.
“We need to get dressed.” Helena whispered.
“I should bathe before putting on new clothes.”
“Yes, that's true.” Helena said and turned around to face me. “We both should.” She gave me a kiss and ran her hands down my chest. “We can wear towels for now and our maids can prepare the bath.”
I nodded and retrieved towels for us and Helena slipped hers on around her waist. She realized what she was doing and laughed softly, then undid it and put it around her chest instead. She helped me put mine on, after giving me a few intimate touches, then she went to the room door and opened it.
Jill and Hope came in carrying several packages and bags.
“Mission successful.” Jill said as she put some packages on the table at the side of the room. “No one knows we've been gone.”
“Wonderful.” Helena said with a smile. “We need a bath before we can dress David for supper.”
Hope stumbled and almost dropped the packages she had. Jill was quick and caught her before she fell and put the packages on the pile.
“I'll run the baths right now.” Jill said.
“Bath.” Helena corrected.
Jill stiffened slightly, then she smiled and nodded understanding. She took Hope's hand and brought her into the bathroom, then shut the door.
I could hear them talking intensely before the water started running and they were drowned out. “Hope is nervous about bathing me.”
Helena laughed softly. “Of course she is. She hasn't been alone with you since you were kids. I'm actually a little surprised that she's been as professional as she's been.”
“Maybe we should let her skip the bath this time.” I said and Helena took my arms and put them around her.
“No, she offered to be a maid, knowing full well what it entailed. You know she did.” Helena said and I had to nod. “It's a bit soon for her to be concerned about it, considering we'll be doing it together.”
I thought about that. “Maybe that's why she's reluctant and nervous? She's afraid we'll have sex?”
Helena gave me a huge smile. “Perhaps.”
I had known Helena for quite some time, so I knew that look. “Are you going to tease her about it?”
Helena laughed. “I'm tempted to, just because you're so handsome. I won't, since I want her to be able to take care of your needs when I'm not nearby and to not be embarrassed about it.”
I leaned in and gave her a kiss.
“Mm, thank you.” Helena said. “The bath should be ready in a few minutes, so why don't we just stand here and kiss until then?”
“All right.” I said and kissed her, paused, then kissed her again.
Helena's face started to flush redder with each press of our lips. By the time the bathroom door opened, she looked like she was embarrassed or had been caught in a compromising position. Both Jill and Hope looked surprised at her reaction and Helena tried to wave it away.
“We were just kissing.” Helena said and held her towel tightly as she walked by the two of them into the bathroom. “You saw that his arms were around me. He wasn't...” She shook her head. “Get the wash cloths lathered up.”
“They already are, my lady.” Jill said with a straight face, then she winked at Hope, who smiled.
“D-David.” Helena said and I walked over to her. “Hold my towel for me.”
I nodded and held onto the edge of her towel. She untied it and then stepped into the large tub to dip herself up to her shoulders into the bathwater and slight bubbles. I put the towel aside and moved around the tub to the other side.
“Hope.” I said and she jerked slightly, then she did the same thing for me. She held the back edge of my towel as I untied it, then I stepped into the tub. I thought I heard two soft sighs as my crotch dropped below the water's edge.
Jill and Hope approached our respective sides of the tub and picked up the lathered cloths, then they both started to wash us. It was the same as when Gillis and Helena did it, where they washed my entire body and left my crotch for last. Helena had watched me the entire time and I watched her, to see if she was washed the same by Jill. She was, and my previous guess that all women washed me the same was confirmed.
Hope hesitated after lathering up the cloth one last time and she closed her eyes for a second, then she dipped her hand and the soapy cloth into the water and washed me off. She seemed to relax when she didn't feel that I was excited, even though I was in the bath with my future wife.
“Ahhh, that was relaxing.” Helena said and started to stand up, now that the bath was over.
“It was.” I said and stood up as well.
“Eep!” Hope squeaked, because she was still kneeling beside the tub and my crotch was right at the same height as her face, which started to turn red.
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“Thank you. You washed me well.” I said. Helena had told me previously to praise Hope when she did a good job, and she had completely washed me and had only hesitated briefly at the end.
“Y-you're welcome, my lord.” Hope said and I saw that she was staring intently at my thigh.
“Towel, please.” I prompted.
“Ah! Yes, a towel!” Hope jumped to her feet and retrieved a towel, then started to dry my arms and my chest, like Jill dried off Helena.
After a few minutes, we were dried from head to foot and had fresh towels around us. We went out to the main part of the guest room and Helena started to open the boxes as if searching for something, while Jill left the room to retrieve something appropriate for Helena to wear.
“Hope, do you have any recommendations?” Helena asked and opened another package. “These are nice, but...”
“I think Jill said the big box was the best outfit for your first supper.” Hope said and picked up a smaller box. “With these color matched items as adornments.”
Helena pushed the other packages aside and opened the big box, then let out a happy giggle. “She's right! She's completely right. This will be perfect.” She said and took out a dark grey suit coat and pants. “I don't know how she found my father's colors on such short notice.”
“She said something about having the woman at the shop keep several rolls of the same fabric reserved for emergencies.”
Helena laughed. “Remind me to give Jill a raise! She deserves it.”
Jill came in through the door with several outfits and bags in her hands.
Helena waited for her to get close, then gave her maid a hug and a kiss on the cheek, before telling her that she was getting a raise.
“You gave me a raise before you left on your tour with the military, my lady.” Jill said. “This was nothing.”
“Nonsense.” Helena said. “You're letting me show off to my father, and that almost never happens!”
“My lady...”
“Hush and help us get David dressed. He must look immaculate.” Helena said.
I was quickly dressed, even faster than I thought possible with three sets of hands helping me. I tried to help myself and three hands slapped mine to stop me.
“We know how to dress you best.” The three of them said, almost as one, then the three of them laughed.
I was adorned with a red tie, red cuff links, a red belt, a red handkerchief in my front shirt pocket, and then two patches with the Henrietta Crest on them were tacked with thread onto the shoulders.
“Oh, that's wonderful.” Helena whispered as she gazed at me.
“You're next, my lady.” Jill said. “Hope, give me a hand.”
“Of course.” Hope said and then Helena was treated in a similar way to me as the two maids took complete control and dressed her, fixed her hair, then applied her make-up. It was subtle and made her eye color pop and gave her cheeks a slight blush. The dress showed off some of her chest and a touch of make-up was dabbed to make it seem fuller than it was.
I thought that was a little odd, considering that it would show off a lot of her chest if she ever bent over, which was something she had never done in public. She was a lady in both name and demeanor when entertaining others. In private, she was as much a slave to her desires as anyone else was. She was also very good in bed. She wasn't as wild as the Hag had been or as domineering as Diane had been. She was a good mix of both and she really enjoyed herself while making me enjoy it, too.
“I think we're ready.” Helena said as she gazed into the mirror. I held onto her arm, as high society required of a man when escorting a lady, and she looked very pleased with the result. “Let's show my family how beneficial you can be for me, dearest.”
I nodded and we left the guest room. The two guards looked startled as we passed them, then they followed at a few paces back. It would be unseemly to run after us. Sounds of talking could be heard when we approached the large dining room and an attendant appeared from a small room and opened the doors for us.
“Lady Helena Henrietta and Mr. David Drake.” The man announced and stepped aside to let us pass. Four very startled expressions met us as all conversation stopped. They saw that we were dressed appropriately and Helena and I stepped into the room.
Grand Mage Henrietta sat at the head of the table, with his wife Mona at the place on his left, his heir and son at the place on his right, and his youngest daughter Selena at her mother's side.
Her brother Marcus was the first to recover. “Dammit.” He whispered, clearly upset that he wouldn't be able to make fun of me or my commoner clothing that he thought I was going to wear.
“You're on the other side of the table.” Helena whispered to me as I brought her to her seat beside her brother.
“I know.” I whispered back and held her chair for her.
Helena sat regally, as if she was a queen sitting on her throne, and I bent down to give her cheek a kiss. She didn't comment on my forwardness in front of her family and I ignored the looks of surprise on her mother's, sister's and brother's faces.
I walked around the large table to my side, gave a formal bow to Grand Mage Henrietta, as was his due, then I sat without moving the chair.
“So, what were we discussing?” Helena asked, as if we hadn't just interrupted and derailed the conversation.
“The Longshore Estate.” Mona, her mother said. “I've been going over everything there and it's in a sad state.”
“I knew the retainer we hired was too much of a pansy to command the staff properly.” Marcus spat. “His mouse-like face was a dead giveaway that no one was going to listen to him.”
“He's a great administrator and completely trustworthy.” Grand Mage Henrietta said.
“I'm not arguing that. I'm arguing him being in charge.” Marcus said. “He should be the assistant with someone strong backing him. He would be much more effective in his duties if the staff knew that they would actually be reprimanded and not just talked to in a whiny voice.”
Grand Mage Henrietta let a quick sigh out. “We can discuss family problems later.” He waved at the side of the room and a door opened. Six maids brought in a plate of food and a glass of water and they spread out around the table. Almost as one, they put the plates down in front of us and then stood there at our sides to wait.
I quickly looked at the plates in front of everyone else and saw that they had been given actual food that looked quite appetizing. On my plate, it looked like scraps of meat, clumps of fat and grizzle that were barely cooked, and mangled and dirty vegetables, some cooked and some mush. If my guess was correct, this was what they fed their dogs, assuming they had dogs.
I took another glance around and saw Helena's red and angry face, a satisfied look on her brother's face, a blank expression on Grand Mage Henrietta's face, shock on Mona's face, and a pitiful and sorrow filled face on Selena.
I picked up the appropriate fork and knife from the sides of the plate and carefully cut a large chunk of grizzle in half. I put it in my mouth and confirmed that my guess about it only being half cooked had been right. I didn't make a show of chewing it, however. That wasn't the point.
I put the knife and fork down and picked up the appropriate main dish spoon and scooped up an even mix of the mushy and raw vegetables, turned so that they could all see the dirt on the raw ones, and ate the spoonful. The crunching was quite loud while I chewed, since no one else was eating as they stared at me, completely in shock. I put the spoon down and took a drink of the clearly dirty water.
“N-no... don't.” Selena whispered from beside me, barely above a breath.
I ignored her plea and continued to eat. I used proper table etiquette the entire time and made sure to finish everything that was on my plate. When I was done, I put the used silverware on the empty plate and then pushed the plate and the completely empty glass of dirty water two inches to the left for the maid beside me to take it.
The woman hesitated slightly as her hands fought to reach for it, then she relented and picked both items up. She let out a soft sob and a hiccup, clearly crying, as she turned away.
“Thank you for serving such a delicious meal.” I said in a happy voice, making sure to praise her properly. She had done a great job, after all.
She jerked as if I had slapped her and she dropped the plate and glass. They smashed onto the hardwood floor and the silverware on the plate scattered across the floor with the broken shards of the shattered plate.
Not one person reacted to the loud noise.
The maid's sobs didn't get louder as she started cleaning up the mess and continued to cry. No one moved to get out of the way and none of the other maids helped her as they remained at their assigned Henrietta family member's sides.
I wasn't sure if they weren't allowed to help or if they were afraid to share in the responsibility if they tried to help. Either way, we all stayed where we were and waited for the maid to finish.