Postby KP Presents » Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:24 pm
As parties at the Manor House go, it wasn’t the most boring of times – and Eddie being around made it a little more bearable than usual. The fact I was co-hosting with Grandmother and Aunt Susan made it easier as well – my job was mainly to make sure the younger kids didn’t get too far out of hand, but for the most part they behaved themselves and spent most of the afternoon outside.
Even Alicia was quieter than usual – she and Jenny spent most of the time in the corner with Martin and Colin, while Bobby and Suzie were treating Cassie like royalty. Bobby told me that she had hurt her ankle at the end of the weekend game, but the way she was walking round, and talking with her friends, you would not know that had happened.
Even Tommy and Brian were joining in, chasing the twins and Pippa round the lawn outside as the parents talked. Eventually, however, the afternoon drew on, the sun began to set, and those who were going started to collect themselves together and leave.
I had to go and help Mrs Bridges for a few minutes, but I did hear Suzie and Cassie talking to Pippa, Hazel and Claire, saying “when you come here tomorrow, you’re going to have such a big surprise!” I had heard Granny talking with the parents, and saying she would love to see them tomorrow morning – unfortunately they were going away for a few days, but they would at least be able to stop for the Sunday morning. Mary was coming over at lunchtime tomorrow with Cathy, and they would stop over for the night and spend Monday here as well.
As for the rest of the week – I had heard dark rumours that Martin, Colin and Bobby were planning something, and Lesley would come over Wednesday. Then there was Brian and Sarah – a question I asked Grandmother about when she came in.
“Well,” she said as she sat down, “from what I can gather, there was an incident involving Heidi and her friends, as well as Anne Duncombe. Sarah had to use her – unique talents to resolve the situation, but at some point she was injured. Anne felt a complete change of scenery would be the best cure for her, and given her connection to the family, I said I would be delighted to have her stay. Once she feels up to it, we will let the others know she is here, but not before.”
I nodded – Grandmother had a lot of experience in areas Mum would not talk about, so I left it at that. It was then that Mrs Craig came in, and said “Angela, I’m going to need your help with something, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course, Jennifer,” I said as Miranda, John Craig’s mother, came in. “What do you want me to do?”
“When most of our guests have left,” Mrs Craig said as they sat down and looked at me, “I want you to round up Bobby and Colin. This is what they’re going to do...”
“See you tomorrow, Mary,” Jenny said as he hugged her friend. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” Eddie said with a smile before he followed Mary and his parents.
“Now then, Jenny,” I said to her, “Can you find Cassie, Alicia, Suzie, Patty and Rachel, and join me in the library please?” She nodded as she went into the main room, Bobby and Colin coming the other way
“What’s the buzz, Angie,” Bobby said as they came up to me.
“Library,” I said quietly, and led them in there. After a few minutes the six girls came in, looking at the three of us as Patty said “Yes, Teacher?”
“Your mum,” I said as I looked at Jenny and Cassie, “has asked the three of us to get you all ready for a tie-up game.”
“Hands behind your backs, girls,” Colin said as he held up several lengths of cord. Bobby and he took turns to tie their wrists together behind their back, their hands uncovered and their wrists crossed, before they wrapped ropes around their waists as they usually did. More rope then went around their arms, just below their elbows, and round their stomach.
“Now, all six of you need to sit in the chairs, and allow the boys to bind your legs,” I said quietly, watching as they all sat down and had their ankles bound tightly together, and then their legs below their knees. “I love it when they look like this,” Rachel said as she swung her legs up and down, and I had to turn away to stop myself from laughing. How on earth did they get to be like this?
“Angela?”
I turned back and said “Sorry – now, Mrs Craig has asked me to do something different – Bobby, Colin, I need you to find Tommy and Brian and bring them here please.”
As the boys left, I looked at the girls. “Mrs Craig has asked me to tie two bands of ropes around your arms, above and below your chest. I understand this happened during the weekend away, but is it what you want?”
All six of them nodded, so I started with Patty. On her and Rachel, it just looked like two more bands of rope holding their arms firmly to their sides. As for Jenny and Alicia, it made them both look – well, older if truth be told, but they smiled and nodded as I made sure they were tightened under their arms.
It was the effect on Cassie and Suzie that was unexpected. They’re still just little girls, but as the ropes pulled their arms into their sides, and their tops were pulled over their chest, I heard them gasp slightly and then wriggle round. When this was done to me, that night at the manor house, I was embarrassed – and then scared witless. They, however, seemed to be secretly enjoying it.
My blushes – and theirs – were spared by Tommy and Brian coming in. “Coo,” Tommy said as he looked at Patty, “They did a real job of you.”
“Says you,” Patty said as she stuck her tongue out. “Boys,” I said to them, “why don’t you keep the terrible duo quiet?”
“Gotcha,” Brian said, as he picked up two sponge balls and pushed them into the mouths of Patty and Rachel, before he used white tape and wrapped it round their heads. “Fnksabnsh,” Patty said as she looked at me.
“Now then,” I said as the door opened and Grandmother came in, followed by Miranda, “Take Patty and Rachel to the playroom please, Boys – we’ll tell you when time’s up.”
“Arr Aye Captain!” Brian said as he helped Patty and Rachel to stand up, the two boys escorting them out. “Ready,” Grandmother said as she looked at me.
“Ready,” I said as Miranda opened the door, and Mum and Dad came in, along with Uncle Alexander and Aunt Susan, Mister and Mrs Craig, Mister and Mrs Brown, Cassie Craig and Jo Frost.
“The babies will be safe with Mister and Mrs Bridges for the moment,” Grandmother said as she closed the door. “Thank you all for coming in for a few minutes.”
“No problem,” Mum said as she saw the four girls on the couch, especially Alicia. “Although – who did the tying for you, Alicia?”
“I did,” I said quietly, “at the request of Mrs Craig. I also asked them if this is what they wanted.”
“That’s right,” Jennifer Craig said, “Because this is how they were bound when we finished the game that weekend, well we had the gags but... Connie, what I’m going to say now is under the Craig compact, understand?”
“Yeah,” Connie said as she looked at Jennifer, “but why aren’t you saying the same to Cassie.”
“Because I already know what she’s going to say,” Cassie said quietly as Jo stood with her. “So does Alexander, Bobby and Colin – and the girls. So don’t be angry at what you’re about to hear.”
“Xander,” Aunt Susan said as she looked my uncle, “What happened that weekend?”
“I’ll tell her,” Jennifer said, before she took a deep breath and said “It wasn't a tie-up game arranged by John.”
The room was silent for a few minutes as everyone looked at Jennifer and the girls. “But,” Susan eventually said, “When you say it wasn’t a game you mean...”
“I mean we really were held hostage over the weekend by an armed gang – Bobby and Colin got the medal today for informing the police, but the truth is, they were the ones who found us – in a way.”
Mum was gripping Dad’s hand, and I realised I was gripping my own arms hard, as Jennifer said “Maybe I’d better start at the beginning. It began on the Friday morning, when the girls had put their outfits on and were having breakfast.”
We all listened as Jennifer told us about the men invading the house, one of them taking John while the others bound and gagged all seven of them, but only after they had been convinced to say it was a game, to protect Patty and Rachel. How they had only been freed to eat, wash and change, and then on the Saturday driven in the family car to Wissenden Hall.
Bobby then told us how he had found the house empty with Colin, then called their fathers. They in turn had decided to get Cassie Craig and Jo Frost to help.
As for the rescue – the boys told us the full story, and how Bobby had got into the hall, opened the doors and then saw Cassie. It was while she had been jumping to him that a floorboard had given way, and she had injured herself.
“Thanks for reminding me,” Cassie said, as we started laughing – which at least broke the tension. Aunt Susan looked at Uncle Alexander, and said “You didn’t tell me so I wouldn’t worry, right?”
“I’m sorry I had to lie,” he said quietly, “but I was worried for both of you. I hope you understand, Susan.”
“And if something had gone wrong?”
“We must be grateful it did not,” Miranda said quietly. “Lucinda and I were told by John and Jennifer the truth at Jenny’s party, and we decided then that the girls – and the boys – should stay here this weekend. Where is Martin, by the way?”
“His mum called,” Bobby said quietly, “he should be back in a few minutes.”
“I’ll tell him the truth – later,” Alicia said with a shy smile.
“Good,” Grandmother said. “Girls, when bad things happen in the family, we know it is important to be able to talk things over.” I thought back to the weekend we all spent together, and could see the others were thinking about it as well – all except Cassie and Suzie. “So this week, all of it if necessary, is there for you to talk about what happened, and how you feel.”
“Honestly, Grandma,” Alicia said, “I feel fine. It scared the hell out of me, particularly the first day, giving what else was happening with me, but once I knew it was only for a few days I began to settle down and enjoy it – as much a is could.”
“What was wrong on the Friday,” Bobby said as he looked at Alicia.
“Something you never have to worry about,” Dad said, Bobby looking at him for a moment before he said “oh.” I never had my dad down for a diplomat, but full marks to him for that.
“Ali’s right,” Jenny said. “Cassie and I had met the gang before...”
“You had?”
Miranda nodded as John said “It was the same group that held Jenn and the girls hostage overnight – I recognised the voice of their leader immediately.”
“Anyway,” Jenny continued, “the worst bit was the first day, and especially when we were blindfolded and taken to the other place. Once there, however, we were told it was only for another day, so we relaxed and it became much more of a game after that.”
I looked at Cassie and Suzie, who both nodded in agreement. “It wasn’t even as bad as the time we all were taken to Aunt Cassie’s house,” Cassie said, “because – well, Jay made it a real game.”
“Jay?”
“His name was Jay – Jay Edwards.”
“Oh God,” Mum said as she looked at Dad. “Him?”
“Actually, you know what the funniest thing was?”
We all looked at Cassie, and said “what?”
“If you set aside the fact we were held hostage by an armed gang, and we were very tightly bound and gagged for almost three days, the weekend was almost exactly what I had planned. I wanted us to be the girl detectives again, and held captive by the bad guys – which was what happened, right?”
“And how do you feel, Cassie,” Grandmother said as she looked at her.
“I feel good – yeah I got hurt, but that was my fault. In fact – I wonder if we can do it again?”
“Do it AGAIN?”
I looked at Mrs Craig and laughed – I knew exactly how she felt. “Yeah – Rachel and Patty loved playing the game, but we,” she said as she looked at Suzie, Jenny and Alicia “had to be held back because we knew the truth. If we do it again, we all have to have the same sort of fun. Can we do that – for the next three days.”
I looked at our parents, who were looking at each other. “Well...
“Please – it’s going to help us.”
“All right,” Grandmother said “but it can only be for two days. There are other things we wish to do. How will you dress?”
“Fifties clothes – oh.”
“You just remembered the others are coming tomorrow,” I said quietly.
“No problem, I am sure we can find something,” Grandmother said.
“There is another problem,” Jennifer said quietly, “I cannot take part. It is not possible for me to leave the twins alone. Someone else will have to play Mother if you play this game.”
I could see her looking at Mum and Aunt Susan, but then to my surprise I heard myself saying “I’ll do it – then I can keep an eye on them.”
“Excellent,” Grandmother said. “Well, I’ll ask Mister Bridges to bring some drinks in.” As she went out, Jennifer took me to one side.
“Are you sure you want to, Angela,” she said quietly. “It would mean for most of the next two days, you will be tightly bound, gagged fully, and have to sleep like that – and when Cassie means tied, she means hands covered, and the ropes – all of them.”
I nodded, then said “It’s all right, Jennifer – I’ll manage.”
“Well, if you’re sure,” she said quietly, “Thank you.” She then re-joined her husband, as I wondered just what I had signed myself up for...