"Master..." I suddenly said. I hesitated for a moment but I guess the wine had made me brave. "Master, please may I ask for one more thing?"
"You may... ask," he replied.
"Please..." I clasped my hands together, squeezing them between my thighs. "Please could we go and have a look over the edge of the cliff at the waves. I've never seen anything like that before."
"Never?"
I shook my head.
"Then certainly. In fact..." he checked the time on his phone, "why don't we go for a stroll along the cliff top path? There's a car park where I can ask the driver to wait with the limo. I'm sure he'll be happy about the overtime."
"Do you mean this is all getting too expensive?" I asked as my worries with the dresses and the shoes and then the amazing lunch came bubbling up to the surface.
"Kitten!" he said. I could tell he was sort of telling me off but he found it pretty funny too. "You are still my pet, remember. You never have to worry your pretty little head about anything like that."
I dropped my gaze. "Sorry," I whispered.
He put a finger under my chin and gently raised my head again. "You're not in trouble," he reassured me. "You were trying to be good... but it's really not your place to worry about that sort of thing, is it?" He ruffled his fingers through my hair.
I gave him a nervous smile. I mean... I knew it was impossibly patronising but it still made me feel better.
"Should we go then?" Master asked.
I nodded and, whilst he dealt with the money stuff and phoned the driver, I stared out of the window at the waves and had to stop myself from jumping up and down in excitement! Then he took me by the hand and led me out of the restaurant. "Come on then... walkies!"
"Isn't that supposed to be puppies not kittens?" I asked before I could think.
He reached down and gave my bottom a squeeze. I squeaked but he just smiled and took my hand.
From the hotel, the path dropped steeply down into a narrow valley. We crossed a stream at a little bridge and then had to clamber up the other side. The way up was so steep it had steps in places and we were both out of breath by the time we reached the top - which was back at the same level as we had started. Most of the land round here was fairly flat apart from the valley we'd just crossed - and, of course, the drop-off-the-edge cliff!
From there, the path headed straight towards the sea, running along the side of the little valley. And I was so busy looking back at the hotel that I completely missed the fact that I was walking towards the edge of the cliff. "Careful, Kitten!" Master said as he grabbed my hand.
I froze and then crept a bit closer to the edge, still nervously gripping his hand. There was a sudden drop of about a million miles down to the sea. It seemed wrong that people would allow such a dangerous drop-off-the-edge without a fence. As I watched, a wave crashed in, smashing onto the rocks below, and I was just amazed at the power of that swirling white water.
"Is it always this wild?" I asked Master who had let go of my hand and stepped back.
He didn't answer and, when I looked around, I saw that he was smiling and taking a photo of me. "This isn't wild, Kitten. I'll bring you along here some time when there's been a serious storm. Then you'll see proper waves!"
Even though he was saying I'd be his kitten for ages and ages, I couldn't help smiling. I just loved the idea of coming back here when there'd been a huge storm with ginormous, crashing waves.
And I quite liked the idea of coming back again with Master.
And, I was a bit surprised to realise, I didn't really mind the idea of staying with him as his kitten for ages and ages.
"Come on then, Kitten. This way!"
He led me over a climby-over thing he called a stile into a field that had sheep in it. I'd always thought they were supposed to be harmless creatures but from close up they looked quite large and scary. Also they smell. The path was a bit rough and you had to look where you were putting your feet - if for no other reason than to avoid stepping in the sheep poo!
I found myself staying very close to Mr Reassuring's side.
"You aren't used to this sort of walking, are you, Kitten?" he laughed.
"I've always lived in the town," I admitted, "and apart from one trip with school, I've never really been out into the countryside."
"You'll get used to it," he reassured me, taking my hand. "Don't worry. I'm not going to let anything nasty happen to you!"
"Are they dangerous?" I asked, nervously eyeing the sheep.
"They're only ever going to attack you if they feel threatened but, as someone once said, there is a minimum distance at which sheep remain picturesque. Once you get too close, they're quite large, unpredictable creatures. Cows are even worse. You should always give them plenty of room and make sure they don't think you're trying to trap them - and make sure you give them somewhere to run, in case they do decide to panic!"
There was another of the stile things and then the path started to climb up towards a ridge. It seemed quite narrow, running, as it did, between a fence and the edge of the cliff. I glanced nervously in that direction and, as we climbed up, the drop down to the sea got even bigger - not all that surprising, I suppose, but quite worrying.... somebody really ought to put up a fence.
Master drew me around in front of him and took my other hand so that he was between me and the edge. That felt very much safer.
By the time we reached the top of the ridge, I was glad that Mr Bossy had made me do all the gym bunny stuff. I was still puffing and panting but at least I made it without him having to carry me.
On the subject of bunnies, there were loads of them, all over the place. They scattered when we got close and were much less frightening than the sheep. I quite liked the bunnies.
At last we reached the top of the ridge except, of course, it wasn't just a ridge. It was a sticky out bit of land that he called a headland. We had cliffs and sea most of the way around us with no walls or fences or anything. The wind was much stronger up here too and the whole thing felt pretty precarious.
"Are you nervous, Kitten," Master asked.
I nodded. My mouth was dry and I didn't really trust myself to talk.
He moved behind me, putting his arms over my shoulders and hugging me into his body. He even tucked both his thumbs inside the belt of my jeans. I suppose it was a bit intimate but I wasn't worried about that!
"Do you trust me, Kitten?"
I nodded enthusiastically. Of course I did. It felt spectacularly safe and secure having him wrapped around me like this.
"Good. Then you are going to close your eyes."
I managed to force myself to do it for him. I was nervous and had no idea what he was up to but, by now, I was used to doing as I was told.
"Now you are going to take a step forward," he told me.
'Are you out of your tiny little mind?' I just about managed to avoid saying. We were already dangerously close to the edge.
"I promise I will not let you fall, Kitten," he went on, as if reading my thoughts. "You are going to move on my count." He was using his 'Master's voice'. "Three... two... one... step."
That voice didn't go anywhere near my brain... it just went straight to my body, forcing it to obey, even if it meant stepping off the edge of a cliff.
So I took the step forward.
"Another one now. Remember, keep those eyes closed. Three... two... one... go."
Somehow my body obeyed. My mind was frozen, caught between fear and trusting.
"Last one now. Remember that you trust me. Three... two... one... go."
I was his kitten. He was my Master. I had no choice but to totally trust him in every way. I took that step forward, even though I was sure that there'd be nothing there. He would hold me. He would keep me safe.
I was surprised to feel that there was still solid ground beneath my feet.
"Good Kitten," he said, kissing the back of my head. Now I'm going to lean you forwards and you're going to stretch out your arms."
For some reason, I wasn't afraid anymore. I'd completely given up control, putting my trust in Master.
With my eyes closed, I reached out with my other senses: the wind in my hair; the salt on the air; the sound of the seabirds down below me; and, above all, the solid feel of Master's arms.
"OK, Kitten, you may open your eyes.
I did as he said and a wave of what I think must have been elation passed through me. I was leaning out, over the edge of the cliff. If it wasn't for Master's arms which held me, body and soul, I would have tumbled to my death. I had no chance of saving myself if he let me go.
And funnily enough, the fact that my safety was so completely out of my own hands gave me complete freedom. I couldn't do anything except trust him... and so I didn't have to do anything but trust him.
And, with this freedom, I could relax and really enjoy that incredible view.
Because I was standing on the very tip of the headland, I couldn't see land in any direction. The sea seemed to be all around me.
Below me was a sticking up finger of rock - a stack - and, around it, the waves were crashing and smashing, throwing up dirty great clouds of spray. I could even taste the salt on my lips. All around me there were sea birds circling - there were so many of them and they seemed to be doing some sort of enormous, complicated dance on the wind.
And then I looked up, and really saw the sea for the first time. It was huge and seemed to stretch out for ever and ever.
I'd always known that the sea was big but, until that moment, I'd never understood what 'big' really meant. It was stunning... almost too much for me. I couldn't help myself as tears started to run down my face.
When Master saw I was crying, he eased me back from the edge then scooped me up and carried me across to a convenient bench. "What's the matter, Kitten?" he asked as he held me in his arms and cuddled me. "Did I frighten you?" I could hear the worry in his voice.
"No, Master, it wasn't that," I reassured him. "That was wonderful. It's just..." I was laughing through my tears now. "This is going to sound stupid but it's just... I never realised that the sea was so big!"
He laughed at that, of course, but he cuddled me even tighter and I slipped my arms around his neck. "Silly Kitten!" he said, kissing away my tears. "Silly Kitten!"
At last he let me go. "Thank you for that, Master. It was wonderful... even if it was almost too much for me."
"And thank you for trusting me, Kitten. That trust has earned you a reward."
A little buzz of excitement passed through me and seemed to settle, funnily enough, down in my tummy.
Then he took out his phone and said, "We need to get going, Kitten.
We carried on along the path and this time I walked on the cliff side of the path. Master was holding my hand and I just felt perfectly safe.
Our limousine was waiting for us in a car park down on the other side of the headland. I collapsed into the seat and Mr Fussy reached across me, fastened my seat belt for me and then gave me a distinctly fussy frown. This time, I really ought to have remembered it myself.
Then he made a quick phone call to warn someone he'd be ten minutes late for his four o'clock.
"I have to go straight there and then get the driver to take you home," he told me. "Elroy will meet you and let you into the apartment. I'll be about an hour."
"Erm... OK." I was curious, of course... he had appointments like this every weekend... but I knew much better than to ask about them. "Can I have a shower?" I asked instead.
Mr Fussy gave me one of his fussy looks.
"I mean 'may'!"
"May I take a shower," he reminded me.
"May I take a shower?" I repeated like a good kitten. If I didn't, I'd get a grammar lecture and no shower.
"You may... as long as you swap that Little Miss Storm Cloud face for Little Miss Sunshine!"
I looked at him in outrage for a second - but then I had to laugh because he just looked so pleased with himself.
He leaned across and kissed me on the nose.
I was distinctly puzzled when the limo drove up towards the University. I knew the area quite well because, in my vagrant kitten days, I'd found an unlocked utility cupboard in one of the halls of residence where I could just about curl up to sleep - it was wonderfully warm but I had to stop using it when the security guards started giving me funny looks.
Master stepped out of the limo in front of a block of flats, gave me an odd sort of smile and then I was wizzed back home.
As promised, he returned about an hour later and I was waiting for him by the lift, showered and shiny and wearing my collar, of course. I'd taken the chance to give the thing a wash, because I'd been wearing it for weeks now and it had got a bit smelly.
I'd even done my piano practice without being reminded. I thought about accidentally leaving my kitten notebook out to show him but, by now, I knew he wouldn't be impressed by that sort of thing so I'd put it away properly.
Master gave me another funny look when he saw me on my knees, waiting for him, but then he leaned down and kissed me on my forehead. "Good Kitten," he said. He gave me a hand up and helped me down the stairs into the living room.
And he was definitely in a funny mood. He was always quite touchy-feely with me - not in a nasty sort of way, just friendly - but that evening there was more of that than usual.
He ordered something called 'crudités' for tea - little bits of raw vegetables with various dips with some cheesy and meaty type bits. Of course I kept giggling at the name until he threatened to tickle me!
I mean... I couldn't understand the logic of that - surely tickling me would make me giggle even more. I didn't say anything, though, because I suspected that he was just looking for an excuse to do his Mr Tickle thing.
But he didn't play any of his teasing food games with me so I was more than happy. I just knelt by his chair as he fed me. There was fresh, tropical fruit for pudding, including mango, with a chocolaty dippy sauce so I was such a happy little kitten that I almost purred.
Then, afterwards, we watched the film 'Titanic' together. So I snuggled up next to him on the sofa with his arm around my shoulders and I felt like the most loved and content kitten in the world.
I even worked out where he got his idea from for dangling me over the edge of the cliff!
At last the film came to its sad sort of end. By this time I was yawning but I was a good kitten and remembered to put my hand over my mouth.
"Are you a sleepy little kitten?" he asked.
I nodded again, stifling another yawn.
"And did you remember to do your piano practice today?"
I beamed because he had thought to ask me and nodded.
"Let's get you to bed then!" He stood up and helped me to my feet.
I felt I ought to say something but I didn't know whether I was still allowed to talk so I hesitantly raised a hand to ask for permission.
"You want to say something, Kitten?" Master asked me with a lovely smile.
I nodded.
"Go on then."
"I wanted..." I began hesitantly. I was still not really comfortable with speaking when we were at home. "I wanted to say thank you for such a lovely day."
"You are more than welcome, my Kitten! I thoroughly enjoyed it too." He pulled me to him and gave me a gentle kiss on my cheek which sent a strange, almost frightening tingling feeling surging through my tummy and, without any real thought, I found myself squeezing my bits into him.
"Behave, Kitten," he told me, giving me a sharp rap on the bottom. It made me jump back but it seemed to increase the funny feelings, "or I can't be held responsible for my actions!"
I dropped automatically into my 'good kitten' kneeling thing... but, of course, that meant my knees were apart... and that did really freaky things to my insides... and I wasn't quite sure whether I liked it.
Mr Meany Pants kept me like that for a long time and then he started to rub a finger up and down the top of my spine. He had this funny smile on his face which told me that he knew all about the freaky weird things this was doing to me!
"Have you got an ache, Kitten?" he asked at last without interrupting his stroking... or his smiling.
Of course I wanted to look away but I turned bright red and nodded instead. For once, he let me get away without using words.
At last he stopped his rubbing and leaned down to kiss me on the top of my head. "Then hang on a moment," he told me. He stepped briefly out of the room, returning a couple of seconds later with his dressing gown and his tube of slimy toothpaste stuff.
He sat on the sofa and eased me down so I was lying with my head on his lap. Then he eased one of my legs up over the backrest and sort of held it for me so I was all spread out for him.
And then he did his Mr Bossy thing and made me do all sorts of things to myself... but I'd been a good kitten so they were lovely and gentle things.
I mean... it was all much, much slower than I'd have ever done on my own... but I had my head on his lap... and I was staring straight up into his face... and he was stroking my hair... and I was doing it all for him.
And that made the experience more intense and wonderful... and, somehow, more satisfying.