A couple of Saturdays after the big party, I was up in Mr Bossy's study with him. It was my favourite day of the week. In the morning, he usually worked from home so I got to spend time with him. He even let me do little jobs like opening envelopes and bringing him cups of coffee. And in the afternoons, he'd find something fun for us to do.
He'd worked steadily for a couple of hours but then he sat up and stretched his back and smiled down at me. "Another one of those lovely dresses is going to be getting an airing," he told me. "Mr Andretti is coming for another visit."
I smiled at the idea. Mr Andretti was a bit scary but I sort of liked him. "Is Terri coming too?" I asked.
"No. She's had to travel back to America to visit her mother. He's bringing his nephew though."
I didn't say anything but I might have pulled a bit of a face.
"I understand that you don't like Simone much but Mr Andretti is potentially an important business partner and we have to keep him happy."
I nodded. I didn't like the idea much but I'd just have to live with it.
We were quiet for a bit as he leaned back and looked out through the huge windows. There was sunshine playing over the wooded valley below us and it looked lovely out there. "Let's go for a stroll this afternoon?" he said.
That sounded like fun. "Should I go and get your lunch ready?" I asked.
"Excellent idea, Kitten. I need to finish off here and I'll be down in about twenty minutes."
I'd normally have laid out his lunch in the kitchen but today I chose to do it in the dining room instead. That way, he could enjoy the lovely view out of the window as he ate.
I was just putting the finishing touches to the table when he crept up behind me and caught me trying to sing a bit of one of the songs from his 'Magic Flute' thing. I only realised he was there when he kissed me on the back of the neck.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" I spluttered when I realised what I'd been doing.
"That's quite alright!" he laughed. "You are allowed to be cheerful! In fact, I'm thinking of making it a new rule. Kitten is required to be happy!"
"With spankings if I'm not?" I joked.
"What an excellent idea!" he countered. "Kitten will be spanked until she's happy!"
I did vaguely wonder about whether this was the sort of thing I ought to be joking about but Master distracted me by tapping a couple of buttons on his phone and producing the proper version of the song. "Feel free to sing along," he told me with a smile.
"I can't!" I said, horrified at the idea. "Not if you're listening!"
"Yes you can. You've got a lovely voice."
I was a bit surprised but, because of his 'never lying to me' thing, I knew he really meant it. So I could relax and join in with the singing as I moved to kneel next to him. As a reward, he fed me as he ate instead of making me wait to the end... and he didn't even play any of his silly food games!
"Go and get dressed, Kitten," he told me when we'd finished lunch. He gave me a hand up and sent me on my way with a pat on the bottom. I hurried to do as I was told then I grabbed my rucksack as I scurried back to the kitchen.
Master had changed too and, when he saw my rucksack - with its lynx motif - he smiled and grabbed a couple of cereal bars and a bottle of water and popped them in.
We went out of the back gate and he took me down the steep path to the stream then up the broader track along the valley. The sun was dappling through the trees and children were splashing in the stream and it was all just lovely.
But I got worried when the scary-looking bridge came into sight. "Are you nervous?" he asked.
I nodded.
"Words, Kitten," Mr Bossy instructed me.
"Yes, Master."
So Mr Lovely took my hand to take me over the thing... and he didn't let go when we reached the other side. "Good Kitten," he said, giving it a squeeze. Over here, the path got narrower and there were less people about. The woods looked wilder too with the trees crowding together and much less sunshine.
Suddenly he came to a stop and turned towards the steep slope to our left and, after a couple of seconds, I realised there was something a bit like a path leading up. The first few feet looked completely impossible but then it got a bit more sensible as it led back up the hill.
"Go on, you go ahead," he said. "I'll catch you if you fall!"
"Thank you!" I said as I started to make my way carefully upwards.
"Besides, I get to enjoy the scenery from back here," he told me.
I looked around, distinctly puzzled. You really couldn't see very much because of all the trees.
Then I realised he was studying my non-existent bottom! I wanted to slap him but I was much too wobbly. He laughed then boosted me up the steep bit of the path with a hand you-know-where. He added a slight squeeze which sent a delicious tingle through me but it had me checking around to make sure that nobody was looking.
But I soon forgot all about bottoms and people and everything else as I clambered up that path. More than once I was happy to have a Mr Helpful hand. He also showed me how to use the trees as handholds.
That climb was the trickiest walking I'd ever done but at last we came out onto open moorland and walked up a much gentler slope to a ridge where about five different paths met. There was a bench where you could enjoy the view and recover from the climb.
Master sat on the bench and I automatically moved to kneel down but he pulled me onto the bench next to him. I took off my rucksack and stretched my shoulders.
"I think we've earned our snacks," he said so I took them out and offered them both to him but he told me that I could eat one all by myself. I nestled my head into his shoulder to say thank you and he put an arm around me.
I ate my cereal bar... slowly, as was expected of a good kitten, with my eyes closed to properly appreciate each mouthful of the treat. When I'd finished I rubbed my head affectionately into his shoulder again then looked around.
We were on a spur of moorland between two steep, wooded valleys which met almost straight ahead of us forming a bigger valley that led on towards town - I could just make out the railway station and a couple of the shops. On a ridge, away to our left, there were a couple of buildings and, when Master pointed it out, I could see one of them was home.
Off to our right was a huge stretch of moorland that led up to a bit of a rocky peak. Master told me that it was called Pen Tor and that, on a clear day, you could see the sea from the top.
I didn't say anything but he must have seen the look in my eyes because he rubbed my thigh and said, "Not today, Kitten, but don't worry. We'll have plenty more walks together!"
I smiled back at him... I liked that idea!
He whipped out his phone and added, "But not now. We need to get going."
"Your Saturday afternoon appointment?" I asked.
"You probably don't want to know but, if you're still a curious kitten, I'll tell you about it tonight. But not right now. I know there are some rich and powerful men who like to keep the people around them waiting as a way of bolstering their egos but..."
"But your ego needs no bolstering?" I suggested recklessly.
"True, Kitten!" he said with a smile. "Dangerously close to earning you a spanking but true. Anyway, I consider keeping people waiting unnecessarily to be rude."
He spoke a couple of car-arranging words into his phone then patted me on the thigh. "Are you set?" he asked.
I nodded and he gave me a hand to haul me to my feet. He led me off, down a different path. This one was wider and nothing like as steep... so we could keep holding hands as we walked.
After a couple of twists and turns and junctions, we emerged on another path running along the side of a stream - probably the one in the other valley - then after some level, comfortable walking, we emerged into a car park where a limo was waiting for us.
Master looked at the time again then told the driver to take him straight to his appointment.
I wasn't surprised that we were being driven towards the University - I knew that his Saturday appointments were up here. He must have spotted my curious kitten thing because he chuckled and kissed me on the cheek. "Go home and change," he told me. "You may join me for dinner tonight. What do you fancy eating?"
I thought about this for a moment then said, "Please would you choose something for me. I can't eat spaghetti carbonara every time you let me eat with you."
"Very good, Kitten," he replied. He sat for a moment, deep in thought, as his hand played casually over my knee. "Then I think we'll go French this evening. Do you like sausages and beef burgers?"
"Yes... sort of... they're all right." I'd imagined that he'd want to eat something a bit more impressive.
I must be turning into a food snob or something!
"Don't worry," he laughed when he saw my reaction. "I have no intention of inflicting some sort of Mac-monstrosity on you!"
He thought for a moment before adding, "Oh, and you're going to eat your dinner blindfolded."
I hesitated then said, "May I ask why?"
"Because you will enjoy what I have in store for you much more like that. Now no more talking until you have finished eating tonight."
I nodded. I was definitely curious about what he had lined up for me but he'd told me not to talk so I'd just have to wait.
"Oh, and you are to wear your blue dress."
I gave him a puzzled look
"You'll be blindfolded," he explained, "so I will have to feed you and that is easiest if you're kneeling next to my chair."
I nodded. He'd got his freaky feeding me thing going on again but at least I'd be getting delicious food tonight.
The limousine stopped in front of the same block of flats as last time. Master patted me on the knee and climbed out of the car. "See you in an hour," he said.
I was wizzed back home and delivered into Elroy's care who sent me up to the apartment. There I enjoyed a ridiculously long shower before changing into the blue dress. Of course I put my back collar on too.
I was ready in plenty of time so I sat at the piano and made a start on my daily practice as I waited for Master. But as soon as I heard the lift whirr, I scurried across the room and was waiting for him, on my knees, by the time he appeared.
He must have noticed that I was puffing and panting because he looked around. "Have you been busy with your practice?" he asked. He must have noticed my things on the stand.
I nodded, remembering not to talk.
"What a good kitten you are! Then finish off," he told me, stroking my head. "Then you may sit on one of the sofas. I'm going up to take a shower."
I nodded and, as he went upstairs, I scurried back to the piano. When I was done, I packed my things away then practiced Cruella's 'elegant sitting' thing on one of the sofas.
I jumped a bit when the magic music system started playing an orchestra style piece with an extra piano. As I listened, I decided I liked the way that the piano sounded as if it was holding a conversation with the rest of the orchestra.
When Master reappeared, I moved to kneel for him but he sat down next to me and put an arm round my shoulders to tell me to stay. And he kept it there as we listened to the music together.
"These are some of Mozart's Piano concertos," he told me as one piece of music came to an end and a new one started.
But I was finding it a bit tricky to concentrate on the music. I was just enjoying snuggling up to Master so much.