The electric gates swung open as we pulled into the driveway, and the curving driveway led us behind a high hedge to a surprisingly large but tasteful house. Nothing ostentatious, but tasteful and elegant.
The handwritten and hand-delivered invitation had been similarly tasteful and elegant, on thick, pale cream notepaper. Addressed to us both, the words were in a beautiful looping hand in dark red ink, and signed “Carmen X”.
The invitation had suggested, in a hair’s breadth short of an instruction, that we attend her house at seven on Saturday, and she looked forward to seeing us then. Confident and self-assured, and irritatingly irresistible. As tempted as I was to be awkward and suggest a different date, we dutifully re-arranged a couple of things and agreed to attend. Invitations to Carmen’s house were virtually unheard of, and we might not get another chance.
The door was opened by Carmen’s husband, who was dressed in his usual club outfit. He wore hick black leather collar, black leather bolero, wrist and ankle cuffs to match his collar and a steel chastity cage. He didn’t speak, and I realised at that moment that I’d never heard him speak, but beckoned us in to the minimalist hallway.