Update and Chapter 6

Hello! Just a heads up that I'm going to be incommunicado for the next few days while I shut myself in a cottage in the woods without Internet access so that I will be forced to write, write, write! I don't know what you're like but if I have Internet access I am often lured away by Twitter, Facebook... porn. You know how that goes. But I don't want to leave you high and dry with nothing to amuse you while I'm gone! So here is the next chapter in "Affliction." Enjoy and keep commenting, etc. while I'm gone! I will get back to you ASAP!

Chapter 6

Ewan Draper came home that night eagerly anticipating his participation in his wife’s new course of treatment.

He’d had a successful day, his meeting with Phillip’s father having gone even better than he’d expected. The elder Samms was eager to continue doing business, not only with the married man that Ewan now was, but with the man responsible for his son’s gainful new employment, in a medical capacity, no less. News had gotten to Maxwell Samms that his son had been consulting with various men in the medical field in an effort to help Ewan’s wife with some kind of women’s issue. Ewan felt no need to further enlighten him.

When Ewan entered the master suite, his wife was dozing on the bed while Phillip read silently in a chair beside.

‘Good evening, Ewan,’ Phillip greeted, rising and looking up from his medical journal. ‘Your wife did extremely well today. I’m very pleased with the outcome.’

‘I’m interested to know the particulars,’ Ewan said, moving to the bedside and gazing down at his sleeping bride. Even in slumber she provoked a physical response from him, and his loins stirred slightly as he thought of what must have gone on in his absence.

‘Certainly,’ Phillip said. ‘For now though, you may bed her if you wish.’

‘I do,’ Ewan murmured, still looking at her.

‘Just a word of caution before you start,’ Phillip said. ‘Although her treatment this afternoon was successful I’m still not certain of what her reactions to your physical advances will be. I need you to avoid contact with certain areas of her body that are susceptible to excitation. I also need you to be aware of the signs that you are leading her to dangers levels.

‘You need to avoid the clitoris,’ Phillip went on. ‘Do not put pressure here, on her pelvic mound.’ Phillips said, motioning to the area on Lilly’s sleeping form. ‘If she begins to pant or gyrate her hips, I need you to slow down or it may even be necessary to stop completely.’ Ewan looked doubtfully at his friend. ‘I’m sure you won’t need to worry about this, Ewan. I only warn you as a precaution. As I said, we had a very successful session today.’

Ewan, his organ already stiff hearing the description of his wife’s possible reactions, bade Phillip leave them then. ‘It really is advisable that I stay on and monitor this activity, Ewan,’ Phillip protested.

‘I’ve heard what you said,’ Ewan growled, impatient now. Opening the door, he ushered his friend out.

‘That’ll be all James,’ Ewan said. James’s eyes narrowed on Ewan and Phillip as he closed the library door. Ewan saw Phillip notice. ‘James is extremely displeased with my current marital situation,’ Ewan said. ‘More than usual.’

            ‘Indignant is the word I’d use,’ Phillip mused.

            ‘Yes, well, James is always priggish about these matters. But I was only following his advice to get married in the first place.’

            ‘Well, he was right about one thing. The old man will certainly be more comfortable. I assume your meeting with him went well.’

            ‘Yes, fine.’ Ewan stared off.

            ‘Penny for your thoughts.’

            ‘Hmm? Oh yes. Uh, tell me more about Lillianne’s therapy today.’ Ewan said, getting up and pouring the usual cognacs for he and Phillip.

            ‘Certainly, Ewan,’ Phillip replied, accepting the glass. ‘What would you like to know.’

            ‘Well, to start, was she receptive to treatment?’

            ‘Yes. Well, I have to have her restrained, as you know, just due to the nature of her illness.’ Ewan nodded. ‘Initially she was very … afflicted. However, I managed to get the situation in hand, as it were and, after quite some time, paroxysm was reached in a clinically appropriate manner.’ Phillip took a sip of his cognac and looked thoughtful. ‘It can be difficult to remain … professional.’

            ‘Meaning?’ Ewan asked, an eyebrow raised.

            ‘I mean, her reactions are compelling. I initially found myself quite caught up in them.’ Seeing Ewan’s face, he quickly added, ‘Of course, I got control of the situation immediately.’

            ‘She was out of control?’

            ‘Ewan, such is the nature of the beast with which we are dealing.’ Phillip leaned forward in his chair, looking earnestly at his friend. ‘Her nymphomania means that her passions control her. But she is not so afflicted that she cannot be reasoned with. I simply explained to her that, during her therapy, she must attempt to remain calm and dignified. The illness dictates that we have to bring about paroxysm so as to manage the daily symptoms. But she cannot thrash about, screaming and carrying on while I am attempting to help her. Then she certainly will be carried off to the asylum.’

            ‘And she heeded your advice?’

            ‘Eventually.’

‘Eventually?’

‘It took great time and effort, Ewan. I worked with her for about three hours this afternoon. Each time her illness took hold and she began to thrash and wail I sternly admonished her and began again.’

‘And this worked?’

‘To some degree,’ Phillip replied, looking down.

‘Phillip, please, this is my wife. Be plain with me,’ Ewan said.

‘Of course, I’m sorry, Ewan.’ Phillip rubbed is forehead. ‘To be honest, this is an area where not all experts agree. So I am proceeding with the best medical advice I can find.’ He drained his glass and continued. ‘We’d been working for three hours, as I’ve said. Each time I would progress with the healing portion of the massage, the illness would cause movement, vocalizations, and the like. But you mustn’t lose hope, Ewan. I really felt she was trying. At any rate, in the end, her paroxysm was quite violent, despite my patience and slow approach. She was finally able to control her screaming, limited that to panting and gasping, but, even restrained, there was thrashing. It appeared involuntary.’

Ewan was silent as he listened to the description of his wife’s therapy. What a difference between her reactions with Phillip and the sanctioned consummating that transpired between husband and wife after the therapy was complete. It was true, after Phillip’s work she was more like the dutiful wife that was appropriate for her status. She lay beneath Ewan and simply moaned and sighed quietly as he made love to her. It was perfect, really.

So then what was this feeling that was gnawing at him?

James sat on his narrow single bed in his butler’s quarters, frustrated. Enraged. Damn that Lillianne. He knew from the beginning there was something about that woman. Harlot! How could he have let the wedding proceed?

            So much for the quiet, conventional married life he’d envisioned for his master. Lillianne became part of the household and turned everything upside down. Now that ridiculous Phillip Samms was here! Ewan was more distracted and unavailable than ever. Samms and his preposterous treatments. Using Draper Estate like his own nefarious playground. How could Ewan not see he was simply a misogynistic ne’er-do-well that was reeking havoc and making a mockery of his private life?

            All James had ever wanted was success for Ewan Draper, his lord and master. That was his duty to his profession, his calling, as butler of Draper Estate. Helping his lord have an appropriate, respectable home life so that he was free to achieve greatness with Draper Industries was James’s ultimate goal. Couldn’t his lordship see that?

Damn! James pounded his fist on his bed, let out a frustrated sigh and lay back, closing his eyes. An image of Ewan and Phillip in the library as his master dismissed him flashed in his mind. He grimaced in frustration even as the familiar stirrings took hold. He tried to ignore it. But the more he battled against his feelings the more his body insisted.

No. I will not, he told himself.

Sitting up he adjusted himself so that he could go to the kitchen and get a knife.

‘Please, Doctor! PLEASE! Oh god!’ Ewan could hear the shrieking and pleading as he was coming down the hall.

            He felt a potent mix of horrifying guilt and pounding arousal. He was late. He hadn’t meant to be. There had been a mix up with a vendor for the mill, a problem only he could attend to. By the time he’d finished up he was two hours late for his session with Lilly.

            After those first few days under Phillip’s care she’d pleaded with Ewan to do something, to change her treatment. It was the justification Ewan needed.

Ewan could barely admit it to himself, didn’t want to think too long about what it meant, but he hadn’t been enjoying fucking his wife after her therapy, her limp body lifeless under him while he pumped his seed perfunctorily into her. Not when the memory of what her thrashing pulsing body had felt like lived in his head. Lilly’s unhappiness was the excuse he gave himself to tell Phillip that he now wanted to be present to oversee his wife’s therapy. Phillip had initially balked but Ewan insisted. As he explained to Phillip, he felt it was only practical that he eventually assume management of his wife’s affliction himself and how could he learn to do so unless he was privy to how it was managed. They eventually came to a compromise. Phillip could begin with some testing, research to better understand the limitations and parameters of Lilly’s body and how it was affected, as he explained to Ewan. But he would not begin treatment and definitely not bring about paroxysm until Ewan was present.

            Now Ewan was two hours late. He could only imagine, based on the desperate pleading emitting from the lab, what kind of testing Dr. Phillip Samms was conducting.