As ever, many thanks to my wonderful editor, James, for making my words into something far more readable. Thanks also to Fembotheather, Andy McCluskey and “Mary” for their inspiration.
Of An Innocence Divine—Chapter 3
1927—New York
“So exactly how long have you been doing this of your own free will?” the boss asked her.
Lucy grinned. “Oh, not that long; about 6 weeks or so I guess. Why?” she asked coyly.
He laughed, “Well, just in case we have any more long term staff, we need to know exactly when to change their earrings. They won’t all be as obliging as you when they come to! But why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because, as I said to Andrew, I was quite enjoying the new-style me. Life was fun, I had a good job, it wasn’t interfering with college, so why bring it all to an end? And, it has to be said, the two of you sure are good in bed!” and she winked at them.
“What happened to you? Margaret described you as the ‘Divine Innocence’ when you first arrived in America.”
Lucy laughed, “And I guess she was right; I was, back then. But, being over here, seeing the whole roaring-twenties thing, and how free the flapper girls seemed to be, well, I decided I wanted some of that for myself. Oh, and work here probably helped on that front as well!”
“So now?”
“I’d like a new contract. More importantly, I want a new pair of earrings as well, and a session of whatever made me so obedient in the first place, if you think I need it. Andrew said something about setting it up so I can enjoy the sex a lot more than before, though. I hope that’s right!”
“It is.”
“Then shall we get started?” Lucy asked firmly.
“Why not?”
[A few months later]
“So Andrew, I assume you’ve heard that a new club is opening up-state, in Albany?”
“Yes, I had. Is that why you’ve called me in?”
“It is. We’ve all been impressed with your work here, we want you to be the new manager there. How does that sound?”
“Very flattering, sir, but, if I’ve any choice, I’d rather not.”
His eyebrows rose: “May I ask why?”
“Of course, sir; it’s just that, since Lucy decided to stay on here, well, we’ve been seeing more of each other outside of work hours. And, to be honest, I’d rather be here as your assistant, and continue to be with her, than to be the manager in Albany without her.”
“Thank you for your honesty. But yes, it had been noted that you two had been spending more time together. I have to ask though, is this her free choice, or something you programmed into her?”
Andrew laughed, “Her own choice, I wouldn’t want it any other way now.”
The boss laughed back, “I thought that might be the case with you! So alright: she’s intelligent, is a hard worker, and is seemingly the love of your life. So, if we offered her the assistant manager job in Albany, would you take it then?”
“Yes. But is that just to get me to take the job, or do you think she really deserves it?”
“She’s probably up to the task anyway, but I’m sure you can ensure she is. In all honesty, she’d have probably gotten your job here, if she wasn’t going with you. So?”
“Can we talk it over, Sir?”
“Of course you can; just let me know soon.”
“I will, and thank you.”
“My pleasure.”
1928
“Long distance call for you, Mr Sutherland: a Miss Odell from Los Angeles. Do you want to take it?”
“No, Lulu, I’ll leave it. Hang on, did you say Odell? Margaret Odell?”
“The operator didn’t give me a Christian name, sir. Why?”
“Oh, just wondering,” he said with a laugh. “Put her through.”
“Well, hello, long time since we talked.” purred a familiar voice.
“Margaret! Such a delight to here from you. How are things in Hollywood? A decent career, from what I’ve heard.”
“Not bad, not bad, though these film producers can be demanding at times — so much so that I’ve not signed the new contract with them. George and I are heading for Germany soon, to make a film over there for some guy. Not that I know much about the film, but the money offered is good, so ...”
“Yes, you two have made the papers back east as well, but I suspect that was always the plan. How is Pamela, by the way?”
“As if, sweetheart! But yes, that hasn’t done my standing any harm, it must be said. And Pamela is fine; she hasn’t exactly lacked for male — or indeed female — company over the years. She’s been doing support parts in films as well, but is planning to head back east with me now. That’s actually what I was ringing about.”
“Oh?”
“Well, she doesn’t want to travel across to Europe with me, besides which, I think George suspects something goes on between the two of us when we are left together. As if ...” she added, trying to sound innocent. “So he’d rather she didn’t come with us, and as he pays some of our expenses, I don’t like to upset him. So I was wondering ...?”
“Yes.”
“Well, Eddie, I was just wondering if you still had any influence on Broadway, and could get her a chorus line part, at least? If not, is there any role she could fill at the club? Lets face it, she knows what she’s getting into with Andrew’s special jewelry by now, and doesn’t mind its effects in the slightest.”
“I could manage either, to be honest. I have more than enough friends down there to get her a good dancing role, assuming she’s still up to the task.”
“Oh, don’t worry Eddie. I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t know she was still up to it.” Margaret purred.
“Leave it with me. I’ll sort something for her. Do you need somewhere for her to stay?”
“Yes, she’ll need that. I was thinking the apartment at your place. I imagine the ‘Divine Innocence,’ Lucienne, went back to France after college, so I assume that’s free. I presume you let her go?”
“It’s free, and available, but no, Lucienne didn’t go back to France. We opened a new club in Albany last year. Andrew went up there to run it for us. Lucienne went with him as his deputy, quite willingly, in fact.”
“How do you define “willingly” in this case?”
“Very. It seems the transmitters only have a power life of about two years, Lucienne went beyond that period of time, but enjoyed the experience, and only told us so a few months later, once she’d graduated.”
“You are joking!”
“Not in the slightest. In fact, she and Andrew grew, err, quite close after the disclosure — not that they weren’t close before then, in all honesty — but I assumed that was just the control she was under. Seems it wasn’t! He actually only agreed to take the position when we told him Lucy could go with him!”
“Well, well! Sly devil!”
“Indeed. Actually got a telegram from him yesterday, telling me that her time as Miss Garnier may be limited: it seems that sometime soon she will become Mrs. Humphries. He proposed, and she accepted his offer of marriage, and with her own free will, before you ask. Though I do gather they still use the special jewelry on her from time to time.”
“Never thought she had it in her. I must pass the news on to Pamela, assuming she hasn’t heard it from her family yet.”
“So when are you due back here?”
“Leaving on the Los Angeles Limited in three days’ time, so just over a week until we get back there. George is meeting us in town; I’ll bring him over to meet you. He’s booking me into a hotel while I’m there, but, if you can have the place ready for Pamela when we get there, it would be appreciated. She might not spend all her time there until we sail, but she needs an official base, if only to keep George off the scent of what we might get up to. OK?”
“Fine, consider it sorted.”
“See you soon then, Eddie.” and she put the phone down.
He picked up the phone, and spoke to his assistant: “Lulu, can you come through a moment?”
“Yes sir.” and her head appeared around the edge of the door.
“I need you to arrange to get the back apartment ready. It seems we have a new lodger for there, and, as it hasn’t been used since Miss Garnier left, it probably needs a good clean up. I also need a contract drawn up accordingly, though it will be as informal as the one Miss Garnier held.”
“I will get that arranged, Mr. Sutherland. In what name do I draw up the contract?”
“Pamela Hoyt, if you please.”
“Anything else, Mr. Sutherland?”
“Yes, find out which theatres on Broadway are searching for chorus line dancers — preferably ones I have some influence with!”
“Yes, sir, I’ll do that for you.” and she hurried back out of the office.
He laughed to himself, “It will be nice having Mrs. Odell to stay for a while, even if officially she is still Miss Hoyt! If only George knew ...!”
1930, Albany
Pamela had to admit it: the bride looked absolutely radiant, even if the wearing of white was purely for show, given that she was by now three months pregnant. The bulge didn’t yet really show, and her family, who had all came across from France, didn’t seem to mind, either. It was certainly nice to see her brother again, though she did wish that Margaret had caught the same ship home for the event. She wasn’t strictly family, but, at the same time ...
She was, however, in the middle of making a film, but promised Pamela that she planned to come back in the next year or two, and get back together, just like old times. She still enjoyed George’s company, but, at the same time, she definitely missed Pamela.
Finally Pamela managed to catch up with Andrew, and greeted him. “So, the plan to get yourself a good, obedient wife worked out, then?” she asked, roaring with laughter. “Yes, I know the official line. But, all the same, many congratulations to both of you.”
Andrew looked across at Lucy, “Well, I might have had some help at the start, but all this came about through Lucienne’s free choice. That’s not to say she doesn’t like me using the earrings on her, even now, from time to time.”
Lucy just blushed.
“Yes, its fun to have him control me from time to time, however shocking that may sound.”
“Oh believe me, dear cousin, I know exactly what you mean. It is fun, and I should know, shouldn’t I, Andrew?”
“Indeed you do Pamela, you and Margaret were our willing guinea pigs when we needed to try out the technology six or seven years ago now. Both Edward and I quite enjoyed that experience.”
“Mind, we quite enjoyed it too!” replied Pamela with a grin.
1932, New York
“Oh yes, Pamela, oh yes!” panted Margaret as Pamela licked her to yet another strong orgasm.
“Thank you, Mistress.” replied Pamela happily.
“Oh please, take those earrings out, and return this to a good, healthy sexual relationship. Or switch the transmitter off at least.”
Pamela did as commanded, and burst into a fit of giggles.
“Alright; but it’s fun playing that way from time to time, especially for me. Not certain George would approve, though.” she said.
“I’m sure he wouldn’t, though I’m told there are men that enjoy seeing two women hitting it off like that. But me, I like keeping it private. It’s fair to say George is my public lover, and you, my dear, are my private one. I don’t mind some scandal, but, at the same time ...” and Margaret winked at her.
“Sounds like a good relationship to me.” replied Pamela, “And besides, I have James as well, so ...”
1935
“I think I want some privacy in my life. How about we follow Lucy’s lead, and move upstate a bit? Somewhere slightly cheaper might be good, now George is no longer sponsoring our lifestyle”
“Albany?” Pamela asked.
“Heavens no, I want to give the Divine Innocence some space of her own, not that I’m sure how innocent a mother of two children can be anyway!” Margaret said, laughing.
“Where, then?”
“Rochester maybe. Not too far from her, or your family, but far enough that they aren’t on our doorsteps. Rent is much cheaper, and Eddie tells me the lifestyle is quite pleasant up there too, and that he can find us somewhere nice.”
“Yes, he moved up there when Prohibition ended, didn’t he?”
“That’s right; went and married his secretary, Lulu, and found a big house up there to live in. As he said, he could have carried on running a legitimate club, but, as he also said, it wouldn’t have given him the same buzz doing so. Earned himself some senior management role at Eastman-Kodak — by fair means or foul, I wouldn’t like to say!” Then she added, “I also wouldn’t want to know how much choice Lulu was given about marrying him!”
“I’m sure she’s happy, either way!” replied Pamela, laughing.
Margaret and Pamela continued to have a good social life up to the US entry into World War Two, though by then both had retired from both dancing and the movie industry. After that, they happily ‘shared a house’ until 1977, when Pamela died peacefully. As far as the neighbours knew, they were two women who liked each others’ company, and nothing more. Of course, what went on behind closed doors that the neighbours didn’t know about ... Margaret continued to live there until her own death in 1985, from a heart attack in her sleep.
Andrew and Lucienne also stayed together for a long time, just reaching their 50th wedding anniversary before Andrew died. In all they had five children, and, in good time, many grandchildren as well. But for those mind controlling earrings, and other jewelry, well, they would probably never have even got together in the first place! Lucienne probably would have gone back to France, and, as Margaret would probably have delicately put it, “Became a nun!”
The two couples, along with Eddie and Lulu, all met up from time to time over the years.
1991
Lucienne was resting peacefully in a comfortable chair, her extended family all around her. One of her grandchildren switched on MTV, and a pop video appeared, by a band she’d certainly never heard of, but her grandchild clearly had, and was a fan of, as well.
It was only when she saw who was featured in the video that she smiled inwardly to herself.
“Well, well, who would ever have believed it? Margaret, you’re a star in a pop video. I wonder what you would have said about that if you were still alive today?”