Matilda was sitting in the same chair wearing a red kaftan , her hair was scraped back and covered with a turban in the same red. She was sipping a dry martini with a green olive . The door opened and she slowly raised her eyes from the glass.
“Come slave, I don’t bite. I have been reviewing my strategy . It’s not often I am beaten at chess. You present me with a challenge and I like that . Sit. Why such a somber face slave?”
“I’m sorry mistress, my mind has been somewhat distracted lately.”
“Would you care to enlighten me slave? I’m not one to pry , a simple no will suffice and I will not mention it again”
He looked at her, she was not at all pleasing to the eye, but every so often, in the right light, it was quite apparent that she had once been a woman of great beauty. But beside that he had become very fond of her and knew that in spite of her pretentious vanity she was a very wise and placating old woman . He felt that if he shared his troubled mind she may well sooth his smouldering anger. He told Matilda his sorry tale, leaving nothing out , even though in doing so it portrayed him in a very desperate and pathetic light, but Matilda took that in her stride, when all was said and done he was after all a mere slave.
Matilda was silent for some time . He began to think all her thoughts were concentrated on the chess board . When she eventually spoke he was surprised to note that her voice held an element of compassion .
“Do you trust me slave?”
The question took him by surprise, but he had no hesitation in his answer.
“Yes mistress, I trust you implicitly ”
” good . Then slave you will go home , pack a bag and return here . From this moment you belong to me. No questions , am I clear?”
“Yes mistress, absolutely .”
Sofia was quite surprised to receive the phone call . It had been many years since Matilda had held one of her soirées. They had always been the talk of the town and she was pleased and excited to have been invited , but she was intrigued to know what could have prompted Matilda to come out of her seclusion