Ladies Who
Lunch
Lady Florence
Andrews was not really having a good day. The lunch event she had attended had
been one of the most boring two hours she had ever had to endure and now she
had unexpected visitors.
The Baroness
worked for a number of charities, and lived off the
allowance allowed by her family trust - but that allowed her to live very well,
and to dress with style. This particular day, she was
wearing white a fitted white jacket over a camisole top, and a long white dress
as well as white heels. A silver and diamond brooch was on her left chest, and
ruby earrings hung from her lobes, her dark hair styled short and slicked back.
All details
that had not escaped the attention of her unwanted visitors. The two men had
obviously done their homework they know her husband was away on business, that
she was alone in the mansion house save for the housekeeper and she was out for
the morning, and had not returned before she had. So she had made her way to
the library, and was selecting a book to read when things took a different
turn.
It was the
pressure against her back which was the first clue, as was the deep voice that
said “put the book back, Lady Andrews, and then turn round slowly, with your
hands in the air.”
As she placed
the book back, Florence was trying to process what was going on and then she
turned with her hands raised, and saw the two men standing there. They were
both wearing blue boiler suits and leather gloves, as well as black balaclavas
that covered their heads, only their eyes and lips showing.
“SO I presume
this is a robbery?”
“You presume
correctly,” the taller of the two men said as his partner drew a length of
brown rope from his pocket, and walked behind Florence.
“So if it is
not too much to know, what am I meant to call you Robber 1 and robber “?”
“I am A, my
friend is B,” the armed and masked man said as B pulled Florence’s hands behind
her back, and she felt the rope rubbing on her wrists as they were bound
tightly together.
“A and B in a
library? How poetic. So, what exactly are you planning to do?”
“Take your
jewellery for one thing,” B said as Florence felt him removing her rings and
watch, and then her earrings before A walked over and removed her brooch.
“And then, you
are going to show us “
“Sorry I am
late, Lady Andrews, but “
“OH no “
The new arrival
had long light brown hair, and was wearing a black jersey dress with a hem that
came to just above her knees, dark tights ad knee length black leather boots.
Florence looked at her and said “Agnes, I am so sorry “
“Ah the
redoubtable housekeeper, I recognise you now. B kindly secure her.”
“Kneel,” B said
as she walked to the hallway, Agnes slowly kneeling with her hands in the air
before he returned with a large canvas bag. Placing it on the floor, he removed
more ropes as she said “Lady Florence, have they hurt you?”
“No just do
what they say.”
“Remove your
jewellery, and place them next to you,” A said, Agnes removing her rings and
watch as well as the necklace that hung from her neck before her hands were
pulled behind her back, and she felt the rope rubbing on her wrists as they
were forced together.
“As I was
saying, your Ladyship,” A continued as B passed a longer rope round Agnes’ body
and forced her arms against her sides, “we will be taking you to your husband’s
office, and I expect you to instruct me on how to open his safe.”
“And if I told
you I did not know the combination?”
“I would know
you are lying. I would also say you have other people to consider - at least
one.”
Florence looked
at Agnes as B forced her to lie face down, and crossed her ankles before he
bound them tightly together, and then slowly nodded.
“I understand
but “
“Lady Florence,
I have the papers that you wished me to sing “
A and B looked at
each other as a tall, thin blonde walked in, wearing a pinstripe blouse with
the sleeves turned up to her elbows and a straight knee length black skirt. She
stared at the scene, screamed, and turned before running for the door.
“GET HER!”
Agnes turned
her head as she struggled on the floor, her legs secured and her ankles secured
to her back, as B stood up and ran to the door, grabbing the latest arrival and
clamping a gloved hand over her mouth as he carried her back, the blonde
struggling and trying to break free.
“Look at me,
girlie.”
As she looked
at A, she saw the gun in his gloved hand, and then saw him put it to Florence’s
head as he said “Calm down, stop struggling you don’t want yourself or her to
get hurt, do you?”
She stared at
Florence and Agnes; her eyes wide with fear as she shook her head.
“Right then,
stop struggling is this your secretary?”
“It is Oona,
please, they’re not going to hurt you. Just keep calm.”
Oona slowly
nodded as B walked her over to a chaise longue, and said “I’m going to ask you
to sit down, and put your hands on your lap and not a word, understand.” She
nodded as she was sat down, and then as B took the gun from A the other masked
man went to the bag and drew out a long rope, making a lasso.
“Please, you
don’t have to tie me up “
“Oona, we’re al in the same boat,” Agnes said as she struggled on the
floor. “I promise you, it’s not as bad as it looks.”
“But it looks
so bad “ Oona then gasped as A put the rope over her
head and down her body, forcing her arms against her sides as he pulled it
tight.
“Lie back,
relax I will be gentle.”
“Just take deep
breaths, Oona,” Florence said as she watched A bind her wrists together in
front of her, then take the rope down her legs in a spiral before he secured
her ankles together.
“Keep these two quiet, B.”
The other
masked man nodded as he took from the bag a roll of brown Elastoplast, tearing a
strip off and pressing it over Agnes’ mouth before he looked at Oona.
“Please, no, I’m
asthmatic “
“She is,”
Florence said. B nodded as he went back to the bag and took out a black scarf,
rolling it into a band before he cleave gagged the secretary, the band pulling
the corners of her mouth back.
“All right are
we expecting any more visitors, Your Ladyship?”
“I’m sorry, am
I interrupting something?”
“It would
appear I have another visitor,” Florence said with a sigh as she saw Dame
Margaret Brown walk into the room. The grey-haired woman was wearing a grey
denim jacket and skirt with a white blouse, a long green chiffon scarf wrapped
loosely round her neck, as well as grey suede heels and a bemused expression as
she walked into the room.
“Florence, are
these masked gentlemen robbing you?”
“I am afraid so
Margaret - and as you can see, they mean business.”
“A sign of
professionalism,” Margaret said as she looked at the two men. “So, I am not
going to resist. I presume one of you is going to search my bag, and the other
take my jewellery?”
“Not the first
time you have been robbed?”
“Not my first
rodeo, no,” Margaret said as she held her bag out, B walking over and taking it
as she removed her rings and earrings. Handing them to B, she looked at Agnes
and Oona, before she said “we are all in the same position, we will all get out
of this together, all right?”
As they both
nodded, she unwound her scarf, and then pulled it between her own lips,
wrapping it twice round her had as they all watched. She then walked over to A
and turned, putting her hands behind her back as she said “ghhndhuhrwhrst.”
“This is
different,” A had the grace to say before he took more ropes and secured
Margaret’s wrists together, and then forced her arms against her sides with two
bands of rope that framed her chest.
“Uhhrrghd.”
“I thank you
for the compliment,” A said as he tied the ropes off, and then helped her to
sit in an armchair as Florence said “Margaret, I need you to keep these two
younger ladies calm.”
“Whllbhtslhnsh,” Margaret said.
“I had the
worst lunch today but that’s a story for another day,” Florence said as A knelt
and bound Margaret’s ankles and legs together, before he took Florence by the
arm.
“Watch them,”
he said to B, the second masked man nodding as he walked Flornce out of the
room. Margaret twisted round, and then said “Jhshstrhrhhx.”
“Hwww “
“Dhntshtughl,” Margaret said, “Hpppwhlchm.”
“The
combination, if you please?”
Florence gave
out a string of numbers as A worked on the dial at the front of the metal safe,
and then smiled as the handle turned and he opened the door. Her arms were now
held against her sides with rope as well, as she sat on a wooden chair at the
desk.
As she twisted
round, A started to load the contents of the safe into a canvas bag rolls of
notes, jewels, and other items.
“So I presume
you are just going to leave us to get free?”
“A fair
assumption,” A said and then she stood behind Florence, a gloved hand over her
mouth as they both heard a female voice say “Lady Andrews? I’m Amy Hide from
the Bugle. We had agreed I could call to get an interview, but I just decided
to OH. Ah “
“I think this
is turning into quite a party.”
“Unfortunately,”
A said as he stood up and closed the door. “At least you can offer mutual
support if it is a quiet support.”
“What do you
mean ah, I see now “
“What the hell
that hurts,” Amy Hide said as B pulled the rope round her wrists, securing them
together behind her back. She was wearing a light beige coloured long skirt
that came to the floor, with a matching brocaded jacket and top, her long brown
hair falling over her shoulders. The other three could only watch as the latest
arrival had her arms bound to her sides, Margaret shaking her head as she
mumbled “hhlllwhrhhpphhbhnsh.”
“Is this a
robbery?”
“Ghhddshthrhhfhruh,” Agnes said as she looked over at Oona,
who was shaking as she lay on her back.
Amy stared at
her as she was directed to a second chaise longue, B making her lie down as he
secured her ankles together and her legs below her knees, the bands of rope
trapping er skit against her limbs.
“LADY FLORENCE!”
“Hllhhmhhh,” Florence said as A walked her in, sitting her
on an ornate wooden chair and then kneeling down as he
started to bind her ankles together, then took her legs to the side as he
secured her ankles to the front leg. He then bound her legs above her knees,
again trapping er skirt under the binding as he pulled it tighter.
“Are you
coping?”
Florence nodded
as she said “Thlltheshtrhrhlhthr,” the brown fabric
over her mouth rippling as the mumbled sounds came out.
“Well, I guess
I have some time to consider my questions,” Amy said, Florence nodding as the
brown sticking plaster was pressed down over the reporter’s mouth.
“Ladies, we
thank you for your cooperation,” A said as he looked around the room, “enjoy
the rest of your afternoon.”
“Whfhfhahchsh?”
“No, you don’t,”
B said as he checked the ropes, and then the two men left the room, Florence
looking round as she said “Whll, hrrhwhhrrr?”
Looking at Oona, she said “uhhlrht?”
“Nhhhbhtthlshttchlhm,”
“Ghhddd,” she said as she watched Agnes struggling on the
floor, the sweat on her face for all to see. She then looked at Margaret, the
scarf now much darker at the corners of her mouth as it soaked up the saliva.
“Howowlhnnhhh?”
“Fhrhrrsss “
“Florence?
Where are you?”
As her husband
walked into the room, he dropped his briefcase to the floor at the sight of the
four bound and gagged women, then ran over to where Florence was sitting and
peeled the brown fabric away from her mouth.
“Thanks call
the police, then get us free .”
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