Therese returned with another bottle of wine and the album Gerard had requested. She placed the wine in the cooler standing beside the table and handed the album to Gerard, but he said, “No. Give it to Mademoiselle. I think she might be interested in seeing it.
Each girl who came to Roissy – whether as a personal slave or one of the free prostitutes had her photograph taken – in fact several photos – for the ‘Album’ as it was called. Each girl had a ‘page’ in the album with a photo of her face and one or two others showing her figure, partially unclothed or more likely completely nude. Most of the photos were in relatively good taste, but some were quite obscene.
As Gerard had directed, Therese placed the Album beside Anais without saying a word. Then she retreated to the other side of the restaurant where two more guests had just been seated. “Go ahead, open it and look,” said Gerard to the young woman sitting across from him.
Anais opened the book. There on the first page in four languages were the words: “Welcome to Chateau Roissy. Following are photos and text about our slaves. If you wish one to be your companion, just ask. She will not refuse.” After reading this, she looked over at Gerard and said, “It refers to slaves. Are the women here really slaves?”
Gerard replied, “No, of course not in the sense you mean. No woman is being held here against her will. All the women here came willingly.”
Hearing this, Anais thumbed the pages. Suddenly she stopped at one page. “Why, there is the woman waiting on us. She is quite pretty.” She looked at the nude photo of Therese below the headshot and continued, “And has a great figure for a woman her age.”
Gerard replied, “All the women here keep physically fit.”
Anais turned the page from Therese and said, “And there is the girl standing by her over there.” She read out loud, “Jeanne, personal slave of Louis Valmont-Waingro. What is a personal slave?”
Gerard said, “Let’s ask them.” And he waved for Therese and Jeanne to come over to the table. They approached and Gerard said, “Jeanne, Mademoiselle has a question for you.”
Jeanne replied, “Of course, Sir. What is it?”
Anais looked at Jeanne through eyes slightly glazed from the wine and asked, “Why are you listed as a personal slave and your companion is not considered as such?”
Jeanne replied, “I belong to my lover,” She paused and began again, “My Master. Poor Therese does not belong to anyone.” Hearing this, Therese shot her companion a dirty look. But to herself, she thought, "Thank God! I belong to no man."
“Yet, you both came here willingly?” said Anais.
“Yes, of course,” replied Jeanne and Therese in unison.
Anais looked down again at Jeanne’s page in the Album. She looked up and said to Jeanne. “That ‘thing’ at your sex – it looks like an instrument of torture.”
Jeanne smiled and replied, “It’s where my labia has been pierced.”
“A little at first, but it hurt way more when Anne Marie enlarged the initial hole, so that a larger, heavier ring could be inserted. One big enough to hang a medallion bearing the family crest from.”
“It looks heavy and like it hangs a third of the way down your thigh.”
Jeanne responded, “Yes it does. That way I am constantly aware of it.” She paused, then, “And that way I am reminded of who I belong to, especially when I see myself naked in a mirror.”
Anais took a big gulp of her wine, then suddenly closed the Album and turned to Gerard, saying, “I think I may have had too much to drink, and I really need to get back to study. Can we leave now?”
Gerard replied, “Are you sure?”
“Quite sure. Can we go now?”
Gerard, said, “Okay,” then looked at Therese and Jeanne and said, “Please put our lunch and wine on my brother’s tab.” Then he and Anais got up from the table and left the restaurant.
Jeanne and Therese watched the young couple leave. As they did so, Therese turned to her friend and said, “Maybe you scared that young girl into never coming back. I certainly hope so. She’s too young for all of this.”
She paused, then added, “Sorry bastard, he didn’t even leave a tip.”