Michel was sitting in the Kitchen of the Cottage when Delphine returned from Totnes.

“Did she get the train ok?”

“Yes. We had plenty of time. In fact, we need not have rushed so much because it was five minutes late,” replied Delphine.

“This letter was in the post yesterday,” he said holding a letter.
"Oh sorry. There was one addressed to you. I clean forgot about them all what with being Verity here."
Michel handed her the letter.

“This is from the bank telling me that my account name has been changed,” said Delphine after she'd opened the envelope.

"That's what I sort of expected. Letters from banks are pretty easy to spot.
Michel then held up another letter.
“The other one concerns both of us.”

He showed it to Delphine. She really didn’t want to look at it in case it was bad news.

“It won’t bite you. It is good news, very good news indeed,” said Michel sensing her reluctance.

“Why don’t you tell me then?” replied Delphine with her eyes closed.

Michel took her hands in his.

“How does a week on Friday sound?”

“Sound for what?”

"Getting married of course. Don't you remember, we applied to the Torbay Register Office. They had a cancellation and can fit us in at three in the afternoon."

Delphine opened her eyes.
“Really?”

“Yes, really my darling.”

“But… how can I be ready in time?”

Michel laughed.
“Typical woman. Only thinking about herself. I have a part to play as well you know?”

“Sorry.”

“That’s all right. I was only joking. I know that weddings are more focussed on the bride. We don’t want much do we? Just a few people and then go somewhere nice afterwards for a meal.”

The part of Delphine that had regressed to a teenager was shouting to her, ‘Bigger and Better than anyone else’. The older wiser part was telling her in a calm, collective voice, ‘keep it simple stupid. There is less to go wrong given the short amount of time there is before the big day’.

The older, wiser part of her personality won the day.

“You are right. All we need is a few close friends plus Gabrielle naturally and keep it low key.”

"I understand that there is a great place in Exeter that hires out Wedding Dresses."

Delphine looked shocked.
"If you think that I'm going to get married in someone else's dress then you have another thing coming. I'll buy a new outfit. What about you? The suits that you have in the wardrobe are a bit past it from a user point of view and style for a wedding, even one as low key as ours.”

"I'll hire a suit. Nothing fancy. There really is not much of a need for one here is there?"

"Hey! Speak for yourself. I like dressing up. Back in London, being on my own I never really had the opportunity. Now with a hunky tanned French dude on my arm? No way am I going to not want to be wined and dined on a very regular basis."

Michel was slightly shocked by the directness on Delphine’s rebuttal.

“You will buy a new suit. Then you can get rid of those old ones. I don’t want to take them up to the new house ok?”

He realised that there were some things where Delphine was willing to accept his way of doing things without question but, when it came to her wedding, she was not moving even a fraction of an inch.

“How about I hire a suit and then get one made to measure? Then I know that it will fit me properly.”

“Fine but I’m holding you to that.”

Michel smiled. The ‘rock’ had spoken. He had been put in his place.

As he looked at the woman sitting opposite him he knew that she was quite fragile when it came to her daughters and would be until they too were put in their place once and for all.

“What became of the little mouse that first came here?”

“She grew up and became a big cat!”

Both of them laughed and fell into each other’s arms. Then they kissed.

“Who are we going to invite? Apart from Gabrielle that is?”

“Maxine and Verity?”

“That will give us enough witnesses.”

“What about rings?”

“I have mine, don’t I?” teased Delphine.

“I hardly think it is appropriate for being put on at the registry office. Then there is the little matter of the Mental Health examination. It would not do to arrive wearing that. Remember, we have to appear to be a very normal and slightly boring couple at least for a while don’t we.”

Delphine grinned.
"That would definitely make the registrar's day wouldn't it?"

"It would but you aren't a twenty-something. I'd like to be the one to put it on you in our new home at the appropriate time. A sort of christening present.”

“Is that the only present?”

Michel remained expressionless.

“I really don’t know what you mean?”

“Don’t give me that. I can read you like a book,” said Delphine.

"Yes, Boss."

“Yes, I have something in mind but I want it to be a surprise for when we move up there. In the interim, just be normal eh?”

“Spoilsport?”

“Appearances mean a lot. What if somehow your daughters got wind of the wedding and crashed it? Putting a collar on you would make them explode on the spot.”

Delphine responded with a really evil grin.
“That would solve my problem with them in a flash wouldn’t it?”

“Sometimes my dear Delphine, you are just evil. As I asked earlier, what happened to that sweet little mouse that came here with Maxine?”

“That mouse turned into a sweet lovable person who just happens to have a lot of unfulfilled desires. Is that so wrong?”

“No, my dear, it isn’t so wrong but some of those desires are hardly… shall we say mainstream, now are they?”

“Then it is just as well that we have a nice little hideaway then isn’t it? Then if I want to wander around virtually naked I can, can’t I?”

“That I will have to see…”

“In time my dear, in time.”

“Where will we have a meal? Torquay is not exactly our sort of place. Even Paignton is far too touristy at this time of year.” said Michel changing the subject.

“I’d suggest the Bistro in Dartmouth but they are closed at the moment. There was a burst water main outside last week and it flooded the cellar.”

Delphine knew the place that Michel was talking about. It was run by a team of young women. Michel supplied them with Herbs and Duck Eggs every week.

“Maxine will probably suggest the Hotel or the Pub down in the village. The one that she part-owns. That's not bad but… I’d like to go somewhere special. It is a special day after all?” said Michel continuing to outline some possibilities for their wedding lunch.

Delphine thought for a few moments.

“When I was travelling around with Maxine, she took me to this really great pub on Dartmoor. They served this Devon Lamb. It melted in the mouth.”

“The Pub?”

“No, the Lamb.”

“She said that it was all organic and the animals lived out on the moor. Stuff like that.”

“I think I know the place you are on about.”

“Well?”

"I'll see about booking a table for five then. If the ceremony is at three then it will be about half-past four to five before we get up onto the moor."

“Off you go then?”

“What are you going to do in the meantime?”

“You do want to eat something other than bread and cheese, tonight don’t you?”

Michel gave Delphine an affectionate kiss before going outside to make the call.

---

Delphine went off to Exeter by train two days later in search of something to wear for the ceremony. Michel went the other way to Plymouth to arrange to hire a suit. Neither of them wanted the other one to see what they'd be wearing. If an outsider listened in on the conversation they'd had over breakfast that morning, they come away thinking that there were two children trying to outdo each other. In reality, this was all part of the games they played that made their life together far more enjoyable.

When they met back at Totnes station upon the return from their shopping trips, Delphine was noticeably circumspect as to the success or failure of her trip. Michel on the other hand had arranged for the rental of a suit and had been measured for a new suit. He'd even bought some new shoes.

Delphine laughed.
“I look forward to seeing you wearing them in around the smallholding!”

Michel gave her a dirty look.

“What are you going to wear then?”

“All in hand my dear, all in hand.”

“Whose hand would that be then?”

“Gabrielle’s actually.”

“You called her?”

“Yes, and it was just as well that I did. You hadn’t.”

Michel looked a bit guilty.
“It didn’t feel right telling my daughter that ‘Papa is getting married again’. What did she say?”

“Yes.”

"Yes? Is that all? Should she have said more?"

Michel glared at Delphine.

“Oh, for heavens, sake woman! Stop playing with me… What did she really say?”

“I’ll tell you when we get home. I’m getting rather hungry and it is your turn to cook tonight…”

Michel glared at Delphine. Then he laughed.
Once again, he mentally thanked Maxine for bringing this crazy mad woman into his life.

---

Michel put the last of the dishes away from their evening meal. Delphine had done the washing up and he’d dried everything and put it away.

“Right my irritating companion, what did my daughter say when you phoned her. And, don’t just say ‘yes’.”

Delphine pushed Michel towards the rather beaten up sofa that was on the far side of the kitchen. He knew what she wanted. He also knew that when she was satisfied, she’d tell him all he wanted to know. As he collapsed onto the couch, he wondered what he’d deserved to be so much in love with this nymphomaniac.

The springy couch had become one of their favourite places to have sex. Delphine would bounce up and down on him adding to the pleasure that both of them got from the coupling.

Delphine came a few bounces before Michel. With him still inside her, she collapsed on top of him. Her vaginal muscles contracted around his penis keeping it right where she wanted it to be.

After some extended kissing, she buried her head on his shoulder.

“Gabrielle said Yes after laughing her head off and saying, ‘about time too’. She approves so you need not have been nervous about calling her. When I was in Paris, she grilled me about my intentions towards you. I told her that I was in ‘Truly Madly Deeply’ in love with you and that I didn’t want to be with anyone else.”

“Is that all?”

“There is more.”

He didn't get a chance to ask as she kissed him again. Her vaginal muscles started to work on him as well.

“That feels so nice,” said Delphine when she broke off the kiss.

“I’m so glad to be of service but what did my daughter say apart from giving us her approval?”

“She also said that she would be coming to the wedding.”

Delphine felt Michel relax. All the tension that was in his body disappeared in a few seconds.

“She also said that she would be bringing someone with her. I pressed her as to who it was but she didn’t want to say much over the phone. From the noise going on in the background, I guessed that she was at work so I didn’t press her too much. I got the impression that she was slightly embarrassed about telling anyone about the person she was in a relationship with. She wasn’t in one when I was with her so my guess is that it is a relatively new thing.”

“You got no idea as to who it was?”

“Absolutely none but you know your daughter better than me. She keeps her company very close to her chest or at least that was the impression I got from my time with her.”

“I think you are right as usual my darling.”

“We’ll have to wait and see won’t we eh?”

“Are you going to let me go?”

Delphine looked at him with amazement.

“Down there?” he replied looking down.

She grinned.
“Don’t you like being inside lickle me?”

He kissed her to shut her up.

She relaxed her muscles and he was free.

Michel disappeared towards the toilet.
Delphine thought… ‘Men…!’.

Later that night when they were cuddled together in bed Michel whispered,
“You are getting a lot more control when we have sex. I like that.”

“Thank you my darling, happy to be of service.”

He fell asleep wondering exactly who was serving whom. It wasn’t as if he was worrying. To be able to have sex virtually on-demand with a willing partner would be the wet dream of many men his age and younger.

---

“When did Gabrielle say that they’d be here?” asked Michel as he glanced at the clock for the umpteenth time that morning.

It was two days before their wedding and he was getting nervous. Delphine on the other hand was very much more assured. She had constructed a comprehensive mental timetable for the whole event in her mind and so far, it was going very much according to plan. Gabrielle would be bringing Delphine’s dress for the big day with her from Paris. Her trip to Exeter the previous week had proved to be a fruitless exercise when it came for something to be married in. She had bought an outfit for later in the day. As far as she knew, Michel thought that it was that outfit that she was going to be married in. The phone call she’d made to Paris had spurred Gabrielle to seek out a particular dress for her soon to be step-mother.

“Her text said that they were leaving Portsmouth. That was more than three hours ago. Given the traffic around Southampton and Winchester at that time of the morning, I’d expect them to be here within the hour. Stop fretting my love. If she has run into problems then we’d be the first to know.”

“It is all right for you. She’s my only family for thousands of miles.”

“And I wish mine were stranded in the middle of the Gobi Desert right now. Then I’d be sure that they could not crash the wedding.”

Michel had tried many times to be mad at this crazy madwoman who had come into his life and turned it upside down, inside out. Every time he realised that he was so lucky that their paths had met when they did. The last weeks had been a real rollercoaster and one that he really didn't want to get off at least for the foreseeable future.

He knew that his life without Vivienne and now Delphine at his side would be very boring indeed. He was happier than he’d been at any time since before his first wife had died. There was no way that he was going to let her be taken away from him without a fight, a hell of a fight if it came to that.

---

As it turned out, Gabrielle didn't arrive until after 1 pm.

“We were starting to get worried about you,” said Michel as he greeted his daughter.
“Where is your guest?”

"Hello, Papa. Nice to see you again," said his daughter.
Behind Michel's back, Delphine was having a hard time stopping herself from laughing. As soon as she saw Gabrielle getting out of the car, she knew that she was different from before.

"Hello, my daughter. Where is he?"

“He is in Totnes making sure that our Hotel is right for the next few nights.”

She turned to Delphine.

“Why don’t you go into Totnes? You will know him when you see him. He has something for you, an early wedding present.”

Michel looked bemused.

“Nothing for you to worry about Papa. We have it all under control,” she said as she wrapped her arm in his.

He resigned himself to playing second fiddle to the two very important women in his life for the next few days. It was very little different from his last marriage apart from the mothers of the bride and groom being at war with each other about who had done the most to make it a success. His mother was not happy at him getting married again especially when he told her again that he would not be moving to Reunion to look after her. His Father’s family all came from the island and were constantly fussing over her which made him happy. His mind briefly turned to when all the problems with Delphine's daughters were finally resolved once and for good and he could take his bride to meet his mother.

His day-dreaming was ended when Delphine said,
"I'll leave you two alone for some quality father-daughter time. Don't forget that you are cooking tonight and it is for FOUR people."

“I know my dear. I didn’t go off at the crack of dawn yesterday to get the fish off the boat for nothing.”

“What are we having?” asked Gabrielle.

“Langoustines for starter and then Turbot. All caught in the sea not far from here. Delphine here has been telling me for days how not to cook it.”

He raised his eyebrows.
“As if a true-blooded Frenchman who spent a lot of his childhood living right next to the Indian Ocean does not know how to cook such a nice fish eh?”

Gabrielle laughed.

“I’ll lend a hand so Delphine, get yourself off to Totnes. He’s at the same hotel that you stayed in before."

Delphine gave Michel a goodbye kiss and left them alone.

---

Delphine walked into the foyer of the Hotel. For an instant, she could not believe who was waiting for her.

“Monsieur Henri?”

“Oui. That is me.”

“You are with Gabrielle?”

“Oui. Yes. We were actually what you call ‘dating’ for a little more than one month before you came to visit.”

Suddenly, a few things clicked into place in Delphine’s mind. Gabrielle had known where Henri’s shop was and had warned him. That’s why he was able to see them without delay. He knew that Vivienne was coming to buy a corset. She remembered Gabrielle making a phone call late the previous night. It must have been to Henri.

“I feel such a fool,” said Delphine.

"Non, my friend. We weren't really were a couple at that time. We had gone to dinner a few times. I met Gabrielle at the previous fashion week and we had worked well together. After your visit, we became… lovers.”

“And you got her to wear a corset? Oui?”

Henri smiled.

“She is just two weeks into her training. You, are far more advanced.”

“As you said, it is part of me now. I feel totally naked and exposed without it on.”

Henri smiled.

“Let us go to our room. I have your dress and… a new corset for you. A proper one.”

Delphine felt all excited inside as they walked towards the stairs and Henri’s room.

As she entered the room, her dress was right in front of her on a hangar that was draped over the curtain pole of one of the two windows in the room.

She let out a little gasp.

“That is perfect.”

“It took Gabrielle a bit of time to track it down but thanks to the cutting that you kept she eventually found the designer who made it. I have my sewing machine here so that I can make any adjustments.”

Delphine was anxious to try it on so she started to undress.

“Madam, I have a wedding present for you. Your first proper corset,” said Henri as he moved the dress to one side to reveal her new corset.

“I hope you like it.”

Delphine almost didn't want to touch it. The red silk with small flowers that were neatly embroidered on made it a work of art in her mind.

“It… it is beautiful.”

"Gabrielle gave me your latest measurements and I did the rest. It will be tight and stiff, to begin with like the other one."

“And in time it will mould itself to my body,” said Delphine smiling.
“I remember your words very well. This one is like an old friend now but…”

She turned around.
“See for yourself.”

Henri could see that in the waist, the corset was fully closed.

“You have done very well indeed. Gabrielle said that you were a determined lady and this is proof Non?”

“Thank you for the compliment,” said Delphine as she started to undo the lacing of her existing corset.

“Breathe out,” said Henri for the at least the tenth time.

As Delphine did so, he tightened the lacing a bit more.

“That will do for now,” as he looped the laces around her waist and tied them off.

“I feel as if I can never bend over again,” complained Delphine.

“That is because it is new and your body is fighting it. In a week, you will wonder what all the fuss was.”

“I hope so.”
“Can I try the dress on now?”

Henri smiled and took it off the hangar.

“What do you think?” he asked as Delphine looked at herself in the mirror.

“The waist needs to come in a bit and I need at least one more petticoat. Not too stiff but just to give it a bit more volume.”

She did a twirl.

“I think you are right. Gabrielle has several in her suitcase. Let me get them for you to try.”

As Henri opened her suitcase, Delphine asked.

“Are you serious about Gabrielle?”

“Oui. I have asked her to be my wife and to work with me in the business.”

“But, what about her company?”

“She will sell it to a competitor. That will not be a problem.”

His voice did not sound that convincing.

“You have doubts?”

“About wanting to marry her? Absolutement. No doubts at all. She has refused until she is properly trained.”

Delphine knew exactly what he meant.
“Which may take years?”

He nodded his head.
“I should have a word with her perhaps?”
“She is envious of you. She won’t say it but she is.”

“Why? I’m just a crazy old woman who is trying to live out a few of her fantasies.”

“Exactament. Part of her wants to do the same as you but she has an apartment in a fashionable part of Paris.”

“I understand,” said Delphine as she removed the dress.
"I would have had the same opinion until a few years ago. A short time ago, I came into more money than I knew what to do with. I gave most of it away to charity. What I never had I cannot miss but Gabrielle needs some security in case things between you go wrong. Do you agree?”

“Delphine, you are a woman of great wisdom.”

Delphine laughed as much as the corset would allow. Her laugher was enough to jiggle one of her breasts out of the just under half a cup that the corset had built into its body.

“Would you like me to make that impossible?” said Henri as he saw Delphine tuck the errant breast back in place.”

“How?”

“As you have your nipples pierced I could add a pin that runs from here to here through your piercing?”

“Please Henri,” said Delphine. Her heart had started pounding a bit more than normal.

“Then please let me undo your laces. I will spend the rest of the afternoon making the adjustments. If someone could collect me at six then it will be ready and we can go to Dinner. I understand that Michel is cooking?”

“He is and when he puts his mind to it, he is a very good cook.”

“He should be. He started training as a chef before he changed course and studied English and then he came to London.”

“Oh! I didn’t know,” said Delphine trying to avoid going red in the face with embarrassment. All those times when she’d chided Michel about his apparent lack of skill as a cook would come back to haunt her for a long time to come.

“He first met his late wife in Paris. Then, they ran into each other on the London Metro some years later and were married two months later.”

“Thank you, Henri. I will not mention it to him unless he brings it up himself.”

“Madam, what did I say about you being a wise person?”

[to be continued]