A Cat Called Kat

Chapter Twenty-Seven - How much are you Worth

I threw some clothes on and, when I wandered out to join them, the two were chatting comfortably. I sat down at the table and, for a while, I concentrated on working my way through most of a delicious Sfogliatella. I was sort of vaguely aware of Guillia talking about going back to school. Apparently she wanted to concentrate on English and Italian for her High School Diploma.

"I've noticed that your English has got much better since we've been together," I told her.

"I guess I've just got used to speaking it," she replied. "I had to really because you're not speaking Italian."

Terri looked at her... and then she looked at me... and I could see she was about to do her 'collapsing with giggles' thing. "Oh yes..." I said to Guillia in my very best Italian... "I may not have been completely honest with you about that."

She looked at me... and started opening and closing her mouth... but no sound was coming out...

And, of course, that was too much for Terri. She just totally exploded.

"I'm not going to apologise because I was deceiving you for your own safety," I tried to tell her but it was a bit tricky to talk sensibly with my sister basically dissolving into a small puddle of helpless giggles. "I didn't want Slimeball to find out that I understood every word he was saying... but I didn't want to get you into trouble for deceiving him too."

I was trying to stay serious but then I caught my sister's eye and I did the complete 'collapsing with giggles' thing too.

Guillia tried to think about this seriously for a moment but of course she didn't have a chance and soon she was giggling along with Terri and me.

And, naturally, Master and Dr Nil chose that moment to arrive. The two of them just stood and studied us for a bit.

"Ah ha!" Master said at last, "I can see a young lady who's been missing her daily spankings!"

"But you can't!" Guillia exploded, her shock at the very idea overcoming her normal shyness. "She's second only to her sister in the Family!"

With a bit of a struggle, I managed to get myself back under control so I could explain. "Out there," I said, nodding to the low hedge that marked the boundary of my little private terrace, "you are quite right and if he laid a finger on me, he would be facing the anger of our guards. But here, in the private bit of the house, he is my Master and, unfortunately, that means my bottom is his to do with as he wishes."

She thought about this then nodded.

Of course Master did one of his eyebrow twitch things at that, commenting on the possible alternative meaning of what I'd just said, and that had Terri and me collapsing into giggles again. Fortunately Guillia didn't notice – or, more likely, she just didn't understand what we were going on about.

"Would you be so kind as to go and collect another pot of tea for the gentlemen, please?" I asked Guillia when I had recovered enough to talk.

"Yes, Miss!" she replied.

"It's not 'Miss' anymore remember, Sorellina [Little Sister]."

She just stared at me, her eyes wide with astonishment. "Si, Sorella," she managed to reply at last.

We decided that, that evening, the Andretti family dining table was going to go back to being the calm, dignified place it had always been under Nonno. The three members of Slimeball's hareem had been sent on their way with no big fuss and so, to balance up the number of men and ladies, I invited Guillia to join us.

I even lent her a dress... the long churchy one which I felt was about right for a sixteen year old. I felt completely comfortable wearing one of my shorter ones in the new, more dignified household.