For a moment, Jane had no idea what Barbara was talking about. Then she saw Sarah and Winona gathering up armfuls of clothing and bedding and then tossing them in the fireplace and suddenly the penny dropped.
"No!" she shouted, trying to ignore the up-and-down movement of her breasts as she did so. "Don't burn them! Please don't burn them! Please don't burn my clothes! I'll have nothing to wear."
"You have nothing to wear now," said Barbara. "Besides, it's not like our Master is going to allow you to ever wear those clothes again while you're staying here."
"Why not?" asked Jane as she silently wished her hands were larger so that she could cover more body parts. "You three wear clothes."
"Only because we have our Master's permission to do so now," said Barbara. "For years, he preferred for us all to be naked. But nowadays he reserves that fate for the newbi -- er, guests like you."
"Please don't burn them," said Jane. "If I leave here, I'll have nothing to wear."
"Who says you're going to be permitted to leave?" asked Barbara.
"You mean I'm a prisoner?" asked Jane.
Sarah snorted. "Quick on the uptake, isn't she?"
Winona smiled. "Oh, Sarah. Don't make fun. We were all young and innocent like that when we first came here. Okay, maybe not that innocent but still..."
Barbara turned and said, "Hush, girls. You know full well that Miss Harker is not really a prisoner. In fact, she could leave right now if she wanted to. She just won't be permitted to wear any clothing if she does so."
"What do I have to do to get some clothing?" asked Jane. "Or at least spare mine from being burned?"
Barbara thought a moment. Then she walked over to the room's nightstand and pulled out a sheet of writing paper.
Then, after handing Jane the paper and a pen -- a gesture that **** Jane to move her hands away from her naked breasts -- Barbara asked, "You do have a friend back home in England that you can write to, right?"
"Why, yes, I do," said Jane.
"Good," said Barbara, idly staring at Jane's bare nipples while she pondered her next sentence. "Write to her. Write her a letter telling her that you have arrived safely and that everything is fine. Then ask her to come visit you."
"Is that all I have to do?" asked Jane.
Barbara smiled, "That's all you have to do for now."
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