As One would expect.

"I was in an absolute state that evening," Ms. Mevan said, "fuming furiously as I tended to Samuel's wounds when we returned."

"She was indeed Sir," he added, that easy smile of his returning, with a more playful sort of air to it. Patting her hand, he turned that smile onto her. "But you did put that energy to much more... creative uses when you comforted me later that night."

"Samuel!" she gasped, blushing to her ears.

An urge to tease overwhelmed me. "Interesting. I've never heard of such a healing technique. Effective?" I asked, with a similar evil smile.

"Mr. Mckay!"

That smile broadened. "Highly sir."

"I see... Perhaps you and Ms. Mevan would be as so kind to produce your own book on her technique. I'm sure you'd have many readers and inquiries made."

Samuel laughed loudly. "Hahaha! As would I Sir! As would I!"

"Samuel, if you do not hold your tongue this instant, I will remove you from my service!" Ms. Mevan shrieked.

His laugh gained even more strength, and he slapped his knee. "Rebecca, I don't work for you! We do that just to maintain appearances! Ahahaha!"

We recovered from our fits a couple of minutes later, and Ms. Mevan had calmed down enough to speak to me again. "Moving on then Mr. McKay," she said, shaking her head and pouting at her giggling Negro lover. "Since Samuel, and his people, have been referred to as 'animals', and treated as such, I had told him that I would allow him to treat me as one as well."

"With your leave, Samuel, but I had never seen Negroes having been made to drop onto their knees and play at being a dog, Ms. Mevan," I replied, with a raised eyebrow.

"Many a Nigger has been made to kneel and grovel, Mr. Mckay," he answered darkly, "however the play-acting is, I feel, exclusively Rebecca's doing."

"Samuel has always been loyal to me, and I to him. I felt it was an... appropriate... persona to adopt," she shrugged.

I nodded along, a vague understanding of their relationship forming in my mind. But a few things dogged at me, if you'll pardon the wordplay. "Exactly how far does this play-acting as a Dog and Master go? If I may ask."