Chapter Ten: Helga's Warning
"Bjorn Hellborn, big and blonde, muscles like a horse from years of heavy labor at the weather station." Charity frowned as the big Delta housekeeper shook her head. "What do you mean you've never heard of him? I thought everyone knew everyone up here in the icy wastes of Greenland!"
"That man I never heard of," Helga said, with a husky laugh. "But plenty of men for you later on. Right now you eat! Then upstairs and to bed. But first, you like more chocolate cake?"
"No, thank you." Charity felt stuffed after the home-cooked meal, which had been much more appetizing than food synthesized in machines. "Do you think Dr. Carlton will be back soon?" the little Beta Minus asked, leaning back in her chair and sighing deeply. Helga really was a fabulous cook!
"Hard to say on a night like this," the hefty housekeeper said, glancing out at the swirling snowflakes driven by a howling wind. For a moment Helga looked worried, but sensing Charity's eyes on her she smiled reassuringly. "A very cold night, yes? You go up to your room now and rest. We had a busy day today, helping the doctor get ready for her rocket!"
"The rocket to London," Charity said, feeling a bit moody as she watched Helga wash the dishes in hot water. Margaret Carlton had gone off and left her without any warning at all, a prisoner in this remote arctic outpost. Rubbing her eyes, the redhead wondered why the great Dr. Carlton had insisted on waking her in the pre-dawn hours just so she could pack all morning and then stand there shivering on the rocket pad, watching with Helga as the sleek silver rocket rose on a sheet of red flame high into the sky. She watched and watched till it was just a speck.
"Up we go now, little one." Helga was finished with the dishes and now she put her best efforts into helping Charity up the stairs to her room. "Time for bed, for rest and sleep!"
"Really, I'm not tired!" The little redhead gave a tug to her arm. She didn't like being put to bed while Helga worked late and Dr. Carlton was off in a rocket doing Ford knew what.
"No, no," Helga's husky laugh made her big bosom jiggle. "You are not tired, not at all. But you are tense and nervous, maybe a little frightened at being left here all on your own!"
"Mm." Charity couldn't think of a reply. She felt a bit jittery, but having Helga catch on to her fears so easily made her feel very embarrassed. "It's hot in here," she mumbled, sitting down awkwardly on the edge of her enormous bed.
"Yes, very hot," Helga replied, rummaging through the little wooden chest of drawers. "Perhaps if you take off those heavy clothes and lie down, I can help you to relax a little."
"But I don't need help," Charity insisted, pulling off her heavy wool jumper and kicking off her heavy boots.
"Of course not," Helga answered. "You just need to relax." The hefty housekeeper helped Charity out of the rest of her clothes, and then gently pushed her down on the bed. "At home you take soma, don't you?"
"A gram is better than a damn," Charity replied automatically.
It was funny how the sleep-teaching made her long for the drug, even when she was thousands of kilometers from London and the feelies and all the other modern comforts.
"Well, some things are even better than soma."
"What do you mean?" Charity stiffened a little as Helga rested her big, warm hands on the girl's bare shoulders.
"So tense," Helga made a tut-tut sound, her firm hands rubbing the clenched muscles until they relaxed. "Let the worried feelings and the tension melt away while I rub all the tiredness from your muscles. Let your mind relax just like your body is relaxing now. This is like a soma holiday, yes?"
"Like a soma holiday," Charity repeated, sighing as she relaxed on the bed. This really was like a soma holiday, except it was also like a visit to the feelies. Even the scent of the perfumed oil Helga was using on her shoulders reminded Charity of the endless cascading fragrances at home.
"You like this, yes?" Helga asked, letting her knowing hands slide into a soothing rhythm as Charity sighed deeply.
"Yes, I like this." Charity felt so relaxed that she hardly gave a murmur of protest when Helga slid her firm hands under her and gently rolled her over on her back. The feeling of having Helga's hands on her breasts was new and strange, yet oddly familiar. It was like a trip to the feelies . . .
"Ah, yes. You like this very much." Helga chuckled softly, watching as Charity's rosy red nipples tightened into hard points under her knowing fingers. Just then the housekeeper gave a little pinch or sideways twist to both nipples, making Charity climax all at once in a sharp and sudden spasm.
"That was wonderful!" Charity opened her eyes and gazed up dreamily at Helga. "I was thinking of Harry," the Beta minus said, her freckled cheeks reddening at the memory of her strong, handsome Alpha plus boss back in London. What would Harry think if he could see her now?
"Harry is very lucky," Helga said, her gray eyes roaming a bit sadly over Charity's nude figure. "But for now, little one, get some rest. We can do this again tomorrow."
"Mm, I can't wait till tomorrow!" Charity closed her eyes. But she yanked them open as Helga squeezed her nipple again. This time the sharp twinge hurt her and she cried out.
"Tomorrow," Helga told her sternly, her gray eyes like ice. "But not unless you behave yourself. No wandering off in the snow storm, and no looking for this Bjorn Hellborn. Dr. Margaret will be very mad at me if anything happens to you."
"Okay." Charity was still a bit frightened when Helga kissed her cheek and turned out the light. The only way to get warm was to huddle under the covers at once, and Charity felt the sheets rubbing against her nipples in a way that made her painfully aware of her own confused desires. She wanted to get out of here – out of Greenland! But as she grew warmer under the covers, the fierce urge to escape got all mixed up with the fierce feelings of pleasure she'd just experienced.
The warm bed was very comfortable, and the artic wind howling outside made the room feel safe and cozy. As her nerves calmed and she drifted gradually towards slumber Charity kept seeing Harry's face and feeling Helga's hands on her body. Her last thought before she went under was that clever Dr. Carlton was probably putting her through all this as some sort of experiment. It was so unfair . . . so manipulative . . . so unnatural and sinister . . . but for some reason Charity was smiling as she fell asleep.