MADELEINE BOULLIER<br/><br/>He seemed quite calm, even tranquil. An unusual one... I looked up at the waiter.<strong>"<em>Chateau Neuf, sil vous plait</em>, with a glass - just one. And some milk. Cold... in a bowl, please, not a glass. And what seafood do you have? Nothing too spicy please? You have Scottish herring - excellent. That will do fine. Lightly grilled, no sauce and that in a separate bowl as well."</strong>The efficient waiter not batting an eyelid vanished quickly. I turned to my new companion and smiled warmly.<br/><br/><strong>"So, <em>Monsieur Chat</em>, let us - owner and pet - get to know one another. My name is Boullier. Madeleine Boullier. You will call me 'Madame'. My line of business ees designing fun things - furniture, machinery, harnesses, bondage gear... sex toys. I also sell a range of corsetry, shoes and clothing. No rubbish, only ze finest. I am a licensed <em>corsetier</em>; all my garments are made to order. I deal wiz customers internationally, therefore your linguistic skills may be useful."</strong><br/><br/>The waiter returned and showed me the wine label. I nodded. He uncorked the Champagne and poured a taster. I passed the glass back,<strong>"<em>Oui, tres bon</em>."</strong>The man filled my glass and placed it on the small mahogany table before us, nodding deferentially. He turned to the tray he had brought and I gestured to the floor in front of my cat. The waiter placed the tray down, the bowls of milk and fish side by side and withdrew.<br/><br/><strong>"Please eat,"</strong>I gestured at the tray,<strong>"The herring here is extremely good, even without the bearnaise sauce."</strong>I shifted in my heavy satin skirt, uncrossing and re-crossing my legs, the faint swicking of my nylons almost lost in the background hubbub of the room's conversation. I lounged back and dangled one high heel off a black silk-clad toe and sipped my drink keen to watch the boy dining.