He'd given her stick.  It had been a mighty fine stick and he'd enjoyed himself thoroughly, but nothing confused a new slave more then being teased with the possibility of kindness.   As she curled in the ball on the floor he sat down on the floor next to her head.  He pulled the spreader bar flush with his crossed leg and rested her hair on his thigh.  He started petting her forhead as she wept.<br/><br/>"It's okay.  It's not so bad a life here at the mansion.  You're fed, which is a lot more then most of the underclass.  We protect you from... well, anything but each other.  You'll learn to like it, or you'll go crazy, I suppose."