Far beyond Jane's sight, a tarpaulin in the load bed of one of the two-pony carts was pulled back, and the slight figure of Mistress Sarah's young slave was revealed. He was quickly hustled away by Lady Noire. Fifteen minutes later he stood before her, clad in an ensemble of her old clothing. Black trousers, black satin shirt, scarlet jacket, black veil under a black hat with a scarlet band, long black gloves covering his hands, from a distance he had a more than passing resemblance to Lady Noire. Without a qualm, she sent him off in the company of her colleagues, driving her great black 'pony'. She made the rounds of the waiting 'dogs' she'd spirited from the Manor that morning, giving them the ropes and nets brought out, along with certain other equipment, under the tarpaulin along with Mistress Sarah's young slave. Then she settled down to wait for her prey, hoping that the 'dogs' would be able to use their gear effectively with their clumsy mitted hands.

At her usual hour of one o'clock, Jane did a final count of the 'dogs' and 'ponies' in the yard. All were present and correct, and she'd seen all the Ladies return. Slipping easily through the gorse, she ran over to the woods and through them to the stream.

The first pair of 'dogs', well hidden on either side of the path, watched avidly as the small, brown and green streaked figure flitted silently past them. Heeding their instructions, they waited until it was out of sight before rising and following.

The next pair of 'dogs' were passed by the oblivious Jane, lulled into a false sense of security by her previous immunity; behind her they spread out on either side of the others. Then one of the 'dogs' uttered a peculiar bird-like whistle; ahead of them the third pair of 'dogs' left their cover and walked openly down the track towards the oncoming Jane.

Rounding a bend in the track, Jane saw them and turned to run. The net clumsily thrown by the first of the 'dogs' fell over her head and shoulders. The end of a rope thrown by the 'dog' opposite fell neatly into his 'paw'; together they sprang forward and wound the rope around around their quarry. Soon Jane, trussed and and helpless, was being carried by six pairs of triumphant hands to where their Mistress sat.

The Lady Noire smiled at the sight of Jane, sprawling at her feet. At her signal, two slaves, mitted 'dogs' no longer, seized Jane by her wrists and ankles while the others removed the ropes and net which bound her. Thick, padded cuffs were strapped around her ankles and wrists, and linked together with short steel clips. Then her wrists and ankles were linked together. A muzzle and a blindfold rendered Jane completely helpless, and the slaves withdrew, flexing their freed fingers and smiling with satisfaction.

Lady Noire looked down at the prostrate body of her captive, blind, muzzled and helpless at her feet. The little beast seemed even smaller with the ankles of its fore legs linked to those of its hind legs. She rolled it on to its back with one narrow, elegant foot and placed the sole of her shoe upon its neck in token of her possession. Then she flicked it casually with her whip, noting the little start and gasp of shock and pain and the angry red welt that appeared on the flesh of its uppermost buttock. Continuing to flick its body with her lash, she spoke to it thoughtfully.

"So, little pale beast, I have you both now. Shall I harness you to my cart alongside your sister-animal? Or shall I keep you as my lap-dog? You will make an amusing little pet once I have tamed you. You shall eat from my hand and sleep at the foot of my bed, and I shall walk you on a scarlet leash. But we shall see," she went on."Perhaps you will be more useful to me as a pony. Have you been trained as a pony, little pale beast? I do so hope not!"

Jane sobbed silently into her stifling muzzle, trying not to react to the endless painful little blows from the whip of her tormentor. But worse was still to come. Lady Noire sent off one the slaves to fetch her cart. When he returned, driving her big black pony, two of the burliest slaves took up a long pole, padded at each end. Jane couldn't resist a sigh of relief as the link between her fettered wrists and ankles was removed, then she felt the smooth wood of the pole slide past the insides of her fore arms and lower legs. And then she was hoisted from the ground as each slave lifted the pole and placed the padded ends on a broad shoulder. Dangling from the pole by her wrists and ankles, her head lolling downwards, Jane was carried back to the Manor feet first like a captured wild animal.

Jane knew nothing of the excitement and glee of the Hunters, particularly the 'dogs', now released from their cages and allowed to shower, put on their thongs and attend to their Mistresses again. She was dumped unceremoniously on the hard ground and left alone. In a far corner of the yard, her blind and tethered cousin was aware of the excitement and wondered vaguely what it was all about.

An hour later Jane was freed of the pole and dragged roughly to her feet. Her arms were pinioned behind her back and forced into a leather arm binder. Her muzzle was removed, and a bridle buckled around her head. She felt cold steel at her lips, insisting on entrance, and she clamped them firmly together until a large hand closed over her nose, forcing her to open her mouth for air. Then the bit was rammed between her teeth and secured behind her head. She felt fingers at her cheek, and heard the click of a halter being attached to a ring of her bridle. There followed a sharp, powerful tug on her bridle, and she staggered forward in response, discovering that her legs were still hobbled in the process.

Jane walked beside her handler, silently sobbing with rage and humiliation, knowing that the arm binders pulled her shoulders back, thrusting out her breasts; knowing that every intimate detail of her body was exposed to the casual gaze. The slave who led her so easily was big and burly, he held her halter high up by her bridle, and Jane could feel the heat from his large hand on her cheek while the hairy skin of his brawny fore arm brushed across the top of her shoulder.

She was halted, and fingers fumbled at her waist, buckling around it a wide, heavy leather belt. Outraged that they intended to put a harness on her, Jane struggled violently, only for her handler to cuff her on the side of her head with a heavy hand.

"Stay still, you little brute!" he told her.

Her head ringing with the force of the blow, Jane stayed as still as she could bear while the hard male fingers continued their task. She shivered as the rounded strap from her belt which divided into the broad shoulder straps was forced into the valley between her breasts. The diamond shaped leather carapace was fitted over her her solar plexus, stomach and groin; its upper corner just below her breast, its lower ending in her modest little bush of pubic hair. She gave a little squeal of outrage as the large oval steel ring attached to this corner of the diamond was positioned around the lips of her vagina. The ring was held in place by the two narrow straps which went between her crotch and up below the cheeks of her firm buttocks to her waist belt.

Her harness secured and checked for tightness, she was led a short distance and halted again. Felling the fingers at her waist again, and realising that she was about to be hitched between the shafts of a cart, Jane uttered a stifled cry of anger. She struggled once more, and her reward was another stunning cuff on the head from the slave holding her. Very soon both slaves left her. She'd heard the slither of leather around wood and she knew that she was tethered by her bridle. Weeping with fear and rage, she awaited the next ordeal.

It was not long in coming. Jane's keen ears heard the tap of leather soles and concrete and caught a faint whiff of perfume. Her blood ran cold; Lady Noire was near her. Come to gloat, Jane thought at first, but then she sensed movement and heard the soft sound of her tether being unwound from whatever it was tied to. Then her head was pulled around gently but firmly, and instinctively Jane followed, the light cart bouncing behind her.

After she'd been turned in a half-circle, she sensed movement near her face, and smelt Lady Noire's perfume from a closer range. Her blinkers suddenly flipped open, and she screwed up her eyes against the dazzling light. Then the cart behind her sagged and lurched alarmingly, and she knew that her enemy had mounted it.

Her bit was jerked in her mouth, and she gasped in shock as the whip flicked her upon her left buttock.

"Walk on!" The curt voice was that of Lady Noire, but Jane, seething with anger, stayed stubbornly motionless.

This battle of wills could have only one outcome; a few minutes later, whimpering from the pain of the whip-blows, Jane began walking forward.

Lady Noire watched the straining back of her captive with satisfaction; the little beast was learning, as captive animals must, that the price of disobedience was pain. For the moment she kept it at a slow walk to accustom it to its limited vision and the weight of the cart it was drawing.

Jane walked onwards in sullen fear of the whip at her back, surprised despite herself at the ease with which she was pulling the cart and its passenger along. The shafts, which had transferred part of the weight of the empty cart to bear down on her waist, were now weightless, allowing her to use all her strength to push into her harness. Her view of the world was very restricted; a narrow vertical slot permitting no vision at all to the sides. Because she was obliged to lean forward into her harness she could see very little before her except for a few feet ahead, and despite herself she automatically obeyed the light pressures on either side of her mouth telling her which direction to take.

Behind her, Lady Noire nodded approvingly. The little beast was learning fast. Leaning forward in her seat a little, she brought her whip down casually across the slender haunches of her mount.

The result was all that could be desired. Instinctively Jane jerked forward against her harness to get away from the pain; as a result the cart gained speed, and, after a further blow, she found herself slowly trotting across the turf.

Lady Noire smiled. For a moment she considered whipping the little beast into a full trot, but these were early days. Instead, she drove Jane in a large circle four hundred yards in radius and back into the yard for a further stage in her taming. Throwing the reins to a waiting slave, she gave him a few terse orders. When she'd left, the slave unhitched Jane from the cart and led her away by her bridle, her blinkers closed over her eyes.