Chapter Four
September 2001
Six years after their affair began, it had surrendered to predictable moments of affection, longing, consummation and ennui. Sometimes their faces looked as if their love affair was new. Sometimes not—although Robbie had a way of maintaining his congenial spirit even in the worst of times, which routinely interjected good humor into their days together. Sometimes, the darker edges of his character arose—but only rarely. Flashes of anger, a sharp remark, an especially nasty scene in bed; they were infrequent enough to keep Madeleine from fearing him. His good mood, and her reasoned composure kept them together.
As time went by they saw less and less of their kinky friends. The house party where Madeleine was spanked in front of the audience seemed to be a defi
