‘The man’s ideas are more important, therefore he should always be the first to speak and will dictate when it is your turn. An obedient woman should never raise her voice and should ensure all she says is in line with her duty to comfort and support, never complaining. A wanting woman is not a right woman. The woman should feel honored to be in her master’s presence and should show this with gracious words when permitted to speak. Should the master be in a bad mood, it is the sole responsibility of the woman to manage his morale. A happy master is a happy home,’ Nina read aloud, kneeling on the cold floor in front of her mattress.

‘That’ll do, Twenty,’ the man said.

Nina closed the book, the spine cracking as the light blue linen cover met the pages. The book was easily sixty years old, maybe more. The cover had no images, just the title How to Be an Obedient Woman. She placed the book down gently at the end of the mattress as he’d instructed her so many times before, and then she lay back. The man stood hovering nearby and watched them. Nina kept her eyes straight ahead, staring at the ceiling. One time she’d glanced at him after he’d watched them for almost ten minutes and he’d slapped her across the face, splitting her lip wide open. After several agonizing minutes, he said goodnight and left.

Nina exhaled and looked over at Elise lying on her own mattress, still staring at the ceiling. ‘That shit is disgusting,’ Elise said.

‘I know, but out of all the things he makes us do, it’s the easiest. At least we don’t have to kneel on the pebbles when we do it,’ Nina replied, cringing at the thought of the rocks.

Elise rolled onto her side, facing Nina, and propped herself up on her elbow. ‘Yeah but if you mess up one word, he makes you start all over again. That crap is from like, the fifties or something. “A woman’s highest calling is to be obedient. A wanting woman is not a right woman.” I mean, what the hell is that? When he makes me read it, I wanna throw up. Last time he made me reread it three times. I’m starting to hear it in my sleep. God! How can you stand it?’

Nina sighed. She’d heard this complaint from Elise before. ‘I have it pretty much memorized at this point. I just zone out while I’m reading and try not to pay attention to what the words are actually saying.’