When the Colonel had fashioned the many-thonged whip for Miss Martin, it had not occurred to him that the required shape of the handle-which he had smoothed and polished-had any significance other man to prevent the hand from slipping off the end of it. Enlightenment was soon to follow, however-as it also was with Adelaide once she had received the slender and slightly bulbous end in her hot-tingling derriere.
'What a corker of an idea!' exclaimed the Colonel (not intending the pun) when he received this news of the girl's advancement towards the end of her first week.-'A double usage, what? A drop of oil on it first, you say?' he asked, fondling the silk-smooth wood which at its greatest circumference did not exceed some two and a half inches, thereafter tapering slightly to its end.
'Be not too enthusiastic on that score, my dear, for you have your own instrument, and somewhat doughtier. Oil, yes. It eases the passage on its first explorations.'
A shade of concern passed momentarily over her listener's face and his moustache twitched.
'Frightful thing, what, if the girl were to talk about it afterwards', he murmured as if to himself.
'You jest, Colonel, surely? Can you imagine a girl of erstwhile modesty returning to her own abode and announcing that something had been put up her bottom? Tut tut, of course not. A virgin as she will otherwise up to that time remain, such remarks could be taken-even if she dared utter them-as a passionate fancy of girlhood by some, and by others as an invitation. Hence she will not speak, but neither will she fret overmuch when the male instrument not only invades her hole but provides it with an animating injection'.
'Which is where I come in, eh?'
'Or where you go in', laughed Miss Martin, 'But pray now pay attention to what else I have to say. We have an imminent new arrival, and to wit my former charge, Ethel, whom I have already coaxed along most successfully. In due course, as our activities expand, she may well be able to become a Junior Teacher, though such lies somewhat ahead. I have a note from her Papa-who is most unlikely to be unsympathetic to my aims-that he is to bring her here, albeit in the company of his wife. The latter, alas, is not so indulgent in her views and hence we must be on our very best behaviour'.
'And get rid of her as soon as possible, what?'
'With care, with care. I have already primed Annette, and will have Maude and Adelaide on their best behaviour. As to yourself, you may put it about to them-Mr. and Mrs. Sherwood, I mean-that you yourself are a visitor enquiring as to my methods. Your questions and my replies will match perfectly, of course'.
'A dangerous game, eh? Careful tactics and all that- yes', replied he, putting on a great air of seriousness and evidently looking forward to enjoying the role.
One of the subjects of that conversation, Letitia, had by such means as women can, delayed the visit for several days, and for her own good purposes.
'Oh Mama, Mama, when shall we go?' Ethel asked several times.
'Where to? Oh, to Miss Martin's you mean? Goodness, I had almost forgotten. Monday, if you wish. There is no need for her to be expecting us. I would rather view such scholastic activities as we may find. Would you not, dearest?' she asked Easton who was a slightly anxious listener to the conversation, for though he had forewarned Miss Martin he had not been able to place a date on it, and now had cause to send another message posthaste via a servant.
Being absolutely certain that the fellow would neither spy nor hear anything to his advantage, Easton had no qualms in the matter. What he did not know, however, was mat Letitia secretly intervened and caught the young man before he left, saying that she had other duties for him and that Johnson would go instead.
Thus it passed that when she made her afternoon visit to the latter, he had already been and returned.
'Well, you were going to tell me what it is like', Letitia invited at which Johnson-wishing to grumble that he had not seen Bella yet-decided to hold his tongue on that score lest Letitia withheld the favours of both.
'Well, I done what you said, m'am, and made as 'ow I were took sick upon gitting there and so I got h'entrance into the 'ouse fer a brief while. I 'card some funny noises from upstairs, I did, but they was soon quelched, and that were all. I didn't see Miss Martin. T'were another young lady as let me in. Give me a glass of water she did and 'ad a kindly aspect, though I took note of something, I did', Johnson said, giving Letitia an unseemly wink.
'And what was that, Johnson?' Letitia asked, casually laying a sovereign on the table.
'Buttons, m'am. On the front of her dress. One was undone and the other slipping out, like she'd come down in an 'urry and were unprepared. Rare that is to see in a proper 'ouse. I ain't never seen Miss Bella even like that'.
Letitia frowned a little at the word 'even', but kept her expression otherwise placid. She looked down towards the coin she had produced, so that for a moment Johnson feared she might be going to pick it up again. Running her tongue speculatively across her upper lip, however, Letitia produced three more to his great astonishment and arranged them neatly with the other in a square.
'There is something I want you to do for me, Johnson. Something of great import the which will earn you more favours than you have so far received. It occurs to me that Miss Bella's buttons do come undone sometimes, though of course only in-er-private surroundings'.
So speaking, Letitia gazed all around the room, let her eyes settle meaningfully upon the couch and then returned her gaze to Johnson whose expression showed great eagerness.
'Whatever you say, m'am. Miss Bella now, she-er- gits into private surroundings often, do she?'
'I intend to see that she does so, and fully ready to unbutton, Johnson, upon your successful completion of your task. You will see to it that the coachman is indisposed on Monday and will take his place. There are certain things you will need and with which I will supply you on the morning of that day. Fail me and I will have you taken up for theft, you understand?”
'Eh, m'am, what-me?' the fellow asked a-gaping.
'But of course that will not be necessary, for you will not. There is a good bargain to be struck between us here, Johnson, and Miss Bella can be MOST discreet', Letitia said more placatingly, having had her eyes and ears at their very busiest in the past few days.
“That I don't doubt, m'am', said Johnson, showing much relief, and his fingers itching to pick up the sovereigns, which he did the moment Letitia had concluded a much longer discourse that had both amazed and pleased his roguish soul, for he could see naught but satisfaction all around while the visions of Bella bouncing beneath him brought warmth to his lusty frame.
Satisfaction coloured all of Letitia's thoughts as well, and with much greater foundation even than those of her husband who-knowing all the skills of Miss Martin in putting on such faces as she wished to do-had concluded that their visit would be of brief duration. Thereafter, Letitia-who appeared to be the very soul of compliance to his wishes now-would return comforted and ready to enjoy her own future prospects in freedom.
A seemingly expectant and happy quartet thus arrived at Miss Martin's, for Bella had been permitted to go as well. Johnson remained the invisible fifth party, as servants are wont to be, and gave all appearance of retaining his seat above the horses when his superiors were welcomed within.
Being satisfied that he was unobserved, he then climbed down and made his way close to the entrance where he lurked for a while in the portico.
Formal introductions within being at first unnecessary- save in respect of the Colonel, who suitably wore his outdoor attire-Letitia was enabled to make a lightning study of the meetings of various pairs of eyes, and in particular those of Bella's with Miss Martin's. Her niece she regarded as me key to her intuitions, and therein she was not disappointed. Not being a party to the plots at work, Bella not only failed to veil certain emanations of pleasure in her eyes as regards Miss Martin, but signally did so in respect of the Colonel-the which Letitia caught rather by accident than design.
Upon Adelaide and Maude being called down and brought toward as 'My very first dear pupils' by Miss Martin, Letitia did not merely incline her head towards them as a lady might, but rose to greet them.
'How nice it must be for you here, as I am sure it will be for Ethel', cooed Letitia to the great pleasure of both Easton and Miss Martin who were able to quickly convey to one another the most satisfied exchange of looks.
In so doing, they failed to see the glance that Letitia bestowed upon Adelaide and the manner in which her eyes scoured the girl's. Therein Letitia read all that she wished to, and by such means as only other females and the most sensitive of males would comprehend.
'May we see the classroom, Miss Martin? Are they upstairs?' she then asked, adding carefully, 'And of course the Colonel may wish to view them also.'
'Why, of course you may', cooed Miss Martin, 'Permit me to lead the way. Colonel, are you yourself satisfied with all that I have told you of my educational methods?'
'Hurrrumph, indeed, Madam. Gentleness is all, what? I have no doubt that my two girls will be safe in your hands', replied he.
'Oh, I am sure, I am sure', put in Easton, taking a rapid look at Letitia (the which she did not fail to miss) and finding her expression happily placid.
'I shall like it here, Papa!' exclaimed Ethel who, having placed herself last with him on the exclusion up the stairs, had had her bottom fondly if briefly patted by him.
'Of that I have no doubt, my love', came his rejoinder and therewith another hasty if promising scouting of his fingers under her derriere which caused the naughty girl's face to glow with pleasure. Entering the classroom in the wake of the others, they found themselves in what once had been a sitting room of fair size containing half a dozen desks and a blackboard.
'This is where the good work is done then, Madam?' boomed the Colonel.
'Indeed. It is here within that we nourish the minds and spirits. It is here… Oh dear, who is that?' Miss Martin asked in a slightly irritated tone at having her rehearsed discourse interrupted by the ding-dong sound of the doorbell below. Turning to Adelaide, she said, 'Please see who it is, dear'.
Only too pleased to escape, Adelaide scampered down, her bottom feeling unaccustomedly strange still, for she had received the dildo-like end of the handle of the whip therein that morning for the third time in several days and this time she had not cried nor whimpered quite so much while at the same time having her cunny lightly brushed by Annette's fingers.
'Now, darling, you can begin to learn to move your hips', Annette had instructed her, whereat Adelaide had timorously obeyed, causing the slender wooden plum to move deeper into her.
'Ah, no!' Adelaide had gasped, but with the further tickling of a finger around her bud, her protestations had died away. More than that, her belly had begun to glow and all sorts of hitherto unknown sensations had overtaken her until a vibrant explosion had seized her and then her fingers had clenched. A thin mewing sound had come from her lips which Annette had seemingly recognised for she had eased the pestle further up into Adelaide's firm young bottom while the maiden continued spilling helplessly over her fingers.
'Tonight you will have something much nicer, Adelaide', she had been told afterwards even while her knees trembled in the delicious agues she had experienced, but now with the everyday world once more about her, she reached the door, perceived a figure through the stained-glass panels, and opened it-'It is a gentleman to see you, Miss Martin', Adelaide announced a few minutes later, having again tripped up the stairs.
'A gentleman? Did he give a name?'
'No, Miss, he said he had come to enquire.'
'Indeed? At this rate I shall need even more desks', uttered Miss Martin with a sigh of self-satisfaction, 'Please entertain our visitors for a moment, Miss Sanderson. I shall not take longer than is needed.'
Her curiosity at that moment being as great as it ever had been, Miss Martin descended to find the front door annoyingly wide open and no visitor in sight. Perhaps he had stepped again beyond the threshold, she thought, and did so herself, looking this way and that across the surrounding lawns but seeing no one.
Consternation wrinkling up her eyes, Miss Martin made to turn back, though not quickly enough, for in that moment a large sack descended over her head, enveloping first her shoulders as well and then the upper parts of her arms. The scream that she then commenced to utter was quelched by a hand that came over her mouth through the sacking while the barrel of what seemed to be a pistol was pressed against her neck.
'I 'as a gun 'ere wot will blow your 'ead off if you move or shout, Missus', Miss Martin heard in a voice much disguised but which, had she not been stricken with terror, she might otherwise have recognised. For a moment then the cold ring of the barrel left her neck and, with the careful slipping of the hand from her mouth, a gag was applied which forced part of the dusty sacking between her lips.
All this having taken but seconds, Miss Martin had stood petrified, but now made a gallant movement to free her arms by thrusting them upwards. That, too, however had been anticipated and the two ends of the leather thong that had been threaded through holes just above the mouth of the sack were swiftly drawn together, thus making her a mute and bound prisoner of darkness.
'Now I guides yer forward, gentle like, and we goes fer a nice drive, that's wot we does', came a voice in her covered ears as she was prodded forward.
Vainly and wildly shaking her head under the confines of the sack, Miss Martin was guided indeed, though more roughly than the spoken words had indicated, and in but ten paces had been lifted into a waiting carriage and placed full length on cushions that had been placed in readiness on the floor, the driver of that vehicle men climbing down as Johnson closed the door, grinning to himself as wild kicking sounds came from within.
'I'll take 'er, Alf. You sit up on my seat, keep yer collar up and yer 'ead down and no one will recognise you. They never does look up at us, that's what, nor will they when they git out. Just bide yer time till they git in the 'ouse, then carry yerself off. 'Ere's the sovereign wot I promised you, matey, and another when you done the job'.
'Bit of a lark, is it? Bit of a lark you told me. That's wot it is, eh?' asked Johnson's drinking companion from the village who could not in any case have recognised Miss Martin even had he known her.
“That's it. Like I told yer, bit o' fun as these gentry gits up to. No 'arm to be done 'er. Soon 'ave 'er free', Johnson assured him, and then he himself was up and away, leaving his companion to mount Easton's carriage and sit, head down, in waiting.
'I should go down, perhaps', Annette was saying at that point.
'No, dear, you continue what you were saying-I will go', rejoined Letitia who had during this time manoeuvred herself closest to the door.
'Bit of a hitch, eh? Deuced chap's keeping her talking', said the Colonel upon whom a strange feeling of unease had descended, for Annette had been heard to be wavering and was clearly undecided as to how to continue the peroration on purity and education that only Miss Martin herself could have given.
Easton himself shifted about a little and several times glanced towards the closed door until, within the passing of but three minutes, Letitia reappeared.
'What news! What strange news!' she uttered, causing all eyes to turn to her, and not a few to look dismayed.
'News, news? What has passed?' demanded the Colonel in a chokey tone.
'Our coachman himself told me. It appears from what he saw-though quite discreetly, of course-that Miss Martin was very taken with her visitor and departed with him. To use our manservant's own words, she got quite carried away', declared Letitia without a blush while then a frozen silence fell on all, interrupted only by a decidedly more choking sound from the Colonel.
But all that-as Letitia decided to herself a while later as their carriage trundled off again-was all in the past. Easton sat decidedly silent having uttered such gruff remonstrances about Miss Martin as went through one of Letitia's ears and out the other. Ethel sobbed, or pretended to. Bella's face looked puffy and uncertain. The Colonel it was who had been literally sent off by Letitia to apprise an otherwise unknown Vicar that his daughters needed to be gathered back into the domestic fold. Annette had repeated over and over, 'I do not understand!' and so many questions had been put-rhetorically-as to who Miss Martin's visitor might have been that Letitia had lost patience and had declared that since no one could know, no one should ask.
'I did not trust her from the moment I laid eyes on her', Letitia had grandly announced in sweeping out, followed sheepishly by Easton and a bewildered Ethel and Bella.
All was well now-or much better, at the least. Letitia assured herself of that. In carrying off Miss Martin to London, as Letitia had instructed him to, Johnson would no doubt enjoy himself en route by giving her his pestle in precisely that place where she had so often ordained that young girls should receive it. In principle, Letitia had no objection to that, but in respect of Ethel, at least, she was not going to be bettered by Miss Martin.
Besides, Letitia further comforted herself with the thought that she had not left the woman bereft. Johnson had instructions to finally hand her a small package which contained twenty sovereigns and a note of advice from Letitia that were she to show her face again then all manner of complaints would be officially placed against her to which Easton and Ethel at least, and most possibly Adelaide and Maude, as well, would be witnesses.
After all, what else could Easton and Ethel do, Letitia told herself happily all the while that Easton brooded and wondered what the devil had come to pass. Several times he endeavoured to raise the subject on reaching their abode, but Letitia cut him off by saying, 'What is the woman to us? She was a n'er-do-well, Easton, and we should long have known it'.
Easton was at least pleased when Letitia appeared to fall quickly and heavily asleep that night. As the chimes of midnight sounded from the clock in the hall below, so he stirred himself and slid with infinite caution from the bed. Dammit, there had to be some recompense, thought he, and eased himself through the door and into the waiting darkness beyond.
Letitia, who in reality was wide awake, cocked her ears as he did so. Ah well, if all sides were to be fair to one another, she thought, there had to be some sacrifices, but henceforth they would be such as happened within her own ken and not that of Miss Martin.
Ensconced in her own dreams of future delight with such young stallions as she would be able to gather to herself, Letitia slipped her fingers down between her thighs and gave herself up to visions of promise that dimmed her ears to the faint sound of a door opening and closing beyond.
Thus she did not hear the hushed gasps and murmurs that emanated both from the lips of Ethel and of Bella who, without announcing such, had decided to share her cousin's bed for the night.
As for Easton, he was delighted to find them naked together, and when at last he eased his swollen penis into Ethel's pouting nest, it was Bella who held her, kissed her and coaxed her just as Miss Martin would have done.