A sensation that he was being caged, hemmed in, put-upon and larded with such invitations as he could not meet without splitting himself in two came upon Easton. Indeed, he. was like a man who, having thirsted for water, is plunged into a sea of champagne and surrounded by waving well-wishers who without offering him any footage upon land call to him asking if he would like more.
Miss Martin had become to him at one and the same time a liability and an asset, while at the same time his dear wife was extending to him the same sort of invitations as Ethel's governess. To refuse Letitia would excite more suspicions on her part and bring upon her a watchfulness that in turn would vitiate against such adventures as Miss Martin was proposing and might indeed call down disaster upon him.
Easton had, moreover, ceded to Letitia more than he would have wished, the major part of this occurring during the lustful bout that both enjoyed upon the couch. In such a circumstance some women are able to keep half their minds sharp while rendering the other half totally to desire. Most males are otherwise and will frequently declare all manner of things while their cocks are being excited by a clinging cunny and closely-rubbing thighs.
'We do not need Miss Martin now", Letitia had panted while working her bottom sensuously to his thrusts, 'Oh, what have we missed, darling, that we could have done together and now will ever do”.
'You like girls, then?' Easton asked in the red mist of excitement that was upon him, though like a desperate skater who finds himself rushing willy-nilly downhill, he had somehow avoided the main obstacle in her question.
'Dearest, I have always wanted to assist you in seducing one. They can be quite delicious, can they not? I do not mind who it is, my pet. Oh come on, do!'
'Kate, then?' asked Easton excitedly. Working her tongue in his mouth much as he was exercising his pego in her nest, Letitia had replied amourously-I do not mind who it is. Your pleasure shall be my pleasure and mine shall be yours'.
'Ah, yes', responded he devotedly.
'Send her away, then. We can do everything together that you want'.
'Yes', panted Easton who would have sworn anything in that moment since he was verging on the bliss of ejaculating.
'You want to do it with her, I know you do', panted Letitia whose words were brought on as much by excitement as by reproof.
'Ah, my love!' came Easton's gasping reply, which so far as Letitia was concerned was no reply at all, though as she herself was in the renewed throes of orgasmic pleasure the moment of seeming danger for Easton passed while both expired. Only after order was restored did he venture to say that he must give Miss Martin time to find a new abode.
'What of Bella's new friend-Caroline, is it not?-perhaps she will know of someone', replied Letitia who realised that she had long wished to bring about such a situation.
'Yes, it may be. One must make enquiries', offered Easton, though in the secret crevices of his mind he would have preferred to carry on a liaison with the lady (particularly in view of her newfound forwardness with him) while balancing out the rest of his affairs.
“That is settled then', declared Letitia who thereupon found herself in silent conflict with Miss Martin whose departure, for all good reasons of tact, she did not wish to be seen to be encouraging. Seeing then the look of studied thought upon her husband's face while each attended to repairing the condition of their attire, she said with an attractive sigh, 'Bella can be seen to tomorrow night and then you may introduce her among your friends, dear, for it will do her naught but good to get out into the world as we have said'.
'Will she be difficult, though?' he asked with studied vagueness.
'I shall hold her if she is. Do not worry about that', Letitia said in what seemed to Easton remarkable and quite unnerving echoing of Miss Martin's thoughts.
'Ethel might hear', ventured Easton, having a perverse desire to introduce her name into the conversation.
'I expect she has heard things before, Easton. She is growing up well, you know. Have no fears upon it, for girls do keep things to themselves when they deem it necessary'.
'Do they? Ah, yes', responded Easton hopefully, and wondered what on earth he was now going to say to Miss Martin. The devil of it, but the memory of his conversation with her was already a trifle blurred. Had he promised her anything? He recalled assuring her that he would never cast her out, or at least-as he hastily told himself-not in the offhand manner that she had rather wildly suggested.
'Do you wish to speak to Miss Martin now?' Letitia was asking in terrier-like fashion, bringing forth from him a rather unguarded sigh.
'My dear, in the light of my earnest discussion with her just now as to Ethel's lessons, it would come with strange abruptness, and I fear she would put it down to our little talk now. Would it not be best if I approach the matter slowly, bit by bit. Hints here and there, perhaps?'
'I suppose that must be so', Letitia agreed doubtfully, though she did not wish it to be known that she it was who had engineered the lady's departure. When Easton then suggested that he might accompany Miss Martin into the market town the next morning, where she was wont to pick up trifles of shopping for the family-and thereby cast out the first hint-Letitia agreed. And thus it came about that the two set forth after breakfast in a pony cart.
Frozen with caution, Easton knew not how to begin until, passing along a sunlit lane and with the reins held in his hands where both sat side by side, Miss Martin removed and laid her head upon his shoulder, saying as seductively as she could, 'It will be nice, will it not?'
'I have been giving much thought to it', replied he truth-fully enough and was about to continue with a preliminary 'However… ' when he was sweetly interrupted.
'Beyond the town there is a pleasant inn, Easton. You really do not mind my calling you that, do you? I have heard-overheard, that is-that it serves splendid wines and meals and those, if one wishes, in private rooms. Now, were we to take Bella for a drive… ' she began, rather alarmingly to Easton's mind, at which he was forced to interrupt her.
'A delicious prospect, my dear, but would we not become known? Pray listen, for I have as I said been giving deep thought to all and have come upon a conclusion'.
'Oh, and what is that?' asked Miss Martin in vague hope that he might be going to divorce or otherwise get rid of Letitia.
'Such delights as we shall know together, my sweet, are best kept far from the eyes and ears of those about us. Letitia has given her silent permission to our little sports, which however we have so far managed-though heaven knows with great effort on my part in your own respect-in a state of apartness. She would not, though… '
'You have no need to say. I follow your thoughts. But what else can we do?' asked Miss Martin, rubbing her cheek to his as the hedges on either side of them slid past.
'We shall extend our plan in a manner that shall be-I regret to say it-more devious but more fruitful. Think upon this, my dear, that if we were in separate abodes then no suspicions would fall upon us and all our affairs could be conducted with the utmost discretion. It would be quite seemly for Bella and Ethel to continue to visit you occasionally, and for myself to act as their chaperone'.
'Oh no!' wailed Miss Martin who for a moment saw her plans crumbling, though her cry did not prevent her mind from working as rapidly as it had ever sought to.-'I knew you would try to get rid of me', she murmured plaintively, whereupon Easton steered the pony to the side of the lane and reined in, casting his eyes about him but seeing no one in sight amid the rolling countryside.
'I intend nothing of the sort', he averred, casting his arms about her so that the side of her nearest breast bulged to his chest.-To the contrary-and how lovely you look this morning!-we shall obtain more freedom, may even take little trips together which we could not otherwise do, for I can put it about that I am on business and no one will connect my absence with yours. Do you not see?'
For a moment Miss Martin huddled into him in silence, her thoughts shooting out here and there since she already sensed the hand of Letitia in this, and her intuitions told her that there was a degree of necessity in Easton's words.
'It would be nice if I had a little house, of course', she murmured as if to herself, this producing a rather throttled 'Ah…' from Easton.
'Of course, of course', he uttered haplessly, 'you shall have an allowance from this day forth, my dear'.
'Enough for a house?' she almost asked, but decided that it might be too much to suggest, while at the same time certain advantages peeped forth at her from the thicket of this new event. Without Letitia's presence, she might well gain more influence over him, added to which she could draw Bella and Ethel into the net, as Easton himself had suggested to her, she thought more happily.
'Shall we to the inn you spoke of?' Easton asked hopefully.
'No, you were right about that. We might encounter someone you know, or someone who recognizes me. There are some frightfully wagging tongues about. Besides, I feel awfully doleful about leaving you, just when we were going to enjoy ourselves'.
'You are not, and we shall', said Easton with great relief that the first hurdle had been jumped. He had expected recriminations, tears, and more fervent reminders of what had passed between them, but in that was not allowing for the agility of the female mind which seeks, better than those of most males, to take advantage of whatever presents itself.
Both studiously avoided any further reference to the matter, and several languorous kisses passed between them in the golden warmth of the morning before they drove on, both turning over in their minds all the possibilities that might obtain.
As to Miss Martin, upon their return she sought the very avenue that Letitia had envisaged, though with more prescience and knowledge of Caroline and her entourage than the latter. Drawing Bella into her room that afternoon, she asked her with a well-put-on show of interest, 'Are your friends nice, my dear?' this producing an expected slight flush upon that maiden's cheeks. Like all girls, however, Bella was always eager to talk about herself and did so while carefully circumventing the very events of which Miss Martin was well aware.
'They are jolly then-or, as we say, sportif?” Miss Martin asked casually while observing every flittering and shade of expression in Bella's eyes, 'I mean, they like to enjoy themselves together, and with others', she added carefully.
'Oh yes!' Bella responded, swallowing as she spoke.
'Good. The Colonel you spoke of… he is not related to them? What a nice gentleman he sounds, so upright and vigorous. Oh, I like a man who is so. It would be nice to meet them-but of course it is not my place', put in Miss Martin sadly.
'Oh, I would not mind! You could ride with me, if you want to. I am sure they would not mind-my uncle and aunt, I mean', Bella replied with an enthusiasm that was native to her character but which she in part regretted, for like all who enjoy certain dalliances, she rather wanted to keep them to herself.
As for Miss Martin, she saw herself now as separating the various strands about her and of then bringing them together according to her will, rather in the manner of a lady who re-arranges her hair in a new fashion. Suppressing (much against her will) her knowledge of what Johnson had related to her, she cast her arms about Bella and emitted a sigh.
'It will be nice. One is too often overheard, overseen here. Do you understand what I mean?' she asked, passing her lustrous lips softly across those of Bella who in daring excitement wished to relate what had happened, but could not bring herself to speak of it despite the various naughtinesses that had passed between them in bed.-'I can be very naughty, Bella, you know I can, and cannot help myself for that. Are your friends a little naughty?' was breathed against Bella's mouth, for Miss Martin could not quite contain herself and like many who at first brood over the uncertainties of a new venture was finding herself drawn to it.
'A little bit', whispered Bella. Their thighs, their bellies and their breasts pressed together excitingly. Miss Martin's eyes half closed. The tip of her pink tongue emerged and sought the girl's.
'I shall come to you in bed tonight. Do not lock your door, Bella'.
'No-yes', answered Bella who always felt submissive in Miss Martin's embrace.
'We can talk about it-it will be exciting. Oh, not now though, for I hear someone coming. You see how it spoils things?'
'Yes', Bella responded fervently, and then the two broke apart as a servant passed the half-open door which Miss Martin had left thus with some foresight since she had intended to say exactly that to Bella with the purpose of stirring her up.
In this she succeeded, though in the ensuing hours Bella told herself desperately that she must not, not, not reveal too much about Caroline et cie to Miss Martin. Even so, she left her bedroom door unlocked when darkness brought its cloud about the house, though to her surprise-and momentary trepidation lest the two encounter one another on the landing-it was her aunt who drifted silently into her room in a lacy peignoir beneath which she was naked.
A strange and whispered conversation then ensued, during which a wondering Bella-much afeared that Miss Martin might also enter-found herself being led along on tiptoe to the boudoir of her uncle and aunt. There, a carefully perfumed darkness received her and the door was silently closed.
Miss Martin meanwhile lay abed cogitating on the possibilities that obtained, and so much so that she finally had to stir herself up from her bed to make her way with equal caution to Bella's room where-to her surprise-she found the door unaccustomedly ajar and the girl's bed empty, the bedclothes hastily thrown down.
For a moment, Miss Martin waited and cocked her head, listening for the presence of Bella in the adjoining bathroom. Thence came not the slightest sound, however, and upon inspection she found it equally deserted, at which her brow puckered up. Would Bella be in Ethel's room? Surely not after what they had arranged.
Passing with querulous caution along the corridor, Miss Martin paused for thought in the somewhat dangerous vicinity of her employers' bedroom door-and thence she heard several soft moans and a gentle creaking of the bed. Screwing her face up a little, and feeling quite put out, though with no immediate suspicions of what was passing, Miss Martin ventured closer and placed her ear to the door.
Another moan came, and with near certainty Miss Martin placed its being emitted from the mouth of Bella. But then a voice reached her-that of Letitia.
'Lie still, darling. Let him do it. Kiss me! Oh, is it not nice?'
'Oh, you bitch', Miss Martin almost ejaculated aloud as a rage of frustration seized her, and so much so that her fingers clenched into her palms and she stood trembling with annoyance while Bella's gasps of pleasure continued to reach her burning ears.
Anonymous
A Stately English Mansion