Attired in a pale pink peignoir adorned with lace, she looked perfectly lovely. Her legs, elegant as they were and full womanly at their juncture, twinkled palely through the gap in the fine, silky material. Her eyes were warm. Seeing my expression, she gave a loving smile and sat beside me, taking my hand.
“I meant all that I said-be not in doubt of it. Long have I waited to have an accomplice such as you,” she declared. “You have such an air of angelic innocence and prettiness as will disguise many of our escapades. Your passion will know no more bounds than mine. Say that you are still of the same mind, Arabella, oh do!”
Such was the pleading in her tone that I laughed almost in relief at being lifted from my cloud of doubt. Taking this for all the assent that my expression was intended to reveal, she kissed me warmly.
“Repeat now the final lesson I taught you,” she demanded. While I hesitated, she tapped my lips playfully with her fingers, saying that if the words did not come out she would tickle me to distraction. “Cock must come to…Come on, Arabella!”
I hid my face but could not suppress a grin. Her hand moved to tickle me beneath my armpits and I jumped.
“C…c…cock must come to cunny,” I whispered.
“Yes-go on!” The excited impatience in her voice was evident.
“C…c…cock must come to bottom-lips must come to cock-pussy must come to pussy-lips must come to pussy…oh, Elaine, I forget!”
“Oh, you story, you do not-but that will do for the moment. But you have forgotten one thing: it does not matter whose they are so long as they are nice! There, you see, it sounds like a little song! But listen, for I have a most wonderful idea. You remember that I told you that I wished to attend one of the private gatherings and that Papa would not take me? Of course you do. Well, we shall exercise our devious powers, my pet, and to the advantage of us all. Papa is much smitten with you, as I happen to know, for 'tis always he who ensures your invitation here. Yes, you may well blush, but that is the truth of it. Now, as to my plan it is really very simple. I shall make it known to Papa-indeed, we shall do so-that you are much taken with the idea also. Of course, he will believe us innocent in the real affair of things, but no matter. The idea will come far more fetchingly from you and I feel certain he will not then resist.”
I became almost pettish at first at the idea which I thought merely hotheaded, I confess.
“Elaine, we dare not, for whatever passes there will be seen by your Papa as much as we, and I would have no face to put upon it, let alone you.”
“Have I not thought of that, my darling muddlehead? It will be known, of course, that Papa and I are kin and so discreet arrangements will be made to ensure our separation. I shall be whisked away-I have no doubt of that- but hence will still enjoy myself and, who knows, with the help of one or other may yet still peep in upon the proceedings. As for you, 'twill be quite other, for Papa will be discreet enough to withdraw from you, I know.”
“Oh, Elaine, what boldness! I could not!”
“Ha! See how you scurry to your rabbit hole as soon as we begin!” Elaine jeered and made to rise, which reaction from her caused me to seize her wrist, for then-as now- I would never be taken for a coward, however bizarre all seemed to me then.
“I do not! I will do it, you will see,” I blurted, much to her satisfaction, for she embraced me and declared that she had really known it all along.
“Really, you have no need to bother about Papa any more than I, Arabella. He knows perfectly well what is afoot at such gatherings and will be well apprised when something naughty is about to begin. At that he will no more be able to face you than you him and so will take to one of the bedrooms with some lady of his choosing. To put not too fine a point upon it, the occasion will give him fair opportunity to do so.”
“Yes,” I countered, “but he will know that we know.”
“Make not too much of that, my sweet. Papa may then see in you and I accomplices of a sort-already compromised by his own lights-and may see us well out of the affair. It would not come amiss were he to buy me the pearl necklace he has long promised!”
“Oh, you wicked one!” I declared, but could not help laughing at her boldness and her quaint determination. I have long thought that innocence was upon her in some part even then, and knew not the trepidations-which she afterwards confessed to me-which she experienced in embarking upon her course. My own uprising sense of mischief and daring gave strength to her. We were as wall and ivy, the one complementing the other in our upward Teachings.
Reflecting upon the affair now, as I often still do-for it is as well to know our own motives in all things-I perceive that one or other of two qualities would have carried me through. I refer to naivety on the one hand and the full knowledge of experience on the other. Either would have done to decide me upon the path I trod then. Had I veered between both states, as many foolish women do, I would in all probability been too utterly shocked to entertain such ideas, or on the other hand would have wavered feebly and come to nothing but inertia. Thus naivety is put to good purpose while experience finds its own. Elaine had divined this instinctively during all her readings and daydreamings. Males who invariably consider themselves the lords of the universe could never have done as we. Nor could even the most determined of young women contrived on her own what we accomplished.
That I was destined to pleasure myself as I have done has long been clear to me. It will be seen however that none suffered in the process and many gained enduring delight from my precepts. That I occasionally surpassed her in my daring fretted her not. Hedonism as all. In the beginning we shared all, whether by our mutual presences or by our confidences afterwards. Each of us in a sense was the other's fervent disciple.
Our first plot-which I confess made my heart palpitate madly-proceeded with an ease born of the selfsame fate which directed our footsteps.
“We shall stroll a little in the garden, Papa, will you not join us?” Elaine asked him after breakfast. I had not until then thought of my uncle in any sense of being an admirer of myself, but now that the thought had been put into my mind I perceived with what interest his eyes passed all over me. He had been minded, I believe, to do something other, but as it chanced this proved his first opportunity to converse with me beyond the hearing of my aunt.
Upon his approval, therefore, the three of us took to the sward whose green and springy surface floated comfortably beneath my feet. Elaine seemed unduly quiet to a point at which I thought she was regretting her idea. Once out of sight of the house, however, she quickly broached the point, saying that I was much minded to enjoy my first festive evening with dancing and company.
At this a shadow passed across my uncle's brow. He hesitated much before replying.
“I fear, my dear, that your Mama would think it very strange were I to take you both. No, I do not think it can be thought of. Moreover, there are Arabella's parents to be consulted.”
One quick glance from Elaine and I knew that I must speak. Somewhat to my surprise I then heard my own voice declaring that Mama and Papa would make no ado about the matter and indeed were minded that I should enjoy myself.
“Ah yes,” my uncle replied. He was clearly in a dilemma. Walking on the other side of him, Elaine took his hand playfully.
“Will you not, Papa? It is a trifle deceitful, I know, but we could always tell Mama that we were attending some other function. After all, no harm will come to us for you will be there to chaperone us. Dear Papa, say yes!”
Her apparent innocence was perfectly judged in tone and manner, while my own could equally be in no doubt. My uncle, glancing at me as we made our way through a shrubbery, appeared flushed of visage. I would have given much then to read his thoughts. He was most obviously at a loss, since he must either forewarn us of the consequences or simply refuse. The smile that I afforded him appeared to swing the balance.