'Ah-I forgot that you were country girls. There are all sorts of names for it, of course. Some call it sausage and mash, and others…'
'We know what it is called', said Jane, 'but do not relay it quite as loudly as you do. In the countryside we are covered, mounted, if you wish to know'. Her tone was sharp; I had not heard it quite so sharp before. 'Well,… George is good for that, and his Papa as well. I am used by them, m'dears, am used', drawled Catherine, although she looked put out and had evidently thought us bumpkins of some sort. 'Are we not all? But there are ways to use males also.
Perhaps you have not found that out as yet. What are we to do then if the Harringtons are not here?' asked Jane. 'We are to meet them on their boat at Richmond, or somewhere like that', I interjected and then looked down at Catherine and asked her briskly, 'When?' 'Eh?
Oh!' She scrambled up. I envied her long legs a little bit. 'This afternoon, my sweets. Did I not say? A light lunch first and then we shall be off. Come down, come down-I think I hear the gong'. Such was our introduction to the town, so much admired by those who live within its smoky interstices, but not so much by those who live beyond and cherish woodsmoke and the songs of blackbirds more than the arrogance of city noise and bustle. I would as soon live in a small hut in a wood as in the dusty dens of Kensington or Pimlico. The Thames at least was yielding, feathered all along its banks by leaves, stone bridges, idle punts, and tow-paths where the dog-rose grew. I liked it at first sight and so did Jane, though it was a fairer ride than we thought along the roads to Shiplake where the houseboat floated regally. I had thought of it as small-a sort of wooden hut upon a barge, for we had never seen the like before, and Papa had not mentioned it. The Tangerine for some extraordinary reason it was called, perhaps because of the colour of its curtains which I thought were over-bright. The main saloon was twice as long as our own drawing room at home, and the dining room was barely smaller. 'Seven beds it has, my dears', said the Hon. Arnold Harrington when he greeted us, a gold-braided naval officer's cap upon his head. There were fireplaces and parquet floors, brass everywhere and vases filled with flowers. The bedrooms clustered on an upper deck, each with a washstand and a flowered commode. The beds were low and heavy-double in each room. I thought it to be a floating palace-so did Jane. We were conducted round like royalty, then taken back down to a bar where drinks were served by ankle-fleet young maids. One in particular caught my eye. She looked no more than sixteen and was small but shapely, and with corngold hair. Our host-then being alone with us- smiled at my look towards the girl. 'You may have her tonight, if you wish', he said. I blinked. His boldness was too much-particularly as we had never met before. 'Arnold! What is to do?', a female voice then sounded, and we all looked up. A lady whom I guessed to be our hostess stood within the doorway, clad in a filmy peignoir that floated down below her ample thighs. Beneath she wore a light, pale blue chemise, and patently no drawers. Her garters were of ruffled purple and her stockings pink. Laced boots reached up her strong calves to her knees. George behind her stood, his hair awry and jacket off, his loose cravat held in her grip as though he were a pony. 'What is it, my dear?', our host asked languidly.
'That Catherine. She is encouraged overmuch. I caught her fiddling with him on her bed. Step forward, George-show your shame to these young ladies', uttered she majestically, then drew him sideways to her shoulder with a squawk from him, whereat we saw his penis, rigid, sticking out, his trousers opened and the sides tucked in.
'Fiddling, indeed! You know how well she plays male instruments, my pet. See to him, will you? What a ghastly sight he looks! I'm sure the girls are thoroughly embarrassed, are you not? Pray do not answer, for I see a certain shyness in your eyes. Priscilla, my dear, will you not take him off and see to him? The wretched youth is overwrought with all these sights of femininity. I will see to it that Catherine has a scorched bottom for her sins. Deal with him as you will. You best know how'. 'Yes, dear-for if you say so, then I will. Come!
No-do not hide it away! Your naughtiness has gone too far for that'.
'YOO-HOOO! MA-MA!' squeaked George at that point, for in turning she released the ends of his cravat and took hold of his prick instead to lead him off. We heard her feet go heavily up to the upper deck, his own more stumbling and some further squeaks from him. Her voice rumbled, bumbled, then a door was closed. 'As we were saying?
What were we saying-what?' 'What a pleasant day it is', said Jane, and kept the straightest face I ever saw. 'Indeed. Where are we? Henley, Shiplake, Mortlake? I forget. The time is wearisome without the charm of such as you-dear daughters of my closest friend.
You have both been tried and put to it, I trust? If not by… hmmmm… then, well, perhaps by… hmmm… As to the maid, yes, yes, of course. She answers to three rings-or is it four? Jenny, what do you answer to?', he called to the girl who had stood behind the bar with her back to us all the time and was polishing a glass. 'Three, sir. Or sometimes four. I forgets myself, and often I bumps into Carrie on the way. She don't know either. She forgets like me'.
'Answer to one tonight, and then you'll know' 'Yes, sir, I will that. Does the young lady wish me at a special time?', the girl asked, but she did not turn. All servants turn-should turn-when they are spoken to. Papa had birched a maid or two for less. I fancied, of a sudden, birching Jenny's bottom-felt myself to be Papa, and understood a little better what he did. 'Well, Emily?' Our host looked to me, asked me languidly. I, not to be put out, said 'Ten o'clock' and twirled my glass against my lips. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the maid hunch up her shoulders just a little, then relax.
She turned her face, looked shyly, then looked back. I loved her in that moment, or I thought I did, would fluff her corngold hair and make her mew, tickle her cunny, make her jerk while I looked down into her pleading eyes. She would be Emily and I would be Papa, but when I lay upon her then I would be James. 'I shall be with you, too, at ten o'clock', said Jane. 'Of course you shall-you always sleep with me', I fibbed defensively before our host. Jenny came slowly round the bar and refilled our glasses with a crisp white wine. Her knee touched mine in passing, warm and small. 'You always sleep together, eh, at home? And elsewhere, too? I say, what luxury, what enviable delights, when you are being… well… eh, what?', our host responded. 'Either we are all mad here, or else the world is square', laughed Jane. She cocked her head and asked, 'What DID you mean?' 'Ah well, I meant to say-when you are being… either of you… both. Jenny, go out, please, for the girls are shy'. 'Yes, sir'. She floated, glanced a shy, fey look at me and then was gone. I thought of her titties, and a milky, baby taste. My tongue would lick amid her moistening curls. The brass-bound, polished door closed with a click. I fancied hearing George moan above. 'Quite simple, really, for I lie on Emily and stick my bottom up and hide her eyes.
She cannot see then when he puts it in', said Jane. 'Her innocence is very sweet-like yours', she added with a luring smile. I saw she took to him and his strange talk. I did not mind myself his goatee beard, his lips a little thick, but strong. 'What treasures!', he exclaimed and then stood up. His penis proud showed through his trouser cloth. 'The best of it is that I thought you might be dull', he continued in a different tone-one that had settled as a cow does in a field before it rains. 'No, we are never dull', said I. I thought it best to speak-not seem less bold than Jane had shown herself. 'He wishes us to say our prayers', said Jane, and produced from him a charming, boyish smile that yet showed hesitation at her words. I watched her words chase round within his mind and come to settle on one leg. 'The gendeman sits and the young lady kneels', I said. I was other than the bumbling fool he first had seen.