Leaving my pony tethered and grazing by a tree, I walked slowly to the doors and looked all about but could neither see nor hear anyone and so thought my aimless journey wasted. Nevertheless, I ventured within, endeavouring not to let the big door latches clang or squeak, and passed down the nave. As I did so a sound came to me and I halted, rather breathless in my daring.
“Ah! Oh, sir!” I heard and the voice was that of a boy and not a girl. “Hoo-hoo! It is too big!” then came to me and with my innocence long lost the full import of those words struck me like a knell.
I tiptoed forward, hearing as I did a certain grunting and then a voice I knew well to be Edwin’s.
“Ha! my sweet boy, is it not nice, not juicy, firm? Do you not like it?”
My cheeks reddened. The youth, whoever he was, choked and moaned. I heard the slap of flesh to flesh. Even my neck felt enflamed for there is nothing that I abhor more than congress between males, and this I instinctively knew was afoot. The sounds of lust were all about. Stiffening my resolve, though I wished not to see what I must see, I passed along and opened a side door. There truly did all wickedness meet my eyes. I would fain not describe it save that the untrousered youth was bent over a desk and Edwin’s corker well plunged up his nether parts. In my carelessness, however, the iron ring of the handle slipped my grasp and sounded sharp against the door. Edwin’s head jerked up. Full-flushed as his visage was, his eyes encountered mine, his cock stopped working. It sufficed. Quick as a flash I closed the door, was gone, and-running madly-sought my own retreat.
That he would not, dare not, follow I felt certain and so, despite my trepidation (which in truth was anger, well disguised), I gained the trap and quick rode off towards the Vicarage and the waiting Maude.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
I contrived my expression well upon encountering Maude, affecting sorrow and amazement, but refusing to say anything, despite her questions, until some wine had slaked my thirst.
“What is to do? What is to do, Clara?” was constantly asked. I had slyly, though with apparent agitation, loosed my bodice while I drank, for it is ever a good thing to draw the eyes to that which might the better evoke visions such as words confirm.
“I will not bandy words, Maude. You are become a woman of the world now. You have spoken to me of sin. I will tell you what is sin. Do you know Edwin’s habits?”
“No, no, I do not. What do you speak of?” She wrung her hands and stared at me. Even in the moment I thought how fulsome her bottom would be to the birch, upon which my own surname is so well and truly founded, as it were.
“I passed by the church there to pray, Maude, and saw that-within a vestry or whatever it may be called-such as no eyes should ever see. Shall I tell you plain? There is no other way to it. Edwin had his prick full up a boy’s bottom-one of the choirboys I imagine,” I said almost languidly.
How she gaped! How she protested yet in vain that it could not be true! Yet such was the tenor of my voice, and so well modulated was it between sorrow and anger, that she could not help but bring herself to accept. Springing up, she paced back and forth, oftimes burying her face in her hands and declaring with many sobs that she knew not what to say, for all the world was topsy-turvy now and no greater sin had she ever heard of. Indeed I am quite certain, despite my titillation of her the day before, that she had no concept of a male weapon being inserted in the fundament and even endeavoured to say so, though in a long and rambling way.
“The Ecclesiastical Court will hear of it, I have no wonder,” I murmured as though in uttermost despair.
“What? Oh dear heavens, no! We shall all be ruined and turned out! We have no other place to go,” wailed she, and thus unknowingly handed me the key to her future pleasures and her fate.
I waited then until she had ceased sobbing.
“At the least there must be punishment, Maude.”
“Yes, but not that way, not that way. Oh, he will be unfrocked!”
“I, too, have thought of that, Maude, and would not have it so. Are you not angry-angry-that such a thing should occur and such a waste displayed?”
“A w… w… waste?” Her jaw gaped. She descended her bottom into her chair again. I pondered the moment, rose and went to her, accommodating myself upon the rolled arm of her seat. I stroked her hair.
“You know of what I speak, Maude-let us have no dissembling. The male should be put only to the female, in whatever wise. I will say of Edwin in his defence but solely this-that his cock has too often been deeply stirred by your voluptuous presence and so in this wicked way he sought to exercise it, or one might almost say exorcise it,” I murmured.
“You… you… you do not know what you are saying,” she mumbled, her face all red and fingers tight together.
“I know well of what I speak, Maude. Vivian will come to the same fate if it is not prevented. Even the rustling of your skirts makes their balls swell, as I have observed. You have never thought to look. Even so, Edwin must be punished and the matter covered up,” I said crisply, knowing well that she wished to be diverted from what I had said of herself and so she greedily seized the point.
“How, though-how? The youth will speak!”
“I will attend to the youth, Maude. There is but one way to deal with Edwin now, and that in secret that your future may remain secure. He must be humiliated beneath a woman in such wise as will never make him stray again. You alone can effect this and so save your heritage and your home.”
“I… I… I… would not know what to do. Edwin has always been master and…”
“Shush!” I interrupted her, “he will be no more so. You shall be the Mistress of your realm. I can but advise you what to do. Should you fail…”
“Oh-woh, Clara!” sobbed she.
“SHOULD you fail then he will be unfrocked,” I continued coldly. “Now I will tell you what to do, so listen carefully and interrupt me not or I shall go from hence, will say nothing to the youth, and all will be undone. Well, Maude?”
Her eyes, brimming with tears, came up to mine, but I marked not her sorrow for I knew how rapidly in such matters all moods change. Before the day was out her drawers would be down and she would be panting to the urging of the prick-though this I carefully did not explain to her. Her wonder at my instructions was such that she appeared dumbfounded, yet with the sword of Damocles above her very head she had no way to turn nor any other recourse to seek. Much further weeping and protests came, but I would have none of it, brought her wine and made her drink her fill, one glass, then two, then three that she might be merrier in the matter, as I said.
A trifle blurred by then she was induced to go upstairs while I waited for Edwin’s return. He was not too long about it, for which I was thankful. He paled upon seeing me and would have retreated, for I had kept myself quiet in the drawing room. Upon his entry, throwing down gloves and hat carelessly as he did upon a sofa, I sprang up and barred his way back to the door.
“We have much to speak of,” I said coldly.
“My God-Maude!” he choked, believing I had told her.
“She is not your god, though she may yet become your goddess,” I replied, which of course cast him into full mystery so that he ever looked towards the door.
The Edwins of this world are many. Outwardly rumbustious in their ways, they seek to dominate the female kind and do so in multifarious ways, for they are the purseholders as a rule. Even so, it is a most curious phenomenon which I have now often observed whereby their eyes will glitter with a certain interest when they feel the tables might be reversed. Indeed, such is a moment they appear to hunger for and greet with all amazement and no concealed interest and arousal until they find themselves well put down by which time their fate is sealed.