I wondered how much she knew.
I commenced a calculation of how far she would go. What it would be worth my while to do.
She was evidently in a flutter herself, and without that self-possession and repose so characteristic of Mademoiselle.
She was nervous plainly and sensible of the want of that impelling magic or mesmeric power which compelled obedience to Mademoiselle's orders however shocking and outrageous they might be.
So, feeling my advantage I began to sulk.
"Julian," she said, "do as I desire. I shall whip you if you don't." I twinged, and considered whether she could. "Undress yourself directly. Come, I have no time to lose; besides, I will not pay five pounds for nothing! Undress, I want to see you."
I still hesitated and only looked at her mutely.
"You are wasting all the time," she said, angrily. "If you do not undress at once I declare I shall call Elise and make her bind you, and will lash you without mercy myself. Come!" she said, half rising. "Must I, or will you do what I wish?"
Now the appearance of Elise on the scene would have spoilt all. I much preferred a quiet tete-a-tete with my cousin uninterrupted by Elise and her brutalities. But Maud made a great mistake in invoking another power instead of relying upon her own. I said so.
"I might do for you, Maud, what force and Elise could not make me do." I hazarded a gentle emphasis on the pronoun.
"Very well, then, be a good boy, and please me. I do not like force; I think its employment inelegant. I wish to conquer by my-by my- what Mademoiselle would call — charms," she said, with a most winning air of pretty embarrassment, coyly looking down as if frightened by her own temerity and uncertain of the response.
She had touched my weak point. "Indeed," I instantly answered, with a look freely expressing the admiration I felt, "they are sufficient." And my frank tone conveyed the sincerity of my conviction. The effect was magical.
"You nice boy," she said, rushing at me with girlish abandon and kissing me.
And then, with her hand upon my shoulder she said, looking into my eyes: "Undress! I wish you to do so. Now, we shall both enjoy it. I will help you."
Affairs had taken a very pleasant turn. It had become a task of love to obey her and the sacrifices involved were sweet and thrilling. We were both in a flutter of pleasant excitement as I yielded to her wishes. She threw the feminine garments one by one from me with disdain. My blushes were materially increased by the loss of my petticoats and the exposure of my bare arms and neck, while my nether limbs were covered by dainty shoes, long stockings, and wide heavily frilled drawers. She laughed gaily at the picture I presented and asked me how I appreciated the ignominy of being condemned to wear a lady's things.
Then followed two or three thrilling moments, while her fingers were busy with the strings about my waist, her arms often round it as she fumbled with the fastening of my drawers. Her taking them off, caused us both an infinity of delightful confusion. I felt the air against my bare legs and made a vain attempt to catch the mischievous pair of hands that were so ruthlessly invading my privacy with the undisguised intention of entirely depriving me of it.
She slipped down on the floor in front of me to pull off my stocking. Again a thrill and a gasp, as she petulantly pulled away the chemise and finally pushed her hands under it to get at the end of the stocking which was halfway up my thigh. I felt her soft cool hands on my bare leg and for an instant they went up higher than necessary. The next instant the stocking was jerked off without compunction and one long limb became as naked as my arms. She paused to look at it with approval and satisfaction before she attacked the other leg. With a pretty pout and an amused air she forcibly took hold of the other leg and its stocking and rapidly drew off the delicate silk thing. I felt worse than naked. Without a word she loosened and unfastened my corset and there was but the chemise left.
"Now," she cried, "I shall punish your ridiculous attempt at concealment," and, not waiting to take the chemise off, she slipped her left arm round my back and with her disengaged hand lifted it right up to my breasts and gazed at me intently with a very rosy face. I was forced to acquiesce although blushing from head to foot and hanging my head. Resting her shoulder against me to prevent the garment falling down again, she touched me. I could resist no longer. I threw my arms round her and kissed her cheeks and neck. She gave me some coy slaps, and, turning her head, placed one burning kiss full on my mouth.
We lost ourselves for some seconds in the sweetness of the embrace.
"Now," she said at length, "we must take this off, too." And gathering the chemise up with both hands she slipped it off my arms over my head.
There I stood before her absolutely and entirely naked without the slightest possibility of the least concealment and she gazed at me steadfastly from head to foot. I felt embarrassed and awkward. I did not know what to do. Partial concealment, I felt, would but emphasize the rest of my nudity. She passed her hands over my legs and thighs and between them, and played with that male thing in a most tantalising fashion, observing that she was glad to make the acquaintance of so handsome a gentleman.
"How it grows when I play with it!" she said quizzically; adding, "He looks much nicer now than when I saw him last in the schoolroom."
She next made me lie back on the bed and knelt between my legs. Her heavily drooping lids, her swimming eyes, her quickly heaving bosom, and her voluptuous movements, gave a promising and encouraging account of her own condition. I suggested that I should undress her and then we could have a reciprocal lesson in practical anatomy. She laughed, but not heeding my suggestion, wanted to know as she handled it, whether this bag contained babies, and how many.
"Oh, Maud," I said, electrified, "lie down on the bed and it shall tell you."
I remembered the conversation with Mademoiselle and the knowledge I had derived from it. Maud was not Mademoiselle, neither was she Beatrice, but in the height of my transport this was a mere detail which did not affect me, and indeed of which I never thought.
She stood up over me occasionally stroking me and passing her hands over and along my arms and shoulders which she said were admirable. By a dexterous movement I slipped my hand under her petticoats while she was thus interested in studying me. She started, grew fiery red, made a pretence of resistance, which was, even to my inexperienced eyes, plainly unreal-instinctive not intentional.
It is at this juncture that a man loses if he is fainthearted. But I was far too much excited to be fainthearted. I insisted. I touched her. A complete change came over her instantly and it seemed to me miraculously.
"Oh, Julian, Julian," she ejaculated, "you mustn't. What will Mademoiselle say? Oh, you mustn't!" After a few moment's pause: "How would it tell me?"
"It would tell you there," I said, placing my finger on the spot.
"There! Oh-oh-should you put it there?" she asked, awaiting the answer with evident anxiety.
"Yes, there!" I answered. I had got hold of her completely; her legs were well separated, and she moved lasciviously backwards and forwards, rubbing herself against my hand. As I repeated the words I pressed my middle finger well into the lips of that feminine mouth with a moustache to which Mademoiselle had first introduced me.
"Oh-oh-oh, Julian! What would it do?"
"It would throb-throb-throb," I replied, poking her with my finger each time I said the word and gazing laughingly at her, "and make his way right-into-you!"
"Would it-it-this long thing?" (holding it). "Just fancy! And these-this too inside me!" (with a delicious blush and exquisite confusion; and as she moved lasciviously, I felt my hand being moistened). "Oh how dreadful — but how nice it would be-but wouldn't it be awfully naughty? Have you," as a thought struck her, "ever done it to anyone, to any girl? I mean, are you sure it is right — the right way I mean?" with a look of arch simplicity, covering her head and endeavouring to conceal her rosy face against my breast as she knelt over me.