Come, will you not take some port with me? The girls will join us in a moment. You see how delicately I treat them? None of us need have remorse. You saw them strapped but lightly, felt their bottoms warm, discovered not a single weal or mark-is that not true?” I skirted the other “little matter”-well, of course I did. They had no means of knowing that I knew and so to great extent were mollified.
“Indeed, we are content,” Georges said, and with greater truth than I seemingly had cause to believe. “There will be no-er-unwonted visits any more,” the Minister said gruffly and downed half of his glass! “Excellent, Messieurs, though if both or either of you wish to come again then I shall welcome you, as will my girls-but you alone, of course,” I added meaningfully. Each coloured up a little at that but did not look displeased, whereat I turned the conversation to more mundane matters. Then a very hesitant knock sounded at the door. “Entrez!” I called, and in with simpering feet came Cynthia and Jeannette. Georges sat upon a chaise lounge, I in an armchair, and the Minister accommodated as was I. “Do not be shy, girls. Jeannette, would you care to pour, and perhaps refill our glasses? Thank you. Have you greeted your Papa at all? You must, you know. Cynthia, I fear there is not another chair. Pray take your seat upon the arm of the Ministers chair. Good girl!” Cynthia has delicious thighs. They showed through her thin dress as so she perched and crossed her legs, a slight flush in her face. As for Jeannette, she had nowhere else to go but on the chaise lounge next to Georges and there seated herself, armed with a glass, most sedately, gazing at me in much awe. Oh, but I have over-run my time and space.
Forgive me if I fly. There IS a little more to tell, but for the nonce I must keep it from you, though not for more than a week, I swear. How long it takes to write! Oh, that we both had magic pens and could cover twice the pages that we do! No matter, it will keep you in suspense. And now your news of Alison and Sylvia, please!
Devotedly Julie
14
Editors Note:
Correspondents who address themselves to The Times and other worthy newspapers, frequently beg forgiveness of the Editor for taking up too much of his space-and this despite the fact that the said worthy has frequently had to cut half of their verbiage out. My own task in this respect has been much happier. I have omitted nothing that would be of immediate and stirring interest to the reader. Moreover, neither Julie nor Caroline nor all the others would have needed to beg my forgiveness for their “longeurs.” Had they indeed possessed “magic pens,” then this volume would have been happily twice as long. But now to Caroline's reply, since these two appear to be hogging the post!
My lovely Julie,
How naughty you are! You have never done the like before. Well-not quite!
Can you imagine my desire to know what was further said and what transpired in your drawing room on that sultry evening? Even so, I will forgive you for not telling me immediately, for I know you have a penchant for teasing-and more than that, it was indeed a lovely long letter that you wrote me. I have read it countless times and envisaged all! Dick was in no doubt whatever about renewing his acquaintance with Alison, whose bottom seems to haunt his dreams, whereas with Sylvia he has the close reality. “Why do we not have a picnic?” he opined. I thought it a capital idea. “A fuck al fresco?” I could not help saying, at which he put his fingers to his lips at such a wicked word, besides which Sylvia chanced to come in.
Having greeted me, she asked, “What were you talking about?” “A picnic,” I said, for I felt it might come better from me than from Dick. “With Alison and perhaps others,” I added. Sylvia twisted up her nose a little. “With Alison?” she echoed, and I suspected the return of a little jealousy there, even though she had sent her friend a birthday present. “Four's company-or six?” I rejoined merrily enough, which seemed to appease her, though she said a little fretfully, “I do not know anyone else we could invite.” Of course, she did, but was anticipating certain circumstances. “Have you never heard from Maude?” I ventured. Sylvia shrugged and said, “Oh, I do not know her very well. Scarce at all in fact. Besides, she ran away.” So saying this, she curled her lip as if she were the Great Adventuress herself! “Perhaps she would like such an outing. We could go to Chaileybury Place, for it is otherwise deserted at this time of year.
I know the owner, Lord Beckforth and his wife. They are away, but would be pleased to allow me free run of the estate.” “There would be servants, though,” Sylvia said grumpily, at which-determined to alter her mood (and, besides, she had quite given herself away in saying that)-I tickled her and made her laugh, while Dick beamed at the both of us. “Oh, very well,” she said at last, “but Maude will think it forward of me, I've no doubt.” “It she does then she will reply that she is otherwise engaged,” said I, though having little doubt of the outcome from all that I have previously heard. We both know that girls do like to be naughty together sometimes, for they feel that it excuses them and also gives them comforting that they are not alone in it. You see, I use psychology, too, you darling wretch! Well, Maude answered Sylvia's note that she would like to but could not come alone and so would bring her Mama! I did not tremor at the thought. Dick murmured fretfully that it would put our plans awry. I did not satisfy him completely as to that and with the merest hint or two that Adelaide was not so stuffy as might be thought, left him to brood upon it. It was inevitable that Horace should accompany Alison, though I'm sure she did not want him to! At any event, they arrived first on the appointed morning and she and Sylvia were very cagey with each other, that I can say. However, the arrival of Maude et Cie drew them together out of curiosity. Adelaide looked statuesque but beautiful, and uses kohl about her eyes in daytime.
Well! But unexpectedly there came as well her brother, Vivian, a man of quiet aspect in his late thirties. Had he discovered her newfound voluptuousness? I was all agog to know! Or was it all to be very dulled by his presence? At any rate, we wasted no time in getting off.
Two carriages were needed, of course, and the picnic baskets piled on top. I thought, Julie, of your own picnic venture and wondered much if ours would be the same! At any rate, it was a perfect day for it-blue sky and Small cottonwool clouds, and such a great, tall oak to shield ourselves beneath when we arrived. But of course you do not wish to hear all the tiresome preliminaries. I had made our presence known to his Lordship's housekeeper and assured her that we wished for naught. The tree I chose for us to settle under was a full five hundred yards from the house, in case any stray servants should decide to peep. Perhaps they did and saw us as tiny, distant figures in our amourous endeavours! Yes, we came to that, and to my great surprise (delight!) Vivian began the merriment by idling his hand upon his sister's thighs while we were finishing off the wine. “Vivian, really! Do not do that,” she murmured, having all eyes upon her, which she otherwise might not have done if she had but kept quiet. I saw then, as you might well have done yourself, the opportunity to raise the curtain, as it were and asked, “Why? Are you ticklish then, Adelaide?” She was ready to reply then “No,” but perhaps having eaten less and imbibed more wine than most of us, Vivian cried out teasingly “Yes!” and bore her full back on the grass. Such events are as a finger to a trigger, as you once or twice have said. Adelaide's legs kicked up (purple stockings and white garters, dear!) and she squealed no end as Vivian tickled underneath her arms. “YOU ARE-you ARE ticklish, Adelaide!” I declared, and, springing up, laid myself on the other side of her to Vivian and let my own knees show. “I am not!