He said drily: 'Don't be daft, Andrew, I'm the founder, secretary and only member of that fraternity. The reason why the copper let me go is not unconnected to the view I've often expressed to you that a judicious financial gift to persons in petty authority works wonders. I'm a little surprised that you didn't guess that I had a banknote tucked inside that piece of board.'
'Gosh, wasn't that a rather dangerous gambit?' I said excitedly. 'Suppose he had taken offence at the offer of a bribe to let you off scot-free?'
'Not much chance of that,' retorted Phil. 'Aren't you aware that our coppers are the best money can buy! Anyway, I didn't get off scot-free, it cost me a pound note. Sure, I would probably have been fined only double that amount if I had been brought up before a beak-but think of all the time and trouble I've saved by paying off the chap now.'
'H'm, I'm not too certain whether that argument would hold up if you were ever charged with perverting the cause of justice,' I declared doubtfully-and then burst out laughing as I realized just how pompous I had sounded!
The girls joined in the laughter as we made our way through the crowded streets towards Putney Bridge. Once over the river, though, the traffic thinned out and Phil pressed his foot down on the throttle when we reached Putney Hill. Expertly, he changed to a lower gear as we sped up the incline and by half past twelve we parked the car and Phil and myself carried the heavy wicker hamper to a quiet secluded spot near Scio Pond.
We opened the hamper and it was clear that Mrs. Angel had packed enough food and drink for double our number. There was cold roast chicken, a veal and ham pie, brisket of beef and rolled tongue as well as two large bowls of salad, rolls and butter and pastries.
'What a bumper spread! I hope you boys are hungry,' exclaimed Claire. I grinned: 'And I hope you girls are thirsty, because even though I forgot to ask Phil to stop so I could buy some oranges to make Buck's Fizz, we have four small bottles of champagne, two bottles of seltzer, a bottle of claret and a bottle of hock to knock back!'
'Well, we'll just have to do our best,' Phil declared as he helped Becky spread out the linen tablecloth. 'Tuck in, everybody.'
After this magnificent feast the four of us all agreed that a pleasant post-prandial snooze was now in order. We found comfortable places to rest some twenty yards away from each other and to Phil's obvious delight, he was able to pair off with Becky who snuggled her curvy body next to his lean, supple frame. This did not bother me in the slightest for I was happy enough to have Claire resting her pretty head on my shoulder as I snaked my arm round her waist and brought her closer to me as we lay back on a hillock of dry grass.
Claire let out a little chuckle. When I asked what was amusing her, she replied: 'I was just thinking about Phil's friend, Jerry Fenner. Are you also one of his chums?'
I replied: 'Not exactly, although we have met at the occasional house party. I knew he's a good-looking brute, but I've often wondered how he got such a reputation as a gay Lothario and whether indeed it is justified.'
Claire gave a broad smile. 'Oh, it's justified, all right. But then, what would you expect from a young man who moves in one of the fastest sets in the entire country? I don't know how he is regarded in Society but he's a real stage door Johnny.
Most girls I know have been sent one of his special bunches of red roses with an invitation to dine at Romano's.'
The champagne had loosened my tongue and I blurted out: 'How about you, Claire? Did you ever succumb to his advances?'
'Just the once,' she replied quietly. 'You probably know that Jerry is reckoned by many to be one of the most talented amateur portrait painters in London. Well, he approached me one afternoon as I was going in to the theatre for the last matinee of Hallo, Sailor, my first West End show which you recall had poor reviews and ran for only three weeks. I was feeling very low and he really cheered me up by asking me if I would sit for him one day after the final performance.
'His offer boosted my morale and, to cut short the story, he arranged for his chauffeur to pick me up from my lodgings. He took me to Jerry's posh house in St John's Wood.
'“Mr. Fenner's expecting you, Miss,” said the driver as he opened the door for me. Jerry must have been watching out for my arrival for he opened the door himself whilst I was walking up the garden path. “Hello, Claire, how lovely to see you again,” he beamed, planting a chaste little kiss on my cheek as he helped me take off my hat and coat. He ushered me into the drawing room and gestured me to a comfortable armchair.
'“Do join me in a glass of chilled white wine,” he smiled. Jerry soon put me at ease as we exchanged the latest bits of theatrical gossip. Like many girls, I was quickly taken with this witty and handsome young man. He had dressed himself for the part in a pair of purple velveteen trousers, a loose white shirt with a colourfully embroidered waistcoat and a floppy silk tie secured with a glowing moonstone.
'Anyhow, we chatted away and I am not ashamed to admit that I blushed with pride at the realization that Jerry was obviously rather keen on me. Happily, this was very much a mutual feeling-so much so that I really thought little of it when Jerry announced that he wanted me to model for a nude study.
'“I hope you're not offended by this suggestion but I cannot tell you how excited I am by the thought of capturing your unadorned beauty on canvas,” he went on, looking searchingly at me from across the room.
'Well, if I say so myself, I've never suffered from false modesty, so I rose from my seat and said to him: “You've never seen me au naturel. Suppose you find my figure isn't to your liking?”
'“I can't believe that will happen,” Jerry replied huskily as I reached up and unpinned my hair which cascaded down in tresses down the sides of my face. Then I turned round and kicked off my shoes as I let my jacket fall from my shoulders. I followed this by unbuttoning my blouse and swivelled back to face him whilst I slipped off the garment and threw it across the arm of my chair. With a soft smile playing about my lips, I unhooked my dress and let it slide to the floor with a gentle swish. I stepped out of the crumpled heap of cloth and when I pulled my chemise over my head, Jerry gasped audibly at the sight of my creamy bare breasts.
'Next I sat down and peeled off my stockings and as I stood up, bending my knees whilst I wiggled down my knickers to my feet, I said lightly: “There you are, Mr. Fenner. Do you like what you see or shall I wrap the goods up again?”
'He took in a deep breath and I grinned as I saw his eyes rove up and down my naked body. In a cracked voice he answered: “My dear Claire, even though I have never made any secret of my affection for you, I truly never imagined that my senses would be assailed by such gorgeous feminine beauty. You are so very, very lovely…”
'Jerry's voice trailed off as he took my hand and led me to a carved cheval mirror on the far wall where I delightedly contemplated my nude body in the glass.
'Now nudity-even my own-always awakens my sensual passions and a delicious, liquid sensation was already suffusing my pussey as I looked at myself in the mirror with unashamed delight. With my eyes shining, I allowed my tongue to emerge from between my parted lips and I turned my head from side to side whilst I admired my elegant profile. Locks of silky chestnut hair fell forward, the ends caressing my breasts, and this sent further electric sparks shooting through my body, causing my rosy nipples to harden and rise. Glancing down at my heaving bosoms, I cupped the globular spheres in my hands, squeezing the soft, yielding flesh and tickling the hardening rubbery nipples.