Caroline

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“I had removed my collar on rising,” Miriam continued, “but Carrie did not appear to mind. Perhaps she saw what I had failed to see in my moment of attempted bravery. I had not the urgency of will; I was succumbing to her. Indeed, she did not even bother to move from the doorway.

“'Come, Miriam. I have the birch downstairs,' she said quietly. Tears flooded my eyes. I wanted neither to step forward nor back. I was as a young girl again who knows that she must put her bottom up. Carrie saw this, for she stepped forward and took my hand. 'Was it not nice the first time you had it?' she asked. There was almost kindness in her voice. I blinked.

“'I didn't,' I said.

“A sigh came from her. 'Miriam, you merit six strokes of the birch for that. I will ask you again. Was it not nice the first time?'

“I drooped my head. She loosed her hand from mine, placed it at the back of my head as if to still me and tickled my cunny with her forefinger. I jerked. She laughed. I was warm and sticky there from sleep, and she could feel it.

“'No,' I mumbled.

“'And the second time? I may make Charlie go away if you are truthful, Miriam. After he has exercised you, as I said.'

“My heart leapt, but I knew not whether to believe her or not. 'Wasn't awful,' I mumbled.

“'But now at-what? — say thirty-five or so you fear to put your bottom to another big grown man?'

“'I don't like him!' I wailed childishly, at which she tutted.

“'That is irrelevant, Miriam, and you know it. It was not given to you to choose in the first place, and neither shall it be now. Besides, it feels naughtier, does it not, than if your husband did it. Come!'

“I cannot describe to you what it felt like to be led downstairs again. Charlie waited, naked to his shirt. Like one who fears to drown, I clutched at Carrie's words that she might make him go. His cock stuck out obscenely to my sight. The birch hung down beside his leg, he grinned, and once again surveyed me up and down most lecherously.

“'She has to be birched, Charlie, first. You will hold her.'

“'No-no!' I shrieked. I turned and rushed past her to the door. Alas, she had locked it on our entrance and she held the key.

“'Good. I wanted to see that! Hold her well, Charlie.'

“I screamed again, but naught availed. Charlie seized me, bent me underneath his arm and thus secured me, bottom up, passing the birch to Carrie as he did. Oh, how she burned me with it!

“'Come, you bitch, now let me see you wriggle it,' she laughed while my howls filled the air and the searing twigs hissed fierce across my upheld bottom cheeks. I surged my hips this way and that, but each time that I did she caught me well across the centre of my derriere.

“'No more-no more!' I cried. She had said six. I had received a dozen at the least. My poor hot bottom seemed to swell.

“'Very well. Let her rise, Charlie. Now, Madam, go to the table, bend over it with your legs apart and await your conqueror.' sweee-isssh! The birch struck as she spoke. I yelped and jumped. The room swam all about me through my tears. I staggered, turned. The table she had indicated was that broad oak one that you saw, Caroline. I know not how I reached it, then I sagged upon it, bottom out-thrust and my feet awry. I tried to clutch the further edge. It was too far away. 'Properly, Miriam, as you were doubtless taught. Legs spread, back dipped and well-orbed up,' she spat. I heard a movement of the birch and sobbingly obeyed.

Charlie approached me slowly then and touched my flaming bottom with his hands. I flinched. He spread the cheeks apart. I wilted, closed my eyes, screwed them up tight.

“'She'll nip you nicely, Charlie, once it's in.'

“'I know she will. She's got the stance for it, though. You were right.'

“'I told you, Charlie, they all have to. She's been breached by a prick as big as yours before, and in her maidenhood as well. Put it in slowly-let me see. Half in and hold it there.'

“I thought I heard my voice moan out, but it was only in my mind. My rosette was displayed to him. He neared his knob to it; I heard him catch his breath. And then he urged it in the rubbery aperture. 'Ah-ah!' I squealed. He gripped my neck. I felt him push; I yielded. Inches of hard cock insinuated in my bottomhole and there were gripped. I gasped. I felt my breath rush out.

“'Go slowly, Charlie. Hold it for a minute there. Oh, what a lovely sight! Now-ram her with it to the root and then hold still.'

“'NAR-AH!' I choked. One sleek, strong movement of his loins and his penis was embedded to the full. I felt his balls swing underneath my cunny-then he gripped my hips.

“'What an arse she has on her,' he groaned.

“'Exactly, Charlie. Did we not choose well? I want to see it bumping to your thrusts; I want to see it wriggling as it used to do. Now, give it to her. Pump it as a man should pump a lovely bottom such as hers.'

“'Moo-mooo-moo-mooo!' I moaned. His piston worked. His belly smacked against my hot-scorched cheeks, and yet the suction that I exercised was such that he had to work to urge it in and out, grunting with satisfaction as he did, the backs of my thighs a-wobble to his own.

“'She's good-she don't resist too much,' he said.

“'I know; we'll have to train her more for this.'

“'I heard the words of Carrie in despair, and yet- ashamed as I am to say-a feeling of desire swept over me. I was a girl again. I knew my naughtiness, and yet I needed it. My bottom seemed to balloon the more against his loins. I wriggled and I whinnied. Carrie laughed.

“'In future, she will need two or three men at her bottom, Charlie.'

“'Yes, I know. She squeezes nicely-not too hard.' He bent upon me, scooped my breasts upon his palms and felt the nipples rigid with desire.

“'Turn your head, Miriam. Give him your tongue! Do it, or I shall birch you afterwards all round the room!'

“'Ow-woh!' I heard my own despairing cry, yet knew it not so much despair as helpless lust. A servant man was at me, up my bottom, so I told myself, and yet it helped not in the red caves of desire. I turned my face, lips parted, our mouths mashed. He sucked my tongue.

“'I am up you, Madam. Do you like it?'

“I gurgled out reply. I know not what I uttered.

“'Work your bottom more-come on,' he urged. I sobbed between his lips. I urged my bottom back and forth. His piston flashed. A first long stream of sperm leapt up his stem. He rammed it tightly in. I squeezed my bottom cheeks upon his root. Our tongues lashed and he came again. I felt the spattering, the gruelly shoots so deep within, and balled my bottom fiercely to his loins until he spent his last, then ticked-away the final pearly drops.”

“Miriam, dear, you should have been a writer, too,” Caroline declared and gazed at me and gave a nod as though to say there was in the stricken lady's words some evocation of fine prose.

“I have had time to think upon it. Indeed, little else has gone through my mind. Such tortured visions have I had. The cork being withdrawn, I was told by Carrie-as if indeed I might be a child-that I was to return to my bed and that lunch would be brought to me. In endeavouring to regain my dignity, I did not reply, but of a sudden great waves of despair shook my frame. Upon reaching the bedroom-which seemed no longer the retreat it had once been but a place of imprisonment-I cast myself of my own accord face down upon the bed and cried my heart out.

“'Come-get on. to the bed properly and be covered up,' Carrie said from above me.

“'I would rather die than endure any more of this!' I wailed. What seizure took me, I do not know, for I had obtained a certain shameful pleasure in the act which had just occurred and my bottom tingled most agreeably. That is the most hateful part of it-to be brought to desire one has not sought and then must suffer the consequences of, in terms of the remonstrances of one's soul.

“There was, on my dressing table, a pair of scissors I had used for cutting out some material. Before Carrie realised my intention, I sprang up-almost knocking her backwards in the process-and seized them and pointed them to my breast.

“'Do not stop me-I mean to kill myself,' I cried. The points of the scissors touched my skin and made an indentation there.

“'Oh, dear God, no!' came her cry, and it was one of such despair itself that I halted the pressure of my wrist in the same moment that she leapt forward and turned the steely instrument away… 'Oh, what have I done!' she wailed, and to my utter astonishment fell to her knees and clasped her arms around my thighs.

“The scissors fell. They clattered down beside her hip. I swayed. I knew not what to do.

“'Leave me alone!' I uttered for want of else to say.

“'No, I cannot, for I have wronged you deeply! It is all my fault-I am accursed, I know I am. No more harm shall come to you, I swear!'

“She raised her face to mine past my belly and I saw the streaming tears upon her face-tears that were real and exuded like a flood. On and on she cried and clutched me till I feared to stir in case of falling forward over her.

“Was I then, after all my horrid tribulations, to beseech her to calm herself? How strange the situation was! I could say naught but to plead with her to let me lie down. Immediately I did so, she rose and escorted me back to the bed, one arm about my waist and saw to my comfort with great tenderness. I feared a trap, and yet her tears were real enough. She cast herself beside me in an awkward pose, legs half upon the floor, and pressed her glistening cheek to mine, begging my forgiveness on and on.

“'How can I believe you after the horrid way you have both treated me?' I asked.

“'This is no trick-I swear it to you. I will make him go upon the instant, if you wish.'

“I did not answer. I feared the temptation that came upon me then to embrace her and believe her. I turned away and put my back to her. Upon that, still uttering the most heartfelt sobs, she rose and hastened downstairs.

“I waited trembling. I feared the renewed eruption of Charlie into the room. I had not reason to doubt his virility and thought he would be upon me again. I resolved to be placid and let him take his will of me. I saw no other way. Then came to my ears what sounded like altercations. An argument was ensuing. Carrie sounded fierce. He bellowed something at her, but then her own voice softened. There were whispers that I could not hear. Then Carrie's footsteps sounded up the stairs once more. I feigned a swoon, but she took me in her arms and swore to me that in but minutes he would be gone. I lay as if I did not hear and kept my eyes closed. Thereupon feet again upon the stairs and in alarm I clutched at her.

“'He has but gone upstairs to fetch his things,' she said. The sounds of his further ascent up to the servants' quarters came to my ears, though still I feared a trick, but then I heard him rummaging. One knows by instinct, I suppose, when certain moves are being made. He was not long about the matter, made his descent and hesitated at the half open door. I stiffened. Carrie held me close.

“'He wants to tell you he is sorry,' she said.

“'Tell him to go.' I gritted out the words.

“'Yes, go, Charlie. I will see you at the inn,' she called. The next few seconds were to me a terrible eternity.

“'Yes,' he replied, then clattered down. The front door slammed, and he was gone. I sensed it not to be a trick and stirred myself. Such a sense of freedom came over me as I could not believe. I sat up. Carrie made no attempt to stop me, but in my doing so she cast her face between my naked breasts and begged forgiveness once again.

“'I am accursed-I am accursed!' she cried once more. Upon that, and to my own great astonishment, I passed my arms around her, for her grief was truly real. Her tears trickled down between my breasts; I felt them all around her mouth. We rocked together and we moaned like sisters who are both in sin. I truly thought to know not who I was, nor who she was. That she was no mere servant girl had been plain to me from the moment that her voice had changed. Her tone was one of real gentility. And then her story tumbled out, and often enough in broken words I could not catch. I will truncate it for you. Charlie was her cousin-a poor relative. They had been brought up together in what at first was a house of great piety. Then, at the age of fifteen as Carrie then was, her father had remarried. Unbeknown to him, the girl's stepmother took her in hand. She was, in brief, put to her trials by the stepmother's brother, the woman encouraging and witnessing all. Charlie, too, saw some of what occurred and felt a shame for it. Carrie's father never knew, and of course she could not bring herself to tell him of what passed. The stepmother, being then of my age, Carrie vowed revenge, but not being able to exert it on her tormentor who, in any case, had Carrie's father in her spell, she left the parental abode with Charlie, pretended to a servant's role with him and sought out lonely ladies such as I, just to revenge herself.

“You felt this to be true?” I asked.

“My dear, it was not a matter of belief but certainty, for her confession was repeated several times in the hours that passed.”

“It was she who should have consoled you more. I would have sent for the village constable,” said Adelaide with set teeth, though I confess I did not quite believe her.

“She cast herself upon my mercy, dear. What could I do? I would have had to appear before the magistrates. The whole story would have had to have been told. How could I bring myself to face up to such things?”

“Indeed. They might have said then that you lied, and caused confusion thus,” I gallantly averred, but even so uneasiness had taken hold of me. I asked her what happened to the pair.

“Carrie assured me in most broken fashion that such would never re-occur, for I had fear for other ladies in the shire. I pondered this. She had reverted to subservience, although her true station is much as my own-in origin, that is. Charlie waited for her, she said. They would go abroad and not be heard of again. An allowance from her father saw to her main needs. I would not have it so. Perhaps in the last event I feared she would fall into her old ways. I told her, upon threats of advising the constabulary, that she must remain with me under my care and that Charlie must be gone.”

“You do not mean that she is with you still?” asked Caroline.

“What else was I to do? I could let the pair upon the world again, or guard them from their sins. I chose the former course. She is now as a companion to me. I permitted her a last farewell with Charlie and then saw myself to his departure from the inn where he had waited for her. His own penitence was complete. Indeed, he fell at my feet and begged forgiveness-even kissed my boots.”

“Strange indeed,” said I. Therewith, to the surprise of Caroline, I excused myself. She hastened after me and closed the door.

“What are you at?” she asked. I believe there was something in both our minds then. I could not speak of it, and nor could she.

“I shall be gone but an hour,” I replied. In truth, I departed with a certain queasiness, but something ticked in me as does a clock when known events are to occur. I took myself, in short, and without delay to Miriam's.

Upon arriving, I scanned first the blank windows. How often does a house appear empty and silent, and yet is habitated! Upon my knocking a quietness ensued, and then the door was opened by a maid of beanpole shape.

I introduced myself. Her Mistress, I said, was a guest at my abode and had asked me to fetch something for her from her room. Being then regarded doubtfully-as indeed I expected to be-I presented more material credentials in the form of a carte de visite, the which caused her to step aside and permit me to enter, uttering apologies as she did.

“You are wise to be cautious,” said I. Every facet of the house held interest for me. The door to the drawing room lay open, the stairs yawned. It was down these selfsame steps that Miriam had been led, I thought. I envisaged her naked and did not mind the thought at all.

“Was there something special you came to get, sir?” I was asked.

“A trinket, that is all. It is on her dressing table, so she said.”

I had a letch to see the bedroom where Miriam had first been fucked and began to take my way upstairs. The house was not as I envisaged it at all, but such a feeling is common and I threw it off. The main bedroom was ornate: a huge four-poster bed stood centred to the outer wall. Upon the dressing table a pair of scissors lay. The maid had hovered on the stairs below. I called her up. Within her sight I picked them up and laid them down again.

“Those were not what you wanted, sir?”

“Oh, Lord, no. Fearsome things, are they not?”

“Mistress uses them sir, a lot for cutting out.”

“But nothing else?” I laughed. Her eyes looked blank. “Carrie is not then here today,” I said as casually as one might and picked a flask of perfume up as if to say it was the thing I sought.

“I'm Carrie, sir.”

“Ah. Then I beg your pardon. With growing age one gets confused sometimes. Have you been here long, Carrie?”

“In the Mistress's service, sir, for nigh on three years now.”

“I see. And long you will remain, I trust. What a lovely bed that is,” I ventured, though I knew the truth by then.

“Its her favourite of the house, sir, that. She said to me once that I could lie on it and try it, but I wouldn't dare, of course.”

“You were not tempted?” I spoke lightly, seemed distracted did not gaze at her. I did not wish to scare the girl who patently was as dried-out as a husk.

“Not my place to do that, sir, oh no.”

“There, my dear, a sovereign for your honesty. One does not come across the like of such good girls too often.”

I pressed it into her hand. She gazed at it in great surprise. I had a feeling that she had scarce held one before. We passed beyond. She closed the bedroom door behind us. We descended. I gazed around as though in great appreciation of the place.

“You must have much to do here, Carrie, by yourself. Did Miss Miriam not once have a manservant also? Charlie was his name, I do believe.”

“Charlie? I ain't never heard of him, sir, no, I ain't. Not in my years, I ain't.”

“Tut-tut. My memory is all to pieces. I was thinking of another house.”

“Yes, sir, I know it happens. I have done the same myself. But thank you for the money, sir. There weren't no need.”

“Rewards should be accorded, Carrie. Well”-goodbye.”

“Goodbye.” Back into her nothingness she went. The door closed like a barrier upon the world. The windows took on their blankness once again.