Emily: Or, the voluptuous delights of a once-innocent young lady

CHAPTER 9

'Go away', said I. I had forgotten for a moment that the room was not my own. Constance rose and wiped her lips. 'You will soon be the same as us', she said. I turned my face away and brooded at the wall, heard a faint plopping sound as Arnold drew his penis out. Released from off the cork, Fiona sighed a sigh of some contentment and then settled down, moving her tummy like a cat upon the coverlet. Arnold was bidden to leave. I wished him to before I turned my head in his direction. Rustling trousers, picking up his boots, he slouched without, his ammunition spent. Too much had stirred in me. Remembering where I was, I left the room without a word and found my own abode, though it felt merely like another ornate cave, a place of strangeness, as the whole house was. Making to close my door, I felt a hand beyond against it, opened it anew, and there was Jane. 'PHEW!', she laughed and threw herself upon my bed, eyes wide and wanting me to ask that which I did not wish to ask.

'Jane, I wish to leave'. 'To leave?' She sat bolt upright, hands behind her hips and stared. There is no comfort here. Do you find comfort here?', I asked, then voices sounded from below and I moved to the window and opened it with the same wan hope that one awaits the returning of a carriage late at night when a loved one is despaired of. Some madness in me asked if it were James or Papa, come with rescue ropes and mattresses to leap upon. 'Who? What?', asked Jane, and I thought her, in our sisterhood, to be of the same frame of mind, but one she would not bring herself to speak. I waved my hand and shushed her. Down below a gentleman of fair appearance stood, conversing with a gardener. 'Soor-why, yes-you goes along the same road as you took, turns left by Frencham's barn-stands on its own, it does-goes half a mile up there, and there you are, and Bob's yer uncle as they say, soor. Thankee, soor', the servant uttered, pocketing a coin, whereat the gendeman was about to turn away when I leaned out and called 'Hallo!' 'Madam?', he responded, and his eyes looked bright the moment he looked up. Jane tugged at me and giggled, but I would not yield. 'Are you going to the Hall?', I asked, making him to blink against the sky. 'The Hall? By jove, I am! Would you then come?' 'If you can accommodate my sister also, sir-yes, gladly. We have need of a conveyance. Can you wait upon us just five minutes?' 'Five will be splendid. Six would be eternity, from what I see of you'. 'Emily, we cannot!', Jane flustered as I drew the window to. “Then you may stay. I will not a pass a night within this house, nor would Mama allow you to, if she but knew'. 'Oh, Emily, but…' 'No buts, now, for I mean to go. Quick, get your reticule, your cloak. Our clothes will be sent on-they have to be'. 'Oh, Emily!' Her cry was such as made her seem my junior then, but with a flourish of uncertain eyes, wild hands, she went, and met me on the landing in a trice, cloak over arm and reticule tight held, as though it might be snatched. 'They will see us, Emily!'-and panic in her voice. 'What if they do? We are not prisoners, are we? May we not go out to greet an old friend passing by? Follow me quietly, dear, and make no sound'. Rustling of skirts! How loud they sound in circumstances such, though one has no consciousness of them otherwise. The hollow, armoured men stood waiting on a battle that would never come again. The door to the drawing room was but ajar. We heard the small, smug clink of china and then hastened to the far front door. It rattled as I opened it.

'See who that is', called Hilda's voice. 'Oh, God!', said Jane, and ran and ran with me along the gravel sidepath to the gentleman who stared in some surmise at our approach until I lightly touched his arm, and then he smiled. 'Someone is beckoning', he said. I turned and saw a maid who waved her arm uncertainly. 'She is inopportune', I said. I felt it my bon mot, and had my arm possessively clasped in turn. 'Are we not all!', he laughed. His eyes were in mine as he spoke, not at my bosom, nor my thighs. The maid squeaked something, like a nightjar that has lost its voice. I waved to her as though to say, 'Indeed! It is a good day, is it not?', then we walked on to where his carriage stood. Introductions were effected as we got within. His name was Harry Marminter. I judged him to be thirty-five or thereabouts. He had a jolly air on him, but yet beneath a strain of seriousness. He was beardless, with a small moustache, and as fair-looking as a man might be who does not swell his paunch with beer, nor carry a red nose for whisky's sake.

'You are to visit Aramintha?', he then asked. His wedding ring and the familiar tone he used indicated to me that she was his wife.

'She is well?', I responded. I had not, after all, said yes, and Jane sat frozen, with a frozen smile that did not, however, betoken an ill-ease but more dumbfoundedness. 'Indeed, but shy as ever. How extra-ordinary we three have not met before. Your carriages are in repair?' I caught a narrowing of his eyes, and laughed.

'They are-but we are not', I riposted and fell to talking of the weather, and all nonsense such, with such relief upon me as the poor folk of Lucknow must have felt, for I sensed a ring of honesty in him that nowadays is rare to come by even in the Shires. 'How did you know-about the Hall, I mean?', Jane whispered to me urgently when we arrived. The house was quite a small one by our standards, had the look of an old Vicarage. 'Know what? I say, forgive my rudeness, but you both intrigue me much. Two pretty sisters without chaperone are not too often seen-I do regret', said Harry. 'Sir, I must confess to you… But pray, no, let us come in first, if enter still we may. We are but fugitives of overwrought desire', I told him as the entrance door came near. 'A guess, you fool. It had to be a Manor or a Hall', I whispered to my sister, who then looked contrite. The hallway had a bareness to it in comparison with the baronial manor we had left: rush matting on the parquet floor, an ornate coatstand, a deer's head with dusty antlers, an oval, gilded mirror-that was all. A maid, a young girl, scuttled from a side room, wiped her hands upon her apron, and then curtseyed to the master, which was rare, and so I thought him of high station. 'Mistress is in her boudoir, sir'.

'We shall attend upon her then. Bring wine up for our guests'.

'The red or white, sir?' 'Both, you ninnikins! Come, ladies, let us greet the Mistress of the house-then shall your tale be told. I trust it is diverting. Both of us have quite a taste for the unusual.

Aramintha! I bring orphans from the storm!', he bellowed up the stairs, but in such good humour that I took much more to him. The stairs were thinly carpeted. Our footsteps sounded as we went, and the staircase was a fairly narrow one, so we three went in file, with Jane behind me, and he leading up. 'Orphans? Females, I trust?'

The languid and soft voice came from a bedroom just along the corridor above. Entering, we found a lady on the bed of much the same age as our host. She wore a pale blue peignoir and her stockings showed together with the bows and frills of a chemise. Her hair was corngold, her eyes were beautiful. Upon our entrance she leaned up and cast aside a book, yawning and covering her mouth as though to say, 'I did not mean to yawn'. 'My dears!', she said, but made no move to rise until, it seemed, she had absorbed us fully with her eyes, came to herself and gasped, 'I am not dressed for visitors! Harry, pray entertain them in the drawing room'. 'Of course, my pet'. We were again led out-a quite bizarre occasion, as I thought and descended as might ones who had come to the wrong house, though Harry-being courteous-annulled our obvious dismay. 'You know how shy she is-or perhaps you do not?', he enquired, we meeting the maid upon the stairs and she then turning round, descending in her turn, and all our actions as might have graced a farce. 'It is we, sir, who have explanations to make. I am a fleeing bride', said I, whereat his eyebrows raised, and then he laughed. 'Most that I know hasten only to their marital beds to take their pleasure, Miss, Mrs…' 'You may call me Emily'. Not wishing to betray Papa-and Jane with slightly worried, warning looks at me, I gave him hints of my past treatment, veiling much, but quite unable to dissemble all. Before I had finished my halting narrative, Aramintha joined us, bearing not a little of mystery herself. 'He finds me always-always finds me-don't you, Harry? Picking up my trail here, there. It is a game we play, you know. This is my aunt's house; she is absent for the season. The poor dear has scarce a thousand sovereigns to rub together, so I pay her rent. Which reminds me, dearest, that you owe me fifty. Your rings are nice, my dear. May I, too, call you by your Christian names? I heard from up above; I could not help.

Marriage is such a bore. I know not why I married Harry. Look-he blushes!' And to my surprise, he did. 'We master each other-taking turns, in fact; that is the trick of it. Being of equal strength of mind, we have no problem as to that. Married this morning and already fleeing, Emily? I envy you your courage! Of course, my own circumstances were quite other. My dear Harry. But before she could continue there was a loud knocking at the door, at which I started, as did Jane. 'Your new-found kin?', asked Harry. He got up, went to a cabinet and thence drew out sword and flourished it and made the light from its fine blade to flash, causing my sister and I considerable astonishment.- 'One never opens one's front door to unknown visitors in such secluded areas', he said, 'without a weapon in one's hand'. 'Particularly if it is a lady, and then he bares his own', laughed Aramintha, but even as she said it covered up her mouth with the prettiest of gestures. While Harry strode into the hall, I wished that the floor would swallow me, as well did Jane.

'Sir?', came the voice of Harry in the entrance hall. 'Sir, I believe you have my son's new bride here'. And, as will be guessed, it was my father-in-law…' 'There is a young lady of some repute who may be such. She is our guest, and not on sufferance. Need I say more? I bid you good day, sir. Your presence is unwelcome here, will not be suffered, and is not to be repeated. Unless, of course, you are invited, which I doubt would be the case'. 'Look here! I say!' 'A strange thing to say, indeed. I have no cause to look, and no desire. Pray notice that my sword has a fine edge to it and would trim your coat to tatters if you tried to enter'. 'I shall bring help, sir-village constables!' 'There is but one. He likes his port, I know, and often quaffs a glass here at the servant's door.

Emily! You wish to leave?' I skipped my way across the carpet and peered through the door along the hall. The bluff face stared into my own. His way was barred. 'I do not, no. Papa will be here shortly and will see me home-thanks to the message I have sent him', I replied, and lied more glibly than I knew I could. 'You have your answer, sir-begone!', said Harry, and then closed the door. A shout was heard of uttermost dismay. As Harry turned away, the letterbox was opened, and my father-in-law's voice-more strangulated than I was wont to hear-called through that Arnold would be woebegone. 'He is already-underneath his trousers mostly', I replied, then flushed a little at my daring and retreated. Aramintha laughed and rose and kissed my cheek. I envied her composure that she had not stirred before. 'Is that the real reason that you left?', she asked.

'I think it not', said Harry. Entering, he closed the door. 'You did not hear all, my dear. The girls were rousted-playfully perhaps, but with too much gusto, and too soon. Arnold did his duty by his sister, not his bride'. 'Really? Oh, what excitement! Did he do her in your sight?', she asked. 'The world is full of strangeness, Aramintha, as are dreams'. I thought of what Papa has said about the latter, but could not spin out his words. 'Oh, DO go on! I really am shy, but I love to hear of naughtiness. You mean, you only dreamt it, or you saw it done? I have hidden behind screens myself and seen the wickedest of things. Do you remember, Harry…?

Oh, but Emily, you tell us first'. 'Yes, do', said Jane. She had always loved to try and egg me on, and saw her chance for it. 'He is a plaything for his sisters, that is all, and- weakling as he is-is cozened by his Mama. I suspect her to have made him come herself. I would not put it past her now. He had his younger sister on her bed, and bottom-up she was'. 'By jove, he corked her!', Harry interrupted and thus saved me from saying it. 'Such things are done, but not on the first day of marriage-heavens, no!', said Aramintha, as though such things were absolutely de rigueur unless they happened afterwards: a decent interval-perhaps two days, or three, I thought sarcastically, and yet I warmed to her. Her eyes were warm, her tone was kind. Had I really sent for my Papa, she asked, and I confessing that I had not, we were invited as 'eternal guests', this meaning, so she said, that once we had taken hospitality beneath her roof, we might do so forevermore. The following night there would be guests, she added, whereupon both Jane and I declared our lack of right attire. 'Harry will see to it. Take Jenkins, dearest, he is somewhere lurking, as he ever is', said she to him, whereat her husband drew upon a bellcord, summoned in the maid, demanded tea and the appearance of the said one. In two minutes he appeared-a giant of a man with lumbering stride, cap held in both his hands. His eyes appeared not to notice Jane and I, but I felt us both well taken in. His manly bulge was heavy underneath rough trouser cloth. 'How long have you been with me, Jenkins? Ten inches, is it? Oh no, I beg the pardon of all here! I had intended to say months, of course. The master has a job for you. A little journey and a stern stand such as you produce always upon demand. There are valises, trunks, to be procured, belonging to these young ladies. These together with a maiden of the household, I should say. Constance is her name. Your master will say her presence is required by Emily and Jane. Now you may go. Wait in attendance, quaff your beer.' 'Yes, ma'am. I will that, ma'am. And thankee ma'am'. 'What?', I began, but tea was served. I waited for the maid to go. 'Why, simple is it not? I have taken into care young ladies in the past. Constance, from what you tell us, merits just a little thereof-then she may return', said Aramintha, sipping from her pink and white bone china cup. 'Aha! So you will warm her bottom! Good!', Jane laughed.

'I shall, indeed-and then…' She halted, dipped her spoon into the sugar bowl and nibbled the white grains. 'Shyness, you see', said Harry in the manner of a doctor pronouncing on a patient. 'What Aramintha meant to say, and which she has the will to say, but cannot bring herself to speak of it, is that Jenkins is better provided than are many men. Ten inches, that is, as she chanced to say. I have not measured it myself, he added hastily, 'but many is the lady whose natural needs he has had the girth and length to satisfy. Not in a lordly fashion-no, course that could not be the case, but with due deference, and always from the rear in order that the lady's lips are not besmirched by his. I have never known him kiss a female, dear, have you?', he asked his wife. 'Good heavens, Harry, no! That would be absolutely… Positively, no! Mama knew a young valet once, quite handsome, too, but that was an otherness. You do not mind this conversation, dears, I hope?', she asked. 'At home we speak of it. Well-sometimes, just a little, yes', said Jane, whereat two pairs of eyes were quite a-sparkle. As to myself, I smiled in order to conceal the faint confusion that I felt. 'When one is civilised one does. How fearful are the houses where a total primness holds! As for myself, I have never come upon a cloud of golden primnesses', Harry remarked with a deft literary touch that I was pleased to recognise. I had thought myself as wandering just like Mr.

Wordsworth's cloud before, but now felt more at ease. 'Jane wanted to see my husband's prick,' I said, and giggled suddenly, hand at my mouth. 'And did you, Jane? I say, what fun! My dears, let us not dissemble any more. Jenkins will service Constance after Aramintha has warmed her bottom up like toast. As for myself-dear Emily, I confess myself to have been entranced at the first sight of you. Constance will be sent back, her cunny bubbling with his sperm.

May I then entertain you-yes?' 'Say yes!', begged Aramintha. I received a nudge from Jane upon the sofa where we sat. 'I shall be treated kindly in your hands-I have no doubt', I murmured, 'but as yet I have not, have not- well, I have not. 'Never, almost, or not quite?', asked Aramintha in surprise. 'All-if you want the truth', laughed Jane before I could summon up reply. 'I have both eyes and ears', she said on meeting my enquiring look. 'My dear…', said Harry and all eyes turned to him. 'These young beauties must be a trifle tired from their exertions. May I suggest we deal with Constance on the morrow? To that purpose, Jenkins and I will visit in the morning. In that way, too, the wretched tribe will believe that Emily and Jane have reconsidered overnight and wish to make their peace'. 'Excellent, yes!', said Aramintha. She had a bright look in her eyes. 'Oh good! We can relax!', said Jane, whereat our hostess gave her a beguiling glance and said that she would show her to her room, while Harry could attend on me. 'Permit me, Emily', said Harry. He rose and offered me his arm. Aramintha beckoned Jane to her. I saw my sister use the same endearing, slouching step as she walked to the divan. Aramintha reached up and took her hand, Jane standing like a schoolgirl, looking down at her. Over my shoulder, as I left the room on Harry's arm, I saw her sink down, and they tenderly embraced.