Most luckily, they were gone out, so leaving a card, I drove off at speed until within a mile of Roundwood Park, when I allowed the ponies to breathe and approached the gates at a leisurely pace.
As I drove up the avenue, I gazed up at fhe house with curious eyes, wondering if my young culprits would come out to meet me.
"Oh, there they are, I declare," I exclaimed, as I saw them advance under the portico with the most perfect sang froid in the world, looking as innocent and lovely as two angels.
Sweet creatures! dear intriguing lambs! Who would not have admired such duplicity.I must confess they rose immeasurably in my estimation.
"I must enjoy that boy; I must have that girl to gamahuche me!" I murmured to myself, as I drove over the last hundred yards of gravel. And you know, Phebe, that when I make a resolution, I never fail to keep it. The ponies were covered with sweat, and John, who held their heads while I alighted, looked rather glum at the work I had made for him.
"Your ponies do not have enough exercise, John," said I, "see what a foam they are in with a short drive. Give them more work, man!"
"Well, my lady," said John, ruefully, "they are mucked about a bit, that's sarten; but ladies be so mighty heavy with the whip."
"Well, well, John, never mind," said I, laughing; "here, take this crown and drink my health."
The crown smoothed down the ruffled bristles of honest John, and jumping into the chaise, he drove off to the stables.
Now it chanced that the bed room I occupied was next to that in which reposed the beauteous Julia — the fireplace of my apartment backing the fireplace of hers. The architect of the house being, good worthy man, of an economical turn, had contrived in the double recess — that is to say, the recess on the left hand side, formed by my fireplace and the counterpart on hers — a bath room; ingress to which was given by a door in my chamber, and a corresponding door in her's with bolts inside.
Thus, this one bath room could be used by the tenant of either room, only if both chambers had occupants, it was necessary that they should either bathe together, or agree to take the bath at different times. This bath room was lighted by a window placed rather high up.
Having made up my mind how to act, and of course never breathing a word to Lady B. on her return home of what I had seen, I was on the watch early the next morning, listening for the splashing which announced that little Julia was performing her ablutions. About seven of the clock I heard the bath room door on her side open gently, and soon the splashing began. I crept out of bed, and stealing to the opposite door, tried to open it. The little puss had made all fast.
"Undo the bolt, Julia, my love," said I, in a subdued voice; "I am going out early this morning and cannot wait to take my bath at the usual hour, so let me come and share it with you."
"Y-e-yes, my lady! I. — I–I will open the door directly," ejaculated Julia from within, and apparently in much alarm and confusion. I waited and listened; the window, by the sound, was opened, then I heard a scrambling noise in the grape vine on the wall, and peeping out through my window blinds, I was just in time to see Master Evelyn landed after his perilous descent. The bolt began to move, and I sprang back to the bath room door.
It opened, and Julia stood before me, her middle wrapped round with her chemise.
"I did not like to come till I had put something round me," said the innocent, blushing prodigiously. "You know, my dear Lady Gower, I have not known you long, and I felt ashamed that you should see me quite naked."
"Silly child!" I exclaimed, laughing; "what is there so terrible in me, one of your own sex, that you should feel ashamed?"
She hung down her head.
"Look," said I, "I am not ashamed," and I drew my night gown over my head. As I did so I became aware that she regarded with astonishment the curly ornament which sprouted on my mons veneris. She could not take her eyes off it.
"Ah, ha! I see you are surprised at these curls;" said I, playfully patting her cheek; "when you are a woman, you will have the same ornament,my dear."
"You don't say so, my lady?"
"Oh, but it is true. "
"How very odd!"
"Not at all; 'tis you who are odd to doubt it."
"Really!"
"It is a fact."
By this time I had laid myself down in the water, and with gentle force had pulled off the chemise of the little girl. After caressing her for some time, I said. "Do you know, my love, you are a very beautiful little creature? Ah! you will make the men's hearts ache some day."
She opened wide her beautiful eyes, and looked at me with a most charming affectation of innocence and wonder — as if she could not possibly understand what I meant.
"Come, come, Julia," I exclaimed, as having got out of the bath we were rubbing each other down with the towels, "do not think to deceive me, you know what love is very well, for all the demure looks you put on, and young as you are."
"My lady!" ejaculated Julia, turning as pale as death.
"You are deeply in love with that boy, Evelyn."
"Madam!"
"Oh, I know all about it, now tell me if I go wrong, but listen; yesterday you passed upwards of two hours with him in the hollow oak. He embraced you as ardent lovers only know how, three times. He is a precocious boy, and has all the attributes of manhood. Am I correct, my dear? is this not all true?"
Julia, pale as a statue, eyed me from head to foot with an expression of the utmost terror.
"Moreover, a I went on, "your lover has been with you this morning, perhaps was with you all night, and escaped by the window when I tried the bath room door; is it not so?"
The poor child sank on her knees.
"Is not all this true?" I repeated.
"Ah! yes, yes; it is true, dear Lady Gower, how you could find it out I cannot tell; but oh, you will not be so cruel as to tell my lady!"
"Nonsense, my dear child," I cried, laughing, "do not suppose I am such a fool as to do that; but then, as I know your secret, you must do something to oblige me."
"Anything, dear Lady Gower, everything that is in my power I will do; you have only to command."
"First of all, then, my little pet, come and give me a kiss."
She sprang into my arms, naked as we were, and we sat down on the bed.
"Ah! my dear Julia, I cannot express to you how delighted I was with the oak scene. Your lover is indeed a fine fellow. Heigh ho! I wish I had such a one."
"You, my lady?"
"Yes, I myself."
"Did persons of quality then indulge in intrigues?"
"Indeed they do, my dear; and are as fond of the thing as other people."
"Really! I had no idea of it."
"To prove to you that they are, I will show you how women play together."
I had all this time been playing with her tiny pointed breasts, and smoothing her polished limbs and bottom. I now slipped my finger into her pouting cunny, and putting her hand upon my brush, I thrust my tongue into her mouth, and entwined my limbs around her girlish figure. She looked very much surprised, but seemed intuitively to fall into my wishes; first she began to comb the dark hair on my mons veneris with her fingers, then her hand slid further down, she grasped and squeezed the lips, then, after exploring all round, she finished by thrusting up her finger, and frigging me in good earnest. Meanwhile, I was also manipulating her, and with such success, that she soon began to spend. Then I threw myself back on the bed, and making her straddle over me in a reverse position, I gamahuched her with fury, while she performed the same delicious office for me. After we had thus kissed, frigged, gamahuched, and played for near an hour, we proceeded to dress ourselves.
"Now, my dear child," said I, "mind you are to look upon me as a friend and ally. Only there is one condition I must stipulate for you must share Evelyn with me. But you need not say anything to him at present, I wish to have him in my own way."