Chapter 22: “I knew you’d go far!”

The Oriental Dining Room at Hoxton Hall

Dinosaur hunting expedition member Edmund Molly, a journalist for the Daily Courier, is visiting another expedition member's country house in Hampshire for a debauched birthday party.  His sweetheart, Daisy, has already shown signs of behaving in a way that Molloy is uncomfortable with and now he is regretting having her accompany him to Lord Hoxton's birthday weekend.

Just before we left the bedroom to go down to dinner, Daisy took out a flat blue leather box with Garrard’s written upon it in gold writing.  She took out a very expensive looking gold and sapphire bracelet and fastened it on her left wrist. 

“That looks expensive!” I observed, wondering how a girl who claimed she was unable to pay her rent could afford such a picee.

“It was!” she said.  “Give me a kiss!”  I did so.  Her eyes were shining as they had when she had beaten Sarah, earlier.  “I am so looking forward this weekend.  Such naughty fun!”

“What?” I said but she had already darted through the door onto the landing.

“Everyone is in the drawing room sir and miss,” said Sutton the butler, after we had descended the stairs from our room, carefully. in Daisy’s case, on account of her tight dress.  Sutton had been crossing the hallway with a bottle of Champagne on a silver tray.  She gave me a special smile. Daisy noticed and looked at me quizzically.

“Lovely girl but probably a tribade too,” said Daisy, after she had passed us.  I had told Daisy about Ross and Debney.  “I probably have a better chance than you!” laughed Daisy. 

“Possibly,” I said, not agreeing at all.  I had convinced myself that Sutton had been just a second from kissing me, earlier.  She had found me ‘beguiling’, after all.  But then, when thinking about it, I suspected she may have been referring to Lord Hoxton, not a young, Irish journalist.   I had no great appeal to women, I still believed.  Edith had pursued me for her own ends and Daisy...  Daisy?  I suspected that she just went with me because she enjoyed being with Edith.  Perhaps she was a tribade herself.

“Edmund!  Stop thinking!”  I jumped.  My mind had been miles a way.  I had been standing in the middle of the entrance hall staring at the rearing polar bear.  The rampant polar bear.  The animal personification of Lord Hoxton, perhaps.  I was more in the nature of a dog.  A lapdog.  “My mum always said that too much thinking wears your brain out!” added Daisy.  “Come along!”

 “Ah!  My fellow explorer and his lovely and famous companion!” said Hoxton, as we stepped into the drawing room.  Edith, Britten and a couple I took to be the Croziers were already there.  Britten gave me a wave but carried on talking to the Croziers.  Edith came over to greet us, however.

 “Hello you two,” said Edith, kissing both Daisy and I on the lips.

“You are already changed!” said Daisy.  “I thought you were in our room!  I was hoping so, anyway!”

“Sir Gerald advised us to change before our motor car journey, so we did, at the Crozier’s house in Chelsea.  Our bags should be being deposited upstairs by the maids as we speak.”

“All Hoxton’s staff are girls!” said Daisy, excitedly.  “They are all very beautiful!”

“It doesn’t do to get too intimate with the staff, Daisy dear,” said Edith.  “However beautiful!” she added looking at Sutton in her tailcoat and striped trousers.

“You’d better tell Edmund, not me,” said Daisy.  “He seems very taken with Sutton.  The lady Butler.”  She nodded towards her.  "And the redheaded maid.  And the two tribadic gardeners!”

“There should be plenty of other opportunities for you, Edmund,” said Edith.  “Lady Crozier was telling me that there are a number of friendly society ladies attending as well as the...”

“Toffers!” said Daisy.

"Indeed!" said Edith.  "Perhaps the only aspect of this weekend that I am uncomfortable with."

"I gather that they are all very beautiful and exotic!" said Daisy.

Lord Hoxton took us across to meet Sir Gerald Crozier.  Crozier was a tall, slim, upright sort of chap with a military bearing.  He had short white hair and a crinkled, weather-beaten face. His handshake was firm but not overpowering.

“Been enjoying your articles, young man.  Not an habitual Courier reader, of course, although I gather it is popular with the servants. My man gives me his copy after he has read it.  Ah, you must be the famous Miss Daisy Thompson!  Delighted!” he kissed her hand and Daisy looked pleased.  She was really lapping up the attention.  “My goodness, Miss Thompson.  You are even more attractive from the...” began Crozier, unable to take his eyes off her chest.

“Front, Sir Gerald?  Obviously your tastes do not match Lord Hoxton’s!” she laughed.

“It’s just as well we all like different things or we would all be after the same women!” said Crozier.  “Although I can see how you would have to fight off aficionados of many different tastes, Miss Thompson! I have just seen the most artistic photograph you presented to James for his birthday.  Splendid!  Quite splendid!”

“I have put it up in the hallway, where guests sign the visitor’s book.  I hope you didn’t mind!” said Hoxton.

“Not at all, Lord Hoxton.  It is a fine photograph!” said Daisy.  “I am proud of it!”

“Molloy!” said Britten, shaking my hand.

“Did you have a good journey down?” I asked.

“Did I have a good journey down in Sir Gerald’s Silver Ghost?  Oh I think so!  Better than your rattling old train, I shouldn’t wonder!” smiled Britten.

“Except our rattling old train had private compartments and a considerable time between railway stations!” said Daisy, kissing Britten on the lips.

 “Now,” said Lady Caroline.  “Let me introduce you to Daphne, Lady Crozier!”  Lady Crozier was indeed younger than her husband.  She was not how I had imagined her to be at all but was a tall, slim blonde with pale blue eyes.  She had slight lines at the corner of her eyes and I estimated that she might be in her late thirties or early forties.

“Just Daphne, please!” she said, squeezing my hand.  “And the beautiful Daisy!  Edith has been telling me that you two have little trysts together, which is an enticing thought!”

“I do enjoy a beautiful woman nearly as much as a man!” said Daisy.

“Well, I can see that we will be firm friends this weekend. For although I like nothing so much as a thick, veined, erect, throbbing prick plunging between my legs or up my arse, I also love getting my tongue into a nice wet cunt!” said Lady Crozier.

“Oh!” said Daisy, looking surprised.

“Daphne is engagingly frank about sexual matters!” said Crozier. “Always first off with her drawers at these events, eh?”

“Not today, Sir Gerald as I am not wearing any!” said Edith.

“Neither am I!” said Daisy, wiggling her hips.

“Now how’s a chap supposed to concentrate during dinner knowing that!” said Crozier, laughing  “Have to say, James, I had a delightful ride down with Daphne on one side of me and Edith on the other. Lovely, soft thighs pressed against me!”

“I was in the front with the driver!” said Britten, morosely

“You should meet Lord Hoxton’s driver.  Susan!” I said.

“Really?  Susan?  Really?” said Britten.

“Last year my driver, Perkins and Hoxton’s driver were caught at it in the stables!” laughed Crozier.

“They’re probably at it already!” said Lady Crozier. “Rutting away!” she smiled, winking at Daisy.  “Juices dripping, semen spurting!”

“Ah and here are my lovely daughters!” said Lady Caroline as Emily and Sarah entered the room arm in arm.  They were both dressed in form fitting cream silk dresses which showed off their figures, perfectly. They had garlands of cream silk flowers in their hair. “It is their first time to Lord Hoxton’s party and they are very excited!”

The two girls were introduced to Edith and the Croziers.  Lady Crozier seemed very taken with them. The ladies sat down while Champagne was served by Sutton.  The gentlemen stood to one side and Crozier quizzed Hoxton and I about the expedition.

“Of course I know Brazil well,” said Crozier, “as we used to get our rubber from there but now, thanks to the work of the British India Office and Kew Gardens, we are seeing it all replaced by cultivated rubber from Malaya. Brazilian rubber is all wild and we have had little luck cultivating it there because of a local leaf blight which spreads like wildfire through cultivated stands but doesn’t seem to effect the wild trees.  The damn Brazilian workers are all bone idle too, whereas the Malayans work damn hard!  In fact, and here is your little surprise Britten, I am sending you out to Brazil to close down our last operations there.  You will be travelling on the same ship as your friend Molloy and the rest of the Challenor expedition!”

“But that is terrific, sir!  Thank you!” said Britten.  My first thought was that Edith was not going to be very pleased, given that she had lined him up to be her entertainment while the Professor was away.  Sutton appeared at the door with another man who was also already dressed for dinner.

“Sir Jonty Smarme MP,” announced Sutton.

“Sir Jonty!  So glad you could make it!” said Hoxton, advancing towards Smarme.  It was the same MP whose daughter I had identified and the story about whom I had prevented from appearing in the Courier.  Smarme shook his and Croziers hands.  They obviously both knew him well.  Crozier introduced Britten as ‘his most promising manager’, which would please him.

“And this is young Molloy! Met you before at the rugger!” Sir Jonty also had one of those crushing handshakes. “Gather you helped stop a somewhat damaging story appearing in the Courier this morning, according to old Ventnor.  Can’t think what he was doing planning to run a story like that about me.  Teasing, probably.  I had a good word with him on the telephone this morning.  Stories about me are one thing but having a picture of my daughter is another!”

“So when is Elizabeth arriving?  We only just got your message that she is delayed,” asked Hoxton.

“Yes a bugger that,” said Smarme, “but I hope that our evening will still be brightened by my lovely daughter later.  The trip from Edinburgh is a long one and any delay, as today, creates missed connections and other trouble.  She will get the main line to Petersfield.”

“I will send Susan to the station and she can wait for her!” said Hoxton.

“Splendid! She will be arriving at Petersfield at ten past nine,” said Sir Jonty.

“She should be here by nine forty-five!” said Hoxton.  He caught Sutton’s eye and asked her to give instructions to Susan, the chauffeur.

“So your daughter is coming?” I asked, somewhat relieved.  There could be no untoward behaviour with her present.

“Yes, you met her last year at Twickenham.  Very taken with you she was.  Especially your legs, what?” said Sir Jonty.  Elizabeth had been a stunningly beautiful young lady with reddish blonde hair and green eyes.

“Have you come from Edinburgh, too?” I asked.

“No, no.  Birmingham.  Dreary place.  Ah, now Hoxton, you haven’t seen Elizabeth for some years have you?  Unlike Molloy here!”

“Indeed not!” said Hoxton. 

“You will find her much changed.  Womanly.  Not a girl any more!”

“She will be very welcome, whatever her aspect!” said Hoxton “What’s she like, eh, Molloy?”  I jumped, still thinking about her.

“Really lovely!” I said, rather caught out by the question.  “Quite beautiful in fact!”  I suddenly realised that perhaps he was asking about her personality but all I could recall was the smile and the emerald eyes.

“Yes!  Proud of her.  Looks very like her sadly departed mother!” said Sir Jonty. 

“She was a great loss, Jonty,” said Hoxton.  “Always fun at my birthday parties!”

“Elizabeth has been a great comfort to me in the last year!”  I recalled that his wife had died of pneumonia and he had been spotted squiring a number of younger ladies around town in the last six months, hence the Courier’s attempt to identify another presumed companion in Edinburgh. If Ventnor and he were friends, as they seemed to be, I found it odd that my publisher would want to run such stories about him.

Britten came up to me once Smarme had gone to meet the ladies.

“So, what is Smarme’s daughter like?” he said.

“She really is a beauty and her hair is just the most glorious colour!  Like red gold!  She is at university in Edinburgh as she is now eighteen.  Studying Enlish literature, I think.”  I told him about the piece the Courietr nearly ran which had enabled Daisy’s article and photograph to appear in the newspaper that morning. “You couldn’t get me a print of that photograph of Daisy in the entrance hall, could you, old chap?  Pay for any costs of course!”

“Britten!  You disgrace!”  He looked sheepish.

“Well things are starting to look sporting here, with four girls under the age of twenty!  I was expecting a lot of desperate widows and matrons, not gorgeous young things like that!” He nodded towards Lady Caroline’s daughters.  Emily saw him and smiled at him.

 “Well, I recommend you proceed with caution!” I said.  “Sarah is only fifteen!”

“Fifteen? Good Lord!  She does look older!  How about Emily?”

“She is seventeen!”

“Excellent!  I like the look of her a lot!” said Britten. “Rather better developed superstructure!”

“She is half your age, Britten!” I said.

“Yes, indeed.  Superb!” he replied.  “Perfect, in fact!”

“Well, don’t let Edith hear you say that.  I think she had lined you up for herself. Although now you are off to Brazil she will have to look elsewhere!” Britten looked downcast. “You do know we are all in the same bedroom here!”

“Yes!  What fun!  We can have our own Babylon style entertainment!  Swapping partners, eh?”

“You will not touch Daisy!” I hissed.

“I won’t initiate anything, I promise!” he said, looking rather crestfallen.

Sutton appeared at the door again, this time with a man in military dress uniform.

“General Sir Horace Wilkinson,” said Sutton.

“Horace, old boy!” said Hoxton.  “So glad you could come over this evening.  With this cornucopia of female flesh here we were a chap short!” Hoxton introduced Britten and I to the general. “He lives the other side of Winchester, so was able to answer the call at short notice, when Crozier’s nephew couldn’t get here for this evening!”

“Happy to come a night early, James! Ah, the famous Molloy!” the General said, a twinkle in his eye, as he shook my hand.  “I gather you have inherited one of my favourite things!”

“Have I?  Really?”  I was baffled.  

“Good evening Horace.  How nice to see you again!” said Daisy, coming up to us and kissing him on the cheek.

“Well, well, young Daisy Thonpson.  Look at you, all magnificent and succulent. Haven’t you done well for yourself?  I knew you’d go far!” said the General. "And off to Brazil, I gather, is certainly far!"

“Horace and I are old friends!” said Daisy, patting his arm.

“Really?” I asked, completely wrong-footed by this development.

“Well we were until me wife came back from her summer in Baden-Baden and then it all got a little...” said Wilkinson.

“Complicated,” said Daisy.  I suddenly remembered her comments about an older, military gentleman and shooting at Bisley.

“Did you have anything to do with teaching Daisy to shoot?” I asked.

“Oh yes!  Good shot, for a gel.  Although she taught me rather more than I taught her, eh?   Especially about knots!”

“We had a little tableau earlier at teatime which you would have thoroughly enjoyed!” said Daisy, gripping his upper arm, and pressing her bosom against it, rather too intimately for my liking.

“Well hoping for more tableaux this weekend.  Funny to hear you using words like ‘tableau’, eh Daisy?  Polished girl now, ain’t you?  Splendid!  Right!  Talk to you some more Molloy, I hope.  Jolly interested in your and James’ dinosaur caper, eh?  If I’d been ten years younger I would have tried to get on the expedition myself!  Could have amused myself on the boat with young Daisy while you lot all talked about Iguanasaurs and whatnot!  Must speak with the other ladies!  Excuse me, Daisy.  See a lot more of you later, I hope.”   He looked her up and down and then crossed the room, where the other women were drawn to him like bees to honey.  Hoxton and Britten joined him and I was left alone with Daisy.  I glared at her.

“Now don’t get jealous, Edmund.  Horace helped me become at least an approximation of a lady. As he said when he first met me, I used to be as rough as a camel’s tongue!”  A horrible image of him licking her face came into my head.

“Did you know he was coming?” I hissed.

“No of course not!” Daisy hissed back.  “I didn’t know he knew James!  He never mentioned him!”

“James, is it now?  I don’t call him James!” I said.

“Anyway, I am not objecting to Edith being here!” said Daisy.

“It’s not the same!” I said.

“Isn’t it?  Why not?” she answered.

“Everything all right with you two?” asked Hoxton, coming over to the corner into which Daisy and I had retreated.

“Yes!” I said.

“General Wilkinson is a very old friend and Edmund doesn’t like it!” said Daisy.

“He can’t be that old a friend as he was in India for many years until eighteen months ago!” said Hoxton.

“I met him the Christmas before last!” said Daisy.  His wife was poorly and was in Germany to recuperate for many months!”

“Oh, of course!” said Hoxton. “You are the girl from Clapham!  He never mentioned your name.  Just called you ‘Cushions’!”

“It was a pet name,” said Daisy, looking down at her bosom.

“He did say you had an outstanding rear, too, of course!” said Hoxton. “As we have all seen!  My verdict on your upper body will have to wait for its exposure!” He laughed and wandered back to the Croziers.

“Not exactly an innocent friendship, then?” I ventured.

“No, Edmund. We were lovers.” said Daisy, “I adored him!”

“You have made that perfectly clear!  Did you know he was married?” I asked, trying to make her feel guilty about her loose morals, I suppose, which was a bit much, considering my own behaviour of late.

“Yes, of course.  I was happy to be his mistress in London.  Theatre, opera, ballet. Dinners. Clothes.  Jewellery!”  She flashed her gold and sapphire bracelet.   “I loved it!”

“If you were so down on your luck and money when you met me, why didn’t you sell that!” I said, spitefully.

“I did sell much of my jewellery, Edmund.  This is my last nice piece. He gave it to me during a weekend in York!”

“Yes, I am sure he did!” I said.

“Come on Edmund,” said Daisy, touching my arm.  “Don’t be cross!  I’m not cross about your previous women!”

“What previous women?” I said.

“Well, Edith, of course.  And Agnes. Not to mention several prostitutes.  All recently.  I haven’t seen Horace since last September. He had to go to Canada.”

“I see!” I said. “So history is an ameliorating factor, then?”

“Yes!  It is!” she said.  “Please!  How could I know back then that I was going to meet a lovely man and we would fall in love?  At first sight!”  She kissed my cheek and her physical proximity calmed me somewhat.  She put her hand on my groin.

“Daisy not here!”I said.  “Not in front of everyone!”

“Oh, Edmund. You really don’t know what is planned for tonight, do you?” she said.  I was already worried about it.

“My Lord, ladies and gentlemen! Dinner is served!” announced Sutton, half an hour later.  I had been trying to make small talk, while still seething about General Wilkinson.  Whomever Daisy was speaking to, as we circulated, separately, around the drawing room, he always manged to come over and insinuate himself into the conversation.  Like a snake.  At one point he actually almost pushed me out of the way to get to Daisy.  I scowled and then looked across to see Sutton giving me a sympathetic smile.  I was embarrassed. Daisy’s behaviour was hurtful. I remembered, ten years previously, one of my little nieces had come to stay with her parents and lost her dolly in our house in Dublin.  She was distraught and so my mother had bought her a new dolly.  She was pleased with it and kissed and cuddled it but then we found the old dolly in the garden, where one of the dogs must have taken it.  The new dolly was abandoned and discarded, as she went back to her first dolly.  Her first love.  When they went home she didn’t even take the new dolly home.  My mother gave it to the Smyly girls’ home.  I felt just like that abandoned dolly.  Of course, he would have to be a general as well.

“Gosh, that lady certainly wears a tailcoat well!” said Britten, as Sutton directed us out of the room and through the hall, again, to the dining room.

“Lady Crozier.  Shall we?” said Hoxton holding out his arm.

“Oh I really hope so!” she answered, as they walked to the dining room together.  Lady Caroline, as hostess, accompanied Sir Gerald.  Sir Jonty Smarme accompanied Emily. Daisy went in with the general, I was furious to see.  I accompanied Edith and Britten went in with Sarah.  He was complimenting her on her dress and I gave him a warning look.  He smiled and shook his head, dismissively.

“I’m desperate for a fuck!” whispered Edith to me.  “I hope we get the chance this weekend!  If your mind is not on younger creatures!”

“I do too, Edith.  The start of the expedition now seems so close!” I replied.  She squeezed my hand as we sat down.  

Hoxton  Hall's dining room had an oriental aspect about it; with pieces of eastern style furniture and a panting of a Japanese lady over the fireplace.  What was noteworthy about the room were the large number of porcelain vases and other pieces on shelves around the wood panelled walls.  It struck me as odd that a man of action, such as Hoxton, would collect oriental china but I later found out that it was his mother's collection.

Lord Hoxton was at one end of the table sat next to Lady Crozier with Lady Caroline at the other end next to Sir Gerald.  Sarah, Britten, Daisy and the general were on one side and Emily. Sir Jonty, myself and Edith on the other side. We sat down.

“Gloves!” mouthed Edith to Daisy across the table, reminding her to remove them as soon as we were seated.  She was so enraptured by the general she appeared to have forgotten.

The table looked magnificent with the centre being decorated with candelabras and flowers in displays of different heights.  I could see Daisy looking at the array of glasses and cutlery before us.  Perhaps she had not attended a formal dinner before and I realised I should have explained the etiquette to her beforehand.

“Have you not attended a proper dinner before, Daisy,” asked Sarah.  “It must all be a bit intimidating!  One picks it up, of course!”

“Of course she has!” said the General. “Indeed she accompanied me to Buckingham Palace once and quite charmed the Prince of Wales!”  Daisy had never said anything about this.  I couldn’t possibly compete with that!

“Don’t be such a snob, Sarah!  Don’t forget your mother came from a family of seven who all lived in one room.  I was on Waterloo Bridge picking up men for threepence a time when I was two years younger than you!”

“Mummy!  Were you a common prostitute?  You have never said!  I knew you were in the music hall but really!” asked Sarah, looking aghast.

“How do you think I met your father!  My price had increased considerably by that stage, of course.  Benefit of topping the bill at the Empire!”

“Splendid!” said Lady Crozier. “Do tell us more!”

“Well, to start with, my father only let me suck men off,” said Lady Caroline.

“Your father organised this?” asked Emily.

“Of course!  Your grandfather, I should remind you! He wanted me contributing to the rent and the food!  He said I couldn’t do the whole thing until I was sixteen, due to the new law in eighty five.  But then a man offered me half a crown for a fuck so I let him have me in an archway below the railway bridge.  I can still remember my bare arse rubbing against the bricks, my skirt around my waist as he took me upright.  At least I knew enough not to let him come inside me.  I quite enjoyed it, although I was annoyed because it ruined my new striped stockings!”

“Good God, mummy!” said Sarah.  “I mean.  The theatre is one thing but...”

“I did what I had to do and I did it well.  By the time I finished professionally I could get a thousand guineas a night from the right client!” said Lady Caroline.

“That is four times what I earned in a year!” said Daisy.

“I am very, very good at fucking!” said Lady Caroline.

“I’ll drink to that!” said Lord Hoxton raising his glass.

“Do you know, I think we should play a game of sexual confessions after dinner!” said Lady Crozier.  “We should all tell one story about ourselves! Wouldn’t that be fun?  Lady Caroline has done hers!”  I was not at all sure about this but everyone else seemed to think it was a very fine idea. 

“We could caress each other at the same time!” said Sarah. I wondered what sexual confession I might offer up.  I could have confessed about the Babylon Exploration Society, of course, but I suspected Edith would not be too impressed, although Daisy seemed to find my adventures there fascinating.

“Ah soup!” said Lady Caroline as Sutton entered with a large silver tureen followed by the four pretty maids carrying the bowls, which they placed in front of us. “I do hope it isn’t bloody cream of mushroom again, James!  I can’t abide the stuff!”

“Cream of potato!  In honour of Mr Molloy!” said Hoxton.

“You are joking, I really hope!” said Lady Caroline.

“Lobster bisque, your Ladyship,” said Sutton.  Lady Caroline wrinkled her nose at Hoxton who laughed.

Dinner conversation mainly revolved around who else would be attending the following day, with most guests arriving after lunch.  I was surprised by some of the names, who were well known. When Lord Hoxton mentioned the girls from the Babylon Exploration Society, he was quizzed by Edith.

“Do not worry yourself, Edith.  These ladies bear no resemblance to my grubby, thirteen year old self, swallowing spunk for threepence!” said Lady Caroline. “They are foreign ladies of the best sort, if one can say such a thing about foreigners.  I have availed myself of their services myself, many times.  Such clever tongues and fingers, all of them!”  I saw Edith glance at Daisy and smile.  Lady Caroline noticed too. “Ah!  Do we have a confession for later, perhaps?” 

“Oh my confession is rather more unconventional,” said Daisy.  I hoped that she wasn’t going to tell the story about her brothers.

“Excellent!” said Lady Daphne, “I am wet with anticipation!”

“You are always wet with anticipation, dear!” said Sir Gerald.

“May I ask you something, Lord Hoxton,” began Edith.

“Dear Edith, I really do insist you call me James!”

“How kind.  Well then, James.  Firstly, I am very grateful to be invited to your splendid home this weekend!”  Hoxton nodded and smiled. 

 “Like to have people here!  Chap tends to rattle around in a rambling pile like this!  So what’s your second point?”

“Ah.  Well, now I wish I hadn’t started this as it is a rather delicate matter,” continued Edith.

“Delicate in what way?  Not really one for social delicacies meself.  Tend to be a feet first sort of chap!”

“Are you sure you mean feet first?” asked Lady Caroline, smiling.

“Well, to be blunt then,” said Edith.  “I have been led to believe that this weekend will, perhaps, see some amorous activity.  Public amorous activity.  Am I correct in this or are imaginations running away with themselves?”

“Is this something you would feel uncomfortable with, Edith?” asked Hoxton waving at Sutton for another bottle of Chablis.

“Not at all.  I am very conscious of not making any social faux pas as I do not know most of the other guests.  I would not want to be seen as a prude neither would I want to appear as a wanton.  What exactly is the nature of the activity that might take place, so I am prepared?”

“There is no might to it, Edith!” said Hoxton.

“Perhaps I may explain,” said Lady Caroline, looking at Hoxton who nodded. “If I may back away from your question somewhat?  I believe that there are three forms of sexual activityand I am not referring to the many different positions Sir Gerald and Daphne are so expert in, given their study of eastern texts.”  Lady Daphne caught my eye and smiled, innocently.

“Please elucidate,” said Edith.

“Well, let us take, firstly, copulation for the purpose of procreation which the Church would have us believe is its only purpose.  In many cases, particularly in many marriages in this country, this is something to be endured by women at the hands of unfeeling and unskilled husbands.  Secondly, we have copulation by two equal, loving partners where the act is a joyful affirmation of love and companionship: a physical confirmation of a mental and emotional bond.  It is an expression of affection, love even, if you believe in that sort of thing, trust, fellowship and such like.”    Daisy looked at me and smiled sweetly. 

“And the third type?” she asked.

“Thirdly, dear Daisy, we have copulation purely for the physical gratification it gives.  Touch, taste, scent.  The participants do not have to be married, in love or even know each other.  The purpose is to enjoy physical sensation and reach sexual climax as an end in itself. All the elements of joyous sexual intercourse without the social and emotional element.  Without the relationships.  Physical enjoyment for the sake of it. The ultimate expression of carnal lust at its most pure!”

“Just fucking for fun!” said Sarah.

“Crudely put, darling, but the essence is correct!” said Lady Caroline.

 “Your distinction is well made, Lady Caroline but can a couple in your second category really participate in the third?” asked Daisy.  A very good point, I thought.

“Well, Gerald and I are very happily married but that does not mean that I won’t enjoy watching him roger some lucky ladies this weekend.  Just as he will enjoy seeing me taken!” said Lady Crozier.

“I suppose I am in a similar situation, as I love my husband George very much but in my case he does not sexually satisfy me any more, so I take my enjoyment with the likes of young Edmund here.  Somewhat different from your situation, Lady Crozier!”

“Indeed but equally enjoyable, perhaps.  I have no fear Gerald will abandon me for an eighteen year old, but then I do work hard to keep him entertained.  Part of a wifely duty, I feel!” said Lady Crozier. “As the lady of the house I have few talents.  I am not able to adequately supervise the staff, for example. in their various domestic duties because I have no conception of matters culinary or domestic.  I am a poor wife in that area.  Fortunately, I fuck like a bitch in heat!  Dear Gerald and I have a splendid sexual life together but we both enjoy watching each other with other partners just this one weekend a year!” said Lady Crozier.  “Well, perhaps at a few other times as well!”   She smiled at me again.  I was starting to feel like a stalked stag.

“This weekend is an opportunity to indulge in pure sensual pleasure for the sake of it!” said Lady Caroline.  “If that is what you desire!  Some are happy to just watch!”

“Thank you,” said Edith. “That is most enlightening.  I intend to have as much sensual pleasure as I can!”

“Capital!” said Hoxton.  “And what about you, Daisy. If I may ask?”

“If you are asking, Lord Hoxton, whether you might have your notoriously wicked way with me this weekend, then all I shall say at this point is that I am a game girl who enjoys sensual pleasure as well!  Although I think I would prefer to continue with Emily and Sarah!”

“Oh yes please!” said Emily.  “I want to lick your arsehole!”

“Sounds lovely!” said Daisy.

I sat there is silence as the women described all the sorts of things that they might do to each other.  Had Daisy just offered herself to Lord Hoxton?  I was not sure how I felt about that at all.  Well, I was.  I did not like the sound of the idea one bit.  I was now firmly of the opinion that I should not have allowed Daisy and Edith to come down for the weekend.

“Given the carnal intentions of the ladies here tonight, Sir Jonty, I presume that you will be keeping your daughter safely under lock and key,” said Edith, as discussion broke up into separate conversations around the table.

“Of course not!” he replied.  “Elizabeth is here to continue her sexual education.  Learning about English literature is all very well but it won’t help you win and satisfy your husband now, will it, dear lady!”

“Oh!” said Edith.  “Won’t you not find it rather disturbing to see your daughter in, perhaps, the throes of ecstasy?”

“Impaled on a throbbing great cock, being pegged by a big strong man!” said Sarah from the other side of the table. “Writhing and cursing and dripping!”

“Elizabeth does not curse.  She is a well brought up young lady!” said Sir Jonty.  I looked at Lady Caroline who frowned.

“I am a very well brought up young lady!” said Sarah.  “It’s just that sometimes a modern woman should be able to curse!”

“Context is everything, dear!  I am sure young Daisy, despite her engagingly uninhibited language upstairs earlier, would not have dreamed of saying...”

“Finger my cunt,” interupted Sarah.

“Indeed, when she was with the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace!” finished her mother.  Daisy blushed and looked at the tablecloth.

“I am afraid that Daisy’s colourful language is almost all my fault!” said Edith.
 

“Perhaps, as Sarah said this afternoon, we should all be able to say what we like this weekend without fear of opprobrium or censure!” said Daisy.

“Opprobrium!  Priceless, Daisy!” said the General.  “Buggered if you ain’t using longer words than me, now Cushions!”  She gave him an annoyingly lovely smile.

“Buggered if I’m not!” said Daisy.

“Emily, Daisy and I will teach her to curse!” said Sarah.  “Men like it when you are being pegged, don’t they Edmund?   It shows that you are bringing on a paroxysm!”

“Well, I must say, that as a rather protected Irishman, I have found that my recent experience of hearing ladies use such words has been very surprising!” I said.

“Daisy and I have been educating Edmund in a number of things!” said Edith.  Now it was my turn to blush.

“Well, I am glad that we have three such forthright and uninhibited ladies here this weekend to guide Elizabeth,” said Sir Jonty. 

“We will look after her particularly attentively, Sir Jonty,” said Sarah.  “Does she enjoy going with other girls?”

“We have discussed many things ralting to intimate relations but never that, I confess!” said Sir Jonty.

“We’ll soon find out, won’t we Daisy?” said Sarah.

“We don’t want to debauch a sweet girl.” said Daisy, looking at Sir Jonty, anxiously.

“Oh please do!  That is the purpose of me bringing her here this weekend, after all!” said Sir Jonty.

“Excellent!” said Sarah and grinned at Daisy, who grinned back.