With that, and amid many kisses and fervent promises, Astrid finally departed, little able to believe that she had been different on her arrival than now. Thoughts brooded in her darkly to the swaying of the carriage, as its sides occasionally brushed the hedges of the narrow lanes. Then, lifting her face and gazing out upon the verdant fields, the trees, and the herds of cows, she smiled at the thought of Patricia receiving her due. It was surely a sign that she had done so, and under the aegis of Julia. The best was yet to be. With that thought, she at last arrived. She entered the house to the great surprise and delight of her sisters. Coming downstairs later, for he knew not the reason for the commotion and was quite put out by it, Astrid's father drew upon his face a pleased look and made to kiss her cheek.
Astrid however avoided his touch. 'No, Papa, not now, for I am a little weary', she said, adding much to his surprise. 'I will see you later. You are working in your study?'.
'Why, yes', he exclaimed awkwardly, bemused to find that a flush had appeared upon his cheeks. What a strangeness of behaviour had seized his elder daughter, he could not imagine.
'Good. I trust you will remain there, for your work is no doubt important, Papa', Astrid rejoined languidly while Patricia and Jemima positively gaped at the manner in which she had spoken.
'Where have you been then?', Patricia asked with some attempt at jollity.
'I have been learning, Patricia. Do we not all sometimes-whether here or elsewhere?', asked Astrid in a voice so lightly cutting that Patricia bit her lip and appeared to be in great contemplation of the pattern in the carpet.
'I do not know what you mean, Astrid'.
'Ha! As to that, you know more in one respect than I, my sweet. Where is John now?'.
'In the pantry, I do believe. Why do you ask?'.
'I have some matters to discuss with him-household affairs, you might say. Have Crissie lay out my black-silk dress. I have a fancy to wear it tonight'.
Sweeping out before Patricia could reply, but having left her on a purpose with a simple duty to perform, Astrid sought out the valet, whom she found idling through a copy of Sporting Life.
Well, John, what are you at? Is there not silver to be polished and my boots perhaps to be cleaned?'.
'Oh, lord, Miss, I didn't hear you coming. You could have rung and I would have attended on you'.
'You will do that soon enough, John, in many respects. How impudently you gaze upon me sometimes! Do you like what you see?'. Quite amused at the reddening-up of his face, Astrid eyed him carefully for a long moment, not failing to espy a certain growth in the front of his plush breeches. 'Well, John, I asked you something!'.
'Oh, yes, Miss, you are very beautiful. The pride of the county, I reckon. Such a…'.
'Nice bottom, John? Here, you may feel it. Come, don't be shy. I shall tell no one. Put your hand all around and under it for a moment. Does it feel firm and round?'.
'Lovely, Miss. Can I keep my hand there! Ain't you lovely and warm, full solid flesh, as they say, but it gives to my fingers a bit, as it should'.
'Really, you must be an expert, John. Your cock has risen, I see. No, do not try to hide it with your jacket, man. I want to see. Feel right under my bottom, John, for the moment will be brief enough, but you may have your pleasure of it. What would you not do to get this truncheon of yours up between my legs, say?'.
'Oh, I couldn't never imagine such a thing! I would faint, Miss, I think it would be so nice. Especially with your stockings on, for I likes a woman who rubs her stockings under you'.
'You do, do you? Quite a connoisseur! That pleases me. Take your hand away now, you have had a good feel of it. I intend to ask you something, John, something that is not to be put around either in the house or in the servants' quarters, upon pain of your immediate dismissal and my informing all the households in the county that you are a useless servant'.
'No, Miss, I wouldn't say nothing, I promise. God's honour on it, no matter if it were tried to be beaten out of me'.
'That is the talk I like to hear. Stick well by that, for you will have need to. My requirements-indeed my demands-are very simple. You will obey unquestioningly all that I tell you to do in future. No more, no less than that. No harm will come to you and you will have much enjoyment of it. Have you worked your cock often in a woman, John?'.
'Not as much as I would wish, Miss, and hereabouts there's not much chance. The old pecker comes up stiff for it as soon as I wakes'.
'Let me feel it, John. Open your breeches, I want to see the size of it. My goodness, it's a fair one, isn't it, and such a glowing head! No, do not move, John. Attempt to touch me and I shall scream and there will be a rare scandal of it which would surely end with you in prison'.
'Oh, Miss, you are torturing me like this-your hand is so soft and warm. I don't know as if I can hold it back from coming, it's that excited. Push your fingers along it a little more!'.
'No, John. Did I not tell you that you are to obey? Listen to me carefully, arms at your sides! Think only of this: that, provided you control yourself now and do not come, I shall let you put it in me tonight. There is another condition, though. You will enter my room quietly after midnight. You will not speak. I shall bind your wrists first, for at present I have no desire for you to touch me otherwise. Your prick will then be inserted and you will be given forty strokes in and forty out eighty in all, John!-before you spill your sperm. I shall then untie you and you will return to your quarters. Do other than this and I shall tell Papa you have attempted to rape me'.
'Oh, Miss, yes I'll do it! I never thought to hear the like of this coming from you. I'm trying to hold back now, but it's that excited. Will you be naked, Miss?'.
'I shall wear my boots and stockings only. We shall have a good fuck, John, but forget not that all such matters will be under my control. Put it away now and keep it fit for a long pumping tonight. If you come before I tell you to, it will not happen again. I have a lovely, tight cunt, John, I promise you that'.
CHAPTER 12
Returning to the drawing room, Astrid found only Jemima there, curled up in a chair and looking somewhat fretful. Concerned lest her pretty little sister should be of dull spirits, Astrid sat on the arm of her chair and kissed her fondly.
'Are you well, Jemima? You look a little peaked'.
'I am well, really, Astrid, but life is so boring, isn't it? Scarce anyone comes to call, and Papa seems especially broody so that there is nothing to be got out of him at all'.
'Well, darling, I intend to see that changes are made about the house now and that we shall indeed have a merrier life. As for Papa, you may be sure that we shall get plenty out of him. I mean to make it my duty to see so. Did Patricia tell Crissie about my dress?'.
'No, she didn't. She is all of a mood, too, and said she did not see why she should have to do it for you'.
'Not to fret, Jemima, I will ensure that she is put into a better frame of mind. Be a good girl and go and tell Crissie for me. Before you do, there is a package I hid behind the stand in the hall. Will you fetch it?'.
'Are there presents in it?', Jemima asked excitedly, but before Astrid could reply she had run into the hall and returned carrying a small, black-leather valise. 'What is in it-oh, do tell me! Is it a secret?'.
'It is rather one, pet, but I will show you first. Come, let us go up to your room for we shall be more private there and need have no fear of interruptions'.
All aglow with interest, Jemima followed her sister upstairs. Having entered the bedroom and locked the door, to the great intrigue of Jemima, the bag was opened and its contents laid out. Jemima's expression took on one of astonishment. 'Oh, what funny, horrid looking things!', she exclaimed.
'Really, Jemima, they are not horrid at all. Come, sit with me and I will explain. First we have these two pairs of leather cuffs, which fit closely but comfortably around the wrists or ankles. Then we have this broad leather strap, which is called a tawse. The end is split into two, and makes a fine slapping noise. There are several lengths of cord, as you can see, some longer straps for the body, and finally this little whip, which has a full twenty thongs, all very slim, with the ends are tied in a knot'.
'Oh, Astrid, are they for naughty girls?'.
'For naughty girls and naughty boys, dear. Have you been naughty while I've been away? I'm sure you have a
