what had happened, because it seemed as if it were an example of divine intervention. But I realized that Guy did not recognize me; mentioning anything concerning our tryst at school would have ruined my feminine effect.
It seemed as though we had both ended up in the proper positions, though I could not help but smile ironically as he bent his dark, curly head to kiss my gloved hand.
'Guy,' said Helen slyly, 'I would like to present to you my delightful cousin, Denise. Denise, meet Mr. Repton.' She laughed a little, and the sound was cruel and delicious to my ears. I blushed.
'She is a most delicate creature,' said Guy to Helen, as he continued to hold my hand in his. He turned and met my gaze. He stared into my eyes for a prolonged moment.
'Helen, are you certain that I have never made the charming acquaintance of your cousin before? She looks so familiar to me,' he said in all innocence.
'Oh no, Guy. This is her first visit to Beaumanoir,' said Helen, laughing gaily.
'But why the gag? Has Miss. Denise misbehaved?' asked Guy, his eyes taking in my person with uninhibited hunger.
'Miss. Denise has been a naughty, naughty girl. Her punishment for her impudence is to endure this party wearing that gag so that she will learn her proper place in this house.'
'Well I must admit,' said Guy, 'the gag does become her in a bizarre fashion. It is as though she were meant for it.'
'How right you are,' cried Helen with delight.
I was miserable, for I wanted to join in the festive repartee of the evening. I wanted to display my feminine charms for all the guests to delight in.
'Come along, Guy, you will have all evening to admire my guests,' Helen said, guiding him to another cluster of party guests.
I was grateful for the superb construction of my little leather sheath hiding beneath all my lacy underthings. Seeing Guy Repton had kindled old feelings deep within my soul. I could tell that he fancied me. I could tell that he admired me dressed as a woman much more than if I were the boy he once knew. This recognition of admiration made the blood rush to my face and to my cock simultaneously, and I was glad that my leather pouch kept my feelings from showing.
We were waiting for dinner to be announced, when Lady Hartley, a handsome matron of forty-five, came to me and took me by the arm. She led me into a little drawing room situated off of the big one. She pointed to a sofa.
'Lie down there on your face, young lady,' and as I hesitated, she pinched my buttock painfully. 'At once,' she said.
Reluctantly I stretched myself out on the sofa. Oh, what did she mean to do with me? I felt the familiar stirrings of pleasure that accompanied the demands made upon me by strong women.
'I saw something written on the sole of your slipper as you walked across the room,' she said. 'A punishment, of course.' She felt for my foot under my satin gown. Once she located my foot, she lifted it up and read Helen's note. She looked puzzled. 'I wonder what it means,' she said. 'You may get up.'
We went back into the big room where all the guests had assembled. Violet, Doris's elder sister had just come down, and my heart fluttered erratically. Violet looked quite stunning.
'I am very sorry for being late,' Violet faltered breathlessly, with a frightened appeal to Helen. She looked perfectly charming in a blue chiffon gown, which set off her porcelain skin and her fair hair to perfection. Helen looked sternly at her, and made no answer.
Dinner was announced.
'Mr. Repton, will you take in Denise,' said Helen. 'I do apologize to have to give you so silent a companion, but you did seem so charmed by her!'
I sat gagged at the dinner table bright with flowers, among those smartly dressed people, unable to eat and unable to talk. I felt terribly humiliated. It was cruel to make me come down to dinner at all. I found it difficult to breathe and it was all I could do not to burst into tears. To make things worse the company began to talk about the 'other' me, Dennis Beryl. 'It is such a pity that he is coming home tomorrow,' said Mrs. Dawson. 'It has been so pleasant and peaceful here while he has been at his girls' school.' Everyone agreed. It was a revelation to me how thoroughly unpopular I was. I felt completely ashamed of my past behaviour.
'I think you will all find him greatly changed for the better,' said Helen with a smile. 'His headmistress's report speaks most highly of his docility and his ladylike ways.' How I blushed. Luckily no one knew that I was present except Helen.
'I can quite believe it,' said Guy Repton with a hateful snicker. 'I think that you are all a little unjust to poor Dennis. I don't think that his nature is really bad, but as a boy he was not in his proper position. He must have known that dressed in male clothes he looked silly and ridiculous, and no doubt he felt uncomfortable. It was this discomfort that made him arrogant and intolerable. But dressed and treated as a girl he would no longer have that feeling of discomfort. He would probably be quite charming.' I could have boxed Guy Repton's ears for his impertinence. 'Very likely you are right,' said Lady Hartley, 'but then he ought to be kept a girl all his life.'
'Oh yes,' cried Mrs. Rivers turning enthusiastically to Helen. I had thrown a stone through the drawing room window of Mrs. Rivers' house, just after she and Charles Rivers had gotten married. She had never forgiven me. Helen shook her head sadly.
'I promised him that he should not have to wear girls' clothes after the two years if he behaved himself.' She made a sign to Netta, one of the parlour maids, and Netta took the handkerchief from my mouth and the second one from between my lips. My face was revealed, and Mrs. Rivers cried out enthusiastically, 'Oh what a pretty girl!'
I blushed with pleasure, and then the most unfortunate event occurred. I had been sitting with my napkin on my lap, although I had no dinner. I had been consumed with curiosity to know what strange punishment Helen had written down on the sole of my foot. So, while the rest were talking I had slipped off my left shoe. Then dropping my napkin, I had stooped to pick it up and, at the same time, I picked up in it the dainty high-heeled slipper. I held it carefully in my lap and read on the new white sole the words 'The glass boxes.'
I was wondering what strange punishment 'The glass boxes' could be with a thrill of awe. I was under the impression that no one had seen my manoeuvre when Mrs. Rivers uttered her admiring cry; but Lady Hartley had been watching me and she said at once severely, 'Yes, a very pretty girl who has kicked off one of her dainty slippers.'
I hung my head in shame.
'Is that true, Denise? Let me see!' said Helen sharply.
'Yes, Helen,' I said humbly and lifted up the slipper. Helen called to Netta.
'Take a shoehorn, and put on Miss. Denise's shoe at once.'
Netta turned my chair around, drew the slipper on my foot, and put my back to the table. Then she took the bracelets from my wrists, unbuttoned my gloves there. She slipped my hands out and turned the gloves back.
'Yes, a very pretty girl,' said Lady Hartley severely, 'but if she were my pretty girl, I should tie her gloved hands behind her back, and stand her in the corner with her face to the wall with her dainty heels together.'
My cheeks grew red with shame. But underneath the shame, I was suddenly conscious of a passionate longing to be punished in a childish and humiliating way in front of these gaily dressed people. I tried to shake the obsession off. It felt dangerous and exciting. The venom was in my veins. I tried to think of my ambitions, my career, but I could only think of the little, new, shining satin slippers that so daintily imprisoned my feet under the table, the fairylike bows, the big blazing buckles, the pointed pearl-embroidered toes. I felt the high Louis Quinze heels sinking deliciously into the thick carpet. Oh, to be made to stand upon them publicly in a corner with my face to the wall with my gloved hands tied behind my back like a naughty child. I rubbed my legs together in a spasm of desire. And then as Netta placed my dinner before me and filled my glass with champagne, Helen cried out with a laugh.
'But, dear Lady Hartley, that is exactly what I shall do with Denise.'
The men looked sympathetically toward me, but all the ladies were clearly delighted. As for myself, I had to bend my head over my plate to hide a smile of sheer delight. Mr. Rivers actually pleaded on my behalf. Of course Helen would not hear of it.
'And I think Helen is so right,' said Lady Hartley. 'I support the punishment of young ladies. People allow them such a ridiculous amount of liberty nowadays. It is quite refreshing to find someone like Helen. It is wise to dress
