Chapter 23: "Now that is an exciting hunt indeed!"

The wild boar

Journalist Edmund Molloy is visiting the country house of his fellow dinosaur expedition member, Lord Hoxton.  Increasingly concerned about the debauched activities he has heard about, he discovers that one of his fellow guests at dinner, General Horace Wilkinson, is a former lover of his sweetheart, Daisy

After dinner, Lady Caroline stood up and the other ladies and gentlemen rose.

“Ladies we shall retire to have coffee, attend to our needs and disrobe!  Gentlemen we will see you shortly!”  After the ladies had left, Sutton appeared with port and cigars.  I demurred on the cigars but felt that I needed the port.  I had not drunk much in the way of wine at dinner as I was becoming increasingly nervous of what activities might transpire afterwards. Sutton served Stilton to each of us as Hoxton addressed the men.

“Now that the ladies have left to relax, I just wanted to brief you chaps on the girls from the Babylon who will be arriving tomorrow.  We have nineteen girls. I think, and Madame Nathalie will be accompanying them.  She is also bringing the lady who she thinks might be suitable to run the new branch of the Babylon in Berlin.  A German, I suppose.  She would like our opinion on the woman. We also have several new girls compared with my last party, two years ago.  For example, a delightful Japanese called Hoshimi, who Mr Molloy has had the pleasure of.  How d’ya find her, eh?”  I was taken by surprise by the question as I had been gazing at the painting over the chimney piece.  I was both pleased and concerned that Hoshimi was joining the festivities

“Er.  Ah.  Well.  Goodness." I stammered.  What was I supposed to say?  Enticing?  Sweet but assertive?  Lovely smile?  Or would these men expect something jovially crude?  "She was just wonderful, Lord James!” I said, trying to give an impression of a man of the world who had been on the receiving end of a transcendent sexual experience, which, of course, I had. At that point I looked up and caught Sutton’s eye.  She raised one eyebrow at me and made me feel guilty and ashamed.  What was I doing trying to mix with this group of much more sophisticated and experienced men?  I was completely out of my depth.

“Haven’t had the pleasure, meself, but I hear good things!” said Hoxton. "A tad quiet, perhaps."

"She has very expressive eyes," I offered.

“I've heard good things as well, although I don’t get down to the Babylon as often as I would like these days!” said Sir Gerald.

“Next we have a new Spanish girl, Carmen, almost inevitably," continued Hoxton.  "Very enthusiastic.  A screamer!” said Hoxton.

“Sounds like one for Lord Ventnor, your publisher, Molloy.” said Sir Gerald.  “He does like them vocal!”  I didn’t need reminding that Lord Ventnor would be attending.  My heart sank. I was relived to see that Sutton had left the dining room, closing the door quietly behind her.

"There is a new Italian girl called Gina," added Hoxton.

"Ah, I have had her!" said the general.  "Remarkable gamahuching technique.  Soft, gushingly wet and a tongue that goes at it like a basket full of cobras!   Do you enjoy being sucked. Molloy?  Course you must with young Daisy!"  I clenched my fists under the table.  He was deliberately taunting me.  Hoxton frowned at him.

"Yes, of course." I replied.  "She was performing on me only just before dinner."  Hoxton grinned and gave me a slight nod.  Yes, general, I thought.  She is with me not you, now, you odious man.

“Finally, we have the new Turkish twins.  Molloy and Britten have heard about them,” said Hoxton.

“News to me but sounds enticing!” said Sir Jonty.  “Do you think they like being tied up?”

“I am sure that that can be arranged,” said Hoxton.

“We should get your Daisy to do it!” said the General to me.  “An absolute wizard at binding people!  Learnt it from her uncle who was a navy man!  She tied you up, yet, Molloy?”

“Er, yes, actually!” I admitted, although the memory was not exactly a happy one.  I really didn’t want to learn any details of Daisy’s adventures with General Wilkinson.  Bound or not.

“Splendid!” said the general.  

“Nothing like being bound and used by a strong woman once in a while!” said Hoxton.  “Finest feeling on earth!  Apart from hunting wild boar in Sicily!” 

"Wasn't that where you hunted the Contessa di Spagno?" asked Sir Gerald.

"Indeed so! That was fun and games!" said Hoxton.

"Hunted the Contessa or hunted with the Contessa?" asked Britten.

"Ha Ha!.  Hunted the Contessa!" said Hoxton.  

"I think you need to tell the tale!" said the general.

"I will.  But not without some more port.  You greedy buggers have drunk the whole decanter!"  He rang the bell on the table and Sutton appeared once more.

"Have you got another bottle of port decanted, Sutton?"

"Of course, my lord.  I will bring it immediately!"

"Oh and find some writing paper and a pencil.  Mr Molloy can take notes!"  She nodded and left.  "Now don't think I am treating young Molloy here like a clerk!  He is very much an honoured guest but he is going to be writing up me sexual memoirs!  We will have them published by Johnny Dupont!"

"It will be a bally long book!" said Sir Gerald.

"I envisage many volumes!" said Hoxton, steepling his fingers and looking at the ceiling.

"Like Casanova!" I added.

"Indeed!  Casanova!  That's it exactly!" laughed Hoxton.  "Thought you could jot this one down as a sort of test version!"

"We could circulate it to the members of the Babylon!" said Sir Gerald.

"Do you have a newsletter or magazine?" I asked.

"No, we don't!" replied Sir Gerald.

"Gerald owns one quarter of the Babylon Exploration Society," explained Hoxton.

"It might be worth considering as a service to the members.  You could have news for them, such as new girls joining, for example. Perhaps an in depth profile of a different girl each issue.  What she likes..."

"What her specialties are," added Sir Jonty. 

"Exactly.  Perhaps highlight particular things on the menu," I added.  The others laughed and I remembered the 'menu' of girls from my first visit to the Society.   "New wines in the cellar, perhaps.  Have an erotic story or poem.  Now if you could afford illustrations..."

"I say that is a cracking idea!" said Sir Gerald.  "Just what we need!  A newspaperman behind it.  How would you like to be its editor, eh?  You can write some of these pieces!"

"I could indeed!" I said, wondering if they would pay me.

"Molloy is an excellent artist of the female nude!  He can do some drawings!" said Hoxton.

"I brought my drawing things this weekend!" I said.

"Perfect!" said Hoxton.  "You can be our roving artist.  Smaile, the photographer, cannot take pictures in the dark but you can do drawings of copulating couples in diminished light, I would imagine!"

"I am sure I could!" I said,  wondering whether I could.  I knew I could manage it technically but could I sit there and dispassionately record a couple in the throes of passion?

"Excellent!  An illustrated magazine!" said Sir Jonty.

"Let's do it properly and have some photographs too.  Smaile can do 'em!" said Hoxton.  "Dupont will know where we can get it printed in France!  This is a capital idea, Molloy!"

"You are not a member yet, are you, Molloy?" asked Sir Gerald.

"No, Sir Gerald!" I said.

"Well, who will propose young Molloy for membership!" asked Sir Gerald.

"I will!" said Hoxton,

And I will second him!" said Britten.

"Right!  We'll sort the paperwork out in London!" said Sir Gerald.  "Welcome to the Babylon Exploration Society, Molloy.  All here are now members!"   The others gave me a round of applause.

"But the membership fees?" I said.  I had no idea what the fees would be but I suspected they would be substantial.

"I think the editor of our magazine gets free membership, don't you, Gerald?" said Hoxton.

"I am certain that is right.  Along with a fee for each piece and drawing too.  I gather you know Smaile so you can discuss his fee with him." said Sir Gerald.  I was sure Smaile would be delighted. 

"He still has to pay for the girls' services, though," said the general.

"Of course," I replied.  "Not that I really need them now!"  The general scowled.

"It is always useful to cast your net widely, even if you have a treasure to yourself/  You can learn much," said Sir Gerald.

"We'll talk to Smaile tomorrow, when we chat with Johnny Dupont!"  said Hoxton.

"It will be very expensive to get photographs printed in a magazine," I said.  "What would be more affordable is to have a magazine with pen and ink drawings and enclose a separate photograph or two, like French postcards.  Then you can obtain the best quality!  People will collect them!"  I added, thinking of the dinosaur pictures we published in the Courier.  "Mr Smaile has contacts in the saucy French postcard publishing industry."

"In Paris you get sets of six or eight!" said Sir Jonty.

"We could give away one and members could, perhaps, buy the rest of a set for their collections," I suggested.

"I say, brilliant!" said the general.  "We could make the first set of young Daisy.  I am sure chaps would buy those!"  Oh no, I thought.  Daisy would just love that.

"Ladies too, don't forget!" added Sir Gerald.  "I can see my wife wanting to collect pictures of attractive naked girls!  She has quite a few French postcards!"  

"Mr Smaile takes photographs of couples.  Intimate photographs!" I said, regretting it as soon as I said it.

"Of course he does!  He'll be taking some tomorrow, no doubt!" said Hoxton.  "We must get him to take some of the Babylon girls in sapphic action!  Everyone loves to see two lovely girls getting down to it!"

"What is this exciting magazine going to be called?" asked Sir Jonty.

"Something innocuous, I suggest!" I said.  "In keeping with the Society itself.  How about The Explorers' Journal?"

"Spot on, young man!" said Sir Gerald.  

"Capital!" said Hoxton.  

"We could have Daisy on the cover!" said the general.  I wish he would stop suggesting Daisy appeared in it.

"We'll ask her if she wants to pose for Smaile tomorrow!" said Sir Gerald.  I knew what the answer to that would be!

"Perhaps we could have a picture of her bound with rope," suggested Sir Jonty. 

"She is a modern woman!" I said, firmly. "An independent woman!"

"Well, we would ask her if she wants to be photographed bound!" said Sir Jonty.  "Then it is her independent decision.  I am sure an independent woman like Daisy would not want to be told what to do!"

"Even by you, Molloy!" added the general.

"You could write an accompanying story, Molloy.  The suffragette enslaved!" said Sir Jonty.

"We could have Caroline standing over her wielding a whip!" said Sir Gerald.

"Dressed in just riding boots!" added Hoxton.  "Caroline would love that!"

"Splendid!" said Sir Jonty. 

"My pego is twitching at the thought!" said the general.  Stop thinking about Daisy, you disgusting man, I thought.  I sat there trying to compose some acid put-down to employ on the general when, perhaps fortunately, Sutton returned with another decanter of port.

"Ah Sutton!  Well done!  We have just established a new magazine!" said Hoxton.

"Really, my Lord?  How very exciting!" said Sutton, smiling at me, again, before placing the decanter next to Hoxton.

"It is!  It is!  Young Molloy is going to be the editor!" said Sir Gerald.  "What do you think of that, eh, Sutton?"

"He is well qualified, I should imagine," said Sutton.  "I have found a small notebook and a pencil for your notes, Mr Molloy!"  She produced them from her trouser pocket with a flourish.  I turned and looked her in the eyes.

"Perfect!" I said.  She smiled at me again before leaving the room.

"Don't think I have ever seen Sutton so enamoured of one of me guests before!" laughed Hoxton,  "Very taken with you, Molloy, she seems to be!"

Really?" I asked.

"Oh yes.  Can't stop talking about you!" said Hoxton.  I was extremely pleased at this revelation.  The general muttered something about 'servants' and 'demeaning' under his breath.

"Now we have set up a magazine for the Babylon, perhaps Lord Hoxton should continue with his story of the Sicilian hunt!  Perhaps it could be the very first article!" said Britten, looking at the general and changing the subject, thankfully.  I nodded at him, gratefully.

"Excellent idea, Britten!" said Sir Gerald.

"I am ready to take notes."  I said, pencil poised.  "Once I have done so I will speak to you later for your recollection of other helpful detail to add colour, rather than interrupting your story now!"

"Perfect! Right ho!" said Hoxton.  "Well as Gerald rightly observes, I was in Sicily back in oh six.  Been invited to the Barone di Gabrieli's palazzo there, for a week's boar shooting.  Excellent wild boar in Sicily and the Barone made it more exciting by insisting on muzzle loading flintlocks.  You get one shot and if you miss you're buggered!"

"Good Lord!" said Britten.

"Yes!  Nasty tykes, boar.  Vicious, aggressive and carnivorous. The key is to absolutely keep your nerve  and not panic!" said Hoxton.  I was grateful, once more, that Hoxton would be protecting us in South America. "Well it was something of a glittering array of aristocrats and industrialists from across Europe and even America.  Prince Heinrich, who should be here tomorrow. was there.  In fact that was the first time I met him!  Splendid chap!"

"He is investing, with James and I, in the new Babylon Exploration Society in Berlin," explained Crozier.  "There will be a special room with iron rings on the walls, tables with leather straps and other such accoutrements, which he is designing."

"Sounds exciting.  I think I had better visit as soon as it is open!" said Sir Jonty.

"As you are attached to the War Office I am sure that you can get sent there under the pretext of assessing the German military build up!" said the general.

"An excellent idea!  I'll have a word with Lord Haldane," said Sir Jonty.  "Despite being a Germanophile he is realising that the Germans are pushing us, especially on the naval front."

"Shame he didn't realise that before he cut the army's numbers!" barked the general.

"No politics, this weekend, gentleman," said Sir Gerald, firmly.  

"The Babylon Explorationsgesellschaft will be open for business in the Autumn," said Lord Hoxton. "It will be within a short walk of the Adlon Hotel, you will be pleased to know!"

"Been to Berlin, Molloy?" asked the general.  He would know that of course, I had not, I am sure.

"No general!" I said.

"Splendid city," he said.  "Too good for the damn Germans.  Don't trust the chaps.  Building up their armed forces like there is no tomorrow!"

"Personally, I've always got on with the Germans" said Hoxton.  "Trust 'em much more than the French and they're relations of course."  I knew that the German Kaiser was the eldest grandson of Queen Victoria.  I also knew he had done an interview with The Daily Telegraph a few years before and said that the English were 'mad, mad, mad as March Hares', which hadn't gone down too well in England.  I remember my father reading the piece out to me at home, however, and rather approving of the Kaiser's viewpoint.

"Well we had a splendid week in Sicily.  Great company, great shooting, great food and great wine.  Opened me eyes to Italian wine, I have to say!  Also, the Barone being what he was, lots of pretty girls for the evening.  He died last year, sadly, between the thighs of a fourteen year old gypsy girl.  The way I want to go!" laughed Hoxton.

"Not being eaten by a dinosaur?" asked Sir Jonty.

"Everyone agrees that Molloy is going to be much more delicious for dinosaurs!" laughed Hoxton.  "No, don't want any game to get the better of me at the end.  Women, fair enough!"

"Women are more likely!" said Sir Gerald.

"Anyway, on the third or fourth morning, we were all taken out to the edge of the woods again but it was mid morning, which was odd, as the best time to shoot boar is sunrise or sunset, when they come out of the woods." continued Hoxton.  "Quite a warm day, too, for November.  Sunny, for once. Rains a lot there that time of year.  Over sixty degrees.  Anyway we get out there and there is the usual  camp set up with food and wine but no guns.  We all look at each other, wondering what's going on."   Hoxton took a sip of port and I could see his mind travelling back to that day.

"And...,"  prompted the general.

"Well, the Barone arrives with Countess di Spagno, dressed in a black fur coat a little black cap and fur boots.  Now I didn't know who she was back then, other than a lovely guest of the Barone's but I since learned that she is the most famous and expensive whore in the world.  Although to call her a whore is like calling the Titanic a boat.  It is rumoured that di Spagno women have been whores back to ancient Roman times.  If you want a woman to find out a country's military secrets you pitch a di Spagno woman at a general or a minister or even higher.  Political secrets, industrial secrets, blackmail and even assassination, it is rumoured.  They have started wars and ended them,  Brought down emperors, kings and popes.  Someone once told me, in  all seriousness, that they are descended from Helen of Troy!"

"Helen of Troy was a daughter of Zeus, who came to her mother, Leda, in the form of a swan!" I said.

"Yes, indeed.  Got a painting of 'em coupling in me bedroom.  Didn't know Helen was the daughter, though!" said Hoxton. 

"The sister of Clytemnestra and Castor and Pollux.  All conceived on the same day.  Helen and Clytemnestra by Zeus and the twins by Helen's husband the king of Sparta," I added.

"Busy girl!" said the general.

"It's typical of the Sicilians that they claim to be descended from the Gods.  Met a family there who claimed they were descended from the sun god.  Not modest people, the Sicilian aristos!" said Hoxton.  "Interestingly, whomever the di Spagno women marry they keep the di Spagno name."

"I have never heard the name!" said Sir Jonty.

"They operate in rarified circles, indeed.  They also charge the most fabulous amounts of money,  Caroline boasted that she could get a thousand guineas a night.  You can multiply that by ten for the Contessa Maria-Fernanda di Spagno!" said Hoxton.

"Good Lord!" said Britten.

"She had a target amongst our party, it later turned out, but none of us knew that at the time, of course!  I now know who she was pursuing for certain, but not who was employing her, although I have pretty strong suspicions!  Anyway, none of us was suspicious then, as she was from Sicily too, so she was just introduced as a friendly neighbour by the Barone!  The whole week was hosted by him at her request, of course."

"What did she look like?" I asked, already thinking about how to write this tale up properly.

"Well, this was over five years ago so I suppose she would have been in her late thirties or possibly even her early forties.  Didn't look either, to be honest, but from things the Barone said I think she was born around sixty-five.  A tad younger than me.   She looked about twenty eight.  One of the other guests said she bathed in virgin's blood to keep herself looking so young.  Joke of course!  I hope!  Black hair, olive skin.  Tall,  About five six.  Big arse, narrow waist, massive bubbies!"

"Just how you like them," said Sir Gerald.

"Indeed so, Well you've met her, Gerald.  Not too good on the descriptive front, meself."

"Very dark brown, almost black, eyes," added Sir Gerald.  Arched, wicked eyebrows and long double eyelashes.  Full lips, wide mouth.  Dazzling white teeth.  Well defined cheekbones and a strong nose.  She isn't your pretty, pretty woman but she is stunningly beautiful!"

"Thank you!" I said.  "That helps a lot!"

"Well we all had a glass of Marsala or two, and asked the Barone what was the sport that morning,  Well, he told us boar hunting but this time the Contessa was playing the part of the boar!  At this point she slipped out of her fur coat and stood before us dressed in just a black sable jacket which reached to her upper thighs.  She had the black fur boots on but from the knee to the top of her thighs her skin was bare.  She was quite a sight and unabashed in presenting herself to us in such an enticing way.  The Barone explained that the Contessa would disappear into the woods and we would wait half an hour and set off in pursuit on foot too. The first chap to catch her would take her to bed that night,  However, we only had three hours to catch her and if none of us did she would choose a forfeit to impose upon us!"

"Now that is an exciting hunt indeed!" said the general.

"Quite so!  As she left to disappear into the treeline she hiked up her jacket to show us her fantastic arse, wiggled her bottom and plunged into the undergrowth.  Well we congratulated the Barone on his splendid entertainment and there was some discussion about how to find her.  This was a large forest and in half an hour she could cover a mile or more, even in the woods.  He gave us each a length of rope to tie her up with if we caught her!"

"Excellent!" said Sir Jonty. 

"Well, I have to tell you I was feeling damn confident.  The others were typical European shooting types.  Used to game being beaten towards them and then bagging it from stands.  Whereas I had over twenty years tracking and safari experience.  Although there was an American there who I was worried about, as he seemed competent.  Had shot cougars in America.  When the time came, the others charged off into the trees but I waited until last.  I had noted exactly which route the Contessa  had taken into the trees and I got down to following her trail.  After an hour I wasn't so confident, I have to say.  She was damned good at field craft.  I had real trouble following her path and quite often had to go back on meself to double check her trail. Well after nearly two hours I realised that this was going to be touch and go.  I was standing, having a piss, when I heard a twig crack.  I didn't respond, in case she was looking at me, but noted the position and went off in the other direction, taking a long loop to approach from the other side.  I was lucky.  I caught sight of a woodpecker taking off and as my eyes followed it, I just spotted what looked like her hair and jacket in a little depression amongst the bushes.  I did think it might actually be a boar at first but I watched how it moved and soon determined it was a human.  Right, madam, I thought to meself.  I ain't going to charge in but will stalk you and take you by surprise.  I suppose she was a hundred feet away, looking over a little sandy bank into the woods in the other direction.  It took me nigh on twenty minutes to cover the distance, moving silently and taking a very indirect rout to make the most of the cover!"

"I would never have the patience to be a proper hunter like you, Hoxton!" said the general.

"Learnt me patience with the Gurkhas out in Afghanistan and with the Masai in East Africa," said Hoxton. "Anyway, I was about fifteen feet from her, at the edge of the depression, when she moved back from where she had been kneeling behind the bank.  Thought she had heard me and I froze but, no, she hiked up her jacket, squatted and started to piss.  Now was the time!  I dashed forward and had a loop of rope around her waist before she knew what was happening. Pulled her over, still pissing away.  She squealed exactly like a wild boar and I soon realised she was deliberately imitating one for fun.  In fact, she was grinning away but struggled like a wildcat, scratching and biting like a mad thing.  I pushed her onto her belly and stuck my knee in the small of her back.  'You, Contessa, are caught!' I said.  'I yield, Lord Hoxton!  You have me!' she says.  'Not yet!' I reply unbuttoning me trousers.  Well she sticks her arse up in the air and wiggles it again so I decide to just bugger her there and then and not wait for the night.  Took it like a shell being loaded into a well oiled fifteen pounder. Not a hint of resistance!  She was soon gasping away and thrashing away in the undergrowth. She had her fingers on her parts, frigging herself.  Soon pumped me load into her and helped her up. Her hair was a mess, she was covered in bits of dried grass, had dirt on her knees and her thighs were covered in scratches. She is smiling away all the time and saying what a fine hunter I was.  'The better the game, the better me focus,' I tell her.  I ask her what the forfeit would have been if no-one had caught her.  She said she was going to make us chaps gamahuche each other, the saucy piece!  She said we'd all have to suck away and she'd watch, frig herself and drink Champagne!  Splendid woman!"

"A lucky escape indeed!" I said.

"Could be worse forfeits," said Hoxton, worryingly. "Anyway, I cut off a piece of rope and bind her wrists together behind her back and then tie the remaining rope around her neck and lead her back to the camp.  Get there just inside the time limit, to great acclaim.  She didn't put her coat back on but kept her lovely legs on display.   Pegged her for the rest of the week, shared with Prince Heinrich, and she sometimes comes to me birthday party, if she ain't busy working!"

"Will she be here this weekend?" asked Sir Jonty.

"Sadly no.  Caroline don't like her.  Don't like her one bit!  Doesn't mind Nat and the Babylon girls but Contessa Maria-Fernanda di Spagno?  No."

"Shame," said Sir Jonty.

"She's make mincemeat of you, old fellow!" said Sir Gerald.

"I wouldn't mind!" he replied

"Thank you. Lord Hoxton," I said.  "That will make a very good story.  I will do an illustration of her in her wild boar costume!"  I thought I might get one of the Babylon girls to pose, if I could find one with the right sort of figure."

"Damned good story!" said the general.  "You should have saved it for your confession with the ladies!"

"Yes.  Bugger!  We need to have our stories ready in case Caroline pounces on us.  I know she will get me to go first. I'll have to have another tale ready.  Keep you notebook to hand, Molloy!"

"Indeed I will!" I said.

"Good man!  We’re going to get Molloy’s score up this weekend!” said Hoxton.  "Had a few fillies but need to get him up into double figures!"

"Oh!"  I said.

“Exactly what I wish for my Elizabeth, as well!” said Sir Jonty. "She has a lot to learn!  Only just been broken in for the first time!  Don't want her being a disappointment to her future husband!"

“Well it sounds like we need to get her and Molloy together!” said Hoxton.

“I am certain that Elizabeth will be delighted to have young Molloy up her pretty cunny!” said Sir Jonty.  “Covered in lovely coppery gold curls it is.  Just like her late mother’s!  All you chaps must have a ride!  She is very enthusiastic but needs to learn technique!  You can teach her some of your Indian positions, Gerald!  Sure you can all contribute to her training.  Want her thoroughly debauched by the end of the weekend.  Up for that, Molloy?” 

“I confess that my sexual experiences have all been quite recent!” I said, feeling somewhat like a small boy on the first day of a new school, in the presence of all these experienced hunters of women.   How on earth did Sir Jonty know how his daughter conducted herself during intimate experiences?  Did she tell him?  I thought about Lady Caroline's daughters and realised that they would tell their mother anything.  I vowed to keep well away from both Emily and, especially, Sarah this weekend.  More worryingly was he offering me Elizabeth because he could then claim Daisy in return?

“Ah, of course!  Child with a new toy and what have you!” said the general.  “And what a perfect new toy young Cushions is!”  I decided that, unlike Sir Gerald and even Sir Jonty, I didn’t like the general one bit.

“This weekend will give you all the chance you want to play, although I would ensure that you check your permissions with your lovely young lady. Molloy.  Make sure you know what she thinks your limits should be.  Not everyone is like my wife!” said Sir Gerald.

“Wise advice, Sir Gerald,” I agreed.

“Gerald is far too concerned for his wife’s desires!” said Sir Jonty.  “Do what you want and if your lady objects, beat her!   They all need a good beating once in a while.  Reminds’em of who is in charge and who pays for ‘em!”  I couldn’t see Edith agreeing with that but what about Daisy?  Surely she was too much of a modern women to play such games but then I knew hardly anything about her and her past, I now realised.

As we drank more port, and most of the other men set rather disgraceful 'targets' for their weekend activities, Sir Gerald explained that he had bought a consignment of his rubber prophylactics down, to be used over the weekend.

“Excellent idea.  Most chaps are gentleman enough to pull out before the crucial moment but with such a lot of female pulchritude on display and the relaxing effect of Champagne, we don’t want any more embarrassing accidents do we?” said Hoxton. 

“Indeed not,” agreed Britten.  “Our rubber products are the very finest!”

“You are a good company man, Britten,” said Crozier.  “Time for a directorship soon, I think!"

“Thank you, sir,” said Britten looking genuinely surprised.

“Of course, Nat’s girls will have access to douches if you do accidentally spurt up a woman who ain’t one of the Babylon girls!  Don’t delay.  If you have an accident, talk to one of them straight away and they will take the lady aside and get her cunny flushed!” said Hoxton, looking at Britten and I.  

"Get them flushed!" said Britten.  "Indeed so!"  I wondered what on earth that involved.

“Don’t want any more enceinte maids, either!” added Hoxton. looking directly at me.  "Need young Ruby to keep doing her duties and entertaining me visitors not popping out a baby!"  I blushed.

"Of course, Lord Hoxton!" I said. "Such a thing never occurred to me!" I declared, wondering what Ruby's intimate hair looked like.

“Nothing like having a girl who is eight months gone, though!” said Sir Jonty.  “When poor Marjorie was that far gone with Elizabeth I took her twice a day.  Such swollen bubbies, such engorged teats and that big round belly.  On her side from the rear so I could caress that big round belly!  Or her on top, everything bouncing away!”

“And of course you can pump any amount of spunk up their cunnies!” added the general.

“One of the Babylon girls ended up like that a couple of years ago,” said Hoxton.  “Just before you came back from India, Horace.  Told Nat she should let her keep working up until the end and charge twice the price!”

“Did she?  I would certainly pay for the experience again!” said Sir Jonty.  “Haven’t had a woman in full bloom like that since that opera singer in Paris three years ago.   She was huge!”

“Excellent!  Of course old Johnny Dupont is the one for pegging pregnant ladies!” said Sir Gerald. laughing.

“And getting 'em that way! He’ll be here tomorrow, of course.” said Hoxton.  The other men all agreed that Dupont was a ‘right card’ and it was all down to his ‘garlic flavoured French blood’, of course.    The clock struck ten.

“When will the ladies be back?” I asked. I was finding the other men’s conversations about women rather disrespectful.  I was glad that Britten, like me, was not joining in the stories about women they had ravished and intended to.  I wondered, again, whether, even at this late stage, I could excuse myself and return to London.

“Well, it takes’em so long to remove their clothes of course!” answered Hoxton.

“Lord Hoxton, to what extent are the ladies disrobing?  Is this something we have to do as well?” I asked, remembering what Sutton had said earlier and that neither Daisy of Edith had drawers on.

“Good question, Molloy!  The ladies usually remove their shoes, corsets and outer clothes and present themselves in their underthings which, I am sure you will agree, will be most pleasant!” said Hoxton. “The gentlemen will also undress and wear silk robes which will be provided by my maids, shortly.  There are no rules as such but I would suggest removing everything.  Ah, here they are right on cue!”  Hoxton’s four pretty maids, who had helped serve the dinner, had appeared, led by Sutton, the butler.  The lovely redhead, Ruby, was holding a stack of folded silk, paisley robes.  I watched as Ruby carefully unfolded each robe and hung them over a chair.  When I turned back to look at the others Sutton was already removing Hoxton’s jacket and tie.  I felt a pang of jealousy as she undid the bow at his neck. One of the maids, a pretty,  petite blonde, was assisting Sir Gerald Crozier to disrobe.  Two of the others attended to Sir Jonty and General Wilkinson.  Britten and I stood, somewhat dumbfounded, as it became clear that the women were dextrously removing all of the men’s clothes. “Two of the girls used to work in the Babylon Exploration Society and I was so taken with ‘em that I hired them to work here.  Madeleine, who is attending to Jonty, is from France.”  The girl smiled at us. “And Ingrid is from Belgium and is attending Sir Gerald. The Belgian girl was already unbuttoning his shirt. “Jenny, here,” he pointed to the girl removing the general’s shoes, is a local girl from Winchester.  I thought I would leave our Irish colleen to attend to you and Britten, if you don’t mind sharing, Molloy!”  

“I am delighted to meet you, properly!”I said as she undid my bow-tie with a practised hand.  Although I realised I shouldn’t have addressed her and there was nothing proper about our situation but I was so nervous that normal behaviour seemed ever distant.  None of the others were talking to the girls, I noticed.

“It’s me who is right pleased to meet you, Mr Molloy, sir,” said Ruby.  “I does enjoy your articles, so I do!  So interesting already, let alone when you set off next week.  I do hopes you don’t get eaten by a dinosaur, though, sir!”  she said, in her Ulster accent. “Sorry, my Lord!” she said, catching Hoxton’s eye.

“Oh I wouldn’t describe Daphne as a dinosaur!” laughed Sir Gerald, stepping out of his trousers. “But she does seem very interested in gobbling you up, Molloy!”

“Oh!” I said, looking at Britten. Ruby had moved across to help Britten off with his jacket, waistcoat, shirt and tie.  Then she returned to me and started to undo my shoes.

“I can do those myself!”  I said.

“You mustn’t sir!” she said, looking up at me and smiling. I looked to one side and was presented with the disturbing sight of Madeleine pulling Sir Jonty’s drawers down to reveal a slightly engorged manhood, I thought, before averting my eyes.  I avoided looking at Sir Gerald as he stepped out of his drawers and Ingrid helped him on with his dressing gown.  Hoxton was next and, rather disturbingly, watched both Britten and I being undressed.

“I am concerned about the protocol of being naked in front of the girls,” said Britten, frowning, standing there now in just his combinations.

“Sir has a lovely stiffie.  Sir should not be ashamed of it. so he shouldn't!” said Ruby, patting his crotch.

“I know it hasn’t been that sensuous but the girl has such a lovely touch!” said Britten, shamefacedly.

“Good for you Britten.  The ladies like a virile chap!” said Sir Gerald. 

“Rejoice in your cock.  Strut around and display it!” said Hoxton.

“Exactement!” said Madeleine, who having helped Sir Jonty on with his silk robe took over from Ruby and started to remove Britten’s last veil.

“Oh yes,” agreed Ruby as she started to unbutton my trousers. Unlike the others,Ruby was taking the opportunity to gently caress me as she stripped me. By the time she had pulled down my drawers, while not fully erect, I was well on the way.

“Ooh, Sir!” she said, leaning forward to kiss my knob as I stepped out of the last of my clothes.

“You cheeky girl, Ruby!” laughed Hoxton.

“Bugger me, Molloy!” said the general.  “As a military man I know when to admit defeat!  I am comprehensibly outgunned!”   I didn’t say anything but was secretly delighted.

“Well done you two!” said Sir Gerald, as Britten and I pulled on our silk dressing gowns to, thankfully, cover our embarrassment.  “Apart from my nephew, you will be very much the youngest chaps here tomorrow, so we rely on you to give the ladies a good time!”

"Yes, fire and reload as often as possible!" said the general.  "Us older chaps need a little more time!"

“Now take the gentlemen’s clothes to their rooms and off to bed with you,” said Hoxton to the maids. “We can manage on our own from now on!   Sutton you may remain to serve us!”

“I will just assist the maids to take your clothes up, your Lordship!” said Sutton.

“Good night, your Lordship.  Gentlemen,” said the other girls, together. 

“Goodnight Mr Molloy,” Ruby added, picking up my clothes and shoes. I noticed.  

“What lovely young ladies!” said Britten, after they had gone.

“They are rather spiffing, aren’t they?” said Hoxton.  “Once a month I have maid’s bath day down in the scullery and watch ‘em soap each other up for an hour.  Harmless fun, eh?” said Hoxton.

“And you aren’t tempted to ever...?” asked Britten.

“Certainly not!  Don’t want to engender staff jealousies.  They can be bitchy enough as it is!  The reason I hired Ingrid and Madeline was because I had never touched ‘em at the Babylon Exploration Society!” said Hoxton.  “Now let’s go and have a piss and then we can enter the Turkish Salon and wait for the ladies!”

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.