I had instructed John to be gentle with my handmaid and cautioned him not to rush her. Kitty was, I informed him, a timid creature by nature whose passions would only reveal themselves slight by slight. Eventually John understood, and as I explained the role he would need to play in her seduction he seemed to be studying it with more care than I had seen him take to most other of his tasks.
Not that he lacked attention in any of his duties, or was for that matter in any way incompetent, on the contrary in fact he was a most loyal and duteous servant. This task held for him a far greater reward than the approval of his masters and I knew he would perform it to my satisfaction and to Kitty's ecstasy. After dismissing him I watched him stride down the hallway and decided I would let them marry. Both would be perfectly happy with the other and would continue in service to Papa and myself with an invigorating air of love and loyalty, duty and desire.
Whilst relaxing in the drawing room, thinking of Papa and how soon he might be coming home to me, John knocked and entered and announced the arrival of General Stanton, a friend of father's. After being informed Lord Dashwood was not present he had insisted on an audience with me instead. My heart jumped. General Stanton was a man of reputation, one I had heard of in fine detail many times recently. I would not show it, but I was secretly thrilled he had come knocking on my door. This was a wonderful opportunity for a little game playing.
I motioned for John to close the door and come to me. Hushing my voice I told him not to stray too far until the General had left. I proceeded to explain that only once before had I met General Stanton and it was not an experience I had hoped would need repeating. As I clutched both hands to John's arm and pressed my body against him I disdainfully traduced General Stanton, explaining he was a large bellied man with an equally large propensity for indulgence. A renowned scoundrel he was not a man I wished to entertain longer than was politely necessary.
John nodded knowingly and assured me of his chivalry; he would protect me. Already I saw the conflict on his face as I clutched him that little bit tighter and made him promise. He stood proud. I pressed my little belly to his hip and contrived to push my pussy to the back of his hand as though I hadn't realized what I had done. John reaffirmed his quixotic promise, his back straightening that little bit more, to be my saviour. I in turn promised to reward him in his favourite way once the horrid General was gone.
I smiled to myself. John was a mere butler, he could no more order a General of the King's Army to leave than a street urchin could proclaim himself mayor. He knew such insolence would not be tolerated and if he were to insult the General in that manner he would be thrashed to within an inch of his life. Not by General Stanton of course, for should they engage in a fair fight John would most certainly emerge the victor, but powerful men have powerful allies, and the establishment never plays fair.
"I will see him in the dining room," I quietly told John and took a half step back, portraying one unwilling to disguise their increasing contempt in any civil way. "But do stay within earshot of the door in case I should need you; General Stanton is a renowned rogue of the highest order and I would bite and scratch rather than fall prey to his wicked advances!"
"Certainly, Miss," John said with a nod. "Don't you worry, General or not I won't be giving him any chance to harm you. Him or any man." His response was perfect and already I pictured him hopping from one foot to the other in the hallway as he battled over his conflicting sensibilities.
"You are sweet, John," I said with a welcoming smile and a flirt of the eyes. "I do hope it won't come to that; the General knows not to cause a fuss here, although it wouldn't be the first time an intervention was necessary. He will not harm me in any way, though. Your presence should be all that's required, and I would just feel safer knowing you are close by. Have port and sherry brought to the table then show him through, and after we shall talk of your progress with little Kitty." As I turned to motion him to leave I brushed my forearm across the bulge in his plush britches. I said nothing, but John lingered that moment longer before backing away. I turned my back to hide my smile.
"Darling Laura!" General Stanton bellowed as John showed me into the dining room.
"Hello, dear General," I said courteously and smiled brightly. He began to march towards me with great strides. Quickly I turned my face. "That will be all, John," I said to the butler and watched as he pulled the door to within an inch of closing. He would be hovering about in the entrance hall, listening intently, ready as ever to spring to my aid. I raised my arms and offered my gloved hands to the General.
The picture I had painted to John of General Stanton was not entirely untrue; he was indeed rather large bellied, as many of his advancing years were. But unlike Lord Carnborough the General was a tall and well built man, as great and fearsome in stature as he was in battle.
I had not exaggerated his reputation either; he was indeed a terror to the ladies and daughters of high society and the girls in their charge, and it was by the sheer force of his personality that he avoided any sort of retribution for his escapades. That and the reluctance of the women involved to see any harm come to him.
Whilst the men may bluster and boast of their own, or indeed their friends' conquests, arrogantly bragging of the ease in which the girls would lay down for them, it was in the accounts told to me by the Ladies I heard how many a maid was discovered in a state of fulfilment, panting each little breath and smiling with the dreamiest of eyes. Some even admitted to their own encounters with him; how he had charmed them with beautiful words and filled them with hardened flesh. Others still had recounted to me of the power of the Generals' lust, and how they had needed to summon a young servant girl, strip her and sacrifice her to quench his thirst as they hid their faces and watched through their fingers.
The poor girls always wished to retain their modesty, yet bowed, curtseyed and offered to fall upon the devil's sword in place of their mistresses. And once firmly impaled upon that thrusting length of Nature their gasps and moans, their squeals and cries of 'Yes!' and 'More!' soon came thick and fast as they realized why God had designed their own bodies in such a way. Many a young virgin had screeched and sobbed before her mistress at its first onslaught into her quivering body only to spread her legs wider and buck her agile hips back up at her conqueror just moments later, eager to enjoy his gift for as long as he sought fit to share it with her. And what a gift it was! Perhaps one or two reports could be exaggerated, but in each and every retelling I listened in wonder at the attention to detail, both excited and afraid, as its every curve and vein and shape and size was relayed to me again and again.
Their accounts were extremely evocative; they thrilled me, and in telling me I am sure the Ladies and daughters, the maids and servants saw in my eyes the spark of carnality, the glow of wanton desire, and perhaps it was no surprise that now I had come of age the General had come knocking at my door, sent here by women who know. As he approached me I tingled even more as I thought of those stories, envying the girls lucky enough to be featured in them.
"Dear girl!" he continued to enthuse as he took my hands in his. I merely smiled. "Has it been a year already? Let me look at you!" He drew my arms wide and pressed his eyes upon every part of me. "How beautiful you are! And a Lady now. You're more beautiful than ever. What a lucky dog that Carnborough is! Why, I would marry you this very day were you to permit me!" With that he pulled me to him and took me in a very familiar way as I giggled at his declaration. Before he could get a full grasp of me however I twisted and slipped from his clutches. The General laughed, as much the game-player as myself I sensed him in his element with me. I made for the other side of the large oak dining table, well enough from the door to require John to keep his ear to it to hear my squeals.
At first only his eyes followed me. I felt them upon my every curve. Then slowly, as a cat circles a mouse, he circled the table, moving around behind me. He eyed me from several paces back. I felt so deliciously trapped.
"Did you not come here to see my father?" I asked, then turned and rested my bottom against the table and placed my hands on it on either side. I kept my back arched, pushing my firm young breasts out for his eyes to devour. I knew my dress had him captivated. Deep cinnabar vermilion, fashioned from the most exquisite silk that glittered in the afternoon sun. Gauzy and delicate it encouraged the passing of light through it and left little to the imagination. It was not too short, although longer on one side than the other from the diagonally cut style. The split in the raised side ended high upon my right thigh, revealing my whole leg to him when I walked. The dress tightly hugged my body. Laced at the back with dainty strings that fluttered from a pretty bow it cupped my breasts at the front and afforded the eye an entrancing portion of cleavage. I have always been very proud of them; full and firm they sit high and pert upon my chest. Even Papa's eyes enjoy playing all over them.
"That I did, my sweet little treasure." he said loudly. "But alas, dear Monty is elsewhere engaged and I couldn't leave without seeing my most favourite little girl." I laughed again, an effect in me he seemed to revel in creating. His eyes fixed upon my dainty little choker-collar, then to the matching lace straps around my upper arms, before moving down my elbow gloves and to my upper thighs. I knew he was wondering to himself if I also had straps there, and how he might proceed in finding out. I leaned a little to one side as I chuckled at his silliness and moved my right knee forward. The split opened and my thigh was revealed to him, free of any garnishing. He looked not in the least disappointed, and when I casually moved my left hand and drew a finger across my left thigh his eyes immediately picked out the slight raised band of my garter-strap beneath my delicate thin dress. His eyes glowed like fire. I sensed him about to start forward.
"Would you like a drink, General?" I asked and turned my back to him and leaned forward to reach the large silver drinks tray. With a growl in his throat he thanked me and said that he would. What a sight I must have presented him, bending over the table so, my posterior displayed lewdly to him in what he surely accepted was an unspoken invitation, for he moved to me with purpose in his strides. A moment later I was but a rabbit in his gunsights and his hand was perfectly placed to caress that which he had been offered.
