Hermione Dowager Lady Ashfordly surveyed her domain, life was changed indeed from when she was mistress at Ashfordly House yet not without its compensations, her step daughter Katherine had been promised to fine upstanding Col Hogarth, her other step daughter Rebekah remained with her in Catesby together with the half sister Hope the Late Lord Ashfordleys bastard daughter born of Mrs Peasbody the Reverend's wife.
Charlie Rokeby, now Lord Ashfordly, had reset the stations of these related persons, his cousins, and his uncles wife from whose grasp the family fortune had slipped when he died without issue, yet now was fate to play a hand not even Rokeby could have forseen.
It was a quiet period for the girls, Catesby field was empty, the regiments away on exercise the nearest the Greys at Heaton ten miles hence, and though the regulars came the girls became bored with sitting aimlessly, and sought new companionship of the virile militia or soldiery.
The girls sitting around gossiping hatched a plan, something different, something to entice the men to walk the ten miles and ten more home, and to inspire them to such passion as must relieved with such urgency as would fill the Bordello's coffers to overflowing, men who had seen most things, who had seen the flesh pots of Finsbury Park and of the depravity of the roaming bands of camp followers who trailed behind when some older men had seen service overseas.
Hermione was delighted at the plan and swore the girls to secrecy, whilst embellishing the plan such that they all seven, six girls and Hermione could earn the money whilst another provided the stimulus.
Behind the Bordello was a large building, once a venue for cock fighting, badger baiting and fist fighting but now recently disused and yet in Hermione's minds eye a theatre it was to be, and here the entertainment provided to induce such lust as must require its near instantaneous relief, and what entertainment was this to be, verily it were secret even the star of the show yet remained in blissful ignorance of her fate.
Benches remained and a raised ring for fisticuffs, the proper fight not the Queensbury effeminate version with gloved hands, but the proper bare knuckle spectacle, and to this Hermione directed the girls energies with cleaning and then she found a bench and some manacles for to hold the performer.
But who should perform, that night as they laid abed the harlot Hannah stared deeply into her maid Hope's eyes. "There is to be a show, for the militia, a special show."
Hope seemed troubled yet suspected not the next utterance, Hannah continued.
"Will you perform with us, to entice the Gentlemen, oh please say yes, just the play, we shall entertain carnally whilst you do otherwise. please say you will"
And Hope could not deny her lover and said "Yes"
And so it was sealed, a play of sorts with cock fighting and a badger and a fist fight, for a prize and that play to be Beauty and the Beast, yet a comedy, and all were sworn to secrecy.
And so they journeyed by carter's cart to Heaton to inform and entice the militia there. Hermione, Harlots, less two who remained to service any gentlemen who should require such, and Hope, attired this time not as maid but as harlot her face painted such that her own mother would scarce recognise her, her waist pulled by corsetry so she may scarce breathe and her chest thrust out in consequence. All displayed on Mr Stobart's mighty cart with his team of Shire Horses pulling nobly before it.
Hope gazed down, the militia crowded around insensible of their officers entreaties and orders to form ranks, and hope knew that each man below desired her, what a change from so recently, when such would would not even dare to gaze upon her the daughter so it seemed of the Reverend, and yet here she could choose a mate from hundreds so it seemed.
Soon all was done, the message passed and passed again till all knew of the delights promised for that very night in Catesby.
Col Davenport addressed the men from among the harlots, to their great and ribald cheers, announcing a general leave of absence for the throng leaving only the barest number to stand guard over the armoury and furthermore half the men's wages to be paid forthwith, not as was the tradition on the day following the Sabbath.
His address completed Davenport spoke sternly to Hermione. "Madam, never again do such a thing to me, had I not acceded to your request I should have had a riot and mutiny, and my life's work, my very reputation ruined, so Madam I demand free use of your harlots for my men who this eve stand guard and of course for myself, and you I shall take and horsewhip forthwith while the younger girls entertain my men excessively with their charms."
And so with the merest shiver of anticipation Davenport led Hermione from the cart and away to his great tent, in size such that a Frenchman may more term Marquee, than an Englishman's conception of tent,.
Davenport ordered his servant. "Batman pray strip the strumpet to nakedness and tie her to the whipping rail whilst I take refreshment, my very jaw aches from the incessant bellowing."
Hermione assisted the servant to remove her raiments and she observed with pleasure the bulge in his breeches the revelation of her teats engendered, she wondered idly how many play strokes she should receive before they in turns took her carnally, and indeed she wondered how many should indeed take her should it be Servant or Master alone.
Hermione looked coyly in her best harlot fashion as the servant stripped the last of her raiments leaving her just her silken leggings and court shoes with the raised heels. Her tongue wagged when it would have better remained still, "What a strange name you have Mister Batman."
Davenport laughed greatly, "Tis a rank like Footman, not a sir name, now brace thyself for chastisement."
