One I put together after an idea, but it went a little out of control. As ever, I hope you enjoy the story. If you do, post feedback saying what you enjoyed; if you didn't like it, again, post feedback citing why.
Personally, I'm unsure about the premise of a finishing school, but I wanted to manage a contrast between the [apparently] stern Mrs Blythe and Mathilda. How to arrange a mixing of all three characters that's plausible? Difficult, so I probably pushed the boundary in terms of suspension of belief. What the hell, it's only stroke!
I self-edit, and as a result there are undoubtedly errors still embedded. As usual I ask you to forgive any that remain.
GA - Samara Beach, Costa Rica. 7 March 2012.
'Mrs Blythe β I'm sorry to disturb you but there's a little problem.' The woman, Marion Ingles, Mrs Blyth's deputy for the past eighteen months, took a timid, birdlike step into the office. 'I know you're awfully busy,' Marion added, her diction suited to a BBC newsreader from a bygone era, 'but,' she pecked a cough against the back of her hand, 'well, it's about one of the blossomings.' Mrs Blythe looked up from the papers on her desk. Marion Ingles wrung her hands and grinned, her typically meek defence to the Iron Lady's glare. 'I'm sorry, Mrs Blyth ...' the woman simpered.
Years of practice, and indeed, her grounding as a Young Lady in the very establishment in which she presided, efficiently masked Mrs Blythe's irritation at the interruption. 'Not at all, Marion,' she said, brusque but smiling to ease her deputy's sensitivities. 'Never too busy if there's a problem. Especially if it's a blossoming.'
The two women walked the corridors, with Marion speaking hurriedly as they went. Again, Mrs Blythe's years of practice concealed her surprise when, after a peremptory knock upon a door, she encountered the scene. Closing the door behind her, she left her deputy on the other side.
Oh, my ... she thought, her dilating pupils the only outward sign of interest while she asked: 'And what seems to be the issue, Mathilda?' Marion had given a quick brief, the girl's name and a quick outline of 'the problem'.
The girl, cheerleader blonde, tiny and afraid amid the swathe of a thick cotton bathrobe, looked up, eyes wide, from where she knelt on a huge bed. Everything about the room whispered opulence, spoke of money and luxury. It was that sort of place. Mathilda's eyes widened further at the ominous presence of Mrs Blythe. Her lower lip trembled. 'Am I in trouble?'
'Trouble? Why no, dear, not at all. Put that nonsense out of your head. I'm here to help. Nothing more.' Mrs Blythe turned to face the room's second occupant, the one who'd elicited such a dramatic response from her. Giving no outward indication of her inner turmoil β clenching, oiling sex, heart jack-hammering inside her ribcage, nipples that had thickened and ached to be touched ... bitten, she asked: 'May I come in?'
The man stood, offering his perfect, white teeth. 'Of course,' he replied.
Mrs Blythe saw a tall man, mid-thirties, short hair, and with rich, brown skin.
'Emily Blythe,' Mrs Blythe said, stepping further into the luxury of the suite and extending her hand formally. 'You must be Jason?'
The man paced forward. His long, dark fingers closed around Mrs Blythe's extended hand. 'I am,' he responded.
The mature woman felt suddenly warm at the touch, a heat that suffused through her body, the epicentre of which was her pulsing vulva. He's so beautiful, she thought. And so well-mannered, so well-groomed, and he smells divine! 'A solicitor, I gather,' she said out loud. Jason nodded, holding her hand for a second or two longer than was entirely appropriate. Mrs Blythe's stomach, despite her maturity, fluttered and her clitoris pulsed. 'We only use the best for our little ceremonies, Mrs Blythe added.' Why did she say that? she wondered. A pointless observation, the man knew all about the selection process; he'd been through it after all. He knew why he was there. It was the girl who was the problem.
'Thank you, Mrs Blythe,' Jason said, smirking slightly, taking in the businesslike air β no nonsense, straight-talking β of the immaculately groomed, well-presented professional lady. Jason saw a woman in her early-fifties β great legs, matronly bust; a bit serious in the face but pretty when she softened and smiled. A stunner in her day, he thought.
In an effort to regain some degree of self-control, Mrs Blythe said: 'Why don't I sit here ...' she settled, after smoothing the skirt of her suit over her hips, into the embrace of a velvet covered chaise. 'We can discuss the problem and hopefully triumph.' The man sat on the edge of the bed, elbows on his knees, his hands and their long, black fingers hung loosely between. Big hands, Mrs Blythe thought. I wonder ... She shifted on the seat, crossing her legs, noticing Jason's eyes flick down; saw them widen with appreciation as he took in the smooth sweep of her calves. The woman moved again, ostensibly in an effort to get more comfortable, whereas her real motive was to ease the tight hem of her skirt higher up her thigh.
'So, Mathilda ...' Mrs Blythe concentrated upon the forlorn figure on the bed. The girl looked up from where her chin had sunk onto her chest.
'Mrs Blythe?' the girl replied.
'What is it, dear? Please, take your time. I don't want to upset you. But why am I here?'
Mathilda's eyes flicked towards Jason. 'It's ..." she began, and then shrugged. 'Oh, Mrs Blythe,' she said, her voice tremulous. 'I know I'm being silly, but ...' She shrugged again.
'I can tell you what it is,' Jason interjected.
'Please do,' Mrs Blythe said.
'It's a clichΓ©,' Jason explained, 'but ... Well ...'
He actually looked embarrassed. And he was embarrassed. Here he was, with a gorgeous but shit-scared nineteen year-old girl, while Margaret Thatcher stared at him from across the room. OK, the Thatcher thing was a bit unkind. Mrs Blythe, Emily, came across as a stern disciplinarian type β a superb dominatrix, he thought β Pretty sexy in that ripe way some women blossomed into. He nearly laughed. Blossomed, he mused. That's apt. That was what they called ... this. What he was doing, what he was
meant
to be doing. With the girl. Blossoming.
'Please, Jason,' Mrs Blythe said. 'Do continue. Don't feel awkward. After all, I know why you're here.' She smiled and shifted her rump on the chaise. The hem crept higher, showing more leg. 'I'm unshockable, be assured of that. You can speak frankly.'
'It's just too big.' The voice was Mathilda's. 'When he showed me ... It's just too big,' she repeated.