When Bill returned we were all in the lounge, Mum reading, Beth and I on our phones. "Modern family life," he chuckled.
"How was your walk?" Mum asked.
"Great," he nodded. "It's cold enough to be bracing but not uncomfortable."
Mum got up. "Lunch, then?"
"Mm."
They moved over to the kitchen area, and I leaned across to Beth. "Going to give me a hint about your plan?"
She grinned knowingly. "Well, the first thing is, I go to your Mum's room when you and Dad are both out, I'm looking a little anxious, and she asks me if I'm OK."
"Right," I said cautiously. "And then?"
"I explain to her that since my Mum hasn't been around, I've had nobody to talk to about - you know, girl stuff."
I had to admire Beth's creativity. "So what do you tell her you need to talk about?"
"I say to her that I'm getting these... feelings, I know it wouldn't be right to do anything about them with - well, with a boyfriend, but it makes me want to, to..."
"So she nods to let me know she understands. "All girls feel that way, there's nothing wrong with it."
"She puts her arm around me. "Do you touch yourself when you feel like that?"
"I nod, my cheeks a little pink now, and she smiles. "That's OK too."
"I give her my best frustrated look. "But I don't think it feels the same as it would if..."
"I see her hesitate visibly. "Beth - I don't know if I should -"
"Then she obviously makes a decision. "There are, well, ways of helping with that. I - I sometimes need that myself," she admits. "Let me just get something."
"She goes over to the bedside table, opens the drawer, takes out - well, it's that thing we saw today. "Beth - this is what a lot of girls, women, use to help them."
"I pretend to look at it fascinated, like it's a snake maybe. "Wow."
"She offers it to me. "Would you like to borrow it? It's clean, I promise."
"I take it in my hand hesitantly. "Will you - will you watch me, to see if I'm doing it right?"
"She's obviously a little shocked, but I think her feeling of responsibility to me wins out over her hesitation. "Well, OK."
"I unzip my jeans, slip them off, then my panties, then glance at her to make sure it's OK as I lay down, part my thighs. She smiles reassuringly. "There's no rush - it might take a little while for you to be ready, and don't worry if it doesn't feel quite right the first time."
"I put it against my entrance, of course she doesn't know that I've been so wet since we started talking. I press on it a little, and just the tip slides inside. I gasp, and stop. "Oh!"
"She leans closer. "Are you OK, Beth?"
"I nod. "It feels... Actually it feels nice."
"I use my other hand to touch myself, and I can see that she can't tear herself away from watching now, she must be getting turned on herself. The toy slides in further, and I pull it back a little, then thrust again. "Ohh... that feels good."
"She can't help herself, her hand's moved to her breast and she's squeezing it, I can hear her breathing change. "Just do whatever feels best, Beth, it's OK."
"I use the toy more insistently, my fingers are moving on my nub, and I feel myself getting close to coming. "It feels - something, right inside me, getting more..."
"She nods. "Oh, yes, Beth, let it go, I know it'll be amazing for you..."
"I tip over the edge, I can't help moaning, my hips shuddering, pushing the toy in as far as it'll go, and - and then I spurt, and she moves back a little in surprise, then leans closer despite herself to watch it run down, making a wet patch on the bed. "Goodness, Beth, that's - well, that doesn't always happen."
"I'm relaxing now, and I slide the toy out of me, put it on the bed. "That was amazing - thank you so much..."
She takes a deep breath. "Beth - would you mind if I... if I did the same? I'm sorry - watching you has made me, well..."
"I reach to touch her hand. "Don't be sorry - you told me it's natural, right, so of course it's the same for you."
"She looks relieved, and a little self-consciously unzips her slacks, pushes them down, her panties too. "You can lose them completely," I reassure her.
"So she parts her thighs, slides two fingers inside, her other hand urgent on her nub. "I really enjoyed watching you, Beth," she confesses. "I could almost feel what it was like for you, feeling so full for the first time, just like if Bill - I mean, if someone you really trusted was inside you, both of you being intimate with one another, he's doing whatever he knows you like the most -"
"I can't believe how quickly she comes, not really a spurt but a dribble, and she clasps her thighs together round her hands. "Mm..."
Before Beth could imagine the end of her story, Bill returned. "What on earth are you two whispering about?" he asked, grinning. "Come on, lunch is ready."
When we'd finished eating, I could see Beth hinting to me with her eyes, and I cleared my throat. "Er, Bill?"
"Hmm?"
"How about you show me that route you walked this morning? I'd quite like to stretch my legs too."
"Sure."
Beth flashed her eyebrows at me as I pulled on my boots. "Take your time, enjoy the walk," she chuckled.
Bill and I made our way up the hill towards the woods. "I was hoping to get some time to talk to you," he ventured.
"Ah, OK," I managed. "Anything in particular?"
"Just wanted to thank you for taking care of Beth - I know she can be very independent, and she tries to sound like she doesn't need anything, but deep down I can see that she really appreciates having you around."
He grinned. "I think she always wanted a big brother."
"I'll do my best," I promised.
We carried on walking mostly in silence, Bill obviously not sure what would engage my interest. Then - "Oh, look - is that a buzzard?" I pointed.
"Definitely. Though there are kites around here, too."
We discovered that we had a shared interest in birds of prey, and the rest of the walk was filled with conversation about birds we'd seen or places we'd like to visit, wildlife centres.
When we got back to the lodge, there was no sign of Beth or Mum, and Bill put the kettle on. "Cup of tea, that'll soon bring them."
True enough, as he was pouring, they reappeared from the master bedroom, and I could see an unmistakeable flush in Beth's cheeks. So something must have happened, and my curiosity couldn't wait till after dinner. "Hey, Beth, can I show you something upstairs?"
Beth gave Bill a "Wonder what on earth he's on about" look, but came with me. As soon as we reached the landing, she threw me a broad grin. "Your Mum is the best."
"Tell me," I begged as we reached the bedroom, Beth sprawling on the bed.
"Well," she began, "it didn't go quite as we imagined."
She settled more comfortably. "Well, she was convinced by my 'I get these feelings' routine. But then it went - well, a little different."
"Different how?"
"She asked me if I was a virgin, and I had to admit I wasn't. I think she was quite surprised at that, she and Bill must have talked about how he's tried to protect me. But she nodded. "I don't need to know who, or when. But was he kind to you, were you safe?"
"I tell her yes, definitely, and she looks reassured. "Beth? Can I ask you something else?"
"I say of course she can, but she still hesitates. "Beth - have you ever felt attracted to, um, to girls as well?"
"Of course this isn't part of my script, so I have to think really fast. But I was pretty sure I already knew where she was going with this, so I nod shyly. "There were a couple of girls at school who, I don't know, things felt different, I wish - well, I wish I could have kissed them."
"She nods again. "Are you curious to know what it'd feel like?"
"I can see in her face what's going to happen - what she hopes is going to happen - next. She's parted her lips just slightly, I can see the tip of her tongue between them, and she leans a bit closer. I lean over too, and our lips are just a little way apart, I can feel her breathing, I catch the scent of her skin. Then -"
Beth took a deep breath, remembering. "We kissed, a little at first, then more, and our tongues were touching, it felt so good."
"Wow," I managed. "I'd never have guessed Mum secretly wanted you."
"So we break the kiss after a while," Beth continued, "and I can see she's a little worried. "Are you OK, Beth? Maybe I shouldn't have done that."
"I touch her cheek. "It's fine... It was even better than I'd imagined."
"She turns to kiss my palm, then - mm - I feel the tip of her tongue against my skin, she darts it between each of my fingers."
Beth threw me an almost sad look. "I just knew after that we weren't going to stop until, well, everything."
"So..." I prompted.
"So I take hold of her hand, I put each of her fingers in turn into my mouth, use my tongue on them. "Like that?"
"She nods. "God, yes, Beth," and we kiss again. "I've always thought your breasts are amazing," I murmur, and she glances down, lifts an eyebrow slightly."
"I take the hint, fumbling with the hem of her top until my fingers touch bare skin, then I slide my hand upwards, I blink in surprise, no bra."
"She chuckles. "Well, we're on holiday, and -" I see her blush - "Bill likes to be able to get to me, nothing in the way."
"My fingers keep moving upwards, I'm holding my breath, hardly believing this is happening. I cup her breast, it's bigger than mine are, so full, her nipple's hard."
"She's lifting her top off so I can see her, mm, her areolae are wide, dark, and I can't resist, I run my tongue round each nipple. "Oh god, Beth, your mouth on them," she begs, and her hard nipples are between my lips one after the other."
"I stop to take off my own top, lose my bra, and she puts her arms around me, pulls me close, I feel her breasts flattening against my chest, the nipples wet -"
Beth made a low sound of frustration as we heard a knock on the downstairs door. "Sandwiches are ready if you want them," came Bill's voice.