ARABELLA Read Free Page B

then the full import of her words nor to what scenes of libertine delights they were to lead us. Quietening ourselves at last, we lay quiet. In the milky gloom, Elaine bent over me and regarded me solemnly. Then, rising, she discarded her nightdress and bid me do the same. There being a flask of liqueur such as was kept for all guests in a side cabinet, we indulged ourselves by drinking from the neck of it. I knew not the time, nor cared.
    “Shall we be naughty together?” Elaine asked. We sat up, our legs curled under us, hips touching.
    “What can we do?” I asked naively.
    “Everything, Arabella. I have long thought of it. Have you not wondered that I am not yet wed? It is of my own choosing. I may do so in a few years time, but for the nonce I do not mean to fetter myself to one man and one bed. I have learned too much for that, how utterly boring it would be! I am certain now that you share my feelings, or will soon do so, therefore I mean to confide in you. Do you know how many ways there are in which pleasure can be taken?”
    I shook my head. I was all agog with wonder and so tremulous from the experiences of the night that I was ready to follow her in all.
    “Let us consider, for I have read many naughty books that I filched from Papa's study, though he knows it not. Were all the things therein to be brought together, what exquisite pleasures one could have! Firstly, there are joys between ladies, such as we have just had and which are ever renewable. You were very easy to seduce, my love, for you were already in a fine fever for it. Supposing, though, that one seduced a girl who was not. What fun!”
    “Oh, but she might hate it and make a fuss, Elaine!”
    “Of course she would not—not for long. Girls are very understanding among themselves you know, and if she were a novice her delights would be threefold and we could teach her much. Then there is the mounting of a girl by a man. What a delight it is to watch! Supposing we could bring it about!”
    My mouth parted, I could not believe what I was hearing, yet Elaine spoke not in a coy fashion but a very plain and practical one that stilled the amazed response I might otherwise have given. Indeed, I was dumbstruck, which she—perceiving my silence to be halfway towards assent on my part—took quick advantage of.
    “It is perfectly possible, you know, for I have heard about it being done at hunt balls and such. It is called being put to the cock and many a fair young lady has been initiated thus during the revelry. Alas, Mama is very prim and proper, you know, and so has never let me attend one, nor my sisters. I have endeavoured to wheedle Papa into letting me accompany him on some pretext of going elsewhere, but he has resisted. For my part, of course, I have pretended ignorance to him of the goings on, merely saying that I wished to attend a grand affair, but he will not have it, saying they are by invitation only. All the world knows that, of course, but it would trouble him nothing to arrange our presence.”
    “But in that case you would see nothing, for surely it is not done before the whole company and your Papa could scarce be present when you did.”
    “You see how I have to educate you, my pet! Did it bother you a whit that Papa was not putting himself to his wife? Of course not! Did it bother Papa or Helen? Not for a second, Arabella. The pleasure is all. I mean to bring you to my way of thinking on this.”
    “You said he had...”
    I could not finish the sentence no more than I could stop myself from uttering it.
    “A big one? Well—has he not? How I know this I do not intend to tell you as yet, which I know will tease you much and therefore to listen to me ever more carefully. So you see, as to bringing a girl to the penis, that is more easily done than you would think, although the moment and the atmosphere must be right. I have witnessed it once, as you have, and found a perfect pleasure in doing so. What more could be gained than by