3
The next morning I was up early and on the lookout. From Betsy's description I had not been able exactly to understand how I could manage to surprise Laura during her amusement, and I determined to watch and follow her and be guided by circumstances. Sometime before the breakfast hour I saw her leave the house by a side door and proceed through a part of the park which was a good deal shaded with trees. I took advantage of the shelter thus afforded me to trace her steps, unperceived, until I came in sight of the summer house, but to my dismay, I found that it was impossible to follow her any further without being discovered. The building was circular, consisting of woodwork to the height of about four feet and above that glass all round. It was situated in the centre of
a flower plot of considerable extent in which the bushes were kept down and not allowed to attain any size.
It was therefore admirably adapted for the purpose to which it had been applied, as no one approaching it could well see what passed within, while the party in the interior could command an uninterrupted view all round and discover any intruder at some distance. I was quite aware that it was most important to avoid giving her any alarm or making her suspect I had any idea of her proceedings, and I resolved not to attempt to approach her that morning. So, selecting a tree which was situated in such a manner as to command
a complete view of the summer house, I swung myself up into it and soon gained a position from which, with the assistance of a small telescope I had taken with me, I could obtain a good view of her proceedings. I very soon discovered that Betsy's story was perfectly correct. She had apparently no time to spare, for, taking out the little instrument from its place of concealment, she seated herself on a couch from which she could command a view of the approach from the house. Then, extending her thighs, she drew up her petticoats and, inserting the counterfeit article in the appropriate place, began her career of mock pleasure.
I watched all her proceedings with the greatest enjoyment, and such was the effect produced upon me that I could not help following her example. I drew forth my excited member and, as she thrust the little bijou in and out of the delicious cavity in which I so longed to replace it with a better substitute, I responded to every movement of her hand by an up-and-down friction upon the ivory pillar, with such effect that, when she sunk back upon the couch after having procured for herself as much pleasure as such a make-shift could afford, I felt the corresponding efforts produce a similar effect upon my own excited reality, which, throbbing and beating furiously, sent forth a delicious shower of liquid bliss.
I allowed her to get up and return to the house without her perceiving me, and when we met at breakfast she was not even aware I had been out. The day passed very pleasantly. She was evidently flattered with the devotion I showed her and seemed noways indisposed to try to what length her encouragement might carry me, probably thinking that she could at any time check my advances should they become too forward.
In the course of the day I again visited the summer house and ascertained that I had no chance of surprising her there without mak-ing some alteration in it, which it would take a little time to effect, but which I resolved to have made if I found I could not succeed otherwise. In the meantime, I resolved to try the effect of a bold stroke.
Getting up early the next morning I proceeded directly to the summer house and waited there till she made her appearance. Having made certain that she was alone, I stretched myself on the couch as nearly as possible in the attitude she had assumed the previous morning. I then unbuttoned my trousers and drew them down below my knees and at the same time turned up my shirt above my waist thus exhibiting the whole forepart of my person entirely naked. Then grasping my stiffly erected weapon in my hand, I exhibited myself performing the same operation which I had witnessed her engaged in the previous morning. She came in without the least suspicion and, on entering the place, had at once a full view of my nearly naked figure extended at full length on the couch and engaged in performing an operation the nature of which she could not possibly misunderstand.
She seemed struck with astonishment--so much that she remained motionless for more than a minute, during which I watched her with intense curiosity. Her face and neck, so far as visible, flushed till they were almost of a purple hue, and her eyes were fixed upon the stiffly erected column up and down which my hand was gently moving. I was in great hopes that the sight had produced the effect I desired. But no. Suddenly recovering herself, she exclaimed, "For shame, Sir," and turning away hastily left the place before
I had time to rise and interrupt her. I would fain have followed her and tried to induce her to return, but I would not allow my passions to carry me so far as to do what might injure her irreparably in the event of anyone being about the grounds and seeing me in the condition in which I then was.
Before I could replace my dress so as to be able to venture out, she had gone so far that she had reached the house ere I could make up to her.
When we met at breakfast she took no notice of what had passed; nor could I discover any difference in her manner to me, beyond her heightened colour when we exchanged the morning greeting as if we had not met before. But she carefully avoided any opportunity of our being left alone, though I could sometimes detect her eyes glancing towards me when she thought she was not observed, and more particularly in the direction of the part of which she had obtained a first glance that morning.
4
Having gone so far with her, I was determined to try at least whether I could not get a little farther. So in the evening when a dance was got up I asked her to waltz with me in such an open manner that she could not easily make any excuse for not doing so. As soon as I got an opportunity of saying a few words unheard, I whispered to her, "Come, come, Laura, this is too bad of you to be offended at me for doing the very same thing I saw you doing in the same place yesterday morning."
In an instant her face turned perfectly scarlet and then as pale as death, and I am certain she would have fallen to the ground had I not supported her. In a few seconds she recovered herself a little and in a suppressed but earnest tone she whispered, "Hush, hush for God's sake."
I led her out of the room into the conservatory and pressed her to sit down on a bench. She objected to this, saying, "Not here; not here," pointing at the same time to the door at the opposite side leading into a rosary which was not overlooked from the drawing room. I there placed her on a seat and sat down beside her and waited for a few minutes, till her emotion should subside.
Finding that she was still quite overcome and remained silent, trembling, and evidently greatly agitated by the discovery that her secret was known to me, I said to her, "Laura, dearest, you need not be in the least alarmed, your secret is quite safe with me, and nothing shall ever induce me to say a word to anyone regarding it, nor need you fear, my own darling, that I shall take advantage of it to make you do anything you don't like."
She made no reply but at the same time she offered no resistance to the caresses I ventured to bestow upon her, and I even fancied that the warm kiss I imprinted on her lips was faintly returned. I went on to say, "I cannot tell you what bliss it would give me if
you would only allow this little charmer to take his proper place, instead of the wretched substitute I so much envied yesterday. I am quite sure it would give you as much pleasure as it would me." And at the same time, while I supported her with one arm round her waist, I placed her hand upon the object to which I drew her attention, and which, throbbing fiercely, lay extended along my thigh. Emboldened by her allowing her hand to remain upon it, I unbuttoned a few buttons and removed my shirt, when out it started
stiff and erect as a piece of ivory. When I again placed her hand upon it, I felt it grasped with convulsive eagerness. Excited beyond measure by this, I slipped my hand under her dress, bringing it up along her thighs until it reached the object of my adoration, and gently insinuated a finger within its moist lips.
The touch of my finger, however, within such a sensitive spot seemed to rouse her at once, for she started up, saying, "Not now, Frank, not