Laura Middleton; Her Brother and her Lover (1890) A classic Victorian erotic novel - The Original Classic Edition. Anonymous Anonymous

and to allow another lady of the party to ride her horse. In the morning I arranged with my groom that he should file off the heads of the nails of one of my horse's shoes, so that the shoe should come off easily, and I appointed him to meet me a short distance from the house on the road we were to take.

       After I had proceeded with the party for a few miles, I pretended to think that my horse was going lame, and dismounting, I exhibited one foot with the shoe nearly off. As the horse was a valuable one, the excuse was readily accepted that I could not proceed farther, but must walk him back quietly. As soon, however, as the party had got out of sight, by the aid of a hammer and a few nails I had taken in my pocket, I fastened the shoe, and started back at full speed. Meeting my groom at the place I had appointed, I told him to get the horse properly shod and then take him to a small inn in a retired place a few miles off, so as not to have my return known at the hall. I then hastened to make my way across the fields to the summer house, having a strong hope that Laura would take advantage of the opportunity for visiting it, as my absence would render it safe for her to do so and would at the same time preclude the chance of her being able to have any gratification in my company and reduce her to her solitary amusement.

       On making a more minute inspection of the summer house, I had discovered a circumstance which was not apparent at first sight and which had inspired me with the idea of my present operation. The ceiling was formed of small branches, split and nailed together in the form of panels. One of these, I discovered, was moveable and gave access to a small apartment above, part of which was floored over and occasionally used by the gardener to dry seeds. To this apartment the only access was by means of a ladder. The ceiling however was low enough to admit of my catching hold of the sides of the opening when standing on a stool, and thus

       swinging myself up into the interior. I had contrived, by means of oiling the hinges well and attaching a weight with a pulley, to make the entrance open easily and without the least noise, and I had also made some small apertures in the roof from which I could keep

       a lookout.

       I immediately took possession of my hiding place and closed the entrance, resolved to take the chance of Laura's coming if I had to wait there the whole day, for I knew the precaution I had taken would prevent anything being known of my being in the neighbourhood until the return of the party, who had made the necessary arrangements for taking refreshments with them, and were not to be back till the evening.

       I waited with patience all the forenoon, comforted with the idea that in all probability Laura would find herself at leisure after lunch-

       eon, at which time some of the elder part of the company who had not joined the expedition usually drove out.

       It happened as I had anticipated, and very soon after the ordinary luncheon hour I was rejoiced to see Laura approaching. I was very certain, from the manner in which she looked about her as she drew near, what her object was, and I made my arrangements before she arrived so as to be able to keep perfectly still till the proper time came. After taking a walk round the place apparently to make certain that no one was in the neighbourhood, she came in, and taking out one of the books, sat down to peruse it. Convinced that my only chance of success was to catch her in the critical moment when she would be too much overwhelmed by her voluptuous sensations to offer any resistance, and afraid that any precipitate movement on my part might enable her to retain that self-command of which she possessed so large a share, I waited quietly for the effect of the seductive entertainment I had provided for her. Nor

       was it long before it began to produce the expected result. Her colour heightened, she moved backwards and forwards upon the couch apparently unconsciously, and at last her fingers stole under her petticoats and reached the part which was the principal scene of her excitement and which I could see from the motions of her arm she was attempting to allay. In a few minutes she appeared

       to be unable longer to withstand the temptation which the opportunity offered, and rising up, she went to the hiding-place and took

       from it some lascivious pictures and the little object with which she intended to solace herself.

       After heightening her desires by an attentive examination of the seductive plates, she raised her dress and stretched herself on the

       couch, much in the same attitude in which I had previously seen her, and after a little toying with her finger she separated the ruby