Mary was much more open with her affection for me after our tryst. Mrs. Bennett seemed also to understand that I was not interested in her older daughter and had attached my affections to the second daughter.
Like a good General, she saw what opportunity presented itself and charged into the breach. In short, Jane was no longer pressed forward and Mary was. I noticed Jane looking my way a few times, but that passed as her mother took aim on a recent widower, a prosperous farmer, Mr. Owens, who had three small children and was desperately in need of a wife willing to assume such a burden. Jane had few opportunities and after her disappointment, willingly joined the pursuit of farmer Owens. Their nuptials quickly followed. Owens looked relieved at the wedding as did Mrs. Bennett.
After the tryst with Mary my attention found itself diverted more and more to Elizabeth Woodhouse. I had opportunity to compare a girl barely a woman, Harriet, to an older, Mary. Now I wondered what would it be like to have a woman in full bloom. At 22, Elizabeth was indeed in full bloom of her womanhood.
Elizabeth was tall and willowy with straw yellow hair and piercing blue eyes, intelligent and educated with aspirations to writing. I must admit that I found her education somewhat of a challenge, not being well learned at that point in my life. I had not been to the manor born and had not had the benefit of much education. In point of fact, I could at that time barely read and knew no language well except my native tongue and a smattering of trade French.
And that is how I presented myself one afternoon on a visit to the Woodhouse manor. We had tea and her father disappeared. I was surprised that he left us alone. Miss Woodhouse noticed my reaction. “Don’t mind Father,” she said. “He isn’t worried about my virtue, sure as he is that I will never yield it to any man.”
I coughed to cover my amazement.
“Oh, Lord Northam, I have discomfited you,” she said. I felt my face flush which brought a smile to Miss Woodhouse’s face.
My thoughts turned to the ring. I had only to speak some words, and cause my will to turn thither and this woman would indeed surrender her virtue. She knew not that danger was so close in this pretty parlor of hers.
She saw something of the danger in my eyes I think for she said, “Lord Northam, have I been deceived?”
“Perhaps your virtue is not secure, Miss Woodhouse. Surrender is not the only means by which a girl may lose it,” I said.
“Lord Northam, surely you are not the sort of man who would force your attentions on a resisting woman,” she said.
“Miss Woodhouse, I think I am that sort of man,” I said, thinking how my use of the ring made me exactly that sort of man. It was then that I recanted such use of the ring on Miss Woodhouse. “But I find myself unable to do so with you.”
“Oh well, I shall have to contain my disappointment at not being raped,” she said.
“Miss Woodhouse!” I said scandalized.
“Lord Northam!” she said mocking me. “Please, it is all this reading I do. The classics are simply full of rape. One cannot read any classic without a rape it seems. A girl does have to wonder about it then, doesn’t she? Where did all these rapes vanish to? What would it be like to be so ravished as the Sabine women or Lucretia? Stories, my mind is filled with stories, so please do forgive me.”
“Elizabeth,” I started and she noticed the familiar name causing her to look at me intently. “I am not an educated man. Even though it appears I was born to it, I was not raised to the manor house. Would you read me one of these stories?”
“A rape?” she asked.
“Yes,” I said serenely.
There was a pause as she considered. “Yes, yes I would, to further your education of course. Come, my Lord. I will get a book and we shall go to the garden. It is a pleasant day and secure in the garden fortress we shall not scandalize the servants by reading such a thing.”
I followed her to the library where she took a book. I could see it was in Latin. “Elizabeth,” I said. Once again I noted her attention at my use of the familiar name. “I am afraid I do not know Latin.”
“But I do, Lord Northam, and I shall be free to translate it into our poor tongue. Do not fret, I shall omit nothing,” she said with what I would call a devilish smile.
I could not help but laugh which brought gay laughter to her as well.
I took her arm as we went out to the garden. She led me to a secluded pavilion. The summer sun shone brightly, warming the air which buzzed with the sounds of nature. Elizabeth settled onto a bench and motioned me to sit beside her.
She opened the book to a well worn passage and began to read. It was a poem, I could tell from the form, but one I was not familiar with. Elizabeth read, absorbed in the words. As the story reached the rape, she read breathlessly. The woman was ravished and Elizabeth’s face flushed as she read.
I had my second fundamental realization of women sitting there in the pavilion. I would never have known that women could have desires just as men had until the experience of the ring. I now realized that the ring did not overwhelm a women’s will, it did not force new desires that would never have been there, instead it released a part that was hidden. Perhaps it simply brushed aside the civilized restraint and brought forth the Edenic being, the part of us all that was free of restraint before the Fall, before we were tainted with Original Sin and could feel shame. Remove the shame brought by society and we could all mate without sin. Elizabeth had given me the clue in her parlor. Watching her read of the rape I knew she wished the experience she could only read of in her books. She was tired of books and wanted to feel in her body what she could only read about.
As she reached the end of the passage, she looked up, her face flushed her breathing fast and shallow, her fingers gripped the book until they were white.
I knew what she wanted. I took the book from her resisting hands and tossed it to the grass. “Lord Northam?” she said trembling now.
Without a word, just as the story, I took her face between my hands and roughly kissed her. As I broke the kiss, she bolted from the pavilion. I was shocked assuming I had been wrong. But she stopped on the soft grass outside the pavilion and looked back, breathing hard. She was waiting…
I jumped up and followed her. She resisted me but did not call out nor did she run. She pushed against my chest as I pulled her face to mine and forced her lips against mine.
Elizabeth made no sounds other than her pants of breathing. She did not cooperate nor did she struggle so as to mark me, no nails or cuffs. She pushed back but let my strength overwhelm her. There were no cries of alarum that would bring the servants running thither. In short, Elizabeth cooperated in her rape while all the time resisting.
I pushed her to the soft carpet of grass and lifted her dress. I must admit I was almost defeated before I had begun. I had no idea of how to undo her garments as the others had undressed themselves. Quick witted Elizabeth, espied my quandary and spoke her first words, “Rip it.”
I found a seam and pulled hard, the cloth tearing and ripping until it parted completely exposing her loins to my ravishing eyes. I pulled my breeches down, my cock pointing to the target. I pushed her onto her back and her legs splayed lewdly. I, between them, each hand holding one of hers to the soft grass below us, seated my cock at her entrance and pushed. The girl was flooded with her arousal even though I had done nothing to secure it. My cock slid in, met her barrier briefly and sundered it in a nonce, lancing deeply into the woman below me.
Elizabeth bit her lip to keep from crying out as I made her fully a woman. I waited a moment as I did not wish to cause her harm or further hurt. I had already assayed that the pain of deflowerment is short and can be quickly usurped by the pleasure that follows. Her eyes opened and beheld mine. She said nothing but her hips pressed up against mine as though she were attempting to unseat me, but without the actual force necessary, instead pressing her loins hard against mine.
Taking the bit, I pulled back and reversed course to plunge again into Elizabeth. She moaned but said nothing. Quickly, the rhythm of Eros took us both, our hips moved apart and together, my rod spearing her again and again, our bodies filled with the pleasure of sex.
As I felt my own height coming on, Elizabeth pulled one hand free and biting her wrist to block the scream, cried out in her own pleasure. That was enough to raise me to the heights of passion and I poured my essence into her before collapsing over her prostrate body.
And so we had coupled, like a rape, and yet unlike a rape still. For in a true rape, there is terror in the woman. In such a fantastical rape as ours, Elizabeth did not need to suffer and I was glad.
I helped her up as she straightened her disheveled clothing. I brushed the grass and leaves from her back as she examined herself. Satisfied I think, that the servants would not guess she turned to me, “Lord Northam, you are a mean and bestial man to so take advantage of a girl.”
I had to laugh at her heated outburst. “Elizabeth, I think there can be nothing but truth between us after such an encounter. I must admit that I did enjoy it. But I do say that some of the pleasure of such a rape was knowing that the woman feared not as she would in a real rape, but enjoyed it. That she wanted to experience what, until this time, she had only read about in dusty and unsatisfying books.”
Elizabeth tried to hold her frozen mien, but was unable and first laughed then turned three shades of red. “Lord Northam, you must think me a horrible and fallen woman.”
“Elizabeth, I find you a fascinating, intelligent, and horribly wonderful woman,” I replied. “I look forward to my next lesson in the classics.”
She continued her blush but did smile under it. “I hope you will excuse me but I do need to retire.”
“Of course Miss Woodhouse. Please, I’ll bid you adieu.” I kissed her hand, picked up the book I had dropped and handing it to her, returned to the Manor thinking of little else but Miss Woodhouse.
I had my first taste of woman without the ring’s help. It was intoxicating to know I could have a woman, and such a woman, and not need the help of the ring.
I called on Elizabeth the next day. Quickly, her father again disappeared and left us alone in the study. “I expect you’ll be wanting me to read to you another of the classics,” Elizabeth said.
I laughed. “It seems you enjoyed the classics as much as I did.”
Elizabeth blushed, “Lord Northam, I have always enjoyed a good read, and that’s all I’ll say on the matter.”
We adjourned to the garden with another volume from her father’s library. Once there, Elizabeth’s younger cousin, Meg, brought tea and left, flirting with me as she did. I found myself eyeing Meg, a younger version of Elizabeth at sixteen. Meg had lost her family to the influenza and had come to live with the family several years before.
“Lord Northam,” Elizabeth said earnestly. “Meg is too young and nowhere near as adventurous as I. Please, I beg of you, do not entertain thoughts of her. I will have an inheritance and do not need a husband and I think I do not want one. Meg, on the other hand, will need a husband for she has little in the way of income. Do not abuse her and make her unfit for that eventuality.”
“Of course,” I said. “Elizabeth, can I speak frankly?”
She nodded.
“I think there maybe many more women than is ever thought of by you that mount their marital bed and fool their husbands,” I said.
Elizabeth eyed me, “Is this from personal experience, Sir?”
“Tut, my dear. It is from coming to know your sex. Women are compelling and mysterious, because they wish to keep men in darkness. I noted that you did not contradict me. You changed to personal calumny by hint.”
Elizabeth laughed, “Even so, my Lord. Yes, I know that some women do enter conjugal bliss having already tasted some other form of pleasure. Still, I would not have you abuse Meg. There, I have been straight to the target.”
I eyed her, “Yes, so I should have to find my pleasure elsewhere.”
She huffed and stood, “Scoundrel.” Elizabeth swept up her dress and headed off into the grounds. I followed, discreetly first until we were once again behind a hedge and caught up with her. As I grabbed her and pulled her to me, she simply said, “Don’t tear them. I had a time trying to sew them without leaving a trace of your handiwork.”
I bent forward and we kissed, passion flooding us. Elizabeth was much more accommodating in removing her apparel this time. By the time we sunk to the sward we were both in our natural state.
I must admit that having a woman out in the open air completely without her raiment was in itself highly exciting. It was like a painting by one of the Masters, a nude against the backdrop of the forest; except that it was real, not paint. And it was even more real since my bare skin was touching hers, in every particular.
Her breasts, which I had not a chance to survey in our previous encounter, were white as fleece and surmounted by rosy tips, distended now by her excitement. Her belly was soft and rounded as a woman’s should be. It led my eye naturally to the Mount of Venus covered in it’s own luxuriant forest and down to her legs, which opened invitingly to me. Moments later, we were joined in a natural state, man to woman.
We had wandered much further from the estate and Elizabeth gave free rein to her passion, crying out as I plunged deeply into her. Again and again, I felt my cock sink deeply into her quim, which quivered with need of fulfillment. It was not long before I felt that now familiar boiling in my own loins and I knew I should shortly be giving her my own seed. “Oh Elizabeth, I am to spend…”
She cried out, “Yes, give it to me,” and clasped me to her bosom, her fingers digging into my back. I did, emptying myself into her writhing body bringing once more a hoarse cry from her throat, an almost animal cry of passion and pleasure.
I fell to her side, the warm sun above and the cool grass below and her naked body covered with a fine sheen at my side. It was truly a portrait of pleasure attained. We lay together basking in the warm sun for some time.
Finally, Elizabeth turned on her side and said, “I hope that will sate your bestial instincts for now, Lord.”
“Indeed Miss Woodhouse, they are sated, as I hope yours are as well,” I replied.
“Lord Northam!” she said indignantly. “I have no such instincts. I am a single woman,” and she began laughing, to which I heartily joined.
We dressed and walked together back to the house. I kissed her hand and bid her adieu. I went round to the front of the house to find my horse as Elizabeth went in. I was surprised to see Meg sitting on the hitching bar by my horse. “Good afternoon, Meg,” I greeted her.
“Lord Northam,” she replied with a demure but devilish smile. It was an intriguing combination and caught my fancy.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“Waiting for you and Elizabeth to be finished,” she said.
“Finished?” I asked.
“Indeed, my Lord. I’d not want to interrupt, your conversation, would I?”
I was nonplussed by her words and found myself unable to find the right words myself.
“Don’t worry, Lord Northam. I’ll not say anything to anyone,” she said conspiratorially.
“I have no idea…” I started in, only to be interrupted by her laughter.
“I knew you’d try that. But you see, I was in the upper rooms yesterday overlooking the garden. I was about to raise the house to defend my cousin when I saw that she appeared to be fighting, but she was fighting in a most peculiar way. I understood, so I only watched. Perhaps it was wrong of me to stay and I should have protected my modesty and fled the scene, but it was entrancing to a girl my age.”
I felt the blood rush to my face as she told her story, confirming it if she needed any confirmation.
She laughed and continued, “And today, I had the most interesting view as I watched Elizabeth and you wander off into the far reaches of the garden.” She said boldly, “I should be shamed to say that I followed and stood in the dark forest while you frolicked in the sun. Dear Elizabeth seemed to so enjoy herself. Lord Northam, I too have such… passions.”
I hesitated as she held my eye. Obviously, Elizabeth’s injunction did not cover this possibility, that Meg would hold over me Elizabeth and my indiscretion. I could say quite precisely that I was protecting Elizabeth from a damaging revelation. “I could meet you at the chapel at the Vicarage tomorrow at ten.”
She blushed, whether from passion or probity I knew not but she nodded her acceptance. I tipped my hat, mounted, and spurred my horse. She was still watching as I rounded the bend in the road and disappeared from view.
Copyright Rod O'Steele © 2007, 2011, 2013