Dick felt really weird all of a sudden, his throat closed and his eyes burned, he wasn't going to cry, was he? He was happy! Maria told him she truly loved him, and he truly loved her. That was no reason to cry!
He'd decided quickly enough to indulge her wish to make love already, and he told her so, his voice affected by his happiness to have his dream come true.
'You are so sweet, Dick. Was that the first time you ever shed a tear?'
'I cried when my father whipped me, and when I was so angry I lost it. But it felt bad, and this feels good.'
'Oh my love, that's because these are tears of joy! We're going to be very happy Dick, and I'm so glad you agreed so quickly to fuck me here. Can we do it again before we get married?'
'We can, Maria, if you let me spill my seed. I don't want you to be shamed. I know a place I'd like to do this, a big haystack in a field behind the mistress'
stable. In a few days, nearly everyone will be going to London for a few weeks, and we can please each other as much as we like, there will be no-one home except John and Cook and Charles, and they never go to the fields.
Well, John, but he wouldn't talk.'
'So we could do it in the mistress' bed as well?'
'I wouldn't dare do that, but I do have a little room with a large bed we could use, and a bath.'
Slowly, they stroked each other a little more, Dick almost falling asleep, but Maria waking him up.
'We need to get dressed, Dick, my parents will be waiting. You need to wash your face before we go in, you smell of my pussy.'
And they did indeed dress and walk on, Dick feeling much more secure in his role as suitor, and at the first moor they passed, he dunked his hands in the spongy moss, and cupped a handful of clean water, with which he cleaned his face and hands.
Maria followed his example and cleaned her hands, then untied and redid her hair, for it had been mussed up more than a little.
Chapter 10
Soon they reached the tailor's house and were let in by Maria's mother, a stout lady with more than a little grey in her hair, but kind and in excellent health. She took to Dick immediately, his shyness combined with his tall, strong person was very appealing and he was not only dressed very neatly, but also groomed immaculately. They had been told by neighbours that Dick Parsons was a dimwit and subject to temper tantrums only his father could manage, with a whip, but Maria had brought home entirely different reports.
No, Maria was a sensible girl to have decided to see for herself, when Beatrice Atkins dropped by to propose her visiting the manor to meet Dick Parsons, who was looking for a girl to settle with. Her mother did wonder what Beatrice had told her daughter to make the young man appealing enough to consider a meeting, contrary to gossip Maria had had at least two potential suitors, farmers' sons both, but she had snubbed them consistently, saying they were bossy louts who never treated girls with respect and drank too much whenever they had the opportunity.
Well, she supposed Maria knew, they had all gone to school together, except Dick, whose mother had not allowed him to go, apparently because he was to stupid to learn. Eventually Dick's family had moved away to a larger farm, and Dick and his parents had been mostly forgotten, except for the occasional gossip about his temper.
After meeting him, Maria had been indignant over all that gossip. Dick could read pretty well, and though he was very shy, it was clear he was not dimwitted at all, just slow and thoughtful. And she said he was very calm and almost meek, not the kind to fly in a rage. Something must have been terribly wrong in that family for poor Dick to become unmanageable. Beatrice had assured her that Dick was the model servant, working hard, never complaining, liked by all, even Mrs Beauchamp.
Then Maria would fall silent, as if she knew something about Dick Beatrice had told her that she couldn't tell her parents. Seeing a certain blush on Maria's cheek, her hair newly done up, both young people almost bonelessly
relaxed despite the importance of this visit, the connection between them almost tangible despite them having known each other just over two weeks, Mrs Woods thought she knew what Beatrice had told Maria.
Dick Parsons was probably a lover of notable skill, everyone knew what was going on at the manor, with Mrs Beauchamp keeping house with an all-male staff. John Atkins was rumoured to have been involved with her, and Beatrice certainly often had that same look Maria now had, a kind of sated superiority, the knowledge her husband pleased her where most others only thought to please themselves.
Mrs Beauchamp had probably taught Dick to love a lady skillfully, and Maria was going to harvest the fruits of the lady's efforts, had already done so. And keeping him sated had solved his temper spells, as well as having him work for a living no doubt, and teaching him useful other skills, like reading. And friendship, of which Maria had proof herself, she had been so well-received at the manor, 'They eat like princes mother, the mistress, as they call Mrs Beauchamp, is a superb huntress and everything she brings home is shared.
And then she has a fabulous cook, we had such dainties at tea, and Dick didn't bat an eye, he is clearly used to getting ragouts and game pie and stuffed pheasant.'
All this was buzzing through Mrs Woods' mind as she led her daughter and future son-in-law to the workshop of her husband, where he had asked to meet the young couple.
Maria must have convinced Dick to try out the little dell under the outcrop, halfway down the manor house, and it looked as if they tried it very thoroughly, they practically exuded satiation and actual love.
As Dick was bashfully shaking hands with his new father-in-law, Mrs Woods nudged her daughter and asked sotto voce, 'And, was he as good as Beatrice promised?'
It was always such fun to be one step ahead of Maria, she was the smartest of her children and difficult to catch at anything. This was a direct hit, the girl, actually a woman already, froze, looked at her mother with abhorrence and cried out, 'What? How'd you know?'
Shushing Maria, laughing her ears off but mostly on the inside, Mrs Woods replied, 'It shows. You look smug, both of you, and young Dick is much more relaxed than I expected him to be. I did wonder why you went to see him when you'd dismissed all the others. Beatrice must have told you something you were pleased to hear.'
'Mother, you're smarter than me. I admit it. Are you angry? Will you tell dad?
Will he see it for himself, is it that obvious?'
The poor girl was getting distraught, and Mrs Woods replied quietly and calmly, 'He will not find out, not by himself, and not from me. You know we did exactly the same? It's a good tradition in these parts, I think few local boys and girls enter their marriage unblemished. Just make sure not to get caught, Maria.'
'We won't, mother, thank you. And yes, he was fabulous.'
Her daughter's face showed that her first experience had not been the sweaty disappointment she remembered from her own first time.
'But it's not just that, though Beatrice did tempt me over with reports of his size and his prowess. I truly liked him from the first, he's so sweet and so caring, and at the same time strong enough to lift a horse. I love him already, and I never expected to find a man I could love. I certainly never met a boy I even liked, let alone could imagine loving.'
Mrs Woods hugged her daughter and said, 'I'm glad to hear that, love, now go help him out, your father seems on the verge of undressing him to see who made his coat.'
For indeed Mr Woods was very impressed with Dick's outfit and wanted to know who made it. Dick, of course, didn't know, he had stood still for what had seemed hours, in his underpants, for a neatly groomed gentleman in a handsome suit, who had measured every part of Dick's body to write down little wriggly figures in a notebook. Then he had shown him a book with pages made of pieces of cloth, and Dick had chosen colours and fabrics.
Well, actually Patrick and Guy had, with Dennis barging in if they went too dandy on the colours and the patterns.
A week later, the man had come back, fitted the whole to him there and then,
adjusted a few seams no-one would ever see, then gone back to the mistress'
study, for payment, or to deliver other garments, Dick didn't know. He merely hung up the suit on a neat peg, put his working clothes back on and went back to work.
'I think Mrs Beauchamp has her clothes made in London, father. Maybe she had a tailor over from town this time. It doesn't look like anything made locally and I don't think there is a maker's mark in it. Dick is just a servant, you know. It's a miracle Mrs Beauchamp thought to give him a suit at all.'
'Mrs Beauchamp, now there is a woman who knows how to dress.'
Her father obviously admired the lady, who did look very sophisticated even in church. And lately she had been accompanied by her new man, whom Dick seemed to like very much.
'He's my best friend, Dennis is. He took me fishing in the moors, the mistress taught him how to find his way and not to drown in the bogs, so he helped with my chores and then we went out together and I caught five large fish. He watched me fish, he said he'd eat my catch no problem, but he was never going to kill a living creature again. He was in the army, you see, and he killed countless French, and saw nearly all his mates die horribly.
So he left and came to live with us.'
He must have been an officer, this Dennis, for he had the bearing of a nobleman and the looks. Maria thought Mrs Beauchamp would probably marry him, and maybe finally have some children.
But though Dick was not as handsome, Maria still thought she had the best catch of the two, Dick earned his own keep, and no-one could be as fabulous in making love as him, it just couldn't be. Once Mrs Beauchamp realized that it would be too late, he would be Maria's, and they'd be the happiest couple ever.
After the talking they went to the living-room to drink tea and chat some more and an hour later, Maria walked Dick back to the manor, of course he could find his way back there but she wanted to be with him just a little longer. They had set a date for the wedding in six weeks, Dick said the mistress had begged him to have the party at the manor, and to live there together in a set of newly decorated rooms until they had found their own place.
And then he dropped his bombshell, Mrs Beauchamp must have ordered him to keep it a secret up to that moment, for Dick was not the type to be able to keep secrets from someone he liked.
'The mistress told me she'd buy a cottage for us as soon as we found one we liked. She found out I had never been paid for the work I did, and she promised me to make up for it by giving me and my wife a place to live, as soon as I got married.'
Maria had been stunned, and a bit suspicious. Was that Mrs Beauchamp trying to keep Dick connected to her? But she seemed so attached to her new man, and Dick would never cuckold his wife, would he? She couldn't believe it, this was just his mistress' generosity towards her servants, she fed them venison after all, and dressed them in tailor-made suits.
Whatever the truth, the die had been cast, Maria would marry Dick Parsons in six weeks, and she was looking forward to a smashing party at the manor, and years of happiness after that. They'd find their cottage, and use Maria's savings to buy her own inventory, and fabrics for her own collection of garments, and build a future in which Dick would bring in the basic wages, and Maria would take care of the extras, and then there would be nothing left to wish for but a couple of strapping children.
Dick feared they would be slow like himself, but Maria didn't worry, Dick had obviously been hindered by his overprotective mother and his crude father, their own children would grow up in love and understanding and would be allowed to make mistakes and find things out for themselves, as Maria and her sisters had been.
When they passed the turnoff to the outcrop, Dick looked at her and smiled broadly, and Maria was tempted to go back there and repeat everything they had done before. But Dick wouldn't go for that, she was sure, he had work to do with most of the manor's inhabitants preparing for a three-week stay in London.
Instead, they kissed deeply, excited by the memory of their tryst, and Dick urged Maria to turn back now, and leave him to walk the rest by himself.
'I'm a large man, Maria, no harm will come to me. I don't want you to be walking me home, then walk back all by yourself. I don't think you need me to be walking you home either, you took great care of yourself for at least ten years. So let's split the distance, and take each other half-way each time, maybe fool around a little at the outcrop sometimes. In six weeks we can do most of the things together. Will you walk to the village to work until we have our own place?'
'I will, Dick, but I do not want to buy our cottage in this village. Let's live across the valley, where no-one knows us, and we can build our own life.'
Better let him get used to the idea slowly, and not mention her own business yet. She might upset him, and that would be bad. Or not. The idea of him losing himself was rather hot, he would never hurt her, but he might take her again. It would bear thinking about, she could after all just ask him to take her. For now they kissed ardently and each went his own way, still radiating their fulfilment after their special moment that very morning.
Of course Dick went out to find Dennis immediately, to share his success and his secret tryst at the local meeting spot for young people. Dennis was suitably impressed by Maria's eagerness to discover loving, somehow it gave
him a good feeling about this whole marriage, it confirmed his impression that Maria truly cared about Dick, knew about and appreciated his skills in loving, and would make him happy.
A week later, Agnes was on her way to town with Dennis, and Patrick and Guy had objected so strenuously to being left behind that she had included them in the party after all. They were right, of course, Dennis would require Patrick's help to dress and keep his image believable, and Guy would be invaluable checking her editor's contracts and payments. He very much wanted to check up on the staff as well, there were just the housekeeper living in, and a maid and a gardener coming over three times a week for maintenance, but they needed some supervision, and the housekeeper would appreciate an opportunity to discuss problems and ideas with Guy, who kept his mistress' records and managed her fortune.
He did not do that all by himself, Agnes knew quite a lot about investments, interest and capital, but Guy was a genius and he didn't mind doing the boring parts of the finances. Agnes suspected calculating things made him feel very calm and happy. When she still kept Dennis as a slave in her attic, Patrick had walked the house restlessly, sneaking upstairs whenever he thought Agnes was busy, and she suspected when she was out hunting. He had avoided her except when he really couldn't, helping her bathe, and dress, and the regular loving together with Guy. Agnes had clearly noticed Patrick didn't approve, and even blamed her for taking someone's freedom to please herself.
But Guy had seemed his usual self, calm and quiet, getting things done, not spending any attention on their prisoner, doing his duty to the mistress if she bade him to, and keeping Patrick in line and respectful to her. Only when things had come to a dramatic conclusion had she realized he'd hated it as much as Patrick had, but Guy would just retreat to his own study and do the accounts or the household books, inventory stock, order new supplies. Half an hour was probably enough to do the work, but he usually stayed away for hours.
But when she had finally decided to let Dennis go, to most likely disappear from her life as fast as his wasted legs could carry him, Guy, not Patrick, had come to her and told her frankly what a despicable thing she had done. He really wanted her to feel the impact of her selfish deed on a fellow human being.
While Patrick was attending to his good friend, Guy had taken the risk of stepping over the gap between their social status and position in life to force
her to face her responsibility to the man he thought had been permanently damaged by her wilfulness and selfishness. And when Agnes and Dennis had accidentally ran into each other on the moors, and she had declared him her love and begged him to stay, Guy had urged Dennis to reconsider, to not let himself be lured into dependenc
e again, be indentured to the mistress once more, but mentally this time.
Dennis had told them things would be different, and Guy had let things lie, but when Agnes heard about it from Dennis, she knew she had a debt to both Guy and Patrick she would have to redeem.
When she told hem that night they had to talk, both had shied from her, her crimes against Dennis had obviously made more victims than just the man she had wronged so badly. Her bond with Patrick and Guy had also been damaged significantly, and she quickly convinced them there would not be repercussions for their loyalty towards Dennis.
'I love him, guys, I loved him all this time, I can't live without him, and without your care and your reproaching looks I would have let him die on me. I was that far gone in selfishness and paranoia, I really thought he was playing me for a fool when he was desperately unhappy. You know I had never gotten to know him as you did, I didn't even suspect he was playing a part, well, my subconscious did for it fell in love with him, but without you, I would have killed an innocent man, and robbed all of us of his friendship and love.
I owe you a major apology, and I promise you things will change from now on. I want you to tell me frankly if I do something selfish or merely stupid, and I want you to live for yourselves a little more, and a little less for me.
Can you do that?'
Patrick took her hand and kissed her, but chastely, tears streaming down his face.
'I hated you mistress, for a few weeks I truly hated you, for making me accomplice to torture and abuse, and myself too cowardly to call you out. I wanted Dennis to stay because I truly loved him, but I wanted him to run as far away from you as he could, for fear that you would take whatever was left of his will, and steal his freedom forever. But it was no use, he was lost, totally smitten, and until we both noticed things had changed between you, that you two had started talking, that you were actually helping him for once instead of bringing him down further, I cried myself to sleep every night. Guy
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