by Jax Lusty
Mr. Tucker returned with a woollen shawl that he placed over my shoulders before rounding the desk and sitting on the other side.
“I know you must be cold, Miss Masefield, and I’ll see to getting you dried off and into fresh clothes soon, but I’m afraid first I have bad news to impart. Unfortunately your husband-to-be, Sid Watson, was killed ten days ago in a mining accident.”
If I was cold before, I was chilled to the bone now. My thoughts were jumbled as I tried to make sense of this news.
“This is a trick...it can’t be so. I don’t know anybody in this town...”
Mr. Tucker leaned back on his chair, pushing the broad hand that had recently held me through his dark hair. “Don’t you worry, Miss Masefield; we’ll see you right. I’ll make certain you’re taken care of until you decide how you wish to proceed.”
I was in a worse predicament than I had been before I had left England. I had twenty-five pounds to my name, and that was certainly not enough to buy my passage back to my home country. I was marooned in a township with wild natives and strange handsome men. What was this life God had planned for me?
“I don’t want to trouble you, but you need to know that this town can be a little wild at times. It’s filled with men come to make their fortunes with gold—some of them less than savoury. There are not enough rooms to accommodate them, so many are in makeshift camps under poor shelters. My family has been in Kotuku for many years before the rush began, and my friend, Mr. Raukura, and I have a fine house. We have a spare room you are most welcome to make use of.”
That was impossible. How could I ever spend time unchaperoned with two men I didn’t know? Particularly one as handsome as Mr. Tucker. On the other hand, my intention had been to do the same with Sid Watson, the difference being we were to be married immediately.
“I am sure you are aware that as a single woman, I can’t possibly do that, Mr. Tucker. I’ll find a boarding establishment.”
“These days in Kotuku, we call finding accommodation—particularly a boarding establishment—a miracle. I don’t doubt you’ll have plenty of offers of a bed, although you’d have to share, if you understand my meaning.”
Despite the cold, my cheeks heated at his lewd suggestion. But my embarrassment, mixed with the shock and fatigue I felt, meant I had to clench my teeth to stop them chattering.
“I don’t see that you have any choice, Miss Masefield,” he continued. “You don’t seem to understand when I say this town is filled with single men. They outnumber the women at around six to one.”
To what hellhole had I been delivered? With my fiancé deceased and little money, I couldn’t see I had an option beyond the one offered by Mr. Tucker.
I straightened myself in the chair, ignoring the revealing clinging of my wet clothes. “In that case, Mr. Tucker, I shall have to put my trust in you and accept your offer, which I hope is as genuine as you make it sound.” As if the effort of my decision were the last straw, my teeth began to chatter, and a violent shivering overtook my body.
“Come now, I’ll take you to my house to get you dried off and warmed. You’ll have the cold and a fever if you sit much longer in that sodden dress.”
“Wait.” I put a hand up to stop him as he rose from his chair. I knew my husband-to-be had done well with his gold claim, and perhaps I had a valid claim on his fortune myself. The idea was vulgar, but I had been thrown into a desperate situation.
“Mr. Tucker, I believe my husband was a man of means, am I correct?”
“Was would be the appropriate word. You see, Watson had trouble with gambling and drink. A number of men hold his promissory notes from card games, and the local storekeepers and public houses have been left with unpaid accounts. You could say you’ve had a lucky escape.”
This news caused my heart to sink to a new depth.
CHAPTER 2
GRIFF
I couldn’t believe that falling in the tide with that beautiful young woman in my arms would be the portent of such good luck. When I’d seen her on the deck of the steamship, my heart had squeezed with a pang of envy. I’d wondered who the lucky devil was who had managed not only to find such a pretty young thing, but to entice her to Kotuku rather than a larger town like Auckland.
My manners abandoned me when the wind turned in my favour as she descended the ladder, and I’d taken advantage of her billowing skirts to enjoy the turn and sweep of her fine legs. I couldn’t wait to introduce her to my friend, Ari.
The pressing matter was to get Miss Masefield and her luggage to my home, for certainly she would take ill if she wasn’t soon relieved of her wet clothes. I took one more chance to look at her. Her red hair hung in bedraggled ringlets down her back, the pins that had held it so primly in place as she stood on the Ondine’s deck having been loosened during her unscheduled swim.
She appeared frightened, as any woman in her situation would be, but in her deep green eyes I saw strength and defiance. Her lips were full and a pleasing deep rosy red, but her mouth was small and perfect for her delicate face.
My cock hardened at the thought of her fine lips slipping over its swollen head. It had been months since Ari and I had made a trip to Auckland to visit Flora’s women there. Although we were well versed in the ways of pleasuring each other, that carried with it a certain element of risk. As far as the town was concerned, we were two bachelors in business together with the shipping, warehousing and farm—a not uncommon situation in these parts. We were popular with the women to the extent that no question had ever been raised concerning our living circumstances.
If Miss Masefield knew of my carnal thoughts, she would not be accompanying me so eagerly to the safety of my house. Yet it would be safer for her there than being single in this rough town.
I asked her to wait in my office and went outside to find my foreman, Wiremu. He was checking off the day’s consignment as the drays delivered the goods to the warehouse loading dock. With a brief explanation, I made certain he would keep an eye on things so that I could take Katie Masefield home. At the back of the warehouse, James Murphy leaned against his buggy, and I hailed him to take my guest and her luggage to my house. I would accompany them on my horse.
A gold miner’s worth fluctuated like that of a gambler, but the shipping and warehousing business had flourished with the demands of a rapidly growing town. So, too, had the farm, with its sheep, cattle, and horse breeding, for which we were known as the best in the district.
Our recently built villa was constructed from kauri—a native timber popularly used in construction because of its strength, and resistance to rot—and enjoyed amenities equal to the finest houses in Auckland.
A covered veranda ran around three sides onto which each of the three bedrooms opened to allow a cool breeze to enter in summer. We had a parlour and a drawing room, and out the back, a kitchen, scullery, pantry, and washroom, off which we had installed a water closet.
Our most modern convenience, though, was the bathroom, similar to the ones I’d been shown in the new, modern houses in Auckland. No more hauling the tin tub in front of the range for us!
Sid Watson had built a two-roomed hip-roofed cottage that he had shared with the wind, rain, rats and any drunks who stopped by to drink and play poker.
Our house was situated on a prominent gap that looked out to the wild ocean and the islands beyond it. To Ari and me, it was paradise.
Murphy’s buggy made short work of the trip across the flats and out to the bluff, and in no time I was showing Miss Masefield our villa.
Once the buggy had left, Miss Masefield stood in front of the house and stared. Either she was exhausted or the well-appointed villa had taken her by surprise.
Her clothing was plain and well-worn though in good repair. She had a small trunk and little else, making me wonder about her circumstances in England. It seemed she was a young lady of few means though her manner and deportment spoke of someone with at least a rudimentary education.
I led her onto the po
rch and directed her to the guest room off the hallway at the back of the house. We often put up visiting businessmen from around the country, seeing as Kotuku had such a demand for its accommodations these days. In any case, the few local public houses that provided accommodations upstairs were often rowdy and, by evening’s end, filled with drunks from the camps. I was confident our vacant room would be comfortable for her.
“You’ll find a bathroom through the door at the end of the house, on your right. I will draw you a bath and ensure you will have privacy there. Leave your wet clothing across the railing on the wall. When Maraea, our help, returns this afternoon with our laundry, she will take your clothing away. It will all need cleaning as the salt from the seawater will ruin the fabric.”
“Thank you,” she said quietly.
To my eyes, she looked drained. As much as I wanted to linger and drink in her beauty, not only did she need to free herself of her damp clothing, but I knew Ari would be returning from the stables soon. I had to let him know about our guest before he accidentally came upon her.
I filled the kettle to make tea, all the time thinking about Katie, naked in my bath tub. When I returned to town I would be sure to find her some scented soap and a softer bath towel, for her skin appeared delicate and a feminine scent would be a pleasing distraction.
In the larder, I had fresh bread that Maraea had baked that morning, and Ari had returned from town with cheese after delivering the milk to the small dairy factory. Katie was gaunt, and I felt certain a good meal would do her well. I could hardly imagine the state of the ship’s food, whether in quality or variety, by the time her vessel had reached Auckland.
I heard Ari’s footsteps as he walked across the veranda. He kicked his boots off at the door and entered the kitchen. “You’re home early, Griff. I hope everything is well?”
“Better than ever, Ari. I received a nice surprise from the steamer this morning.”
“Was it as good as the surprise Sid Watson bragged about in the hotels? The whole town’s been itching to know what it is.”
I grinned. “You’ve answered your question; Sid’s surprise has become our good fortune.”
“Oh?”
“That crafty Sid bought himself a mail-order bride: one Miss Katie Masefield. She arrived on the Ondine. I’ve already held her in my arms, although I did drop her into the sea, carrying her from the tender.” I watched my friend’s eyes widen.
“Tell me more!”
“The young lady’s heavenly, Ari. Everything I’ve dreamed of. Everything you’ve probably dreamed of, too. The idea of Filthy Sid getting his hands on her makes me ill.”
“Where is the lovely Miss Masefield now? I have to meet her.”
“She’s resting in our guest room.”
Ari turned towards the hallway.
“Resting, Ari. She’s had a drenching in the sea and a shock. The poor creature has spent eight weeks on a ship, only to arrive in New Zealand to find the life she’d imagined for herself doesn’t exist. We’ll have to tread carefully with her.”
“You know I’m careful with the ladies.”
I roared with laughter. First, there were no ladies in this part of the colony, and when we came across a willing female, we were so frustrated it was impossible to control our desires. Both of us were like rutting bulls.
“I do foresee a problem...with Herbert.” I’d tried to push that concern out of my mind, but it refused to stay away.
“Do you think he knows about her?”
The possibility was likely. Everyone knew Sid had a surprise coming, though what wasn’t known was whether he’d let his cousin in on his secret.
“If she’s as lovely as you say, Herbert could work in our favour,” Ari added.
He had a good point. Kotuku was so bereft of women suitable for marriage that there was a certain arrangement between families and friends that was accepted, almost encouraged, by the local Mission church. Any woman widowed was ‘under the protection’ of male relatives until freed—which was rare. This meant that a brother not betrothed automatically had first rights to his brother’s widow. Although a woman could be married to only one man, it was common for other men in the family to share her. We were desperate to populate our village, and the uneven ratio of men to women meant the usual societal norms were overlooked.
In the case of no male relatives, a friend could be chosen to take up the position.
Sid had been a blowhard but when it came to his cousin, Herbert, a viler, uncouth deviant could not be found across the entire peninsula. The idea of him laying a claim to Katie sickened me. If she laid eyes upon him, she would surely favour Ari and me over that animal.
“So Katie needs our protection,” said Ari.
“From Herbert?”
“Herbert, and all the men in town.”
“That she does, Ari. Wait until you meet her. In Kotuku, there is no safe place for a single woman like Katie.”
“Surely if Herbert knew of her arrival, he’d have been there to meet the boat?”
“Unless he was in his usual position, drunk and blocking a gutter.”
I poured two mugs of tea and added some milk while Ari sliced bread.
“What about Pastor Mackay?” he asked.
I hadn’t thought about the Pastor. He had contacts in England and frequently organised for women to come to Kotuku and our neighbouring larger town, Mercury Bay. He would know for certain about Katie.
“I’m sure Pastor Mackay will give us his blessing,” I muttered.
Ari laughed. “So long as he gets his fee, and the chance to watch.”
“He’ll see nothing of Katie on her wedding day, but her pretty face hidden by a veil. Wait until you meet her; you won’t want another man watching us love her, either.”
Along with the sharing of wives, Pastor Mackay had a number of unusual and salacious ideas when it came to marriage. One was his insistence of proof of consummation, generally by way of the menfolk of his commune witnessing the taking of a bride’s virginity. The small house of worship even had a special consummation room for the act. I don’t know which denomination ordained Pastor Mackay, but he seemed to have invented his own book of rules when he arrived in this town.
This was a tough place for women who fell into the wrong hands.
“You seem determined to take this young lady on.”
I couldn’t keep the smile from my face. “If she is a problem, she is one of the most beautiful any man could wish for. I look forward to teaching her about our ways, and I’m sure you will too.”
Ari took the bread and cheese to the table. “And what if the lovely Katie isn’t interested in our ways?”
“Then we’ll change her mind. She is in an impossible situation, so she has little choice. We can give her a grand life—better than she’s had thus far—position in the community, anything money can buy.” I took a mouthful of tea. “I have to return to the warehouse soon. Watch out for her to awaken and don’t let her leave the farm.”
CHAPTER 3
ARI
I waited for Griff to leave before I went through to have a look at our house guest. I had to see for myself whether he had lost his mind. It was common for any new woman to town to be snatched up immediately for marriage, but there had never been a woman Griff or I had taken enough interest in to make us talk of marriage.
If a woman wanted to stay in Kotuku and not be married, she would most usually live at the Pastor’s commune until her ideas were changed. Or she would finish up in an establishment like Flora’s in Auckland, servicing any man with a few shillings to spare.
I pushed open the bedroom door, and Griff was right. The woman on the bed stole my breath away. Red hair fanned across the pillow, and she wore a plain white nightgown, open at the neck. The sun streamed through the glass panes of the veranda doors, directly across her bed, clearly warming her, because she had kicked off the quilt. Her nightgown had risen, and I could see her pretty feet, delicate ankle and calves. Furthermore, a few
inches of one soft thigh were on display.
My cock rose in response, to the point that I had to grasp and shift it to ease my discomfort.
I stepped into the room to look more closely at her. When I saw her hardened nipples poking at the material of her nightgown, I liked to think that she dreamed of Griff taking her, sturdy and strong, so that she begged for her release. Of how I’d hold her, and suck her tits, comforting her through the pain as he rid her of her maidenhead, for I was certain she would be a virgin.
If I didn’t get my thoughts straight, I’d be jacking off the moment I got back to the barn.
I inched towards her, my eyes never leaving her beautiful nipples, and I lowered my head and blew on them gently, in an attempt to keep them stiff and proud.
When she whimpered a little I smiled, knowing how Griff and I could take those soft whimpers and transform them into cries of ecstasy. We’d done it for many women before her, but none so sweet and innocent looking as Katie. It would pain me to be patient.
Although Katie had no idea about our intentions, I was concerned that she might awaken with the thought of sneaking away. She had probably been tired and shocked on her arrival in town but after some rest, she might decide she should be taking matters into her own hands.
To prevent her escape, I carefully slipped her trunk and small bag from the room and hid them away.
No matter how desperate she might be, I didn’t believe this young lady was brazen enough to leave the house in her nightgown. The commotion if she did would be heard all around Kotuku.
Still hard, I left her room and entered the bathroom. Her clothing hung across the railing, making the room seem so much better for having evidence of a woman’s presence. I sifted through it and found her chemise and drawers. Taking them to my face, I inhaled deeply, her personal scent faintly masked by the perfume of lavender water. My cock fought against the buttons of my flies, and I could no longer resist its needs. Hastily I reached down and slipped the buttons, freeing my prick. I spat on my palm and ran it across my cockhead, smearing the essence that already leaked and gathered there. I stroked hard and fast, with a ferocity that had me panting, her underclothes held to my face to muffle my groans.