by Tia Siren
She won't be good enough for you, though. You are a beautiful man, and despite your failings and womanizing, I can see you are a lost soul. You're a ship floundering close to the rocks searching for a way out. ''That will be nice.''
*****
''I want you to listen to me,'' Andrew told the children. They were sitting together, behind a mahogany table in what used to be a conservatory, at the back of the house which Andrew had turned it into a makeshift classroom. Built of glass it was west facing and got the afternoon sunshine, which made it light and pleasant to work in. ''You must be good for Miss Julia. She has very kindly agreed to educate you. Education is very important, and I want you to pay careful attention to what she tells you.''
They nodded, and Andrew gestured to Julia to take over. When he'd left the room, the children began to throw pencils at each other. Sarah began to cry when a pencil John had thrown at her with particular malice, hit her just below the eye.
''Stop,'' Julia shouted. She banged her hand on the table and stared at them. ''You will stop this ridiculous behavior now and sit quietly until I speak to you.'' The children jumped and sat bolt upright. They had never been spoken to in such a strict tone. After an hour, Julia had the children eating out of her hand. They listened to her and did as she asked. She set Agnes some mathematical problems to solve, John, some letters of the alphabet to learn and Sarah was asked to draw a picture of granddad's dogs.
Andrew had asked Julia to teach the children in the morning and take them for a walk in the afternoon. It would relieve Mrs. Patterson, he'd said. So after lunch, they put on their coats and set off over the lawn and into a field which the children told her led to a river. Benji bounded along next to them.
When they returned, Julia saw a large coach with four splendid Frisian horses standing in front of the Lodge. The driver and his assistant were standing next to the horses drinking a cup of tea. Julia nodded to the two men. Miss Sharpe was obviously not lacking in funds by the look of her transport, Julia noted.
''Julia come and meet Miss Sharpe,'' Andrew said as soon as she came inside. Julia walked into the drawing room and stared at a red haired woman who was somewhere in her thirties.
''It's a pleasure,'' Julia said as she shook Miss Sharpe's hand.
''Good Heavens, you're rather young to be a governess aren't you,'' she blurted. She was not fat but adequately proportioned, and as she spoke, Julia saw she had a slight double chin. Julia didn't answer, she turned and left the room.
''She's an odd one,'' Miss Sharpe said. Julia heard her.
''Odd? No, I don't think so. I think she's shy, but she's had a terrible time in the last few years.''
''Well, she looks odd to me. She's got shifty eyes.''
If that's the kind of woman he's been bringing to the house, no wonder his father was so angry. What a detestable woman, no manners whatsoever. But Julia had liked what Andrew had said about her.
Julia heard the horses hooves crunching the gravel outside, and looked out of the window as Miss Sharpe's coach left. Unfortunately, Miss Sharpe wasn't in it. She'd made herself comfortable with a glass of wine in the drawing room before dinner. Because Miss Sharpe was staying, Andrew had asked Julia to have dinner with the children as he wanted the dining room to himself.
Julia woke up to the sound of a woman screaming. She jumped out of bed and went to the door. She put her ear to it, and when she didn't hear anything, she opened it and listened. There it was again, and it was coming from the room next to her. Very gently, she tiptoed to the door behind which all the commotion was coming from, and dropped to her knees. The keyhole was obligingly large, and she got a fantastic view of what was happening. Miss Sharpe was sitting naked on top of Andrew, riding him like a horse. Andrew's face was hidden from view by a pillow, but Julia saw all of Miss Sharpe, and it was not a pleasing sight. Again Miss Sharpe screamed as she thrust her hips at speed back and forth over him. Julia guessed that it was supposed to be a scream of delight, but it wasn't delightful at all. It was a horrible, blood-curdling scream that made Julia nauseous. She quickly returned to her room and covered her ears. Julia hoped for a quick cessation, but the screams continued for some considerable time. Eventually, she fell asleep only to be woken at some ridiculously early hour by the sound of Andrew slamming the front door and Miss Sharpe swearing at him.
*****
The next morning, the children were very excitable. When Julia asked them why they told her that Aunt Jacqueline was coming to lunch. When they heard her arrive, the children jumped up and ran to the door, where they made a terrific fuss of her. Julia stood in the doorway which led from the conservatory to the hallway and watched.
Jacqueline was twenty-seven and the most beautiful woman Julia had ever seen. She had black hair and perfect skin, not a single blemish. Her nose was dainty and her eyes wide and alluring. ''You must be Julia,'' she said stepping forward. Andrew has told me how much the children respect you.''
''It's nice to meet you,'' Julia replied. ''Yes, I get on well with the children.''
''Where's daddy?'' Jacqueline asked the children, but they all shrugged their shoulders. ''Ah well, let's go and sit down. I'm sure lunch will be ready soon.''
''Julia, where are you from?'' Jacqueline asked when they were sitting in the dining room waiting for lunch to be served.
''Sussex.''
''Beautiful. Well, I'm really pleased you're here. You know my brother has suffered greatly, and I'm pleased he has managed to find someone to take care of the children's education.''
Julia nodded without saying anything.
''He's terrible you know. He can't keep his hands to himself these days.'' She made a gesture mimicking a man grasping a pair of female breasts. ''To think he was so happily married, now look at him. Woman after woman, and not one of them the marrying kind. Lord knows where he digs them up from.'' Julia nodded again. ''Just make sure he doesn't go seducing you,'' Jacqueline added.
''Why does he do it?'' Julia asked. The fact she had finally spoken shocked Jacqueline.
''Do what?''
''Sleep with so many women?''
''Heavens, that's a good question,'' She rested her elbow on the table and stared out of the window. ''He's trying to replace Georgina, but it's impossible, and I think now he's lost his way. It's turned him into a serial womanizer.''
''Not you as well,'' Andrew shouted as he slammed the door shut. The children sat bolt upright and were suddenly very quiet; they'd never seen their father in such a temper. ''He's finally gone mad,'' he shouted as he slumped into his chair.
''Who? What?'' Jacqueline asked.
''Father. He's told me he's going to give the estate to Maurice and that we have to leave the Lodge.'' The two eldest children gasped, and Sarah began to cry. Julia took her onto her lap and comforted her. ''It's all to do with Miss Sharpe. She made such a racket last evening that father has decided to kick us out.''
''But Andrew, it's been going on for months. You have far too many......visitors,'' she was going to say lovers but changed her mind when she looked at the frightened faces in front of her.
The rest of the lunch was eaten in silence. When they finished, Julia took the children for their usual walk. She was glad of the fresh air, there was a terrible atmosphere in the house, and Andrew was in a very bitter mood. She saw a young woman coming the other way, she was carrying a basket, and she had a dog with her. Benji and the other dog started to play, making both women stop and watch.
''It's a lovely day,'' the other woman said.
''Yes.''
''I'm Mrs. Patterson's daughter, Rose. I'm taking some milk to her.''
She was like her mother. Round and plain, but Julia noticed she had a kind face. ''Your mother works very hard to keep us all fed,'' Julia said.
''She loves working at the Lodge, but she's very worried about Mr. Andrew. He can't stop entertaining....well.......you know.'' She sank her head to one side and allowed her eyes to roll in an 'If you know what I mean,' gesture.
*****
That evening, Andrew asked Julia to stay and talk to him in the drawing room. This time, he needed something stronger than tea. He poured himself a brandy and gave Julia a glass of sherry. She took a sip and felt it warm the back of her throat. She'd only ever drunk alcohol once before, at her parents funeral. The vicar had given her a large glass of wine to calm her, but it had made her feel giddy.
''Miss Sharpe has left, she was not what I was looking for in a wife,'' Andrew said frankly.
No, she was fat and ignorant, Julia wanted to say. ''I understand.''
''You are very pretty Julia. You are in fact very beautiful indeed. More beautiful than anyone I have seen since my wife died. Would you allow me to sit next to you?'' When Julia agreed, he sat next to her and took her hand. Julia's heart began to race. What was he doing? Was it her turn now? Of course, if he wanted her she would say yes.
''I want you Julia, you've been driving me wild since you came to the Lodge. I want to take you up to my room and make love to you.''
''Of course, Mr. Andrew if you want me, I will be yours.''
Andrew was expecting more of a fight. She'd agreed far too easily, and he was suddenly deflated. He'd wanted her to struggle and make him work for his conquest. By simply agreeing, she'd taken all the excitement out of it. He would go ahead with it anyway, he thought. She was extremely attractive, and he knew when he saw her naked, he would become excited. And he did. Upstairs with her clothes off Julia looked stunning.
He couldn't take his eyes off her. Her hair flowed over her breasts, hiding them from view. Her thighs were perfectly round and the way her hips cradled her secret place made his penis harder than any woman since his wife. He stepped to her and pushed her hair from her breasts. When he put his hands onto them, she jerked her pelvis forward towards him. She had never seen a male without clothes before, and when Andrew was naked, her eyes wouldn't leave his manhood. She was fascinated by it. He noticed her lick her lips. She was ready he thought. He took her hand and placed it onto his shaft. She looked at him, almost seeking approval. She didn't move her hand at all; she just held him. He showed her by taking her hand and rubbing it up and down, and then he took her other hand, and put it onto his balls. The ease with which she had capitulated had turned him off, but now her innocence was driving him wild. After he'd let her play with him for a while, he noticed that her face was flushed. Carefully, he reached to her and put his hand between her legs. When she opened to him, he could feel that she was ready.
''Lie down,'' he said. ''I'm going to make love to you. I will be gentle with you.'' She knew what he was; she'd seen him with her own eyes lying under that terrible woman, but she trusted him. When he pushed her legs apart and lowered his body to her, she closed her eyes and waited. What she felt next, was unlike anything she'd felt before. As he pushed his penis into her, she felt it parting her, sending tiny waves of pleasure through her. When he pulled back, she thought he was going to pull out of her, and she didn't want that, she pulled his buttocks to her, urging him to push himself all the way back in.
Under him, with his shaft inside her, she looked different. More relaxed, more beautiful. The women he had made love to before had been a desperate bunch. Most had been women so ugly they had been incapable of finding a husband. Most times, he'd only managed to get hard by drinking a lot of wine before the deed. On the odd occasion, one had been pretty enough to excite him, it was her personality that had let her down. He knew Julia's beauty would turn him on for the rest of this life if he wanted her, but he wasn't sure about her personality. She was quiet and shy and having a conversation with her seemed difficult. Perhaps she would mature, but he didn't feel like spending the rest of his life without some kind of mental stimulation.
As his thrusts increased in intensity so did Julia's gasps. She'd started off with a rigid body, her hands flat on the bed. But now she was an active participant. She even had her arms around his neck. Without warning, Julia cried out. It came from nowhere, a huge wave of muscle wrenching pleasure. Her back arched, and he grunted as her womanhood contracted around him. Two seconds more and her first ever orgasm rolled over her. The sight of her shaking beneath him and the tightness of her vagina around his shaft was too much. He'd wanted to last longer, prolong the pleasure, but it was impossible. She excited him far too much. Julia yelped and hugged him to her when she felt his semen flowing into her.
*****
Andrew's father hand given his son three months to leave the house. Oscar and Andrew weren't speaking. Not even Jacqueline's best effort could convince them to sit around the table and talk. ''I've had enough of him and his philandering,'' Oscar had bellowed when she'd approached the subject. Andrew had explained to her that he would never speak to his father again. In the end, Jacqueline had given up and decided to keep out of it.
Five weeks had gone past since Andrew had received his notice to leave, and he was frantically trying to find a place for his family to live. It wasn't easy, nowhere was as child-friendly as the Lodge. Additionally, Andrew was going to be poorer. Mrs. Patterson had cried when Andrew told her that he would have to let her go.
On the third of May, Julia got up and went to teach the children as usual. She was teaching John the names of farm animals when the sight of a sheep made her feel quite ill. She gasped for air and turned the page, but a pig made her feel no better. She ran to the lavatory and emptied the contents of her stomach. This happened every day for a week before Mrs. Patterson noticed.
''You're pregnant,'' she said. ''Have you missed a period?'' Julia nodded and the expression on Mrs. Patterson's face said it all. Julia was beside herself. She hadn't given any thought to becoming pregnant when she'd slept with Andrew. Not for a single second had she stopped to think of the consequences, but now she was fully aware.
In the evening, Julia lay on her bed and thought about her situation. She scolded herself for having been so lethargic since her parents died. Now she was going to be a mother. She had to change her attitude and accept some responsibility for her actions. What would Andrew say? What would he do? Probably send her away with some money, she thought. But she didn't want to go away from him. He was a lovely man, and she loved him, despite his flaws. She promised herself she would fight for him, make him see her for what she was, a confident young woman with his best interests at heart.
That evening Andrew asked her to have dinner with him alone. It was the perfect opportunity to tell him, but she didn't. She would wait.
''Have you found anywhere to live yet?'' she asked him.
Surprised that she'd started the conversation, he thought for a moment. ''No I haven't, but I'm working on it.''
''And what do the children think about having to move?''
''They are upset, of course.''
''Yes they are. Each of them has told me that they are upset. They love this place. Why don't you apologize to your father? Smooth things over with him.''
She'd never spoken to him like this. Not once had she even asked him a question, let alone made a suggestion. ''It's too late for that.''
''But it's so silly.''
When he looked at her, there was a maturity about her that he hadn't noticed before. Something was different about her. She was beautiful but in this mood she was unbelievably attractive. ''I agree. It is silly. I should be able to have who I want to stay, and when I want.''
''Andrew, you may think it rude of me to comment, but according to some of the people around you, you are lost.''
''Lost, lost where?''
''Between finding a replacement for Georgina and bedding any woman who is willing.'' Her heart was beating faster, but now she was going to give her opinion, come what may. ''It's not good for the children, your father is right. You woke me up the other evening. That awful woman was screaming so loudly.'' She glanced at him to make sure he wasn't boiling with anger. ''Then you were outside in the very early morning arguing with he
r. Really, Andrew, you are lost. One thing I want to say before you have your turn, though, I think your father is being mean, sending you away from here. He seems to have little understanding of how you feel and of what it's doing to the children.''
Andrew didn't say anything; he was impressed that she'd spoken to him in this way. Just what he needed. His thoughts turned to Georgina and how she would have spoken to him if she'd been in Julia's place. In just the same way, he concluded.
*****
Rose Patterson lived in a small house three doors down from her mother. It wasn't a long walk from the Lodge, and Julia had found the way easily. She'd told Mrs. Patterson that she'd met her daughter and that she would like to visit her. Mrs. Patterson had explained how to get there, and Julia had paid careful attention.
''And?'' Mrs. Patterson had said before Julia left on her walk.
''And what, Mrs. Patterson?''
''Have you told him yet?''
''No, but I will very soon.''
Rose's house was small and looked as if it had been wedged between two large houses as an afterthought. It had a thatched roof and smoke rising gently from the chimney. Julia knocked and waited.
''Rose, sorry to bother you. Do you remember me, we met on a walk the other day?''
''Ah, yes,'' Roses' eyes lit up. ''I do. Come in please.''
Inside it was cluttered buy clean. There were only two rooms downstairs. The kitchen was straight ahead and the sitting room off to the right.
''Please sit down. Tea?''
The walk had made Julia thirsty; she nodded. ''Thank you, that would be lovely.''
Rose brought a try with a plain white teapot and two cups. ''So Miss what can I do for you?''
''It's a delicate matter. I need you help.''
Rose liked it when she could help people. She was by nature a giver. Unfortunately, she'd never been asked by a man to give herself, but she remained hopeful. ''Anything, just ask.''