The Prince and the Nun

by Jacqueline George

  “How are the other women taking to the idea?”

  “I don’t know if they’ve really understood what’s going to happen to them. Mostly they’re very young.”

  “That’s good. You learn faster when you’re young. Once they’ve got over the first few times, they’ll start to enjoy themselves. Your big challenge will be to stop them getting fat and lazy.”

  They walked out into the Bahnhofplatz, and Wanda could see the castle for the first time, perched high above them and shining white in the sun.

  “Is that it? It’s beautiful! And it’s all yours!”

  “Oh, don’t believe that. I’m just the steward. Count Egerhazy owns it, but he’s in America. Up there we’ve got the Convent, and the Army. Mefist has more influence than I.”

  “Franz makes you call him Mefist? How terribly correct!”

  “We all have enough trouble with just Mefist. We kept wanting to call him Prince. Especially the girls. It will be a long time before I could call him anything except Mefist.”

  Grossner came out of the station. “Your Honour, I think I had better run you both up to the castle and come back for the luggage. There’s a great deal of it.”

  Wanda giggled. “Well, the Prince did insist. Just let me have the small brown suitcase, the leather one, and the rest can come up later.”

  Grossner whisked them up the hill and right up to the guardroom. “Your Honour, I’ll have a man bring the suitcase up. Where do you want it?”

  “Bring it to my room, please, Sergeant. Miss Wanda can use that while she’s here. The rest of the luggage can go into the library. I’ll have the girls carry it upstairs.”

  Arm in arm they walked up from the outer gate. Wanda stood about the same height as Therese, and she smelled expensive. She dressed very well; her outfit had a feeling of quality about it, and Therese supposed that she would have gone to a fashionable couturier. Her dark hair sparkled in the sunlight and looked well-groomed but natural. She had an elegant figure. Therese enjoyed having her on her arm.

  Wanda wanted to see the club and meet the girls straight away. The place already looked more homely. Someone had found some Mucha prints, and the carpenters had hung them to cheer up the bare white walls. The simple metal lampshade had been replaced with a small chandelier, and new lights shone behind the bar. Easy chairs sat around the fireplace and round café tables lined a small patch of floor, sanded and polished, ready for dancing. Beyond the dance floor a corridor led to the girls’ rooms.

  Wanda approved of the girls, and they liked her immediately. Maria and Dorota worked behind the new bar to prepare the coffees, and the girls served them. Wanda ordered three of the little tables pushed together, and soon everyone had squeezed together to listen to her. They wanted to hear what was happening in Vienna, how the war affected everyone, and whether Wanda thought it would soon end. They were open in their admiration of her clothes, and they wanted to know about the newest fashions. They clucked over the price of her stockings and envied her hair. But most of all, they wanted to know about Mefist.

  Therese let them take her to lunch while she ran down to see Timko. Mefist had promised that Timko would take care of the castle administration so there would not be too much for her to do. Perhaps, with a little luck, the Army would pick up most of the bills. She found Timko waiting with a full tray of papers for her attention and a long list of questions. She sent for sandwiches, and they worked together through the lunch hour. Timko seemed an intelligent man and she saw that, once he had found his way around the files, the castle would be in good hands.

  The arrival of the hairdresser disturbed them. Mrs. Orlova was a small woman with tightly curled, dyed hair. Mefist’s threat to send her up the mountains wearing a packsaddle if she made a mistake had frightened her.

  “Do you know what the Prince wants, Mother Superior?” she asked in a whisper.

  The old name sounded sad and strange. “You don’t call me Mother Superior now. Just Madam von Falberg will do. I’m not sure what Mefist likes, but his cousin is here. She’ll help us.”

  They found Wanda and the girls carrying luggage up to the club and storing it on the dance floor. Wanda took Mrs. Orlova in hand immediately.

  “Franz is very particular about a girl’s hair. I cut mine short once, and it was all he could do to talk to me for months. He sounded fine on the telephone, but each time he saw me face to face, he was so upset I thought he’d be sick! So you can trim it, but don’t make it any shorter.”

  They looked around them at the girls. None of them had cut their hair really short, but then again, none of them had let it grow more than collar-length. Longer than that would be a vanity and inconvenient under a headscarf. “They’re all young, so make them up as if they were going to their first communion. That should do it. Men love the innocent look. You’ve got a dozen girls to do, and Therese, so you’d better keep it simple or you’ll be here for days. Franz hates too many curls anyway.”

  Mrs. Orlova sat her first client under a skylight and unpacked her bag. Wanda was unpacking too. Once she had found what she wanted, she called the other girls over. She had twelve boxes neatly wrapped in brown paper.

  “I got Meissners on Annagasse to make me up some collections for you. They’re all different so you’ll just have to take potluck. Pick one and open it. We’ll see what he’s got for you.”

  The packages contained cosmetics. The girls looked at them with trepidation. Wanda quickly scanned the lipsticks and nail varnishes, and started to swap them around. “Now, that’s much too strong for you. Where’s a pale one–here, take this instead. With your hair color, this will be better. Yes, that will do, I think. Or maybe this one? No, stick with that color because Maria can’t possibly use yours. Now, let’s try them on. Do you have a mirror?”

  The girls looked to Therese. “I think I saw a cheval glass in the Countess’s dressing room.”

  “That’s what we need because we have to dress them later. Can we bring it up?” Soon they were all absorbed. Therese crept back to Timko.

  Dusk had already come when Mrs. Orlova left. Therese walked with her to the castle gate. “They’re a nice lot of girls, Ma’am, and pretty too. The officers will think they’re in heaven, I’m sure.”

  “What is the village saying, Mrs. Orlova?”

  “Oh well, there’s a lot of talk. Some saying this and some saying that. There’s no help for it, that’s what I say. I mean, if it weren’t the nuns it would be some of us. Let the old women gossip, that’s what I say to them, but Jana Krausova has been going around trying to put things straight. She’s a strong one, that one. I heard her myself saying to one of the women, I won’t tell her name to you, Jana said ‘If you’re so set on keeping the nuns safe, why don’t you go and offer your dupka up there? I’m sure your husband can spare you.’ That shut her up, I can tell you! The men are quiet, mostly anyway. The ones that have young wives or daughters are just glad. The young men talk, of course, saying stupid things. I expect the Army will have them soon, mark my words. They’ll take them off to Serbia or somewhere and make them into soldiers. Keep quiet and go and hide in the forest, that’s what I tell them. The Army won’t be here forever, and it’s better to be cold in the forest than dead in Serbia.

  “No, the village won’t say so—at least not when the priest’s listening—but I think they’re mighty relieved that you and your girls are keeping the officers away. We’ll still have to deal with the men, of course, but we can handle them.”

  Therese watched as the woman’s dumpy figure trotted down the ramp to the wagon park. She supposed that she would see a lot more of Mrs. Orlova.

  Chapter 9

  Mefist returned as they ate dinner. He wore battledress and looked young and adventurous. He hugged Wanda cheerfully before squeezing onto the bench beside her. The girls were pleased to see him safe and sound. As soon as he sat down, the servers were at his side, bringing wine and food. They must have been waiting for him.

  Polite as ever, he no
ted the girls who had been under Mrs. Orlova’s care and complimented them. Soon he was eating and telling of his trip to the front, amusing them with his pictures of the people he had met and of the ways they had made themselves at home in the forest around Tergov. Therese watched the animated faces around the table. It felt good to have Mefist back again.

  After dinner, he rushed them back up to the club. “I want Wanda to see you dance,” he proclaimed.

  The girls hurried to their rooms and came back naked. Mefist wound the gramophone and sat at one of the small tables to watch them waltz. He demanded Tokay, and Therese got up to serve him. When she returned to the table with three glasses of the noble wine, he had gone, dancing with Wanda and then with the girls. Wanda came for her and she danced, for the first time since she had come to Montebello as a novice.

  It was a happy feeling to dance with Wanda, but when she was passed on to Mefist, she felt frightened. His woollen battledress felt rough, and he smelled of smoke and oil. Her feet remembered their lessons at Interlaken, and Mefist’s strong arm about her waist whirled her around the floor. When the gramophone ran down, she found they were the only couple on the floor. The girls were smiling and proud of her.

  “Tokay for everyone!” called Mefist. “Even Suzanna must like Tokay. Now, I have definite news at last. The General will be here in three days. We can expect the first officers to be here the day before. Are you all ready?”

  “Oh, Lord,” muttered Wanda. “I haven’t even given them their clothes yet, and as for what they have to do…”

  “Don’t worry! These are Therese’s girls. They can do anything.”

  “Maybe, but they’ll do it a lot better if they know what they’re supposed to do.”

  “Of course nuns don’t know what to do. That’s the whole point. No one will be surprised.”

  “Franz, that’s unfair. You have to give them an idea, or they’ll be frightened.”

  “Well, you tell them. I can’t say much because I look at these things from the wrong end.”

  Wanda frowned at him. “Wrong end! I’ll give you wrong end. Get up, little brother. You’ve been cock of the farmyard too long. It’s time you gave these poor girls a little help.”

  Uncertainly he stood up, and Wanda pushed him back until he rested against the table. “Come around, girls. Watch what I’m doing and remember!”

  They crowded around while Wanda moved her chair next to Mefist and reached for the fly of his trousers. Therese watched in horror as Wanda’s elegant fingers unpicked the buttons, one by one. She looked up at Mefist, but he had eyes only for Wanda’s hand. He had a half-smile on his face. Wanda’s hand reached inside his clothes, fumbled for a moment, and then drew out his sex.

  It lay on the front of his trousers like a soft white limb, rapidly growing and stretching. A gasp went through the girls. The pink eye began to peep from inside its hood as the pole grew to its full size. “Jaki durze hujek!” muttered Agata.

  Wanda laughed. “Oh, it’s not so big, is it, Franz?”

  “I’m sure I don’t know. I only know one of them; you’ve met many more.”

  “Maybe I have,” she said. “I’d say this is a handsome one, but no larger than normal.”

  “It’s much bigger than my little brother’s,” said Dorota, “but he’s only young.”

  “I can assure you this one is fully grown and ready to make you fly! Touch it.” When no one volunteered, she grabbed the nearest hand–Maria’s–and guided it towards Mefist.

  As her fingers touched, the rigid sex pulsed, and Maria whipped her hand away as if she had been burned. “It moved!” she cried.

  Wanda laughed. “Of course. It was just saying hello. Now someone else.”

  Using the same caution that they would have employed for a snake, the girls reached out to touch the beast with their fingertips. “What do you think?” asked Wanda.

  It’s soft, they said. It feels silky. It’s alive!

  “It’s very big,’” said Agata, “I mean…” She is right, thought Therese. It is huge. How will it fit inside?

  Wanda laughed at their reaction and reached up to pat Agata’s cheek. “Don’t you worry. One like this will make you very happy and, who knows, by the time I visit again you may be dreaming of much bigger ones. Now I’d better show you how it works. First of all, you can pull the skin back like this.” She slid her hand back confidently, and the sleek purple head emerged. Mefist sighed.

  “Do you like that, Franz?”

  “Your touch is unmistakable,” he said softly.

  Wanda pushed her chair aside and knelt in front of him. The skin had returned, and the swollen head was half-hidden again. “Now watch me. If I do this…” She started to move the skin back and forth rhythmically, “…I can make him come. Is that right, Franz?”

  “Mmh,” was the only reply she got.

  “This feels very good for any man, but what really drives them mad is this.” She bent forward and, still moving her hand backwards and forwards, took the plum of his sex into her mouth.

  “Aah!” said Mefist. Therese watched his face. He had shut his eyes, and he seemed to be suffering. Wanda let go of him and sat back on her heels. Mefist opened his eyes and smiled.

  “Now, everyone do what I just did,” ordered Wanda.

  “All of them?” asked Mefist. “I don’t think…”

  “Don’t think,” she said. “I’ll make sure you don’t surprise us. Now who’s first?”

  The nearest hand belonged to Helena. Wanda pulled her over and forced her to her knees. Helena stared at the rampant sex in front of her. Her cheeks were flushed and her pale blue eyes open wide. “Move the skin back like I showed you. That’s it. Nice and gentle. Now suck it.” Curtains of straight blonde hair swung to hide her face as she reached forward. Mefist disappeared into her mouth, and she started to suckle like a calf. “Stop, stop!” cried Wanda. “That’s enough, girl. You have to leave something for the others. I can see you’re going to be very popular,” she said, helping Helena to her feet. “The men are going to love you.” Helena blushed and stared at the floor.

  “Very good. Now who’s next?” As Therese watched the girls come one after the other to kneel at Mefist’s feet, two thoughts skipped into her head. Firstly that the nude girls looked very pretty as they concentrated on Mefist’s pleasure, and the second irreverent thought that the procession of girls coming, kneeling and leaving seemed a parody of the communion. Saints forgive me, she said inwardly, I’m thinking like Mefist.

  “Is that everyone? There, Franz, you didn’t disgrace yourself. I told you I’d take care of you. I suppose it’s time for the finale.” Wanda knelt again and reached for his sex. “Now, I’m going to make him come. Normally when you do it this way, there’s nothing to show. You just keep sucking until he stops coming. So I’ll try and make him come where you can see it happen. Watch carefully, because it happens very quickly.” The girls pressed closer.

  Therese watched as Wanda’s fingers with nails varnished crimson wrapped around Mefist’s sex and slowly pumped. The head had disappeared out of sight in her mouth, and her red lips ringed the shaft tightly. Her beautifully made-up face shone against the rough cloth of his uniform. Her dark hair fell forward, and she reached up with her free hand to hook it behind her ears. Everyone stood silent, not wanting to breathe.

  The stroking of Wanda’s hand became faster and more insistent. Therese could hear Mefist’s breathing. His eyes had closed again, and stiff little movements shook him. Wanda suddenly took him out of her mouth. “He’s coming…” and she plunged back onto him.

  “Aah!” gasped Mefist. His body stiffened and his centre arched forward towards Wanda as far as he could reach. Wanda jerked back, and they could see his sex spurting as it left her mouth. In great animal pulses he spurted over her cheeks, neck and hands.

  For the moment, the room was silent and tense, and then Mefist’s rigid frame slowly relaxed. “Oh Jesu, Wanda. That was…fantastic.”

  Wanda jum
ped to her feet, swallowed, and held out her hands to the girls. “Here, taste it!” They did not hesitate. They came to her and touched their tongues to the white cream. Wanda lent over to where Therese had been sitting for the whole show. “You too,” she said, offering her cheek. Therese kissed her. It felt creamy, and tasted dry. Smooth and dry. Wanda was smiling at them all.

  “Maria, bring a cloth for her,” Therese ordered. “So that’s how it happens.”

  “Yes, that’s it. Are you surprised?”

  “I didn’t know you could do it that way. Is it normal?”

  Wanda laughed. “Sometimes I think men prefer it that way, especially the married ones. What do you say, Franz? I think you must have been very hungry, from the mess you made of my makeup.”

  “When you make love, Wanda, it’s wonderful whatever you do,” he said gallantly, “and you’re right; it’s been a long time.”

  Wanda wiped her face with Maria’s cloth. “Well, Therese and all of you, doing it that way has got its advantages. It gives the lady complete control of the man, which puts him in his place. It doesn’t take long, and it’s easy to clean up. A quick wipe, a sip of wine, and you’re ready for the next one! It doesn’t hurt, as long as you don’t get the stuff in your eyes because it burns, and you can’t get pregnant. It’s even nicer the other way round, when they do it to you. I expect you’ll find that out for yourselves when you get the right man. Try to get Franz here into bed. He’s an expert. He’ll have you climbing the walls!

  “Now, ladies. Do you think you can all do that? Good. Call that lesson one in lovemaking.”

  Mefist objected. “I don’t think the Imperial Army would get very far with its soldiers if we asked the sergeant to pass around a rifle and then told the recruits to watch carefully while the sergeant fired just one shot.”

  “Maybe, but the rifles your soldiers carry can be reloaded much more quickly than the sort we girls have to work with. Or are you ready to prove me wrong?”

  “No, no. I surrender. What are we doing tomorrow, Therese?”