The Prince and the Nun

by Jacqueline George

  “Enough, enough! You should be kissing Lamoreaux, not me. Now the pair of you run along to Father Mendel. Tell him I want a marriage on, let’s see, the second of January. We’ll start the New Year with a wedding!”

  Chapter 39

  After lunch Therese was passing the end of the corridor of officers’ bedrooms, and by chance she looked up the corridor. She caught a glimpse of Wanda stepping into the General’s room and the door swinging closed behind her. Therese could not resist teasing her when she lay in bed that night with her head on Wanda’s shoulder.

  “Well why not?” asked Wanda. “I was just giving him a little Christmas present.”

  “Just Christian charity?”

  “Well, something like it. He’s a nice old man and he does love ladies.”

  “Did he like his Christmas present?”

  “Of course, but he’s not my favourite old man anymore.”

  “Why ever not? Didn’t you enjoy it?”

  “Oh yes, he’s quite good at it, but he said I was just as good as your girls. How dare he! I should be much better.”

  Therese laughed. “Perhaps he thinks of them as professional, and didn’t want to insult you.”

  “Maybe that’s the reason, but I’m sure none of them can do it as well as I can. I’ve had years of practice and they’re nuns, for goodness sake.”

  “Ah, but they had such a good teacher! You must have given them confidence. You should be proud of them.”

  Wanda would not be mollified. “I’m still not forgiving him until he admits that this afternoon was the best he’s had since he got here. I got him so excited he did it twice. I bet he doesn’t do that very often.”

  Therese was amused at Wanda’s hurt pride. She also felt insatiably curious about Wanda’s sex-life. “What’s it like, Wanda? I mean, what does it feel like?”

  “You mean, with the General?”

  “No, I mean normally, with anyone. I’ve never done it, don’t forget.”

  “Oh, I never forget! Franz doesn’t let me. But when he complains, I tell him to stop complaining and just do it with you, but you know what he’s like. You’re turning him into a walking time bomb, but I’m not letting him use me to let off steam. That’s your job.”

  Therese did not like to discuss Mefist even with Wanda, so she persisted with her original question. “So, what does it feel like?”

  “Mmh, it’s difficult to explain, really. A bit like describing colours to a blind man. You know what it feels like when we do it? Well, it’s sort of like that but different. It’s not just having something inside you shuttling backwards and forwards as fast as it can, although that feels good too. It’s the fact that it’s a man on top of you. They’re so big and hard and strong, and greedy too. Once they get inside you, there’s nothing that’s going to hold them back. They just keep hammering away at you, fast or slow, until they come. If he’s good and has got you really going first, you can come too, but he doesn’t worry about you. I don’t think they care, they just keep going and if you’re lucky, you can keep coming and coming. And then he comes and feeling it pumping inside you is fantastic. It usually makes me come again, feeling it jumping and twitching inside me. Believe me, if the man is right, there’s nothing like it.”

  “You make it sound very good.”

  “Oh, it is! When everything’s right, it’s the best feeling in the world. You’ve got to try it. Even if you go back to being a nun, you’ve got to try it first. Mmh, you’re getting me all excited just thinking about. Touch me, please.” She took Therese’s hand and drew it to her mound. “Oh yes! That’s good. Stroke me, Therese.” She held Therese’s wrist and tried to force her hand lower.

  She spread her knees and sighed as Therese’s fingers started to tantalize her sex. There was a quiet knock at the door. Therese tried to pull her hand away, but Wanda held her in place.

  “Who’s there?” Therese asked.

  “It’s me, Mefist. Can I come in?”

  “Come in, Franz,” called Wanda. “It’s not locked.”

  As Franz opened the door, Wanda moved her hand on top of Therese’s and secretly clenched her fingers into her sex. “Can’t sleep, Franz?”

  He was wearing dressing gown and pyjamas. “No, I’m not sleepy. So I’ve come for a chat. You two look very beautiful in bed together.” He settled into an armchair near the dying fire.

  “Wouldn’t you like to be where I am?” mocked Wanda. “What would you be doing then?” She was slowly moving Therese’s hand up and down, keeping a gentle pressure on her clitoris.

  “You’ll have to ask Therese about that,” he said calmly.

  “Oh, come on, get into bed. You don’t mind, do you, Therese? I’ll make sure his dangerous bits don’t get near you.”

  “No, I don’t mind,” she said and allowed herself to be shuffled sideways to make room on the other side of Wanda. Again she tried to rescue her hand, but Wanda did not set her free.

  Mefist threw off his dressing gown and quickly stripped off his pyjamas. This was the first time Therese had seen his body. He looked white and lithe, and she had a quick glimpse of his rising sex springing from a nest of black hair as he slipped into bed beside Wanda. His weight moved the mattress as he settled in. Wanda sighed and released Therese’s hand.

  Therese dipped her fingers into Wanda’s excited sex and caressed her with long strokes.

  “Oh that’s good,” she purred. “That’s just what I need.”

  Mefist must have realized something was happening, and Therese felt his fingers join hers. He reached deeper to probe inside Wanda but she was content to stay where she was, rubbing the clitoris that had grown hard and insistent under her fingers. In moments Wanda was twisting under them, shaking her head from side to side and panting. “Oh God! Oh God!” she moaned. “Ah! Stop–please stop.”

  Wanda lay panting between them. “That was very quick,” said Mefist. “I think you must have started without me.”

  “It was nice. I really needed that. Do it to Therese. I want to watch.” She pulled Therese over and rolled her into the space next to Mefist.

  Therese lay on her back with their heads weighing heavy on her shoulders. Soft and hard, they pressed against her sides. Adding to Mefist’s solidity, she could feel his rigid sex against her flank. Its tip was wet and slippery. Their hands were on her stomach and reaching up to capture her breasts. They pulled and teased her nipples and her excitement mounted rapidly. Wanda’s soft lips were suckling at her breast, but Mefist reached up for her mouth. He kissed her firmly, ravishing her mouth and using his tongue inside her.

  Their hands were on her stomach and their knees were forcing her legs apart. She was trapped, thighs spread wide and unable to struggle. They were stroking her, teasing her, running their fingers over her sensitive skin but avoiding her sex. Closer and closer they came until their fingertips were brushing against her, tantalizing her and making her groan in frustration. At last they touched her, pulling on her delicate lips and spreading her wetness into every fold. Fingers penetrated her, stretching her open and reaching far inside. Fingers rubbed insistently on her clitoris–and she was coming. They held her pinned as she moaned and struggled in her orgasm.

  As she started to relax, Wanda’s fingers were still inside her. Her sex clenched on them, and Wanda wiggled her fingers in response. A rill of pleasure ran through her. “Stop, let me rest.”

  “Of course. It’s Franz’s turn now.”

  Mefist pulled her across him and settled into the centre of the mattress. It felt good to rest on his shoulder and feel his hard, muscular chest under her hand. Wanda threw back the top of the covers. “Look!” she commanded.

  Mefist’s sex lay on his belly, staring up at them with its one blind eye. It looked big and threatening. Therese reached out to touch it and it jumped up to meet her hand. She gripped it and it filled her hand. Slowly she pulled the skin back and let the purple head shine. “Aaah!” said Mefist.

  Wanda’s hand joined her and tog
ether they moved up and down. Mefist moved restlessly beneath them, heaving and stretching as the pressure mounted.

  “Stop,” whispered Wanda, “Not too soon. Here–sit on it.”

  She offered his sex to Therese. Therese pushed herself up and looked at the pillar in Wanda’s hand, its swollen head slowly appearing and disappearing as its sheath slid back and forth. It was big and strong, powerfully rooted in its mass of wild black hair. Her sex squeezed; she was ready for him. “No–no. I can’t…”

  “Go on. Look, it’s crying for you.”

  She was staring at it, a rabbit frozen before a snake. “No. I can’t. Please don’t make me.”

  “Don’t force her, Wanda. You do it,” ordered Mefist.

  Wanda looked at his swollen sex and then up at Therese. “You don’t mind?”

  “No, I don’t mind. Do it to him. He needs you.”

  She moved aside as Wanda threw back the blankets and came to him. Kneeling on one knee over him, she guided his point into her and slowly sank down onto it. “Oh Jesu! Oh, that’s it.”

  Mefist threw the pillows onto the floor so he could lie back flat. His hands went to Therese’s hips and he was pulling her, drawing her over him until she knelt above his face. In front of her, holding her own breasts and with her eyes half-closed, Wanda was slowly lifting herself and dropping back onto Mefist. Under her Therese could see his sex, wet and shiny as it was drawn out of her and then swallowed up again as she fell back on to him.

  Mefist pulled on her hips, forcing her to spread her knees and lower herself until she was kissing his face with her sex. She shuddered as his tongue snaked through her folds and dived inside her. He still pulled down on her hips and she let herself sink further until she was pressing him into the mattress. In front of her, Wanda watched. Therese could see Mefist moving rapidly underneath her now, thrusting into Wanda as his tongue reached into her. She fell forward into Wanda’s arms and started to rotate her sex on his face. Almost immediately she was coming again, an orgasmic wave rolling over her. Wanda was holding her up, supporting her while Mefist worked beneath them both.

  She was vaguely aware that Wanda had stopped moving and was letting Mefist thrust harder and faster into her. All the time his tongue worked, driving Therese from climax to climax as he rolled his face in her. The waves were coming faster and faster, scrambling her senses until in a final despairing effort she threw herself sideways and collapsed trembling onto the bed. Beside her Mefist had arched his body and was lifting Wanda high into the air. She had her head thrown back and gyrated on his hungry pivot as she drew the last of her orgasm from him.

  Some time later, Therese woke. They were moving beside her. Wanda was on her back, and between her upraised thighs, Mefist moved slowly in and out of her. Therese turned to them and Wanda pulled her into their warmth. Therese held her breasts and pulled and twisted her nipples. Then, as Mefist’s movements became more deliberate, she slipped her hand down to Wanda’s centre, to where the slippery shaft was thrusting relentlessly in and out. It was thick and hard, and was stretching Wanda wide. Therese found her clitoris and started to rub in time with Mefist’s movements. Wanda began to moan. Her excitement stirred Mefist, and he moved faster and more urgently.

  Wanda began to pant and lifted her legs to cross them behind his back and draw him further into her. She was breathing in rough gasps. Therese’s fingers were driving her frantic. Mefist accelerated until with a final thrust he slammed deep into her, trapping Therese’s fingers between them. She could feel the throbbing of Wanda’s sex as Mefist, taut and rigid, pumped his pleasure into her.

  Therese fell asleep again in Wanda’s arms, and when she woke in the morning, they were alone.

  Chapter 40

  The Congress of Budapest went about its work quickly. The formal Armistice terms had been agreed and promulgated by the end of the first day. Now the people of the village and the castle waited by their radios to see what the changes would mean for them and their friends.

  The General did not want Lamoreaux and his bride to get caught up in conflicting orders and on the day after their wedding, they boarded the train with papers routing them through Switzerland and France on their way to the Major’s home. The whole castle stood in the courtyard to bid them farewell, and there was not a dry eye in the club.

  Portia moved into Maria’s old room. She wanted to live with the other girls even if she was not allowed to work with them.

  The orders they had been dreading arrived two days later. The 3rd Carpathian Brigade was to report to barracks in Gyor for training and redeployment. They were to move immediately and report once Krasna Dolina had been cleared of Alliance Forces. The valley would come under the control of the Coalition’s Military Administrative Area of Pannonia, and details would follow.

  It appeared that in the valley of Krasna Dolina very little would change. The Imperial Army would be absorbed into the Coalition forces, but Montebello was still a strong point that would have to be occupied. One army unit would move out, another army unit would move in, and hopefully life would continue more or less as before. Perhaps the Coalition would assign Imperial troops to Montebello, rather than their trusted frontline forces that were needed in the north. It would be safer now as the fighting in the south had stopped. Only the northern front still had active fighting, and that was over the Carpathians and hundreds of kilometres away.

  Movements started immediately. All available transport shuttled between Tergov and the train station as the few remaining troops were shipped out. The wagon park became a hive of activity as files and materials were loaded onto trucks and the Headquarters staff prepared to move. Moving home was the Army’s natural business, and it shocked Therese to see how rapidly the rooms were emptied and how people had already left in spirit.

  The club was full that evening, but subdued as the girls realised that they were being discarded and left behind. Therese went constantly from table to table, cheering them up and promising a meeting for tomorrow.

  At last, Mefist came and took her to her office. Neither of them was in the mood for play and they sat quietly, chatting and thinking about the future. He had brought the money the girls had earned, sixty-three thousand crowns. She locked it in her drawer, and with a kiss and a hug they separated.

  The soldiers had gone early the next morning, and the girls and castle staff waited at the gate as the General and last of the officers boarded their cars. Mefist came to her again and held her.

  “Come back, Mefist. Promise me, come back and see me. As soon as you can.” She was crying openly, not caring who saw her.

  She could see he was affected, and his voice sounded hoarse when he said, “I’ll be back. As soon as I can get leave, I’ll be back.” Then the General came to his shoulder, competing for her attention.

  “Therese, my dear, it’s time to go. I can’t tell you what a delight you’ve made our stay here. It was something an old man could only dream of. I hope we meet again soon.” He kissed her cheeks. “I don’t know who’ll be taking our place in Montebello, but I’ll certainly keep an eye on you. I’ll try to make sure you get someone sensible.”

  “Send him back, General. Please, send him back. I don’t know what I’ll do without him.”

  “Don’t worry, my dear. If there’s a way to send him here, he’ll be back. Even if I have to send him back for my wristwatch!”

  The small procession of staff cars eased down to the wagon park and swung down the hill towards the village. Suddenly the day grew very cold and very grey.

  Before lunch, Therese went to sit in Timko’s office. She did not open the door to her old room, the one that Mefist had used as a bedroom. It was only then she realised that she no longer had Maria to help her. She went looking for Rebecca and found her cleaning and tidying in the General’s office. For the moment, at least, Rebecca could work for her and, between the two of them, they would have to get the castle running again.

  The first thing she would have to do was to see Sist
er Brigitta and show her the Bishop’s letter. She passed a message for her and sat reading the castle files while she waited. Timko had been tidier and more conscientious than his appearance suggested. The files were probably more up to date than when he had received them, and she quickly found the records of stocks and deliveries. It pleased her to see that they would be eating army food and burning army coal for some time into the future.

  It was only when Sister Brigitta tapped at the door and walked straight in that she realized how long she had been waiting. Sister Brigitta must have been trying to make a point, and it was reinforced when she sat down without invitation. Oh dear, thought Therese, God give me patience.

  “Mother Superior, it’s good to see you again.” She must be correct if she wanted to avoid a tantrum from Sister Brigitta. “I just needed to discuss with you how we’ll manage things over the next few days.”

  Sister Brigitta moved to the attack immediately. “Well, Miss Falberg, I don’t think we’ll have any difficulty. You have your duties as housekeeper for the Count, and we in the Convent have God’s work to do.”

  It was never going to be easy to negotiate with Sister Brigitta, so Therese just pushed the Bishop’s letter over to her. She read and her face turned white. “If you think you and your whores are going to return to the Convent, you’re stupid as well as vile. I’m going to telephone the Bishop. He obviously doesn’t know what you’ve been doing. You’ll come into the Convent again over my corpse!”

  Therese sighed and took the letter back. “Mother Superior, the decision is not in our hands. We will just have to do what the Bishop says, as always. However, for the moment there will be no change. My girls will stay where they are for a few days until the military situation is clear. Then those who wish to leave can do so safely. As for the rest, as I said, the Bishop will decide. I suggest you just carry on as if the Army were still here.”

  She brooded for a while after Sister Brigitta had left and then went looking for Rebecca. The sooner they started work, the better.