My brothers had lost all their confidence. They wouldn't offer any suggestion, or form a plan, or boast that they would save the family from ruin, and that it was time for younger, more capable people. Now, the danger felt all too real, and our lack of real abilities struck us for the first time.
The rest of the day passed slowly. We were in a state of great apprehension, certain as we were that our ruin was now certain. The only hope we could entertain was that last attempt our father had alluded to, of which, however, we knew nothing. We imagined various possibilities, a second mortgage of the property, a delay in Father's financial obligations in exchange for a larger share of the profit once the ship eventually arrived, maybe some other financial design to complicated for us to imagine. Now this hope we clung to appeared to us as a futile attempt, now as the final happy of a play where all the difficulties are magically solved.
At dinner time, Father announced that he and Mother would depart in the morning. They expected to be away for a few days.
They both appeared very vexed and anxious, but they made no more confidence into us, certain as they were that their three children, although grown up now, couldn't offer any help for their troubles, and determined not to put any further burden onto us unless strictly necessary. They ate in silence and retired early, leaving us to our confusion and misery.
Finally, I retired to my bedroom. I disrobed and got into bed, but I struggled to sleep. That house, I had lived all my life and that afforded so much comfort in the past, now appeared under siege.
After some time, I heard a knock on the door. I was filled with terror. Were we being evicted before my parents could attempt to repay their debts and restore our position once more?
I stumbled out of bed and opened the door, but I couldn't see a soul in the dark corridor. As I was closing the door, I noticed a small envelope at my feet. I quickly opened it to read its content.
The writing was uneven and, despite the shortness of the message, full of corrections. Here is what the letter said:
I was saddened to learn that Mr Clement was dismissed, but I confide there were good reasons for this.
I am writing to thank you, Miss Eloise, for interceding for me with your parents. In the morning, I will accompany them on a journey, and I will absent for a short while.
If this is possible, I will see you upon my return to thank you.
The words "thank you" were underlined with three strokes of the pen, and the message was signed by: Your Dearest Margot.
I wondered what this meant. I reasoned that my parents needed some assistance in their travel, and that they believed they could trust Margot to accompany them. I was glad to hear that Margot may have been forgiven, but I still had misapprehension around this travel. I also wondered if Margot would eventually return, or, like Mr Clement, she too might have to leave our employment, and if I could see her again.
The next morning, I woke up finding that my parents had already left. I felt naturally guilty of sleeping in while they were already hard at work.
I knew that they had taken Margot to accompany them; my tutor no longer lived with us, and I got out of bed feeling aimless and rather lonely. I realised then that my life had been quite confined and, once you removed the few obligations that my parents had given me, I didn't know what to do with myself.
I spent the morning sketching and drawing model cottages in my room. I read a few pages of a novel. I played the piano. But none of these activities diverted me. I walked through the corridors and the rooms of our house. Now and then, I saw some servants, busy with their work, and I felt observed and shy under their eyes, like a stranger walking through an unfamiliar place.
After all, this place I was so familiar might belong to someone else within the end of the year.
In the afternoon, my brothers informed me that we would have guests for dinner and to dress accordingly.
I couldn't imagine who might join us, as my parents were away. I endeavoured to present myself in a smart and congenial way for whomever might be joining us that night.
So, I presented myself downstairs wearing a blue dress, which my family had much admired in the past. I was determined to be jovial and not burden our guests with my worries.
When I opened the door, I was quite surprised to see my brothers, elegantly dressed, conversing with the two peasants from the barn.
The two young women were probably wearing their Sunday best, but these were poor garments and quite inelegant, and not a suitable match for what my brothers were wearing.
My brothers, however, didn't seem to mind the way our uncouth visitors had adorned themselves. In fact, there seemed to be no end to their compliments:
'What beautiful ribbons!'
'Your hair is exquisitely done!'
I also found out that my brothers had instructed the cooks to prepare a rather lavish meal, and to serve some of our most expensive wine.
They were certainly determined to forget their worries and to enjoy themselves for as long as they could.
I found this rather callous of them, even though my constant state of worry wasn't of much help either.
I was introduced to these two ladies.
I curtsied and accepted their thanks for the invitation. They also said many kind words around my dress, which they found, repeating the words that my brothers had used for them, beautiful and exquisite.
We sat at the table, and my brothers and these ladies began to converse.
My brothers told us tales of a recent hunt, while the guests informed us that the harvest was abundant this year and their work was going to be hard, especially because the season appeared to be warmer than usual.
They also told us, with more detail than I cared for, about the birth of a calf with five legs. When they were done, they both laughed at what turned out to be a joke.
'Who ever has heard of a calf with five legs?' said one.
Brief, the conversation was inelegant and rather unrefined and mundane for our house.
My brothers, however, seemed much diverted by this.
Both my brothers and the girls drank much wine, and soon they became inebriated that I was sure that nobody understood what anyone else was saying, although everyone laughed loudly after the speech from any of them.
Such was my state of mind that I couldn't forgive the vulgarity of the conversation and, as my brothers were doing, abandon myself to this inane jocosity. Instead, I believed this drunken company my brothers had chosen to share their meal with to be a rather poor choice, given the situation we were in. I would have much preferred to have a quiet and simple meal, and to discuss our future. If our parents' venture was fruitless and if we were forced to leave our house and make ends meet, what would we do to survive?
But my brothers were determined not to think about this possibility. They wanted to enjoy everything they presently had, for as long as they could.
So determined they were to be happy and to not think about what might await us that they were drinking to excess and becoming exceedingly stupid.
Their jokes were rather crude, but, the cruder they were, the prouder my brother became.
The two ladies at the table were also equally drunk and loud. They laughed heartily at any vulgarity that came into their minds.
Finally, once the meal was over, my brothers begged me to leave them, as they had something to discuss with the two ladies.
They were so inebriated that they didn't notice that, instead of walking out of the room, I simply stood up from my place at the table and accommodate myself onto an armchair against the wall. I was determined to see what designs they had and how they had decided to comport themselves while my parents where away.
'My ladies,' Armand began with unsteady voice, raising a chalice, 'I wish to make a toast to your beauty.'
The ladies, already quite red in the face, made a demonstration of blushing to the compliment.
Everyone brought the glass to their lips and drank.
'However…' Armand continued, leaving the sentence hanging in the air and enjoying the sight of the girls and his brother gazing at him, with stupid, drunken eyes, waiting for him to continue.
'However, you have shown us more the beauty of your dresses, rather than of the graces that Nature has bestowed upon you,' he said finally.
The ladies laughed at this compliment.
'My good sir, what are you asking?' demanded one of them.
'Only to… I'm asking, as I was saying…' my brother seemed now quite lost for words.
'What my brother is trying to say – forgive me brother if I speak in your place, but I see you're overcome with emotion before these two nymphs,' Blaise added.
The ladies looked at him, awaiting.
'My brother's speech is quite ornate, in the style of Homer, or the Greek poets of antiquity. Mine is modelled after the style of the English, who are more direct.'
The two women were quite lost now at this remark.
Blaise then continued:
'What we're trying to say, my dear ladies, is that we now want to see,' here he paused, then raised his voice, and added, 'you pussies!'
The ladies laughed at this.
'You asked us here, and we thought your motives honest,' one said.
'But, see?, we have nothing to hide ourselves,' Armand interjected.
The ladies looked down, and they saw that he had extracted his penis from his trousers.
'Oh, good sir, it is only fair that, if you show us that thing of yours, we lift our skirts too,' the other girl said.
She stood up, on unsteady legs, and, turning her back to the company, lifted her dress and showed her buttocks to the company.
Everybody laughed again.
Blaise unbuttoned his trousers and asked the other girl.
'What about you? We're all showing our natural virtues, but you are still shy, while I am certain you have the prettiest gift of all.'
The girl giggled:
'My honoured host. I fear to show you what I have, but, if you lift my skirt, I will not protest.'
Blaise gave her a look and slowly walked up to her. Then, he crawled under her skirts.
'Oh, Gods of Olympus, what a sight, my lady!' he cried from under there.
The girl began laughing and squirming:
'You're tickling me! Ah, knave, I protest: I showed you my furry pet without expecting it to be petted so.'
The woman fell on the floor, twisting and turning, as my brother kept insulting her modesty in that way.
Armand clapped his hands and spoke to the other girl:
'What beautiful company we have tonight. I propose we lose our clothes, now.'
She agreed and complied quickly, so eager was she to be pleased.
'Brother, brother!' Armand called out. 'No time for games.'
Blaise emerged from under his girl's dress.
'Brother?' he asked.
'We are gentlemen,' Armand said. 'We will proceed in an orderly fashion, as it's suitable to such an occasion.'
Everyone laughed, as the debauchery they had began didn't fit such high words.
Armand ordered both girls to disrobe and to lean with their hands on the table.
'We want to admire you, dear ladies. Quick, for our fire is now raging.'
The two girls complied. They had lithe bodies with beautiful shapes. In that position, they slightly spread their small and firm buttocks for my brothers to admire two beautiful pussies covered with fine fur.
My brothers knelt down and probed them with their fingers.
'You're wet, madam,' Armand said.
'You're soaked too,' Blaise echoed.
One girl replied:
'It's the watering that precedes a great appetite.'
The other too spoke:
'We ate very well, so our bellies our full. But we have other organs that need filling.'
Armand and Blaise began now licking those rounded forms with great relish.
The girls laughed and gave small cries at this.
'Dear ladies,' Armand now said, 'tonight we are serving a new menu, and we will not repeat the simple diet we have enjoyed in the past.' He then turned to Blaise who was not sure what design our brothers had in mind. 'My dear Blaise, watch me and do as I do. I have a great invention that nobody at this table has tasted yet.'
He then stood up behind his girl and put his gland against her anus.
'Good sir!' she protested. 'I know what you work with, and I feel my field is unsuitable for such deep plow.'
Armand then replied:
'I thank you for the compliment, and I believe that the difficulty you have brought up is the very reason why we will both enjoy this activity greatly. Let me help you with some lubrication.
Armand reached for some oil and lubricated the girl's asshole, stretching is with two fingers.
'See brother, what a good host I am? I don't want to hurt these pretty ladies.'
Then, Armand, reached towards the other girl, and oiled her asshole as well.
'I believe we're both lucky. I couldn't choose which hole I prefer, and I'm glad you got to enjoy such delicacy along with me,' he told Blaise.
'My good friend,' the other girl said with much happiness to her friend, 'we cannot offend our guests: see what courtesy they use with us? I believe we can only aid their efforts by opening up and allow their passage. We can console ourselves by touching that tender bud that nature has put within our flower.'
'You spoke very well,' Blaise said to his girl, and, in imitation of his brother, he too put his glans against the tight hole of his companion.
Armand caressed the buttocks of his girl:
'Do as your friend says. I'm so eager I cannot wait much longer.'
She began touching herself with one hand, while my brother began his operation.
'Oh, my! Is it all in?'
Armand replied:
'Only the helmet, but the rest of the soldier is still awaiting permission to enter.'
'Oh oh oh,' the girl sobbed, 'it seems too large for me.'
'I will wait while you get used to it,' Armand said.
To maintain his hardness, he was stroking the part of his penis that was still outside.
The girl was touching herself and, as drunk as she was, it didn't take her long to find pleasure in that activity.
'I believe this is a rare delicacy,' she said. 'I didn't believe there was much to it, but now I can tell it's indeed a new and interesting game. Please, my friend, show me what more you have to gift me.'
Armand pushed the rest of himself in.
The girl cried out loud moans, now protesting, now begging for more.
Meanwhile, Blaise had begun penetrating his girl.
'How do you feel, my dear?' he asked.
She was too much inebriated and answered:
'Fuck, fuck, fuck…'
At the same time, she was gently pushing in small bursts against Blaise's cock, that was entering one inch at a time.
'Brother, you were not mistaken! This opening is tight and warm, and I think it will come greatly, such is the pleasure of this novelty.'
Armand looked over.
'She has a very nice ass,' he said to Blaise, 'you are very fortunate indeed. You will see how eager she will become in a minute.'
With this, he spanked Blaise's girl in the ass.
She shrieked than laughed.
'You're lucky, sir, that I have this dick in my ass. Otherwise, I will respond to this insult.'
Blaise too slapped her now.
'Oh! You too!' she cried.
'I believe she likes it,' Blaise said.
Then, he slapped her again.
'I believe I do indeed like it!' the girl said.
Armand was now pushing back and forth into his girl.
She was crying out in delight, now used to this treatment, and indeed relishing it.
Blaise was reaching with one hand over to his girl's pussy and was titillating her.
She kept her legs spread apart, eager to offer good access to those tender parts.
'You're making me come!' she cried out.
Blaise, spurned by this comment, pushed even harder and deeper.
'Ow ow!' she cried out, 'That thing of yours is so big inside me!'
'You seem to like it more inside this tight hole than the front,' Blaise replied.
'What discovery I've made today! Oh, I was created a whore… I must be fucked to be happy,' she said.
Both girls were now crying out in delight.
Blaise girl now spoke again:
'I believe you might release soon. I crave to taste it, please finish in my mouth.'
Blaise was about to pull out to please his companion in such fashion, when Armand stopped him:
'Brother, don't you know that the greatest pleasure comes from pouring your juices inside a woman without fear of fathering a bastard? Isn't that hole the sweetest you've ever fucked?'
Blaise smiled at this comment and redoubled his effort:
'You're right brother! I have never felt such pleasure before.'
'Then take this,' Armand said, offering him a chalice he had picked from the table. 'You will give your lady a drink worthy of a queen.'
Blaise fucked his girl hard with a few more pushes. Then, he cried out:
'I'm coming inside this little slut's ass!'
'I too have come, but I have been promised a drink for my thirst,' the girl replied.
Blaise pulled out of her, then he squatted behind her and put the glass right under her ass.
'Open this hole for me, my good lady.'
She straightened herself and, with the aid of her hands, she parted her butt cheeks.
'How it flows,' Blaise cried, 'It is more than I had expected.'
Then, he poured from a bottle, mixing semen and wine in the chalice.
'Drink, my lady, drink!' he said.
The woman laughed out greatly at this proposal. She brought the glass to her lips, and the liquor soon disappeared down her throat.
'I believe I'm still thirsty,' she said, now looking at Armand, who was still inside the other girl's behind and was pushing in strong swings.
'Presently, my lady,' he said.
With this, he came inside the other girl's ass. He quickly extracted his cock and moved the other girl's face against his companion's asshole.
The thirsty girl put her lips around the still greatly dilated and reddened anus and began sucking with loud noises.
'Oh, the things you do to me!' the girl who was being sucked said. 'But…' she added, 'my friend, you're not just drinking. I can now feel your tongue inside me!'
The other girl didn't reply but spread her friend's butt a little more to have better access to it.
Armand walked closer to the partner he had so thoroughly service up until then and offered his dick to her for some cleaning.
The girl gave its tip a little lick.
'Oh, what meal you're serving us,' she laughed, and without further hesitation and soon forgetting her surprised at being licked by her friend, began sucking it with great relish, so that its full length was now swallowed into her mouth and throat.
'What whores all fine ladies are, dear brother,' Armand said to Blaise.
Finally, the four lay on the carpet, exhausted from these activities.
The ladies, paired between my brothers, spoke to each other of these new discoveries and how they had both enjoyed them, despite their initial apprehensions.
'I believe that place too is made to be enjoyed,' one said.
'Indeed, it is,' the other replied.
The gentlemen said nothing, but, in their contentment, occupied themselves with fondling the two women's small breasts.
When they were ready to retire, the four got dressed, rather clumsily, with Blaise wearing Armand's shirt, and one girl hopping about as she was missing a clog, and they left the room. As they did so, the four of them noticed I was sitting on a chair. In their stupor, they didn't seem too embarrassed at seeing me still there, and they all wished me a good night.