A Match for Charles

Author's Note: This is a follow up to "A Convenient Measure", which told the story of Henry and Eliza. Please read that first if you want background on these characters. Also note that I wrongly placed that story in 'Erotic Couplings' instead of 'Romance' which is where it should have been, but I guess you can't change it once published.

Chapter 1

"Henry, Jr. you will eat your vegetables," Eliza announced sternly.

Charles marveled at the change in his sister. Since the awkward start of her marriage to Henry, she's become a mother and seems fully in love with Henry and the life they have together. He glanced over to Henry, his best friend of nearly twenty years, to catch him suppressing a smirk.

"Yes dear," Henry quipped. "Sixteen month olds are known far and wide for doing everything their parents tell them."

"You shush, husband. I have this under control." Beautiful, now matronly Eliza turned her attention back to her blonde haired son.

Henry stood up from the dinner table and sauntered over to the bar. "Brandy, Charles?"

"Yes, please," came Charles' quick response.

Charles Hanson had mixed emotions when he spent time with his twin sister Eliza and Henry since they've been married. On the one hand, it pleased him to no end to see how happy his two best friends in the world were. On the other hand, he was jealous of their closeness and it made him despondent that he didn't have the same thing. He had spent so much of his waking life with his sister Eliza that it was difficult to have a change in their relationship. They had always been close, which he supposed was normal for twins, but now that she had other duties, things were just different. He didn't blame her, of course, but he was forlorn nonetheless.

"Hey man," Henry asked. "Why the dour face? Is anything the matter?"

Not realizing how his countenance must be showing his inner emotions, Charles quickly brightened and, taking a drink of brandy, assured his friend. "Oh, 'tis nothing, dear friend. Just occupied with some work thing father and I have been dealing with."

Henry quirked an eyebrow, but said nothing. The rest of the evening was pleasant as always.

"You know, Charles," Henry stated as he grabbed Charles' coat, "You don't have to ride home in the dark. You can stay the night here. We have the room."

"Nonsense, Hank. Rosie and I know the way back well. And I don't want to intrude."

Eliza gave him a big hug. "Brother, you are family. You are never an intrusion."

"Well, thanks, but I'm quite looking forward to a little night time ride anyway."

After Charles was on his way, Eliza and Henry retired to their bedroom for the evening.

She was busy removing her hair pins and undressing when she called to her husband, "Do you think Charles has seemed out of sorts lately?"

She's still so captivating, Henry thought, as he caught sight of her slender legs rising up to her slightly curvy hips that had probably only gotten sexier after having her first child.

"Huh, what was that dear?"

"Henry Sewell, were you even listening to me?"

"Damn it all wife. How many times have I told you that if you try to hold conversation with me whilst you're undressing, I will nary hear a word?"

Eliza felt her cheeks color. Even though they've been married for almost 2 years and have been great friends for almost 20, Eliza was always pleased when she discovered that she still excited her husband.

She finished putting her night time clothes on and, sitting on their bed, she covered her breasts with a pillow, lest the sheen of the fabric not be enough to quell her husband's amorous longings.

"Dear, I was just saying that I think Charles has been out of sorts lately."

Suppressing his libidinous thoughts for the moment not to mention his growing cock, Henry agreed. "Yes, I have noticed the same. I think I caught him a bit on it tonight when you taking care of Hank, Jr. We were enjoying our brandies and I caught him looking quite morose when he thought I wasn't looking."

"It's unlike him to not talk to me about things," she lamented.

"Well, your relationship has changed lately."

"I suppose you're right, Henry."

"And I think that's part of what is going on with him, Eliza."

"Oh no, dear. Do you think I treat am differently now that I am a wife and mother?"

"Only as a natural consequence of being those two things. You are doing nothing wrong. I just think Charles sees what we have and wants it too. But, you know I don't think he has had a relationship with anyone since Isabel. What was that? Four years ago?"

"Yes, that's about right. I know he was heart broken when she broke things off with him. That was the first time he wouldn't confide in me completely. He's never been quite the same since."

"I agree." Henry looked over at his wife thinking that it was about time to remove that protective pillow when he noticed the look in her eye. Hesitantly, Henry asked, "Wife, what are you thinking?"

"Well. You know the ball is coming up and, with your connections, I thought you could line up some possible matches for him."

"That twinkle in your eye almost always spells bad news for me."

"Mishygoss, husband. Besides, this is for Charles not for you."

"As you wish, my dear. I'm certain I can get him an invitation."

"Come over here, husband." Eliza could no longer ignore the heat in her groin. Henry came over to her side of the bed in his night shirt as she sat up on the edge of the bed to greet him.

Sliding her hand underneath his night shirt, she traced from his muscular calves to his thick thighs up to his taut behind. Her hands then slid around to the front where his cock was almost at full attention.

"Now THIS, husband, is for you," Eliza purred as she lifted his shirt and took his cock into her mouth.

Henry groaned. "Oh, dear Eliza, you'll be the death of me."

Taking his hard, wet cock from her mouth momentarily, she smiled up at him. "Probably so, but at least you'd die happy."

Then she set out to finish what she started.

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Chapter 2

"Blast it," Charles thought. "Why must I be such a spoil sport? Truly, I don't want to be this way. Maybe I'm just destined to be alone. It was such a long time ago; why does it plague me still?"

Charles was barely nineteen the day the older lady came into Hanson's Shoe Emporium looking for a dress boot for an upcoming event. He was instantly taken with Lady Snodgrass' stylish manner and cute, upturned nose. Of course, he remained professional during his time helping her in the store, even if was difficult not envisioning her without her clothes. She was curt with him and talked down to him. At the same time though, he got the distinct impression she was flirting with him. She decided that nothing on the shelves would do, so Charles and his father set out to make a custom pair of boots for her.

He did indeed think of her sans clothing in his bed at night for many nights over the next few weeks. Even though she was probably over thirty years of age, she had a remarkable shape and was a truly beautiful woman with long black curls accentuating her other fine features. It was all a bit of fantasy fun, Charles thought. She would not really be interested in him, obviously. Add to that the fact that Charles was generally tongue tied around women excepting his sister, so he wasn't really thinking of acting on any of his nighttime fantasies.

When Lady Snodgrass came to try on the boots once they were finished, Charles was minding the shop by himself. The bell at the door dinged and her graceful presence entered the doorway. Charles tried to get any untoward thoughts to leave his mind while he set about helping the lady with her new pair of boots.

"Ah, hello again, Mr., uh, Hanson is it?"

"Yes, moth... Er, I mean, yes ma'am. Charles Hanson at your...your service."

She looked him up and down a little and proclaimed, "Well, I'm hardly old enough to be your mother, but, yes, I think you can service me."

Charles surely reddened in the face. "Well, we...we have the b-boots done. I, uh, assume you want to try them on."

"You assume correctly."

"Uh, follow me." The quicker he gets this done, the better off he will be, he thought. He grabbed the boots from their workshop and went towards the trial area. "Please take a seat," he said, indicating a heightened chair they use for people to try on shoes.

She sat down and raised her dress to an extent where he saw plenty of her shapely legs. She wiggled her foot. "Excuse me. In order to try the boots on, I believe you'll have to remove my current shoes."

"Yes, uh, right." Was it hotter than normal in the shop today? Charles sure thought so.

He fumbled with her laces, but finally got her shoes off. Damn, even her feet were pretty. He prepped the first boot for her foot and held it out for her to slide her foot into. Being that the boot was rather tall, she lifted her dress further. This revealed even more of her shapely legs and Charles felt a stirring in his loins.

Charles wasn't sure he could make it through this fitting!

"Oh," she purred much like a satisfied kitten. "That feels so good."

Sweating and shaking, Charles finally got the other boot on her foot and then laced up both. Lady Snodgrass stepped down and proceeded to walk around the store.

"Um, yes, very nice." She continued to walk around, then stopped in front of their full length mirror to admire herself. She pulled her skirts up to the point of going a full foot above the top of the boots, showing so much skin that Charles he might have a heart attack right then and there.

"Yes, these will do nicely I think."

After she sat back down, she once again pulled her skirts up, higher than she had before. He could practically see her inner thighs and Charles was having a hard time suppressing an erection.

"You don't think these boots make my legs look fat at all do you?"

"Oh, uh, yes. I mean no. I mean your legs seem fine."

"Charlie? May I call you Charlie?"

"Um, yes, I suppose so."

"Charlie," she asked as she grabbed his hands and placed just above her knee on the inside of her thighs. "Do you think my thighs are too big?"

"Um...um."

"Sometimes my husband makes comments about them. I admit I'm not as skinny as I once was, but I think these legs still look pretty nice. Don't you agree?"

"Um....um."

"Are you reduced to only that one word now, Charlie?"

"Um, I mean, no ma'mm." He started tugging at the laces. "Perhaps we should get those boots off and then I will ring up your purchase if you are happy with the boots."

"Oh yes, Charlie, I'm happy with, uh, everything I'm getting here."

After getting the first boot off, she placed her stockinged foot in his crotch. "Charlie, how old do you think I am?"

"Uh, ma'am, pardon?"

Pressing her foot further onto his now fully evident erection, she repeated, "I asked you how old do you think I am?"

"Um. Uh. Twenty-eight?"

She jumped down from the chair such that her sizable breasts were only inches away from his face. "Oh, dear Charlie, you are so sweet." She tipped up his chin, leaned down and kissed him full on his lips. He had never been kissed by a woman before. It was an almost even mixture of excitement and embarrassment.

"Charlie, I appreciate the servicing of my feet you have been doing today." She pulled him to his feet. Even though he was a good 5 inches taller than her, she still seemed in command. "But I could do with being serviced in other ways." She ran her hand down the length of his hardened member that was threatening to bust a hole in his pants. Charles literally had no idea what to do and was now sweating immensely.

Looking annoyed that he didn't do anything. "Dammit, Charlie, I want you to make love to me. Would you like that?"

Charles could only swallow and nod. She pulled him into the back of the store and pressed her huge breasts against him while she covered his mouth with a wet kiss. Charles stood lifeless even though his blood was pumping vigorously throughout his body. Indeed, his cock felt fit to burst.

"Dammit. I can already feel how wet I'm getting," she cooed. Spying a small work table, she went to lay on it. "Get your cock out, Charlie. You know what to do with it, right?"

Lying, he nervously nodded and followed her to table, astonished as she hiked her dress past her waist and bared her pussy to him. She rubbed at her pussy, the fleshly folds exciting him to a degree he'd never experienced before. As he stood their staring at her open and very wet pussy, she grimaced. She looked at Charles frustratingly, "Charlie, you put your cock in here," pointing at her magical opening.

Again Charles nodded and went to approach her, pulling his cock out as he moved closer. He was inches away from putting it in when he grunted, "Uggh, uggh."

He proceeded to shoot his hot liquid all over her inner thighs as well as her dress.

She laughed. And not just some little chitter. It was a full out belly laugh.

Charles colored greatly. "I...I'm so sorry."

She mocked his nervous voice, "I...I'm so sorry." She sneered, "Damn, it doesn't seem to matter what age they are, all men are pathetic."

She hopped off the table and pulled her dress down. "And dammit, you sprayed all over this nice dress. Do you know how much this costs? Hell, Charlie, you couldn't even last one minute. Pathetic."

She grabbed the boots and started walking out of the store.

Charles pulled his pants up and started to follow her. "But, I, uh, haven't rung you up yet. We're not finished."

She stopped and turned. She sneered at him, "Well you most certainly did not finish me, that's for sure. If you expect me to pay for these," she held the boots aloft, "after that performance, if one could even call it that, you've got some nerve."

With that, she turned on her heels and left.

"Dammit," Charles thought. "Now I will have to pay for those boots myself. There's no way I can tell father what really happened."

Charles had thought that the shame of that encounter would dissipate quickly and he would forget about it, but it didn't work out that way. It irrevocably changed him, made him nearly useless around women. He has only had sex twice in his life, even though he is now twenty-seven. And that was only due to Henry talking him into going to his gentleman's club and being serviced by the ladies there. But even that was a bit embarrassing and his performance was horrible. If they weren't professionals, he was sure they would have laughed like Lady Snodgrass had. Charles had steered away from women for the most part ever since.

His thoughts came back to the present. "Am I destined to be single my whole life? To never experience the joys of true love as is so evident in Eliza and Henry's marriage? Damn that woman! No, damn me!"

Charles did not sleep well that night. Perhaps tomorrow will be better, he thought as he finally caught some fitful rest.

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Chapter 3

"Henry, this will not do." Henry's mother had her high and mighty "but we're gentry" look on her face.

"Mother, this is the new country. Charles is a respectable young man with a good business that he will inherit from his father."

"A good 'trades' business," his mother countered. "He is not an elite and it would be an embarrassment for him and others is he were to attend the ball as an eligible bachelor."

"I'm not going to debate you on this, mother. I wasn't asking for your permission, but since I knew you would react in such a way, I thought it best to let you have your tantrum now."

"Tantrum? I would hardly call it that. Hmmpf. I seem to be the only one around her who recognizes propriety any longer."

Henry tried to hide his eye-rolling when he bent down to kiss his mother on her forehead. "Well, mama, I'm sure you will survive."

"Oh, don't worry about me Henry. Also, remember that your uncle and aunt will be here in 2 weeks. I want you to make time for them. It will be their first trip to America and your father hasn't seen his sister since we moved to America almost twenty years ago."

"I will, mama, and Eliza is looking forward to meeting and entertaining them as well."

On the short horse ride back from his parent's grand house to his more modest one, Henry couldn't focus on the beautiful Virginian day he was surrounded by. It was warm, but not hot. Trees were in full late summer color and the sky was a bright blue. No, all Henry could notice was how his best friend (well other than Eliza) wasn't doing well. He really couldn't fathom why Charles was so down other than what he and Eliza had surmised was loneliness. Would Charles take kindly to their interference? Charles was due to come for dinner tomorrow night, so they would put the question to him then.

---

Charles was not really looking forward to his dinner with his sister and brother-in-law tonight. It seemed as though being around them lately only caused Charles to become sad and he didn't know what to do about it. He desired to have what they have, but it just wasn't so simple for him.

Charles resolved to put on a happy face as pulled up to his friends large, if somewhat unassuming home. He couldn't be happier for Eliza. Knowing how she had loved Henry for years before the oaf finally recognized it, Charles was so very happy for her. The way fate intervened to circumnavigate Henry's idiocy to bring the pair together in matrimony was one of the happiest occurrences of their lives. He didn't want to do anything to intrude on that, so he must be happy for her at least, even if he could barely fight off his own despondency.

"Charles, you are looking well." At least his initial countenance had her fooled.

"And you are looking well, too, sis."

After the first course had been served, Eliza cleared her throat, "Mm-hmm. Charles? Henry and I have been speaking and we think it would be a great idea for you to attend the Fairfax Ball next week."

Charles looked in surprise at Eliza and then turned his eyes towards Henry, who pretended to notice something on the wall.

She continued, "Yes, well, we want you to be as happy as we are and there will be plenty of eligible young ladies in attendance."

Charles felt some nervousness coming on and answered accordingly, "I...I thought that only high class society were allowed at the ball."

Henry jumped in, "Only old fashioned people like my mother think that. Charles, you are a successful businessman who is set to inherit a nice business some day. You can provide quite well for a family. Besides, we're not trying to marry you off to a princess or anything."

"I don't know, guys..." Charles started.

"What's to know, Charlie? Don't you want to be married?"

"Well, yes, I suppose I do. But I don't have your smooth talking ways, Henry, or your wit and direct manner, Eliza."

"Oh pish posh, Charlie," Eliza countered. "You do fine in company and in conversation."

"Well, I get quite a bit nervous around members of the opposite sex."

Henry countered, "Just be yourself, Charles. You do that and you'll have to beat those women off with a stick."

They all laughed at that, but Charles doubted that. He knew where his insecurity came from, but he didn't know what to do about it. After the incident at the shoe store, Charles had mostly stayed away from women. That was until he met Isabel Francis. From the moment she came into Hanson's Shoe Emporium, he was smitten with her. She had curly blond hair, a shy smile and was nicely dressed and well mannered to boot.

Upon the family's second visit to his store, when only the mother and father were in the store, he gathered his courage during the time they were in the shop.

Just before they were set to leave, Charles swallowed and approach her father. "Mr. Francis, might I have a moment alone?"