Rogeringham

She turned to me and kissed me - once, "Thank you for making me a woman." Twice - "I love you, William." And the third time - because of the pleasure it brought, "It is SO much better than doing it yourself!"

I could not help but smile at the way this had all fallen out. Obviously, I had not set out to make Charlotte my lover, but, I thought, it would be a shame if this was going to be the only time that we made love. My sister was a delightful fuck, even now she was peeling back the blankets to expose my shrinking prick.

Taking it in her hand she toyed with it, moving so that she could see it clearly.

"When you shoot, you're quite copious, aren't you?" She asked, touching herself as she compared the mess that covered both of us.

"I have not spent these last two days." I told her.

"Can you do it again?" she asked hopefully.

"Not immediately," I said, as she wiped her hands on my chest, "I need some time to recover."

Charlotte gave a little moue of disappointment.

"Truth be told," I observed, "It is getting late anyway, and we should sleep."

Charlotte nodded, as she traced the shape of the scar on my side. "You are correct," she said wistfully. "But I see that I will have to negotiate an agreement with mama."

"For what?" I laughed.

"To arrange with her that I can loan you on occasion." She said simply.

"And it matters not, that I am the duke and your lord? Do I not get a say in this?"

"Oh no William." She told me, with an amused smile. "None whatsoever."

"And when you marry?" I asked. "After all, that is the ultimate goal in all of this, how will you proceed then?"

"IF I marry, then I shall simply arrange to visit you and be unfaithful to my husband, and cuckhold him." She laid her head upon my chest, whilst still toying with my cock, in her warm hand. "Though to be honest I am actually reconsidering the idea of marriage. If I can find such pleasure at home, why leave?"

I could hear the jest in her voice and brought my hand down loudly on her exposed round bottom cheeks.

"OW!" Charlotte exclaimed in mock indignation. "Why did you do such a thing?"

"Merely exerting my authority as the head of the household. If your wish is to be part of my seraglio, Charlotte, you must learn discipline suitable to your place."

My sister grinned at me, and said "Yes my lord, yes my master." Her lack of meekness and sincerity was plain to see. I kissed her again.

9. Onward

I had moved back to the couch in the early hours, so that when the maid knocked with hot water for washing, all appeared as it should be, and Charlotte's dignity was preserved.

During breakfast I called for Hopley, and he told me that the rain, which had been quite ferocious during the night, had abated but that there was still a great deal of standing water about. We should be able to proceed, he told me, but we would need to be careful in places.

And so it was that we continued our journey. We set off through Aylesbury town, and as Charlotte and I talked, we found the brougham frequently slowing to a walk, and in one case because the road was partly washed away, Hopley asked us to dismount. He and Henry drove the short distance along what was left of the roadway, which was quite narrow for the wheelbase of the brougham. Then when it was safe on the other side, Charlotte and I easily walked the same path - a couple of yards - before re-mounting the carriage.

The inn had packed a hamper for us, and while it was a cold meal, it was excellent fare, and apparently Hopley and Henry also had had some food packed for them as well.

I was thinking about the night before, and enjoying the recollection, when I saw Charlotte watching me.

"What are you thinking, William?" She asked.

"Oh! Nothing much." I told her. "Except one small thing ..." She was intrigued.

"I just wondered how you know so much about love-making and so on."

"But yet I was still a virgin?"

"Precisely!" I told her.

Charlotte rummaged in her bag and produced a small book, in a plain leather cover.

"Catullus?" I was surprised. It was a Latin text by the Roman author Gaius Valerius Catullus, a collection of his poems. My sisters and I had all learned Latin when we were younger, but I had never read anything by him, having studied Caesar's Gallic Wars myself.

Charlotte took the book from me and turned to a page.

"I will sodomize you and face-fuck you," she began, translating the text to English from Latin, as she read.

"Bottom Aurelius and catamite Furius,

you who think, because my poems

are sensitive, that I have no shame.

For it's proper for a devoted poet to be moral

himself, [but] in no way is it necessary for his poems.

In point of fact, these have wit and charm,

if they are sensitive and a little shameless,

and can arouse an itch,

and I don't mean in boys, but in those hairy old men

who can't get it up.

Because you've read my countless kisses,

you think less of me as a man?

I will sodomize you and face-fuck you."

It was bizarre indeed to hear my sister read this aloud.

"And how did you come by this?" I asked, still bemused by the lewdness of the passage.

"It was among some books that I found some years ago, I think father had put them down and forgotten about them. It was, you will appreciate, an eye-opener to possibilities, even if there was little chance of exploring them."

"Until I arrived?"

Charlotte kissed me. "But we shared so much when we were younger, William, I was certain you would not begrudge me your assistance. There are so many opportunities to explore. Do you not think? Sodomy? Face fucking? It all sounds very interesting."

My grunt was non-committal. Charlotte's revelation certainly did offer some interesting possibilities.

More importantly, when I considered it, I further realised just how much had changed at home, subtle changes, almost secret ones, but changes all the same. And I had just been caught up in one of them. I have previously observed to you that my sisters were no longer the girls I had grown up with, and they had their own interests that I needed to understand. Obviously in this case, the nature of the changes was a bit of a surprise, but oh well, I thought, worse things happen at sea.

10. Rogeringham Hall

So it was, with Charlotte reading excerpts from Catullus to me - in Latin - that we arrived a day later than we had intended at Rogeringham Hall, in the county of Buckinghamshire, just after four in the afternoon.

The older parts of Rogeringham Hall - the west wing - date back to the days of Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth I. The principle rooms are grand in manner and yet comfortable. The eastern part of the hall was built a hundred or so years later, after the reign of Charles II and the growth in the family's fortunes. It is a house of which I have many fond memories, from growing up there and the games we played as children, riding in the great park and exploring all of the nooks and crannies.

My mother greeted me warmly and accompanied me to my room, where Barclay had laid clean fresh clothes out and was organising the hot water for a bath.

As I removed my travelling clothes, I sensed Helena wanted to say something. I stalled her by asking whether she and Barclay had discovered anything yet about Mr Dodgson. It had only been a day or so, so I didn't really expect anything but she surprised me by saying yes, they had.

First of all, she told me, the steward was not well-liked within and about the estate, and had angered many people with his authoritarian ways. She said that he often told people that he was acting in the name of the duke, and that his word was final. He had evicted several long-standing tenants, and brought in new people, many of whom he was quite friendly with. Instead of using local suppliers, he sourced things from as far away as Buckingham itself, or even further. Furthermore, he acted very much on his own, with no communication about decisions.

Although interesting, and quite informative, none of this was particularly heinous, everyone has their own way of working, but something about the man had upset enough people that it had been brought to my mother's ears in just the short time since her arrival.

I thanked her and went to go and take my bath. "Is there something else, my love?" I asked.

"Did you and your sister share the same room, last night?"

"We did," I replied, then asked her, "What of it?"

"It is ..." Helena stuttered as she sought the words. "She ... She looks ..."

I took my mother in my arms and hugged her to me. "I am going to be honest with you mother, last night I took Charlotte's virginity - at her request."

Helena's body went rigid in my arms and she looked up at me, aghast!

"But William, she is your sister!"

"And you see no irony in that statement mother?" I asked her, gently, "Three nights ago, you and I slept as man and wife, even though you are my step-mother. So, last night I afforded my step-sister the same pleasures as her mother.

"Charlotte and I have been close since we were children, and we have talked much since my return," I told her, then I explained how Charlotte had challenged me about treating her - and my other sisters - as girls, saying that I should instead treat them as women. I told my mother that I thought that she was right in this, and told her of the conversation we had had, and how it had led to us sleeping together.

"If my deep love for you is based on my being infatuated with you from an early age," I said, "Then my relationship with Charlotte is equally loving, but one based on our deep-seated friendship.

After a moment's consideration Helena shrugged, conceding that I had at least part of a good point. "But why?"

I kissed her, gratified that she at least kissed me back in return. "You would need to ask Charlotte what her reasons were. In our talks yesterday, she expressed a curiosity about sexual relations that would not be satisfied until I had shown her the same pleasures that you and I had enjoyed. She told me that there were few men in the world that she had sufficient trust in to assist her in this. It suited me to do it because she is both my sister, who I love very much, and my very dear friend."

By now Helena and I were sat upon the end of the great four poster bed in the master bedroom at Rogeringham. She seemed to have calmed greatly. There was still some tension, but she leaned against me as we talked.

"We talked much about it today." I said, "Charlotte has expressed her fears at being left on the shelf and becoming an old maid. She wanted to become a woman before she became too old."

"But what if she does marry? What about her wedding night?" Helen asked.

I laughed. Charlotte had crossed that bridge already. "There are many reasons why a woman might not have a maidenhood, as you well know. Riding horses here in the park, would be one reason." Charlotte's use of a dil doule was another.

"Tell me mother, on your first night with my father, how did you feel?" I asked, a question that is very rarely asked, I suspect.

"Scared," she admitted, "Very scared but also excited, that I was finally going to become a woman."

"And how was your experience?"

"I was filled with emotions," she said, "This was, after all, all that my life up to that point was about - when my husband made me a woman. So, I was excited to be making that step forward ..."

"But?"

"Also scared, because I had no idea of what to expect. Other than a few vague mumbles that my mother had given me as advice, I had no clue of what would happen, except that I was to lay there and let him take my virginity. Her advice on how it would happen was scant, to say the least.

"'He will enter you with his manliness' she had said, 'his pleasure is paramount' she said, 'there will be pain but it shall pass'"

"And how was it?"

Helena shrugged. "I have had more excitement," she said with a brief smile as she caressed my hand.

"Your father entered my room, complimented me on my beauty, and told me to undress. He left the room and when he came back, I was lying in bed, naked, waiting for him. He did not undress completely, stripping down instead to his shirt - I suppose I should count myself lucky that he took his stockings off for our wedding night. There were nights later on in our marriage when he didn't." Helena laughed at the thought.

"He climbed on top, and he shoved his prick in me. No kissing, not even an embrace, straight to it.

"Oh God, it hurt. I was a virgin, dry, and tight. It hurt going in, it hurt as he pushed through my maidenhead, and by the time he had finished pumping away, I was rubbed raw. I stayed in bed all of the next day. Your father thought it was because he had done such a magnificent job. It was actually because I could hardly walk because of the pain he had caused me."

"Yet you did it again?"

"And again, and again, and again. Because I knew no better. No one prepared me William." She explained, "No one told me what would happen." And at that point I saw that Helena was understanding my thinking.

"And there you have the essence of my thoughts, mother. I shall never forget my first fight. We were on Guadalupe and facing a large group of rebels. Up to this point I had been merely conducting drills, we had seen no enemy action whatsoever. They emerged from the woods in front of us, a solid, intimidating mass of men, all driven forwards by their drummers! They bore muskets but they also carried many of their large cutters, machetes. We waited for their first shots - which I knew would come. Then I jumped like a rabbit when our own first volleys were fired. I didn't know whether I was going to piss myself or what. Once the fighting began, I had no time to think, just follow the drills, as we were taught, but once it was all done, and we were safe, I realised that the fear had come from not knowing what was going to happen. At one point during the action, my lieutenant spoke to me - he said I looked at him like I was simple, uncomprehending. Such an experience is not uncommon, at least I was lucky that I was alive at the end of it to reflect on what happened."

"So how does this relate to Charlotte?" Helena still sounded sceptical, but I could also hear acceptance in her voice.

"Not just Charlotte, mother, but Margaret, Louise, Caroline and possibly even Hermione. More than anything, I suppose, I would wish to remove their fear of that first night, and show them what to expect, so that they might make their situation better for themselves.

"My experiences have led me to believe that virginity is a greatly over-valued currency - a willing and capable partner who knows what she wants, and who can give me what I want, is far more attractive than a trembling maiden. However, while many men share my feelings, I understand that many others do not. If my sisters wish to be rid of their maidenheads and be ready for their wedding nights, knowing what is to come and be better prepared, then I will assist them."

"All of them?"

"If they wish, I would not force myself on any of them. But I do not want my sisters to have to go through the kind of pain that you went through."

"But why?"

"Because, mother. Because when I promised you that I would help you to find husbands for my sisters if they want them, I meant it. But when the Rogeringham women descend upon the Ton for the next Season, they will not stand waiting for the enemy to approach, they will advance to the attack."

Helena looked at me for a few moments, her face a picture of confusion.

"We - you and I - we shall ensure they have everything they need - be it experience, advice, dresses or occasions. They will not go into this unprepared. Rather than being merchandise to be picked over, they shall be the ones doing the picking and choosing."

Helena's smile grew slowly. "That is why you've brought us here?"

I nodded.

"So that we can make ready?"

"Yes." I nodded.

"And not just so that you could sleep with your sisters?" She said slyly.

I laughed, and kissed her, "That was not a part of the original plan, but I shall not deny it, it is an attractive thought."

"Am I not enough then?!" Helena kissed me back, open-mouthed and hungry.

"Mother - you are an exemplar among women, and my love for you is a thing they will make stories about, but I also owe service to my sisters, as I have done all my life. In fact, it was you that told me that they were my responsibility as their elder brother."

"I did!" She said laughing. "I recall it clearly - you were seven and you took my words so seriously."

"I did." I said, "I still do."

Helena had removed my neck-cloth and opened the neck of my shirt and she was kissing my chest. "I am still not certain about this development," she said, "I fear it may lead to issues with suitors in the future."

"In that case," I said, "I shall simply challenge them, and if necessary ..."

"No!" Helena cried, "That will not do at all. I will not have you coming home from Spain unharmed, to lose you in a duel."

"I think you should trust my sisters." I suggested. "Did you know that Charlotte regularly uses a dil doule?"

Mother looked at me in surprise.

"She has an ivory phallus that she uses to masturbate herself," I explained.

"She does?" Helena was clearly surprised by this.

"Indeed. She said that she thinks that all of the girls indulge in activities like this, in some form of another, but she could not be specific because she does not know the details."

"Well!" Helena said in surprise.

"In fact, she said, and I am inclined to agree," I told her, "I suspect that there is a high probability that at least one of them has lost her virginity already. I would suggest that it might be better to think of it, less of deflowering my sisters, as more schooling them in the Art of Love."

Helena considered this carefully before she said, "Very well. But bear in mind - I am still the chief of your women and as such I shall demand the privileges that that position confers. All of your sisters are secondary to me."

"Yes mother." I responded.

By now she had the fly of my breeches open and was eagerly stroking my hard cock. "I missed this last night," she growled. "I missed it filling me."

Helena laughed at her own admission, "Just a week ago, if someone had told me that I would be deliriously in love with my son and his hard prick, or that missing just two nights of him fucking me would be the worst pain, I would have called them insane and had them banished to a bedlam hospital."

She pulled her skirts up and straddled my hips, rubbing herself across my erect shaft, moaning as she did so. However, as pleasing as that was, I was only half-inclined to start a full-blooded fucking session. I was aware that we were meeting for dinner soon and also that my bath water was getting cold.

I lay back on the bed and rolled to one side, depositing Helena onto the covers. I kissed her tenderly and bade her remember what she had been doing so that we could reconvene later.

My mother gave a little sound of disappointment, a mew, much like that of a kitten. It was adorable, but the servants had filled the bath and I did not want to have to wait while more water was prepared.

11. Preparing for the Winter Ball

Dinner that night, our first of the stay at Rogeringham Hall was more formal than we would normally observe. I wanted to make it an occasion, and the staff performed well to make it so.

After dinner I asked that we all gather in the sitting room and explained about the coming Winter Ball. I explained that I wanted a grand affair with all of the local dignitaries, and as many eligible young men as they could think of.