Anonymous - Venus in the Country

For a moment or two, it seemed to him that she relaxed. His lips swam in the wonder of her own, and then, with increasing desire, he squeezed her bottom tighter, the entire warmth of her womanhood appearing to him but a blatant invitation to put her promptly over his desk and have no further nonsense from her.

However, Geraldine thought otherwise. The pulsing rise of excitement within her was wicked and had to be stilled, she knew. Thrusting him away, she turned about, fumbled with the door and sobbed, “Oh no! Not even if you birched me!” and was gone, thereby leaving Thomas to tremble mightily lest she run immediately to Adelaide. To his relief, however, naught but a silence came, save for the occasional chattering and giggling from his daughters somewhere beyond. The whole damned tribe of them ought to be birched, he thought grumpily, and nursed his stiff frustration with a fretful hand as he gazed out of the window upon his estate.

Therefore, when Pamela duly arrived the next morning upon the hour of eleven, there was much excitement and interest while her trunks and boxes were unladed, for Sir Richard had not been ungenerous with his gifts. Having learned the ways of the gentry, Pamela waited not to see them being unloaded by footmen and houseboys, but repaired immediately to the study of her employer, who greeted her in such a fond manner that she knew herself well at home.

Terms being first arranged, as was her practical nature, Pamela then waited to hear whatever she might be asked, for questions about herself always intrigued her and she loved to consider her answer slowly before replying.

Thomas Tomkins, however, seemed pleased enough with all he saw and what he had already heard. There only remained the little matter of anything else she might need, he said.

Pamela had little need to consider that at leisure, for it was a simple one. She had left Helen, Miranda, Lavender, and Mary all perfectly satisfied and knew that she could do the same thing here.

“My needs will be simple, Mr. Tomkins,” she said. “Beyond my fees, there will be an allowance, the amount of which we can settle later when you know better the results of my work. As to other things, a few exercise books-for all your children must do their lessons-and, ah, yes, a birch. Or two, perhaps, for there is not always one to hand when one most needs it.”

“Yes, ah, yes, a b… b… birch,” Thomas stuttered, quite beside himself. “I will procure some without delay-this very day, in fact.”

“Please do-and now I will go and introduce myself to the girls,” Pamela said softly. Her hips gave a slight waggle as she departed, and Thomas Tomkins gazed after her with awe.

By Jove, he thought, Adelaide had been right. They would get on very well.