Anonymous - The Secret Chronicles of Henry Dashwood, Vol. 1

Saturday, November 10th, 1895 (after tea)

However hard I try, I find it almost impossible to keep my mind off the forthcoming joys of tomorrow afternoon. This morning, I justly earned a rebuke from Mr. Hutchinson for my inattention in class. George was little better, staring out of the window instead of listening to Mr. Hutchinson's comments on the early political career of Mr. Gladstone. We were both lucky to escape a detention this afternoon and, as Mr. Hutchinson acidly commented as he gave us a 'wigging' after dismissing the class, we might have been heroes two days before for vanquishing our old foes from Beddinghurst on the football field, but we can not afford to bask in this glory and should treat this as a final warning to pull up our socks. After he had stalked out of the room, George grinned and said: 'Never mind him, Henry, roll on Sunday afternoon. There's no more classwork till Monday, so how about watching me and some other chaps tackle a three mile run round the grounds this afternoon? Bunny Hare is giving prizes to the first three home and I reckon I have a decent chance of coming in second or third behind Jimmy Peck. No-one will beat him over a long-distance race, of course, unless I can get someone to whack him on the knee just before the start.' Even if I had not made other arrangements, I doubt if I would have taken up his invitation, especially as the weather has been distinctly on the chilly side.

However, I was able to put on an expression of regret and reply: 'Sorry, old boy, I've already promised to go with Johnny to a meeting this afternoon. A party of girls from Sparsit's over in Westwell is coming over for a discussion on the responsibilities of modern society and it could turn out to be jolly interesting, if you get my meaning.

George chuckled: 'Very well then, Henry, I'll meet up with you and Johnny after tea.' The girls of Sparsit's School For Young Ladies visit us very rarely although we often see them taking the air on the heath. However, they are so well-chaperoned, that usually there is never even a hint of conversation, let alone any hanky-panky between us. Still, love laughs at locksmiths and, as my Aunt Augusta who spent several years in India, is fond of saying – after the drought comes the monsoon. If any proof is needed of the truth of this maxim, it certainly came this afternoon. It really is quite extraordinary because, for at least the past twelve months, I have thought of little else except about how marvellous it would feel to have my leg over with a Sparsit girl, if I may be excused the popular colloquialism. Now that dream has at last been realised and, all being well, my lessons in l'arte de faire l'amour will continue.

However, although I thought I might enjoy the lecture with the girls from the college, in my wildest imaginings, I never dreamed that I would sample the delights afforded by the soft, sweet body of Charlotte Harley of the Lower Sixth. Let me first recapitulate as to how this happy state of affairs was brought about. The charabanc from Sparsit's arrived punctually at half past two and after depositing their hats and coats with our domestic staff, the girls were ushered straight into the library where the lecture was to take place. Dr Muttley himself welcomed the dozen or so young ladies who had made the journey, along with their escorts, the strait-laced Miss Atkinson, the headmistress, and an attractive younger colleague, Miss Irvine, who teaches history and science. Charlotte Harley is surely one of the prettiest girls I have ever seen. She is, to the day, eight months older than me and will celebrate her seventeenth birthday in early February. She is of slender build and medium height and her pretty face is sheer perfection; her chin is charmingly dimpled whilst, when she smiles, her full, pouting lips open to give a glimpse of two rows of ivory teeth set in the rosy flesh of her wide, sensuous mouth. Her nose is of the Roman cast, her eyes a lustrous deep brown and all this beauty is set off by shiny, chestnut hair.

After the lecture, I ensured that I secured the seat nearest her table at tea. Until recently, I would never have dared to do even that, let alone open my mouth, but I now found I possessed the bravura to introduce myself and opened up a conversation with her. This boldness is quite untypical for, at heart, I am a shy young man. My confidence with the fair sex must have been boosted by the encounter with Lizzie Dickerson for soon, Charlotte and I were whispering animatedly like two old friends. But, out of the comer of my eye, I noticed that Julian Clayton was looking at me with a dangerous gleam in his eye. Unfortunately, he too had designs on the lovely Charlotte and could not have been pleased with the fact that, as captain of the school, he was placed between Dr Muttley and Miss Atkinson. I made a mental note to keep well out of his way in the coming week! At the same time, I smiled as I thought of how wonderful it would feel to caress Charlotte's full, swelling bosoms whilst she commented on the social and economic iniquities which could be laid at the feet of unrestrained monopoly capitalism. 'Do you not find this a matter of great interest, Henry?' she added. I murmured in reply: 'Oh yes, absolutely, I do so agree with you.' Two delicious dimples appeared on her cheeks as she smiled sweetly and wagged a reproving finger at me. 'Are you quite sure that you do? It seemed that you were paying little attention to what I was saying and, at best, heard only one word out of three.' I blushed scarlet with embarrassment as I made the most profuse apologies and asked her to forgive me, adding that I would have to admit that my mind had temporarily strayed elsewhere. It was then, as the Cockneys say, that you could have knocked me down with a feather, for she leaned forward and quietly replied: 'Indeed it did, and in my considered opinion would have been discovered between my thighs if that bulge in your lap is any guide to the state of your mental condition!' I was dumbfounded by her frankness, but Charlotte was far from offended by the tented erection in my trousers, for she slipped her hand down to stroke it and whispered: 'We have an hour or so before I have to leave. Can we slip away somewhere private where we won't be observed?' My heart began to beat faster and, deliberately raising my voice so that her chaperones could hear and we could not afterwards be accused of skulking away without permission, I asked Charlotte if she would like to see some fine paintings by George Moore in Trippett's Hall. This is a very public part of the school which I hoped would give the impression that we would never be left alone and thus gain Dr Muttley's approval. 'Thank you, that would be most agreeable,' she replied. Miss Atkinson's eyebrows shot up, but Dr Muttley had also heard me and, though her face was still clouded by doubt, when he whispered a few words to the fellow head teacher, she nodded to us: 'Very well, Charlotte, you have my permission to leave the table, but please be brief or the charabanc will leave without you.' Once we had left the room, I guided Charlotte straight down the corridor to Trippett's Hall. 'We'll just take a quick look at the paintings in case you are questioned when we return,' I said. Charlotte gave my arm an admiring squeeze and, with a roguish twinkle in her enchantingly large, brown eyes, she giggled as she said: 'My word, Henry, you're quick on your toes or perhaps you have escorted girls around the school before now?' 'No, you will be the first female visitor to my den,' I answered, holding her hand as we walked briskly towards my study. I hoped against hope that George would not have returned from his cross-country run. I crossed my fingers as I pushed open the door – and, thanks be, there was no sign of George who was, in all probability, larking around in the Fifth Form common room or attending the regular Saturday meeting of the philately club of which he is a member. Charlotte followed me inside and, after I had shut the door smartly behind us, the clever girl turned the key in the lock, then threw her arms round my neck and kissed me on the lips.