Anonymous: A WEEKEND VISIT

'Now my darling, good-night!' I said finally and drew Helen tenderly to me.

'Good-night, my darling, darling Jack!' she murmured as our lips sought each other-'Oh! how happy you have made me!' and passionately she kissed me, then rose and led me to my door, as she had to lock it after me. 'Sleep well, my darling!' she added archly-'do not forget that tomorrow night you have to violate Alice!' I laughed, gave her a final kiss and thus we parted.

And so ended our first evening at The Nunnery.

We all met at breakfast next morning, the ladies looking radiant; Helen and Maud's faces wore a look of happy satisfaction, while Alice was a veritable blush-rose. After the usual bright meal Helen disappeared to her boudoir to write letters, and Maud adjourned to her bedroom for mysteries in millinery connected with a visit she was about to pay. Alice confessed to having no plans; to me she seemed nervous and preoccupied, her thoughts no doubt reverting constantly to her coming ordeal. Since I arrived and had been told of the wonderful and almost incredible thing she was willing to do, I was most anxious to get her by herself for a little so that I might let her understand how I appreciated it-but no opportunity had been vouchsafed; and so I decided to monopolise her all the morning, for I felt morally certain that she then would be all the happier when she was made over to me that evening in Helen's room-and to that end I suggested that I should take her on the river till lunchtime. Delightedly she accepted the proposition, and soon we were in the boat and off, she in the stern seat with the tiller ropes and I on the rowing thwart, in easy chatting distance of her.

She had on a walking dress-and what between the lowness of her seat and the shortness of her dress, more of her shapely legs and slender ankles cased in dainty stockings were visible to my delighted eyes than she quite approved of; and she strove by sundry tugs and readjustments to lessen the exhibition-but without success. I watched her in amused silence-and when she resigned herself to the inevitable and resumed her usual pose on the stern cushions with slightly heightened colour, conscious that my eyes were admiringly dwelling on her pretty extremities, I frankly laughed out loud and said chaffingly, 'Well, you are a funny girl, Alice-why are you so unkind this morning in the matter of showing yourself to me, when you were so sweet and kind last night, and are going to be so again tonight!'

Alice coloured deeply, then laughed in pretty confusion and said, 'Places and surroundings have to be considered, Jack, my dear-I am quite sure that you would not like me here now just as I was last night!'

'Wouldn't I!' I rejoined ardently-'when we get to that little sheltered backwater on the left, I'll row in, so as to give you an opportunity of changing your attire!'

'You're very considerate-and I'm much obliged to you, Jack,' she replied, laughing merrily and apparently quite at her ease with me-'but I'm afraid you must deny yourself the…may I say, pleasure!' she added archly.

'Well, I suppose lovely woman must have her way! At all events we'll go in just the same,' I replied with mock resignation. 'Steer in, dear, and take us right to the end, in the thick of the trees.'-and soon we found ourselves in a delicious nook and in absolute privacy. I tied the boat to a convenient root so that we could not drift, then I squeezed myself into the stern seat by Alice's side (she sweetly making room for me) and slipped my left arm round her waist.

'This is very romantic!' I remarked softly as I drew her to me-'will not the poetry of the spot tempt you to become a wood nymph?'

Alice laughed gaily and shook her head. 'I never went in for theatricals, Jack,' she rejoined.

'I'm not asking you to do so now, dear,' I replied-'theatricals mean dressing up, my suggestion implied the very contrary!'

She laughed merrily, then nestling close to me she whispered gently, blushing divinely, 'In less than twelve hours you'll see what you wish, Jack, won't that do, dear?'

I clasped her tightly to me and made her shift herself on to my lap, then I kissed her passionately. 'My darling!' I whispered, 'I was only teasing you!…And are you really going to be so sweet and kind to me tonight as to give me your…maiden self!'

Alice smiled tenderly and gently nodded her head, her eyes looking lovingly into mine. I kissed her sweetly and gratefully and for a moment or two our emotions enforced silence.

Presently I whispered, 'Tell me, darling, do you really wish this? Are you really willing to…lose your virginity, your maidenhead?'

A vivid blush suffused her cheeks-for a few moments she was silent and I could feel how she was trembling; then she murmured with deep emotion, 'Had anyone else…been suggested, I would have said indignantly, No!…No!…No!…but to you, Jack, I say, Yes!…Yes!…Yes!…'

I was too moved to speak…I could only kiss her sweet lips over and over again-and she could read in my eyes my emotion. Helen's chaffing remark that no one but myself would ever win Alice flashed through my brain-and an overwhelming desire to reward in the one and only right way Alice's love and trust, as evidenced by the wonderful sacrifice of her virginity that she was willing to make, surged through me.

I held her to me more closely than ever, and looking straight into her loving eyes I said softly, 'Darling, you rebuke me! You are willing to surrender to me a girl's most precious treasure, and to give it to me freely and without regard to your future happiness. Will you let me do what I can to ensure that happiness to you? Alice, my darling, will you become my wife?'

She gazed at me in absolute wonder, her eyes widely open in startled surprise; it was clear that she could not believe her ears. I smiled tenderly at her and whispered, 'Would you like to hear it again? Alice darling, will you become my dear little wife?'

The look of startled surprise vanished-in its place came a simply wonderful smile-she caught her breath-her eyes filled with happy tears which however could not put out the love-light that was in them-her lips parted, and she murmured brokenly, 'Oh! Jack!…Jack!' as she clung lovingly to me.

I bent down and kissed her tenderly on her quivering lips, and said gently, 'That means "Yes"…Oh! my darling!…my darling!' And for a while we remained silent, our eyes looking into each other's and brimming over with love.

Presently Alice whispered with a curious smile, half-anxious and half-roguish, 'Jack! what about tonight, darling?' I laughed, she also after a moment's hesitation. 'We had better let the arrangement stand good, darling,' I replied, 'we must think of Helen and Maud, for were it not for them we should not now be…sweethearts!' (she kissed me delightedly). 'We must not disappoint them. I don't think we will tell them anything until after…after.' Alice blushed vividly and kissed me sweetly, 'after you have tasted Love's raptures in my arms. You're happier now about it, eh darling?'

'I'm yours now entirely and absolutely, Jack,' Alice murmured gently, her eyes full of love-'I'm your happy sweetheart now-I'll gladly be your mistress tonight, and your little wifie as soon as ever you like. So do just what you like with me and to me!' and she smiled lovingly and trustingly.

I kissed her gratefully, and a sweet idea came into my brain; and with a mischievous smile I said, 'I'm going to take you at your word, darling!'-and slipped my right hand under her clothes, arresting its movement upwards when it got to her dainty knees.

'Oh, Jack!' she exclaimed as she started up hurriedly and strove to defend herself, at the same time laughing merrily at her discomfiture and the way I had turned her words against herself. I looked smilingly at her but kept my hand where it was on her knees.