71. What transpired at Henley

"We arrived at Lady Dorrington's house just after noon on Monday," Helena began, "It is a very fine house, older than this one, but nicely done. The house is spacious and all of the rooms are well laid out. There are many couches and day beds placed about, it is very informal." This was very much Helena's manner, to lay out a story slowly and sequentially, furnishing all of the details. It would take time but we would arrive eventually.

"One thing that I did notice, was that the Dorringtons only have a few footmen, and they are only in the house when they are required to be - such as when they carried our bags to our rooms or when they move tables about. For the rest of the time, Elizabeth and Arabella are attended by maids.

"We assembled for dinner and I must say that Lady Dorrington has the most marvellous cook. The dishes were delicious and yet light. After dinner we repaired to the sitting room where we all sat and chatted over a glass of wine. Then it was suggested that we engage in a game of 'Questions and Commands'."

I laughed; it had been many years since we had played that as children. When we had played in the nursery at Rogeringham Hall, it had been quite innocent - one of us would ask a question and the person being questioned could either answer it, or if they did not want to answer, they could choose to perform a forfeit, a command set by the questioner. The commands would normally be physical tasks but as I said, completely innocent, the person being commanded would have to stand on their head or run around the stable yard or similar. With the Dorrington women involved, I imagined it would be anything but innocent, but I said nothing and waited for Helena to unfold her story.

"The maids were summoned and arranged the chairs and couches into a circle. Elizabeth was at the prime position with Charlotte on her left, Hermione, next to her and then myself. Arabella was opposite her mother and next to me. Beyond her was Caroline, with Margaret next to her, and Louise beside Elizabeth.

"We all chattered happily, sipping our wine and nibbling daintily on tid-bits that the maids had laid before us. I looked at the girls and wondered what would happen. I suspected that the evening would degenerate into lewdness quickly ..."

"And how did you feel about that?" I asked.

Helena looked at me and laughed. "I was nervous, but excited also. I suppose I was approaching it with my eyes open. You have shown me so much, and the biggest thing you have taught me - besides the joy of love-making - is an awareness of how much more enjoyment there is to life, and how to go beyond what would be considered 'normal' in pursuit of it. I had no fears for myself, I was ready for what might happen and to do the unusual."

I nodded, and smiled to myself, Helena had stepped away from herself and was embracing the adventure. "What about my sisters?" I asked.

"Your sisters I was not sure of. I thought that Charlotte and Hermione would probably embrace the experience. The twins might, but I was not certain of Caroline.

"So," Helena continued, "I suggested that if anyone wanted to remove themselves from the game at any time, no one was to pass comment. Withdrawal was always an option.

"Fortunately, everyone agreed to this, even Elizabeth and Arabella. In fact, Elizabeth commented that this was 'a game for enjoyment, it was not designed to be an ordeal.'

"With that agreed, and with everybody still seated around the circle, Elizabeth asked for a volunteer to take the first turn. But Hermione suggested that as she was the host perhaps Elizabeth herself would ask first and demonstrate the game."

I smiled, I know for a fact that Hermione knows perfectly how it is played, and said so.

"Indeed," Helena confirmed, "It was my impression that she was inviting Elizabeth to question her first. Instead, however, Elizabeth asked Arabella whether she would prefer to be questioned or commanded.

"And what did she say?"

"She took a sip of her wine and said that 'she would be happy to be commanded later', that she 'looked forwards to it', but for now, she said that she would opt for a question'.

"Elizabeth asked her if she knew a joke that she could tell.

"Arabella nodded and started to tell a story about a man who was seen with his stockings on with the inside outwards. When people asked him about it, she told us, that he said it was because he had a hole in them on the other side."

We laughed about it together, as had everybody else.

"Having answered her question, Arabella looked at me and asked which I would prefer. I told her that I would like a question and she asked me nearly the same as her mother had asked her, but she added that it must be about men and women."

"So, what did you say?" I asked.

"It was a story I heard many years ago, but it seemed suitable for the evening. 'A famous teacher of Arithmetic had long been married without being able to get his wife with child. One day someone said to his wife, madam, your husband is an excellent arithmetician. To which she replied, he is, but he is not very good with multiplying.'

"I admit that it was not uproariously funny but it started a chain of similar questions and responses. Eventually though, the challenge fell upon Charlotte and she told Margaret that she chose a Command.

"Margaret instructed Charlotte that she must drain her glass of wine and dance a circuit of the room."

I looked at Helena, "What a strange challenge!"

"True but it inspired a new round of challenges which saw all of our glasses being emptied and refilled and series of physical exercises. I myself had to dance with Elizabeth at one point."

"Who took the man's role?" I asked her.

Helena chuckled, "Neither of us did." She said, "We were both quite merry from the drink and neither of us could lead, though Elizabeth did take the opportunity to rest her hands on my hips and bottom, which she took great pains to stroke."

"Oh, really?" I laughed. "How did that feel?"

"Quite pleasant," my mother advised me, "She is very skilled and very sensual. She looked into my eyes, as we 'danced' and pressed her bosom against mine. She looked quite disappointed when we had to sit down again.

"The game continued, but now it had changed, it became so that whoever was challenged had to kiss Arabella. All of your sisters did so. Some with less enthusiasm than others but while I was not surprised by Charlotte, when Hermione kissed her, she did it with such enthusiasm I think even Arabella was taken aback."

"I decided that, at this point, it had been a long day with the travelling and I had had quite enough to drink and thus was done for the evening, so I went upstairs to bed."

"And what of the others?" I asked her.

"I found out later that the game had gone on for some time after. I am told that Elizabeth retired not long after I did, as did Caroline. The rest of them indulged in more kissing and eventually shed all of their clothing and danced around the place like a group of wood nymphs, while Charlotte - also nude - played the piano for them. I believe you will need to ask one of them as to what occurred after that."

That was something that I resolved to do, when the opportunity presented itself, but for now, I was content to listen to Helena continue her tale.