Charles Augustus Fenton. Alana Whiting

Чтение книги онлайн.

      The sun blazed merrily above me whilst I took the arboreous walk towards school. The peaceful leaves danced gracefully around me, almost begging me to climb their trunks. But I walked the mile to school determined not to be distracted. I was a soldier who had experienced pain like no other, and, with my chin jutted out and my chest puffed, I was prepared to become a man. My father would be proud to call me his son. I had erred, this was true. But I had taken my punishment and now it was time to move on and put it all behind me. The sooner this day passed the better.

      Meg had offered me an old nappy to pad my bottom for sitting on the class chair. But, being the man that I was, I declined. Pain was what I deserved and it would be good for me, I thought stoically, imagining myself in full army regalia standing proudly on a mountain with the wind sweeping through my hair. No Fenton would EVER lower themselves to returning to a nappy when times were tough. I sniffed. We were made of sterner stuff.

      So I strutted to school and proudly ignored the whispering of the girls as they glanced over at me. I showed the boys the red marks as they oohed and aahed at my seemingly cavalier attitude. I regaled my friends with the thrashing I had received, whipping them into a frenzy about the monster that was Mr Brown and how I had barely flinched when he had beaten me. Mr Brown transformed into a spitting horned demon with rotting foul breath, who, try as he might, could not break my spirit.

      They swallowed it. And I had transformed to hero status. I was in full swing when regretfully Mrs Pompour rang the bell to start class. They patted me on the back with admiration and we walked to our seats.

      I eyed the rigid seat with some concern. Now that Master Charles Braggart Fenton had spun his piece, there was no turning back. If I hadn’t been such a blabbermouth, I could have sat on the seat and let people know how much it hurt. But now, I was considered impervious to pain, and a rock. The slightest sound would lower my standings that I had built up to so covetously. Clenching my teeth together I dropped cautiously down onto the seat and held my breath. I dared not utter a word, knowing my friends were watching with bated breath and praying that before long the lesson would start so their attention would be placed elsewhere. My prayers were answered and Mrs Pompour tapped the blackboard to begin.

      I quietly breathed out and surreptitiously wriggled my buttocks from side to side throughout the lesson. Leaning forward onto the desk helped but it needed to be discreet or I would be caught out. I looked at Lily and her sister from time to time and re-considered my thoughts of the fairer sex. They were far more trouble than I had originally thought and it might be best to steer clear of them for the time being.

      Walking home after school, I considered the fastest way I could redeem myself in my father’s eyes. Though I had a lot to do with Mr Walton our farm manager, I felt more at home with Jack the stable hand and instinctively drew myself towards the stable to discuss with him – man to man – some potential ideas. He always made me feel welcome and let me currycomb the milder horses when my father wasn’t looking. I didn’t usually bother him straight after school but I was anxious for his wise counsel. Nearing the building I heard a feminine voice and moved to stealth mode to investigate inside.

      I sneaked behind a hay bale and peered down to see Jack speaking to Meg and was about to halloo when I realised they seemed closer together than would seem proper. I watched interestedly. Jack was shifting a strand of Meg’s hair back behind her ear.

      ‘Meg, you look as handsome as ever. I didn’t think I’d see you today and it made me so wild. I can’t seem to keep my hands off you.’

      ‘I can’t be long, Jack. Charlie will be home soon and the mistress grows suspicious.’

      My ears pricked up at the sound of my name.

      Jack look deflated. ‘So we’ll just have a chat then?’ he asked.

      Meg hesitated. Jack noticed the indecision and pressed his advantage by kissing her lingeringly on the cheek and then her lips. I screwed my nose up at this disgusting display but kept watching.

      ‘Well…I shouldn’t really, Jack. We don’t have much time,’ she offered.

      He nuzzled her neck and whispered in her ear. ‘We best get moving then, love.’ And he picked her up and placed her on a bed of hay. She giggled and quickly unbuttoned her pinafore to expose a milky white breast. Jack chortled with glee and began sucking her pink nipple making her moan. I sat dumbfounded wondering what to do. I thought only small infants needed breastfeeding СКАЧАТЬ