Chapter 1

As the dirigible sailed majestically over the lush countryside, I, Lord Gerald Sykes, scanned the landscape through my monocle before turning my attention to my fellow passengers. I sauntered to the bar and asked the steward for a G&T heavy on the gin.

Recognizing a familiar face across the salon, I approached the stunning blond seated on a divan reading a book. I saw that she was dressed very demurely in a very traditional Victorian fashion. A smile formed on my face as the sight of her dressed that way was a total contrast to her reputation.

She was strikingly beautiful. Long blond hair framed an elfin face, and striking blue eyes surmounted a pert nose and full sensual lips. Regrettably, her figure was hidden under all that unnecessary fabric that was the mode at court. Though the hint of cleavage was delicious and very tempting to both hands and mouth.

“Ah, Lady Felicia, how smashing to run into you up here. Did your husband procure tickets for this inaugural voyage?”

“He certainly did, Lord Gerald.”

“Less of the Lord drivel dear, we are after all somewhat related. Third cousins once removed or some bosh of the sort. And where is Lord pompous, your husband now? I don’t see him?”

“No, he had to remain in London. Parliament, you know.”

“How terribly boring. What brings you this way, Dear Felicia?”

“Her Imperial Majesty has summoned me to Balmoral, presumably to dress me down for my latest peccadillos. I think she took umbrage at the article that appeared in the press about the arrests at the gambling club, the hypocritical old biddy.”

“Tsk tsk. She is our Majesty, after all.”

“That she is and carrying out like a strumpet with her head gardener while forbidding her subjects from indulging in any pleasures. Not to mention how she treats her son Bertie.”

“Ah, true. I now remember that I did see you at one of his infamous parties at Sandringham. Unfortunately that night, I was called on a matter of state and could not join in the after-dinner festivities.”

“Well, that was certainly regrettable. I would have enjoyed your company that night.”

“You are too kind, Felicia. I will forever rue missing the opportunity.”

“Gerald, perchance, there will be other opportunities for you and me to catch up,” she said with a flirtatious smile.

A pretty girl barely out of her teens came up to us and smiled at me as she addressed Felicia. “Lady Felicia, I have placed your modern clothes and accouterments in a single trunk that we can leave at the railway station.”

“Gerald, this is Molly, my personal maid and friend,” she said with a smile. Molly, Lord Gerald, my something or other cousin.”

“Glad to meet you, Lord Gerald,” she said with a sweet smile.

“Likewise, Molly, and in private, drop the Lord stuff.”

“Oh, I couldn’t do that, Lord Gerald. It would not be fitting.”

“Do as he says, Molly,” said Felicia. “Gerald, I have an idea, would you consent to Molly accompanying you as I feel Balmoral would be more than she could bear? I understand you are going to Aberdeen. She could see to your personal needs.”

I looked down at Molly, who had turned crimson at her mistress’ words. She was a small redhead with a most alluring figure discernable under her bulky clothes.

“Well, Molly, which would you prefer, Balmoral and the Queen, or Aberdeen trailing behind me as I inspect the latest addition to her Majesty’s arsenal?”

“Oh, Lord Gerald...”

“I told you no Lord when we are in private.”

“Sorry ... Gerald, I would love to accompany you and provide whatever assistance I could.”

“Gerald, what are your duties in Aberdeen?” Felicia asked.

I struggled to frame my response as I dreamt of the type of assistance Molly could provide. Probably more pleasurable assistance than I could find in the local bars and taverns of the shipyards.

Breaking out of my reverie, I told Felicia that I was going to observe the progress being made on our new submersible dreadnought, the ‘Kraken.’

“I did not know such a thing was possible,” she said.

“Felicia, we live in a different age than did our parents. A few years ago, could you have imagined traveling in this luxury across the country? The threat made by her Majesty’s nephew, the German one was averted due to two things. The first was our superior military position, and the second was the diplomacy of Bertie with his cousin. Great things are happening and will continue to happen due to our British ingenuity. Two years ago, a steam-powered submersible would have been inconceivable.”

“Gerald, I think we are descending. I feel pressure on my inner ear.”

“Just swallow with your tongue forced against your palate that will equalize the pressure, my dear.”

“It worked! You’re a genius.”

“Well, I wouldn’t go that far,” I said, blushing.

We landed, and I escorted the two beauties down the gangplank. Parked a short distance away was a gleaming train of a type I had not seen before. An equerry came trotting across the landing field towards us. He came to a halt saluted smartly and said, “Lady Felicia, Lord Gerald, her Majesty’s compliments. Her Majesty requests your presence.”

“Me?” I inquired surprised.

“Yes, Sir. Lady Felicia, come with me, and I will get you settled in your carriage.”

I walked across the field, admiring the sleek lines of the royal train. It was mounted on rubber tires, and I could see the new steam turbine, which propelled it, exhaling a plume of white steam. The bullet shape must provide minimal air resistance. I wondered how fast it traveled.

As I approached, a door sprung open, and a liveried page motioned for me to approach. I climbed on board and was ushered into Queen Victoria’s presence.

“Your Majesty has requested my presence?”

“Sit, Lord Gerald. Tea?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Lord Gerald, I demand that everything you say from now on be said in absolute honesty. In turn, I will be equally open with you and demand your absolute discretion as to what we will be talking about.”

“Of course, Majesty.”

“Recent experiences have somewhat altered many of my points of view. I see that the aftermath of my husband’s death left profound scars on me. I became extremely authoritarian and repressive on many subjects, including sex and relations. I have made a decision to alter some of my views in this regard.”

“Really, Majesty?”

“Yes, really, and I would prefer you not to comment unless I ask you a question.”

“Sorry!”

“Have you finally grown up, and are you ready to settle down?”

“I truly have given it no thought, Your Majesty.”

“Well, I have. Your mission here is not a routine one. I demanded you be chosen for the assignment. You have been a faithful and devoted servant and certainly smarter than your superiors. I wish to elevate you to Ministerial rank as my head of innovation. For that to happen, you will have to be suitably married to avoid the pitfalls of a single life.”

“Me married?”

“Yes, you married. Now, what do you think of your traveling companion, Lady Felicia?”

“She is a charming and beautiful woman. However, she is already married.”

“If she weren’t, would you be interested?”

I was too stunned to verbalize an answer.

“Well, you will have a week to decide. I have already talked to the Bishop of Canterbury about having her marriage annulled. Her husband is a depraved pederast, and I believe her marriage was never consummated. The husband will be posted to the far reaches of the empire.”

“Now go and think about things. Lady Felicia will join you day after tomorrow after I have put the fear of God and the greater fear of displeasing me into her.”

“Thank you, your Majesty. I will give my total consideration to your proposal. I will get word to you as to my decision before I leave Aberdeen.”

“Do that, grandson.”

I felt very touched by that parting statement as she had never addressed me in that way. As a matter of fact, I had never gotten any acknowledgment of our relationship. I thoughtfully made my way off the train and walked to where the engineer sat at the front of the train.

I climbed up into his compartment and asked him to show me around. His evident pride in his train was infectious. I found out that it could travel at an incredible speed of 100 miles per hour when it had its head of steam. “You mean from Balmoral to here in less than a half-hour?”

“Yes, Sir,” said beaming with pride. “These here turbines are mighty powerful.”

I stored that fact in the back of my mind for future use should I be elevated to the rank of Minister of Innovation. Then glancing out of the glass cockpit, I spotted Molly standing in the field holding a parasol. I made a hasty exit and went to join her.

“Well, Molly, my excuses for having let you languish in this heat. Shall we go and find our accommodations?

“As you wish, Sir.”

“Molly, am I going to have to spank you before you use my name?”

“Sorry, Gerald, of course, should you wish to spank me that is your prerogative,” she giggled. “After all, my Mistress did say I was to provide you with any assistance you might require.”

I blushed violently at the thought of this vivacious young woman lying naked across my lap with her arse offered to me for my discipline. I hastily chased the thought from my mind as we stepped aboard an Austin Steamer vehicle.

“Where to, Sir?” The driver inquired.

“Take us to the Ardoe House,” I directed.

“Now, Molly, is this the first time in this type of vehicle?”

“Yes, Sir ... Umm ... I mean, Gerald.”

“This, Molly, is the wave of the future. Soon horses and horse carriages will be put to pasture. This type of vehicle will travel at many times the speed of a horse, make less of a mess and does not need to be fed.”

“Gerald,” she shrieked, “we are going so fast. Is this not dangerous?”

She had grasped my arm in hers, and I could feel the delightful swell of her breast against it.

“No, Molly, we are perfectly safe. See, we are already at our destination. We will go in and repair to our rooms and refresh ourselves. Then we will go out for a bite to eat.”

I entered and identified myself to the hotelier, who acknowledged my room reservation. I asked for an adjoining room for Molly and was told that it would be no problem. We were then escorted to our respective rooms.

I had just taken off my coat and shirt when there was a knock at the door. When I opened it, Molly stood there with a bewildered look on her face.

“What’s wrong, Molly,” I asked.

“Gerald, I think they have put me in the wrong room.”

“What’s wrong with it?”

“That room is not meant as servant’s quarters, Gerald.”

“Why not!”

“Gerald, that’s a room for posh people and not for the likes of me.”

“Don’t worry your head about it. Go and get changed. Do you have some of those modern clothes Felicia was talking about?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Wear those, please, I’ll be ready in half an hour. Will that give you time to get ready?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll knock on your door in half an hour. Then we will go and sup.”

I hastily took a bath and changed into different clothes. Feeling greatly refreshed, I took my walking stick and went to knock on Molly’s door. My jaw fell as she opened the door. The creature who opened the door bore scant resemblance to the young lady who I had seen earlier. Gone were the voluminous gown and corset.

She was clad in an ensemble made of a soft leather bustier and a matching skirt that revealed her enchanting limbs. The bustier lifted her small breasts, and the swell of those drew my eye like a magnet.

She had her hair done in a long plait, which was elegantly displayed over her shoulder and reached down to her breast.

“Is this suitable, Gerald?”

Tearing my eyes from her breast and looking into her green eyes, I mumbled, “Oh yes, smashing, my dear.”

Leaving the hotel, we strolled down to the Palace Hotel and Restaurant. I asked for a secluded table, and we were ushered to a table in an alcove where we would have some privacy. I ordered a magnum of champagne, and we scanned the menu, which the waiter left with us as he went to get the champagne.

I watched as she scanned the menu wide-eyed. “Anything strike your fancy, my dear? I asked

“Gerald, there are so many choices. My head is spinning. Why don’t you order for us both?”

“Fine, if there’s anything that does not suit you, please tell me.”

I ordered Pate de Foie Gras, Roast Beef with oven-roasted potatoes, asparagus with sauce Hollandaise. Molly smiled her approval.

“So, Molly, how long have you been with Felicia,” I asked.

I discovered that under subtle questioning, Molly had been with Felicia since her wedding and did not think highly of Felicia’s husband. She confirmed that he, to the best of her knowledge, had never consummated the union.

When I enquired how Felicia satisfied her female urges, she blushed and said that she could not betray her mistress’s confidences.

“Molly, I respect and applaud your discretion. Now tell me a bit about yourself. How did you come to your present position? I can discern from your manner of speech that you have had a good education. Your demeanour and manner indicate breeding. How did you end up in the position you’re in?”

“Gerald, it’s a long and sad story I’m also sure you can’t be very interested in how I came to be where I am. Mind you that I am quite satisfied where I finally ended up.”

“Come on, girl, you now have my curiosity aroused. Felicia told you to see to my personal needs. I need you to tell me all. I have my private reasons for asking, and they are not just prurient curiosity. Tell me.”

Molly lowered her eyes and almost became teary-eyed. Then taking a deep breath started to recount her tale.

“Gerald, you are right; I was not born to this station. My father is a wealthy landowner near Norwich. I was raised in a close and loving family. My father insisted I receive a good education. I was sent to an all-girls boarding school, which believed in teaching beyond the usual cooking, sewing and other housekeeping courses. So I learned reading, writing and cyphering. When I turned sixteen, my father sadly took me out of school as he had four sons he wanted to be educated and could not afford to put us in school at the same time.

“He urged me to go to London to seek employment. I soon found work as a junior clerk with a firm of barristers and solicitors. I had minimal contact with men up till then. One of the junior partners, the son of a senior partner, paid court to me. I was very flattered as he was a dashing figure, and I eventually succumbed to his advances.

“When his father discovered that we were involved, he was enraged. He went to the authorities and declared that I had stolen from the cash box. On investigation, they discovered the stolen funds secreted under my mattress. I was detained and brought before the magistrate. I had no defense except to deny the charges. I was sentenced on the spot to a jail term of five years or transportation to Australia.

“My father was devastated by this news. He pled my case with the Prince of Wales, who he had consulted for regarding the Sandringham farms. The Prince had the matter investigated. It was discovered that the informant who had told the authorities that the stolen money was under the mattress in my room was none other than the son of my accuser and my former paramour.

“The conviction was overturned, and I was approached by Lady Felicia at the suggestion of the Prince to be her companion.”

“So truth be told you are not her maid, are you?” I asked.

“Not really, however, it is a useful fiction.”

“Why would you need that fiction? Does it have to do with her husband?”

Under the effect of several flutes of champagne, Molly’s reticence had been, in large part, overcome. She blurted out, “The bastard.”

“My dear Molly, I concur with your opinion. He is despicable. Now tell me the truth about your relationship with Felicia. I presume you do more than have tea and read books to her.”

“Sir, I cannot enter into those subjects with you.”

“Well, Molly, why don’t I tell you what I believe the relationship to be? You two are lovers. Isn’t that so?”