Chapter 4

Venerable Stables

Half the Holiday break was over and I had caught up on my stable work. Jennifer had requested some dressage training with the old horse, so I had my favorite and old Bess saddled and waiting when she got there. We went past the paddock to the open field. She was excited by the amount of horseback riding she had been doing lately. I practiced with her and corrected her where needed. But to try to get her to look stoic while doing well on a horse was hopeless. The girl just couldn't help grinning on the well-done parts or drooping when things didn't go right.

"Jennifer, you're just going to have to practice neither grinning or frowning in front of a mirror," I said laughing.

Finally after another hour of hard work, she was ready to call it a day. So we galloped the horses back towards the paddock. Just as we got there she appeared dizzy then slumped over the horse's back and slid off landing with a thud on the fence rail. Then she slid to the ground. I gave her a quick glance.

"Father, quick," I yelled, "Jennifer has hurt herself. Her thigh is bleeding."

My father came running as I bent down to look closely at her. "Where's the cut, Matt?"

"High up on the inside of her thigh. I don't see anything that could have caused a cut."

"Son, move back away from her and I'll go get Elizabeth. That's not a cut problem. I'll be right back." My father took off at a trot towards the main house.

I couldn't just leave her here bleeding with the horses milling around, could I. I quickly checked that nothing major looked broken then attempted to pick her up in my arms. The smell that I had learned to love and hate was suddenly overwhelming me. I lost all reason, and with trembling fingers I started fumbling with the buttons of her pants to get to her pussy. While I was pushing her pants down I was sucking and licking her stomach headed for paradise. I glanced up and saw that Jennifer was staring at me and mewling unintelligibly. The pounding on the turf told me that my father was coming back with Elizabeth. I didn't have time to do what I wanted to do.

"Thank God you're back, Father. It was close."

William had foreseen what was going to happen if Jennifer started her period as he had been expecting. He had reached the house and only yelled out a message, then turned and started back to help his son resist the urge. If they had both smelled her, he didn't know for sure that they wouldn't this minute have her up in the stable's bedroom. His own problem was a day-to-day fight to strengthen his will power to the point where he could freely go out in public. He wasn't sure he was there yet, and was reluctant to test it. Based on the condition of Jennifer's clothing and the wet marks on her stomach, his son had a ways to go yet.

Elizabeth knew exactly what had almost occurred the instant she saw her daughter. The blood and its location said it all. Now she had to act like she didn't know about their personal problem.

"Matt, go get the butler and the gardener. Now."

"William, go rig up a stretcher to take her to the house."

"Jennifer," she said quietly, when they were gone, "I know you're OK. I'll explain everything in the house, in your bedroom. I'll button up your pants for modesty. Just act faint for a little while longer and shut up."

William sat with Matt and listened as his son made what he thought was a full and honest accounting. He had explained fully his encounters with the girl, Janice, at school. He even mentioned his continuing relationship with her. William had no problems with a relationship as long as it was honest and above-board. William was also glad to hear that his son recognized how bad it could have been had she not been agreeable.

In his turn, William explained his constant efforts to gain control over his own will.

"Son, I truly think that our particular nature can be overcome with persistence. Successful resistance can make you stronger. And, believe me, we both have to work at it. Especially since both Mrs. and Miss Venerable are now, unknowingly, our worse danger."

"I'll really try, Father." I had fully intended to confess my relationship and encounters with Elizabeth, but I didn't. For some reason, intuition told me that more longer-term damage to every- thing would result from

disclosure. I sensed that my father was in love with Elizabeth although he had never said anything about it. Well, she was an already married woman of substance. That was deterrent enough.

Venerable Hall

Father and I were having dinner with the staff in the kitchen when the butler came in.

"Master Willets, Mrs. Venerable would like to speak with you in the library." The butler was always stuffy when he was passing on messages. Then, he relaxed. "I hope you're not in trouble, Matt."

"I hope not, too." I glanced at my father and left the kitchen.

Elizabeth was standing and looking out an open window towards the stable when I knocked on the open door and was invited in.

"Leave the door open and come over here by the window. I don't wish this to be a public conversation."

"Yes, Ma'am." When I felt the breeze coming in the window, I relaxed, a little.

"I'm going to assume that by now you realize what Jennifer's problem or injury was. I appreciate that you may have been trying to stop the bleeding. However, as I'm sure you can understand, I would take a dim view of hired help handling my daughter in an inappropriate manner."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"However, my daughter, before she was completely out from a sedative, mentioned that you had tried to kiss her without washing her first. Now, when you get finished explaining that, it had better make sense to me."

I took a deep breath and I felt the sweat pop out on my back and forehead. Well, shit. She'll either believe it or not. So I started at the beginning and explained everything exactly as it had happened. I left nothing out and didn't try to shift the blame to or from anyone.

Damn, thought Elizabeth, our upstairs fairy. It had the ring of truth that a boy Mathew's age couldn't possibly make up. She had always known of Emily's tendencies but had seen no real danger there. Now, she was going to have to do something about both her daughter and Emily.

"Did you and William enjoy watching my naked daughter cavorting on horseback?"

"No, we didn't watch. We hoped she would grow out of it quickly before she was seen by you or Mr. Venerable. She thought she hadn't been seen. We didn't feel comfortable telling her to quit doing it."

"When you kissed her three spots, did you enjoy that?"

"Yes, I did."

"That's all. I believe you have been honest."

Venerable Hall

"How very nice to meet you, Millicent," Elizabeth said.

"And you, Ma'am," she said barely lifting her head.

Lord Garth and his daughter had arrived unexpectedly and uninvited. But considering Adam and Jennifer's desire to be members of the hunt club, she had called them down to the parlor. Her husband, still in a rather formal robe, was with her. He was still not well, but had decided to come down earlier from his bedroom.

"Do you have a male guest staying with you here, Mr. Venerable, about your son's age?"

"No, we don't. But if this relates to the recent hunt, you may be talking about Mathew, our groom's son."

"Groom's son? Well, that would certainly explain a lot to me. Would you mind having the groom and his son come in so that I can speak to them. I'd like all of you here, if you wouldn't mind."

Elizabeth signaled to the butler, saying, "Please get them, and then you can go about your affairs." Damn butler would stay in the room if given half a chance. Nosey devil.

In a few minutes, Elizabeth made the introductions. Neither Lord Garth nor his daughter extended their hands.

"Is this the boy, Millicent?"

With a pained look on her face, she glanced again at Mathew and nodded, "Yes, that's him."

Lord Garth took a big breath and stared sternly at Mathew. "It's appropriate that everyone be here to listen to my words. I won't say anything behind someone's back that I wouldn't say to their face. Based on the evidence that I've been able to gather about my daughter's accident and the death of her horse, I'm accusing you, the groom's son, of molesting my daughter. In the commission of that crime and an attempted rape, you caused an accident that could have taken my daughter's life as well as causing the death of her horse."

"Fortunately, my cousin Colonel Smidge was there in time to thwart your attempt on my daughter."

"Is Colonel Smidge accusing me of this, Sir?" I said softly.

"No, It's my daughter, Millicent. Unfortunately, the Colonel left immediately after the hunt to re-join his troops in India. He's in the Bengal Lancers. Since he's on-board ship at this moment, communications with him will be impossible for several months. In that regard, you, young man, are very fortunate. If he had been here, you would be in jail now. As a magistrate, I know that it would be your word against my daughter's without his evidence. So, I have chosen, against my better judgment, but in accordance with my daughter's pleas for leniency, to not prosecute. Frankly, I think she is being too good a person in this matter. I hope we all do not live to regret it. There, you all know where I stand."

"Would you like to hear my side of the story, Sir?"

"You're a what? A groom's son? Someone who mucks out stalls. Against my daughter's word?"

"Would you like to hear my side of the story, Sir?"

"Oh. Very well."

"Your daughter was having trouble making the jumps and the other riders were passing her. A seasoned, more mature horse would have been a better choice for her. Since I was in the back, I moved into a position to watch her more closely. On the jump before the accident, her horse panicked on landing and broke stride. He was headed as fast as he could for the highest part of the next fence. Your daughter also panicked when...

"Impossible, boy, she's a Garth. Garths are horse people," Lord Garth yelled. I'll never understand why, but I was able to continue calmly.

... she saw where the horse was headed and kicked loose of her stirrup. She was coming loose if the horse made the attempt. And she could not control her horse to avoid it. I was just able to get there at the same time. When she came off, I was able to grab her. Her horse collapsed. Fortunately, despite the added weight, mine did not. As soon as I stopped, Colonel Smidge arrived and saw to your daughter. However, I need to add that when I pulled her off the horse, my hand inadvertently went up her dress. For that only, I am sorry. I would do the same thing, the same way, again, Sir."

"Impudent, impudent, impudent. I refuse to discuss this matter with stable help."

During our conversation, if you could call it that, there had not been a sound in the room.

"I'll take my son's word against your daughter's anytime, Sir." William said.

"God, the disrespect of these peasants."

"Since my own daughter will not press charges against this boy, then I leave it to the Venerables. Your son and daughter are provisionally accepted into the hunt club subject only to my perceptions about those they chose to associate with."

I saw the looks on Adam's and Jennifer's faces when they thought they had to chose between me and the hunt club. They were crushed by it but I was afraid they were going to chose me over their ideals of prestige. I decided to save them the embarrassment of choosing.

"With your permission, Father, I'll be living at the Bungalow permanently. That should satisfy the Lord's association problem. I would not want my friends to suffer because of me."

Elizabeth spoke up for the first time. "Under the circumstances, I feel it would also be appropriate that Adam move back into his frat house. Especially, since it's already paid for."

"And, the groom?" Lord Garth said, looking at Elizabeth but waving his hand in William's direction.

"Did he molest your daughter too, Milord?"

"No, of course not."

"Then I see no reason for him to lose his job. He's needed here."

"Very well, I'm satisfied that some semblance of justice has been achieved."

Elizabeth and the rest of her family waved as the Lord's grand coach rolled down the driveway. Then she walked with Edward back to the parlor. Both called the butler for drinks.

"Did you get a good look at Millicent while that conversation was going on. That girl had lied through her teeth about the reason for her accident. I don't think for a minute that Mathew caused that accident. He probably did save her life. She is