Chapter 5

The evening of the day of Victoria’s chastisement both girls looked absolutely lovely at dinner and the flow of conversation showed no sign from either of the girls regarding the day’s events, but only discussions of how things could move forward. Aunt Lydia of course disapproved of business being discussed over dinner but the enthusiasm of the younger members of the family was infectious. After dinner Jake had a short discussion with his uncle before retiring to bed.

It was less than half an hour later that his door opened to admit Victoria, and Jake heard a distinct sniffle. She crossed the room and slipped into bed alongside him. She became a flood of tears and she just hugged him for several minutes.

“Do you still love me Jake?”

“Of course I do,” replied Jake.

“You hurt me.”

“I think I hurt your feelings about yourself more than your bottom.”

“You weren’t very nice.”

“No, but you need to learn.”

Victoria continued to cuddle into Jake.

“Make love to me Jake.”

Jake kissed her. Several minutes later he drew back.

“The most I will do is make love to you with my tongue, you’ll have to wait until we are all married for more.”

And so saying he slid down the bed and lifted her nightdress to give him access to her intimate parts. It took him a few minutes to bring her to her climax. He slid up to cuddle her. Shortly after she detached herself from him.

“I’d better get back, mama may come in and check on us,” she kissed him again.”I love you, Jake.”

And she was gone.

Since he had had no satisfaction Jake was wondering how he would get to sleep, when perhaps fifteen minutes later his door opened again. This time it was Caroline. She immediately slipped off her nightdress revealing a breathtaking beauty. The two sisters were only just over a year apart in age, and certainly different in colouring, but both of them were beautiful almost beyond description. Caroline slipped into bed with him, placing a small package on the night stand as she did so. She hugged and kissed Jake.

“You’ve had Victoria here,”

“How do you know?”

“I can taste her.”

“Oh! How do you know it’s Victoria?”

“Well how did you think girls relieve their frustrations when their man is away? But now he’s back...” she kissed him again, “there are things we can do.”

“She said your mother might check on you.”

“She did. She came into my room and asked about Victoria. I told her she was in tears and had gone to see you.”

“What did she say?”

“Nothing, she just looked at the ceiling and shrugged.”

She kissed her way down to his still erect manhood, which she proceeded to kiss, taking the head into her mouth.

“You know we can’t do more than this, you don’t want to get married with a bulging belly.”

“No need, Evie said we can make love another way.”

She reached for the package which turned out to be butter. She smeared some on Jake and then took a large lump and smeared in over her rosebud. Throwing one leg over Jake she positioned him at her rear entrance and began to drop down. Suddenly she dropped and Jake found himself deep inside her with a tight constriction around the base of his cock. She lifted up and dropped down again.

“It feels ... odd, hurts a bit.”

Jake reached out and started to rub her clitoris. She moved up and down whilst he did this, becoming more and more excited until she reached her climax. As she did so she squeezed Jake, who had been about to deliver his tribute, to the point where he could no longer do so. Caroline meanwhile almost passed out from ecstasy. As that happened she relaxed and Jake flooded her rear passage.

“Oh god,” she said when she was able to speak again. “That was fantastic, as I reach my peak I was squeezing on you with the muscles in my ... and the feeling was just ... just so much.”

“I did notice,” said Jake dryly.

After she left Jake contemplated the sisters’ differences. Victoria, so outgoing and daring was the one who needed cuddles and gentle treatment, and Caroline, who was more measured and thoughtful, was a tigress in bed. ‘Vive la difference!’ he thought as he drifted off to sleep.

The next morning the three of them arrived at work at seven o’clock which would generally be their normal starting time. Over the next few months the trio settled into running the business as the girls gradually became more used to the work. Victoria completed her introduction to the accounting side of the business and had learnt to control her temper, Caroline had shown a great flair for sales, and Victoria seemed to be able to buy at very advantageous prices. So the business was running well. They had received letters from Lady Bridget, who, accompanied by Brigitte would now be on her way home using the same route as Jake had done, but they would be stopping in Paris to see the latest fashions, and the bolts of cloth and other merchandise that Jake had purchased had arrived in London and were eagerly awaited in Bristol.

When Jake had written to Captain Pook he had invited him to visit Jake in Bristol should this be convenient. After the court of enquiry the captain wrote to accept the invitation and duly arrived in Bristol a week later. Jake was delighted to meet up with him again and the handsome captain was welcomed by the ladies of the household.

Jake and the Captain got on well, and over a postprandial brandy one evening he told Jake about the loss of the Aurora.

“It was just past midday,” he began, “fine, and with a good stiff breeze on the starb’d quarter, although the sea state was slight. We were carrying full sail, t’gallants and royals and I was considering stuns’ls. We were already making 19 knots, but that bit more, see what she’ll do ... you know how it is.”

“Indeed Captain, I remember, always good to see the ship doing her best.”

“I’d gone below to return my sextant and had just worked out our position when I heard one of the hands yell that there were breaking waves ahead. By the time I got on deck it was too late. Must have ripped the keel out of her and she was settling fast, sails and rigging tangled everywhere, but we managed to get the boats in the water and the passengers in them. There weren’t many fortunately. All the hands got away, and I checked that all were safe, and quite literally stepped up into a boat and the ship went down. I had a chart with me and it only took a couple of days to make Colombo. T’was a bad do, but we were lucky to save everyone.”

“And Mr Johnson, how is he?”

“Ah! He was a first class mate, and he took a shine to one of the ladies taking passage, a widow and most attractive, reasonable fortune too. She reciprocated, seemed well pleased with his attention and last I heard he decided to retire and is living in the city here, married to her by now I believe.”

“I’m pleased to hear of that Captain. He was very kind to me.”

“He wouldn’t have been if you’d not been any use. He could be hard on a man who kept making mistakes. No use for a man you can’t rely on, he always said, and I agree with him. It’s no small thanks to him that everyone was saved.

With everything working as it should, one morning Jake asked Caroline if she could attend to the requirements of three ships that had just docked. Jake suggested that she take Dennis, one of the assistants with her, as an escort and to write down any requirements. Jake meanwhile got on with sorting out some things to do with the new business. It was a couple of hours later when his office door was thrown open by Caroline.

With out preamble she said:

“Jake White, if you require me to whore for you would you please give me sufficient notice so that I may be correctly attired.”

And with that she swept out of the office leaving Jake open mouthed and Dennis standing with a look of shock on his face. Jake turned to Dennis and raised an eyebrow in question.

“The c, c, captain of the Marie Claire, Mr Jake, sir.,” Dennis stuttered sightly. “Captain Reynard, he, well, he made an improper suggestion to Miss Underwood, sir. I, I, I would have defended her honour sir, but she, well, she was straight in and she told him in no uncertain terms that she would not put up with that kind of behaviour, and if that was the way he did business then there were women on the quayside that she was sure other businesses would pay to provide him with company. And then I didn’t understand, sir, as we left she called him a cushion.”

Jake looked puzzled for a moment.

“Ah! Not cushion, Dennis, cochon, it’s French for pig! Well, well! Quite the firebrand, I’d have thought that was more like Victoria.”

“Yes, sir.”Dennis grinned.

“D’you think you can keep this to yourself, Dennis?”

“If you insist Mr Jake, sir.”

“But it’s a good story, isn’t it?” Jake mused.

“Everyone would have tremendous respect for Miss Underwood if they heard, sir!”

“Indeed they would. Right Dennis, off you go and get the orders for the other ships written up.”

Dennis left. He hadn’t been told not to tell, and a story like this would get out anyway, so he thought he might as well have the pleasure and cache of telling it. With respect of course.

Meanwhile Jake sat down and waited.

It took almost an hour before Caroline had calmed down and came into Jake’s office.

“That odious little man made a most improper suggestion! In front of Dennis too!”

“So I understand.”

“And what are you going to do about it? Or do you expect me to...

“Caroline, you are to be my wife, I do not intend to do anything except love and honour you. But with respect to the ‘odious’ French captain, what he doesn’t know is that he will have to do business with me. That is going to cause him some problems. Will you settle for an apology in addition to the problems he is going to have?”

Caroline smiled.”I shall have him grovelling at my feet.”

“Indeed, my love,” acknowledged Jake. He hesitated. “You seem well versed in some of the ... things that go on around the docks, my love.”

“What do you expect Jake? Victoria and I are around the docks all the time, and we are neither of us virgins any more, you’ve seen to that.” Jake decided that it was best to hold his tongue at that point. “Between what Evie tells us and our own observations ... well, we know what goes on.”

“I hadn’t thought.”

“No. We talk to the women too.”

“Really? Should you?”

“Why not? Victoria and I may be ladies, but we’re all sisters under the skin Jake. If you prick me do I not bleed? And we’re not going to catch anything by talking to them. Sometimes we give them a little money, a sixpence or sometimes a shilling. We know they will usually spend it on gin, but if it makes their life a little better...”

“You give them money! You’re not trying to convert them are you? Like all the Methodists and whatever?”

“No, Jake, most of them don’t want to change anyway. We talk to them. Most don’t mind what they are doing, and it’s better than the alternatives, in sweat shops or as drudges or washer women. Some don’t know any different. That’s just the way it is. I wish it weren’t, I wish they could all make love the way we do, none of them have ever experienced the things we do.”

There was a little irony in the last statement but Caroline certainly didn’t see it.

The following morning Jake could hear raised voices from downstairs, and a few minutes later there was a knock at his door and Dennis entered.

“Captain Reynard would like to talk to you, sir.”

“Ask him to come up Dennis.”

Jake stood as the French captain came into his office.

“What can I do for you Captain?” Jake asked the clearly unhappy Frenchman.

“Monsieur White you employ bewitching women to cheat a poor sailor. Yesterday, peut-être I make an erreur, but today, I am assailed by a veritable vixen who insists that I pay a ruinous price for merchandise that only you have, And there are other suppliers who will only supply me through you. It is intolerable. In La belle France we do not allow women in business.”

“Captain! I do not employ these ladies. Together with myself they are the owners of this business. You have upset Miss Underwood, and her sister, Miss Victoria is unhappy about this, as am I. Since I am affianced to Miss Underwood I may be able to have some little influence over them. Perhaps an apology Captain?”

Captain Reynard was unhappy at this suggestion but there was obviously no other way out if he was to replenish his supplies and take on a cargo.

A moment later, as if on cue, Caroline entered Jake’s office. Of course she had overheard every word since her office was next to Jake’s and there was an open hatch between them.

“Ah! Mademoiselle Underwood.”

“Captain Reynard,” Caroline acknowledged him as though the name had a nasty taste.

“Mademoiselle, Je suis désolé, I spoke out of turn and I apologise. Du fond de mon coeur.”

“Vos excuses sont acceptées Capitain.” Caroline confirmed, and swept out of the office.

She seems to be making a habit of that, thought Jake.

The French Captain agreed to the revised prices Jake proposed for his merchandise and Jake agreed to speak to other suppliers.

After Captain Reynard left Jake summoned Dennis.

“Get things going to get that Frog loaded, please Dennis.”

“If you’ll excuse my saying, sir, I think the men would prefer the instruction from you. They’re upset, sir, about Miss Underwood.”

Jake thought a moment, Dennis was probably right.

“I’ll come and talk to them Dennis.”

Jake went down to the yard where there were several loaded carts.

“Men!” he called. “Miss Underwood has accepted the Frenchman’s apology and we’ve secured a better deal from him, so I’d like to get him loaded so we can be rid of him. I don’t want any more problems. Now, no one says anything out of place, no laughing at the crew or the captain and there’ll be a bonus, we’ll all have a drink on the Frog.”

There was a murmur of assent.

“Aye, Capt’n” Jake heard one of the men say as they got to work. Where did that come from he wondered? Probably an ex seaman.

Jake’s Uncle John now seemed to spend most of his time in his room and Jake had taken over the study so that he could get some work done in the evenings when he wasn’t being interrupted by staff wanting this or that or seeing important customers. Except this evening was different because he was interrupted.

There was a knock on the door and Captain Pook appeared in answer to his call of ‘Come’.

“I wondered if I might have a private word Mr White?”

Somewhat strange, Jake thought, the Captain normally called him Jake.

“Of course Captain. Sit yourself down.”

The Captain seemed nervous.

“I’d feel more comfortable standing.”

“So what did you want to talk about, Captain?”

“Umm, your mother, Mrs White, Florentina. She is a lovely woman, very accomplished.”

“Well,” said Jake, “I’m not too sure whether a son should comment on such things about his mother. But yes, I agree with you.”

“I wondered if I might, umm ... pay court to her. With your permission, of course. I can support her in some style, I have a fair amount of money invested from trading, and I have been looking about and believe I can find suitable house and employment here in Bristol. She has indicated to me that she would find my suit acceptable, subject to your approval.”

Jake grinned as he stood, and came round his desk. He grasped the other man’s hand and put his arm around him.

“Captain, I couldn’t think of anything better, of course you have my blessing. Come, let us go and tell the ladies. Just one thing though. I’m always Jake, not Mr White!”

“And if we are to be related you must call me William,” said the Captain with a grin. “I don’t think you’d want to call me father.”

They went laughing to join the ladies.

Jake stepped out of his office one afternoon on his way to an appointment, and saw a topsail schooner being warped into a berth. She was a very fine ship and clearly not English built. His eyes took in the rigging, she carried a lot of canvas. He couldn’t quite see the ensign which was largely hidden behind the brailed mainsail. She swung to expose the transom, The Five Sisters, Boston. American, a New England built ship with very fine lines. A fast ship to be sure. He wondered what she was carrying.

On his way back an hour later he discovered what she was carrying. There were raised voices coming from the ship and Jake saw the head of the local customs officer coming up the companion way. He was followed by the skipper of the schooner who was remonstrating with the customs officer. The customs officer stepped onto the dockside in front of Jake.

“Good afternoon Major Humble,” Jake greeted him. “Problem?”

“Captain White! Good afternoon. Yes, damned Yankee tells me that his cargo has a ridiculously low value, can’t possibly be.”

“What’s he carrying?”

“Would you believe clocks?”

“Yes, I would. What value does he put on them?”

The customs officer named a figure. Jake thought for a moment.

“Major Humble, if the man will sell me the clocks for that figure then I would be importing them wouldn’t that be so.”

“Yes, it would.”

“And I would have a bill of sale to cover that, and you could levy duty on that amount. That would settle the problem, would it not?”

“Aye, it would.”

Jake went aboard the schooner and found the captain in his cabin. It took only a few minutes to settle the transaction and Jake found himself the owner of a couple of thousand clocks. He paid the duty later that afternoon.