Chapter 1: Lady Dunsay

Lord Charles Dunsay's wife was a fine looking woman. Although many thought the Right Honourable Dunsay had gone slumming, there was no doubt she was 'a fine piece' as the tommies would have said during the Great War.

Lady Katherine Dunsay lay under the covers in her frigid bedroom cursing the late lord silently. Charles, you would have probably got yourself killed by now but you would have relished taking it to the Huns one more time.

She hadn't bothered with starting a fire even though it was a cooler autumn than usual. The war effort was in full swing and she knew wood was hard to come by, although not so hard to come by if you were the mistress of the Dunsay estate.

Katherine arched her back, stretching, enjoying the feel of the silk across her full breasts. Her nipples, already peaked from the cold, became harder at the slight contact.

No, it isn't that kind of wood that I am missing, she thought with a smile. Lord Charles Dunsay had passed away three years ago to a sudden heart attack at the young age of forty-nine. He had been a decorated veteran of the Great War being a young Captain and fighting in the trenches at the Somme. They had met on one of his leaves in London and spent a couple of sex filled days holed up in a seedy hotel room.

Katherine's mind played over those days now, feeling a deep itch begin in her moistening sex. She had been almost ten years his junior but was by no means inexperienced. Even so he had shown her a thing or two between the sheets.

Her hand quickly moved down to her increasingly wet quim, imagining Charles preparing to enter her with his lovely cock. Teasing herself and lubricating the tips of her fingers she slowly worked two fingers between her labia and down to the opening of her pussy. Moving her other hand down she matched the rhythm of her fingers' penetration, coaxing her now stiff clit towards an orgasm.

Getting closer, she heard footsteps creaking up the manor's main stairwell. Oh bloody hell, not now! Katherine gasped trying to get herself off before...

The old wooden door of the master bedroom creaked open and Katherine dipped her legs back straight from their bow-legged stance as Bertha her maid entered with a steaming bowl of water.

"Sorry, mum, the boiler is down since Jack couldn't find any heatin' oil ... Should I come back missus?" Bertha was a plain faced thirty-something with plump features; she was half way to the lavatory when she had noticed Katherine's flushed features.

Damnation! Not even a decent climax this morning. Katherine stealthily adjusted her hand positions under the covers of the four poster antique bed. "That's fine, Bertie. Just leave the water in the loo and I will be down for breakfast in a bit."

"Yes, mum. You really should use the hearth, or you will catch your death from cold." The maid glanced back with a bemused look as she exited the bedroom closing the door.

Katherine contemplated finishing what she had started but the cold had finally got to her. What you need is a nice stiff prick! Jumping from her massive bed and fleeting warmth she quickly discarded her nightgown, tied up her long red locks and washed herself as best she could with the bowl of warm water standing in the iron bath tub.

Her thoughts ran to the sexual as the water cascaded down her large breasts and over the matted red hairs of her pussy. I wonder if Bertie has been with a woman? The maid had been at the manor for only a couple of years but she was a hard worker and although her work clothes covered it, she seemed to have rather nice curves if somewhat plump.

Katherine had only been with another woman once, back before she had met Charles, during her school days. It hadn't been bad but nothing would replace a nice hard cock in her mind. But desperate times call for desperate measures, she thought. Men are rather scarce these days. Finished with the water she patted her slender body down with a soft towel and sat at the bureau to do something with her hair. She looked at her reflection judgmentally placing a hand above one breast and eyeing it critically. Charles had been fond of her long nipples and smallish pink aerolas. The thought of his coarse tan hands cupping her pale breast and tweaking the nipple brought a smile to her face for a moment.

"Perhaps I will spend some extra time around the house staff and see if there are any that would enjoy serving the lady of the manor in a new fashion." She said to her reflection with a smirk. Passing the hairbrush through her blazing red hair she noticed it wasn't as dark as it used to be, noting the locks that had faded to a coppery orange in places and here and there a strand of gray had had the temerity to show up.

She quickly applied some cosmetics after pinning her hair up at the nape of her neck, making sure that the dark eye liner made her cornflower blue eyes stand out. Make-up was hard to find these days but like most items affected by the war effort her station made them easier to obtain.

After pulling on some thick stockings, knickers and dark brown riding slacks that fit particularly snug around her bottom she finished with a warm blouse gathered at her waist and buttoned up to her chin. She wrapped herself in a shawl and headed downstairs for breakfast. Katherine usually took breakfast in the kitchen area, the dining room was large and pretentious and especially this time of year — draughty.

As she headed down the servants passage to the kitchen she could hear the maid's giggles and a phrase stopped her short. Did Maggie just say 'large whanger'? Katherine stood silently in the dark passage, the acoustics allowed the conversation in the next room to be heard quite clearly.

"Oh yes, Sarah said she saw it quite clearly, as big as a horse's, she did." Katherine recognized Maggie's voice. Maggie was quite fetching, with dark curly locks cut above the shoulder and greenish-hazel eyes. It amazed Katherine that such an innocent looking young lass could be talking this way.

"The rumour I have heard," Katherine crept closer as the voices dropped an octave or two. "He fancies his sheep; buggers them he does!" Katherine's eyes widened at the last part, she pegged the voice as Bertie's. They could only be talking about Johnny Cork, son of the late William whose family had leased the north-western pasture for as long as Katherine had lived here. Katherine knew they raised livestock, mostly sheep.

"Don't be daft, Bertie. A sheep's cunny is much the same as a woman's." Katherine didn't immediately recognize this third voice but she assumed it was Lucy, a blonde in her twenties that had been working at the estate longer than Bertie.

"And how would you know that, Luce?" This comment coming from Maggie wasn't meant as a challenge. Lucy was known to be rather free with her feminine charms or at least that was the gossip that Katherine had heard.

Katherine rounded the corner as Lucy finished her sentence, Maggie and Bertie saw her immediately but Lucy had her back turned.

"Men fuck anything that lives and breathes, as sure as the sun sets in the west. And me brothers had that bit of information, wouldn't surprise me if it was from personal experience."

"Morning, ladies." Katherine entered the room nonchalantly. Maggie's lovely complexion was turning an alarming red as she tried to stifle a giggle.

"Good morning, mum," Bertie managed while immediately busying herself with some eggs and the usually imperturbable Lucy seemed to have a slight blush as she excused herself from the kitchen on some chore or other.

"Breakfast in the conservatory?" Maggie still hadn't lost the flush to her face but managed the query without another giggle as Katherine made her way through the kitchen.

"Yes, Maggie. Thank you." Katherine was known by her staff as very kind and charitable. It was when she had hired on Bertie that it was brought to her attention that some of the staff were taking liberties and that she should show a more firm manner, but it had never been her style.

Charles, you were always the disciplinarian, a smile crept to her face as she sat down at the iron table in the conservatory. Was it here or the dinning room that Charles had bent me over and thrashed my naked bottom with a riding crop?

Katherine looked out at the grounds which still looked very green this early in the fall, the numerous panes of glass were beaded with moisture from the cool air and the glass ceiling showed low ominous dark clouds. She did enjoy having breakfast here but she supposed it would be too cold soon. She clutched the shawl around herself as Maggie arrived bearing breakfast on a tray.

"Please, join me Maggie." Katherine gestured to the chair across from her own. "We haven't talked in a while. Any word from your brother?"

Maggie looked a little flustered before sitting down. "Maybe just a spot of tea. Thank you, mum." Katherine noticed a blush in her cheeks as she poured tea from the silver kettle to the china. "From the last letter he was still in North Africa, but my da' thinks he might be in Sicily."

"You poor dear, you must worry so." Katherine buttered a muffin and poured herself some tea. The butter was fresh churned at her dairy, a part of the Dunsay holdings.

"So how are our 'red caps' in Cuckfield doing these days? Any particulars you fancy?" Katherine sipped her own tea enjoying Maggie's reaction to her question. As expected the mention of the Canadian Army boys quartered in the nearby village caused a lovely pink flush to creep up Maggie's neck to her prominent cheekbones.

"Uh, well." Maggie managed to set down her trembling teacup before spilling it. "They don't seem to stay billeted here for any length of time, missus." Katherine couldn't help but notice what wonderfully shaped lips the young maid had. A marvellous natural pink they are!

Katherine returned her smile, "If I am not mistaken by that gleam in your eye there are a few that have struck your fancy. Please, do tell." She kept her half-hooded eyes on Maggie as she sipped her tea.

"Oh there really is nothing to tell, mum. Although..." Maggie's lovely green eyes lost focus, remembering something.

"Spit it out then, please. I could use a nice bit of romance." Katherine spoke after wiping a slight smudge of butter from her full lips with a linen napkin.

Maggie returned the smile and took another sip of tea as if trying to delay her story. "Well there was this one — a Richard Henley, everyone called him Rick or Sarge."

"I see from that blush he must have been quite handsome." Katherine gestured with her tea cup.

Maggie lost her reticence the more she talked about the Canadian. "He had sandy blond hair and these flashing blue eyes that you could lose yourself in."

Katherine finished her muffin and grinned wickedly at the girl, "So what did he look like out of his uniform?"

"Lady Dunsay! What kind of strumpet do you take me for?" Maggie looked genuinely surprised by the suggestion. But then her demeanour changed to a remorseful one. "He shipped out last week. He was very kind, once he gave me some lovely wild roses. All the lads are nice, they always trade us for the milk even though we would gladly give them what we could spare."

"I am sorry, Maggie. He sounds like a lovely chap." Katherine's blue eyes turned thoughtful as she brushed a scarlet lock back behind one ear, "I was thinking Maggie, I haven't really needed a chamber maid but lately with the house being so cold and Bertha having to look after her ageing mother in the evenings, would you like to stay on some nights?"

And would you mind placing your lovely mouth between my legs? Katherine's face remained completely neutral as the lewd picture played out in her mind.

"I would have to talk it over with my family, mum. There are some chores that I do on the farm in the mornings."

Katherine couldn't tell whether the idea appealed to the maid or not. "I would of course up your salary and we could spruce up the side bedroom upstairs. Just let me know tomorrow if your parents acquiesce."

"Of course, mum. Can I clear your breakfast?" Maggie stood and placed her own saucer and cup on the silver tray.

"Leave the pot, Maggie. I will have a spot more tea. Thank you."

Katherine enjoyed the warm black tea while watching the grey clouds gust past the moist windows of the conservatory. There was a definite feel of autumn and the cold made her feel much older than she wanted. It made her want to get out and do something. I think I will get some exercise in. A bike ride sounds brilliant.

After gathering some warmer outer-clothing and wrapping a scarf around her neck, Katherine was headed out the main entrance of the manor when Bertha intercepted her. "Excuse me, missus but Jack wanted a word with you."

Infernal man, what could he be bothering me about? Jack was the dairy foreman and responsible for maintenance and generally keeping the place working.

Katherine turned trying not to scowl at the man standing in the entry way between the manor's main foyer and the hall to the kitchens. John 'Jack' Hendrick wasn't much to look at, although less than five years Katherine's senior he appeared to be at least a decade older. His face was weathered and lined from so much time spent out of doors and he seemed to always be looking towards the ground at a person's feet.

"Lady Katherine. Sorry to bother you, m'lady." Jack always seemed to speak to her with respect while at the same time ogling her body from the neck down with a much less reverent attitude.

"Yes, Mr. Hendrick. What is it?" Katherine tried to keep the irritation from her voice as much as possible. Jack had on more than one occasion propositioned her in less than discreet terms after Charles had passed away and sadly Katherine had actually entertained the idea once or twice if only out of desperate sexual frustration.

"It is about your brother-in-law, the one that posted a letter about his son -- Lieutenant Gavin Clark I believe his name was. He says that he is being shipped out sooner than expected and would like to know if his son can come earlier than you had discussed." Jack's gaze for the first time actually moved above her bosoms to make slight eye contact before slipping away south again.

Katherine had lost contact with her extended family a long time ago. Her older sister, Elizabeth had basically raised herself and Katherine from a young age. Their father had skipped out when they were both young girls and their mother had drunk herself to death over the decade that followed. Not long after Charles and Katherine had married and moved to the estate Elizabeth had showed up looking for a hand out. That was the last Katherine had heard until this last summer when Elizabeth's husband had called informing her that she was an aunt and that Elizabeth had up and left them both quite some time ago.

"Make the arrangements, Mr. Hendrick." Katherine tried to avoid Jack's gaze. He had a lazy eye in addition to his plain features, including a balding head surrounded by greying bristles of hair and beard. "And make sure that one of the ground floor bedrooms is cleaned and made usable -- was there something else?" Katherine noticed he was still rooted to the spot as she turned to go.

"One other thing, m'lady." Katherine thought she detected a slight smile at the edge of his mouth as she turned back. "A Land Girl has been assigned to the dairy; there is the matter of her billeting."

Because so many young men had been conscripted and otherwise lost to the war effort, the Women's Land Army had been formed to replace labourers. Katherine herself had thought of volunteering during the Great War before Charles had swept her off her feet. "Oh, what's the dear's name? You can put her in the servants' out building with Sarah and Mary. Is the heating stove stocked with wood?"

"Of course, missus. Her name is Anna Brown, not sure where she is from -- my lady." Jack turned and headed back towards the kitchens. Katherine noticed his limp had worsened probably because of the colder weather and somehow felt slightly guilty that she didn't have one jot of sympathy for the lascivious scoundrel. She cleared her throat loudly.

"Excuse me, Mr. Hendrick." Katherine couldn't help the slightly imperious note that tinged her voice. He stopped and turned towards her.

"Sorry, m'lady. Was there something else?"

"I almost forgot, but I was going to ask you about the heating oil? When do you expect our boiler to be up and running?" Katherine raised one auburn eyebrow at him.

"Oh, yes. Sorry, Lady Katherine. I am doing my best but there simply is a shortage as you can imagine. It will probably be a few days."

"Very well. That will be all." Katherine turned and headed out the door, she didn't have to look back to know Jack's eyes were riveted to her arse.

As Katherine fought the chill breeze on her way to secure her bicycle from the detached garage she wondered what it would be like having a nephew around. She supposed the poor dear would need some extra emotional support being motherless at such a young age and now losing his father for a period of time. She supposed at one time that Charles would want a family but it never happened, though not for lack of trying. I guess my mothering skills will finally be put to the test. Thank you sister Elizabeth!