Chapter 21

Frank and Eleanor came with their children on the last day of December for what was going to be a brief stay as they had to depart on the second of January. Fiona also came to bring in the New Year with us and the children. They stayed up to see it in so not surprisingly it was almost lunch time before the last person rose and came downstairs on New Year's morning. Breakfast had been a very staggered affair.

However by mid-afternoon everyone had got their act together and things returned to normal and we were sitting talking, when Bill's man servant told him there was a phone call for Fiona. She went off to take it and when she returned a few minutes later she was ashen faced. Her sister was phoning from her house to which she had a key. It seemed her sister's husband had come home from his new year celebrations where he had found out that Esther had spoken with Shirley and her daughter at Fiona's house. He had then thrashed Esther within an inch of her life for associating with the scarlet women and when her mother had intervened, he had turned on her and beaten her up also. This had ended Esther's beating however, and when he fell asleep her mother had gathered some of their things together and fled to her sister's home.

When we heard this tale Bill immediately phoned the sheriff and gave him a report of what had taken place and he agreed to meet us at Fiona's house accompanied by a woman deputy. Bill, Shirley, Ginny and I took Fiona home and we got there just before the sheriff and his deputy. We all took one look at the child and the mother and immediately sent for an ambulance. We then followed it to the local hospital. The mother was treated for facial injuries and bruises to her ribs and body. The child's bottom was black and blue and her legs were red with welts where she had been struck mercilessly with the belt. She was injected with pain killers and was to be kept in for observation.

The sheriff called for a male deputy and posted him outside the ward. When the deputy saw the state of the child he could hardly keep the rage from showing on his face and he informed us that if her father even attempted to see her he would be a sorry man. It turned out he was the father of five girls, before his wife had delivered the son they had both wanted and he was a proud father who loved all of them deeply.

Next day, armed with the report of the hospital doctors the husband was arrested by the sheriff's men and social services became involved. Fiona had told them that her sister and the child could stay with her for as long as they needed to as she had plenty of room. While they were happy with this, they worried because the mother had no visible means of support and it would take time for the courts to sort out the financial arrangements. I spoke quietly with Ginny and she intervened to say that she and her fiancé would undertake to support the family as long as it was needed and that we were willing to reveal to them that we had the means to do so. We were backed up by the colonel and though it took a few days to sort things out, this was finally agreed.

The day after all this came about Frank and his family had to make their way homewards. Ginny and I were to follow them two days later. Before we left we saw Esther and her mother at the home of Fiona. Esther was home from hospital but was still very frightened because her father had been given bail and members of his church had put up the sum required for his release. Although he had been placed under a restraining order which prohibited him from coming near them she was still very worried. I spoke to Bill about this and he suggested getting her into a private boarding school of which he was a patron. He felt that given her grades they might even offer her a scholarship and allow her to start at the beginning of the new term. Since it was up state it would remove her from her father's vicinity and be a safe and secure environment for the immediate future.

The colonel used his influence and the school said they would consider her case but pointed out that even with a scholarship there were costs that would fall upon the single parent. The colonel was able to assure them that this would not be a problem as I had undertaken to meet such costs. We talked it over with Esther and her mother they were very keen to proceed.

When we arrived back home without Shirley things seemed strange but we soon adapted to the situation since we knew that she would be following us in a week's time. It was a new feeling to have the place to ourselves for although Shirley no longer lived in the house with us she spent a goodly amount of time with us on most days. Ginny had set aside her studies in the early afternoon in order to give our kitchen a good clean while I continued to work on homework to be handed in when the new term started. When I came downstairs she was bent over the kitchen sink giving it a thorough clean and her delightfully rounded ass was wiggling temptingly before me as I entered.

Walking up silently behind her I flipped up her skirt and pulled on her hips. She clutched at the edge of the sink as I drew her rear away from it. This left her bent over in a perfect position for me to thrust my quickly hardening cock against her rear and she obligingly pushed back into me. I stood back and slid her panties over her hips and down her legs. As they dropped around her ankles she kicked them aside and my hands pushed up her tee shirt and I unfastened her bra freeing her ample breasts which I proceeded to caress and she gave little moans.

I pushed her legs apart with my foot and then inserted my fingers up inside her pussy which was soon moist from my ministrations and as I rubbed my thumb over her clit she screamed out her orgasm. I dropped my pants and stepped out of them and inserted my manhood into her and began to thrust hard and furiously. As I had made love to her earlier that morning I was not going to climax quickly and I rode her to two shattering orgasm before shooting my seed into her. As she descended from the second orgasm she let go her hold on the sink and turned to face me and gave me a long lingering kiss.

"What brought that on?" She asked with a smile.

I kissed her forehead and replied. "The sight of your beautiful bottom wiggling delightfully as you scrubbed."

"Sex at the kitchen sink has proved an exhilarating experience. Maybe we should try it in other rooms." She said with a laugh.

"Well you could put on your maid's uniform and let me catch you wiggling your bottom as you polish," I told her.

She grinned, "If the skirt was short enough that would do it."

"You can safely bet your life on that," I replied.

I took her in my arms and we kissed again with deepening passion.

"If that is a hard penis I feel sticking into me," Ginny said, "Then I think in round two I would like the full works up in our bedroom."

I was not one to disappoint my lady so I took her hand and led her upstairs.

Next day we heard from Shirley. She phoned to tell us that after consulting with the local school, St. Margaret's Girls school had agreed to take Esther as a pupil and award her a scholarship. This meant that she and Fiona, and the girl's mother had to take her shopping to buy her the school uniforms and other clothing she would need such as things for things gym and other activities.

Shirley wanted to clear it with me before using the credit card I had given her to purchase all these things. I told her to go ahead and to err on the generous side and make sure that she had everything she would need not just the school's bare requirements. I said I also wanted her to have those things she would need in order to fit in with the prosperous kids who were likely to be attending a school like that. I made it clear I would give her a weekly allowance so that she would not stand out as the poor scholarship girl. I said I would discuss with colonel what that was likely to be and let her know the final amount needed and make arrangements for it to be paid to her weekly.

I also had a phone call from Pete telling me they were ready to start the renovation of the house which I had purchased. We discussed the amount needed for the working capital of the project and I said I would contact a local bank and set up a working fund from which he could draw the monies I felt this was the best way to finance the ongoing work on the building. I told him that it was unlikely that we would manage down there again before the Easter break. I said to him that if there were any problems that needed my presence I would try to fit in a weekend visit.

A few days later Shirley rang again to say that she had met and had discussions with the principal of the local college' He had told her that if she wished to continue her studies at the college here, they would accept the work she had done and the grades she had received from the college in California. This meant that if she wished, she could continue her studies there and continue to live with Bill. She had seemed a bit apprehensive telling me this and I felt she was actually seeking my approval for this arrangement. I told her that this was great news. I also asked her if that meant she would be planning to have her wedding there.

She had said she thought that would be the best idea since it would mean Bill could have his family present without them travelling great distances. She then told me they were going to plan for an Easter wedding rather than wait till the summer. Again I told her that this was fine by us. We would have to come down to see how work was progressing on the house at the same time. I also informed her that she could use her card to pay for any expenses incurred by her in arranging things for the wedding. She then asked to speak to Ginny so that they could arrange for dresses and colours for her and the other bridesmaids. I gratefully left them to discuss these details in private.

Later that week I got a letter from Esther thanking me for all that I was doing for her. She told me that she was so relieved to be free of the restrictive life her father had enforced on her and of the fear of being beaten. In it she told me that she felt he had enjoyed beating her and as she got older she worried that one day he would take this a stage further. She asked if it would be ok to write regularly to keep me up to date with her progress.

I could see from the letter I was something of a hero in her eyes and that if I went down that road it would be easy for her to develop a crush on me. I compromised and said she should write to both of us as it was Ginny, her cousin, who had been responsible for me taking upon cudgels on her behalf. I also let her know that we would be down at her place for the Easter break and the marriage of Bill and Shirley. I also suggested that should she want to do so, we would arrange for her to spend part of her summer holidays with us so that we could get to know her better and give her a chance to get to know us. I felt it would be interesting to see how she responded to this invite and perhaps it would enable us to give her some support and guidance in the career choices she would have to make in the next few years.