Chapter 17: How the Baroness Lieselotte Climbs a Secret Staircase

They returned to Pelle’s clearing and to an amply laid table. As attested by Luise’s fawning around Tjark their marriage had started well. They all sat and ate their supper. Matthias and Tjark were both getting their share of good-natured teasing which they received in good humour. Afterwards plans were made for the week. They had to hurry with their latest kiln before it was too cold to dig up the clay for the coating. It was decided that both young women would help out to add more hands and feet to the effort. The rest of the chores would have to wait.

The masons would also finish the first stone kiln during the coming week, and they would have to temper it carefully much like a smoke stack. It was crucial that the clay would dry evenly and throughout before they used the structure in earnest. It was good that the mason Wenzel knew stacks and furnaces so well, for the principle of tempering them was the same.

For all of them, the week was filled with hard work and long hours, but come Friday the kiln was covered in clay and sods. They even fired it on Friday leaving it for Tjark to tend whilst Pelle would take another load of coal to Birkenhain on Saturday. Before he left, Hunold came with two carpenters and their apprentices to start the work on Tjark’s cabin. Tjark had felled and stripped larch and pine trees already, and those logs would be used for the framework. Pelle could hear the saws and axes for a while as he drove his wagon to Birkenhain.

He arrived a little after noon time and after finishing his business with the forge master he made his way to the castle. Here, the Overseer of the Lands, Neidhardt, found him and took him aside to speak of urgent matters. A first work party would come to the clearing in the next week to lay the foundation for the baron’s hunting lodge, and Neidhardt had to supervise the effort. Pelle described the lay of the land and the condition of the soil whilst the overseer used his lead pencil to make notes on a scrap of parchment.

Next he taught Pelle his duties as Keeper of the Forest. Most important was the task to prevent anyone from felling oak or beech trees. Those were meant for the baron’s use. Larch and pine trees could be felled for building, but only against pay. The wood cutters payed a fifth of their earnings to the baron and a tenth to the Keeper. Pelle had not known that. Neidhardt dampened his joy a little claiming a third of the Keeper’s share for himself. Still, if Pelle could induce more men to be woodcutters in Lemdalen Forest he would earn many Groschen for himself.

Neidhardt kept Pelle for over two hours. Pelle learned how to fill in the numbers into a ledger book and how to calculate the shares. Some of what he learned was new but other things came back to him from his childhood memories. He made a mental note to ask Levy for some additional tutoring with the numbers and letters.

It was time then for supper, and the prospect of the next night made Pelle apprehensive. Pelle had moved up at the table sitting with the other overseers some of whom he knew and some he did not. He heard that Lemdalen Forest had not had a keeper in over ten years as it was too far from Birkenhain to be of interest. However, Lemdalen was growing, also because many disgruntled tenants of Tosdalen Abbey asked for a lease of land under the baron’s rule. More land would be needed as would be the wood for the building of dwellings, barns, and stables. It was sensible to establish a keeper in Lemdalen Forest.

After supper, Ingeburg came to spend time with Pelle. The growing child showed now as Ingeburg’s belly was swelling and her bust filled. As they strolled the courtyard talking in low voices she told him that the queasiness she had felt in the mornings was now gone. Pelle in turn told of what he had learned from Neidhard and the other keepers and overseers. They agreed it was good news. At one point Ingeburg looked around to make sure they were out of earshot from anybody.

“It is all set, Pelle. I was moved to a chamber above the Baroness Ermegart’s rooms. Lieselotte will sneak upstairs after hours. She asked that I stayed. I hope you can accept that.”

“Does she know about last Saturday?”

“No. The baroness and I spoke about it. She did not know. Learning about it may just upset her.”

Pelle nodded. That was to be expected. He did not like it, but then he did not like the whole affair.

“Pelle, I believe I should help to bring Liese into heat. Last Saturday when I went to prepare her, I found that she gets aroused from my touch.”

Pelle’s eyebrows shot up. He had heard of such women before, even experienced it once, when two wenches in the Red Cockerel took turns with him and each other. Of course it was sinful but it had aroused him like nothing before.

“And ... and you? Do you feel heat when you touch her?”

Ingeburg’s face became beet red. “I don’t know, Pelle. It felt exciting to give her arousal. It is nothing like the feeling I have with you, though. Are you angry with me?”

Pelle pressed her arm. “No, beloved wife. I ... I spent a night with two wenches once, and they ... they gave each other pleasure, too. It stoked my lust like nothing before.”

“It is sinful, isn’t it?”

Pelle snorted. “What isn’t? If you think you can put the baroness at ease, the better it is. It may even help me get stiff seeing you with her.”

“You don’t find Liese pretty?” Ingeburg asked incredulously.

“Oh, she is pretty. It’s only, if we are found out I’ll be drawn and quartered, and that thought takes the stiffness out of me.”

On the way up to her room Ingeburg knocked on the door to the old baroness’ chambers.

“I am on my way up. Is there any service you require of me before I go?”

The Baroness Ermegart sat there with Lieselotte, both playing a game of tables. She looked up with a smile.

“No, my child, go to bed. Lieselotte and I will play a while longer.”

Once in Ingeburg’s room they undressed to their shirts and huddled under Ingeburg’s blankets. They left the tallow lamp burning whilst they waited.

Suddenly a section of the wood panelling opposite Ingeburg’s bed opened noiselessly, and Ingeburg saw Lieselotte’s face in the light of the candle she carried. She rose quickly and hugged the young noblewoman whilst leading her to the bed. Pelle moved to the side as far as he dared and Ingeburg made her friend lie in the middle. Even in the flickering light of the lamps Pelle and Ingeburg saw that Lieselotte’s face was red and burning and she hung her head unable to look at Pelle.

“Do you want me to prepare you, Liese?” Ingeburg asked softly.

A nod was her answer and Ingeburg produced a fresh jar of tallow, one she had purchased from Rebecca the day before. Under the blankets Ingeburg’s hand pushed Liese’s shirt up until her legs and lower body were naked. Then her tallow-coated fingers gently rubbed her friend’s opening, spreading the lips and applying the soft ointment. Liese gasped at the touch whilst casting a fearful look, her first, at Pelle.

“Be at ease, Lady,” Pelle spoke up for the first time. “Ingeburg is your friend; it is better for her to prepare you. We will both strive to be gentle. I like this no better than you do, Lady.”

Liese nodded, looking down again. “You don’t find me...? I know I’m not as pretty as Ingeburg.”

“Nay, Lady, not that. Yet, for me to touch you can mean the wheel for me and worse.”

For the first time, she looked at Pelle and regarded him. “You are afraid?”

“A little, Lady. ‘Tis thin ice we’re stepping on.”

“So it is, Pelle. I am fearful too and for similar reasons.”

“Ssh, who can find out, Liese?” Ingeburg whispered, gently rubbing her friend’s vulva. “Be calm and enjoy my touch.”

Lieselotte’s eyes went wide, but before she could speak out Ingeburg’s kiss sealed her mouth. After some muffled protesting Lieselotte gave in and sank back. Kissing her and rubbing her Ingeburg rolled on top of the young baroness. Then she brooke the kiss and withdrew her fingers. They were wet and glistening in the lamp light.

“Will you kiss me back, Liese?”

After a quick look at Pelle, Lieselotte nodded shyly.

“Let me lie down then,” Ingeburg whispered. “It will be better that way.”

She lay on her back and pulled Lieselotte on top of her. The young baroness, dazed and confused, began to return the kisses whilst Ingeburg threw back the blankets and motioned for Pelle to join them. He understood quickly enough. Hovering on all fours over Ingeburg, Lieselotte’s naked legs and buttocks were accessible and he knelt behind her. His hand probed the wet folds gently, eliciting a soft gasp from the young woman. It was now or never. Determined he aligned his perfectly hard member with her opening and applied gentle pressure.

Again, Lieselotte gasped into Ingeburg’s mouth as she felt the penetration, but no sounds of protest or pain could be heard. Slowly, very slowly, Pelle let his member slide into the tight opening. His worries about failing to get hard proved unfounded. Watching the two young women trade kisses and tender touches had made him rock-hard and feeling his prick rubbing the insides of Lieselotte’s tight fanny stimulated him further. He knew that his conscience would plague him later but he enjoyed the tight fit.

To Pelle’s surprise the baroness suddenly began to push her hips back aiding and intensifying the penetration. Squeals and moans came from her mouth which was still trading kisses with an Ingeburg who showed telltale signs of arousal, too. The women’s moans mixed with the slap-slap of Pelle’s steady fucking, creating an exciting symphony of lust. This was naughty, it was wicked and wrong and dangerous, but it was also exciting in its sinfulness. All three felt it, and all three began to shed their shyness and inhibition.

Ingeburg let go of her friend’s lips and wiggled higher on the bed pushing Lieselotte’s mouth to her breasts. The young woman almost snarled with lust when her lips found the nipples on top of Ingeburg’s swollen breasts. Ingeburg, too, groaned under the urgent sucking and nibbling. Pelle watched this and his prick filled out even more, straining as he ploughed the noblewoman’s furrow with more and more urgent vigour. He began to feel the tingle of his approaching peak of lust. For a moment he debated to contain it, drawing out the end of their tryst. Yet a shred of common sense told him to let go. He was to breed the baroness, not to woo her away from the baron.

Pushing into her one last time and feeling her soft flesh yield to his thrust he groaned deeply as his member spewed forth the essence of procreation deep into Lieselotte’s core. Feeling the deep penetration and the pulsing of the hard and hot member inside her, Lieselotte shuddered and waves of heat ran over her body. She wanted to scream but Ingeburg was kissing her fiercely, muffling the sounds lest they be betrayed in their deceit.

When her thoughts cleared, Lieselotte found herself in Ingeburg’s soft embrace. Pelle had withdrawn and he sat on the bed showing renewed uneasiness. Lieselotte gave him a shy smile.