The Old Friends of Emma Elphinstone

"In truth, I volunteered," Emma admitted. "I guessed that you would wish to bathe alone, and I wished to speak with you again."

"What have we to talk about?" Audrey demanded.

"Many things," Emma replied. "But first, there are the bathing arrangements. The bath is drawn," she said, indicating a large wooden tub fed by two huge brass water-spigots, "and we retrieved some of your luggage, so you can have fresh clothes when you are done. But first, you should undress."

"Entirely?" Audrey asked.

"Ah, yes. I remember that idiot habit of bathing in a shift." Emma looked amused. "It is not the way here, and no suitable shift will be provided. Aside from which, you will find that, in this climate, bathing without obstruction will leave you considerably more refreshed. I recommend it."

Audrey scowled, but then sat down on a nearby stool and removed her shoes and stockings. With Emma's aid, she then shed her dress, leaving her in corsets, shift, and drawers.

Emma looked at her thoughtfully. "Oh, you poor unfortunate girl," she said, "that corset is ridiculously tight-laced. I am amazed that you can breathe in this climate!"

"Do you not wear a corset?" Audrey replied.

"Only as part of my armour," Emma said, "and then it is fitted to my natural shape, for comfort."

"Well, I prefer to remain ... appropriately dressed," Audrey said.

"For what purpose? A narrow waist is a matter of attractiveness, not respectability." Emma smiled darkly. "Surely George does not need such provocation. And I somehow doubt that you wish to appeal to any of my fellow pirates." She shrugged. "Anyway, allow me..."

It took her a few moments to loosen the knots in Audrey's corset-laces, and a moment later, the garment came away. Audrey stifled a breath of relief; the corsethadbeen tight. Then she found that Emma was lifting her shift up and over her head, and with a scowl, she removed her drawers. Emma gathered up all the garments and dropped them in a large basket in the corner of the room. When she turned around, it was to see Audrey standing with her back turned by the bath. She stepped over, and gathered Audrey's blonde curls up into a loose bun to keep it clear of the water.

"Now," Emma said, "do get in."

Tentatively, Audrey obeyed, stifling another sigh at the comfortable warmth of the water. Then, she settled down, finding that the water was just deep enough to cover her breasts, but too clear to preserve any of her modesty.

Emma crouched by the head of the bath, handing her a bar of unscented soap and a rough sponge, both of which Audrey used tentatively to cleanse herself. After a few moments, however, she succumbed to temptation enough simply to sit back and relax in the water.

"Oh, my," Emma said, and Audrey realised that the other woman was gazing fixedly at her left breast. Glancing down, she saw the cause; the small but angry red wound left by the drugged dart.

"I am still so very sorry for that," Emma said, and Audrey could think of no reply but a shrug. Emma reached out a tentative hand, brushing the wound with her fingertips. "It is healing," she observed.

"It is," Audrey replied flatly.

"Well," said Emma, and stood upright, "excuse me for one moment." She kicked the soft slippers she was wearing off her feet, then reached down and grasped the hem of her lightweight gown, sweeping it over her head to reveal that she was wearing nothing but a pair of short drawers underneath. She deposited the gown on a bench at the side of the room, and put the drawers on top of it. Now completely naked, she stepped back to the bath, gathering up her own light brown hair and loosely tying it as she came.

"Excuse this," she said, "but I am at least as travel-stained as you, that bath is amply large, and we dislike waste here."

Audrey was paralysed with surprise, but as Emma stepped into the bath, she drew a startled breath. "Oh, my," she said. "You..."

"What of me?" Emma enquired, now standing over her in the water.

"Your figure... It is that of... Of an athlete, perhaps," Audrey said. "Or a washer-woman," she added.

"Ah, that," Emma looked down at her arms and thighs. "As I told you, we have few servants here. We must make shift for ourselves. And I have trained to be a useful pirate." She sat down in the bath, causing some of the water to drain away through an overflow. "I am afraid that you would be considered plump and soft in this company, dear Audrey.When in Rome,I suppose one might say."

Audrey looked away from her. "I find your choice less and less comprehensible," she said.

"But it was mine, and mine alone," Emma replied. She sighed softly, rinsing her limbs in the bathwater. "I fear that we will never reach understanding there," she said. "However, I confess that I am currently more interested inyourchoices. Or that made by George."

"What do you mean?" Audrey asked.

"Married for two weeks," Emma observed, "and yet... Tell me, is your persistentpurityby your choice or by his?"

"That is none of it any business of yours!" Audrey snapped. "But you should perhaps know that my husband is a perfect gentleman," she evidently could not resist adding.

"Ah," said Emma, "that is interesting..."

"I said too much," Audrey muttered. "Now you will declare that he does not find me attractive."

"On the contrary," said Emma, "I know that is untrue." She sighed. "You were correct in one sense about me," she went on, "I did make eyes at George from time to time. I did not truly understand what I was doing myself, or why I was doing it, but he was the most handsome young man in our circle, you surely know. And I was not the only girl to act that way."

"I thought that you were," Audrey said.

"I was probably merely the least subtle. But in any case, the point is that I did not succeed at all, and nor did any of the others. The dolt had eyes only for you."

"Is that true?" Audrey seemed startled by the idea.

"Oh, yes. I fear that he truly loves you." Emma sat back in the water and gazed thoughtfully at the ceiling for a moment. "Not that any of us had any gift for flirtation. Perhaps I could distract him now..."

"You are shameless!" Audrey snapped.

"No, I am not, which is why I am not going to attempt that." Emma smiled momentarily. "And yet he does not trouble you with his desires. Curious."

"He is a gentleman," Audrey stated firmly.

"Evidently. But that still leaves one question." Emma now gazed hard at Audrey. "What ofyourdesires?" she asked.

"What of them? I am simply grateful," Audrey replied.

"Oh,my," Emma sighed. "To think that I believed thatmymother had shelteredmeovermuch!"

"Whatdoyou mean?"

"I at least understood that there might be some pleasure in being embraced by a man one ... loves." Emma sighed. "When I discovered that there was more than a little pleasure, and simple desire could take the place of love, I was startled, I confess, but the idea that one mightwantto take a lover was no great shock to me."

"Your vices are your affair," muttered Audrey, rinsing her arms abstractedly.

"Whereas you have no vices, it seems." Emma smiled and moved a little closer to Audrey. "And yet – you take great care of your appearance. It always seemed to me that you must wish to be desired. Or mayhap it simply came too easily to you."

"What do you mean?" Audrey asked.

"I used to believe that you feigned modesty," Emma said, "but now, I wonder. You do know that you were generally considered the most attractive girl in our little piece of society, do you not?"

"I tried to avoid vanity. I know that it is a sin." Audrey met Emma's stare. "But yes, I knew that I was blessed. And I saw no reason not to employ the simplest social graces, or to refrain from dressing well."

Emma sighed. "I do believe that you have convinced yourself of that," she said, "and when others among us envied you, you were able to regard us as sinful and vain. And envy you we did." She reached out and touched the dart scar again. "I for one was terribly jealous, I fear. Which made me angry – and so I sought to injure this beauty. Lord, I am a foolish child."

Audrey stared at her aghast. "That was why youshotme? To scar my beauty?" she said.

"It was not calculated." Emma moved her hand down, cupped Audrey's left breast, and supported it. "And it was truly a criminal act. I do understand that beauty is a wonderful, and should not be wantonly destroyed, though it is not the whole of life." She shook her head. "But that scar will heal. I am now merely puzzled that the man who loves you does not desire this beauty."

"And you now know all that there is to know of being desired by men. And how men may act on their desires." Audrey commented.

"Oh, yes. What is the point of being desired if no one ever acts on that desire?" Emma laughed. "Ah, I fear that I am become a terrible libertine." She moved around the bath to sit close alongside Audrey. She then put one arm around the other woman in a gentle embrace; her other hand returned to Audrey's wounded breast. "Should I tell you how it is to act on such desires?" she asked.

"You seemingly take joy in being used as ananimal," Audrey said.

"Oh, yes. I suppose that is the case. It really is not difficult." She traced her thumb over Audrey's nipple, almost abstractedly. "My breasts are not as fine as yours, but to feel a man's hands on them, strong but gentle – and a gentle man is not the same thing as a gentleman – is a fine thing."

"Even if you enjoy caresses," said Audrey in a carefully neutral tone, "surely such men do not restrict themselves to granting you that pleasure."

"Oh, no, of course not," said Emma, and moved her hand down from Audrey's breast, across her belly. "They desirefornication, of course. But so do I."

"You do?" Audrey again sounded honestly puzzled.

"Oh, yes. I told you." Emma's hand reached the division between Audrey's thighs. "Desire for men lieshere, above all." She pushed two of her fingers gently into that division, exploring a little what lay there.

"What are you doing?" Audrey demanded.

"Abusing my power over a prisoner," Emma replied. "You might tell me to remove my hand, but I might then be amused to refuse."

Audrey scowled at her. "I willnotamuse you," she declared. "You merely flaunt your corruption. I know that I am a prisoner, and must endure what that implies."

"You are wonderfully proud," Emma replied. "But in any event – you must have felt – something there, on occasion. When George kissed you, I suppose."

"Perhaps a little," Audrey acknowledged. "But surely, such reactions – are simple reflexes. Meaningless impulses at best, dangerous distractions at worst."

"They are only dangerous if one refuses to acknowledge their existence at all," said Emma. "Perhaps I behave badly, by your lights, but I do so knowing what it is I do. Lust only seems to lead to worse crimes when we ignore it until it becomes irresistible, then fail to resist anything at all."

"Libertine," Audrey muttered.

Emma shrugged slightly. "And what if these impulses are meaningless?" she continued. "Should we ignore the pleasure they can bring? That seems foolish." Her fingertips found a fold of flesh on Audrey's loins. "And yet the man who loves you refuses you evenlegalpleasures." She caressed Audrey slowly.

Audrey gasped. "What are you doing now?" she demanded.

"Illustrating my argument," Emma said. "I will stop if you tell me to do so. I give my word, as a devious and untrustworthy pirate."

"I should do so," Audrey said.

"Perhaps. But I think that you need very badly to understand what I am saying."

Audrey said nothing, but sighed deeply, her eyes closed. As Emma continued to caress her loins, her thighs parted a little, and Emma was able to move her hand further between them. "George might kiss you on the lips," Emma said conversationally, "and he might caress your breasts. You would enjoy embracing him, I am sure. But if he truly desires you, he desires your cunny."

Audrey sighed again, softly, and Emma moved her hand down a little, her fingers finding an entrance and gently probing it. "I think that you must desire him," Emma continued. "Let us assume that he has an adequate cock for the purpose. Can you not imagine himthere, and enjoy the imagining?"

But it seemed that Audrey was no longer paying attention to Emma's arguments. Her breathing had become deep and hoarse, and she pressed her crotch against Emma's hand. Emma supported her with the arm around her shoulder, and then began moving her hand and fingers regularly and firmly, finding herself entering Audrey deeper as the other woman pushed forward.

Finally, Audrey gave a soft gasp and relaxed in Emma's left-arm embrace, breathing deeply three times. Emma removed her right hand from Audrey's loins, moved it briefly in the water to rinse it, and then used it to raise Audrey's chin slightly before kissing her on the cheek.

"What did you justdoto me?" Audrey demanded.

"My new friends would say that I made youcome," Emma answered. "But really, I did very little."

"That was ... appalling," Audrey murmured. She seemed deep in thought, so Emma released her embrace, lifted herself out of the water to perch on the edge of the bath, and took up a nearby towel to dry off her arms and shoulders.

Then Emma gave a brief, quiet giggle. "Oh, my dear," she said, "this is too rich!"

"What do you mean?" Audrey demanded.

"When first we met," Emma explained, "I wished to be yourfriend. Later, as I came to know you better, I envied you. Perhaps I wished that I couldbeyou. Finally, in my dark moments, I hated you and wished tohurtyou. But, my dear Audrey, I never dreamed... I never thought that it would be my destiny todefloweryou!"

"What do you think you mean?" Audrey demanded. "You have done no such thing!"

"Think what you will," said Emma with a shrug, as she lifted herself out of the water entirely and continued drying herself as she stood by the bath, "but I have helped you to new erotic pleasures, and I have been deeper inside you than your precious George!"

"That was mere depravity," said Audrey, grasping the sides of the bath, "you have not taken my husband's privileges!"

"As you wish," said Emma as Audrey started to stand up, "but what do you think George would say if he was told about this?"

"Oh... Oh no!" Audrey said, suddenly stopping her movement as she crouched in the water. "Please – you must not tell him!"

"Must I not?" Emma asked. "Hmm... Oh, very well. Let us keep this our secret, for old times' sake, old friend."

Audrey stood up and stepped out of the bath, her expression of fear reduced but not gone. "Please..." she murmured.

Emma laughed gently. "Audrey, my dear, I am an immoral and devious pirate, but I am notcruel," she said. "I see no cause to destroy George's love for you, even if itisso pure that you can take no pleasure from it."

"Thank you," Audrey muttered, and Emma handed her a towel with a gentle smile.

"However, perhaps I should have insisted that you repay the service which I did you..." Emma continued, and Audrey gasped and almost dropped the towel. Emma laughed again. "Ah," she said, "you are so easy to tease. Have no fear, Audrey – I have toyed with you enough this day, in every sense. But had I known that all I needed to do to gain the upper hand over you was to take up a life of crime and then become involved in kidnapping you, I swear that I would have done so sooner."

Audrey looked away as she dried herself, and Emma said little more as she handed her fresh clothes and escorted her back to her bed-room. When they arrived, George was promptly escorted away to his own bath by a male pirate, but as he went, he threw Emma a glare of dark suspicion, which she met with a bland smile. A few moments later, after offering to bring Emma such little amusing reading matter as might be found on the pirate base, Emma departed, murmuring that she had more punishments to endure.

She returned, however, the next morning – indeed, so early that Audrey and George had not yet risen from the simple bed which they had been given to share, but were still in their nightwear when a pirate guard threw the door open, ushered Emma and the English pirate Gregory inside, and then closed and bolted the door behind them. Nor was Emma fully dressed for the day, as it seemed to the prisoners, as she was wearing a lightweight, dark blue gown that was little more than a nightdress itself, and slippers on bare feet.

"What is this?" George demanded, sitting up on the bed and gazing at Emma with undisguised hostility.

"This," said Emma, "represents my losing patience with both you two, my old friends." She sat down on a convenient stool, while Gregory stood silently against the wall of the room, a dart-gun held across his chest.

"What do you mean?" Audrey asked, seeking to avoid flaunting too much calf as she turned and put her feet on the floor.

"I mean that you are ridiculous. Here you are, on your very honeymoon, cast down among rogues and pirates, with no other allies on the entire island, given a comfortable bed but little else to do with your time – and yet, you remain completechaste!Modesty and restraint are fine things, I am sure, but you two are merely wasting time!"

"You presume much, harlot..." George began.

"If you mean to imply that you may have made good use of the night," interrupted Emma, "then I presume only that I am not blind. There you lie, on sheets unstained by sweat or ... anything else, in pristine nightshirt and dress which are similarly unstained. Heavy linen, too, I note, which should make you perspire in itself, and which is resolutely unenticing. Also, there was a full foot between you when I entered this room, and nor are your guards giggling over anything heard through the door. I swear, if I did not know the pair of you, I would take you for brother and sister, or sworn enemies!"

"This is hardly a romantic location..." Audrey muttered.

"I know for a fact that you have read enough romantic novels to know that itis," snapped Emma. "No, you are simply offending my libertine spirit here, and I see no option but to force you to confront your own secrets."

"What secrets?" snapped George, not noticing at all that Audrey was now staring at Emma in sudden horror.

"To begin with yours," Emma replied to him, "there is the matter of your whore-mongering."

"Emma!"Audrey cried in sheer startlement.

"I am sorry, Audrey," Emma said to her, "but it is evident that your husband is not as pure as you. A number of my fellow amazons are former... sporting ladies, shall we say, and they know what they see – and they have seen how George looks at them. He sees every woman in this place, save your sweet self, as an object of appraisal. Which might not be conclusive in itself, but what I recall of his father and his uncle can only confirm the guess. It would have been entirely in character for them to ensure that young George wasfully a man,I suppose that they would have said. And I imagine that they succeeded, because there are men here who can appraise the looks whichtheyreceive, and they swear that George is interested only in women."

"Is all this true?" Audrey demanded of George, but he shrugged the question off with a scowl.

"Oh, do not worry overmuch," Emma continued. "I do not think that he would look at you in that way. But that is the problem, is it not, George? You despise women who you use for your gratification, and so you cannot use a woman that way who you do not despise."

"These are mere vulgar guesses," Audrey snapped.

"Educatedguesses, old friend. You must have noticed that he addresses every woman who he dislikes as 'whore' or 'harlot'. I myself have caught that edge of his tongue..."