The Pleasures of Bankruptcy Read online

  “Rub this handkerchief on your bare bottom at once. Rose,” he said, handing it to her. “I wish to find the stain on there when next I have occasion to strip or spank you. Make haste, we have much to do today.”

  She staggered to her feet. And she underwent the humiliation of thrusting the stained cambric beneath her dress in the rear-of putting aside the light fabric which covered her snowy rump-and of rubbing each buttock with the rapidly drying ink.

  “I am sure it will please my eyes-like beauty spots,” he remarked, as he cast the used handkerchief into the waste basket. “This bluish stain beneath your breast,” he added, as he took the soft and lovely mound in his hand, “may leave traces for a day or two. But I rather relish such a blemish on your immaculate body.”

  “Now, Mrs. Bolton,” he said, “are you going to let me see any further sign of revolt-or will you instantly obey any orders which I may give?”

  The use of her married name instead of the familiar “Rose” enhanced her dismay and confusion. “I… I have not-disobeyed-” she stammered, looking affrightedly up at him. Was this the man to whom, only yesterday, she had inwardly vowed a torrential and enduring affection which her very shame had seemed to enhance?

  “I want a reply-not an argument,” he said. “And I may tell you that if there are any further signs of disobedience I have it in mind to telephone one of your feminine debtors and her husband. And you will receive them stark naked- and be punished before their eyes for having allowed the young woman to run up such a bill. You may be quite certain that the man at least will highly approve of that.'”

  “Ohh…m-my God. You wouldn't-d-do that?” gasped Rose in utter dismay.

  “Don't tell me what I, would or wouldn't do,” he said sternly, reaching a hand towards the desk phone.

  “Ohh-no… no-don't! I will always-m-mind you… I will indeed!” cried Rose feverishly. Her teeth were chattering in her head-but she was yet aware of the inner thrill and throbbing of her intimate tissues.

  “If you ever forget that pledge for an instant,” he said softly, “rest assured that I shall know how to act! Now raise your chemise-the ink is too dry now to stain that pretty garment. Then rearrange your clothing-and make a few notes of my decisions.”

  “I observe that a Mrs. Tasker is indebted to you in the sum of over three thousand dollars-a quite ridiculous amount, considering the financial circumstances of her clergyman husband. And much of this seems to have been incurred on behalf of her minor daughter, Louise. This charming blonde and her ever blonder daughter are entirely miscast as the members of a clerical household- it seems to me!”

  “Yet perhaps they stand in awe of the Rev. Dr. Tasker himself-if he is aroused. They are pleasure loving-and they appear even fonder of expensive attire than of social frivolities. How came you, Rose, to permit this pair to run up such an impossible bill?”

  “I–I'm sorry… very sorry,” stammered the 'mistress' of the business meekly.

  “Don't worry,” he observed grimly-as he regarded her distressed and blushing countenance. “They may yet be worth an ample three thousand dollars to-well, if not to you directly, at least to you through other channels. Is it possible that you have the photograph of either of these beauties en deshabille-in that locked drawer you-er- spoke of?”

  “Why,” murmured Rose nervously, “it happened that Louise was here one day without her mother-a party of her schoolgirl friends-friends of wealthy families with the exception of herself…”

  “There were four of them-all in high spirits-and one of them had a camera-they made pictures… not very nice ones, some of them. Louise was the only bashful one in the group-but she was afraid to be thought 'fussy' I think-so they managed to induce her to be snapshotted like the rest-and once with no clothes on at all. She is perfectly lovely-slim but shapely-with a skin like… like milk!”

  “Ah-you shall show me these pictures presently,” he said. “And now — have you anything 'on' the mother? Aside from her debt, I mean?”

  “N-no-that is… I-” murmured Rose. “There was a very odd episode one afternoon. Some folks might say it didn't mean much-it was about some stockings!”

  “Well, explain the mystery!” he ordered.

  “Mr. George Bliss, the banker, was with her. They had been lunching at the Plaza, I gathered. I think perhaps here had been a few drinks. He had a package under his arm and they were joking about it. I didn't think much about it at first-for Mr. Bliss is a pillar of her husband's church. Mrs. Tasker had an appointment to try on some dresses I was making for her. I think the drinks must have gone to her head, for I never saw her so frivolous before. They were in the small reception room-for all the fitting rooms were occupied at the moment.”

  “Of course they were talking and laughing. He unwrapped the package-and showed her the loveliest silk stockings I have ever seen.. Chancing to notice this as I passed by the door, which was ajar, I was curious enough to keep an eye and ear open.”

  “The talk became lower and the laughter ceased. Mrs. Tasker was looking covetously at the long, gauzy hosiery which he shook out and dangled before her-and I didn't blame her-for they must have cost him thirty dollars a pair at least.”

  “It appeared that she had gone with him to the shop when he purchased them-but without guessing the use to which he hoped to put them. I was so intrigued by the affair that I hid behind a screen and looked and listened. He was saying:

  “But surely we are old enough friends for a little joke to be permissible, Mrs. Tasker-Doris-mayn't I call you Doris-after nearly ten years acquaintance?”

  She murmured that she saw nothing objectionable in that. She was quivering with delight as she looked at those stockings, such, undoubtedly, as she had never been able In purchase herself.”

  “But of course you knew that I had you in mind all the time,” he said. “At least-three pairs for you and three for my wife. And you remember your promise-to pay the same price for them that I might exact from Mrs. Bliss…”

  “I thought it was all a joke,” she said hesitatingly. “How perfectly adorable those stocking are! But really — Mr. Bliss… George… to want to try them on me-it's- going a little far!”

  “Why-stockings-legs are mere commonplace today,” he argued. “Though such legs as yours might prove to be are never commonplace. Did you notice how all the men admired them when we entered and left the Palm Court at lunch?”

  “They shared attention with your lovely face and red-gold hair. I was proud-for I knew all the men-and many of the women-were thinking 'that lucky man probably sees her wonderful legs whenever he likes'.”

  “Ohh-but… George!” she protested, with a nervous little laugh. “Really, I'm afraid you forget you are talking to the demure wife of your pastor. My-my legs are grateful for your compliments-but they cannot forget that they are the support of a body vowed to decency and seemliness.”

  “But not the support of a prude,” he insisted. “They support a charming woman with a keen sense of humor — a lover of fun-a lovely woman in her thirties who has no inclination to find evil where evil does not exist.”

  “Come, my dear Doris-let your husband's old friend present you with these stockings as a momento of a lunch which was most enjoyable-and let him try on just one pair of them for you?”

  Wistfully she eyed the lovely pair which he was now holding out to her-a pair adorned with seed pearls.

  “It would take-a good while-they're so distractingly fragile,” she murmured weakly. “And I may be called at any time to the fitting room.”

  “Just an instant-I'll find out,” he said abruptly.

  “He left the room-and sensing that he was looking for me I made haste to leave my vantage post and show myself where he could not but see me. He thrust a bill into my hand.

  “For your charities,” he muttered. “Please see that I am not interrupted for half an hour at least-I have some church affairs to discuss with Mrs. Tasker.”

  “He vanished-leaving me gaping at a fifty doll
ar bill in my hand. I hesitated. It was the first time that any one had taken it for granted that my establishment could be used for such a dubious purpose. I think it was the money that affronted me. Yet I pocketed both the affront and the money-really intrigued now by this episode involving the beautiful wife of this eminent clergyman.

  “I hurried to my observation post just in time to hear him say: 'Mrs. Bolton tells me she cannot give you a fitting for at least half an hour-and so-dear lady.”

  “He fell on his knees before the chair in which she was sitting. Mrs. Tasker was flushed. She nibbled at her small fist for a moment Then, as he commenced to remove a very shapely shoe, she opened her lips as though to protest-she tugged at the foot which he had imprisoned. And then as he slipped both hands slowly and luxuriously up the thin silk stocking which covered one lovely leg, she gave a little gasping cry and succumbed.”

  She laughed shakily at him: “You can be assured, Mr. Bliss, that you are the first man I have had who has shown any enthusiasm for his job. Indeed, you even seem disposed to pay-instead of being paid-for such attention you give me!”

  “Not trusting to his voice-for by now his mounting hands were well up beneath her skirts-he mumbled- almost inaudibly.

  Doris Tasker abandoned any attempt to make conversation. She sank back in the chair-and half closed her eyes. Her long lashes fluttered. She was breathing hard. “Ohh! O-o-o-h!” she sighed. “Please-p-please make haste… George! I'm very ticklish-and I'm beginning to think that this-is very wrong!”

  He paid not the least attention to her cries. By this time it was evident that his searching hands were well 'bove the tops of her long stockings. Mrs. Tasker was twisting and sighing with nervous excitement.

  “Please!” she murmured feebly once more. “Do be as — as decorous as possible about our… your-little joke. -I'm nervous… as well as ticklish and the stockings are fastened at the-outer sides… to long garters instead of where you seem to think!”

  The man was as red as fire and twitching with delight. He detached the stocking slowly-and his unseen hands began to roll it gradually down to the knee-which was revealed by the raising of Doris Tasker's short skirt during the last operations.

  “His trembling fingers slowly bared the white roundness of her lovely limb-and travelled-conveying the stocking with them in a little roll-over the swelling calf to the slender ankle.

  “He ventured to raise the woman's foot to his groin as he knelt there. She tried nervously to snatch it away-and I think she must have felt a certain unseemly contact on her stockinged toes. But he held the foot firmly-and drew the stocking completely off. And the naked foot which he displayed was quite as lovely as the leg to which it belonged.”

  “But he shared with me, obviously, the thought that his companion was in such a state of embarrassed confusion that she might well put an end to the 'joke' if he should venture to express his pleasure over the liberties she was allowing him.

  “Still crouching, he held the foot in his knee for a brief moment-while he tried to adjust to the small, rosy toes the stocking he wished to try on. Mrs. Tasker's quickened breathing was audible in the silence. It was very clear to me that this was her first experience with even so mild an extra-marital impropriety.

  “She closed her eyes completely. Her whole face was rosy red. She shivered a little. For now the excited man was daring to caress gently and soothingly the velvety skin of her rounded calf, his fingers ascending nearly to the dimpled knees.

  “I think it will go on all right,” he murmured. “But I am not quite certain-you have such lovely curves here. We must not risk tearing this lovely web-I must see- just for an instant to compare…”

  “With one quick movement he raised her skirt into her lap. She exclaimed ashamedly-starting to rise-and then she sank back again. And now the two lovely legs were stretched out side by side-one naked and the other stockinged more than half way up the exquisitely white, rounded thigh.

  “That Mr. Bliss reveled in the beauty of the sight was obvious. He smoothed the wholly nude thigh. He fingered with delight the soft skin above the stocking which was still in place.

  “Ohh-but… please!” stammered Mrs. Tasker, opening her blue eyes and half rising from her chair. “I'm- I'm so afraid you're forgetting-that this is… just a joke — between friends.”

  “He pushed her back gently, as if, even in his growing excitement, he realized that he was now master of the game — for the agitation of the woman in her indecent exposure was very clear.

  “I'll hurry,” he promised, “as fast as this delicate silk will let me…”

  “Pull down my skirt!” she begged.

  “He did so grudgingly. And he contrived to slip the very shapely bare foot and leg into the silken mesh of the stocking-once more thrusting his hands far underneath her skirt as soon as it became necessary.

  “And now, Doris,” he said, “we must see the effect!”

  “He raised the skirt once more — and exhibited the lovely limbs in their contrasting apparel. 'Just look!' he cried admiringly. 'I'm sure you will like the effect'.”

  Doris Tasker sat up. She tried bashfully to pull down her skirt. Determinedly he lifted it again-calling her own attention to the stocking through whose sheer mesh the lovely thigh and leg shone whitely.

  “Ohh!” she cried delightedly. “It is lovely-isn't it- George?”

  “It is!” he assented. “It is worthy of wearing such an exquisite sheath of silk and pearls'.'

  “Ohh-silly… I meant that the stocking was lovely — not the leg,” she explained. “I feel like a queen in stockings such as these!”

  “If you wore the stockings… and nothing else-you would be more than regal!” he muttered thickly. “Oh! Doris, you're lovely beyond words!”

  I think his loss of composure gave her an assurance she had lacked until now. Any woman, in the presence of a masculine desire of that kind, is likely to feel herself the stronger of the two, unless…

  And Rose gave her companion an apologetic glance, “Unless the man simply crushed her beneath his will and strength,” she concluded.

  He smiled at her. “No woman is worth taking-except quite casually-save as a subdued and palpitating captive,” he stated.

  “Ohh… not-not as a companion?” quavered Rose. “Not as one who would be so-so loving-and grateful… if she were allowed to feel herself as a comrade-as well as just a plaything?”

  “The child and the parent may be comrades,” he stated.

  “But the woman should feel herself to be both subjected and obedient-for she will have-if she learns to care for the man, the consoling knowledge that she is quite irreplaceable to him-that wives and mistresses abound but that voluptuous serfs are rare.”

  Glancing up at him shyly, Rose considered this. She sighed softly, and leaned against him.

  “You left Mrs. Tasker in a rather parlous state-for the chaste wife of a minister,” he reminded her.

  “Well-I was surprised,” Rose continued. “For she was so entranced by the vision of her beautiful limb thus clad that she seemed as if hypnotized. And she was childlike in her desire to see both legs thus adorned.

  “Clutching her light skirt at her crotch so as to make more unseemly exposures impossible, she allowed both her legs to remain exposed to their summits. She quivered a little as he persistently caressed her silken skin in taking off her other stocking-but when he had replaced it with the other Parisian sheating she could not hide her delight at the effect.

  “Standing now-maintaining her skirt at the peak of her thighs-she gazed downward and admired the new marvels that she wore. I think that she was intoxicated with her pleasure. For although she was normally a modest and quite refined woman, she made him now a concession which was far more serious than she had expected.

  “She gave a silvery exclamation of delight when he softly whispered that she should have all six pairs of stockings if she would grant him a favor-'four kisses for an old and affectionate friend.'

&nb
sp; “She assented with a quick nod. And as he rose, she had a coquettish little smile for him as she let his mouth take her lovely lips. He was wily enough not to prolong that kiss unduly, or to put too much fervor into it. As their mouths were parted once more, nevertheless, her color was vivid-and she was sighing softly.

  “He dropped to his knees again. She looked at him with a questioning gaze-and then, as he raised her skirt-she littered a whispered protest.

  “But I have three kisses coming…” he explained.

  “Ohh… but-I thought, of course-” she stammered, “that you meant-on my lips?”

  “There were no such restrictions mentioned,” he replied. “One just above each stocking top is my thought, Doris, you lovely creature.”

  “Her own fine eyes were again on the superb stockings as she humored Mm in this. He gave her the skirt to hold — and he pressed long, ardent kisses on her snowy nudities just above the stocking tops. And so long were these new hose that his hot lips were pressed to her velvety flesh almost at the juncture of her thighs.”

  “And now the last one!” he said huskily.

  “But… but where?” she stammered bewilderedly.

  “Here-right here… you delicious darling!” he said in a hoarse whisper.

  Still mechanically holding up her skirt, the charming Mrs. Tasker literally staggered on her feet. For his head had been thrust swiftly beneath the scanty while silk that fell about her crotch. I saw his fingers seek frenziedly to unbutton whatever obstacle was there, and then his hot mouth was glued to the very centre of her lovely cunt.

  Doris Tasker wailed aloud. Her face was raised to the ceiling. It was aflame-and all her features were working convulsively. She was unable to speak-or even to remove his vampire mouth. She shuddered with a voluptuous ecstasy and she displayed a blazing, incredulous rapture so great that it was clear that she had never imagined such a caress was possible.

  In her fearful perturbation she had unwittingly lifted her skirt still higher. The hanker had, as I imagined, unfastened her undies. Her sexual regions were entirely bared. His lips were hotly pressed upon the upper part of her delicate slit. His face was pressing down, striving eagerly for a deeper penetration between the gloriously naked legs.