The Best of Roger Frank Selby Read online

‘No sir; I don’t have a husband. Iam applying for the position.’

  He hesitated for a moment. ‘I have advertised for the position of a butler; I don’t require any other staff at the moment, thank you.’

  ‘I am a butler, sir.’

  ‘Really …? How extraordinary! Well, I was assuming all butlers were male … I don’t really see how …’

  ‘Wouldn’t you consider a female butler, sir? I’m fully trained, with excellent references.’

  ‘Well, I’ve never considered it before … didn’t even know there wassuch a thing! And I suppose if I don’t grant you an interview I’ll be in trouble for being “sexist”!’

  ‘Not for a moment, sir! It is vital that a gentleman is completely comfortable with his butler. Such a thing could never be imposed.’ She changed the subject in a businesslike way. ‘May I ask how many other staff there are in the household?’

  He was warming to her. ‘Certainly, Miss …?’

  ‘Reynolds, sir, just Reynolds.’

  ‘Certainly, Reynolds. Since poor old Forbes passed away we have been getting by with just two, but they are both excellent. Cook, and a maid, Ann … Look, Reynolds, I guess we could arrange an interview at least. Tuesday all right? Around twelve?’

  ‘Perfect for me, sir.’

  ‘Excellent! Don’t forget those references.’

  ‘You’ll find I never forget anything. Goodbye, sir.’

  ‘Goodbye, Reynolds.’

  The house had a lot of old-fashioned character. A grandfather clock in the hall struck twelve as the maid led the way. A knock, a quiet ‘Come,’ and Reynolds was shown into a roomy, book-strewn study.

  ‘Good afternoon, sir!’ He looked a lot younger than she had imagined – probably only just into his forties. He smiled.

  ‘Good afternoon, Reynolds.’ He rose to shake hands. He was well built and looked fit – probably still played rugby from time to time by the look of him. ‘Would you like a seat?’ It was a subtle test.

  ‘No, thank you, sir,’ she said, allowing herself a trace of a smile. ‘As you know, it would not be appropriate for me to sit down while outside the servants’ quarters.’

  ‘Quite right, Forbes – I mean, Reynolds.’ My God, she wore a butler’s personality so well he’d used his old butler’s name … and yet she was a young woman – hair in a tight bun, and rather heavy spectacles, but unmistakably an attractive woman. Tall and possibly a bit on the skinny side in her grey business suit – slightly padded shoulders. No perfume. She had a strong, intelligent, almost severe face. No make-up. Nice complexion though.

  ‘How old are you, Reynolds?’

  ‘Thirty, sir.’

  ‘Yet you only have three and a half years’ experience as a butler. Perhaps you were in service before …?’ He glanced through the two references, scanning swiftly. Sheila Reynolds … Dazzling words of praise leapt out. Then he found her military discharge papers. ‘Ah, a different type of service: an officer in the army!’ It explained a lot – her bearing, her presence. ‘Why did you leave?’

  ‘It was just a short-service commission, sir.’

  ‘Good, but … Ah, I’m not sure how quite to put this, Reynolds …’

  ‘I am unattached, sir.’

  Amazing! She could almost read his mind – just like old Forbes. ‘Reynolds, I have to say that you are the best candidate by far that I have interviewed. I see from your splendid references that you will have no problem at all running only a couple of staff and this diminutive establishment. The only problem I have is …’

  ‘Me being a female manservant, sir?’

  ‘Quite.’

  ‘In the past I have started off helping with the … lessintimate moments of the day, until my employer was more used to my presence.’

  ‘It’s not just that, Reynolds; I’m single, with a wide circle of friends, some of them women. I’m just wondering how they will take to you.’

  ‘I really can’t answer that question for you, sir.’

  And that’s how he started with his new butler. After a few weeks he stopped noticing Reynolds was a woman, so good was she at her job. Occasionally he would go off to the city on business for a few days. Everything seemed to run like clockwork whether he was home or not. Only when he came back late one night with Alison Bradley did he feel the slightest apprehension.

  ‘Oh, it’s turned sochilly, John!’ Alison said as they entered the house. ‘I really think it might snow.’ Reynolds took Miss Bradley’s coat and stole and then her master’s coat.

  ‘How was the play, madam?’

  ‘It was marvellous; so clever, Reynolds!’ she said archly. ‘It turned out that the butler did it!’

  ‘Really, madam?’

  Alison had a tendency to tease and patronise his people but his butler could take care of herself, thought John. Although Alison had encountered Reynolds a few times before, this was to be the first time his girlfriend would stay overnight. He felt that she might resent Reynolds, might even feel some jealousy towards her … He sensed trouble looming. ‘Reynolds, could you get Cook to rustle up some hot chocolate for us?’

  ‘It’s all in hand, sir. Cook wasn’t feeling too well, so I took the liberty of packing her off to bed early. I put the kettle on when I heard you draw up.’

  ‘Oh, I hope she’s not going down with anything,’ said Alison, ‘John and I were rather looking forward to her eggs and bacon in bed tomorrow morning.’

  John cringed but then thought again; good old Forbes would not have batted an eyelid at such a remark.

  Neither did Reynolds: ‘Don’t worry, madam, I can rustle up the best eggs and bacon in the world, just give me ten minutes’ notice, day or night!’ She turned to her master. ‘I’ll just put the Aston in the barn while the water’s boiling, sir.’

  John was sitting with Alison at his feet in front of the drawing room fire when Reynolds brought them their hot chocolate. ‘Ah, thank you, Reynolds, that will be all for tonight.’

  ‘Very good, sir. What time will you be wanting breakfast?’

  He glanced at Alison. ‘About ten OK for you, darling?’

  ‘Yes. Ten o’clock’s fine, and make my bacon nice and crispy, please, Reynolds.’

  She giggled after Reynolds had closed the door. ‘My God, John, she really is just like a butler.’

  ‘She is a butler, darling, at least the equal of Forbes. Now, come closer.’ He slid his hands under the straps of her gown as she leaned back against his knees. Her shoulders were still a little cold. His hands moved lower to cup her pert breasts. They were cool too; deliciously cool.

  ‘Your hands feel so nice and warm on my body, darling,’ she whispered. ‘I want to make love right here in front of the fire.’ She turned her face up to his and he kissed her half-opened mouth.

  But what about Reynolds, he thought. Somehow this wasn’t quite the same as having a male butler. He tried to reason it out. He trusted her. She would not walk in or peep. But somehow, he was not quite so comfortable about sex with Reynolds around. No doubt about it. Could it be because Reynolds was not unattractive herself?

  ‘John! You seem to be miles away.’

  ‘I was just thinking about Reynolds …’ It was out before he could check himself. Honesty was not always the best policy – especially with Alison.

  ‘While you were holding my breasts! Are you comparing them to her tits?’ She threw off his hands.

  He groaned. ‘Alison! This is ridiculous! I was doing nothing of the sort. I was just feeling … a little dreamy, thinking about us and my household. Please don’t spoil this perfect evening. I’ll confess that I was worried that she might come in while we were … Anyway,’ he tried to laugh it all off, ‘Reynolds doesn’t appear to have too much in the way of “tits”!’

  Alison was not amused. ‘John, you are easily taken in. I grant you she looks like a frump, but that is not the case, I know. For some reason she’s deliberately hiding her looks and her figure.’

  ‘You know?’

&
nbsp; ‘Yes … Look, John, had you noticed that she and I are about the same age?’

  ‘Well, yes, I had.’

  ‘We were at school together.’

  ‘Good heavens!’

  ‘I didn’t mention it before because I didn’t want to upset the apple cart. She is a lovely person but something happened to her … I can’t say any more. When I first saw her here I wondered if she was gold-digging. But I don’t think so now.’

  Miss Bradley, worth a few million herself, could never be accused of that. He thought of the possible consequences of this revelation. But as long as both women played the game of not knowing each other, there would be no problem, surely?

  At least Alison seems to be back on my side, he thought, kissing her neck and slipping his hands back inside her dress.

  They didn’t make love by the fire. But they did upstairs: once by the bedroom window, with the curtains open, looking out at the falling snow, once on the carpeted bathroom floor by the mirror and once in his big four-poster bed.

  A discreet knock on the door. ‘Ten o’clock, sir.’

  ‘Come in, Reynolds,’ John called out sleepily.

  Alison looked around. The sheet was nowhere in sight in the warm room. She and John were lying naked in each other’s arms.

  ‘Good morning, madam, sir. Your breakfast!’ Reynolds puffed up the pillows for them both to sit up, the boisterous movement causing her breasts to bounce noticeably beneath her clothing. She found the sheet – which went over their laps – and positioned the tray before them.

  ‘Good morning, Reynolds. You’re very kind.’

  ‘My pleasure, madam. Bath in about twenty minutes, sir?’

  ‘Yes, thank you, Reynolds.’

  ‘Did you notice her figure just then?’ asked Alison after the door had closed.

  ‘I certainly did! So how well did you know her at school?’

  Alison considered her answer for a moment. ‘Well, Sheila Reynolds sometimes slept in my bed.’

  ‘Really? Oh, I forgot! Girls can do that sort of thing, without it meaning more than being just friends …’ He must have noticed the quirky smile on her lips. He paused for a moment, ‘You and she …?’

  ‘Yes, John, and it has nothing to do with us. You know how I feel about you.’ She touched his arm tenderly. ‘I’m only telling you because I don’t want us ever to have secrets from each other.’

  ‘You seem very casual about this … this lesbian thing,’ he said, a little sternly.

  ‘I am.’

  ‘Anyone else?’

  She took her hand away. ‘Not really, it was just her, and only for a while … Look, darling, please don’t let us fight about this. I’ll be going away soon and I don’t want to spoil our precious time together.’

  He was very thoughtful as he munched on his toast. He was still quiet as they lay in the big bath at opposite ends, with none of their usual hanky-panky.

  Damn! Perhaps she’d been a fool to be so honest. She really didn’t want to lose him – and she might have jeopardised Sheila’s career. ‘Sheila is no more a complete lesbian than I am, John. But this “butler” thing is something else. She had a terrible experience in the Gulf, you know. I think it has permanently scarred her.’

  ‘Combat duty?’

  ‘She was raped by a gang of soldiers … on ourside.’

  His mouth dropped open and the bathwater surged as he sat up straight. ‘Good Lord!’

  ‘She asked me not to tell anyone– you in particular.’

  ‘So you have been talking?’

  ‘Just catching up a little, darling.’

  John could be a little insensitive sometimes, but he had a very kind heart. ‘My God! The poor girl … Maybe that’s why … it’s almost as if she doesn’t want to be a woman any more.’

  ‘She has an underlying fear of men. I guess the formal butler persona allows her to handle things better. She has a bad case of penile phobia, apparently … Oops! Promise me you’ll never tell her I told you any of this?’

  ‘Good Lord … darling, my lips are sealed.’ He leaned forward with a splash and kissed her. They seemed to be right back to normal.

  He pulled the cord.

  ‘Sir?’

  ‘The hot towels, please, Reynolds. Miss Bradley can go first.’

  Reynolds held open the vast towel. Alison stepped out and turned to face John as Reynolds dried her back and legs. In the heat Reynolds was working without her jacket and Alison had already noticed that the butler wasn’t wearing a bra under her blouse.

  John must have noticed too. Alison opened her eyes wide when she saw the monster rising out from the bathwatery depths.

  Despite his state of arousal he was a perfect gentleman as always. ‘Reynolds, thank you … We will be fine …’

  ‘No.’ Alison was as firm as her boyfriend was becoming. ‘It’s all right for Reynolds to stay. Your turn next, darling.’

  John shrugged his shoulders and grinned. ‘Me next, then, Reynolds, if that’s all right with you.’

  ‘It’s perfectly fine with me, sir.’

  He stood up and stepped out of the bath, as erect as a man can be. Reynolds stared at him, her mouth slightly open.

  Well, if Sheila still has penile phobia, this is the moment of truth, thought Alison. She watched, enthralled, while John’s back and legs were vigorously towelled, as if he were a stallion being rubbed down in the stables. She saw the beautiful feminine motion of Sheila’s half-hidden breasts in time with John’s manly swing. She became more aroused than she had ever been in her life. When she spoke, her voice was thick with desire. ‘Let me lend a hand there, Sheila.’ She dropped her covering towel and fell naked to her knees before him. Grabbing a small hand towel she started to dry every inch of the man. Sheila watched the kneeling woman at her task. ‘Come down here,’ said Alison. ‘I’ll show you how to dry him thoroughly.’

  ‘Are you sure, madam?’

  ‘I’m quite sure.’ Sheila slowly knelt down beside her. Alison pushed another small towel into her hand. ‘It’s very important to make sure he’s dry here behind his balls, right at the root of his cock. Open your legs a little please, darling. That’s right, Sheila, lift them gently and dry behind. There, see what I mean?’

  John felt the towel and the light touch of female fingers, saw his cock reaching out over the kneeling women.

  ‘Yes … that is perfectly clear, madam.’

  ‘Call me “Alison” for a while, Sheila. Let us allcall each other by our first names. And please let me help you out of that hot blouse.’

  He saw Sheila’s arms lift as she pulled off the blouse herself; saw her perfect breasts moving freely.

  ‘Now don’t you say a word, John. I want to show you off to my good friend Sheila. Now, Sheila, hold on to his cock with both of your hands.’

  Sheila reached out, touching him very lightly at first, then holding him with growing confidence. He revelled in her touch as she gripped him more firmly.

  ‘Now, Sheila, I want to show you off to my male lover, John. You have been hiding the most beautiful pair of tits a woman can have. I want you to let my lover touch them.’ He needed no further encouragement. He leaned forward, filling his hands. He felt the yielding weight of the breasts of the kneeling woman; let his thumbs feel the darker, up-standing tips. He could see the reflection of him fondling her body in the bathroom mirror.

  ‘Do you feel him reacting to your lovely body, Sheila? Feel how hard he is, how hot he is. Press his cock hard against your cheek.’

  Alison watched Sheila looking at her own reflection, that of a half-nude woman being intimately fondled and squeezed by big male hands while she held on to his cock. This must be her first time since that horrific experience.

  Sheila was hesitating, a panicky look in her eyes. She let go. Alison acted immediately: ‘John, quick! Get down on your back, close your eyes … We just need your dick on his own for a while, darling.’

  He did as he was told.

  ‘There is
nothing to be frightened about, Sheila,’ she said, stroking her friend’s breasts where John had been forced to let go. ‘This dangerous-looking weapon is more under ourcontrol than his. Let me show you.’

  John kept his eyes screwed tightly closed as he felt the handling fingers of both women making his cock react. He recognised Sheila’s grip return more firmly than before. Only when he felt the brush of long hair on his belly did he take a peek.

  Sheila had let her hair down.

  As she lowered her mouth he felt her deep breasts make contact with his opened thighs. He also felt the gentle spurt of a little pre-fluid.

  ‘Oops, don’t worry, Sheila, I’ll lick that one off for you …’

  The familiar tongue.

  ‘Lovely,’ said Alison. ‘You try the next one. There’ll be a lot more where that came from. While you’re doing that I’ll undo your skirt. There. You have such lovely long legs, Sheila.’

  He felt Sheila’s wet mouth come fully down over his cockhead for the first time. It was warm and soft. He felt the texture of her tongue lick along his shaft … Oops! Another spurt. He’d felt it coming and managed to control it. She gagged a little but held on.

  ‘And now I’ll just slide these panties off your lovely bottom … and right down … and kick them off!’ continued Alison. ‘Such a lovely bottom … that’s right; keep it high so I can feel all around, over and under where you are so wet … I will just touch you where we women love to be touched …’

  He felt Sheila’s teeth as her head jumped. He couldn’t help letting out a yelp.

  ‘Nipped him a little, eh? Have to remember to keep your mouth well open; but it gives you a sense of power and control, doesn’t it? And remember, he is trusting you with the most important thing in his life … I’ll continue to stroke your tits and play with you while you suck him. That’s it, roll your bottom around, girl. Roll it around my fingers. I’ll slip my fingers up into you like this … You are so tight and wet … Any time you want to pull off my hand and sit on my lover, feel free, but don’t wait too long or I’llhave him! He’ll be coming soon. Do you want to try him, Sheila?’

  John opened his eyes and saw Sheila lift her mouth just clear of the glistening head of his cock. She looked sideways at her love-friend with half-closed eyes. A filament of fluid still joined her lips to him. ‘Yes, Alison,’ she breathed, ‘I think I’m ready now.’