Comeuppance

Comeuppance 1 to 7

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This work is intended for ADULTS ONLY. It may contain depictions of sexual activity involving minors. If you are not of a legal age in your locality to view such material or if such material does not appeal to you, do not read further, and do not save this story.
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PART 1

“Go ahead, Pat,” she said. “Strip!”

The dark haired boy with the flashing green eyes couldn’t believe the angelic twelve-year-old was making this demand. She was so beautiful, with her golden corn-silk hair and bright blue eyes, he had fallen in love the moment he saw her. Now she was about to thoroughly humiliate him. He had suffered much in his thirteen years but this cut the deepest.

Patrick Ryan, Junior and his younger sister, Fiona had been born on a farm in Ireland where his father and uncle were sharecroppers. The men were barely able to eke out a living. After a particularly bad season, his father had begged and borrowed passage to America. Expecting to make his fortune in the land whose streets were rumored to be paved with gold, he promised that he would send a portion of his earnings back to his creditors and a portion to his family until he could set aside enough to bring them over to join him. It took him eight years.

After an ocean voyage and some time spent in Ellis Island, eleven-year-old Pat, ten-year-old Fiona and their mother arrived in New York City. Pat Ryan, Senior brought them to his two-bedroom tenement apartment where they struggled to put food on the table. Maura sewed and cleaned houses, with help from her daughter. Pat Junior became a New York City street urchin, hustling to bring home something to eat or better yet, money. He tried hawking newspapers and shining shoes but bigger boys kept running him off their turf. Eventually out of desperation he became a thief, stealing fruit and baked goods from street vendors.

This went on for a little over a year until the night Pat awoke to an acrid stench. He woke Fiona and they barely managed to crawl out through the thick smoke to the front door. They waited on the sidewalk for their parents to emerge. Trapped in the back bedroom, they never did.

A woman took charge of them, bringing them to a makeshift shelter in the basement of a church where they lived with other orphan children. Since the adults in charge believed in segregating the sexes overnight, for the first time in their lives, Pat and Fiona did not sleep in the same room. Replacement clothing was given them, used but serviceable. Their basic needs were seen to - except for love.

Over time some of the children were taken in by families. Usually these were the infants who could be adopted and the stronger boys who could be put to work. Since the Ryan didn’t match either description, they languished in the church basement. Then one day the remaining children were handed empty potato sacks and told to pack all their belongings. They were taken to a station where they boarded a train which would take them halfway across the country.
Miss Windsor, one of the church people accompanying them, explained what was expected of them. They were to stay clean and presentable. They would greet everyone politely and answer questions honestly. They were to mention any special skills or experience they had such as sewing or farming. This was their chance to join a real family. Girls were given babies to care for during the trip.

At each stop, they were trotted out like livestock for strangers to examine and select. The baby Fiona cared for was taken away, to be replaced with another. Often orphans were forcibly pulled from a sibling’s arms and sent to live with a family many miles away. Pat and Fiona swore to each other that they would never be separated. By the time they reached Illinois, there were only a few older children left. Miss Windsor had become cross because a few times someone had been willing to take either Pat or Fiona but they had protested being divided and thrown fits, so the offers had been withdrawn.

Then it appeared that luck smiled on them. Upon hearing that Patrick had experience working the land and dealing with animals, a farmer named Zeke Collum offered to take him in. Though he had no room for Fiona, he had come with the Roscoes, the couple who lived nearby and they were looking for a girl to help out in their boarding house. Though they would not be living in the same house, they would get to see each other regularly.

Pat was sent to sleep in the barn. He worked from the crack of dawn until it grew dark. When he did not perform a task to Zeke’s satisfaction, he was struck, sometimes with a hand and occasionally with a belt.

Fiona by contrast got to sleep in a cot off the kitchen. She worked hard - but nowhere near as hard as Pat - running errands, fetching water, cleaning, cooking and sewing. Mrs. Roscoe was satisfied with her work and she wasn’t hit. Her only concern was the strange way Fred Roscoe stared at her. It made her uncomfortable. She couldn’t understand why he did it. Was there something wrong with her? In the mirror she saw a slender girl with red hair, pale skin and the delicate features inherited from her mother. It was strange that it was dark haired Pat who had the freckles usually associated with her hair color. Most people seeing them together would not assume they were siblings.

One night it was time for her weekly bath. She filled the tub, which was kept in a corner off the kitchen, bucket by bucket, added a caldron of hot water, pulled the curtain across the corner of the room for privacy and stripped off her clothes. She sank into the luxurious warm water.

“Fred, what are you doing there?” Mrs. Roscoe asked and Fiona started.

She looked up and saw the curtain twitch and his shadow as he walked away. Fiona flushed. How long had he been standing there and how much had he seen?

Shortly afterward, Miss Windsor arrived to take Fiona away. Mrs. Roscoe said she wasn’t working out. Fiona ran down the road to tell Pat. He decided he was going with her. Together they went back to inform Miss Windsor. She was very angry and reminded Pat of how hard it had been to place him. Soon they were back on the train heading west. Fiona was handed a baby girl with red hair just like hers.

They were in a station in Indiana when Pat felt they were being watched. He looked up and his breath caught. She was the loveliest creature he had ever seen. About twelve years old, she had a figure very much like his sister’s, slender and starting to develop. She had long blonde hair, bright blue eyes and exquisite features. She smiled, displaying even, white teeth.

“Is that your baby?” she asked.

“No, I’m just caring for her until someone decides to take her,” Fiona replied.

“She looks like you. I guess it’s the hair. I should know not everyone with red hair is related. My dad has red hair. So are you one of the...orphans?”

She paused and almost whispered the last word, as if it were shameful.

“Yes. We’re Fiona and Pat Ryan. Our folks were killed in a fire. There’s just me and Pat left.” Fiona jerked her head to indicate her brother.

“So this is your brother? He doesn’t look like you.”

“I take after my ma and Pat after Da.”

“I’m Colleen Bailey. My folks are here looking for someone who can help on our farm.”

“We grew up on a farm.”

“Wait right here.”

Colleen ran off. Miss Windsor approached to take the baby from Fiona and hand her to a couple. A minute later, Colleen returned with her parents. The woman had the same blonde hair and blue eyes. The man had red hair which almost matched his weatherbeaten face.

“These are my folks,” Colleen said, unnecessarily, since the relationship to the woman was obvious. “Ma, these are Fiona and Pat Ryan. Their folks were killed in a fire. But they grew up on a farm.”

The adults questioned the children about their farming experience. Fiona mentioned the other tasks she had handled.

“Aren’t they perfect?” Colleen asked. “They know about farming and cleaning and cooking and sewing. They’re the right age to be my friends. They even look like they’re part of our family.” To the siblings, she said, “They couldn’t have any children after me. We talked about adopting but times are hard and raising another baby that ain’t yours ain’t easy. But then we thought about taking in someone who could help out and earn their keep, someone old enough to be my friend. It’s lonely being an only child on a farm.”

“Hush, Colleen,” her mother said. “You don’t hafta tell ‘em all our business.”

“Don’t you have neighbors with children?” Fiona asked.

“Just two. One has six boys and the other has girls all older and the youngest is a boy. He’s almost two years older than me and a troublemaker. Come on, Ma! They’re perfect.”

“I don’t know,” her father said with a frown. “We were talking about one boy to help me around the farm, not two and one of ‘em a girl. Times are hard.”

“But I wanted a girl so I could have a friend!” she reminded him.

“We wouldn’t be taking someone in to play. It would be to work.”

“Fiona could work. She can gather eggs and milk the cows and feed chickens. She can cook and clean and sew. There’s stuff for her to do.”

“We really need a strong boy to help with the hard work. Maybe we should take Pat.”

“No!” Fiona cried. “You can’t split us up!”

“All they have is each other!” Colleen protested. “It wouldn’t be Christian to divide ‘em. Besides, Ma said it would be awkward to have a boy in the house.”

“He was gonna sleep in the barn.”

“He can’t sleep there in the winter.”

“Then we still got the same problem. And we only got three rooms.”

“Pat and I can share a room,” Fiona said.

The Baileys were shocked.

“You’re too old to share with your brother,” Frank said.

Fiona didn’t mention that they had been sharing a room until the fire.

“Fiona could sleep in my room,” Colleen offered.

Her mother’s eyes widened. “You’d be willing to share your room?”

“To get a friend? For sure!”

“And what happens if after a few days you decide you can’t stand each other?”

“I can’t see that happening. I always wanted a friend.”

“But friends sometimes have fights.”

“I know that. I’ve seen that in school. So they don’t talk to each other for a few days and then they become friends again.”

“But they don’t share a room. So what are you gonna do if you and Fiona have a fight?”

“I’ll sleep on the couch downstairs until we make up.”

Mrs. Ryan turned to her husband. “Frank, Colleen’s right. It’s not Christian to divide brother and sister when they’re orphans. Do you think we can manage both?”

“Well, Ed Farnham said gettin’ Dennis to do his chores can take more time than actually doin’ the work himself. And sometimes he can use a third hand. Maybe we can work out a deal where the boy stays with Ed when he needs him and with us when he don’t.”

“You won’t be sorry!” Fiona exclaimed. “Pat and I are both hard workers.”

Miss Windsor was ecstatic to hear that both siblings had been placed together. A short while later, the Ryans were seated at the front of a wagon while the siblings were in back, headed to their new home. Pat studied Colleen’s beautiful profile, thinking that she was an angel sent by heaven to help him and his sister.

And now that angel was about to dole out the ultimate humiliation.

PART 2

The wagon was drawn down a dusty road past long stretches of empty areas and tilled fields before it finally stopped in front of a modest wooden house.

“Home, sweet home,” Colleen announced.

The passengers descended from the wagon then Frank brought the horse to the stable. A large, jet-black dog watched them suspiciously, like a sentry. Neither sibling had a fear of canines having grown up around them in Ireland.

“That’s Knight,” Colleen said. “He’s our guard dog.”

“He’s certainly dark as night,” Fiona commented.

“It’s Knight with a k because he’s my knight in shining armor. He’s a good watchdog against marauding animals like raccoons and coyotes. He sleeps in the barn so he can keep an eye out at night.”

Knight loped away. The Ryans followed the Baileys inside. The first room they encountered was a sitting room, with several chairs around a dining table on one side, a sofa and several chairs - including rockers - around a smaller table on the other. A metal stove sat in the corner. On the right, stairs led to a second story. Beyond the main room was the kitchen.

“Colleen, show Fiona the extra bedroom,” Mrs. Bailey said.

“I thought she was sharing my room.”

“Since the weather’s warm, she can take the extra room and Pat can sleep in the barn. By the time it gets colder, we’ll have grown used to each other. Then we can decide if we’re moving Pat upstairs or letting him sleep on the sofa. He might end up sleeping at the Farnhams some nights. So bring Fiona upstairs and leave her things in her room. Then take her to the lake. I’m sure after her trip she can use a good wash. Then come back here and we’ll send Pat.”

Her new bedroom at the end of the hall was bigger than the one she had shared with Pat. There was a bed with a bare mattress and a chest of drawers.

“We’ll make your bed later,” Colleen said. “Wanna see my room?”

It was the one next door to hers, closer to the stairs. It was twice as large and contained even more drawers. Though it bore linen, the bed was unmade and there was clothing on the floor, along with a story book.

“Sorry for the mess. I wasn’t expecting company,” Colleen said. “We rarely get anyone other than relatives during the holidays. Uh, is that your good dress?”

“I only have two, so they’re both my good dresses. The church gave them to me. I lost everything else in the fire.”

“I’m sorry. I believe we’re about the same size. Try one of mine.” She opened one of the drawers and took out a one-piece dress made of inexpensive muslin and bearing some small stains. “This is one of my old ones. As you can see, it’s not in great condition. I wear it for doing chores and going to the lake.”

She pulled out a second nearly identical one. Then she unbuttoned the one she wore and pulled it off. Tossing it on the bed, she donned the stained one. She also removed her stockings. Fiona changed into the dress Colleen had given her but carried her own dress into her bedroom where she folded it and put it in an empty drawer along with her stockings.

“Take off your shoes,” Colleen advised. “Otherwise they’ll get ruined.”

They left their shoes in front of the house. Not since leaving Ireland had Fiona frolicked barefoot and she enjoyed the sensation. She followed Colleen to the back of the house and through a vast expanse of grass. Knight ran over and Colleen patted his head. He turned to Fiona.

“Go ahead,” Colleen urged. “It’s a good way to make friends.”

Fiona rubbed his head and the dog seemed to enjoy it. He loped away as they continued. Grass gave way to a damp reeds and the ground became muddy. Fiona was glad she wasn’t wearing shoes. Past the reeds, they came to a lake.

Joy and sorrow infused her. Though it didn’t look the same, it reminded her of a lake back in Ireland. It brought back happy memories but at the same time, reminded her of her loss. To her surprise, Colleen pulled off her dress and hung it from a reed. In just her underwear, she waded into the water.

“Come on in!” she called out. “The water’s perfect!”

“Are you sure?” Fiona asked nervously.

“This is our land and no one else is around. Ma’s keeping Pat inside until we get back.”

Fiona removed the borrowed dress and hung it from a reed. In her underwear, she stepped into the water. Colleen was right. It was cool and refreshing. She could feel the dust and sweat of her trip wash away. After a few minutes, they emerged and let the July sun dry them. As they put the dresses back on, Fiona saw a snake slither by and jumped, emitting a squeal. Colleen laughed.

“It’s just a garter snake. They’re harmless.”

She bent down and picked it up. It coiled around her wrist.

“We didn’t have snakes in Ireland or New York City either.”

“Most snakes around here are harmless. Some help control pests. There are a few venomous ones around but if you leave them alone, they’ll leave you alone.”

She put the snake down. They watched it slither away, then returned to the house.

“Your turn, Pat,” Mrs. Bailey said. “Go out back and keep going until you reach the lake. Leave your shoes at the door; you don’t want to ruin them. Be sure to hang your pants on a reed before you go in, so it doesn’t get muddy.”

“I’m swimming in my underwear?” Pat asked.

“Or without them if you want,” Mrs. Bailey said. “There’s no one else around. The girls are staying here to help me prepare the meal.”

Several minutes after Pat left, the girls heard the most terrifying shrieks coming from the lake. Her heart in her mouth, Fiona raced outside, followed by Colleen.

Like his sister, Pat felt a strong sense of deja vu when he came to the lake. He carefully hung his pants on a reed. He considered removing his underpants but despite being alone, he was too self-conscious to bare all. He entered the water which was cool and invigorating. After several minutes, he stepped out and waited for the sun to dry him.

A snake slithered out of the reeds near his bare foot. A jolt of adrenaline coursed through him. He ran pell-mell for the house, shrieking all the way. As he neared it, the girls raced toward him. They stopped suddenly, their mouths open. Pat suddenly realized he was standing of front of his angel wearing just a pair of underpants which was nearly transparent from the water. The shock frightened him more than the snake. He turned and ran back to the lake. Moments later he returned, wearing his pants. His heart was still pounding and not entirely from fear.

“What was that all about?” Fiona asked.

“Snake,” he gasped.

Colleen laughed. “You ran out of there screaming like a banshee over a garter snake?”

“Hey, I was scared too!” Fiona reminded her.

“You gave a little squeal. You didn’t rush out of there like the devil was after you. That was some sight to see. In more ways than one.”

Pat flushed. “How do you know it wasn’t poisonous?”

“Because there are very few venomous ones around,” Colleen explained again. “And they’re more afraid of you than you are of them. If it was a rattler, you would have heard it. And you really didn’t have to run that far. Snakes don’t chase people.”

Now that he was calmer, Pat cursed himself silently for not thinking of that before making an embarrassing spectacle of himself. At the same time he was glad he had kept his underpants on while he bathed. He wondered how much she had seen.

Fiona helped Mrs. Bailey by fetching water from the well, peeling potatoes and other assorted chores. Colleen pitched in but Fiona got the impression that it was unusual for her new friend to assist. Pat was sent out to bring in firewood. Supper was on the table when Mr. Bailey came in.

“What was all the fuss about earlier?” he asked. “Something scare Fiona?”

Colleen giggled. “It wasn’t Fiona; it was Pat. He came running from the lake like a crazy person because he saw a garter snake. Didn’t even take the time to put on pants.”

Pat flushed. “How was I supposed to know? I’ve never seen a snake outside of pictures in a book.”

“Maybe you should take both of them around and point out what is and isn’t dangerous,” Mrs. Bailey suggested.

“I don’t wanna get close to anything dangerous,” Pat said.

“And you probably won’t. They’re rare and they tend to hide from people. But if Colleen shows you what’s not dangerous, next time you won’t run off screaming like a loon.”

“Pat, since you just got here, I gave you a chance to rest a bit,” Frank said. “Tomorrow you get up when the rooster crows and I’ll show you what to do around here. Fiona, that goes for you, too. Colleen will show you how to gather the eggs and milk the cows.”

“I thought with them here, I could sleep later,” Colleen grumbled.

“They’re here to provide extra help, not so you can become lazier. Now that they’re here, maybe we send you on that train,” he said with a smile.

“I’ve gathered eggs and milked cows before,” Fiona said.

“See? She doesn’t need my help.” said Colleen.

“There are a lotta things have to get done around here. You’ve been slacking off. Now that we have two extra hands, I expect to see everything done. The milking, the eggs, feeding the animals, fetching water and that’s just outside the house. I’m sure your mother has a list of chores for inside, right Maureen?”

“Absolutely. You can start by cleaning your room. I’m sure Fiona makes her bed every morning and doesn’t leave her things on the floor. There are clothes to wash and hang up to dry, beans to snap and corn to shuck. I’m sure Fiona can show you what to do. But that all starts tomorrow. The only thing left for you tonight is to take them to the barn and show Pat where he’ll be sleeping, then show Fiona where we keep the sheets so she can make her bed.”

For supper there were potatoes, carrots, beans, bread and milk. The Ryans had never before seen so much food doled out to so few people. Fiona ate slowly, savoring every bite. Pat, who had been on a near-starvation diet most of his life, lacked the self-control. Fiona saw how the Baileys had taken notice but were trying to hide their reactions. Frank bore an expression of pain in his eyes, as if he were wondering if the work he would get was worth the food it would cost. Fiona kicked Pat on the ankle.

“What was that for?” he whispered.

“Slow down! You’re eating like a pig!”

“I’ve never had so much food before!”

“I know. Neither have I. But I’m sure there’ll be food tomorrow. Unless, of course, you finish it all tonight.”

“Okay. I get it.”

He slowed down and Mr. Bailey looked relieved.

After eating, Colleen walked the Ryans to the barn and showed Pat the mattress in the hayloft. The siblings had already seen the outhouse and both the water pump and the well for drinking water.

“This place is cozy!” Fiona exclaimed.

“If you don’t mind animal sounds and cats,” Colleen added.

“You hafta be used to animal sounds on a farm and cats keep the mice down.”

“Well, I hope Pat isn’t afraid of cats or mice or chickens. I don’t wanna hear that shriek again. Though I wouldn’t mind seeing him running around in his underwear.” Pat blushed. “Let me give you that lesson my mother suggested. If you see a fuzzy white or brown creature with floppy ears hopping around, that’s the dangerous Indiana rabbit. They’re known to attack anyone wearing underwear, so rip yours off and run to the house.”

“Very funny,” Pat grumbled as both girls laughed.

“Good night, Pat,” Fiona said.

“Good night, Pat. I’m really glad you’re here.”

“You are?” he asked, his heart beating a little faster.

“Sure. Just keep putting on a show for me every so often and I’ll continue being glad.”

His ears rang with her laughter after she left. Now he lay back on his mattress and contemplated his situation. This was certainly an improvement. He was in the same place as his sister. The Baileys seems like decent people. They expected him to work hard, but that was nothing new to him. They didn’t seem like the type to work him near to death or beat him for minor mistakes.

A sound caused him to start and then he realized it was an owl hooting. He had never slept alone, not in his entire life. It frightened him a little. Below him he could hear a cat run across the straw. Knight came in and lay down on the ground below. The owl hooted again. He realized he wasn’t alone. Within a short while, he fell asleep.

Fiona lay in her new bedroom wondering at the turn of events which had brought her here. She was living in the same place as her brother, with good people and a wonderful new friend. Though she knew she would be awakened early to start her chores, that didn’t worry her. She was no stranger to work. But her duties included being a friend to Colleen and that couldn’t happen if she worked the whole day. She expected she would be given time to play and that was such a wonderful thought. She fell asleep with a smile on her lips.

She awoke when the rooster crowed and the sun was just beginning to peek its head over the eastern horizon. Donning the dress she had borrowed from Colleen she went downstairs where she found Mr. Bailey about to head out to the barn.

“Is Colleen up yet?” he asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Well, go make sure she is.”

Fiona went upstairs and knocked on Colleen’s door. Getting no reply, she went in.

“Colleen, it’s time to get up!”

“It can’t be morning already. It’s still dark!”

“Not for long. Let’s get moving. Your da’s waiting.”

Groaning, Colleen stumbled out of bed and put on the same dress she had worn to the lake. The girls went downstairs.

“Get washed up and then start your chores,” Mr. Bailey told them. “Feed the animals, gather the eggs, milk the cows, fetch water. After that we’ll eat.”

Colleen showed her around. Fiona already knew what to do. She found Pat feeding the horses and mucking out the stable.

“He’s beautiful!” she exclaimed, seeing the colt.

“He’s too young to ride,” Colleen said. “But in a couple of months, I might be the first one on him. I can hardly wait.”

“You can ride the other horses.”

“They’re carriage horses. They just plod along. I want one that can gallop.”

“It’ll be a long time before he can gallop.”

“I know. But eventually he will.”

They found Maureen milking a cow. Working together, it took them under two hours to finish all the chores on the list. They washed up at the pump and went in for a hearty breakfast. While Pat tackled the chores assigned to him, Fiona showed Colleen how to make a bed and clean a room. Then the girls went out into the fields and checked the crops for infestation. They collected the bugs they found in a bucket and brought them back to feed to the chickens. This took them into lunch.

They were released from duty for the next few hours which they spent swimming and wandering around the lake while Colleen pointed out the various creatures which inhabited the area. There were turtles, tadpoles, snakes and assorted fish. Fiona found it fascinating.

“I’m so glad you’re here!” Colleen exclaimed.

“I’m so glad I’m here, too!”

“Hey, gals!” Frank shouted from a distance away. “I’m about to let Pat join you. Let me know when it’s safe.”

The girls donned their dresses and shouted back that it was fine. A minute later, Pat came through the reeds. Just as she had with Fiona, Colleen took him around and showed him the wildlife. She spotted a rabbit several yards away.

“Quick, Pat!” she whispered. “Tear off your underwear before he attacks.”

Pat’s face changed to match his sister’s hair.

“Could you gals leave?” he asked. “I wanna wash up.”

“Be my guest,” Colleen said.

“I hafta take my pants off.”

“So go ahead. It’s not like we didn’t just see that yesterday.”

He flushed. “That was an accident.”

“Doesn’t change what I saw.”

“Doesn’t mean I’m gonna do it again.”

“Too bad. Okay, we’re leaving.”

“You really should stop teasing Pat,” Fiona said.

“Why? It’s cute to watch him blush.”

“But it’s not a good idea to push him too far.”

“Why not? Is he dangerous?”

“Not exactly.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I’m afraid to say anymore because you could take it the wrong way.”

“You’ll hafta be clearer ‘cause I don’t understand you.”

“Okay.” Fiona took a big breath. “When we lived in New York, Pat ran around the streets with a tough crowd. Bigger boys started up with him and robbed him. He learned how to get even. He also has something of a temper. I keep reminding him to stay in control but if you keep taunting him, he might lose it. So please stop.”

“Okay. I’ll do it because you asked.”

“Thank you.”

The girls had more chores to complete in the late afternoon, mostly involved with laundry and food preparation. Pat was tasked with fetching water and firewood and filling the water jugs kept in the upstairs bedrooms. They ate another hearty supper.

Later, the girls were sent to bed and Pat to the barn. As Fiona prepared to lay down, a shriek sounded from Colleen’s room. As her parents pounded up the stairs, Fiona ran to investigate the cause.

“What’s going on?” Frank asked.

“I pulled back my upper sheet and there was a snake in my bed,” Colleen said.

“Where is it now?”

“Crawling around the room. I’ll need a lamp to find it.”

“What if it’s poisonous?” Fiona asked.

“I’m sure it’s a garter snake.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“Because a snake wouldn’t come into this house, crawl up the stairs and climb into my bed. Someone put it there.”

“I told you to stop teasing him about it.”

Fiona’s heart sank when Frank said, “It looks like bringing him here was a mistake.”

PART 3

“Please!” Fiona sobbed. “Don’t send us away! Pat will never do it again!”

“Don’t cry,” Mrs. Bailey said, embracing her. “You’re staying here with us.”

“Not without Pat!”

“We haven’t decided about him yet. But you shouldn’t be punished for his crime. You’re happy here and we’re happy you’re here. If Pat has to leave, he might end up working in some factory. Why would you want to go with him? That’s not a life for you.”

“He’s all I have!”

“Then he should have thought of that before doing this!” Frank thundered. “He entered my daughter’s bedroom uninvited...”

“Actually, I asked him to fill the water pitchers,” Maureen said. “Which I see he’s done.”

“Okay, he had reason to come in but to leave a snake in her bed!”

“He was only getting back at me for teasing him!” Colleen said. “That makes it a little bit my fault.”

Her father paused. “So you’re not upset?”

“Well, a little bit. But in a way, it was sort of funny. I never had someone play a prank on me like this.”

“Tell me, would you want Pat to do this to you again?”

“No. Once was enough.”

“I think so too. So I’m going to have a stern talk with the young man to make sure this never happens again. Right after we find that snake.”

Using lamps, they searched the room and eventually found the snake coiled under the bed. Colleen picked it up and released it outside the house. Her father went off to the barn. Moments later, the sound of Pat shouting in pain could be heard. Mr. Bailey returned.

“What happened?” Colleen asked.

“I’ve never had to be responsible for a boy before,” her father replied. “So I had to rely on the memory of how my dad would have handled it. I gave him a whipping.”

Fiona gasped. “How bad?”

“Just three on the backside over his pants. Believe me, I got a lot worse as a child. It was just to impress upon him the severity of his actions. He’s lucky Colleen defended him. If something like this happens again, we may be forced to send him away.”

“It won’t, I promise.”

Pat walked in a bit stiffly the next morning at breakfast and sat down gingerly.

“How do you feel?” his sister asked.

“It stings a little but Da used to hit me worse,” he replied with a grin.

“It was a very stupid thing to do. They almost sent us away.”

“You mean we almost sent Pat away,” Mr. Bailey corrected her.

“If he goes, I go.”

“That would be foolish. He could end up somewhere which would be no place for a girl.”

“I’d still go with him.”

“You hear that, Pat? Your actions have consequences not only for you but for Fiona as well. So think hard before you do something foolish.”

“Yes, Sir!”

“You’re lucky Colleen defended you,” Fiona said.

Pat’s heart gave a little leap. “You defended me?”

“Yes. I said you were only getting back at me for teasing you.”

“So you’re not mad?”

“Oh, I’m mad. Just not mad enough to take the chance that Fiona might go with you. But if you do something like that again, don’t expect me to stick up for you.”

They attended to their chores for the next few hours. While out in the field, Fiona noticed two men with straw-colored hair approaching the barn. Not two men, she realized as they drew closer, a tall, broad-shouldered man and a shorter one who was still in his teens.

“That’s Ed Farnham and his son, Dennis,” Colleen said. “They own the property down the road. Dennis has a lot of sisters.”

“That’s right. You said there were a bunch of older girls and Dennis is the youngest and the only boy,” Fiona recalled.

“Yes, and he’s trouble. That’s why he’s not allowed on our property.”

“What did he do?”

“What didn’t he do? He used to be invited to swim in our lake. There ain’t none on his property. We swam in our old clothes. But after he held my head under water, he wasn’t allowed back. Once when I was gathering eggs, I heard a rattle and then the rattler was right at my feet. I almost died of fright. I dropped all the eggs. Then I saw it was dead and Dennis was laughing his head off.”

“I understand why you don’t want him around.”

“But it doesn’t stop him from bothering all the girls at school.”

“You go to school?” Fiona asked in astonishment.

“Sure. Don’t...uh..didn’t you before..everything happened?”

“In Ireland we did. In New York when my folks were alive, we were too busy trying to put food on the table. The church people taught us some lessons.”

“So you know how to read and figure?”

“Yes, I know basic math. Why?”

“Because you’ll be going to school in the fall and I wanna make sure you’re up to the rest of the class.”

“When will I have time for school with chores and all?”

“There isn’t that much to do in the winter and I heard that church lady tell my folks you and Pat hadda go to school. They agreed.”

Fiona was overjoyed. Back in Ireland, her family had stressed the importance of learning. Successful people were almost always educated.

Pat was stacking bales of hay when Frank called him over and introduced him to the visitors. Ed shook his hand firmly. Dennis just nodded.

“Ya sure he can do the job? He looks a little scrawny.”

“He’s stronger than he looks, Ed,” Frank assured him. “He’s been holding his own here. I got no complaints.”

“Then I’ll have him over tomorrow, see how he works out.”

“Hear that, Pat?” Frank said when the Farnhams left. “Tomorrow morning you head out for Ed’s place down the road. You’ll be working there for the day. If they’re happy with your work, you’ll be spending some time helping out there as well. He’ll share in the cost of your upkeep. So if it works out, this’ll become a permanent arrangement.”

“I’ll work hard,” Pat promised. “They’ll be happy.”

In the late afternoon, the girls were sent off to the lake for an hour while Pat took their place in the field. Frank told him when he saw them returning home, he could quit work and go for a swim. Through the cornstalks, Pat could see the girls headed for the lake. He knew that once they got there, Colleen would slip out of her dress and then wade into the water wearing just her underwear, which would become transparent when wet. He could imagine her pink nipples outlined by the damp cloth, her buttocks on display. He felt himself growing stiff.

An inner voice whispered, “She’s right over there, just on the other side of the reeds. It would be so easy to spy on her. Then you won’t feel shame every time you she’s around because you’ll have seen her the same way she saw you.”

Another voice whispered urgently, “If Frank catches you, you’ll be back on the Orphan Train and Fiona might, too.”

But the temptation was just too great. He stood on his tiptoes amid the corn rows in which he was hidden and saw that Frank was a great distance away at the other end of the field. He could easily slip away, spy on Colleen and return to the field after he had seen what he wanted without anyone being the wiser. Already barefoot, he bent down and crept out of the field and into the concealment of the reeds. He walked deliberately, careful not to make a sound, though with the way the girls were splashing and laughing, they probably wouldn’t have heard him if he just marched in. He reached the point where the reeds gave way to mud. He knelt slowly on the grass and peered through the last of the reeds separating him from the lake.

His heart skipped a beat. It was just as he imagined. Fiona and Colleen were in waist-high water splashing each other. Both had their profiles to him. The lake had rendered their underwear transparent and he could clearly see Colleen’s budding breasts and perky nipples. After a while, the girls climbed out to dry in the sun, turning their backs to him. Colleen’s pert derriere was on full display.

Fiona took another look around the lake, barely able to believe she was actually living in such a paradise. She saw a large brown snake among the reeds several yards away, a very large snake.

“Are brown snakes poisonous?” she asked.

“Some are and some aren’t,” Colleen replied.

“What about a really big one, as thick around as a leg...”

As soon as she said it, she realized what she was seeing - Pat’s leg in brown pants kneeling among the reeds to spy. She stopped talking immediately and looked away. If Colleen found out, Pat would be made to leave and Fiona would have no choice but to go with him.

“We have no snakes that big. What’s the matter?” Colleen asked, alerted by Fiona’s sudden silence.

She gazed in the direction her friend had been looking and gasped. Turning around, she hastily donned her dress over her wet underwear.

Having seen what he wanted, Pat was about to withdraw and return to the field when his sister gazed right in his direction. He froze while reassuring himself that there was no way she could see him through the reeds. When she turned to look in another direction, he breathed a sigh of relief. Then Colleen scanned the area and stared right at him for a moment. She turned her back, giving him another glimpse of her cute behind, then put her dress on. He was puzzling over why she hadn’t waited for her clothing to dry when she spun around again.

“I see you, Pat Ryan!” she shouted, pointing right at him. “Get over here right now!”

Pat knew there was no way out. He was caught. Sheepishly, he rose and stepped out of concealment. He made his way to where Colleen stood.

“I can’t believe you embarrassed me this way!” Colleen exclaimed. “After I convinced my folks to take you in and then convinced my da not to throw you out when you put the snake in my bed!”

“I’m sorry,” Pat said, looking at the ground. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you. You weren’t supposed to find out.”

“And that’s supposed to make it right?”

“What did I do that was so terrible?”

“You saw me in my underwear - wet underwear!”

“And you saw me in mine!”

“For about a second! And that was an accident! But you came here deliberately and watched us for who knows how long!”

“It wasn’t that long and I was about to leave when you saw me.”

“Well, it’s too late now. I’m gonna hafta tell my da.”

“But then he’ll make me leave!”

“Which is all for the best. How can I face you every day knowing what you saw?”

“The same way I faced you! And you teased me about it!”

“I promised to stop and I did!”

“Colleen,” Fiona said, “what Pat did was shameful and horrid and he deserves to be punished. But if you tell your da, he’ll send him away. And if Pat goes, I hafta go too.”

“Why? I thought you were happy here.”

“I am. I haven’t been so happy in years. But Pat’s all I have.”

“You have me and Ma and Da.”

“You’re not family.”

“Maybe one day we will be.”

“It’s not the same thing.”

“But I don’t wanna lose you!”

“I don’t want to lose you either but I hafta go with Pat.”

“That’s not fair to either of us. He does the crime and either he gets away with it or we all suffer. Well, I’m sorry but I can’t let him get away with this.”

“I have an idea,” Pat ventured. “Why don’t you come up with a punishment which will allow you to get past this? We don’t hafta tell your da at all.”

“What kind of punishment could I give?”

“When I put the snake in your bed, your dad whipped me three times. So why don’t you pull out a reed and give me three good swats? Will that do?”

He held his breath, awaiting her answer.

“Yes, that will do,” she replied. He let his breath out in an explosive sigh before she added, “but since this is your second offense and far more serious than the first, Da would switch you on the bare. So it’s only fair that I do so.”

“What? You can’t be serious!”

“You spied on me and saw me nearly naked. It’s only fair that I get to see you too.”

“Fiona!” he whined, appealing to his sister but there was no sympathy to be found there.

“Pat, I was angry with you when you put the snake in her bed and almost got us sent away. Now you do this? If this is the only way Colleen will forgive you, then do it!”

“Go ahead, Pat,” Colleen said. “Strip!”

PART 4

Already bare from the waist up, Pat began to unbutton his pants, then hesitated.

“Hurry up!” Colleen snapped. “You know you’re gonna do it. If you take too long, my da might find out you’re not at work.”

With shaking hands, he finished the process and hung his pants on a reed. Now he stood in his underpants in front of this angelic girl, blushing profusely.

“Now the rest,” she said.

He turned his back to her and lowered his final garment to just below his buttocks.

“All the way down,” she commanded.

He let them fall to the muddy ground. He would wash them later.

“Turn around.”

“You’re not gonna switch me in front!” he protested.

“I decided I’m not gonna switch you at all. It doesn’t seem to have any effect. But I believe you’re gonna remember this for a long time. Now turn around!”

“I can’t!”

She slapped his bare behind. In terms of pain, he had experienced much more but in terms of shame, never worse. She slapped him again.

“Will you turn around or should I keep doing this?”

Flushing, he turned, holding his hands in front of his crotch.

“What’s the point of that? Put your hands down!”

Slowly he lowered them, eyes on the ground. Colleen crouched down for a closer look. Pat’s complexion changed to match his sister’s hair.

“So that’s what a boy looks like!”

“You’ve never seen one?” Fiona asked.

When Pat’s pants came off, she had turned her back and averted her eyes. Having shared a room for years, it had been impossible for them not to have accidently seen each other bare. It had been embarrassing for both of them.

“Not a grown one; just little babies. It looks sort of like a long mushroom in a nest.” Pat’s face was aflame. “You can get dressed now. You better get back to work before Da notices you’re gone.”

Pat rushed to get his pants on and ran back to the field. Frank was still on the other side and hadn’t noticed his absence. Several minutes later, the girls headed for the house. That was his cue to run to the lake and wash himself off and his muddy underpants. The conversation during supper was strained since Pat barely said a word. He looked down at his plate, unable to make eye contact with Colleen.

He was glad the next day to be working on another property where he would not have to see her. The Farnhams were waiting for him when he arrived. The daughters were pretty, though not as pretty as Colleen, the youngest about five years older than him. At the breakfast table, they fussed over him and called him a cutie while they piled his plate with food. Ed Farnham grimaced and reminded them that he was there to work.

Afterward, he and Dennis were assigned to chop firewood and bring it in, bale hay and then tend to the fields. The girls handled milking the cows, gathering the eggs and feeding the animals. Though Dennis was larger than him, Pat did most of the work while his partner relaxed.

“It’ll get done more quickly if you give me a hand,” Pat pointed out.

“This is my property,” Dennis responded. “You’re the hired hand.”

Ed came by at lunchtime and frowned at the results.

“There’s not a whole lot more done than one man can do by himself,” he said.

“Maybe because one man practically did it by himself,” Pat said.

“Maybe because this scrawny little kid ain’t up to the task,” Dennis retorted.

“If that’s the case, there ain’t much point in having Pat here,” Ed said. “He can finish out the day but tomorrow, Dennis, I expect you to be finished before you come in for lunch - no matter how long it takes. No meal ‘till you’re done.”

“All by myself?” Dennis shouted.

“You just said Pat’s not up to the task.”

“Maybe I misspoke.”

“So you want his help?”

“I can certainly finish faster with it.”

“Then lemme see what you can accomplish by suppertime. If it appears to me that it’s the work of two, we’ll have Pat back.”

Dennis worked the rest of the day, not as hard as he could, but harder than he had in the morning.

“So how is it livin’ with Colleen?” he asked.

“I don’t live with her. I sleep in the barn.”

“It’s gonna get awfully cold in the winter.”

“If I’m still there in the winter, I’ll either sleep on the sofa or in the extra bedroom.”

“On the same floor as Colleen? No way they’ll let you sleep there.”

“My sister sleeps there now but in the winter she might move in with Colleen.”

“I think I saw your sister. Is she a redhead?”

“That’s her.”

“I didn’t get a close look but she seemed pretty. Almost as pretty as Colleen.”

“No girl’s as pretty as Colleen.”

“Remember you’re just a hired hand,” Dennis said in a gruff tone.

“What’s that mean?”

“Don’t go gettin’ any ideas about Colleen. She’s too good for the likes of you.”

“Don’t worry. I got no intentions toward Colleen,” Pat said harshly.

“Sounds like you’re mad at her.”

“I am. She teased me so I played a little prank on her. Her dad whupped me and almost sent us away. Then she threatened to tell her dad on me unless...never mind. But she’s not the angel she appears to be.”

“Colleen and I have had our little fights, playing pranks on each other and such. She pretends she doesn’t like me but I know different.”

Ed examined the results of their labor in the afternoon and appeared satisfied.

“Frank said if you ain’t stayin’ here overnight, I should send you back in time to wash in the lake,” he said.

“You’re lucky you got a lake,” Dennis said. “All we got is a bitty creek. Can’t hardly get wet in that. Do you think I can come along with you and take a dip?”

“I heard you weren’t allowed on the property,” Pat said.

“It would be okay if you invited me.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“‘cause I’m just the hired hand.”

“The girls are here to walk you home,” Ed added. “We’ll see you in a couple a days.”

Dennis walked him to the road where Fiona and Colleen were waiting. As they drew nearer, Dennis said, “I was right. Your sister’s as pretty as Colleen. Will you introduce me?”

Pat was taken aback. He knew his sister was striking with her flaming hair and fair skin but he hadn’t thought of her as pretty, especially when compared to Colleen.

“Fiona, this is Dennis Farnham. Dennis, Fiona.”

“Pleased to meet you,” Dennis said. “I hope we’ll be seeing more of each other.”

“I don’t expect so,” Colleen said. “Particularly since you ain’t welcome.”

“Why’d you come?” Pat asked when they were on their way to the Bailey farm.

“I thought you’d want some company on the walk back,” Fiona replied. “I was also anxious to know how it went.”

“Dennis let me do almost all the work at first. His dad figured it out and told him if he doesn’t see the work of two, he won’t hire me again and Dennis will hafta to it all by himself. After that he worked harder.”

“Did they feed you okay?”

“Are you kidding? Those girls piled the food on like I was a squirrel storing it away for the winter.”

“How is Mr. Farnham to work for?”

“He’s not as friendly as Mr. Bailey but he’s not bad. He wants me back in a couple of days.”

“That’s good,” Colleen said, the first words she had spoken to him that day. “It’ll make it easier for us to keep you both.”

“Why would you care about me?” Pat asked. “You already got what you wanted.”

“Pat!” Fiona said sharply. “Colleen was very clear yesterday. You embarrassed her and she could have told her dad and had you sent away. She did what she had to in order to regain her dignity and teach you a lesson. I think the punishment fit the crime. Now put it behind you.”

When they reached the farm, the girls went into the house to help prepare the meal while Pat ran to the lake to wash off the accumulated debris of the day. During the meal, he spoke about his day with the Farnhams but still wouldn’t address Colleen directly.

“Pat, after dinner we’re gonna need your help,” Frank said. “It’s bath night.”

“Once a week we gotta take a real bath in the tub,” Colleen explained.

“Isn’t that what the lake’s for?” Pat asked.

“The lake doesn’t match a real hot bath with soap,” Maureen said. “And you wear underclothes in the lake. Not in a real bath.”

“So what do I gotta do?”

“It’s easier in the warm weather because we keep a tub by the pump outside. The girls already scoured it out today from the last use. You bring out the caldron and put in on the fire, fill the tub and the caldron and keep the fire going. You hafta pour enough hot water into the tub to heat up the cold water from the pump. Frank’ll show you how to get it started. Once you got things going, stay in the house or the barn while the girls and I take baths. We’ll call you when it’s your turn.”

“You take baths outside...naked?” he whispered the last word.

“The tub’s against the back of the house and we hang a curtain in front of it.”

After supper Frank took Pat to the back of the house and showed him the procedure. He first filled the caldron and started a fire beneath it. Then he pumped the tub almost full. Pat gathered enough firewood to keep the flames going for the next few hours. When the water in the caldron was bubbling, Pat used a jug to transfer some of it into the tub until the water was warm. Then he went to the house to notify the females.

“Colleen!” Mrs. Bailey called up, “bath’s ready for you!”

Pat left the house to head for the barn. Then a familiar voice spoke to him.

“Colleen humiliated you yesterday like you’ve never been shamed in your entire life. Do you really want to spend the next few months or years pretending like it never happened? Here’s your chance. She’s about to get naked for a bath. Now you can get to see everything.”

Another voice told him not to try it. There was no way to accomplish it without getting very close and he was sure to get caught. The two wrestled with each other but the first had already come up with a plan.

To avoid flood damage in a torrential rain, the house had not been built flush to the ground. It was raised up about three feet on a foundation of mortar and stone. Beneath it was storage. A wooden lattice prevented larger animals such as skunks and raccoons from gaining entry. There were doorways at several points to allow access to the space. One of these was beneath the stairs.

Pat opened it now and peered into the area. The rays of the setting sun illuminated the western part but there were some dark spots which could be concealing a snake. Still that first voice compelled him to duck and crawl inside. Carefully he made his way to the opposite wall. Peering through the lattice, he could see the caldron bubbling on the fire and the tub of water.

Still dressed, Colleen thrust her arm in the tub, testing the temperature. She pulled the curtain shut - a sheet draped over a clothesline. Now she could bathe in privacy, protected by the sheet on one side and the house behind her. The house beneath which Pat hid, watching through the lattice.

Since the tub was on the western side of the house, Colleen was illuminated as she removed her dress and draped it over the clothesline. Her undershirt followed. Now her budding breasts and pink nipples were fully revealed. She lowered her underpants. Crouching low to the ground. Pat had a clear view of her slit sparsely covered with barely visible blonde hairs. His manhood extended. She turned to step into the tub, displaying her pale backside. She climbed into the tub and sat down. Now her charms were hidden.

Pat thought about waiting until she was finished so he would get to see it again but decided there was too much of a risk that his absence would be discovered. He had just begun to retreat when Knight ran up to where he was and barked from the other side of the lattice. Pat froze for a moment. He could see Colleen stiffen. She stared right in his direction. For a moment Pat thought she could see him. When her eyes narrowed, he realized she couldn’t but suspected she was being watched. He moved hastily to the door, exited and sat on the stairs. Knight came running around the corner and barked at him.

“Hey, Knight!” Pat called out.

The dog trotted over and stood still while the boy scratched the fur on his head. Pat wondered why everything seemed so calm. Why hadn’t Colleen screamed, bringing her father running and catching Pat climbing out of the crawl space beneath the house? A few minutes later, Colleen came around the corner, fire in her eyes.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded. “You were supposed to be in the barn.”

“I was waiting here in case you needed more firewood.”

“Only you weren’t waiting here, were you? What was Knight barking at? Or should I ask who?”

“How should I know? He was on the other side of the house.”

“How did you get the mud on the knees of your pants?”

“I..uh...most have kneeled down when I was picking up firewood.”

“The ground’s dry. Except for under the house. You spied on me again! You watched me take a bath! When Da finds out, he’ll whip you and then throw you out! And I’m so mad, I don’t care if Fiona leaves too!”

PART 5

Colleen stormed off, not into the house as Pat had expected but around it. Several minutes later, she returned with Fiona. His sister’s face was tight with anger.

“We hafta talk!” she snapped. “Now!”

He followed her about fifty feet away from the house. Suddenly she turned and slapped him across the face.

“What is wrong with you?” she asked, remembering even in her anger to keep her voice down. “After all we’ve been through, we finally found a good place and you have to ruin it!”

“I didn’t mean to!”

“What do you mean you didn’t mean to? You were almost thrown out over the snake in Colleen’s bed but she chose to forgive you. Then you spied on her at the lake and she decided not to tell her father. Now you do this! She’s furious and I don’t blame her! I know exactly what it feels like!”

“What about what she did to me?”

“She didn’t do anything to you! She gave you a choice. It was tell her father or let her punish you. You decided to let her. I think it was a fitting punishment for what you did and we all agreed to put it behind us. But you just couldn’t, could you?”

“What happens now?”

“Isn’t it obvious? She’s just so angry. She’s gonna tell and you’re outta here.”

“Then we’ll be back on the train.”

“There might not be a we. If they let me stay, I might decide to.”

“What happened to us never separating?”

“Do you remember the place we were in before? Mr. Cullum who beat you and barely fed you and Mr. Roscoe, who spied on me in the bath? Who knows what more he would have done if his wife hadn’t sent me away. I never want to go through that again. I’m in a really good place now and I want to stay!”

The bottom fell out of Pat’s world. This was almost worse than the fire because then he still had Fiona. Now he might have nobody. He tried to think of a solution. Would the Farnhams take him in? Probably not. They hadn’t wanted him full-time to begin with and with a number of girls in the house, they wouldn’t want him when they learned why the Baileys had sent him away. He had truly burned all his bridges.

“Why hasn’t Frank come looking for me?” Pat asked. “Surely Colleen told him.”

“I advised her to wait until we spoke.”

“Why?”

“Because I want you to understand the seriousness of your situation. If she tells her da, there’s no doubt you’ll be sent back. I don’t want that to happen. She thinks if you go, I’ll go and she doesn’t want that to happen either. So she’s still thinking about what to do.”

From the house Mrs. Bailey shouted for Pat. When he arrived, she called the girls inside and sent him to bathe. He pulled the plug on the tub and let several gallons of cold used water drain before putting the plug in and replenishing the tub from the caldron. He felt a bit self-conscious stripping outdoors, even though he knew Colleen was inside and not under the house watching him.

The warm water along with the soap did a much more thorough job than lake water. He dried himself on one of the towels on the line and put his pants on before going to call Frank. Mr. Bailey then sent him to bed.

He arose the next morning with trepidation and tended to his tasks. By the time he sat down to breakfast it was obvious Colleen hadn’t told her parents about the night before. Today neither Pat or Colleen were able to meet each other’s eyes but as he left the table to his chores, he caught her smirking in his direction.

Once again, the girls were sent to the lake in the afternoon and Pat was told to wait for their return before he was dismissed from his duties. When he saw them coming back, he headed for the lake. They turned around and followed him.

“It’s time the three of us had a talk,” Fiona said. “Colleen knows that if she tells her folks, you’ll be sent away and I’ll be going with you.”

“If she tells? So she might not?”

“I suggested another idea. She’s considering it. But it depends on you.”

“What’s the idea?” Pat asked with a sinking feeling.

“She won’t tell her da if she gets to punish you herself.”

“What does she want to do?”

“I don’t know for sure but I can guess. Something similar to what she did before only more of it.”

“More? How can there be more?”

“You’ll hafta ask her. But I say do whatever she wants.”

Pat turned to Colleen. “So what do you want?”

“You gone,” she said. “I’m only doing this for Fiona. I’m afraid to have you around. You never seem to learn. A whipping didn’t help and even what I did to you didn’t teach you. So there’s only one way I’d consider keeping you here and that’s if you understand that I’m the boss. You’re here only as long as I say. I’ll be giving you daily reminders. From now on, when I tell you to do something, you obey with no questions, understand?”

“Yeah.”

“You can start by taking off your pants.”

He had been expecting this. It was a little easier the second time, though he still did it with his back turned. She delivered a stinging slap to his bottom.

“Now turn around!” That was a little harder. “There’s my little mushroom!”

He gasped as she enclosed it in her hand.

“I didn’t say you could touch it!”

“And I didn’t say you could spy on me! Understand this: I own you now. You’re my pet, just like my dog and my horse!”

He wanted to pull away but he was held firmly in her grasp. So he cringed but stood still while she examined him.

“Why is it growing?” she asked.

“Haven’t you seen it happen to horses?” Fiona retorted.

“Only when there’s a female horse and it’s mating season.”

“For boys it’s always mating season.”

“You’d better let go before it’s too late!” Pat warned.

“Why? What’s gonna happen?” Colleen asked, but she let go.

It was just in time. Pat spun around and erupted. He was beyond mortified.

“Are we done?” he asked angrily.

“Just one last thing. You’re my pet, just like my horse, and it will be a while before I get to ride that colt. With your skinny legs and stuck out pecker, you kinda remind me of one. Now I wanna ride.”

“What?”

“Get down on your hands and knees.”

With no other option, Pat kneeled in the mud. Colleen sat down on his back. She wasn’t heavy and under ordinary circumstances, Pat wouldn’t have minded playing horsey with her. But now he was naked and in the mud and this was no game but pure humiliation.

“Giddy up!” she exclaimed. “I have to say this is fun! The most fun I ever had in my life! Riding a boy is a lot more fun than riding a horse! Fiona, do you want a turn?”

“On my own brother? No thank you!”

After he crawled for a while, she dismounted.

“Is that it?” he asked.

“For now.”

“Wasn’t this enough?”

“Not hardly. Just remember that every day you’re with us is a gift from me and I aim to keep reminding you. From now on I own you.”

Colleen walked away, Fiona trailing her, leaving Pat to stand alone in naked shame.

“Are you really gonna make him do this every day?” Fiona asked.

“Well, not every day, but often enough so he doesn’t forget his place. What he did to me the first time was bad enough, but then he did something even worse.”

“You’re absolutely right and it’s not my place to tell you what to do about it. I’m really grateful you decided not to tell your da and have Pat sent away but at the same time, he’s my brother and I can’t stand seeing him humiliated so much.”

“It was your idea!”

“I thought you’d do what you did before. Turning him into your horse, okay, maybe he deserved it and except for his being naked, it’s really not that terrible. We used to play horsey when we were younger. But grabbing his privates; that’s beyond mortifying!”

“I couldn’t help it. I’ve never seen one before. But you’re right. I won’t do that again.”

“Thank you. You don’t really know Pat but he’s not a bad boy. Back in Ireland he had a lot of friends and he tells great stories. But he’s been through a lot and he learned that the best way to stay on top is to always take revenge. So that’s what he did with you.”

“Are you telling me he’ll take revenge for this?”

“I don’t see how. But it’s still best not to push him.”

“You’re also right that I don’t really know Pat. We hardly get a chance to talk. We’re not together during the day and when he goes to the lake, we hafta leave. You know what would be good? If we could have something to wear in the lake besides our underwear.”

“You mean bathing suits? We wore them in Ireland.”

“Were you rich? I heard rich people had special clothes for swimming.”

“You don’t hafta be rich! If you live near the water, like we did, and go swimming a lot, you can’t tell all the boys to hide inside when it’s the girls’ turn.”

“Especially if one of them is your brother,” Colleen interjected, “because he would peek.”

Fiona smiled. “That’s right. So we all had bathing suits, even if we made them ourselves.”

“You made them yourself?”

“Sure. I told you I can sew.”

“What would you need to make a bathing suit?”

“Some dark material which can withstand water, needle, thread and scissors.”

“I believe we have all of those!”

Excitedly, Colleen ran into the house and told her mother what Fiona had said. Mrs. Bailey opened a chest in the sitting room containing old dresses, frayed blankets and some pieces of random cloth.

“These are scraps I’ve been saving for quilting and to mend clothing,” Maureen explained. “Can you find something suitable?”

“This alone will be enough.”

It was a torn navy dress which had obviously belonged to a very large woman.

“Yes, that belonged to Grandma Bailey,” Maureen said with a smile. “Colleen, don’t tell your da this, but I always thought three could fit in her dress. Fiona, I’m giving you a new chore. You can do it in the evenings or on rainy days when you can’t be out in the field. I want you to make bathing suits for the three of you. Part of your task will be to teach Colleen.”

“We’ll only need two suits,” Colleen whispered to Fiona. “Pat can go naked.”

“And how will you explain that to your folks?” Fiona asked. “They’re going to wonder what he wore?”

“Yeah, you’re right. Better make three.”

Pat spent the next day at the Farnhams. He did more work than Dennis but the older boy couldn’t shirk his duties entirely - as he had tried before - since his father kept an eye on him.

“How are you and Colleen gettin’ along?” Dennis asked.

“We’re not.”

“Why’s that?”

“She thinks since her folks own the farm, she’s my boss.”

“Well, isn’t she?”

“How would you feel being ordered around by a twelve-year-old girl?”

Naturally he didn’t mention exactly what it was she made him do.

“How often do you get to swim in the lake?”

“Just about every day after work.”

“In the altogether?”

“Why do you care?”

“Where are the girls while you’re swimmin’?”

“They go while I’m at work and I go after they head home.”

“So if I was to sneak over in the late afternoon, the only one who’d see me is you?”

“Probably.”

“And you won’t say anything, right?”

“I’m not a rat, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Good. I might just join you one of these days.”

The girls did not walk Pat home that day. They were waiting at the house when he arrived.

“Enjoy the lake,” Colleen said. “Today you have it all to yourself.” Seeing the look of surprise on his face, she explained, “I know Dennis worked you hard, so I’m giving you the day off.”

The next day it rained heavily, so other than dealing with the animals, Pat’s chores dealt with repairs to the house and barn. Fiona cleaned and spent most of the day teaching Colleen how to sew. By nightfall they had three bathing suits ready.

“Let’s not tell Pat yet,” Colleen decided. “I wanna surprise him.”

The next day was sunny. The girls finished their swim and went to tell Pat he could go to the lake. They accompanied him. When they reached the water, Colleen said, “You know what to do next.”

Pat had been expecting it. This time he steeled himself and faced her while he stripped. He knew if he turned his back, she would only spank him again.

“Close your eyes,” she said. “I have a surprise for you.”

He closed his eyes but left them open a crack. From somewhere among the reeds, she pulled out something and held it out at waist level.

“You can look now.”

“Hey, that’s a bathing suit!”

“I made it for you - with Fiona’s help.”

“Why?” he asked in surprise.

“Because now we can swim together.”

She and Fiona removed their dresses, revealing what they wore underneath - one-piece suits which covered them completely from shoulders to the tops of their thighs, with little skirts attached. Though the attire was relatively modest, it revealed more of Colleen than Pat was used to seeing, which led to the inevitable results. Pat quickly reached for the garment. Colleen pulled it out of his reach.

“Allow me,” she said, holding it out.

Pat reddened and lifted his leg to climb into it, which caused his extended member to stick out even further. He put his other leg into the next hole. Colleen lifted the garment to his waist but was prevented by his stiff penis. Pat flinched as she casually took it in her hand and lifted it in order to complete the process.

“There! A perfect fit!” she pronounced.

“It feels a little loose to me. Like it might come off.”

“Not with your mushroom holding it in place,” she said, and he flushed again. “That’s why there’s a drawstring belt.”

Now Pat noticed the string at the side which ran around the waist between two layers of material. He pulled the ends tight and knotted a bow.

“Fine. It works now.”

“You’re welcome. Even though I didn’t hear a thank you.”

“Thank you.”

“That didn’t sound sincere.”

“I’m trying to understand why you did it.”

“As I said, so we can swim together. Fiona suggested that I get to know you better. She said you had a lot of friends back in Ireland and know some great stories. Maybe there’s more to you than the boy who keeps spying on me.”

“There is,” Pat said. “I’m sorry about that but after you saw me in my underwear, I hadda see you and then you caught me and made me get naked so I hadda see you naked and since then it only got worse.”

“For you,” Colleen corrected with a smile. “I’d say things got better for me. But I like Fiona and since she says I might get to like you, I’ll give it a chance.”

“Then I guess I owe you a thank you.”

“You also owe me a horsey ride.”

Feeling foolish, Pat crouched down on the damp ground while Colleen mounted his back. In her bathing suit, he could feel the heat of her loins against his back and her bare thighs against his sides, which added to his excitement. He carried her for a few feet before she asked him to stop. She dismounted.

“I wanna try something else,” she said. “You might like it better. Get on your knees.”

When he was in position, she straddled his shoulders.

“Now stand up.” Used to carrying heavy burdens, he lifted her almost effortlessly. “Carry me into the lake.”

He walked into the water, sliding in the mud. He held her legs to maintain his balance. It suddenly dawned on him that he was touching her in a place usually covered by her dress, which put further stress on the front of his bathing suit.

“Okay, take me back,” she commanded.

He carried her back to land and knelt so she could dismount.

“I see you enjoyed that,” she commented, glancing at his front. “I can take care of that if you want.”

He was surprised. “Are you asking me or ordering me?”

“I said if you want. It’s your choice.”

He thought about it. Despite the humiliation, it had felt good. Since she had already seen and touched him, there wasn’t much point in hiding it now. He really did not want to return to the house in such a state.

“Okay,” he agreed.

Fiona turned her back while he lowered the suit. Colleen took him in a firm grip in one hand and used the other to cup his scrotum. Making sure to stay out of the line of fire, she gently squeezed and released him until he erupted.

“Did you enjoy that?” He nodded, unable to speak. “Good. Now let’s swim and you can tell me all about what it was like in Ireland.”

They swam for a while, then dried under the sun’s rays. With Fiona’s prodding, Pat regaled her with stories about his adventures in Ireland and then on the streets of New York City. They laughed together often.

“You’re a great storyteller,” Colleen said, putting her dress back on. “I’ll see you back at the house.”

She followed Fiona out of the reeds. Just before she disappeared from sight, she turned around and flashed him a smile which left him very confused.

PART 6

“How was your swim?” Mrs. Bailey asked over the supper table.

“Excellent!” Colleen replied. “It was nice being able to swim together with Pat and talk afterward while we were drying in the sun. He has great stories of Ireland and New York City.”

“Do tell!”

“Yes, Pat, do tell.”

Pressed into storytelling again, Pat regaled them with his memories.

“You have a gift for spinning a tale,” Mr. Bailey said. “Ed Farnham said he was pleased with your work. He’d like you over twice a week, Monday and Thursday. He’ll provide lunch and he’ll pay me fifty cents a day for your labor. That’ll go toward your upkeep so now we know you’re here to stay.”

“What about Fiona?” Pat asked.

“Fiona already earns her place here,” Maureen answered. “She helps me plenty and has taught Colleen so much. Her sewing skills alone are worth her keep. So you no longer have to worry about being separated.”

“Thank you so much!”

“Pat and Fiona, you are now part of our family. Welcome home.”

A hugfest followed. After eating and cleaning up, Pat bid them good night.

“Now that Pat’s sort of my brother, is it okay if Fiona and I walk him to the barn?” Colleen asked. “We want to talk some more.”

“Since Pat will be here for some time, aren’t you worried you’ll run out of things to say?” her father asked.

“Let them go for a short while,” Mrs. Bailey agreed. “With all their hard work, they don’t get to spend much time together.”

“Very well. You have twenty minutes.”

The trio chatted for a while, then Colleen said, “Pat, I believe I owe you an apology. I may have taken my revenge too far.”

“You think so?” he asked sarcastically.

“I’m sorry but what you did made me so angry at you and at boys in general. I don’t know too many and there’s another one who has played so many nasty pranks on me, he’s not even allowed on our property. I think I took out some of my anger against him on you.”

“Should I convey your message to him?”

“Do you think you can?” she asked with a smile.

“I can try to pull down his pants but he’s bigger than I am and after that, I won’t be allowed on his property.”

“Then you better not.”

“Speaking of Dennis, he has the idea that we swim naked in the lake. Not together, of course. But he thinks you do while I’m working and then I go while you’re in the house. He said he would sneak over to take a swim one afternoon if I promised not to tell.”

“What did you say?”

“That I’m not a rat.”

“So he might actually do it?”

“That’s right. Which means we hafta be careful that he doesn’t see what you do to me.”

“I just wish I could do it to him.”

“You better go back to the house before your folks get upset.”

“Good night, Pat. Despite everything, I’m really glad you’re here - as long as you don’t try anything else.”

“I think I’ll join you in the lake this afternoon,” Dennis said that Monday.

“Just make sure the girls don’t see you.”

“You don’t hafta tell me. I’ll be naked, remember?”

That afternoon after Pat was dismissed, Dennis walked him home. As they neared the Bailey farm, Dennis said, “See you soon,” and disappeared into the cornfield. Pat continued toward the lake, passing Fiona and Colleen heading home.

Pat reached the lake and hung his pants on a reed. Dennis popped out from behind the reeds.

“Thanks for not telling Colleen,” he said as he stripped off his pants.

He wasn’t wearing underwear. He waded into the lake up to his waist. Pat pulled off his underpants and entered the water.

“This is Paradise!” Dennis declared. “I wish we had a lake. I hope you don’t mind if I join you fairly often.”

“But I mind!” Colleen called out, approaching with Fiona.

Dennis ducked down and checked to make sure nothing strategic was visible.

“Dennis Farnham! You have three seconds to get out of our lake or else!”

“Or else what? You’ll call your dad? Go ahead!”

He knew her father would make the girls go home before ordering him out of the lake.

“No, I won’t be calling my dad. He’ll be too easy on you. We’re gonna sit here and wait for you to come out.”

“You’ll be waiting a long time.”

“Won’t your dad wonder where you are? What happens when he calls and you don’t answer?”

From his worried expression, it was evident Dennis had thought about it too.

“I can still wait you out.”

“I doubt that. The lake’s pretty cold. Are you starting to shiver? I see your lips turning blue. Pat, what about you? Are your teeth starting to chatter?”

“Why me? What did I do to you?” Pat asked through chattering teeth.

“You invited him here when I told you he’s not allow on our property.”

“I didn’t invite him; he invited himself!”

“You didn’t tell me he was here.”

“I’m not a rat!”

“Well, that’s too bad because now you’re both in the same boat. Actually you probably wish you were in a boat.” She laughed and Fiona joined in. “Wouldn’t you love to step out of that cold water and into this lovely warm sunshine?”

“I can’t take it anymore!” Pat whined to Dennis. “I’ve got to come out!”

“How about we do it together on the count of three?” the older boy suggested. “We cover ourselves with our hands and run to our pants. Ready?” Pat nodded. “One, two, three, go!”

Covering their crotches with their hands, the boys exited the water as quickly as they could. Since the girls purposely stood between them and where they had hung their pants, they boys had to run by them. Colleen gave Dennis’s bare behind a resounding smack. His first instinct was to turn and reciprocate but realized that in his current state, it would be inadvisable. He continued moving and then stopped. His pants were missing. He ran back into the lake, receiving a second slap on the way. Pat ran in after him.

Colleen laughed. “I would say out of the frying pan into the fire, but you boys ran from someplace warm to someplace cold. How long are you planning to stay there?” When there was no response, she added, “I’ll make you a deal. The first one out of the water gets his pants back in a couple of minutes. The second will hafta wait until we’re ready. So which of you is gonna be the first?”

“I’m doing it!” Pat said as he climbed out of the water, hands held over his crotch.

“It looks like we have a winner!” Colleen announced. “Fiona, show him his prize!”

Fiona ran behind the reeds and returned with Pat’s underpants. Colleen tossed it to him. In order to catch it and put it on, he had to bare his crotch. She stared and smiled as if she had never seen it before.

“Dennis, are you gonna join us or stay in there and freeze?”

Reluctantly, the older boy climbed out of the water, hands over his crotch. Behind him Fiona was examining the first grown male buttocks she had ever seen. A bit large even for a boy his size, they still gave her a thrill.

“Give me my pants!” he growled.

“Not so fast, so you didn’t win,” Colleen chided him. “First, you hafta do what I ask.”

“What’s that?”

“Put your hands at your sides. I didn’t go through all this just to see your hands.” When he hesitated, she added, “Would you prefer to walk home like that?”

He didn’t have a choice. He could continue to stand there, giving Fiona a view, or he could get it over with. Flushing, he lowered his hands. Fiona moved around to his front.

“Oh my goodness!” Colleen exclaimed. “What is that? A button mushroom?”

“Give me back my pants!”

Face crimson with anger, Dennis seized the front of her dress. If she wouldn’t return his pants, he would tear it off and wrap it around his waist. He would conceal his nakedness and reveal hers at the same time. Barking furiously, Knight raced over and started to climb him. Terror stricken, Dennis released her immediately and fell over backward, legs sprawled, exposing his little penis. Knight stood over him growling as the girls laughed.

“There’s my knight in shining armor!” Colleen exclaimed. “Just for that, you’re not getting your pants back!”

Dennis blanched, covering his privates. “You can’t send me home like this!”

“Why not? You came here uninvited after you were expressly told to stay away. You took your pants off by yourself and I found them on our property. Finders keepers. I bet your sisters will get a laugh when you return home.”

“Please!” he began to blubber.

“I’ll make you a deal. You do what I want for ten minutes and you’ll get your pants back. I won’t even mention to my dad that you were here.”

“What do you want?”

“For starters, stand up, hands at your sides.” Skin tone matching Fiona’s hair, he complied. “Turn around.” He presented his backside to them. A moment later, a dainty female hand was caressing it. “Fiona, you’ve got to feel this!”

He cringed as a second hand joined the first. Then a stinging slap was delivered to his ample buttocks.

“That’s for the rattlesnake and the ink on my new dress and all the other nasty pranks you pulled on me over the years!” Colleen shouted. “Fiona, feel free to join in!”

“He hasn’t done anything to me.”

“Dennis, turn around!”

Facing them was harder. He stared at the ground as the two girls examined him.

“Look at that!” Colleen commented. “Large backside and tiny front. Shouldn’t it be the other way around? He looks like a stallion until you see he’s actually a gelding. I wonder if I can fit the whole thing in my hand.”

Before Dennis could react, his penis was encased in Colleen’s hand. His face felt like it was on fire.

“It fits!” she shouted, “but it’s getting bigger. Fiona, you gotta feel this!”

Dennis wanted to die of shame when the pretty redhead took over. Another female was now holding his manhood! And she was a stranger! He couldn’t decide if that made it better or worse. Despite the shame, the tactile sensation had its effect. He felt himself losing control. When Fiona felt him growing, she released him immediately. Her nipples had stiffened and there was a strange tingling in her groin.

“I wanna see how he does as a stallion,” Colleen said. “Dennis, get down on all fours.”

No, she couldn’t possibly mean it! his brain protested. But the look on her face proved she was serious and he knew he had to obey unless he wanted to walk home naked. Burning with shame, he crouched in the mud. She mounted his back.

“Giddy up!” she shouted, slapping his bare butt. “Now I have my Knight and my trusty steed!”

Thoroughly mortified, he crawled through the mud. How had he been reduced to being used as a naked horse by a girl two years younger? Colleen enjoyed the ride immensely. Riding a boy was much better than riding a horse and if that boy was naked and her tormentor of several years, there was added satisfaction. But then she remembered that she already had a pony boy waiting while her friend had none.

“Fi, you gotta try this!”

Her friend no further urging. As soon as Colleen dismounted, she sat down on Dennis’s back. Colleen was right. The sensation was amazing. The play of his muscles under her loins and the feel of his buttocks beneath her palm, amplified the pleasure running through her. She bit her lips to keep from moaning aloud. Dennis grit his teeth as a second girl rode him like a pony. Still, he couldn’t thinking that he was now between the legs of a pretty girl and he could feel the heat of her crotch against his back. It made his mushroom grow.

“I just had an idea!” Colleen exclaimed. “We have two horses here. Let’s have a race!”

She ordered the boys to crouch next to each other. She mounted Pat while Fiona rode Dennis. The finish line was a stand of reeds twenty yards away. When she gave the signal, Pat gave it his full effort. Dennis fumed and hardly tried. Pat beat him easily.

“Good boy, Pat!” Colleen said. “You lost, Dennis. Now you hafta pay the price.”

Dennis had not considered that there would be a penalty for losing.

“Move up, Fi,” Colleen said, and a moment later, Dennis had two girls riding him. “Now you hafta to take us both to the starting line.”

Dennis groaned as he struggled beneath the weight of two riders. He managed to reach his destination without collapsing. The girls dismounted.

“Now get on your knees.” She straddled his shoulders and sat down. “Carry me over to that tree.”

At least this was easier and less humiliating than being ridden by two girls like a horse. Then he realized that in standing, he was again revealing his mushroom to Fiona. He carried Colleen to where she had indicated, holding her legs well above the knees. The feel of her hot crotch against the back of his neck further excited him. Pat watched, feeling a bit of jealousy. Colleen should have been riding him.

“Okay, let me down.” He kneeled so she could dismount. “Fi, your turn.”

Fiona straddled his shoulders. When he rose, the pressure of his neck coming up between her legs sent a shock through her. Dennis took pleasure in the feel of her crotch against his neck and his palms under her thighs. By the time he kneeled to let her dismount, his mushroom had extended to four inches.

“I don’t believe you’ll be able to put your pants on!” Colleen declared. “Fiona, would you like to take care of that?”

“How?” she asked.

“It’s very much like milking a cow. Just stay out of range.”

Fiona stood at the older boy’s side and took his penis in her right hand. With her left, she cupped his scrotum. Dennis stood in shock. This girl now held him as if he were livestock she were evaluating. At the same time, the sensation was causing an indescribable build up of pleasure. His mushroom turned into an iron bar.

Fiona couldn’t believe she was holding an older boy’s penis in her hand. The tingling between her legs increased. She gently squeezed and released, feeling the thing in her hand expand and stiffen.

The pressure could no longer be ignored and Dennis jerked and erupted. In his ecstacy, his vision faded and he almost collapsed. Fiona held him until the bar became a limp mushroom once again. She ran to the lake to wash her hands.

Colleen ran into the reeds and returned with Dennis’s pants.

“You can go home now,” she said. “Thanks for the ride. Don’t come back uninvited unless you want to do it again. And the next time you try some stupid prank, we’ll tell everyone about your little secret.”

Dennis dressed hastily and ran off.

“I’m sorry to put you through that,” Colleen said to Pat.

“No, you’re not,” he said.

“Okay, maybe I’m not,” she said, smiling. “But it couldn’t be helped.”

“I know. It was my idea.”

It was Pat who had come up with the plan for Colleen to get her long-awaited revenge on Dennis. He had decided that it was best to catch her nemesis naked and defenseless in the lake. That would only work if he were in a similar state. Dennis would have been suspicious if Pat hadn’t stripped as well. Since Pat would be working with him, he had to look like a victim too. That would also work later. Once Pat “gave up” and submitted himself to Colleen’s demands, Dennis would be more inclined to go along.

“And it worked perfectly,” Colleen said. “I got my revenge and Fiona got to see a boy who wasn’t her brother.”

“I did more than see,” Fiona said. “You were right. Riding a boy is a lot more fun than riding a horse. And milking a boy is a lot more fun than milking a cow. Too bad we won’t get to do this again.”

“Well, you won’t. I still might, if Pat misbehaves again.”

“So you want me to misbehave?” Pat asked.

“Do you want me to punish you?”

“It isn’t all a punishment. Otherwise I wouldn’t have volunteered today.”

“So what part do you like?”

“I wouldn’t mind the horsey part if I didn’t hafta crawl through the mud. Carrying you on my shoulders is actually fun. But what I really enjoy is what happens at the end, when you take care of my discomfort.” He looked down at the bulge in his crotch.

“So you want me to take care of it?” He nodded. “Then come with me.”

She led him behind some reeds. Fiona did not need to hear his grunting and gasping to understand what was happening.

“Same time tomorrow?” Colleen asked.

He nodded.

PART 7

The next time Pat went to the Farnhams, he and Dennis worked together for a period without exchanging a word. The silence was finally broken when Dennis asked, “How can you stand it?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“I suppose not. At least I won’t have to face her again until school starts. Though I probably won’t go back.”

“Because of Colleen?”

“Because of Colleen. I can’t face her! How can you do it every day?”

“Maybe because it’s every day.”

Dennis’s brow furrowed. “I don’t understand.”

“That’s because Colleen humiliated you once. It was thorough; she couldn’t have done worse, but it was one time. So you came home to hide in shame. But the longer you avoid her, the worse it will feel. I see her every day. The first time she smiled at me after...ward, it felt like she was mocking me. The next time I saw it for what it was, just a smile. I had affronted her. She took her revenge. It was time for me to get past it.

“Then I also remembered how it felt when she did it. It was embarrassing being naked in front of her but the rest of it was pleasurable. In fact, I asked her to accompany me to the lake again. We had a lovely time.”

“She swam naked?”

“No, she wore a bathing suit my sister made for her and she made one for me. Her folks wouldn’t have let us swim together if they believed us to be naked. But she wanted to do the same things we had done and this time I volunteered. And at the appropriate moment, my bathing suit came down.”

Dennis’s eyes widened. “You did it willingly?”

“That’s right. If someone laughs at you, you might feel shame. But if you join in the laughter, it isn’t so bad. After Colleen did that to me, I didn’t know how I’d ever face her again. But then I volunteered and it actually felt good. Now I look forward to it.”

Pat could almost see the gears in the other boy’s head turn as he considered it.

“Do you think Colleen would let me volunteer?”

“Do you remember what she said to you as you left? Don’t come back uninvited unless you want to do it again. So I believe she’d enjoy it.”

“I’d enjoy it too - except for the spanking and the personal insults.”

“If you volunteered, I’m sure she could be persuaded to leave those out.”

“Then should I just accompany you home? Or should we ask her first?”

“You don’t want to show up uninvited. Better let me ask her first.”

Pat already knew the answer, since he had discussed this with Colleen. Now that he was allowing her to play with him, they could see that Fiona was a bit disappointed, having no boy of her own to toy with. He suggested bringing Dennis back.

“Why would he come back after what we did to him?” Colleen asked.

“Because I can be very persuasive.”

“I’ll never understand boys but if you think Dennis would agree, ask him.”

“He agreed,” Pat reported that afternoon to the astonished girls.

“And he’ll let us do what we want?”

“With two exceptions: no spanking and no personal insults.”

“That’s no problem. That wasn’t the fun part anyway; that was just for revenge. But can we trust Dennis to behave? Maybe this is a ploy to get on our property so he can get revenge.”

“I believe he’s only interested in swimming and getting more of your..uh...attention. In any case, I’ll be escorting him here and we’ll be keeping an eye - or more - on him the entire time. And we have Knight to control him if we need to.”

“I can’t believe you got him to agree! My folks and the Farnhams will be very happy. We’re the closest neighbors and they were very upset at the feud between Dennis and me. Because of it we could never get together for meals.”

“But wasn’t that all Dennis’s fault?”

“They know that but they were also after me to forgive him. Yet each time I did, he went and did something worse. So they finally decided it was best if he never set foot here. That’s why they would be happy if we became friends.”

“That presents a little problem. If everyone finds out that you and Dennis went swimming together, won’t they want to know what he wore?”

“I didn’t think of that. But now that you brought it up, I have a solution.”

“Good. Because I’m bringing him here on Monday.”

Upon hearing that Pat had brokered the agreement with Colleen, Dennis walked him home on Monday. The girls were waiting by the lake with Knight. Fiona had hung Pat’s bathing suit on a reed.

“Pleased to see you, Dennis,” Colleen greeted him. “A little surprised, but still pleased.”

“Pat helped me understand it. I did some nasty things to you. You did one big nasty thing back. And in the end, some of it actually wasn’t bad. He got over it. So can I. I can pretend we’re all playing a game. I’m willing to do what you want as long as you can stick to two conditions: no hitting and no poking fun at my size. That would turn it from a game into more revenge. Does that work for you?”

“And you’re willing to be ridden like a horse and let us see you naked and more?”

“The and more is the best part. And you’d hafta see me naked to do it. And being ridden by you is actually fun.”

“Well, it wouldn’t be me. It would be mostly Fiona. There are two girls and two boys and she can’t do it to her brother.”

“That’s okay. Fiona’s as pretty...uh..almost as pretty as you.”

“It’s fine if you think she’s just as pretty. I won’t be jealous. So if we all agree, shall we get started?”

The boys stripped off. Then Pat put on his bathing suit.

“What’s that?” Dennis asked.

“A bathing suit,” Colleen replied, “just like the rich folks wear.”

She and Fiona took off their dresses to reveal the ones they wore beneath. Dennis’s eyes widened. He had never seen girls wearing less.

“So I’m gonna be the only one naked here?” he asked.

“That might be fun to see but it would defeat the purpose of the suits. When our folks learn that we swam together, they’re going to want to know what we wore. So I made you one, too.” She walked to a stand of reeds and took down a suit. “I hope it’s not too big. I figured better too big than too small.”

It was slightly large but the belt allowed him to tie it securely around his waist.

“If you’re worried your da will check up on us, it means we can’t have too much fun.”

“I doubt Da will check on us but that’s why Knight’s here. He’ll bark and warn us before anyone gets close. That’s why Pat and I weren’t afraid. But we hafta be able to explain that you wore a suit.”

“Then thanks so much!”

“There are better ways to thank us - like a horsey race.”

The boys crouched on the damp ground. Fiona mounted Dennis and Colleen Pat. Wearing bathing suits instead of their thicker dresses, the girls found it even more exciting. So did the boys since the physical contact was even closer. After a few races, they played chicken in the lake with the girls riding the boys’ shoulders. Then each girl took her boy behind some reeds and milked him.

“That was a lot of fun!” Dennis exclaimed. “Would you mind if I came here even on days Pat didn’t work with me?”

“Of course!” Colleen said. “Even if Pat doesn’t work for you, I expect him to work for me and we don’t want to leave Fiona without a pony.”

“That would be a shame,” Dennis agreed.

As Colleen expected, both sets of parents were overjoyed to hear that the feud was over and they could begin behaving as neighbors again.

One night in the late fall, Colleen stepped into the alcove off the kitchen, pulled the curtain shut and tested the temperature of the water in the tub. It had been brought into the house because it was too cold to bathe outdoors. Finding it to her satisfaction, she took off her robe and climbed in.

Pat peered in from behind the curtain. He watched her expose her beautiful breasts, taut belly and the curly wisps of golden hair between her thighs. As she turned to step in, he stared at her creamy backside.

“Are you spying on me again?” she asked.

“I can’t help it. You’re so beautiful.”

“Get in here and strip!”

Pat stepped through the curtain and began removing his shirt. A cry from upstairs made him pause.

“It appears that little Maura is determined to stay an only child,” he said.

“I got her!” a voice called out above.

“When you said you and your sister wouldn’t separate, I didn’t think it meant forever,” Colleen commented.

“She’s only here until they finish with her house,” Pat reminded her.

“And then she moves next door.”

“Because her husband isn’t needed on his family’s farm but we can use him here.”

Much had happened over the past seven years. Pat and Fiona had become a part of the Bailey family. They had adopted Fiona but not Pat, since it had become evident he and Colleen shared feelings not appropriate for brother and sister. Eventually they married and a house was erected for them next to the Baileys. Fiona had married a boy she met in school, whose family owned a farm a mile away. Since he was the youngest of six brothers, he was not needed to help his family so another house had been built for the couple next to Colleen’s. Fiona had a son named Joseph, after her husband’s father. Colleen had a girl named Maura, after Pat’s late mother.

Now indoor toilets had reached the area and one was being installed in Fiona’s house, so she, her husband and baby were staying with Pat and Colleen until the work was completed. Space was no problem since each house had five bedrooms. The couples wanted to fill them with children.

The Orphan Train was no longer in operation but orphans still existed. Both couples had taken a few in. Pat and Fiona had done so to pay forward the kindness which had been shown them. Colleen remembered how doing so had brought her a best friend, a sister and a husband.

(End of File)