Jean was crying happy tears and thinking about why Johnny had wanted her to play with herself. She thought about all he had said and came to the conclusion, Maybe because he knew I’d like it and he figured I hadn’t done it to myself before. Plus, according to him, it’s what soldiers’ wives do when they are lonely. Even though I’m far from lonely – unless Johnny can’t get it up again.
“Thank you Uncle Johnny.” She had stopped crying. “And I’ll tell Steve-e-Joe that you were kind to me.”
“Pity he wasn’t here tonight to shag you once more, for I know you’d be up for it and he would want to watch you fingering yourself, so why don’t you try that one more time?” He pecked her on the nose. “And I’ll go to sleep listening to you and the rain making music together.”
Jean felt Johnny roll away under the blanket divider to his bed. It was only then that Jean really heard the rain hammering on the tent. She felt happy and sad and she wasn’t sure why. She pulled her blanket over herself and thought hard. She guessed she was sad because her Steve and Steve-e-Joe weren’t there; she was happy because she found out that you could have pleasure playing with yourself, without a man. Her hand went down between her legs and found she was slippery wet. Her knees came up and her legs opened. She took a deep breath and thought about Uncle Johnny’s suggestion that she make music with the rain.
Jean listened to the pitter-patter of the rain and tried matching the rhythm with her hand. She thought about her Steve, wondering if he was having an adventure like her, and whether Steve-e-Joe was also pleasuring himself that night while thinking about her.
Jean awoke to the sound of someone shouting, “Make camp here! Make camp here!”
She looked around and found she had fallen asleep at the back of the cook’s wagon; they had been on the move.
She couldn’t remember packing up and breaking camp and she was wondering where they were when she heard her friend, Meg the head cook, say, “I hope they don’t expect us to cook for this multitude.”
Jean turned around to see Meg sitting with the driver. She climbed over the pots, pans and all the other stuff that filled the wagon to see what Meg meant by “multitude”.
“Oh my God, look at that lot!” she exclaimed when she saw them.
There were tents filling the three fields that she could see, with campfires lit all around. Jean had never seen so many people, even when she was in the last camp and this one had to be twice as big, maybe even thrice as big as the last camp. She wondered how she was to find Steve-e-Joe amongst this lot.
“How do you fancy cleaning up after this lot?” Meg said to Jean with a sigh. “Let’s hope they got plenty of cooks already up here.”
“Uncle Johnny said I’d be shocked when I finally saw how many men were on the march.” Jean had a job to take it all in. “And this is only a part of King Henry’s army.”
“That’s right girl,” Meg said with a nod, “but we’ll be cooking for Lord Bedford and this lot that came up with us. Come, on we better pick a good spot for the cook’s tent.”
They unloaded the wagon and put up the tent. Meg and one of the other girls started cutting chunks of bread and cheese and handed them out to the soldiers for their last meal of the day while Jean and the other girl cleaned and chopped vegetables for the next morning’s soup,
It was backbreaking work and when they were done, Jean walked to their tent, which Johnny had placed close by, and awaited his return. He had gone to look for Steve-e-Joe and she hoped Johnny would find him. Her mind though, was mostly occupied by thoughts of her true lover, Steve. What if he hadn’t joined up with Lord Davenport’s regiment in Richmond? What if Emily’s brothers had caught him and killed him for killing their mother, even if it was only an accident?
Someone shouting her name broke her thoughts.
“Jean, my love!”
Jean turned and ran to Steve-e-Joe, crying at the sight of him. He had his arms outstretched and he caught her in a strong embrace, kissed her and swung her around like a child.
“Don’t cry love, I’m here now.”
They hugged and kissed not caring about the few people that hung around, watching.
“I’ve missed you, Jean. It’s been four long days without you.”
“I’ve missed you too,” Jean managed to say in between sobs. “I was afraid we wouldn’t find you amongst this crazy crowd.”
“Your UNCLE Johnny found me,” Steve-e-Joe said, noticing some women were listening, “I was training with Captain Sinclair when your uncle came and told Captain Sinclair that Lord Bedford wanted me back in his service, and then Sergeant Brown ordered me to go help set up the cook’s tent, so here I am.”
“And she’s been waiting for you like a moody old cat,” Meg shouted to them, “so you two love birds be off, we’ll finish up here. But you make sure you’re here bright and early to dish out breakfast.”
“I will,” Jean said with a wave. “And thank you, girls.”
“Don’t go doing anything that we wouldn’t do!” one of the girls shouted after them.
The couple laughed at the comment and strolled along.
“Oh Steve-e-Joe, I’ve got so much to tell you,” Jean told him.
“Johnny told me he’s done his best to look after you.” Steve-e-Joe spoke quietly so as not to be over heard.”
“Oh he’s done that alright.” Jean gave him a mischievous smile. “That’s one thing I want to tell you about.” She didn’t know where to start and so many people seemed to be moving around, involved in one activity or other.
“If you’re too shy to tell me,” Steve-e-Joe said, leaning closer, “then it must be bad.”
“No it’s not bad, well not all bad, but we can’t talk here.” She looked around. “That’s our tent.”
Just as they were going into the tent, they heard the loud drone of Sergeant Brown’s voice behind them.
“Ah lad, I see you found our Jean then?”
“Aye sergeant, thank you for your help.” Steve-e-Joe knew Johnny was talking loud for the benefit of those who were in the tents nearest to them. They had to believe Uncle Johnny was only doing his duty.
Johnny came up close to them and spoke in a softer tone. “I’ve got to report back to Lord Bedford so you might as well make up for not seeing our Jean the last four nights.” He patted Steve-e-Joe on the shoulder. “I done my best to keep your bed warm for you.”
“Thank you Johnny.”
“I’ll be back before dark but don’t wait for me.” He gave a nod and a wink.
Jean pulled Steve-e-Joe into the tent. The dividing blanket was up and the two beds unrolled. They kissed and started to undress without even a whisper, they were under the blankets in no time. His hand went straight to her chest and her hand went straight to grab his cock.
“I’ve got a lot to tell you,” she re-iterated.
“Tell me the bad news first.”
Jean thought as they made out. “Hmm… Well, the first night you were sent away, that was Sergeant Morris’ doing… ”
In between kisses, Jean told him about Morris and Johnny having rough sex with her, leaving out that she nearly let them poke her up the bottom. She told him everything about Captain Sinclair’s attempt to have her. And then she told him about Johnny making her play with herself until she came. That seemed to arouse Steve-e-Joe, for he asked her to show him.
Steve-e-Joe had pulled the blankets back and in the fading light he watched Jean wet her fingers. “Tell me what Johnny said.”
Jean was about to when Johnny came in, tied the flaps up for the night and didn’t say a word to them. Steve-e-Joe didn’t say a word either; he just kissed Jean while she played with herself. She heard Johnny undress on the other side of the divider and get into bed. She expected him to raise the blanket and join them, but he didn’t. The tent was totally quiet except for her little moans and she wished one of them would say something but she knew that hearing her was what they both wanted. I
t excited her but at the same time it embarrassed her. As Steve-e-Joe kissed her breasts and she began to bring herself to the brink, her moans got louder and the silence was hard to keep, until she had to cry out and Steve-e-Joe had to smother her cries with a kiss. Jean expected Steve-e-Joe to say something nice about witnessing her make herself come. But instead he rolled on top of her, and whispered. “I’ve been waiting for this.”
He entered her with a breathless grunt and in no time, he had come. She held him tight as he ground his hips against her, exhausting himself. She had expected him to say a story or something but that hadn’t happened.
“Oh I needed that,” he whispered loud enough for Johnny to hear. “I missed you, Jean love.” And with that, he rolled off.
It was so quick, Jean didn’t know what to say. And then without a word or sound Johnny’s arm came round her and pulled her over to his side of the divider and into his bed.
“Johnny what are… ?” He interrupted her with a kiss. He caught her hand and placed it on his erection. It was rock hard. She bit her lip and stroked Johnny’s willing cock as she listened to Steve-e-Joe gasping to get his breath back.
Jean knew what Johnny wanted and as he mounted her, she guided his cock in between her legs, and he went at her like he hadn’t had it in months. Not so much as a grab of her breast or bottom, he just pumped at her with all his energy and just as her first moans had left her mouth, it was over.
He rolled over and said breathlessly, “Thank you, Mrs. Bateman.”
Johnny then rolled her back under the divider and into Steve-e-Joe’s bed. It all happened so quickly and it was so unlike the two of them that she was totally confused. Steve-e-Joe held her tight and whispered, “Let me hear you playing with yourself again before I fall to sleep.”
She had questions to ask but she reckoned she’d just be a good wife and leave the questions for later and do his bidding at the moment. She began to touch herself but before she was halfway there with her little moans of pleasure she heard them both snoring. She stopped for a moment and wondered what had just happened. She had been expecting a story from Steve-e-Joe and a long night of love making to welcome Steve-e-Joe back, but it had all ended in a quick shag and sleep for the both of them, leaving her with her hand between her thighs.
*
“Right Jean, lass,” Johnny looked around to make sure no one could hear them, “we’re in Redditch and we could get split up.”
Jean’s mind was a little fuzzy and it slowly cleared. She half-remembered their march up to Redditch for the last six weeks and the lovely love making she had had with Steve-e-Joe and Johnny on the way up here. The hard work of cooking and the stress of the long march were discomforting but having two men make love to her like they did at the end of the day was worth it to her. They both made her feel happy and wanted and Steve-e-Joe had grown up a lot in Johnny’s company.
After setting up in Redditch, Jean and Steve-e-Joe stood outside their tent shivering in the early morning cold. Johnny came out of the tent all dressed.
“I’m ready, sergeant.” Steve-e-Joe said to him.
“Aye, hang on lad.” He beckoned Steve-e-Joe to come closer and he spoke to them in a quiet and serious tone. “I’ve grown fond of the both of you, you know that; and I’m serious about you coming to live with me when this little war is over. I’ve had a word with Lord Bedford and he’s agreed to let me run the Royal Oak Inn for him in the village of Foxcotte. He’ll let you and Steve-e-Joe have one of his cottages as long as Steve-e-Joe works for him.”
Johnny waited as the couple looked at each other for a moment with flickers of doubt passing from face to face.
Finally, Steve-e-Joe answered him. “Well the trouble is… we’re hoping to join up with my friend when the war is over.” He looked to Jean for help, not to disappoint Johnny too much, because Johnny had become like an uncle to them both. “My friend joined Lord Davenport’s regiment a couple of days before us.”
“I think you should tell Uncle Johnny about our friend, Joe Wiggins.” Jean said to Steve-e-Joe. “I think we can trust him to keep it a secret.” Steve-e-Joe nodded back to her. “Anyway I’m late,” she continued, “I don’t want Meg shouting at me again. You can tell Uncle Johnny all about our friend and the accident. I’m off.”
As Jean went about her cooking, chattering away with the others wives, she kept thinking what it would be like to live in a village cottage with Johnny pretending to be her uncle, and coming over to visit her as an excuse for a quick shag.
Her thoughts were broken when one of the women said, “Well, what have we got coming here, girls.” She pointed with a nod of her head. “And if he’s free, don’t forget I saw him first.”
Jean raised her head to see a handsome gentleman riding a well-groomed black horse out of the thick mist, and approaching them with a smile.
“You can have him first,” joked Meg, “as long as I can have him after you. That’s money riding that horse and I’ve got a good nose for money.”
Jean had been told by Johnny that when they get to Redditch, there would be a few more lords up here from the midlands with their small armies. He had warned that if any of the lords saw Jean, they’d do their best to get her to their bed. Johnny had told her to keep to herself, cover her face and hide away if possible. Jean didn’t cover up as she stared at the stranger; she had never seen anyone dressed so smartly. He wore dark green breeches, tucked into knee-length light brown buckskin boots. A light green jacket with puffed up sleeves exaggerating his biceps adorned his torso with six little toggles. He had a dark green hat that came down in a point at the front and back, with a light green feather sticking out of the hat.
“Morning ladies,” he said, stopping by and tipping his hat. “Is that lamb broth I smell?”
“Morning sir,” Meg said and stepped forward. “You might call it lamb broth. Last night we called it lamb stew and this morning we are calling it lamb soup. If you would like some, I’m sure Jean here could warm a bowl up for you.” Meg went and put her arm around Jean when she noticed how the stranger looked at Jean. “Or is there anything else you’d like Jean and me to warm?”
“Ha, what an offer,” he said, laughed politely. “I’m just looking for Lord Bedford’s tent?”
“That’ll be his tent over there.” Meg pointed over her shoulder without taking her eyes of him. ”Would you like us to bring you a bowl over?”
Jean had never seen anyone with teeth as white. He smiled beautifully and the smile was directed at her. He stroked his goatee slowly as if he was thinking about it.
“Umm, sorry ladies but I have business with Lord Bedford.” He tipped his hat again. “I bid you good morning.”
They watched him ride by and Jean said, “He talked a little funny, didn’t he?”
“The best looking man I’ve seen in years.” Meg said. She suddenly registered what Jean had said and then turned to stare at her. “He was looking you over and talking to your tits, possibly wondering how to get you into his bed, and all you can say is, ‘He talked funny’?”
“Well… “
“He’s got a lovely Welsh accent,” one of the wives said. “He can talk me to sleep any night.”
They all had a laugh and talked about the stranger, as they went about their chores until Lord Bedford’s sergeant came up to Jean.
“Are you Mrs. Jean Bateman?”
“Yes, I’m Mrs. Bateman,” Jean replied, heart in mouth.
“Come with me at once. Lord Bedford wants a word with you.”
Jean wiped her hands and followed him the short distance to the Lord Bedford’s large tent. The sergeant stopped a few yards short of the tent and nodded for her to go on in. Jean was still wearing her work apron and she tugged nervously at one of the corners as she pushed the flaps aside and walked in timidly.
The man her eyes saw was the handsome stranger in the green attire and with the Welsh accent.
She was more than a little surprised
. “Oh, where is Lord Bedford?” she asked.
He smiled his pretty smile.
As she looked around the tent, she saw that both of them they were the only people there. She had to ask again, “I’m sorry your Lordship, but I was told Lord Bedford wanted to see me?”
“That’s what I told the sergeant to say. It keeps the old wives guessing and talking.” His white teeth gleamed as he spoke. “Come here, Jean.”
Jean’s heart began to pound; she had an idea what he wanted but it seemed too early in the morning to be shagging or even thinking about it. She wondered how this stranger had known her name, her full name!
“Where’s his Lordship?” Jean asked nervously as she took a tiny step towards him.
“Major Bedford has got a lot to tend to and he’s let me have the use of his tent so I could talk to you.”
“Major Bedford?” Jean had never heard him called that before. She took another step towards where he sat in a chair by a desk with a few documents and what she could only guess were writing materials for she had never seen anything like them before.
“Yes, Major Bedford.” He stood up and came to stand in front of Jean. He caught her chin and lifted her face up to him. “In your town back home, they may call him ‘his Lordship’, but he is also a Major in King Henry’s army.” He looked into her eyes and smiled at her. “You’ve even got beautiful eyes.”
Jean had that weak feeling come over her again, and she knew she was blushing a bright red at the moment.
“Why, thank you, my Lord,” she stammered.
“Ha, I’m no Lord.” he laughed, “I’m Captain Jack Morgan and I’m here to offer Major Bedford the service of my band of Welsh archers. King Henry has asked me and my hundred best archers, to join the Major here and march with him up to York.”
“Captain Morgan?” Jean’s mind spun furiously as she took it in. The name “Morgan” sounded beautiful and it reminded her of old man Morgan that had gone crop picking with Steve-e-Joe. She wondered why Johnny hadn’t told her they were meeting up with a band of archers from Wales but it didn’t matter. She could never have anticipated meeting a man like Captain Jack Morgan, so tall, so handsome. Young too, he couldn’t be more than 30.
Kill The President's Women (Joe The Magic Man Series Book 2) Page 21
