Date: Sat, 23 Jun 2012 07:10:41 +0200
From: Amy Redek <adultreading@gmail.com>
Subject: Francis. Part Eight.

    This story is for persons of eighteen years or over.  All comments,
good or bad, are welcome and all will be answered.

     Part Eight

     Two days later, it was my birthday. I'd almost forgotten it and I
hadn't told Diane or Ralph about it.

     `You should have told me! I haven't got a present for you,' Diane
said.

     `Well I don't know when yours is either, so what's the difference.'
We'd had our morning shower and I'd just finished doing my make-up when I
had told her this and I got dressed while she sat down before the mirror.

     Then both of us looking like two beauty queens, went down for
breakfast. Ralph was already there, and Diane told him. He mumbled his
congrats from around the toast he was eating while I began to tackle my
enormous plate of food.

     `What are your plans for today then?' Diane asked.

     `To do as little as possible and enjoy myself,' I answered.

     `I think we should do a little rehearsal. Our third and seventh
numbers for tonight are a bit squiffy,' Ralph put in.

     `I think I can manage that. Oh shit! I've got a party to do this
afternoon. Only a small one though, so we'll have to do the rehearsing this
morning.'

     So we worked out the kinks in those numbers, and then had a couple of
drinks at the bar to toast my birthday. The other birthday, was a party for
a sweet little girl that went off very well. When I whispered that it was
my birthday too, she let me help her blow out the candles on the cake, and
I got the first slice. Now they were the kind of kid's parties that I
like. Just being there and acting pleasant and not having to try and stop
them running around and trying to kill each other. Also, when it's over,
walk away and let somebody else clean up the mess.

     The barman had obviously overheard us earlier, because he wished me
many happy returns and gave me a large gin and tonic on the house as soon
as I sat on a stool. Then George bought me one as Diane and Ralph showed
up, so more drinks came. I managed to switch two of my large ones for
singles, as I still had a show to do.

     We were quite merry when we started the show, and it went rather well
with a bit of ad libbing. Then Ralph went and embarrassed me at the end by
playing Happy Birthday and got all the audience singing while I stood there
feeling rather foolish, but it was a good laugh really.

     George brought in a huge tray of drinks to the dressing room, saying
that they were all from some of the passengers who'd insisted that we had
them. It was well past one o'clock when we'd finished them and went down
below to our cabin. Diane bounced off a few bulkheads on the way, and I
don't think Ralph or I could walk a straight line. Diane insisted that we
have another drink and poured them out, being rather heavy with the
gin. Then she toasted me again and gave me a kiss, and Ralph did to.

     `What am I doing?' he laughed. `I shouldn't really kiss you, only
shake your hand.'

     `Get used to it Ralph,' I said. `You should kiss me more often. Think
of how silly it would look, if on the stage one night you kissed Diane and
only shook my hand. Both of us would look like bloody fools.'

     `She's right,' Diane slurred. `Give her another kiss, it's her
birthday. A proper one this time, on the lips.' Ralph blushed a little, but
got up from the chair, a bit wobbly, but came and planted a smacker on my
lips.

     `There!' and sat down again.

     `Could do with a little practice,' I said, `but thanks all the same.'

     `S'good,' Diane slurred, and I looked at her just as her eyes went
cross eyed before closing and she fell sideways on the bunk. I somehow
caught the glass just before it hit the deck, but losing what little gin
there was left in it.

     `One down, two to go,' and Ralph was slurring his words now. He made
to get up, but I pushed him back down.

     `You haven't finished your drink. House rules,' and I think I was
speaking the same way now as he was. It took a few minutes, but he managed
to drink up without spilling any. He got up and swayed. I went and put my
hands on his waist to steady him and he put his hands on my shoulders. I
think we were both swaying as we looked into each other's eyes.

     `I think I could francy you Fancis,' he said.

     `Well give me a proper kiss and find out.' His head wavered a bit and
as he leaned in closer, his eyes closed and our lips met. It was a nice
kiss, soft and gentle.

     `There. Was that better or not?' his eyes open again but looking
distinctly glassy. As he had pulled me close as we kissed, I felt that he
did fancy me because he'd got a hard on.

     `As it's my birthday, I'm going to give you a present,' I said as I
pushed him back down on the chair and undid the front of his trousers. He
started to protest, but I pushed his hands away. `This is my present to
you,' and pulled his erection out of his trousers. I'd never seen a
circumcised man before and looked at it with fascination. The head was a
purple red colour from the blood inside, and it looked very angry. It had a
thin ridge of scar tissue round the base of the head, but the rest was the
same as the others, silky skin covering solid muscle in that state.

     `What a big boy,' I said, taking him in and starting to suck on
him. Why do all men groan when a hot mouth covers their own hot cock? A
drunk normally takes some time before he can come, but Ralph didn't. A
minute at the most of me sucking and working my hand up and down his shaft
brought about the desired result. His hands had moved to hold my head as he
came in short sharp bursts, giving little bucks with his hips. I sucked and
swallowed as he did so, feeling the tenseness leaving his body. I kept my
mouth on him to suck out the final drops before releasing him.

     I put him back into his trousers and with a little difficulty, managed
to button him up. His eyes opened, and when focused, looked down at me and
smiled.

     `Thank you Francis. That was very nice. Let's have more birthdays,
eh?' I stood up with a smile and helped him to stand, and then he weaved
the short distance to the door. `Can find own way home,' and reeled out of
the cabin. I looked out to watch him stagger off to his cabin and hoped
that the other occupant was asleep and not take advantage of Ralph being in
that condition. I closed the door after he had turned the corner and went
and sat down on the edge of Diane's bunk. She looked so peaceful sleeping
there and I thought of how nice it would be to sleep too, but my bed was up
top, but this was closer, so I lay down next to her and promptly fell
asleep.

                                                           *

     Three bleary eyed entertainers sat down to a late breakfast. I was
sitting opposite them as we drank coffee and waited to be served.

     `Enjoy yourself last night?' I asked, looking at Ralph.

     `Yes thanks,' he replied, not looking at me but at the plate of food
that had just been placed there. I could see the flush of red at his
collar. Diane could see it too.

     `What happened?' she asked.

     `Nothing,' he mumbled.

     `Yes there was! What was it?' she demanded of me. I could see that she
wasn't going to let it go.

     `Nothing really. He was drunk and so was I. I just gave him a blow
job,' trying to make it sound off hand.

     `How could you?' she said, looking at Ralph, slamming her knife and
fork down on the table.

     `I couldn't help it. I didn't do anything,' he stammered.

     `And you Francis? Why did you do it?'

     `Oh for Christ's sake Diane. It was only a blow job. Nothing
else. Just wait until you two get together, you'll probably have more fun
than we did. Then we can all be one big happy family.' They both gave a
quick glance at each other and I saw that their eye's had met before
looking away again.

     `Oh so it's a case of the pot calling the kettle black. You've already
gone and done it, haven't you?' No answer and both had looked down at their
plates. `So what's good for the goose isn't good enough for the
gander. When did you?' I demanded.

     `That afternoon you were up in that suite,' Diane mumbled.

     `And you weren't going to tell me?'

     `I would have, at the right time,' she answered.

     `I didn't think we had any secrets Diane, you could have told me.'

     `I thought it would upset you. You did say you fancied him, and well,
I thought you might hate me for doing it.'

     `Hate you? Christ woman, I like my cock as much as you do, so you get
it where you can. I don't hate you, but I wish you'd told me before, then I
wouldn't have blown him.' Poor Ralph was sitting there, red faced and
unable to eat at this show down, him being the piggy in the middle as it
were. `I'm glad that you did. It takes the guilt off me that I've had since
I got up this morning. I only wish that he would fuck me too, and then we'd
all be happy.' There were tears in Diane's eyes and I put my hand over hers
and gave it a squeeze. `Come on,' I said softly now. `I still love you. I
love you both, now let's eat this now cold breakfast.' She gave me a smile
and picked up her knife and fork and started to eat. I put a big forkful of
scrambled egg in my mouth and spoke round it. `Ralph tasted good, but not
as good as these eggs.' That made her laugh and drew a smile from Ralph.

                                                           *

     That breakfast confrontation made a difference in our relationship,
but not in the way of our feelings towards each other, but of us as an act,
a trio of performers. Though I was the youngest, I took over as leader of
the group. Not in an authoritative way, it was more subtle than that. If a
decision had to be made on something, they would both look to me to give
the final answer, and it was accepted. Other than that, we all still tossed
ideas for a show into a pot and waited to see what bubbled to the top.

     With the air cleared, we had a good rehearsal and worked up quite a
sweat with some dance routines, ridding our bodies of the previous night's
gin. Which we promptly put back in the dressing room when we'd finished
before going below for a shower.

     Ralph went off to his cabin while we went to ours where we undressed
and went for a shower. That's one good thing about being on board ship, and
that there is always hot water. Water that doesn't suddenly go cold when
somebody else in the house turns on the wrong tap. All pink and warm, I
hurried along after Diane back to the cabin. Diane asked if she could brush
my hair, which was now getting rather long. For rehearsing, I always made a
pony tail of it, so it was a bit tangled. I poured us both a drink and sat
down facing the mirror.

     My aunts used to do this for me every night and sometimes during the
day. I loved the feel of the brush as it ran across my scalp and felt the
gentle tugs as a small knot was encountered. It was soothing and sensuous
and I could easily get an erection having my hair done. What with getting
glimpses of a breast in the mirror as Diane brushed away. Her gown had come
open and these odd flashes, coupled with the vision of her on her bunk with
Ralph brought my lower part up to attention.

     As she used the brush, she tried to apologise again, and I, without
the intention of punning, brushed it aside. I told her it was done and I
hoped that they would do so again in the future.

     `You're not mad at me, are you, really I mean?' she asked when she'd
finished and I got up.

     `Of course not Diane,' I said, taking her into my arms and kissing
her. I could feel her breast against my bare chest, the nipple soft at that
moment. Then my erection touched her flesh through a fold of her robe, and
I felt her nipple harden instantly.

     `Oh Francis, though I like Ralph, I do love you. Truly I do,' she
said, pressing herself closer to me.

     `I love you too Diane,' I said before kissing her eyes, nose and mouth
and slipping the robe off her shoulders so that I could kiss them too as
well as her neck and throat. I felt her tremble as she released me for a
moment so that her robe could fall down around her feet.

     `Make love to me Francis,' she whispered in my ear, pulling me back
towards her bunk. She pushed off my robe so that our naked bodies could
touch each other's as we lay down on her mattress. With my knee tight up at
her groin and my erection lying on her stomach, we kissed and whispered
sweet little things to each other.

     Her legs started to seesaw against my knee as her passion mounted and
I didn't need to try to part her legs. For as soon as I shifted my
position, they opened for me to get in between them. My erection followed
my body down, trailing across her stomach and through her pubic hairs until
it dropped down to her wet open lips and moved inside. She orgasmed almost
immediately, holding on tight as she writhed beneath me in her coming
throes. I didn't last long either, coming in jerky bursts.

     I stayed inside her till our bodies had come to a full stop, and then
she smiled up at me and let me kiss her very deeply. We came apart and I
picked up our robes and drew them over us as covers as we both drifted off
to sleep holding each other.

     Diane had a similar alarm clock to mine, and I saw that it was close
to five o'clock when I woke up. I kissed her awake and then after another
shower, got made up and dressed and went for our early dinner. I generally
had a small soup followed by a little cold meat and salad, that being
enough to keep me going till breakfast and not too heavy so that I couldn't
dance. Ralph had joined us and neither Diane or I mentioned about our
afternoon in bed together.

     We three then took a stroll around the decks and only had one quick
drink at the bar before starting the show. The next day was Bombay. Diane
and Ralph went ashore because he wanted to see the place, but I declined
and stayed aboard to finish my letter to Donald, which was posted that
evening to catch the last collection. For some reason, I dragged out my
suitcase, though I cannot remember now what I was originally looking for,
but found the list of shares etc, that Mr Truell had left for me. I'd put
it in my case when packing and had forgotten about it.

     I sat down on Diane's bunk and looked through the two and a half
pages, trying to understand what they all meant. The companies were all
listed by name alphabetically and a line or two about what they traded in,
then the number of shares that I had with that company. Most of them were
in six figures, some in five and a few in four. That was two of the pages
as the third was a list of my holdings and of what percentage I owned, but
overall, I couldn't grasp the value because I didn't have that
information. But then I thought there might be one person, a person by the
name of Patrick Delafonte who would know. I folded the pages and put them
in my handbag to wait for my invitation back to the lair.

     It was two days before we met again. It was Diane's turn at a party
and Ralph went to watch and I stayed at the bar.

     `Hello Francis,' Patrick said, sitting down beside me.

     `Hello Patrick, nice to see you again. Have you been avoiding me by
any chance?'

     `Not in the slightest. I just don't like crowds.' Neither did Carlo
and he had used exactly the same words. Did it run in the family I
wondered? `I've always kept to myself,' he continued, `but occasionally I
like to talk to someone instead of reading a book.'

     `So I'm the alternative to a book?'

     `Francis, I apologise for the way I phrased that, so please let's not
go in for more verbal jousting. I've already conceded defeat in that
particular game.'

     `Do you have another game in mind then?' I asked with a twinkle in my
eye.

     `You know damn well I do,' he chuckled, and ordered two drinks from
the barman.

     `Is it a game for two, or more?'

     `With two, it's a game. With more, it's an orgy,' he laughed.

     `I don't think I could handle an orgy, so let's keep the game for two
shall we?'

     `Most definitely Francis. Shall we go an indulge in a little game for
two?'

     `You may indulge, but I shall enjoy. Shall we go then?' I asked with a
smile.

     `Certainly.' So we finished our drinks and, taking his arm, we left
the lounge.

     At least we didn't dive straight into it this time. He poured us out a
drink each, and these we took into the bedroom. Just a few sips and then we
sat on the bed and slowly lay back and kissed. I then let him undress me
completely so that I could curl up on the bed to watch him take his clothes
off.

     His erection swayed from side to side as he kneeled his way on the bed
towards me. This was an invitation to raise myself up on an elbow and catch
it with my mouth. But this was not exactly what he had in mind, for after
only a few sucks, he pulled me off him and he laid down flat on his back
and held his tool in a perpendicular position.

     That was the way for today I thought, and got off the bed for the
cream. After planting a kiss and a tongue in the eye of his cock, I put a
blob of cream to the top of him. Then straddling him on my knees, a
position that really widens the legs, lowered myself down onto him. It was
lovely to feel the hard shaft of a man slide back into me as I sank down
till I came to rest on his thighs with him tight inside me. I worked myself
up and down, giving him more pleasure than I was getting from that
position. I kept this up to the point of him coming before I shifted my
position, bring each leg round in turn so that he was fully supporting me
on his legs, but also gave me an extra half inch or so of his cock
inside. He came with many grunts and at his own physical expense, as he had
to buck with my weight on him.

     I think he was actually relieved when I dismounted. I got a flannel
and washed him before washing myself and then getting back onto the bed
with him. We kissed and played with each other, even having a wrestling
match, which he won easily. With empty glasses on the side, I got up and
went and fixed another two drinks. Then I spotted my bag and remembered the
list that I wanted Patrick to look at. I took it out of the bag and carried
it along with the drinks into the bedroom. He sat up and took the glass I
handed him and sat down next to him.

     `Patrick. You said last time that you were a financial adviser. Who
to?'

     `Before the war, banks. After, the Leopardi family. Why?'

     `Did you save or make money for them?'

     `Both, again why?' Sipping at his drink.

     `I'd like you to look at these lists and tell me what you think,' I
said, passing over the pages. He took them from me and spread them out,
smoothing them flat on the bed. He read them in turn, sipping from his
drink, and then read them again, slowly.

     `That's a handsome portfolio. Set up before the war it appears. Whose
is it?'

     `Is that important?'

     `No, but it would help to be able to give the right advice. Is it
yours?'

     `Yes.' There was no point in trying to hide that fact.

     `Well I would say that you are a very rich young lady Francis, and
I've only got one question to ask. Why then are you in the navy doing
this?' I took a big gulp of my drink before answering him.

     `I wore trousers for two and half months to get into this navy. The
rest of my sixteen years, I've worn dresses, and I enjoy wearing them. I
like what I do, and that is singing and dancing, apart from what we do in
here. Now given the choice of doing what I like for a minimum of seven
years or spending two years in army uniform being ridiculed and abused,
that being called National Service, what would you choose?'

     `I see your point.'

     `And to answer what was really a statement, I am not a wealthy person,
yet. All I receive is an allowance. That list you hold does not become mine
until I become of age. Why I showed it to you was for your advice to pass
on to my guardian who controls it, and who I don't think knows what to do
about them.'

     `I'll get a pen,' he said, getting off the bed. `Could you fix us
another drink darling.' I got off the bed and both of us walked naked into
the sitting room and while he found a pen, I got the drinks. He sat down on
the settee and I sat in the chair opposite him as he studied the lists,
making notes on the side.

     It was strange to see him sitting there with one leg crossed over the
other, the ankle being on top of the knee. His balls and cock were bunched
up and could be clearly seen between his legs, and I had a strong urge to
go over there and fondle them. But I resisted while he was working on the
list, because I knew I would still be able to do it later.

     `Well Francis,' he finally said, his leg coming down and his parts
covered by the papers, `come and sit over here.' So I did, and sat next to
him, our naked thighs touching, but he didn't seem to notice. `These I've
marked with a tick are strong and likely to be so for quite some time. The
two with a question mark are, in my opinion, likely to drop in value. Not
immediately, but within a year or two.' One of these was in the six figure
number of shares.

     `Are you sure about this one? I asked of this particular company.

     `No, but their main product is about to be superseded by another from
a rival company, so it's an educated guess that the price of these shares
will either decline slowly, or crash. Nothing is certain in the stock
market. This is just an educated guess, which is what most of these so
called gurus do anyway.'

     `And these marked with a cross?'

     `Dump them as soon as possible before they reach the point where
nobody will take them off your hands. Those with the double cross have
already been given the death knell and will drop to almost nothing by this
time next year.'

     `What about the last page, the holdings?'

     `Can't help you there my dear. I recognise some of the names, those
with the least percentage of shares. These are not on the Stock Exchange,
so I cannot give you a value on them, because I don't know what they
represent. You would need somebody in England to go through them one at a
time at Companies House, to see the depth of what they are involved in.'

     `Well I do know one of them. This one, `I pointed to one that was
holding one hundred percent. `This was set up by my Grandfather who, aided
later by my father, bought up and I now own the village I live in.'

     `Well, well, well,' Patrick said, leaning back, `First you're Queen of
the Seas and now you are the Lady of the Manor!'

     `You're the second person to put those two titles together,' I said,
smiling at him as I put my hand on his knee. `Now what would be the fee for
this consultation of my affairs?'

     `Well,' he drawled, his legs opening wide, `if you were to get between
these, we'll just have to see what comes up. You might be able to extract
and pay the fee in one fell blow,' he smiled. I smiled too, and slipped
down onto my knees and went in between his legs.

     `But without hands!' He added. With just my movement to position
myself, his cock had risen up and become stiff and hard. I grinned up at
him as I placed my hands on his thighs before bending my head down to catch
the cock with my mouth as he made it twitch all over the place in jerky
movements. With my expertise, I soon brought forth my fee and enjoyed doing
it. I was becoming an expert on cock-sucking and though its frowned upon,
that period of time in my life was most rewarding in learning how to
manipulate men.

       A beautiful teenager in alluring female clothes was like a candle to
male moths of all ages. I wasn't a whore in the true meaning of the word. I
didn't sell sex for money. I gave pleasure and got pleasure by return, but
I was not averse to benefiting by it in one way or another, though anal
intercourse was my ultimate favourite.

     The arguments have raged on this subject since well before the birth
of Christ. From our first written scripts of the Greeks until the present
day, sodomy has been around as long, if not longer than female
prostitution. A sodomite was a favoured position well into the Middle
Ages. But I'm not going into this field of argument here, because I'm not
trying to make a case for, or produce the arguments against.

     I'm just trying to make it clear that I believed I was a female
trapped in a male body, and reacted, or maybe in my case, overreacted to
the male penis. In a nutshell, I liked to see, feel, touch, taste and have
an erect penis, in my hand, mouth or backside. That was it. That was me.

     So after satisfying not only Patrick and myself, it was time for me to
go. So with a final lick and kiss of that wilting organ, I got dressed. I
thanked him for having me in his suite, (take that whichever way you like),
but also for his comments and judgements given on my portfolio, gave him a
swift kiss on the lips and left. I didn't have time to go over what he had
told me, in fact it was several days before I had the chance to do just
that. Diane had already showered and was making up her face when I got to
our cabin.

     `Late again, aren't I?' I asked, quickly stripping off my soiled
clothes.

     `You been up top again?' she asked, looking at me through the mirror.

     `Of course. And under,' I answered, getting my robe and toilet things,
`which I'll tell you about after I've had my shower.' I was quick getting
washed, and was soon back in the cabin. The chair was vacant for me to do
my make-up as Diane had just started to get dressed. I think she got a
vicarious thrill from the revelations of my sexual exploits, and I loved
her for the fact that she never once gave any sign of disapproval of my
actions outside of the cabin. The only one being when I blew Ralph, and
that was in this cabin anyway.

     So after a sanitised version of the afternoon's events, which were
still more exciting than her children's party, we went for our early dinner
before going up to the lounge bar for a drink before the show. Of which,
the shows I mean, not the drinking, I'm getting tired of repeating myself,
was as good as ever. My voice had never been better, neither had that of
Diane. Ralph was as good as he started, and his jokes were getting
better. The dance routines were almost step perfect and any new ones we
devised only made us seem even better. So we'll take the shows of the
voyages, to be of an adequate performance and need not be constantly
repeated of how good they were. Otherwise you might think that I was
blowing my own trumpet rather too loud and too often, but, with tongue in
cheek, would be justified.

                                                           *

     The next day, we crossed the equator. Ralph had been rehearsed in the
spiel that he had to give at the presentation of King Neptune, and me, the
Queen of the Seas. The morning session for the children was a huge success,
with much jollity for all concerned. But the highlight was in the
afternoon. With all the passengers going through the ceremony and had duly
been allowed passage by King Neptune, Ralph was grabbed and forced to go
through what he had laughed at others being subjected to. Unlike those
passengers going through it, suitably dressed, he went through fully
clothed. But he took it in good part and was well applauded as he climbed
out of the pool, dripping wet but with a grand smile.

     This time, Diane and I were well covered in the sun blocking agent so
that we didn't get as sunburnt as I had on the last trip. This brought an
idea to mind, and seeing as Clement was there to witness the fun, I took
the advantage of the situation to ask if there was somewhere that Diane and
I could sunbathe without being pestered either by the crew or
passengers. He understood perfectly as to why I wanted the privacy of
this. To which we later, under the auspices of the Chief Officer, were
allowed to use the flying bridge as our own private sun deck.

     The flying bridge is a structure above the normal enclosed bridge and
open to the elements. Apart from the mast, it is the highest structure on
the ship and we found that we could, if we were so disposed to, strip off
completely and not be seen from anywhere below us.

     Up there, I could take off my bra to get an even sun tan on my chest,
and Diane had adapted a pair of swimming trunks for me to wear. She added a
frill to the front which effectively concealed the bumps that showed. She
too wore a pair of men's trunks and a strapless bra, which came off up
there so that she finished up with a lovely brown pair of orbs.

     Being blonde myself, I tended to go very red at first, but when my
skin became used to the sun, I turned a delicious golden brown. It did look
funny when we were undressed in the cabin, both of us a lovely brown colour
with our pure white bums.

     Fremantle came and went, and we were soon in the Australian Bight. I
don't know what it is about that stretch of sea, but I always seem to get
laid while we're crossing it. I had Clement up in the B deck cabin, and the
next night it was Patrick in his suite, but there I was able to stay the
whole night. About a third of the passengers got off at Melbourne, so we
still had a good audience for our last outward bound show before our
arrival in Sydney. That evening, I blew George whom I had neglected for the
whole trip so far, and he was most grateful for that.

     Ralph was as excited as a schoolboy when we entered Sydney harbour and
he saw the bridge for the first time. Even I still could be roused at that
sight of that huge construction, straddling the bay, and watching
breathlessly to see if the top of the mast would hit the bridge as we
passed underneath it, it seemed so close that everybody would gasp as we
safely sailed beneath it without losing the top. Again we tied up at
Pyrmont though I wished we could have berthed at Woolamaloo, where the
Australian Navy were based, as it was much closer to the city centre than
Pyrmont.

     As the passengers disembarked, we were again acting as hostesses at
our station near the Purser's office. Unlike when they come aboard, we were
merely decoration as we were only asked a few questions. Some people
stopped and told us of how much they had enjoyed our shows, which was
pleasing to hear. Patrick saw me, and gave instructions to the steward that
was seeing to his luggage, and came over to me. He took my arm and walked
me over to the other side of the ship and round a corner to find a secluded
spot. He then took me into his arms and kissed me deep and long, telling me
that I had made the trip a most memorable one.

     `I shall never forget you Francis. If ever you need help, financial or
otherwise, here's a telephone number here in Sydney, where you can leave a
message.' He gave me a slip of paper, and then after one more kiss, we
walked back to the entry port, and we said a formal goodbye there, and he
left the ship. Much to my regret, we never did meet again.

                                                           *

     It was quiet once all the passengers had gone, and Ralph was eager to
go ashore to explore. He finally talked Diane into going with him, but I
stayed aboard as I wanted to finish a letter to Donald. I didn't really
like the city between the hours of five and seven of an evening, because
that was known as the "Five o'clock Swill". Men would leave their
workplaces and fill the hotel bars to drink as much as they could in the
one hour before closing time. They didn't have pubs in Australia as we know
in England. All drinking establishments were inside hotels, and the bars
were for men only. Little rooms were set aside for women, but you rarely
saw women drinking in these places.

     These hotel bars are thick with thirsty men and stand many deep at the
bar, trying to get a drink. The hotels had adapted to this need to serve as
many beers as they can in this one hour because the licensing laws stated
that all bars close at six p.m.

     What they devised was a long hose from the beer tap. One person would
go down the length of the bar, which in some places could be up to thirty
odd feet long, putting down empty glasses. The next person would follow
behind with his hose of flowing beer, just filling all these glasses in a
steady stream. Another one would follow behind taking the money, and yet a
fourth one to collect the empties as they were slammed back down on the
marble top. Then they would start again from the beginning.

     With the outside temperature being well above ninety degrees, and
themselves, hot and thirsty, several large glasses of ice cold beer inside
them, made them drunk very quickly. Then at six o' clock, they would be
herded out onto the street to go home.

     Fights would break out as soon as they hit the fresh air and hot
sun. Some would spew up and some would fall down and not get up. Drunks
would litter the city as they lurched their way to the train station or
ferry to go home, and this would happen every working day. So it really
wasn't a place for a female to be at that time of an evening. After seven
and it was okay, as the police would have dragged away those who hadn't got
up and arrested those who wouldn't give up fighting.

     Stephen, the Engineer had ignored Diane the whole trip, so as far as
we were concerned, he was now still life. So it was Ralph and Diane,
Clement and myself that went ashore for a bit of fun, but I was making sure
that we stayed away from that Italian restaurant that we'd dined in before.

                                                           *

     It didn't quite work out the way I planned. It was just our luck to
pick a taxi driver who recognised my brooch. He was very voluble in
completely incomprehensive Italian for the whole journey into the city and
had also disregarded our own requests in regard to our destination. We
pulled up outside some seedy run down looking restaurant and the driver
waved over a man who had been standing outside. He spoke to him in rapid
Italian, and the guy opened the car door and beckoned us out.

     The others were very apprehensive about leaving the vehicle, but I
boldly got out and told them that we were perfectly safe and that we
couldn't really be safer anywhere in the world than where we were right
then. The outside belittled the interior, for it was like walking into a
garden. There were arbours of two to three tables within a pergola type
structure, of which there were five, festooned with vines and a
bougainvillaea type of flower that I was not familiar with. Each table had
a chequered cloth and a Chianti bottle, heavily encrusted with wax as a
candle holder.

     Some of the tables were occupied and they looked up in surprise, as it
seemed as if the whole family, from father and mother down to the little
bambinos were inviting us in.

     `Welcome, welcome to our little home,' was the greeting, followed by a
burst of Italian which none of us understood. We just smiled our thanks at
the welcome and allowed ourselves to be guided to a table and
seated. Dishes of olives and other things were placed on the table and wine
was suddenly being poured into our glasses.

     `What the hell is going on in this town?' Clement exclaimed. `The last
time we dined out, it was an Italian restaurant and this is almost the
same.'

     `I think it's great,' Ralph chirped up, almost downing his glass in
one go.

     `It's like we're some kind of celebrities,' piped up Diane.

     `I'm afraid it's because of me,' I said, putting my hand onto that of
Clement's.

     `How's that?' he asked.

     `This brooch,' which I touched, `is like a password to certain
people.'

     `Password? In what way?' he demanded.

     `In a way you wouldn't understand. It means I am the friend of, it
seems, a very powerful family and am to be given every courtesy that can be
provided.'

     `But I don't understand?' said Clement.

     `Neither do I,' echoed Diane. Ralph just looked bewildered at the
talk.

     `Look. Just accept the fact that we are guests of this family and
let's enjoy ourselves. But leave a very big tip for the waiters because we
won't be given the bill.' So we had an excellent meal and the service was
impeccable, and went back to the ship quite happy.

     There was a certain coolness between Clement and I back in his
cabin. We kissed and undressed each other, and it was nice to have his
erection back inside as he fucked me. But it seemed so mechanical of him
that night, shafting me as he might have done to some knot hole in a piece
of wood.

     I kissed and nibbled at his penis later that night as well as stroke
him wherever I could reach, but couldn't break down that wall that seemed
to be growing between us. I thought that it was something to do with the
restaurant where we'd been, and about what he didn't understand about my
relationship with the Leopardi family, but then he told me.

     `I'm getting married when we get back to England,' he said
abruptly. It sent a sharp bolt of pain through my stomach and heart. I'd
never given any thought that he might one day marry and no longer want me.

     `She's the daughter of one of the senior directors of the company, and
it will help me in my career.'

     `Do you love her?' I asked, my voice quiet as I had an idea of which
way he was going with this.

     `I suppose so. I've been going out with her on my leaves, but I've
always looked forward to rejoining the ship and being with you. But it's
come to the point now where we are going to have to stop seeing each
other.' Tears had started to run down my cheeks, but I made no attempt to
stop them or wipe them away. `If we should be found out, it would ruin me,
wipe away all that I've achieved so far. You do understand this I hope?' he
asked, turning to me. He then saw my tears and could see them start to
water. `I'm sorry my darling. I've hurt you and that was the last thing I
wanted do,' he said, wiping at my cheek with his fingers. `I thought you'd
see my position and understand.'

     `I do understand,' I choked out, `I understand perfectly,' starting to
sob now. I knew that our relationship would come to an end one day. Either
him leaving the ship and joining another, or me going, but for it to come
so sudden, hurt me inside. He took me in his arms and held me tight while I
cried, stroking my hair and bare shoulder till I was all cried out. I
couldn't speak, but at the same time realised that there was nothing I
could say or do, as he was perfectly right in what he'd said. It would ruin
him if it came out that he was fucking a boy member of the crew. So I got
up from the bed and slowly dressed as he lay there and watched me. When
ready, I went back to the bed and gave him a kiss on the lips.

     `Goodbye Clement, and for what it's worth, I still love you.' Then I
turned and left, the sight of the tears running down his cheeks was making
my eyes start to run again. I didn't even get undressed, but simply swung
myself up into my bunk and cried myself to sleep.

                                                           *

     I looked a mess in the morning and didn't need Diane telling me what I
could already see in the mirror. Make-up smeared on my face and dried tear
marks down my cheeks, the dress crumpled and creased. I quickly undressed
and scrubbed my face, in case someone saw me out in the alleyway when I
went for a shower. The hot water soothed as well as cleaned me as I stayed
there for quite some time. I dried myself and went back to the cabin where
Diane, knowing something had happened, had waited for me to return.

     `Sit down and let me do your hair and you can tell me what's
happened.' The brushing of my hair soothed me as it always did, and I told
her about the last night with Clement, managing to keep myself from crying
again. She put her arms round my shoulders when I'd finished, putting her
face next to mine so that we looked at our reflections in the mirror.

     `Men can be such callous bastards, but remember this Francis. I will
still be here for you. You'll always have me to come home to.' I put my
hand up and covered hers and gave her a wan smile.

     `Thank you Diane,' I said, and she gave me a hug.

     `Now make yourself up nice and pretty and let's go ashore and have
some fun.'

     We took a taxi and went to Bondi Beach, and walked the whole length of
it, looking at the gorgeous hunks of men as they played with their
surfboards or kicked a ball about on that large expanse of sand. People
were having outdoor meals, cooking at barbecues on the beach. The smell of
the roasting meats on the grills made us ravenous, and so we had a huge
meal at a café, sitting out in the sun and enjoyed the flirting remarks
we kept getting from these bronzed men.

     We could have been picked up a dozen times over, but turned them all
down with many a laugh. One pair even asked us if we were lesbians after
we'd said no to their overtures. This brought tears to our eyes with our
laughter, them not being able to see the joke. There were also many young
men that I could pick out as being homosexual, their walk and hand
mannerisms spoke a lot. I toyed with the idea, but being with Diane, and we
were having such a nice day, I didn't want to spoil it. It made her laugh
later when I told her.

     We stayed there the whole day, not feeling like moving about after
that big lunch. We sat and drank some beers with a number of boys till the
sun went down, then we said our goodbyes to them. They were reluctant to
let us go, some obviously thinking that could they have split us up, so
that we would then be vulnerable to their charms once we were alone. The
taxi took two tired and happy girls back to the ship.

     We undressed with only a bunk light giving us illumination to see what
we were doing. So tanned were we, that our bodies seemed to melt into the
shadows of the cabin, except for the parts the sun hadn't touched. That was
the middle section on both of us, strikingly white in contrast to the rest
of our bodies and it made us giggle as we did look like some kind of
freaks.

     `Francis,' Diane said in a low voice as we stood facing each
other. `Let's have a perfect ending to a perfect day, can we? Let's make
love and forget about everybody outside of this cabin.' I understood what
she meant and was only too glad to move to her and have our bodies touch
and our mouths meet in a kiss.

     `Will you be my Sheila for the night?' I asked in a very good
imitation of the Australian accent. Sheila being the name that all
Australians call a girl. Diane laughed and hugged me.

      `Fair dinkum Bruce,' she replied in an atrocious attempt to copy me,
Bruce being the name of a male in their slang. We both laughed again and
fell onto the bunk, kissing each other with love and affection. It was a
slow and languorous loving, starting from the sixty nine position till the
final copulation with me on top of her. I stayed the whole night in her
bunk.

                                                           *

     We were like two little girls for the rest of the stay in Sydney,
going out and enjoying ourselves, and even enjoying the times we were on
board preparing for our forth coming shows on the Christmas cruise. We
would be entertaining a predominately Australian crowd whose humour is more
on the cruder side than that of the English. Ralph had scoured round some
of the clubs of Sydney and culled quite a number of jokes and ideas for
skits that we could do. We had fun rehearsing them and as a package, we
went down really well with our Antipodean cousins.

     It must have looked a wonderful sight from the quayside as we left our
berth. We had flags strung out from the forepeak up to the mast, then
across the ship and down to the stern. These were all fluttering in the
light breeze and then there were all the streamers between the ship's rail
and the shore. A band was playing but could hardly be heard above the
cheering and shouting that was going on between those on board and the
people being left behind. We saw pictures that were printed in the next
day's papers of our departure, people had saved them for us to look at on
our return. They were very good and I saved the one of the ship passing
beneath the bridge it was so good.

        Every night was party night for them, the passengers, and the whole
crew got caught up in the spirit and it made for a wonderful cruise. The
lounge was packed to see our show and we got wildly cheered and applauded
as each show finished. We even had a good crowd sitting round the bar, some
never seeming to leave it, as we arrived for our rehearsals during the day
and them staying right through to the final bows at the end of the evening.

     We anchored in Singapore, not in the Roads, but quite close to the
shore, the water not being deep enough for us to go alongside a quay. It
was only about a hundred yards and had to have little boats to ferry people
ashore for their visit. Though we were staying for two days, we only had
one afternoon off for us to look around the city. Ralph, Diane and myself
got onto solid ground and hired one of the horse drawn open carriages that
were abundant on the quay. It took us round the city and it was
wonderful. The busy streets full of colour, people darting backwards and
forwards, appearing and disappearing into the narrow alleyways that were
full of shop signs and the upper balconies almost touching each other. The
constant noise of the different dialects of Chinese and Malay filled our
ears. The various aromas assaulted our nostrils; sewage from the open storm
drains and the spices from the brightly coloured stalls, mingling together
to make one feel quite heady from the smell.

     Then we went along a wide boulevard that was lined with lawns and palm
trees and turned into a circular drive and stopped at the Raffles
Hotel. The big airy hotel was named after the founder of Singapore and was
the favourite watering hole for most Europeans. They also served a
wonderful afternoon tea, after which, we had some delicious cocktails. Too
soon, we had to return to the ship because unlike a normal voyage, we had a
show to do, even though we were in port.

                                                           *

     Next morning, we upped anchor to leave. There was much fun as we, and
most of the passengers, watched a small boat come racing out to catch us
before we reached the open sea. In it were four men who'd missed the
sailing, and subsequently had to hire this boat. We never actually stopped,
but the gangway was lowered and the men clambered aboard to much hooting
and jeering from their fellow travellers.

     Our next port was Hong Kong, another British Crown Colony, but in the
China Sea this time. Hong Kong itself is an island without port facilities,
but just over a short narrow stretch of water is Kowloon, a peninsular of
Southern China and is known as mainland Hong Kong. It's not very large in
ground area but is very densely populated and that's where we berthed,
right by the Red Star ferry terminal that sent boats back and forth to the
island.

     The ferries were running across this water every few minutes as well
as lots of other boats scurrying about, making it a very busy waterway. We
docked at breakfast time, and soon the ship was empty of passengers. I
wanted to explore on my own, so at the bottom of the gangway, Diane and
Ralph went off one way, and I, the other. Within two minutes I was in the
middle of stalls displaying everything you could think of, and lots more
besides.

     Poultry next to flowers, next to pots and pans, birds next to fish and
so on. No rhyme or reason to the layout of these tightly packed together
stalls. All the time there was this constant chatter of the high lilting
sing song cadence of the Chinese being spoken.

     The smells were almost the same as Singapore and so wonderful to just
close your eyes and take a deep breath in through your nose. Then you turn
a corner and are in another alleyway of stalls, selling the same as the
last, the cobbled stones wet and slippery to walk on from the water from
the fish stalls and odd leaves off vegetables and flowers underfoot.

     Leaving the alleyways, I came across a covered passage that had a
glass counter with all kinds of savoury looking things that I liked the
look of. Beyond the counter were a few tables and chairs that reached to
another exit at the other end, leaving a passage alongside a decorated
wall. I was standing by the corner of the counter where the tables were,
and had just opened my bag to get some money out that I had changed into
Hong Kong dollars before leaving the ship.

                                                           *

     I was about to take out my purse when there was some shouting outside
and then a loud bang of a gun being fired. A small man wearing European
style clothing, staggered in and slid along the side of the counter and
cannoned into me. I fell down between the counter and the nearest table as
he too fell, landing half on top of me. He was a Chinaman or whatever, and
his face was covered in sweat and his eyes showed pain as they flashed
about wildly in his head. Then they were suddenly fixed on my brooch and he
gave a tight grin.

     `Ah...Leopardi...Lee Chen,' he gasped. `Leopardi...Lee Chen,' then he
pulled out a package slightly larger than an envelope but about four inches
thick and rammed it into my open bag. `Leopardi...Lee Chen,' he gasped out
again and got up off of me. This interchange took less than ten seconds.

     He got up and started to stagger past the tables, one hand fending
himself off the wall, when another shot rang out and knocked him sideways
to the wall and spun him round. There was fear in his eyes and spasms of
pain made him close them just as another two shots slammed into his chest,
knocking him off his feet to fall on his back with his arms flung out wide.

     Three men rushed past me as I got to my knees, and one man kept facing
me and a couple of other customers, waving a gun about as the other two
knelt above the fallen man. They tore at his coat and ripped open his blood
sodden shirt and feeling all over his legs. Whistles could be heard from
outside and then the sound of a siren. The three men were shouting at each
other, the man waving the gun doing most of the screaming. The whistles
sounded much closer, and the three men suddenly took off and disappeared
out of the passage at the other end, leaving the shot man, obviously dead
on the floor.

     I got up very shakily and my knees were knocking at witnessing this
callous murder. I held onto the counter as I started making my way back to
the entrance when two European men in khaki uniforms came rushing in, with
guns drawn and whistles swinging from lanyards at their shoulders. Two
other men, Chinese, also in the same uniform followed the first two. I
reached the corner of the counter at the same time as they got to the
fallen man. I saw them bend down to examine him before I turned and fled,
shaking with fear for myself now.

     Did the three men see me on the floor with the man they killed? Did
they see me with the package that they had obviously searched his body for?
Would they have circled round and now be looking for me? Panic was running
through me like wildfire as I ran down this narrow street, my high heels
making it a little difficult to say the least.

     I broke out of the network of alleyways onto a wide thoroughfare that
was full of people and vehicles. The taxi that I had jumped out in front of
almost knocked me down. It was empty of passengers and I fell into the back
seat.

     `The ship! To the ship!' I almost screamed at him, I could hear the
panic in my voice.

     `Sheep missee,' he asked, making an undulating wave of his hand as he
looked over the back of his seat at me, almost cowering on the floor of the
cab.

     `Yes, sheep, sheep,' I cried out, and then I remembered hearing one
man on the quay say to another, two words, waving his hand to make him go
faster. I used those two words on the driver and saw that he understood.

     `To the sheep chop, chop missee,' he laughed. I didn't see much of the
ride, but it wasn't long before he pulled up at the bottom of the
gangway. I got out and thrust some notes into his hand, not caring how much
I was paying for the ride, I was just grateful that I was there.

     I got up that gangway as fast as I could and when safely inside, went
down to my cabin and locked the door behind me. My hands were shaking as I
poured out a very large gin and didn't bother with the tonic water as I
gulped half of it straight down. I sat down, nearly choking on the raw
spirit, my heart and blood pounding as the adrenaline raced around my
body. I found that I was covered in sweat and I still couldn't stop my
hands from shaking as I finished the drink and poured myself another, but
with tonic water this time.

     I was now beginning to calm down and think. Would the police also be
after me now as a witness? Oh I wailed to myself, what do I do? I got my
bag and took out the package and looked at it, judging it to be about two
pound in weight. The covering was thick brown paper and taped down, so I
could not see what was inside without tearing the wrapper. Was this what
those killers were looking for I wondered? What did it contain if it was
worth killing another man for? My mind was in a whirl trying to fathom the
contents, the most obvious being drugs, money, gems or government secrets
to name just a few.

                                                           *

     I took off my sweat stained clothes and stood there naked, wondering
where I could hide the package. But there was not much choice in a cabin of
our size, so I just put it under my mattress and went for a shower, making
sure the door was locked before I went.

     Under the hot spray, I ran through the whole time ashore until I
returned back on board. The words of the man repeated several times over
stuck in my mind, and then it dawned on me what he had wanted me to do. I
quickly finished my washing and was soon back in my cabin. I got dressed in
completely clean clothes and then went up the decks to the Purser's
office. It was here that the landline of the telephone came to. There were
two little booths just past the office where people could go to have their
phone conversation in private.

     I asked the assistant on duty if I could make an overseas call. As
long as I paid for the call, it wouldn't be a problem, he said. I gave him
the number to ring and then sat and waited in a booth till a connection was
made. It was about fifteen minutes before the phone buzzed and I picked it
up. I listened to various voices as the connections were being made through
different International operators, and then a voice said I was through. I
heard the burr of it ringing for a second or two before a man's voice
answered.

     `Si?' The Italian was the query of yes. I took a deep breath.

     `Francis for Carlo,' I said, my hand was sweating and it made the
handset all slippery.

     `Yes Francis. How can I help you?' the man asked, switching to
English.

     `I seem to have got myself into some kind of trouble and I don't know
what to do.'

     `Where are you speaking from?'

     `My ship the Indus. We are tied up in Hong Kong.'

     `What is the telephone number there?'

     `Oh, I don't know,' I started to wail.

     `Steady Francis, steady.' His voice was that of a strong man and he
spoke in a very calming way. `Just get the number and I'll hang on, okay?'

     `Yes,' I whispered, `it's just next door here. I'll get it.' I put the
receiver down to one side and quickly went and asked for the number for
someone to be able to ring back to the ship. He wrote it down for me and I
went back to the phone and picked up the receiver again and read out the
number.

     `Now Francis, slowly and clearly, tell me what the problem is.' So I
related all that had happened, thinking that the man had spoken French to
me. Saying Le Chen, this was the only thing I got wrong in my telling of
the event.

     `Right Francis,' the voice over the wire said, `I want you to be by
this phone in exactly two hours from now. I think we can get this sorted
out by then, okay In two hours I will speak to you again.' I agreed and the
connection was broken and I went to the office next door.

     `They will be ringing me back in two hours time. I'll come back up
then and pay for the call at the same time, is that all right?' It was, so
I went back down to my cabin and had another drink and waited for the time
to pass.

     I couldn't sit still that length of time, so I went and walked about
the decks, constantly looking at my watch, seeing the time pass by so
slowly. I went down to the office well before the time due and paid for
call that I had made and sat outside to wait.

     `Miss Francis?' The voice of the assistant startling me out of my
thoughts. `Your caller is on the line.'

     `Thanks,' I said, going into the booth.

     `Francis?' the male voice asked.

     `Yes, I'm here.'

     `Okay. This is what we've set up. Now don't be afraid. You will be
perfectly safe if you follow these simple instructions. Do you understand?'

     `Yes,' I whispered back.

     `In thirty minutes time, a black sedan will stop at the bottom of the
ship's gangway. The registration will be,' he reeled off the number. `There
will be three men in the car. Do not be afraid. One will be in the front
seat and one in the back. The driver, the third man, will get out and open
the back door for you and address you as Miss Francis. Have the package in
your bag and get straight into the car from the gangway. You will be taken
down to the waterfront and two of the men will escort you onto a waiting
launch. This will take you over to Hong Kong where a Daimler car will be
waiting with a driver. The two men will also get into the car with you to
take you to a house in the hills.

     You'll be taken to this house and escorted inside. There, a man will
meet you and will call you by your middle name as a sign. To this man, and
this man only, will you pass over the package. From then, you will be clear
and free from any danger in respect of this package. Now have you fully
understood what I have just told you?'

     `Yes,' I said, my voice wavering.

     `Don't worry Francis, you'll be perfectly safe,' he chuckled, `and I
have a message that I was asked to pass on. It reads, Well done Francis. A
kiss I send to you, love Carlo. I also say well done Francis,' and the
connection was broken.

     I left the booth and thanked the Assistant Purser, thankfully it
wasn't the one that Diane and I had our brush with at the start of the
voyage. I went back down to the cabin and checked over my dress and make-up
to see that all was well in that department. I then took out the package
and put it firmly in my bag before going up top to wait for the car.

     I loitered in the entry port, fretting that there might be a man out
there with a rifle just waiting for me to walk into view. My knees were
starting to shake again and I was beginning to work myself into a state of
nerves. Then it was suddenly there, a black sedan glided to a silent halt,
angled so that I could see the number plate. The driver got out of his seat
and stood by the rear door.

                                                           *

     Taking a deep breath, and being careful as to where I put my feet,
walked down the gangway, waiting for the body slamming impact of a bullet
hitting me without hearing the rifle shot, and approached the waiting car.

     `Good afternoon Miss Francis,' the driver said, opening the door for
me, and I could see the man in the back on the far side as well as the one
in the front. I got in and the door closed behind me. My breath came out in
a gush and my face must have been red, because I'd been holding it in since
the top of the gangway.

     Nobody said anything as the driver got back in and drove the car off
and away from the quay. The windows were tinted so that we could see out,
but people couldn't see in to see a terrified girl quaking in the back
seat. Butterflies raced around the inside of my stomach as we drove around
for a few minutes before turning back to the waterside and stopped by a
fast and sleek looking launch.

     The driver got out and waited till the other two men were out and
ready by the door before he opened it for me to get out. In a trice, we
were in the launch and speeding out into the harbour and within a few
minutes were nosing into a jetty where a Daimler sat waiting. I didn't have
time to take stock of my surroundings before I was in the car and we made a
short trip through the streets of the town before we were soon on the road
that was winding up into the hills.

     We passed some lovely looking houses on the hillside as went higher up
the road and then turned into a short drive between two imposing stone
pillars with wrought iron gates that had dragons in their design. The drive
led to a two storied house that didn't look much at first sight, being
partly hidden by trees, but what caught the eye was the panoramic view out
over the bays far below, the sea sparkling in the sunlight, shining with a
myriad of colours that were all of different shades of blue. It really was
breathtaking.

     The door of the house opened, and a young woman dressed in traditional
Chinese clothes stood there and waited for us. The door of the car was
opened again by the driver and flanked by the two other men, I was soon up
to the door of the house where the woman bowed to me as I entered. The two
men had stopped at the threshold and turned to look outwards until the door
was closed on them. They hadn't uttered a word the whole time, not even to
each other.

     With a hand gesture, the little woman beckoned me to follow her. I
walked slowly because the house had so much to show me. The walls to my
left were hung with tapestries and I managed to brush one with my fingers
and knew instantly that they were made of silk. There were lots of them so
they must have cost a small fortune, as well as many of the object d'art
that was scattered about. Scattered about was really my first impression,
but stopping and looking back more carefully, I could see that they had
been very carefully placed to give just the effect that I had assumed.

     The ceilings had been very delicately painted in soft pastel colours
of the sky with birds on the wing, the lower parts just showing the tops of
trees. The thick oriental carpets beneath my feet had been chosen to blend
in with the ceiling. Delicate furniture adorned the three rooms we passed
through and the large windows that were all to my right, looked out over
the sea.

     There was one more room before the end of the house, but the woman, a
girl really and at a guess, about six years older than myself, stopped. She
turned to a door on our left and opened it, and with a bow, beckoned me to
enter, and the door closed quietly behind me. This room was different from
those I had just walked through. The carpet here was a deep red wine colour
and the furniture was of red cherry wood, and the walls much lighter in
colour, but still red and got paler as they reached the ceiling, which was
of a light blush.

     An elderly man sat on a small settee three quarters into the room and
before him was a small lacquered coffee table. Standing by his side were
two young Chinese men, and all were dressed in Western clothes and each
looked as they had been tailored to fit, as they were so immaculate. One of
the young men came forward as I approached them.

     `Welcome Miss Francis. I believe you have a package for us?' he said,
giving me a bow.

     `Sir, in that, you are mistaken,' I answered, staying upright and
refusing to bow back. There came a faint chuckle from the older man behind
him and I heard the click of his fingers, and the man in front me smiled
and gave me another bow and returned to stand alongside the settee. This
man now got up from his seat and came round it and waited for me to get
closer to him.

     `My name is Lee Chen. Welcome to my humble home Gervaise,' he said as
he bowed to me. Humble? If this was humble, then my house must be at the
lower end of Poverty Street I thought. I bowed low too in return to his
greeting.

     `Thank you for inviting me into your home, I am honoured.'

     `It is you who honour me Gervaise,' he said with a smile, his pale
brown eyes twinkled. `Please forgive the little trick my unworthy son tried
to play on you. I said it wouldn't work, not with a member of the Leopardi
family. May I present my two sons, Kim, the unworthy one, and Wang, who has
yet to prove one way or the other.' The two young men bowed, Kim with a
wink, and I bowed back to them.

     `Gentlemen,' I murmured.

     `Please be seated here, beside me,' Lee Chen invited, his hand
gesturing to the settee. I went forward around the coffee table and sat
down. When I was seated, he then moved round and sat down beside me. There
was, what I've always wanted to be able to say that I have actually felt
it, a pregnant pause.

     I smiled and took the package out of my bag and passed it over to
him. He smiled as he took it and passed it over to Kim who turned it
several times in his hand before leaving the room by a side door that I
hadn't noticed before. Then Lee Chen spoke Chinese to Wang who gave him a
short answer, and with a bow to him and then to me, turned and left the
room by the same door.

     `Miss Francis,' he said, turning slightly towards me, `my family and I
owe you a great debt of gratitude. What you did today will be written into
our family history. You showed a great strength of character and level
headedness of a person so young.

     `If you please sir, I was terrified.'

     `I can understand that, but you still showed such great presence of
mind to leave the scene as quickly as you did, and then to call the right
person to help you. Yes, I recognised the Leopardi brooch, as did my man,
may his soul now be with his forefathers.'

     He broke off as the door at the far end opened, and a girl brought in
a tray, which was obviously tea. She set the tray down on the coffee table
and knelt down before it. At a slight nod from Lee Chen, she lifted the
teapot and poured out a cup and handed it to me, then poured the second for
him. I waited till he had received his tea so that we could take our first
sip at the same time. It was without milk and sugar, but it tasted
lovely. The saucer I held in my hand was as light as a feather and made of
a fine china and almost translucent it was so thin. There was a small
design on it that I didn't recognise and the cup, when I'd drunk its
contents, found it was as light and fine as the saucer.

     `This is a magnificent tea service. I've never seen one so delicately
made and it frightens me to handle it.'

     `You like it?'

     `Yes, it's beautiful.' The girl took my empty cup and refilled it and
passed it across to me.

     `As I was saying, you contacted the right person, for which we will be
eternally grateful. The Leopardi family and ours, have for many years, done
business together. The ties are close and as you will have perceived, both
are quick to react to any problem that could affect either one of us. Now I
would guess that you have not eaten since breakfast with what you have been
through since then, so I would be honoured to have you as my guest for
dinner this evening.'

     `I thank you for your offer,' I said as I looked at my watch, `but I
have a show to do and I would be missed and cause lots of people problems
if I didn't show up.'

     `That could be sorted out in a matter of minutes. Your ship's Captain
will be told that you are being interviewed as a witness to a murder and
will not be able to perform tonight.'

     `I believe you, so I most humbly accept.' He handed his cup to the
girl and she put it on the tray with mine, and left the room with the
tray. As she went out, Wang came in the other door and Lee Chen reeled out
a string of Chinese, to which, number two son, bowed as it finished and
went back out.

                                                           *

     `That is done and as it is nearly time for dinner to be served, I'm
sure you would like a pre dinner drink. A gin and tonic I believe.' As he
finished speaking, the door opened again and a drink was placed in front of
me.

     `How do you know what it is that I drink?' I asked.

     `My dear Francis, I know everything about you. Everything. Please
forgive an old man to er, the English expression is I believe, to show
off. You were born on the 5th November 1931 to Linda Lyon, wife to Peter,
both now deceased. As a boy,' This jolted me and I nearly spilt my
drink. He smiled at me and continued, `you were raised by your aunts, also
deceased, as a girl. To which you have stayed except for the few weeks at a
training school and for half a voyage of your first ship.

     You were born and raised in a small village in Wiltshire and are the
lover of a Mr Donald Sinclair who is the churchman of your village.' I felt
my face go bright red at this. `Forgive me Miss Francis, but for one man to
love enough to give him his body in one so young and in faith, is truly
love. I do not seek to chastise you for this. You have had other lovers,
one being Carlo Leopardi. He was so smitten by your youth and beauty and
your desire to please him, he made you an honoury member of the family. I
have not named your other lovers, but I can if you would like me to.' I
shook my head and took a long pull at my drink. 'Also, you are a moderately
wealthy young woman, or will be when you come of age. Do you wish to know
more?'

     `No. You are quite correct in all you have said, and I thought that I
had fooled you too, dressed the way I am.'

     `You would have done if I had not been aware of the facts before you
arrived.'

     `Bad news travels fast. What size shoes do I wear?'

     `Six!' I had to laugh and he gave a small laugh with me.

     `I felt very unsure of things when I first entered your house. Then,
sitting here drinking tea, I became sure of myself. Now you have unsettled
me again because I do not have any secrets left to hide behind.'

     `Your secret is safely locked in my heart Miss Francis. You note that
I still call you Miss Francis and will continue to do so until you tell me
otherwise. Now let us go and have some dinner.'

     He rose up and I put down my empty glass and followed him to the
door. This was opened just as we reached it and we went out and turned left
and went into that last room on the ground floor on that side of the house.

     It was as opulent as the others and had windows on three sides giving
an even better view of the sea and coastline of Hong Kong. There was a long
highly polished table that could have sat twenty people easily, and a
magnificent set of side tables along the wall. There was a door at the far
end, which obviously led to the kitchens. The table was laid for two at
that end and a young girl stood behind each chair. Both were wearing
Chinese costumes, and I assumed that all the staff wore these clothes while
the men dressed European style.

     We were seated down and bowls of warm water with a few petals floating
on the top, were placed before us and a napkin placed by the side. I
assumed rightly that this was for us to clean our hands before we ate. Lee
Chen held up his wet hands and the girl beside him, wiped them dry for
him. I dried my own before the girl by my side had a chance to.

     `Have you ever eaten Chinese before my dear?' he asked of me. I
squashed the joke of replying that medium rare was better than well
done. Instead I played it straight. `Well I've had rice before, but not in
the true sense as you mean sir,' I answered him.

     `Well I hope that you will enjoy the experience. In your honour and
not wishing to embarrass you, I have forgone the use of chopsticks, they
being our usual means of conveying food to the mouth. Use any item of
cutlery to sample the dishes that will be set before you. Let me warn you
first though. There will be many dishes brought to the table, but you are
not bound to clear every bowl, as you would never get through them. Just
pick at whatever takes your fancy, but again beware, because some of them
are very hot to the tongue and palate. The wine being poured is rice wine,
but if you would prefer some other drink, please say so.'

     With that, the meal started. He was so right. Dish after dish after
dish appeared, and each tasting better than the last. The wine was very
good too and did soothe the tongue after something hot. It was a wonderful
experience.

     He ate very little himself, but seemed to be amused at my little
exclamations that I kept making in respect of the high quality of taste to
the food. He had a dry sense of humour I found as we talked, and as usual,
I talked too much. Eventually I had to call a halt as I felt as if I was
nearly bursting. The dishes were cleared away and another pot of tea
arrived, and the same two girls served us as throughout the meal.

     It was uncanny to sit there without a word being spoken to the
servants and yet get everything in the right order, or being there with
what was wanted as if by telepathy, like the little box that suddenly
appeared on the table next to his left hand as if by magic.

     `This is for you Francis,' we had finally got rid of the formal title
of Miss by now, `to wear the same as with the leopard, and is given to you
with my most grateful thanks,' he said as he pushed the box along to me. I
opened it to find a flat gold brooch of a Chinese written character and it
gleamed as the light reflected off it.'

     `It's lovely, and this is a Chinese word is it not? I'm afraid I
cannot translate it.'

     He gave a laugh as he explained. `It is in fact three words into one
symbol, and it says House of Chen. It has the same meaning and power as
that of the House of Leopardi.'

     `Oh my word,' I breathed. A phrase that I had heard quite often in
Australia and seemed to have picked up. The implication began to sink
in. `I seem to be collecting houses as if I was playing Monopoly.'

     `Pardon? Monopoly?' Lee Chen asked.

     `Oh I'm sorry. Monopoly is a board game in England, and not the right
thing to have said. I should say thank you very much for the honour you are
giving me. I'm not sure that I really deserve it.'

     `My dear Francis. It is well and truly deserved and there is also more
that I can do for you.' He lifted a finger and a man suddenly appeared in
the room and laid a folder in front of Lee Chen and, just as suddenly,
disappeared. He opened the folder and I could see that it had several
compartments which from one, he extracted a card. He turned it over and
wrote briefly on the back of it and pushed the card towards me. I picked it
up and looked at what he had written. `Bethune Corporation, January 2nd
1948.' I gave him a puzzled look.

     `That is just over a week from now. That company has already issued
its prospectus, which is mundane in its plans and so forth. It is being
launched on the London Stock Exchange at the opening of business on January
2nd. The shares in this company will open up at one shilling and
sixpence. A modest start and it will attract some people. Within three
months, those shares will have reached at least two pounds if not more,
after certain news leaks out towards the end of February.

     Now I know what Mr Delafonte told you in regard to the shares that you
presently hold. Sell those that he advised and have your broker stand by
the moment that trading starts in January and buy as many of them as the
proceeds from the other sold shares realise.' He held up his hand to stop
me from interrupting him. `I know that all these shares are being held in
trust for you. Now it is for you to convince your Mr Donald to pressure
your solicitor to do as you ask. That is the way we do business. You have
saved me a considerable fortune by what you did today and this is the best
way that I can repay my debt to you on this matter. Now, time is getting on
and I am starting to feel tired.'

     `Oh I'm sorry sir. I should be getting back to my ship.'

     `Nonsense! A police officer has called upon the ship and told them
that you are helping them with their enquiries. You have been ensconced, I
think that's the right word, ensconced in an hotel for the night, and
should be able to return to the ship well before departure time. So that
matter has been settled. You are my guest and a chamber has been prepared
for you. Your maid, Wen Chi is very good. Do not be embarrassed in the
matter of your gender in her presence. She will bathe and massage you and
see to your comforts and prepare you for bed.

     In the morning, my son Wang will take you on a tour of the island and
later see that you are safely delivered to the ship in plenty of time.' He
stood up from the table, the maid pulling the chair back for him. He then
bowed to me. `May you put the unpleasantness of today behind you, and look
only to the future. May your journey home be a safe one, and we would be
pleased to see you on your next return to Hong Kong. Goodnight Francis, and
may you have pleasant dreams.'

     `Thank you sir,' I said, bowing in return, after getting up from my
chair. `May I thank you too, for the kindness and hospitality that I have
received in your home.' He gave a half wave as the maid escorted me to the
door, where another took over and led me back through the rooms to the
entrance hall. We then went up the stairs and along a wide corridor, which
was on the opposite side of the house to the one downstairs. These rooms
then must look out at the lovely view I'd seen earlier. She stopped and
opened a door and beckoned me to enter, and then closed the door behind me.

                                                           *

       `Good evening my lady. My name is Wen Chi, and your slightest wish
is my command.'

     I looked around the room, or chamber, as Lee Chen had called it. It
was very large with big picture windows looking out to sea. Shades of the
navy! I get to spend a night ashore, and all I can see from the window is
sea. The lighting in the room was very soft and Wen Chi went to draw the
drapes, but I stopped her. It would be nice to wake up in the morning to
see the sun and sky through a window instead of viewed through a ship's
porthole.

     On the left hand side of the room was a massive four poster bed with
drapes of fine muslin hanging from the canopied roof of the bed. The walls
here were also hung with finely woven tapestries, again chosen to melt into
the thick almond coloured carpet. On the right was a huge circular sunken
bath, with a rail running round at the ceiling, from which, like the bed,
hung fine muslin drapes that could completely encircle the bath. They were
pulled back at the moment and I could see that the taps and fittings were
all gold.

     `I was told when to expect you my lady, and have just finished filling
the bath to bathe you. You please let me help you.' It didn't seem to be a
question, because she knelt down and lifted my foot to take off, first one
shoe and then the other. Then the dress came off and I did feel
embarrassed, in spite of what Lee Chen had said, me standing there in
female underwear and sporting a half erect cock as a young female undressed
me.

     She didn't take any notice as she unclipped my stockings and rolled
them down for me to step out of. Then the suspender belt was removed and
finally she took off my padded bra. Wen Chi then led me to the bath and
invited me to step in. It was that literally. Steps were there, and I
gingerly put my toe in first and found it just right. She held my hand as I
got down those few steps and I was grateful to then just let my body sink
down into the lovely scented hot water.

     Then to my surprise, she slipped off her dress, and clad in only the
briefest of briefs and a tiny slip of a brassiere, stepped into the bath
with me. It was a lovely smile she had as she too sank down into the
water. But only for a moment, because she rose up and pointed to a place in
the bath, where I could then discern some kind of seat or stool, just below
the surface. So up I got and sat down on it while she got this huge bar of
soap and lifted up one of my legs and started to wash it.

     Her skin was a lovely honey colour, and the skimpy things she was
wearing, were now transparent because of the water. The dark aureoles of
her nipples on her tight small breasts showed quite clearly through the
fabric, as did her lower half, which I saw later, her small patch of hair
and the slit of her outer sex lips being very visible.

     With both legs washed, she took my hand and pulled back to the steps
and bade me stand on the lower one. She giggled, putting her hand to her
mouth as she did so, and pointed out the two lines of my sun tan above and
below the waist. Then she washed my bum and testicles and paid much
attention to my penis. Drawing back the foreskin to make sure I was cleaned
properly beneath it. I had an erection now.

     `My lady is having nice thoughts no?' she said, giving my erection a
final wipe. Then it was back to the seat where she washed the rest of my
body before immersing me completely. Then it was my hair she did, using a
lovely smelling shampoo and a funny ivory comb to draw the shampoo right
through and down to the scalp.

     Then she pulled the plug of the bath and as the water drained away,
she had this shower type hose, and I was hosed down from my head to my toes
till all the soap and dirty water was gone. What a big fluffy towel she
wrapped round me. I'd never seen one so big. The ones at home you could
barely get round your waist, but this one could go round me twice.

     After being rubbed dry, she led me round to the side, and there was a
draped table, and I was asked to lie on it, face down. She saw my query and
explained that it was for my massage.

     `Wen Chi? Is it possible for me to have a drink? A gin and tonic
please.' She went and picked up a phone and spoke rapidly into it before
coming back to me. She then took off her wet things and quickly rubbed
herself down, but didn't bother to put anything back on until there was a
knock at the door. She wrapped a towel around herself and put a towel
across my bare bum before she called out.

     A different maid, one I hadn't seen before, came into the room. How
many servants did he have floating about the house, I wondered? On the tray
was a bottle of gin, small bottles of tonic, an ice bucket and two little
dishes, one of thinly sliced lemon, the other of limes. Wen Chi bowed to
the maid as she put down the tray and the bow was returned before she left
the room.

     Wen Chi then let the towel drop as she poured me out a large one, me
waving away the slices. She came over with the drink. `You like, my lady?'
she asked as she gave me the glass, from which I took a healthy slug.

     `Yes, very much,' I said, lifting up the glass again, not sure whether
she was referring to the drink or the vista of her full naked body.

     Then she fussed around with some bottles and soon I was having the
wonderful experience of having a complete body massage, and I mean the full
body. No part was missed, especially when I was laying on my back.

     She helped me off the massage table and as I stretched and I could
feel where she had been working, and I felt great. Wen Chi then held up a
night-gown that had been laying on the bottom end of the bed for me to
wear, it was of a filmy silk that I think Diane would have given her eye
teeth for.

     `I do not wear night clothes,' I said, and she smiled and then turned
the covers for me.

     `Do you wish to have the drapes closed?' she asked.

     `No thank you,' I said, getting into bed, it was now quite dark
outside.

     `Will you require anything else my lady?'

     `No thank you Wen Chi, and thank you for such a wonderful bath and
massage. It was most delightful.'

     `You're welcome my lady,' she said as she backed out of the room and
left me on my own. Oh this is the life, I said to myself as I stretched out
between silken sheets and thought of the difference that could happen in
the space of a few hours. Frightened to death and in fear of my life one
minute, and then being cosseted in the lap of luxury the next. I was just
beginning to doze off when I heard the door open and close. I turned on the
small bedside light that didn't give out a lot of light but enough to see
who had entered the room.

                                                           *

     It was a young man, or I should say boy, for he looked about the same
age as myself, and was wearing a silk dressing gown.

     `My master asked me to find out if you would like some company for
this evening, or for the night,' he said in perfect English, and opened his
gown to show he was indeed a boy and completely naked. His cock and
testicles were about the same size as mine and he was also without body
hair, except for the crotch as I was.

     `If not, there is Wen Chi who would share your bed if you so wish?' He
stood there looking at me, not bothering to re-cover himself, but
completely unselfconscious for me to reply. Looking at him, I remembered
what I'd heard someone say about the Chinese and of losing face. If I
turned him down, he would lose some stature and maybe get into trouble. But
also, maybe it would be nice to have sex with a boy of my own age instead
of the older men I seemed to finish up with.

     I smiled at him and opened the bedcovers for him. He gave out a huge
smile and, dropping his gown, got into bed beside me.

     `My name is Lik, and some of my people make fun of me when they speak
English, because they always add the word, me, after my name. But I don't
mind if someone as illustrious as you used it.' I laughed and he gave a
good girlish giggle, which I liked, and pulled him close to me. It was nice
to feel a body the same as mine pressed tight against me. I looked into
those slanted Oriental eyes and could see laughter in them.

     `If I was to say lick me Lik, would you?

     `Yes my lord.'

     `Would they still tease you with the word, me, if your name was spelt
f,u,k?' He laughed.

     `I would probably use it myself,' he said, still laughing.

     `Kiss me Lik, and then you can lick me.'

     It was nice to be kissed by a sweet tasting mouth, his tongue was
strong as well, much stronger than mine, and his kissing technique was
better too. His hands never stopped moving as he kissed his way down until
he took me into his mouth. I wish I could have stayed at that house longer,
because this boy would have so much to teach me. He knew when to stop and
his head came up from under the sheet.

     `My lord is ready to enter my Heavenly Gate.' It took me a moment to
understand what he had said, but I twigged, and said I was. Where the cream
came from, I do not know, but it was suddenly being rubbed into my
throbbing erection.

     `You shouldn't really be needing this my lord, but just in case,' he
said as he went onto his knees, waiting for me. It was indeed a heavenly
gate that I entered. I slid smoothly inside him and liked the feel of his
arse that must feel like mine. Then I found his gate also had a portcullis,
for his insides gripped me with muscles that must have gone right up to his
intestines. They held me tight and he could have milked me without my
moving at all. Boy it was a glorious fuck, his body as supple and smooth as
silk under my hands.

     `My lord pleases me,' he said as I rode him,' and welcomes the essence
that he is about to give me.' Whether it was the words or just his
manipulation of me, but I've never come with such force and strength
before, and he drained me completely. I held him tight as I came inside him
and then almost collapsed onto his back as I finished. He gently let
himself down onto the bed, and still holding me tight inside, rolled us
both over so that I was on my back, and he sat up. He still managed to pull
some more out of me before he relaxed and lifted himself up, my cock
slapping back onto my stomach.

     He was off the bed and back with warm flannels and towels and he
gently cleaned me before attending to himself. Then he was back in bed for
us to cuddle and kiss some more.

     `That was pleasing my lord. It had been a long time since anyone
entered my Heavenly Gate and I will not be in hunger for a long time to
come. Do you wish me to enter your gate my lord? I would count myself a
very lucky person if it were your wish.'

     `I do wish it Lik. You presented me with yours, and now I would
welcome you into mine.' With that, I rolled over and went onto my knee and
let him get between my legs. What came next was a shock, because he started
off by using his tongue.

     Wow! What a sensation it was, that hard tongue of his sent my senses
reeling. Quivers went up and down my spine as he lit up every fibre around
that small orifice. It tickled, it teased and it taunted and I tingled and
itched and had to beg for him to use his weapon, and it was like a blade
from the blacksmith's forge as he entered. I was like the water to that red
hot sword, seething and bubbling as it plunged into me, being tempered in
my cauldron. What a fuck he gave me, and I've never experienced that
since. Oh, if only all my lovers could bring me that joy, take me to those
heights of ecstasy, I would be their most abject slave for life. How he
managed it, I do not know, but as he came, he held me tight and went over
onto his back, taking me with him. His pumping organ was rammed even
further up into me as he poured out his cream inside. My cries were of
bliss, joy and pain as our bodies crashed together on the bed in an
orgasmic frenzy.

     I cried when he pulled out and was still sobbing when he washed me
ever so gently, fearing that my cries were for pain, not loss. With much
passion, he held me in his arms and cradled me as he crooned a Chinese
lullaby, and then we got round to kissing again, soon to be both fully
erect. He manoeuvred himself in the bed so that he presented me with his
erection as he took mine into his mouth again. I avidly took his into mine
and tried to copy what he was doing to me. As I neared my peak, I nearly
choked on my own joke, that here was I, an English seaman about to taste
Chinese semen. Then I came and so did he.  It was still copious and had a
taste not unlike cinnamon. I didn't swallow it all, but held some back in
my mouth as he swivelled round for us to kiss again. We both laughed and
splattered each other because he had done the very same thing, so we were
like two cats licking the cream off each other's face until we were
clean. I hugged him to me and then the stress of the whole day took over
and I fell asleep in his arms.

                                                           *

     I suddenly woke up to see Wen Chi pouring me out a cup of tea. I
wildly looked back across the bed, but Lik had gone. Sometime during the
night after we'd taken our pleasure of each other, he'd gathered up his
gown and departed.

     `I hope my lady's dreams were pleasant ones,' Wen Chi said, passing me
my tea.

     `Wonderful,' I sighed as I leaned back against the now propped up
pillows and sipped at the tea. I watched her go over to the bath and start
running the water. I then did my ablutions.

     `I was told that I must not handle the precious sword this morning, so
I must let you bathe that part yourself, if you are ready?' Wen Chi smiled
to take any sting out of her words. If there were any sting, I could not
perceive any. It was more of quick dip than a luxurious wallow, and then
she dried me down and led me to a small dressing table.

     `Will my lady permit me to attend to her make-up?' she asked as I sat
down. `I observed when you arrived, that you did your face as all
Europeans. May I be so bold as to suggest that with what you will be
wearing, I may change your style to befit the dress?' I looked at her
askance as she went over to a hidden wardrobe and brought out a dress. It
wasn't what we would call a dress, but a cheongsam of a beautiful pale blue
colour with embroidery down the sides to where the slits were. Then I
espied above the left breast, a gold embroidered pattern of the same as the
brooch I had been given, the House of Chen symbol.

     `What a lovely dress,' I said, `but I couldn't wear that. It's not
mine.'

     `Oh but it is, and this one.' She then pulled another one out and it
was of a deep red, the same colour as the carpet in Lee Chen's room where I
first met him.

     `It's gorgeous,' I said, `and I notice that it has the same symbol on
the left breasts.'

     `Of course my lady. They are for you. We took your measurements from
the dress you wore yesterday, and had them made up overnight. I'm sure they
will fit admirably.'

      `But...but...,'I stuttered.

     `When my master, Lee Chen orders things to be done, they are done. He
ordered them to be made for you and his wish is our command. There is also
a dressing gown made of the finest silk.' The garment she held up..., but I
am wrong. A garment is any piece of clothing. This could not be called by
such an all encompassing name. It was a robe that was fit for a queen. Then
I laughed at this magnificent gesture from Lee Chen. A robe fit for a
queen, the Queen of the Seas.

     `Wen Chi, I humbly accept these gifts from your master, and please
convey my thanks to him for these, these treasures.'

     `The blue is for the daytime and the red for night. Now befitting such
a garment, may I please attend to your make-up so that you can see what can
be achieved with a little eye shadow and pencil in the right places?'

     `By all means Wen Chi, I am in your hands.'

     `Ah so. The face first and then the dress, after which, we do the
hair.'

     As she set to work, I watched the way my eyes were made larger and
with a skilful use of an eyebrow pencil, narrowed the corners and gave them
a slight upward tilt. Then, not overdoing it, used eye shadow which brought
out the blue of my eyes. She plucked some hairs from my eyebrows to narrow
them and bring focus to the lower part of my face. It was a very, very
light dusting of the cheeks and a subtle shade of lipstick to narrow my
mouth and not give me such full lips. With my sun tanned face now made up
in an Oriental style, I could very well be taken for a Eurasian girl. I
looked fantastic, and I couldn't wait for Diane to see me, or Ralph either
for that matter.

     `We also took the liberty of having this made for you. I, we, hope
that you are not offended, but it might be just as well to wear this when
wearing a cheongsam, because it is a rather tight fitting costume. Also, if
you were to have happy thoughts while wearing this dress, well, I think it
would show.' Wen Chi was holding up a piece of material that seemed all
string with a pouch.

     `May we try it on you to see if we were right in our measurements?' I
found out later that they had used Lik as the model for the pouch size. She
held open two pieces that were obviously meant for my legs to go in, with
one piece for the back and the small pouch for the front. Today, we call
this a thong. It was pulled up to my waist, the material, not unlike
chamois leather, had a little stretch in it, and it was fitted snugly on my
hips, the back piece being pulled up between the cheeks of my bum. The
front bit cupped my balls and penis and with her helping hand, yes, she was
touching that which she was not supposed to do this morning, tucked me
inside this tight little pouch.

     The cunning touch that they had added, was that there was a little
soft double ridge near the base that could easily, if the whole thing had
been the colour of my flesh, be mistaken for the outer lips of a woman's
labia. What surprised me was that it was so soft and comfortable. I could
even put this on underneath a swimming costume and you would see no traces
or outlines of a man, but that of a woman.

     `This is wonderful,' I exclaimed, `who came up with this idea?'

     `It was designed centuries ago, by whom, we do not know, but many male
courtesans wore them. They even had some made for women to wear, but with
male attachments if you know what I mean. Does it fit properly, that was
what was worrying us?'

     `Perfectly,' I said, spinning round so that I could see myself
properly in the mirror, the white globes of my bum prominent against the
colour of my legs and waist upwards.

     `Now the dress,' she said, fetching the blue one for me. The feel of
the silk was pure heaven as I slid into this dress.

     `Oh, my bra,' I said.

     `No need,' said Wen Chi. `Look,' and she showed me that the front of
the dress had two pouches and what was inside them. She pulled out what
looked like the very front of a breast, even with a nipple. It seemed to be
made of rubber and had a certain amount of give in it just like a human
breast. She slipped it back into its pouch and then fitted the dress on my
shoulders and buttoned up the side piece that ran up to the high collar. I
smoothed it down my hips as she stood back to look. She said something in
Chinese, then apologised.

     `So sorry my lady, but I was so overcome by your beauty. Now we have
only the hair to do.' So I gingerly sat down and found that it was very
easy due to the slits down either side of the dress. Very clever these
Chinese, I said to myself. I then ran my hands down the front of the dress
feeling the breasts and even the nipple, and having had a slight experience
of doing this with Diane, found that I couldn't really tell that they were
false. I felt my penis start to stir, but it was restrained and this made
me smile.

     Then came a knock at the door, and a maid wheeled in a trolley with
lots of covered dishes upon it, and heaven, a coffee pot. So with a nice
cup of coffee and picking at the various dishes, had breakfast while I
watched Wen Chi do things to my hair which I would never have thought of
doing in a month of Sundays. By the time I had finished eating and had
emptied the coffee pot, I was finished.

     I know it smacks of narcissism, but I did love that perfect picture of
a young Eurasian woman that looked back at me. I loved it! So much so, that
I nearly grabbed hold of Wen Chi to kiss her, which I would have done if it
had been Diane. But I remembered my place as well as hers.

     `Wen Chi, you are a most marvellous woman. I wouldn't have believed it
possible to do what you have done.'

     `Thank you my lady, but when one has the beauty and majesty that you
possess, all I have done is bring it out.'

     `Thank you Wen Chi. If there is anything I can do for you...?'

     `No no, my lady. That I have served as my master wished, and you are
pleased, is my reward.' She bowed low to me at these last words, her hands
held together as if in prayer. I couldn't help but bow back in the same
fashion.

     `Thank you Wen Chi.' She then fetched me a pair of matching shoes for
the dress to put on before escorting me to the door where a maid was
waiting to take over, and she led me downstairs, and there was Wang,
getting to his feet and bowing to me as I reached the ground floor.

     `May I be permitted to say you look most beautiful Miss Francis?'

     `Thank you Wang,' I said, returning his bow.

     `May I show you the garden whilst your things are being put into the
car?' I bowed again in acquiescence and let him give me a tour of the well
sculpted and laid out grounds of his home. There were beautiful little
walks and an abundance of blooms that were almost overpowering in their
fragrance. Then there was the view of looking down across green tree tops
to the blue sea, with streaks of white from the wakes of small moving
boats.

     `I must apologise on behalf of my father for not being here,' he said,
as he led me to the Daimler, `but he rises early and has been gone for many
hours now. But I was to extend again, his heartfelt thanks, and his wish
for a bon voyage. May I be permitted to add that I wish you a Merry
Christmas and a very Prosperous New Year.'

     `Thank you Wang. Please return my compliments to him also, and say
that I was disappointed at not being able to say it myself to him
personally. And also thank him for the hospitality, the presents and the
wonderful memory that he has given me.' He gave me a low bow and handed me
into the car.

     Then I had a two hour guided tour of the island, during which, we
stopped off at the famous Stanley Market. Then I realised that it was only
two days to Christmas, and I hadn't got a present for Diane and Ralph
yet. That was what I had originally gone ashore for on my own in the first
place, only to get caught up in that murder. I explained this to Wang, and
he helped me find something suitable for both of them, but then I felt for
my bag and found that I didn't know where it was amongst my things and I
had no money. He laughed and lightly touched my left breast with his
finger.

     `You are dressed as a member of the House of Chen. If you wanted the
whole shop, it would be given to you gladly. Without having to offer any
money. They would take it as an insult if you tried to do so. To refuse a
member of the family would be, how would you say it? A stain that couldn't
be cleaned no matter how hard you scrubbed at it?'

     `Nearly, but I understand what you mean,' I said with a laugh. So
armed with this knowledge, but not wishing to take advantage of it, chose
what I would have selected anyway, bearing in mind how much it would have
cost me if I could have paid for it. I feel that Wang saw through me in
this, but it was still a bit heady with me, not realising how much power I
really had by wearing that monogrammed cheongsam.

     With the Christmas presents bought and stowed with my other things in
the boot of the car, we carried on with the tour. The racecourse being the
last, down off the hills and just before entering the harbour area.

     `My father is a very close man,' Wang confided in me as we approached
the harbour. `I know that you have done something great for the family, but
even I, his son, is not privy to all that goes on. In time maybe, when I
have attained the wisdom that he possesses. I have never seen him spend so
much time with one person away from his business. You must be a remarkable
woman Francis.' I demurely made my protestations, but secretly felt very
pleased inside.

     Apart from the driver, we also had a male servant travelling in the
front seat with us. He carried the things from the car to the launch, and
then carried them again to the other car waiting for us on the Kowloon
side. It was only a short ride and we were soon at the foot of the
gangway. Wang politely refused to come aboard, saying that he would stay
with the car till the servant returned. So with formal bows, I took my
leave of Wang, and went on board followed by the servant laden down with
boxes and bags.

     I cannot explain why I wasn't stopped as we entered the ship. I think
I was recognised as being a member of the crew, or they were too astounded
at my appearance to stop me. I went down below and expected the cabin door
to be locked, but it wasn't, and it opened at my touch and I went in.



                                                           *

                                            To be continued.