Domestic fiction; Family -- England -- Midlands -- Fiction; Midlands (England) -- Fiction
Ursula craved ceaselessly to know if Miss Inger cared for her. As yet
no definite sign had been passed between the two. Yet surely, surely
Miss Inger loved her too, was fond of her, liked her at least more than
the rest of the scholars in the class. Yet she was never certain. It
might be that Miss Inger cared nothing for her. And yet, and yet, with
blazing heart, Ursula felt that if only she could speak to her, touch
her, she would know.
The summer term came, and with it the swimming class. Miss Inger was to
take the swimming class. Then Ursula trembled and was dazed with
passion. Her hopes were soon to be realized. She would see Miss Inger
in her bathing dress.
The day came. In the great bath the water was glimmering pale emerald
green, a lovely, glimmering mass of colour within the whitish
marble-like confines. Overhead the light fell softly and the great
green body of pure water moved under it as someone dived from the side.
Ursula, trembling, hardly able to contain herself, pulled off her
clothes, put on her tight bathing-suit, and opened the door of her
cabin. Two girls were in the water. The mistress had not appeared. She
waited. A door opened. Miss Inger came out, dressed in a rust-red tunic
like a Greek girl’s, tied round the waist, and a red silk handkerchief
round her head. How lovely she looked! Her knees were so white and
strong and proud, and she was firm-bodied as Diana. She walked simply
to the side of the bath, and with a negligent movement, flung herself
in. For a moment Ursula watched the white, smooth, strong shoulders,
and the easy arms swimming. Then she too dived into the water.
Now, ah now, she was swimming in the same water with her dear mistress.
The girl moved her limbs voluptuously, and swam by herself,
deliciously, yet with a craving of unsatisfaction. She wanted to touch
the other, to touch her, to feel her.
“I will race you, Ursula,” came the well-modulated voice.
Ursula started violently. She turned to see the warm, unfolded face of
her mistress looking at her, to her. She was acknowledged. Laughing her
own beautiful, startled laugh, she began to swim. The mistress was just
ahead, swimming with easy strokes. Ursula could see the head put back,
the water flickering upon the white shoulders, the strong legs kicking
shadowily. And she swam blinded with passion. Ah, the beauty of the
firm, white, cool flesh! Ah, the wonderful firm limbs. Ah, if she did
not so despise her own thin, dusky fragment of a body, if only she too
were fearless and capable.
She swam on eagerly, not wanting to win, only wanting to be near her
mistress, to swim in a race with her. They neared the end of the bath,
the deep end. Miss Inger touched the pipe, swung herself round, and
caught Ursula round the waist in the water, and held her for a moment.
“I won,” said Miss Inger, laughing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account