RELUCTANT PRESS
soled myself with the other advantages I was enjoying. However, it takes a revolting mass of infant puree to satisfy a reasonably healthy appetite, especially when one is watching a disappearing crumbed pork cutlet and one is essentially a red meat and gravy sort of person.
I cheered up when Auntie Flo said, "Dear, I am going to try one of those little frocks on you this afternoon and then I shall take a photo of you out in the garden".
I brightened at the prospect. Fortunately, Saxe-Coburg is surrounded by a high, privacy-giving private hedge and we were cut off from the possibly derisive stares of the wider world. At the bottom of the garden was a folly, an ideal place for photographs.
The lunch things were cleared and the pretties tricked out again, this time for putting on.
"The nappy is going to have to come off darling because you will be wearing these frilly little knickers. Aren't they just too adorable?"
There were several tiers of lace across the ever so slightly padded bum. I kept the vest on as Auntie slipped the frock over my head and did the buttons up at the back. It had puffed sleeves that came halfway down my upper arms. The frock was powder blue with a flared skirt, and the pinafore white with dark blue edging. "Now the socks and shoes," giggled Auntie excitedly as the shodding proceeded afoot.
Claude de Pussy watched the goings on in silent amaze-
ment.
"I want you sitting down in the chair while I comb your hair right back, dear, in preparation for the cherry on the top," she said archly.
The 'cherry on the top' turned out to be a gorgeous, curly, shoulder length blonde wig which she fetched from her bedroom. She fitted it on and fluffed it out with brush and comb. "I think that looks absolutely lovely on you. And now for the ribbon." The latter was the same blue as the pinafore piping and 2" wide.
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JOYCE'S GIRLS BY JOYCE
All this time, of course, I had a partial erection. It was just as well that the recent operation prevented a rock hard, priapismic condition. Also, the panties were fairly firm and the skirt concealingly flared.
"Now, stand up and let's have a look at you. That, darling, looks soo, sooo lovely on you. Now let's go down to the folly and we will take some snaps. And bring Teddy with you; there must be a bit more color."
The photographing took over 30 minutes before Auntie was satisfied with all the shots. We also put the camera on the automatic exposure and had several of us taken together and one with me holding Claude.
"Now dear, what shall we do next?"
"Can I go and play with my box of tricks?"
"I was hoping you were going to say that. Off you go then and come and show me what you have done to yourself when you are finished. I am going to sit out here in the garden and read my novel."
I hurried upstairs and sat down at the dressing-table and opened my beauty box.
"Oh my, oh my," I said for a second time as I surveyed the goodies inside. I creamed my face with a light flesh colored cream called 'The Base', followed by a little blusher and some eye shadow not too much; I jolly well wasn't going to end up looking like a clown! A touch of face powder to give it a nice matte finish, to be followed by the cherry red lipstick. I cocked my head to one side as I appraised my handiwork in the mirror; I liked what I saw. I tried on the necklace, bangles and matching earrings, the same color blue as my ribbon.
Putting on nail varnish wasn't quite as easy as I thought I had to do a few of my nails several times before I got it right, but in the end it was a most acceptable manicure.
I stood up and surveyed myself in the mirror. It, nay, I, looked awfully nice. I hurried to Auntie's room to see what I looked like in her full length mirror and smiled a happy smile a girlish smile. I knew where Auntie kept her hand-
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