knickers and stockings but obliging as ever I did as I was asked. The satin knickers felt very cool and light in place of my woollen britches. Aunt Jane turned back to me and finished rolling the stockings high onto my thighs and pulled the garters up into place. Then she put the shoes on the floor and I stepped into them. and Aunt Jane stepped back and examined my feet and legs.

'Hmmm. I can't quite tell without the hem of the dress hanging over them,' she said. Then suddenly, 'I know. We'll have to do this pro- perly. Take off your shirt and sweater, Steven.'

She went back to her wardrobe and took out what I recognised to be a corset, a woman's vest and two long silk petticoats. I panicked when I saw what she intended for me but I could not bring myself to be rude. Slowly I removed my shirt and sweater. Determinedly, Aunt Jane approached me with the boned corset and wrapped it around my body and began lacing it. She pulled it in very tightly making me wonder how I might breathe and as my waist became smaller I noticed that the upper flesh was thrust upwards until it looked as though I had a real bosom. This completed, she put the vest on me and tucked it into the elastic top of the knickers. Then she placed the petticoats over my head and tied them tightly around my waist. She stood back and examined me again.

'Hmmm,' she said, 'that's better. Walk for me Steven, will you please.'

Somewhat dazed I walked back and forth for her on the red satin high heeled shoes, the pet- ticoats swishing around my silk stockinged legs. I wondered why I was doing this, what on earth my Aunt was up to. But I also vaguely thought the experience to be a pleasant one.

'No look I'm sorry Steven,' Aunt Jane said, shaking her head,' I can't tell yet because the white is wrong against the red shoes. Just a minute.'

She went back to the wardrobe and took out a beautiful black silk dress. I blanched at the thought of what she was going to do now, but I was too shocked and humiliated to object.

With some trouble she eased the dress over my

head and down over my body until its billowing skirt fell around my ankles. At my back she fastened the buttons and tied the waist tightly. Then she came back to the front again and I had to walk again for her.

'That's really strange,' she said. 'I can't see a single thing wrong with those shoes. In fact they look very pretty on you indeed.'

She lifted her eyes from my feet to my face.

'In fact, Steven, you look quite amazingly pretty. I always said you would make a wonder- ful girl. Now that we've gone this far, let me finish you off before we get you undressed again.'

She took my hand and I followed docile as a lamb to the slaughter. She had me sit at her dresser and added kohl to my eyes, rouge to my cheeks and lips and a pair of diamond drop earrings to my ears.

I stood up again when she had finished, in an absolute quandary. Here I was, a boy in my Aunt's dressing room and dressed completely from head to toe in her underwear, dress and makeup. Even now she wasn't finished. From a drawer she took a long dark-haired wig. While I stood transfixed, she placed it in position on my head and brushed the hair out straight down to beyond my shoulders. She was smiling now, all the time and obviously enjoying herself. I wish I could say the same for myself. I felt most strange indeed. I was flushed and light headed and my heart was pumping quite hard. Her handiwork complete, Aunt Jane stood back to examine me.

'Ah, Steven, I was right,' she said. 'You are quite stunningly pretty. Your boyishness is all gone. You are the complete young lady. Come and see.'

Again she took me by the hand and led me to her cheval mirror where I was able to see myself for the first time. If I was feeling strange before I saw my reflection I felt quite shocked when I did see it. My Aunt was right. The reflection showed a very pretty young woman who bore almost no resemblance to the Steven I had become used to. I simply did not know what to think. Even in my state of shock I knew that the young lady in the mirror was

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