FLASH FICTION FRIDAY - HAPPY WEEKEND EVERYONE!

A 50 word flash fiction story with 5 words taken from Thursday's The History of Sex: Part 14.

She had gotten used to the scrutiny, both public and behind her back. She didn’t care. With the bevy of young lovers at her beck and call people could say what they wished, but she knew they wished for what she had - the Wilde life.

If you'd like to participate in FF Friday, please send your 50 word story with 5 words taken from a Thursday post. Email your story to madlakepages@gmail.com. Don't be shy. Just do it.

TITILLATING TUESDAY - A CLOUD OF HAWTHORNE

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Henley raced through brambles and thickets until he reached the barn at the far end of the property. Gaspar, his ten year old gelding, was in a stall munching on a pile of fresh alfalfa. He looked up when Henley entered and gave a soft whinny. Henley grabbed the saddle pad and threw it over Gaspar’s brushed back. He placed the heavy leather saddle on top, making sure it was set comfortably below the withers before swinging the girth under his belly and synching it down.

“There’s a good boy,” Henley said soothingly, as he mounted the fine horse. “Are you ready for some exercise? Heeya,” he yelled.” The horse took off at a gallop into the warm, early afternoon.

FLASH FICTION CONTRIBUTED

The following was submitted by an anonymous contributor. Love it. Must share.

The barn was big and cold but soon Ronald would be there for their tryst. Lisa shivered in anticipation of the orgasm she was sure to have. Ronald promised her a special night after all the bother with the barn location and the pseudonym debacle earlier.

You too can play. Just send your 50 word story using 5 words from the most recent Thursday post: The History of Sex, to madlakepages@gmail.com. It's crazy fun, and oh so easy. Thank you, Anonymous!

FLASH FICTION FRIDAY

A 50 word flash fiction story with 5 words taken from Thursday's The History of Sex: Part 13.

After her orgasm, Daphne tiptoed into the bathroom, quickly washed the necessary body parts, dressed, and left him sleeping. She was outrageously hungry, so walked to the coffee shop and ordered breakfast, where she flirted with a Major in the armed forces, who thought she was a virgin. Oh well.

If you'd like to participate in FF Friday, please send your 50 word story with 5 words taken from a Thursday post. Email your story to madlakepages@gmail.com. Don't be shy. Just do it.

TITILLATING TUESDAY - A CLOUD OF HAWTHORNE

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

As if a thick cloud had settled over the Hornbrook estate, an eerie silence encased their world. Edith shut herself in her room and would not go down even for meals, allowing only Tilly to enter. Henley III spent most of his time pacing the grounds taking in the fresh spring air while glancing earnestly toward the trees east of the pond. He’d read the morning paper not absorbing it’s news, hardly eat a thing, and would take his drink of whiskey at three, then polish off a bottle of wine with his dinner - alone. Not surprising, Rosetta had retreated to her forest hut after giving strict orders that under no circumstances was anyone to follow or call on her. 

FLASH FICTION FRIDAY - HAPPY WEEKEND EVERYONE!

A 50 word flash fiction story with 5 words taken from Thursday's The History of Sex: Part 11.

Debbie Downer was a traditional prude; mild mannered, mousey, and a bit dour. Normally a homebody, her bff and mentor, Catherine, convinced her to join an elite hair removal club. The result - a smooth vagina.
“We are all crusaders, aren’t we?” Catherine said.
Debbie glowed with renewed voracity. "We are."

If you'd like to participate in FF Friday, please send your 50 word story with 5 words taken from a Thursday post. Email your story to madlakepages@gmail.com. Don't be chicken. Just do it.

TITILLATING TUESDAY - A CLOUD OF HAWTHORNE

CHAPTER TWELVE

Henley put the crockery teacup to his mother’s lips and tipped the fragrant herbal tea into her quivering mouth. She pushed it away.

“Stop behaving like a baby, Mother. You’re being absolutely ridiculous.”

Edith turned her cheek to him and put her nose in the air.

“I’m being ridiculous? Have you taken a good look at yourself, Henley?” 

Edith glared over at Rosetta who was busy kneading dough into a soft, silky ball. When the consistency was to her liking, she rolled it into an oblong pancake, rubbed soft, unpasturized butter onto the smooth surface, and sprinkled brown sugar, cinnamon, and currents over top. She turned up the edges at one end and rolled until it was a tubular shape. Slicing along the tube, she cut a dozen cinnamon filled circles, which she placed on a greased cookie sheet to bake in the wood cookstove.

“Think about what you’re doing, Henley,” Edith continued. “Getting involved with a servant girl who bakes bread, cleans and gathers herbs. Your grandfather would turn in his grave if he knew.” Henley just laughed.

“I doubt it, Mother. If memory serves me, Henley the first was a renegade, a libertine. Yes, he’d be turning in his grave alright, wanting out.”

FLASH FICTION FRIDAY

A 50 word story with 5 words from Thursday's The History of Sex: Part 10

There was nothing logical about her plot to ensnare the man she loved. It would take weeks, perhaps months of selling him chocolate dipped strawberries from her market stall, for him to notice her, but that was fine. She had time. After all, ‘Rome was not built in a day’. 

Join in on the fun. Send your 50 word Flash Fiction story based on Thursday's The History of Sex, to madlakepages@gmail.com. There are prizes to be won, and recognition to be had.

TITILLATING TUESDAY - A CLOUD OF HAWTHORNE

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The following day was quiet at the Hornbrook estate, save the household staff cleaning up after the ball. There had been a large crowd in attendance, which the family was pleased about, but that meant a good day’s work clearing the room of china, fine crystal, and stemware, the mess left behind by some of the younger people who had stayed on till well past midnight, drinking champagne and smoking out on the lawn. 

Dorrington left shortly after Wesley, Proberta, and Henley had moved to the drawing room, and took his tired aunt home. Wesley had shown outward disappointment when hearing that news, much to the surprise of the rest of the group, but no one paid much attention. Wesley, on the other hand, could not keep thoughts of this fine young gentleman at bay, concocting various schemes of how they could get together again, and sooner the better. He had no idea how long Dorrington planned on staying with his aunt, but Wesley felt sure they would have the opportunity to converse, or go out for a ride, preferably alone. Perhaps Dorrington could be convinced to stay on a few weeks longer than planned. 

Henley rose early, put on his flannel shirt, corduroy trousers, and Macintosh, slipped on his green Hunter boots, and headed out of doors for a walk. The morning air was cool and damp, the grounds covered in heavy dew. He took a deep breath and picked up his pace. He enjoyed being out in the early part of the day. It was peaceful, but also held a certain level of excitement, for he never knew what forest animal he might startle as he made his way farther from the protected grounds of the estate, and deeper into the woods. Dawn and dusk were known as the times when all natural creatures roamed their land freely. Birds chirped loudly, foliage crunched underfoot as deer, elk, rabbits, and fox, came out of hiding, fearless on their home turf, before the full light of day. 

FLASH FICTION FRIDAY

A 50 word story with 5 words from Thursday's The History of Sex: Part 9

Lorelei awoke with a start from a very disturbing daydream. There had been a tussle with one of her many lovers. Although some considered them to be geeks, Lorelei found quiet, brainy types often keen for a good snog on a park bench, girl-on-girl. Surprising? Not so much.  

If you'd like to participate in Flash Fiction Friday, just send your 50 word story to madlakepages@gmail.com, and we'll post it. You never know what you might win.

TITILLATING TUESDAY - A CLOUD OF HAWTHORNE

CHAPTER TEN   

The band started playing at seven pm sharp, just as guests began to filter into the main foyer. Wesley stood at the drinks table with his cousin, Henley, both with dry martinis in hand. Henley's sister, Margaret, who stood across from Proberta at the entryway to the grand hall, seemed to take a special interest in the older generation, of which there were few, ensuring each was comfortably seated and were served their cocktail. It was a party primarily for the younger set, however, Margaret knew their elders found great pleasure in attending such events, to watch the dancing, eager to see who interacted with whom.
    Proberta hung by the doorway greeting each and every one of their guests with her flirty charm. She lingered unabashedly around the few bachelors who had been invited, annoying all the single women who had hoped for free and easy access to these fine, young prospects. Sadly, they knew that once Proberta made her self known to any man, they would have eyes only for her. Proberta, of course, relished in the attention, ignoring the glares and snide remarks from her peers. She seemed to find a particularly handsome gentleman by the name of Dorrington Bromberg, most alluring. He was new to the area, visiting his Aunt from Cornwall. After chatting briefly, Proberta took his arm and led him onto the dance floor. The two cousins looked on with amusement.
    "Well, it appears that the lady you, or I, are to be bequeathed to has engaged the attentions of someone more..."
    "More handsome than us?" Wesley said, and laughed. However, his eyes were glued to the couple twirling around the room.

FLASH FICTION FRIDAY

Using 5 words from Thursday's The History of Sex: Part 8, here is your flash fiction story for Friday, March 9th, in exactly 50 words.

Lillian was at the marketplace when she happened upon a shrine of vegetables. Squash, turnip, carrots, okra, stacked like phallus atop a golden tray, surrounded by burning candles.
"It's our offering to the fertility goddess," a woman explained.
Lillian noticed the woman was a transvestite.
"Good luck," Lillian replied, smiling.

If you'd like to write and share a 50 word flash fiction piece from a Thursday post, email your story to madlakepages@gmail.com. Who knows, you might win something.

WEDNESDAY'S PHOTO OF THE DAY

Good Morning Sunshine.

Photo: Monashee Frantz
Location: Los Angeles, California
Website: http://www.monasheephoto.com/
From her boudoir collection


If you’d like to be a contributor to our Wednesday photo day, please email your formatted shot to madlakepages@gmail.com with all pertinent information.

TITILLATING TUESDAY - A CLOUD OF HAWTHORNE

CHAPTER NINE

While preparations for the masquerade ball were underway downstairs in the long gallery, Matilda was upstairs in her lady’s chamber, applying another cold compress to the forehead of one Edith Hornbrook. Edith did not take the news of her son’s new love interest well, suffering fainting spells and episodes of great emotional duress. Tilly, knowing her ladyship well enough to understand that a good dose of TLC would help her recover more quickly, showered her with attention. 

“There, there, My Lady. Just lie back against this fresh linen and let me sooth your burning forehead, brush away your worries.” Tilly dipped the cotton cloth into a bowl of water, where rose petals and freshly picked herbs floated. 

“Tilly, you can’t brush away my worries. No one can.” She moaned and turned her head away, then reconsidered. “Oh, Tilly, what would I do without you?” Edith did not look at her handmaid, but the expression on her face, around her eyelids pressed together in what looked like agony, let Tilly know she was needed, even loved, by this seemingly callous, cynical woman. In return, Tilly willingly gave her usual loyal support and care. She had been with the family since Henley was three years old, having taken over from a woman whose mother and grandmother had been chambermaid and nanny on the Hornbrook estate, going back for generations. No one seemed to know the real story of why they left after so many years of loyal servitude, but after Tilly had asked once, she knew better than to bring up the subject again. Instead, she took over the duties to Mistress of the house with an eagerness that won over even Edith’s stone cold heart, which made Tilly more than content in her position.

Flash Fiction Friday salutes Thursday’s HISTORY OF SEX

Five words taken from Thursday’s post to produce these 50 words of flash fiction, although this one is not fiction :-) 

revolutionary, began, modern, much, women

What began as a modern marketing idea, has developed into a revolutionary blog post created and developed by one of Madison Lake’s creative visionaries. This flash fiction piece goes out to my right and left hand women, who I depend on and appreciate very much. Thank you! ML

If you'd like to participate in Flash Fiction Friday, take 5 words from the previous Thursday post and create a 50 word piece of fiction. Send it to madlakepages@gmail.com. You never know what you might win.

TITILLATING TUESDAY - A CLOUD OF HAWTHORNE

CHAPTER EIGHT

Henley had not planned to head in the other direction the afternoon of the hunt. In fact, he looked forward to riding out with the rest of the group, and was happy to have his cousin, Wesley, along to ride with him. Although he and Wesley had entertained the idea of taking a slight turn off the beaten path so they could ‘accidentally’ find themselves at The Pig’s Prattle for a pint, they had finally decided against the idea, for Proberta’s sake. So Henley was quite surprise when his horse had spooked at a fallen tree beside the trail, and had taken off through the forest in a westerly direction. Henley, for his part, did not attempt to rein him in, which is how he eventually landed directly in front of Rosetta’s hut. 

When he arrived, she was nowhere to be found. Henley tethered Gaspar to a nearby fence rail beside a meadow rich with green alfalfa, where he was happy to graze to his heart’s content. Then he took off in search of Rosetta.

FLASH FICTION FRIDAY

Five words chosen randomly from Thursday's post to create this 50 word story.

cheap, soldiers, popular, option, rubber

Nothing is cheap - popular, yes, a passing trend, perhaps. She closes the real estate guide, puts on her rubber boots and ventures out into the downpour. What ever happens, moving to Tanzania is not an option. The rain is getting to her, but she soldiers on.

You can play too. Just email your 50 word story from any Thursday post to 

madlakepages@gmail.com, and I'll use it for a FLASH FICTION FRIDAY. Who knows, you may receive one of many prizes kept in the Madison Lake cache. 

TITILLATING TUESDAY - A CLOUD OF HAWTHORNE

CHAPTER SEVEN

Edith Hornbrook dipped the dry biscuit in her tea and nibbled on the moistened end. A lovely assortment of smoked ham, eggs, scones with marmalade, fresh fruit, and local cheeses were spread across the linen tablecloth in front of her, but she wasn’t hungry. In fact, the sight of it made her stomach turn. On the other hand, Wesley’s appetite was heartier than ever. Taking a swallow of his milky tea, he consumed the last of his scone with marmalade and ham, then heaped another serving of everything onto his plate. Although not as gregarious an eater, Proberta, nonetheless, appeared ravenous. Edith couldn't avoid noticing how the two of them chatted breezily, stealing glances that seemed to show more than just a brother and sisterly affection. This perturbed her greatly. Meanwhile, Henley II had yet to make an appearance.

FRIDAY'S FLASH FICTION

Fifty words using five words from Thursday's The History of Sex: Part 5 

It wasn’t that being pleasured was her problem. She had long ago realized her libido was more than most people would have expected from someone so plain, but there were no borders when it came to sex. She would go down in history as a legend in her own right. 

Join in on the fun. Submit your 50 word flash fiction piece using 5 words from next Thursday's post. 

CLOUD OF HAWTHORNE

Chapter Five

Edith waited on the front porch of the mansion for the group of young people to make their way to the stables in preparation for the two o'clock hunt. Neighbors had gathered around the large red barn as Rodney and Sykes, the two stablehands, brushed and tacked the horses before guiding them out to their prospective riders.
Dressed in proper fox hunting attire; beige breeches, tweed jacket, tightly buttoned pastel shirt, brown leather gloves, and bowler helmet, Henley stood proudly beside Gaspar, his ten year old gelding. His brown field boots, already crusted in mud from trying to calm the horse, spoke volumes. Henley and Gaspar loved the hunt, and had since the time they were fourteen and three respectively, when they were both taken out for the first time. Young Henley had basically helped Sykes raise and train the colt, which was foal to one of his father's best brood mares. Henley remembered the difficulty he had convincing his father that he should have the horse. The horse, his father argued, was too small to race, his stance and coloring not good enough for breeding, but Henley was determined, and his father finally relented.
Next, Rodney brought out White Socks, a deep brown quarter horse with white hooves, who stood seventeen hands high. White Socks was determined as much as frisky, and was a favorite for Wesley when he came to visit. Becky, a gentle but eager filly, was presented for Proberta to ride.