Chillingford Ladies College, an exclusive private boarding school for the daughters of the upper classes, required a music teacher for an academic year, to cover for the absence, due to the pregnancy, of its regular music teacher. I was the only music teacher on the books of the agency, so I was approached. I was told to go down to the college next day, with a suitcase ready packed, because, if I was hired, I would be required to start immediately, to be ready for the start of the new term. The idea of spending a whole year surrounded by delectable - if untouchable - young ladies was one which found favour with me. Next day found me driving through the gates of the college. I proceeded carefully up a long, twisting driveway which climbed steadily through trees. At the top of the hill, it suddenly broke out of the trees, and I stopped the car to take in the view before me. To my right the ground sloped down to what seemed to be a cliff top, and beyond it, visible only at the farthest horizon was the sea. To my left - the woods again. But straight ahead - wow! A wonderful country house - 17th century, I guessed, with modern buildings at each side of it. Between me and the house the drive went straight across green pastures, dotted with white sheep, and then through a formal garden, to finish in a sweeping curve at the house's front door. I drove slowly up to the door.

As the gravel crunched under my wheels as I halted, the front door opened, and a butler - a real life butler - stood at the top of the short flight of stone steps from the drive to the door.

"Mr Johnson?"

"That's correct," I replied.

"This way," he instructed, turning and disappearing through the door without waiting for me. I quickly followed, and he came to a halt at a door a little way down a grand entrance hall, with a sweeping polished wood staircase in its centre, and doors off all around the walls. The butler knocked sharply, and a muffled reply came back. He opened not one, but two doors, and entered the room.

"Mr Johnson, ma'am," I heard him announce, and I followed him into the room. He exited as soon as I was inside. The inner door he had been holding open for me closed with a swishing sound, and I faced a large ornate desk in the centre of the room. The only light was from a green-shaded lamp on the desk itself. This cast a pool of light onto a few papers and a pair of hands. The rest was darkness.

"Perhaps you would be so good as to turn on the two switches on the wall to your left, please, Mr Johnson?" a deep but definitely female voice said. I did as asked, and the room was immediately flooded with a bright light. For a moment, I was dazzled, and then I had my first sight of Miss Dickinson, the Head teacher. There followed a typical interview, and I went onto auto-pilot, answering her questions with only part of my brain engaged, while, at the same time, my eyes swept the room and took in all the detail of it, and her.

The room, even with the lights on, was dark - oak panelled, dark brown carpet, brown curtains. The only splash of colour was a coat of arms on the wall, high up over the fireplace, behind the green leather-topped desk at which sat Miss Dickinson. Curiously, below the coat of arms was hung a pair of what looked like ping pong bats, one red and one black.

Miss Dickinson also gave the impression of darkness - she had black hair, and was dressed, as far as I could see, in black or very dark blue, relieved only by white at her collar. She was handsome rather than beautiful, a big woman with a fine bosom pushing out her jacket or blouse.

"I take it that will be satisfactory, Mr Johnson?"

Quickly I pulled my attention back to the proceedings in hand. I had just been offered a job for a full academic year, and at a reasonable salary. And surrounded by delectable young maidens.

"Yes, Miss Dickinson. Quite satisfactory, thank you."

"There is only one condition," Miss Dickinson continued. "I am sure you will understand, and be agreeable."

"What is that?" I enquired.

"This is a famous and long-established school for young ladies, as I am sure you know. We have a reputation to maintain - a reputation for taking care of these young ladies in every conceivable way. I cannot have a man wandering about the school unchaperoned when the young ladies are in residence. And, of course, I cannot spare a member of staff to chaperone you. I can offer you a room at the top of the house here. This is where the staff room, staff dining room and music room are situated, and you may leave your room to visit them. Since this building also contains the staff bedrooms and the girls' dormitories, anywhere else must be out of bounds for you, for the welfare of the young ladies. I take it you agree?"

"Of course," I murmured......(cont)