1.

“I don’t understand how a servant boy can get so fat,” said the Father, who was sitting at the head of the long mahogany table.

 

“That’s very impolite. He only has this second left the room. He might hear you,” rebuked the Lady of the House.

 

“I don’t care if he does. I’m not paying servants to overindulge themselves. Who does he think I am?”

 

“I’m sure you pay him exactly the same as all the rest, father,” said the eldest son in defence of the boy.”

 

“And not a penny more! But that’s my point. In all my years I’ve never seen or heard of a fat servant boy before. I really don’t understand how he does it?”

 

“He’s really not that large,” said the younger son, also in defence of the boy.

 

“Not that large? He’s a dumpling of the largest proportions, a real jelly belly if ever I saw one.”

 

“Sshh now husband, I can hear him returning. It is unsightly to speak of one behind one’s back, even a servant boy.”

 

Johnny re-entered the room pushing a dessert cart. He was a little disconcerted by the sudden silence, as he had opened the door, but knew that it was not his place to comment on it. He placed the trifle, sponge cake, and rhubarb pie in the centre of the table along with a large silver jug of warm custard. He stood up straight, nodded at the head of the table, and took three steps backwards before retreating to his place by the door, where he stood, legs a few feet apart with his hands behind his back, looking at the wall opposite.

 

He was five feet and six inches tall, with a thick head of black hair combed over from the left hand side. He wore smart dinner dress as was the custom for waiting staff in such houses. His suit was ill-fitting even though it had only just been handed down to him from one of the older boys. It was at least three inches too long in the trouser leg. This fact he had tried to hide by rolling the bottom of each leg up on the inside of each trouser. This effort was now half undone and he’d had to be careful not to trip by standing on the fabric when he entered. 

 

By contrast his shirt was too small for him as a larger one had yet to be procured. It strained in the middle under the force of his protruding stomach and he was always desperately trying to tuck it back into the waist of his trousers whenever he thought that no one was looking, only for it to always pop straight back out every time. His jacket, also passed down from the elder boy fitted him well around the waist and shoulders but was far too long in the sleeve, in a similar manner to his trousers. Rolling one’s sleeves up in good company was unheard of so it just had to hang loose, his cufflinks two inches lower than his wrists. At least now no one could notice or comment on how limp they were.

 

“This rhubarb pie is delectable,” the Lady of the House commented, “Johnny, please pass my compliments on to your mother, she has once more outdone herself.”

 

“Yes, Ma’am. Thank you, I will, Ma’am.”

 

“Maybe Johnny would like some himself? If it really is so good?” His wife stared at her Lord. Johnny’s eyes opened wide at the suggestion but then he quickly remembered where he was and composed himself.

 

“Father, that is unkind, you know very well that the service are not allowed to indulge in food for the house.” It was the elder brother once more coming to Johnny’s defence.

 

“Yes Father, Adam is correct, leave the poor boy be. He’s probably not even had his own dinner yet.”

 

“Is this true, Little Johnny? Have you not been sustained yet this evening? You look like a boy who has had his ample fill to me?”

 

“I will eat after service with the rest of the staff, as usual, Sir.”

 

“His Lordship is well aware of how his own house is run. I recommend, Johnny, that you don’t speak from now on, even when spoken to. His Lordship is in a very funny mood and I fear that you won’t be able to say right through fear of saying wrong.”

 

“Yes, Ma’am. Thank you Ma’am.” Johnny was relieved to be dismissed from the conversation. The Lady was very kind to him.

 

“The question remains as to how he did ever get so fat?”

 

“Sir Geoffrey Bloomington! Whatever has happened to your prudence? The boy is standing right there.” The Lady motioned her eyes towards Johnny without looking at him.

 

“According to my Lady it is rude to talk behind one’s back and also rude to talk to one’s face. Is there anything that I may be allowed to discuss in my own house with regards to my own service?”

 

“You act as if it is a financial matter. Personal comments are not for the dining table.”

 

“Financial comments are certainly not for the dinner table either Mother,” said the younger son, though no one payed him any heed.

 

“I believe it to be a financial matter dear wife, for who do you believe is paying for that stomach much more ample in size than my own? I have never seen such a belly on a boy his age before, not in all the houses in England.”

 

“You are repeating yourself now, Father,” said the elder son.

 

“Yes, you are repeating yourself,” said the younger son without any recognition of the irony.

 

“My own sons, so young and athletic around the waist. How quickly you do both rush to protect this slovenly boy. Are you happy for him to take advantage of your Father so?”

 

“Father you know not that he doth take advantage so. Maybe it is just a natural effect of his disposition?” Adam proposed.

 

“Has he always been so disposed?”

 

“Truly not. But he is a good boy who has been in our service for many a year. Do you not remember when Evan and I were young and allowed to attend school and play with the children in our service. This boy was a good friend to us both. On these grounds I beseech you to leave him be.”

 

“If he was not always so disposed then it cannot be in his disposition to appear so. If you consider yourself to be on good terms with this particular boy then I beseech you to take it up with him in person.”

 

“That I will do, Sir. For I agree with Mother that this is not an appropriate time to be discussing such things.”

 

The family fell into silence. Johnny, who had been standing as still as a Royal Guard throughout this discussion moved towards the table upon the slight beckoning of the Ladies hand. He carefully cleared away the untouched trifle, half eaten sponge cake, and remaining four slices of rhubarb pie, placed them on his cart, and wheeled it out of the dining room.

 

He made his way down the main corridor, turned left into the great hall with the portraits of previous Lords and exited into the servants quarters through a small door at the end of that great room. He paused at the top of the stairs that led down to the kitchen, next to the dumbwaiter. He removed a large serving spoon from his trouser pocket and proceeded to demolish the entire trifle with his Lord’s words ringing in his ears, “never seen such a belly on a boy his age before, not in all the houses in England.” He smiled broadly as he swallowed another huge spoonful down.

 

The trifle was rich and sweet and fruity, containing no less than three oranges, two apricots, and a quarter bottle of rum. He licked the cream from his lips and he dug the huge spoon into the first slice of rhubarb pie. He sliced the still warm pie open and the thick filling dripped out. He savoured the smell and took a large bite that warmed that back of his throat. Picking up the jug he took an unceremoniously large slug of custard straight from the silverware before pouring the rest of its contents on top of the remaining pie. This he devoured in just a few minutes. He had to be quick, Mother was waiting for him.

 

His belly was now straining overfull, it felt warm and luxuriant, beyond his station. His greedy hands grabbed at the sponge cake, he tore off a large piece and proceeded to stuff it into his wide open mouth. He chewed as fast as he could, considering his discomfort, and continued to pull the cake apart.

 

By the time he was finished his mouth was parched with thirst and his belly hugely distended. He tried to pull at the tails of his shirt in order to tuck it in and make himself presentable once more but it was a useless task. He loaded the empty dishes into the dumbwaiter and rang the bell before awkwardly making his way down the stairs.

 

“Where ‘av ye bin?” His mother’s tongue lashed him.

 

“In the dining room.”

 

“All dis time?”

 

“Yes Mother, the dessert went down very well. Everyone had several servings. The Lady asked me to commend you for the pie.”

 

“She did, did she?” She eyed him suspiciously.

 

“Look,” he said, going over to take the dishes from the dumbwaiter, “All empty, every last one of them!”

 

“Well I neva! ‘Ow about dat! I’s neva known it before, at ‘em finish all four courses. Not a morsel left!”

 

“Not a morsel, Mother,” he said with a wicked smile on his greedy young face.

 

“Well, give ‘em dishes ta Mary ta take care ov, an’ I’ll get ya supper on. Ye must be starvin’ be now?”

 

“I am, Mother!” He smiled and patted his swollen round belly. “What is for super this fine eve?”

 

“Well, for da liddle gentleman we ‘as a starter of potato soup, followed be roast beef, an’ dunny tell no one, but I’s saved ye some av ‘at rhubarb pie.”

 

“Oh, thank you, Mother!” He beamed, before sitting down at the kitchen table for his second large meal of the night.

2.

He was just undressing for bed when there was a knock on the door.

 

“Who is it?”

 

“It’s me Adam, may I come in?”

 

“Of course, enter!”

 

The elder son stepped cautiously through the door. Normally sure of himself the tall handsome young man was unused to being in the servants quarters and was certainly not used to being in a servants private room. Johnny normally visited him.

 

The young heir of the estate looked around the small room and took in the sparse simple furniture. There was a small wooden chair, surely unsuitable for an ample boy like Johnny, and the single bed looked uncomfortable. He felt unsteady in this environment until his gaze fell upon Johnny who was sitting topless on the bed adorned by just his pantaloons. 

 

Johnny’s paunch was splayed out on top of his thighs. His abdomen wider than any young Lord’s in England. The lower half of his gut lay soft and flat, creased in the middle under its own weight. The top half was thick and round and protruded out further than the lower half hung. Atop his belly were the soft and delicate breasts of a young woman fallen slightly to each side with no brazier to carriage them.

 

“My dear Johnny, you look as delectable as your Mother’s rhubarb pie,” The young charmer said. 

 

“That may well be, dear Sir, because I have rather a large amount of it stirring inside me.” Johnny liked to tease his Master.

 

“Interesting indeed! For a servant boy may not feast on the food for the house. This matter in fact is the reason why I am acquainting myself with your boudoir. I am here, as bad by my Father, to talk to you so as to ascertain the source of that monstrous mountain of flesh that you carry so ably forth. To inspect which I would have asked you to lift your shirt only you are not wearing any, therefore all of the evidence is already plain to see.” Adam also liked to tease the servant boy.

 

“If you are so keen as to discover the source of this rotund stomach muscle,” Johnny paused to lift up his overhanging belly fat, “then I suggest to you, my good and kindly Master, to look no further than the young gentleman that I am currently looking at, for I believe that he is as much to blame as anyone else in the matter.”

 

Adam turned around to look to see if anyone was standing behind him and then feigned surprise when he discovered that there wasn’t.

 

“Dost thou mean my good self?”

 

“Of whom else could I be talking? Who else gave me explicit permission to eat the food for the house? And as much of it as I please? Who else gave me an extra purse for private contributions? Who else calls me to his chambers at night to service him with food when indeed all he pleases is to service myself?”

 

“I am aghast that you, a mere servant boy of portly manner, would dare to speak to your Master in such an accusatory tone!”

 

“If you do not like the tone of which I use to speak then I suggest that my Master either fills my mouth to silence with some form of nourishment or if none is forthcoming that he fastens it closed with his own lips.”

 

With this last comment Johnny let go of his expansive soft belly fat causing it to bounce and jiggle as it had only the forces of gravity to contend with. Adam, unable to resist any longer, stepped forward and knelt down next to Johnny on the bed planting a big long kiss on his aforementioned lips. They shared a shameful and passionate embrace as his Master’s hands explored every inch and fold of his servant’s body.

 

“Fear not, my dear,” Adam said, “I shall proceed tomorrow to ensure that you continue to receive your ample purse and portion, despite of what my Father says.”

 

“But, my Master, will the Lord not surely notice if I doth continue to grow? He made it aptly clear that he already believes me to be too large for my station. If I continue to expand then I will surely meet his ire and be expelled from the house?”

 

“Fret not my sweet jar of jam, I do firmly believe that the Lord only noticed your magnitude due to the proximity of your clothing to your stoutly frame. That shirt, which I can see you sensibly no longer adorn, is at least three sizes too small for you. Any adolescent boy who continues to wear the clothes of his childhood will appear oversized due to the poor correlation between himself and his garments.”

 

“From where shall I acquire new garments? I would require both a dinner suit and more general clothing for my other tasks. The extra purse with which you have furnished me is indeed generous but not so generous as to afford a poor servant boy a new dinner suit?”

 

“Worry not, for also tomorrow you shall with me to the town, whereupon we will visit a tailor, a good friend of mine. I shall instruct him to befit you with an oversized suit, one that so hangs off your portly frame that it will give the appearance of much exercise and improved diet.”

 

“But will your Father, our Lord, fall for such a simple trick?”

 

“He is long in years and poor in sight. Not so poor as to fail to notice your pervasively  peachlike paunch in the first place, but poor enough to be fooled by its disappearance under baggy cloth. I am indeed so sure of this plan that I have no doubt that you can in total disregard of his Lordship’s wishes continue to expand triumphantly and continue to win my faltering heart.”

 

With this the two young men once more became embroiled in a shameful embrace of gentle kisses and caresses. Some of them in places unfit to mention in a gentleman’s tale.

3.

Johnny was awoken by the ringing of the service bell. Wearing only his child-sized old pyjamas he made his way full of yawns to the kitchen. It was now cold in the house. All of the fires having been put out some hours previously. His exposed flesh on his thick low hanging front and sides felt the chill of the early morning air thus causing him to shiver, the sun not yet risen.

 

Miss Mary was in the kitchen where she provided him with a tray of open sandwiches with which to placate the demanding younger brother, Evan, who was having one of his common midnight yearnings for sustenance. Johnny took the tray and made his way up to the sleeping quarter.

 

He knocked gently on Evan’s chamber door before proceeding light of foot so as not to disturb anyone else in the house.

 

“Johnny my boy, here you are at last! You must be starving you poor thing, having to wait this late into the night before you can enlarge yourself!”

 

“It is very kind of you to once more consider me, Sir. It is yet another two hours until breakfast and my stomach is indeed calling me to action.”

 

“Then we can only hope that Mary has been kind enough to allow us enough to keep you satisfied. Come, place the sandwiches here and lie with me on the bed.”

 

Johnny accepted the invitation and laid himself beside his youngest, Master, a light haired and chiselled boy of the same year as him. Evan gave him a slight kiss on the lips and picked up the first sandwich, it was capers and cream with a garnish of parsley. Johnny accepted the gift willingly and made so large a bite of it that he almost took his Master’s fingers with it.

 

Master Evan undid Johnny’s tightly buttoned pyjama top and stroked the arch of his belly. Johnny sighed with relief and Evan continued to feed the sandwiches to him. He consumed seven in total, all of them individually garnished. He had liver pâté, rabbit, and beef, and a selection of cheeses from three separate counties. Never in all of England had a servant boy been so well nourished as Johnny had been that day.

 

Johnny felt his stomach once more ache and grow, the pressure mounting from within. He knew that he was growing fatter and Master Evan told him so. The young Lord whispered such sweet kindnesses into his boy’s ear and fat Johnny smiled while fondling his own flabby exterior. Evan took one of his young woman-like breasts in his mouth and suckled on it, though no milk was forthcoming.

 

Once he was satisfied he rolled Johnny over so that his backside was facing him. He removed his pyjama trousers and inspected the boy’s unsurprisingly wide rear appendage. It glistened in the moonlight. I am ashamed to say that the two adolescent boys then performed the beast with two backs until they were both satisfied. One can only hope that no Lord was watching over them.

 

Never in all of England had a servant boy been so well nourished.

 

Over Breakfast Miss Mary asked Johnny how come he was going to town with the oldest Master. The young kitchen hand was surprised but pleased to learn that it was to get new clothes.

 

“You’ll look as smart as any young gentleman in England,” she told him and gave him a peck on his chubby cheek.

 

“Maybe, once I grow into them! I’m uncertain that many young squires go around in oversized clothes. That is certainly not the fashion as far as I can tell.”

 

“You are barely more than a boy, my dear Johnny. I’m sure that you have plenty of growing to do yet!”

 

“I do so hope so,” said Johnny.

 

Master Adam was waiting for him by the carriage in the courtyard. He had drawn two steeds himself and was positioned to drive them.

 

“Come, sit up here, next to me young Johnny.”

 

He held out his hand to help Johnny lift his weight up onto the front of the carriage.

 

“What a fine morning it is, Sir” Johnny said as a pleasantry.

 

“I fine morning indeed for two young gentleman to take a jolly into town”

 

“Sir, you embarrass me, I am no gentleman. I am but your humble servant boy and friend.”

 

“But, this morning you are a gentleman. A young friend of mine come visiting from Chester to whom I am showing around the locality.”

 

“Is there a purpose to this friend from Chester’s visit?”

 

“Yes, he is a good friend of the family, a second cousin twice removed. Unfortunately his dinner suit was damaged in transit so we must therefore with haste to the tailors to acquire a new one before the feast this evening.”

 

“Is there to be a feast this evening?” Johnny asked, his lips drooling.

 

“A great feast to welcome my good friend.”

 

“I am sure that your friend will be very grateful for the care that you take to entertain him.”

 

“Indeed he will. I know from our previous times together that he has quite the appetite and would much appreciate a feast in his honour.”

 

“He is a very fortunate friend indeed, Sir, to have as good and kind a friend as you.”

 

“He is a very polite and well spoken friend who treats me with great care and I am sure that he will grow to be a very fine gentleman indeed.”

 

“I want to grow, Sir,” said Johnny, with too much keenness for he forgot in which person they were speaking.

 

Adam smiled and laughed, “I know you do, Johnny. And with that aim I do believe that we shall pass by a reputable Inn on the way back from the tailors from which to have a hearty lunch that would put even the most hardworking field hand to shame.”

 

“Oh, thank you, Sir! I wish to kiss you, Sir, and touch you in the trousers!!”

 

“Make haste with it, young Johnny, lest we be seen!”

5.

They entered the tailors at a little over eleven o’clock. Mr Jones welcomed Adam and his unknown guest.

 

“Greetings to you Master Adam, Sir. I was unaware of any visit from the house being due?”

 

“No, Sir, it is not. I come unannounced on behalf of my young friend here, Master John Smith. A very common name, I assure you for a very uncommon young gentleman.”

 

“Pleased to make your acquaintance, young Sir. And from where do you hail?”

 

“Chester, good Sir. I have travelled long but it has been more than worth it to meet once more with my friend Adam and to learn to appreciate this beautiful county.”

 

“A beautiful county it is Sir, and the harvest has been bountiful this year. Did you notice the full fields on your way here.”

 

“Indeed I did, Sir, no man or pig shall go hungry in this county this year!”

 

“I see not,” said the tailor. Johnny squinted his eyes at Mr Jones, caught off guard by this impropriety.

 

“It is about that matter of a feast that we come to see you, Sir,” said Adam.

 

“But I am no butcher or grocer, Sir,” replied the tailor.

 

“No you misunderstand my meaning, Sir. There is to be a large feast this evening in celebration of Master John Smith’s arrival and by a matter of terrible misfortune his dining suit was damaged in transit. It is therefore that we request you to provide him with a replacement at much haste.”

 

“Happy as always to oblige. Please Master Smith allow me to take some measurements.”

 

Johnny nodded his approval and the tailor measured his height, neck, shoulders, waist and inside leg. Despite undoubtedly taking notice of the young gentleman’s size immediately upon entry, Mr Jones was shocked to discover that Johnny was 38 inches around the hips and 50 inches around the middle. He had never before encountered such a rotund gentleman of so few years. Especially one with such a short inside leg measurement.

 

“Due to Master Smith’s er…uncommon measurements I will have to make some alterations to the cloth. Are you able to come back in say two hours time?”

 

“Of course, Sir, we planned to take refreshment at the Inn anyhow.” Adam responded.

 

“Fine, fine, a good day for refreshments it is.”

 

“Before we take leave, Sir, I have one more request?”

 

“Anything for the house, Sir.”

 

“We need you to make the suit two sizes too large?”

 

“Two sizes too large, Sir? Beg my misunderstanding but I was certain that you said that the young gentleman requires the suit for a feast this evening?”

 

“Indeed he does. He also requires it two sizes too large.”

 

Mr Jones pulled an expression of confusion.

 

“It is the height of fashion in Chester, Sir” said Johnny.

 

“It is?” asked the old tailor quizzically.

 

“Yes, the height of fashion in Chester!” repeated Adam.

 

“I have a very good friend in Chester. A man of my profession and he has never mentioned this strange fashion to me.”

 

“May I be impertinent as to ask this gentleman’s age in years?” enquired Johnny.

 

“Well certainly, he is but a few years older than myself, a man of the grand age of sixty seven.”

 

“Then forgive me for saying, Sir, but a man of sixty seven, even a tailor of high esteem could easily be forgiven for not being aware as to the fashion trends of young gentleman.”

 

“It is sadly true, that time and tide wait for no man,” quoted the tailor.

 

“And now our time has come to withdraw for our bellies are empty and our lips parched,” pronounced Adam, and with that the two young gentlemen took their leave of the tailor and headed to the local Inn.

 

If that boy’s belly has ever been empty then I’m a bigger fool than they take me for, thought the tailor.

6.

The two young gentlemen, one known from the house and one an obtusely round stranger from Chester, took their seats in the snug. There they partook of five pints of ale each. These they quaffed down with large portions of steak and kidney pie. Double portions for the rotund young gentleman from Chester. By the time they made it back to the tailor’s they were both red in the cheeks for being slightly worse for wear and full in the belly.

 

“Is the dining suit ready, Sir?”

 

“It is indeed.” The tailor handed the garment wrapped in paper to Johnny who thanked him courteously.

 

“Will you be requiring any dress shirts to go with that, Sir? We have a selection of sizes available?”

 

Of course he needed dress shirts. How had they not thought about that? The only one he possessed required him to hold in his midriff and even then refused to stay tucked for more than a few seconds. Johnny looked at Adam knowing that only he had the purse required to add to their purchase.

 

“Two, both lilly white.”

 

“Very good, Sir.” Mr Jones led Johnny to the shelves containing the selection of shirts for him to choose from. Upon testing it became apparent that the tailor had been mistaken, not one of the smocks passed around his after lunch paunch. Even the largest in size left unsightly folds on public view.

 

“That will never do,” the tailor commented, “Give me one more hour and I will have the correct fit. I do apologise profusely, I am normally an expert in sizing.”

 

“Not the correct fit, Sir, two sizes too large,” Adam corrected him.

 

“Very good, Sir.”

 

And with that they retired to the Inn once more where Johnny consumed another two portions of pie and they both indulged in a few more pints. Upon returning to the tailors Adam was embarrassed to admit that he had over spent in the Inn and that he had not the monies on him to pay for the extra shirts, having not accounted for them previously. The tailor, wishing not to embarrass a gentleman from the house any more so than he already had done himself, assured Adam that it was no problem and that the remaining funds could just as easily be accredited to his father’s account. Being six or seven pints of ale worse for wear Adam gladly agreed, blissfully ignorant of the potential consequences of this. His normal faculties of being aware of the stickler that his father was for bookkeeping temporarily missing.

7.

Johnny was on dinner service that evening as normal. He stood impatiently in his normal place by the door, looking at the far wall, listening to the family eat, waiting his turn.

 

Adam, disappointed that his father had not commented on Johnny’s appearance, by halfway through the second course, decided to broach the subject himself.

 

“You may think it odd for me to comment, given yesterday's commotion, but I feel it worth raising that Johnny is looking in good health today.”

 

The rest of the family turned quizzically to examine the servant boy.

 

“You may or may not be aware but I have spent a good portion of the day with the boy as per your instructions Father. He hath taken the comments on board and we spent a few fine hours this afternoon exercising and discussing the finer points of a healthy diet.”

 

Evan furrowed his brow. How dare his brother insert himself so and interfere with the fine work that he was doing with Johnny. Johnny glanced at Evan and took note of his countenance before quickly removing his eyes back to the far wall.

 

“It gives me great assurance that you, my eldest son and heir, and the pertumbulent servant boy in question, have taken stead of my good words. By perusing his stance it has become evidently clear to me that your efforts have already had an effect. The stomach they did so offend my self last eve doth appear to be flatter in nature if by no means at all a healthy size as of yet.”

 

“Give the boy time, dear,” said the Lady of the House.

 

“That my good wife, I intend to do. Keep at him Adam, every day, and I am sure that the effects will be more than to my satisfaction.”

 

“I will take special care of him, Father, as per your request. You truly are a kind and thoughtful Lord that doth take care of his family and house to full effect.”

 

Johnny was so overcome with joy that his Master’s plan had succeeded that he felt perfectly safe to consume the remains of all five courses till not a crumb was left. He admired his swollen stomach in the great mirror and noted how it did not show at all beneath his oversized shirt. He returned to the kitchen feeling very satisfied in the belly and head where his Mother did feed him a very large and fine supper of hare and rice pudding.

 

Before retiring for the night, Mary asked him;

 

“Do you believe that Master Evan will be requiring his usual midnight repast?”

 

“I do believe he will, and from his appearance this evening I would suggest that you serve him with an even more generous portion than the night previous. My intuition tells me that the Master is going to be very hungry this fair night.”

 

“That I will do Johnny. I shall prepare it now so as to save him from having to wait longer for it than necessary and thus ensure that his belly is extremely satisfied. That way we shall also both see more sleep tonight.”

 

“A very generous and kind thought, Miss Mary, I have no uncertainty that the Master will be extremely satisfied with you.”

8.

The moon was high and full when the bell rang, as well Johnny knew it would. He hurried to the kitchen, fetched the tray, and once more took care with his steps outside the young Master’s chamber.

 

Once more he was invited to lay with his Master who seemed keen to talk before the passing of any food was to take place.

 

“I doth feel that I need to apologise for the impertinence of my own brother. It angers me greatly that he would see fit to interfere in our business.”

 

“Do you have reason to believe that he is aware of our business?”

 

“He hath said nothing to suspect it.”

 

“Then why do you suspect him? I do believe that he is only following the wishes of his Lord and father, for which he has no little choice.”

 

“You are too kind to him, he forces you to exercise against your will and talks of healthy diets and vegetables and such.”

 

“I am as fond of vegetables as I am of all sustenance.”

 

“That may well be but was not the purpose of my statement. I fear that we shall have to work doubly hard to maintain you as we so please in counteraction of his efforts.”

 

“That, Sir, I have no problem with!”

 

With this last statement Johnny pointed longingly at his open mouth enticing his young Master to supply him with yet more nourishment. Evan willingly did so and the entire tray was consumed in double quick time. This late refection consisted of roast pigeon and other sliced game on open dry breads. No less than a baker's dozen settled warmly in the young servant boy’s considerable stomach.

 

Once satisfied Johnny sat up with his back against the pillows. He rubbed the top of his overfull belly that protruded out so brilliantly that he was able to beckon Evan to sit atop it. From this position Johnny was able to take his Master in the mouth and such was fed one final meal of the day.

9.

All that needs to be said of the following weeks is that they followed in much the same course. Both brothers unaware of each other's affections continued to aid Johnny’s quest and he subsequently continued to grow unobstructed by the gazing eye of his Lord due to his baggy cloth.

 

With every day and every week, he did continue to expand. Aided by his Mother, who unbeknown to her honest self, was feeding him two large meals every night. Being a duty bound lady of the kitchen she felt that it was her requirement to produce more and more food for the family as they continued to eat up every crumb of every dish that she did prepare. Fearing being cast out and left adrift if she did not keep her Lord satisfied, she cooked bigger and larger portions and offered up more options. Who would look after her and her little Johnny if they did not remain at the house?

 

Miss Mary, a young orphan girl of only seventeen years, like all servants, held the same fears and so kept increasing the portion sizes of Evan’s late night meals seemingly unaware of for whom they were really intended.

 

Johnny continued to bulk and his belly bulge grew stouter. His woman-like breasts expanded as if he was with child, and his arms and face puffed out redder and rounder till he was soon filling his new suit. The proprietary of which he and Adam had long since forgotten. Their plan to hide his girth from his Lordship had been so successful that it had become lost in a sea of trifles, puddings, kisses and belly fat.

10.

Johnny, now three score heavier in pounds than when his Lord had first commented on his weight, was standing by the door. Whenever he believed that he was paid no attention he would grab at his shirt tails, breath in deeply, and struggle in vain to return them to their trousers from whence they came.

 

The family was chatting idly about the society news of the day when his stomach did rumble so loudly that it sounded like a terrible storm was approaching.

 

His Lordship threw heavy eyes at the obscenely large young servant boy, forcing him into an apology.

 

“My apologies, Sir. I have not eaten today. I will do my best to cease to disturb on this account.”

 

“LIES! MORE DAMN LIES!”

 

All in attendance froze with horror. Such an outburst was not only unbecoming of a man of such high standing, it was unheard of in this house.

 

“I am deceived again and again by those whom I support! My own kin and service dare lie to my face, and I such a kindly Lord and Master, who hath shown nothing but kindness and fairness to all under my roof, I am confounded by distrust and untruths!”

 

“Why Father, whatever is the cause of this outburst? The young boy was only..” Evan had no chance to finish his utterance.

 

“Do not why Father me! Do not talk to me of this young boy! This young boy who you promised me to take care of. Why, he is fatter than ever! Look at him! He dare sayeth to me that he hath not eaten! A more blatant lie could never be told!”

 

“Sir, it was Adam who promised to see to the matter to which you refer.”

 

“One of you has more than seen to the matter. You have actively disobeyed me, gone behind my back, and provided this boy with so much sustenance that he is fit to burst! That dining suit, that I never approved of, is tearing at the seems!”

 

“What Father?,” A sudden realisation of his error in manner of payment at the tailor’s intruded in Adam’s mind as he spoke.

 

“That suit, that ill-fitting dining suit that cost four whole pounds. That suit that one of you purchased without my consent. That suit that he hath ruined in a matter of weeks by eating like an elephant! Who bought him that suit? Who supplies him with his nourishment? I demand to know!”

 

“Father, you must be mistaken, Sir. That is surely the same suit that he has had for years.” Evan protested, keen to defend the honour of his shameful affection.

 

“That suit and two oversized dress shirts were purchased from Mr Jones two months ago and charged to my account. I received notice only this morning from a very embarrassed tailor who felt rightly compelled to come knocking upon my door to request the missing payment! Someone has disgraced both myself and him!”

 

Another realisation dawned upon Adam. Mr Jones was well aware of who purchased the suit and must well have spoken of it to his Father, for no professional man would dare to deny to speak truth to the Lord of the House through fear of loss of business.

 

“I purchased the suit, Father. I purchased it because the one he wore was so old that it did hang like a pair of curtains from him. This new suit I promise you was of the same proportions as the previous.”

 

“You claim that he has not gained weight then?”

 

“I swear Father, that he has not.”

 

“I do not believe it to be true either, Father. The boy is the same size that he has always been. I regret to inform you that I believe that your eyesight may be failing you.” Evan bravely commented.

 

“My eyesight? My eyesight eh? I protest that my eyesight is in as fine a fettle as it has ever been and that it doth showeth me that this boy is sixty and something pounds heavier than he used to be. We shall test my eyesight. We shall test my eyesight by having him weighed immediately!”

 

“Sir, is that really necessary? Have you not embarrassed the boy enough?” It was the Lady of the House who finally took her turn to speak.

 

It is worthy of noting that Johnny throughout all of these heated discussions remained stationary and unflinching by the door, staring at the far wall. For what else was a servant boy supposed to do?

 

“Embarrass him? He embarrasses himself every time he takes a bite from a sandwich! He shall be weighed and that is the end of it.”

 

“But, Sir, we do not have a scale in the house designed for measuring people,” said Adam.

 

“And, Sir, we do not have an original weight to compare to, such an effort would be highly unscientific,” said Evan.

 

“Then I propose a simple experiment, unscientific yes, but enough to prove my point correct. There is in the barn a scale for weighing livestock, he shall be placed upon that along with my prized hog, be him heavier than a hog then he will be out on his ear! Both him and his Mother, for she must also have a part to play in this despicable debacle!”

 

This pronouncement was met with further protestations from all three members of the great family for both sons had a part to play in their father’s unhappiness and needed to protect themselves from wrath and punishment, the Lady of the House to kind of heart to hear of any boy being treated so. It was though, to no avail, so out to the barn the men did all proceed whilst the Lady of the House retreated to her Chambers wanting no part to play in such a shameful procedure.

11.

Johnny was so nervous upon entering the barn that he did trip over a hay fork. He landed on the dirt with such a thud that Adam did believe that he had died. He rose though as quickly as he could based on his oversized frame, his thick arms lacking in muscle straining to lift his own immense weight.

 

The Lord and Evan fetched the prize hog, three hundred and twenty pounds at the last county faire. Both he and the hog were placed on the agricultural scale, industrial in size, and it did proceed to tip in Johnny’s favour!

 

The poor servant boy could not help himself but break out into a huge self-satisfied smile in spite of the terrible repercussions that the result inflicted on he and his Mother. Fatter than a prize hog! He was internally overjoyed and could not but fail to show his pleasure.

 

“HATH THEE NO SHAME BOY!! Thou is heavier than a three hundred pound hog! Yet you dare to stand there and smile!”

 

“Out with you and your Mother! You doth deserve to starve in the streets as penance for your sin!”

 

“Father, have mercy please!” Evan was the first to beg.

 

“Sir, I beseech you, it is not the boy’s fault!” added Adam.

 

“Then whose fault is it then, eldest son and heir of mine, are you the one to blame for this shame?”

 

“Yes, Father I am!”

 

Evan took several steps back in shock. What new horror was this that his trusted brother was about to unleash? Surely, it was he who had fed the boy for his own shameful gratification and uncontrollable sinful lust that was to blame?

 

“Yes, Father, Sir. It was me who fed the boy to this unsightly size. I did so for my own amusement.”

 

“Amusement? What amusement could one possibly receive from such an endeavour?”

 

“I am too ashamed to say, Sir.”

 

“Then say nothing! Boy! You will tell me! You will tell me or I will cut your throat open right here and now until you squeal like the heavyset hog that you are!”

 

He produced a large pen knife from his jacket pocket and stepped threateningly closer to Johnny.

 

With his yong life in imminent danger and seeing no alternative, Johnny blurted out the truth;

 

“It is true, Sir. Your eldest son and heir, Master Adam, has been supplying me with food. He has been feeding me like I am a pet of his. He takes delight and gratification from seeing my belly swell and my overall demeanour grow fatter and fatter.”

 

Evan stared daggers at his older brother who fell back on the dirt floor and burst out into floods of womanly tears.

 

“Of what type of gratification do you speak?”

 

“Of the worst sinful type, Sir. The type that lusts after young boys.”

 

“LIAR!!! How dare you besmirch the good name of my eldest son and heir! You nothing more than a servant boy that is fatter than a hog! You are the only one here who is full of sin! I can see mounds of it aching to burst out of that swollen belly. You have corrupted my son into the ways of the devil!” 

 

He lurched violently and suddenly towards Johnny, knife unsheathed. Adam, being much younger and swifter of hand, grabbed out for the hay fork. He rose swiftly and plunged the fork deep into his Father’s chest. The old man fell to the dirt floor as quickly as the fork had punctured his lungs. He gurgled blood for a brief minute before expiring.

 

“Johnny, my darling Johnny! Are you ok?”

 

Adam helped Johnny down from the scale and embraced him in hugs and kisses.

 

“What sweet treachery is this?”

 

They both turned to Evan who had taken the knife from his Father’s hand.

 

“Why Evan, whatever has overcome you?”

 

“You hath murdered our Father!”

 

“In defence of this innocent young servant boy! You saw as clear as the day is bright that it was Father who was on the verge of cutting open his throat. How can you deny such a thing?”

 

“You hath murdered our Father, and you hath betrayed me, your only brother!”

 

“Betrayed you, how hath I betrayed you?”

 

“You hath lied in sin with my one and only love!”

 

“What? This surely cannot be true? The odds against it are too great!”

 

“It is true! I hath also been feeding Johnny in order to fatten him for my own desires. I hath also been receiving favours of a most gratifying nature from him and he from me!”

 

“Johnny? I beseech you! Tell me that not a word that my delirious brother hath spoken is true!”

 

“It is true, Adam. Evan has been calling me to his chambers every night for the last quarter year in order to sustain me with both nourishment and carnal joy.”

 

Adam once more slumped to the ground in womanly tears.

 

“But, I plead to both of you, my Masters, need we desist? I have been very grateful for all the love and warmth that I have received! And my desire to grow is stronger now than it has ever been!”

 

“I WILL NOT SHARE YOU!!”

 

Evan leaped at his brother who, being lower than him in his position of sorrow, was too slow to defend himself against an equally agile attacker. Even lashed out at his throat and slit it wide open.

 

Once he too had left this world, Evan turned to Johnny;

 

“What do we do now?”

 

“We go back to finish dinner while we come up with a plan, Sir.”

12.

Six months passed before the Lady of the House chose to join her eldest son and husband in heavenly peace. For half a year she had suffered from a hysteria of the worst kind. The kind that only befalls women unable to cope with the unfaltering nature of death and life.

 

During this period, in which the magistrate was satisfied that the Father and Son had taken each other’s lives, Evan had continued to take care of Johnny in all his usual ways. The young servant boy was now so fat that he was possibly the fattest boy that had ever as yet existed.

 

Unconstrained by any oversight, the young pair had persisted in their shameful affair unhindered. It had soon become the norm for Johnny to sleep in his Master’s bed all night, and at times when his Mother was too sick to join for dinner it was Johnny who gladly kept the lonely Master company at the dinner table.

 

He was provided with ample clothing well above his station and was generally free to wander the house as if he himself were Master of it. The Lady of the House being too ill-disposed to complain. Johnny fully enjoyed this promotion in social status, false as it was, and soon had both his Mother and Miss Mary referring to him as the Young Master Jonathan.

 

His Mother he kept a slave to the kitchen, spending her days preparing ever more lavish meals for him. For the first time in his young life he tasted quail, and pheasant, caviar and endless French delicacies, that swelled him up to unheard of heights.

 

His belly would gurgle and growl with hunger and then strain in pain as he and Master Evan would overfill it day after day. The boys appeared so in love that Johnny’s Mother feared that their shame would soon be revealed. Making no efforts to hide such a sin would surely only lead them all to the gallows. She discussed this very legitimate concern with him on more than one occasion but he soothed and assured her that they had not a thing to fret about.

13.

Shortly after the burial of the Lady of the House a meeting with the estate’s elderly lawyer and new local magistrate was convened. To Master Evan, soon to be Lord, and Master Jonathan the plan was simple: Evan would inherit everything and they would be able to continue living their life of sin. All Johnny had to do was go back to being a servant for the duration of the gentlemen’s visit so that Evan could pretend that he alone lived in the house.

 

Evan entered the drawing room where Johnny was waiting.

 

“Why are you not wearing your servant's clothes as discussed?”

 

“Dear Master, how could you, a young man of not inconsiderable learning, believe that any of my previous garments would still fit my heavily expanded frame that you doth so admire?”

 

“But, how will I explain away to the lawyer and magistrate how it has come to be that my boy servant is dressed as if he was Lord of the Manor?”

 

Johnny had no time to respond for at that very moment Miss Mary showed the two guests into the room. She herself was dressed in an elegant gown and took a seat a little away from the gentleman on the opposing side of the room.

 

Evan was perplexed both as to how she was dressed and to the fact that she somehow dared to remain in their company for such an important endeavour as this. He dared not say a word against her though through fear of raising any notion of impropriety in the house in front of such esteemed company.

 

The elderly lawyer stepped forward and offered his hand to Johnny who promptly accepted it.

 

“Master Evan, it is so good to see you again after all these years. My, how you have grown! When I last saw you, you were but a small baby suckling on your Mother’s breast.”

 

“It is an honour to meet you too, Sir”

 

He also shook hands and shared a warm greeting with the town’s new magistrate.

 

“What? Wait! This is most improper, I must protest! He is not the Master of the House! It is I that am Evan Bloomington, heir of this great estate!”

 

The magistrate looked at Evan carefully over the rim of his reading spectacles.

 

“This cannot be true. What is it that you talk of man? This jolly young fellow here is clearly the Master of the House.”

 

“That is correct, Sir. I am. I know not what hysteria has overcome my servant boy.”

 

“Your servant boy? You are the servant boy! How dare you?”

 

“Sir,” said the lawyer to the magistrate, “I have only met Master Evan once before, and as I have already stated it was when he was only a newborn, however, I must agree that this gentleman here is Master Evan. He looks like the baby that I met, he is better dressed, and he is much fuller of figure.”

 

“You are correct, Sir. I am at a complete loss as to how to explain to you the behaviour of this servant boy. I will have him removed immediately. Miss Mary, my fiancee, will escort him to the kitchen.

 

Miss Mary stood up.

 

“Your what? She’s nothing but a kitchen girl! A kitchen girl I tell you!”

 

The two esteemed gentlemen studied Miss Mary for a few moments. She was young and beautiful, well dressed, and eloquently spoken.

 

“I am Miss Mary Longstop from Darlington. I am very pleased to make your acquaintances gentlemen. Please forgive me but I must acquiesce to my beloved’s instructions and remove this deranged servant from your presence. Come Johnny!”

 

“You lying two faced harlett! You are nothing but a pot washer! I am Master Evan, rightful Lord of this Estate! And this fat boy here is nothing more than my servant and mistress!”

 

“Your what?” enquired the magistrate.

 

“I hated to bring this up, Sirs, for I am soft in the heart and wanted no harm to come to him but this servant boy doth appear to have feelings for me.”

 

“Feelings? What kind of feelings are you referring to?” asked the lawyer.

 

“Sinful feelings, Sirs.”

 

They both gasped in horror.

 

“I am Master Evan and this fat fucking little shit is nothing but a lying homosexual servant boy of the most sinful kind!”

 

“I am loathed to say this in front of the gentleman in question for it is beyond improper to comment on a fellow gentleman’s appearance, however, you leave me with no choice, so I can only hope that you, Master Evan, can forgive me for what I am about to say?”

 

“Speak your mind, good Sir. No harm will come of it,” said Johnny.

 

“You, servant boy, in your madness and delusions, have undone your own argument. By referring to this young gentleman in such a derogatory and foul manner you have only proven that you belong to the lower classes. And now for the part that is ungentlemanly of myself, this boy is far too large in frame, too heavyset, too rotund, too ample. He is simply far too well fed for it ever to be possible for him to belong to the servant classes. You however, are clearly nothing but an imprudent, uneducated, foul mouthed rotter of the worst kind!”

 

“Well said, Sir. You do me much more favour than dishonour with your words.”

 

“Liar! He is my servant and my lover!”

 

“Do you freely admit that you have romantic desires for this boy?” enquired the lawyer.

 

Evan was now sobbing freely like a woman, “I love him dearly and I don’t understand why he is doing this to me!”

 

“He admits it freely!” proclaimed the magistrate, “I have never before heard anything so despicable! He is an unrepenting pervert of the worst kind!”

 

Evan turned to Johnny.

 

“Why would you do this when I love you so?”

 

“I do not love you. I have never loved you. You are a deranged servant boy who has quite frankly lost his mind. I am in love with Miss Mary. We have been courting for the last year. She will be my wife and Lady of the House, for she is the one who has truly cared for me all of this time.”

 

With that the lawyer and the magistrate removed Evan to the local jail where he remained in a state of wild hysteria, no better than his Mother’s, until he was taken to the gallows only a little over a week later.

 

The esteemed gentlemen returned to the house the next day and Johnny signed the inheritance papers declaring him heir to the estate and Bloomington fortune. Much to Johnny’s surprise and delight, for he never had any real knowledge of his former Lord’s business dealings, this included not only the house and forty acres, but, two factories in Bradford, three sailing ships, a newspaper in New Haven, Connecticut, and a plantation in Virginia. Having been born into the serving classes this last possession caused Johnny and his new wife much anguish and it was quickly parted with for a tidy sum of twenty five thousand dollars in order to ease their good consciences. In total these interests provided him with a purse of over thirty thousand pounds a year, making him one of the richest gentlemen in England. This he shared with his loving and dutiful wife Mary for the next thirty six years.

 

Miss Mary bore him three sons; Geoffrey, Adam, and Evan, named in honour of his kind deceased former Masters. Each boy held an appetite as healthy as their doting Father’s, who took great care to ensure that the benefits of his hard work went to providing them with everything that they could ever desire. The family’s aptitude for eating kept Johnny’s Mother busy in the kitchen where she continued to slave over the stove for so many years that she eventually lived to mourn her only son.

For over three decades Johnny lived a happy and fruitful life in which he grew to become the fattest gentleman that all of England had ever seen. When he died he received a two page obituary in the Times of London declaring him to have been so.

 

Miss Mary was so proud of her husband.