be known as the only
one who did not particularly care for his sexual prowess or finances.
Emily shuddered to think that people actually
enjoyed such demeaning acts. Then the image of that woman on her knees, sucking
hard and fast on her betrothal’s nether regions invaded her mind again. She had
heard of the act plenty of times from attending plays and reading those French
novels her friends had stolen off the headmistress. There were other positions
they’d often joke about as well.
One night, she and the young ladies giggled in the
darkness, when they should have been sound asleep, of how some enjoyed it from
behind. That is, until one of the schoolmistresses had walked in on Agnes
Miller saying she had watched her eldest brother take a woman that way not too
long ago. It had been utterly scandalous!
Several lashings later, Emily had been removed from
the school. And thank heavens her mama had never found out about the discussion,
as Nathaniel had been the one to collect her. While he had been told a more
fabricated version of events, she suspected he knew more than what he led on.
She had always been curious as to what kind of
pleasures a woman could receive. Most of the ones illustrated in those novels
had been for male release, so what did that mean for her? From what she walked
in on, she hardly saw how a woman could enjoy being on her knees, her mouth so
full. How on earth did a person breathe like that? So many questions and no one to ask.
Well, there was. But would she really get an answer?
She could not very well ask her brother and his wife. And her mother was out of
the question. Perhaps the answer lie with attending more plays, or maybe even
asking another gent. But who? Even more, how to begin such an inappropriate conversation
without a man taking it as an invitation?
I am an imbeccile . No one would believe her. She was a girl, and her only real value was
whether she could bare an heir to his grace’s title.
All these thoughts had her in a tizzy, and she was wide-awake.
Dawn would not be for hours, and her tummy grumbled from not having eaten during
the evening. All in the name of fitting into that ridiculous gown that exposed
far too much of her bosom.
Slipping out of bed and wrapping her robe, she
lifted a candle from the bureau and crept out of her room. The hall was dimly
lit, and the house was asleep. Almost. An old man servant walked the lower
level.
Emily stepped off the final, hardwood step and sat
the candle down on the table against the wall of portraits. She slipped into
the kitchen and knocked on the sideboard to announce her presence. The last
thing she desired was put dear old Duncan in his grave long before his time.
“Lady Emily, I had not been informed of your
arrival here at Stoughton Hall.”
“Well, I imagine not, as I did not arrive until
well after midnight. What has you up at this forsaken hour, sir?”
The old man chuckled. “In my old age, dear, I fear
I do not sleep much. Though, I had come down in hopes of having some warm milk
to help settle my nerves.”
“Oh, that sounds wonderful. Could you warm some for
me as well, please?”
Duncan had served here ever since her papa was a
lad. Three generations was a long time to be a servant, and sadly, even having
spent many years in this home, she did not know much about him. How was it possible to share a house with so many people and never
really know any of them? What a sad state of affairs . Her mama had spent so much time barking out orders and demands, she
wondered if she even knew their names.
Before she returned home, Emily wanted to get to
know the staff, even spend a little time with her niece and nephew. Up until a
month ago, when her mother had dragged her out of this house, she had not had a
moment to visit the babies at all.
“There you go, young miss. I hope it settles
whatever is bothering you tonight.”
She laughed. Nothing could settle what bothered her
unless her wedding was called off. “That,
one who did not particularly care for his sexual prowess or finances.
Emily shuddered to think that people actually
enjoyed such demeaning acts. Then the image of that woman on her knees, sucking
hard and fast on her betrothal’s nether regions invaded her mind again. She had
heard of the act plenty of times from attending plays and reading those French
novels her friends had stolen off the headmistress. There were other positions
they’d often joke about as well.
One night, she and the young ladies giggled in the
darkness, when they should have been sound asleep, of how some enjoyed it from
behind. That is, until one of the schoolmistresses had walked in on Agnes
Miller saying she had watched her eldest brother take a woman that way not too
long ago. It had been utterly scandalous!
Several lashings later, Emily had been removed from
the school. And thank heavens her mama had never found out about the discussion,
as Nathaniel had been the one to collect her. While he had been told a more
fabricated version of events, she suspected he knew more than what he led on.
She had always been curious as to what kind of
pleasures a woman could receive. Most of the ones illustrated in those novels
had been for male release, so what did that mean for her? From what she walked
in on, she hardly saw how a woman could enjoy being on her knees, her mouth so
full. How on earth did a person breathe like that? So many questions and no one to ask.
Well, there was. But would she really get an answer?
She could not very well ask her brother and his wife. And her mother was out of
the question. Perhaps the answer lie with attending more plays, or maybe even
asking another gent. But who? Even more, how to begin such an inappropriate conversation
without a man taking it as an invitation?
I am an imbeccile . No one would believe her. She was a girl, and her only real value was
whether she could bare an heir to his grace’s title.
All these thoughts had her in a tizzy, and she was wide-awake.
Dawn would not be for hours, and her tummy grumbled from not having eaten during
the evening. All in the name of fitting into that ridiculous gown that exposed
far too much of her bosom.
Slipping out of bed and wrapping her robe, she
lifted a candle from the bureau and crept out of her room. The hall was dimly
lit, and the house was asleep. Almost. An old man servant walked the lower
level.
Emily stepped off the final, hardwood step and sat
the candle down on the table against the wall of portraits. She slipped into
the kitchen and knocked on the sideboard to announce her presence. The last
thing she desired was put dear old Duncan in his grave long before his time.
“Lady Emily, I had not been informed of your
arrival here at Stoughton Hall.”
“Well, I imagine not, as I did not arrive until
well after midnight. What has you up at this forsaken hour, sir?”
The old man chuckled. “In my old age, dear, I fear
I do not sleep much. Though, I had come down in hopes of having some warm milk
to help settle my nerves.”
“Oh, that sounds wonderful. Could you warm some for
me as well, please?”
Duncan had served here ever since her papa was a
lad. Three generations was a long time to be a servant, and sadly, even having
spent many years in this home, she did not know much about him. How was it possible to share a house with so many people and never
really know any of them? What a sad state of affairs . Her mama had spent so much time barking out orders and demands, she
wondered if she even knew their names.
Before she returned home, Emily wanted to get to
know the staff, even spend a little time with her niece and nephew. Up until a
month ago, when her mother had dragged her out of this house, she had not had a
moment to visit the babies at all.
“There you go, young miss. I hope it settles
whatever is bothering you tonight.”
She laughed. Nothing could settle what bothered her
unless her wedding was called off. “That,
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