Happy to leave a party mayhap for the first time in her life, Beth agreed.
Chapter Nine
Beth had arrived home from volunteering at the charity school and had just ordered tea to the library when Althea entered and flopped into the chair across from her, throwing her feet on the delicate matching Hepplewhite footstool.
Beth tilted her head. “Cuz? Are you quite all right? You appear flushed.”
“I’ve just had the most explosive sexual experience of my life in the back room of my shop. ’Tis no wonder I am flushed!”
Beth nearly fell off the settee. She never would have anticipated that response. “What? Do tell!” Beth sat forward. “With whom?”
Althea gave her a withering look.
“Ah. Cheltie does get around. It seems he lived up to his reputation. Come now. Share with your best friend and family member.” Beth was impressed. The rakish earl never chased. But even if his popularity was well-earned, he’d need to work harder to scale her cousin’s walls, to say nothing of the fact that last she knew, neither wanted to marry.
Silently, she admitted she was a tad bit jealous, given her frustrated state these past weeks. Unable to muster interest in a single stable hand, no matter how flash, she’d been further irked by her reaction to Owen and the ball. And pleasuring herself as she replayed her nights with Robert was unsatisfying.
“Only because I need advice. Please, you cannot breathe a word of this to anyone. The shop will suffer, never mind my reputation.”
“I promise, I promise. Now spill.” She focused on her cousin’s puzzle, rather than her own confusion regarding one man who seemed ill-suited for her temperament and should have been a hazy memory as one of many.
Althea explained, then added, “But, cousin, I must also confess something. Part of the reason I sent you to the School of Enlightenment was because I stumbled across one of your, er, interludes in the stables.”
“Oh, that,” Beth scoffed. “I was actually hoping it would help convince you to try sex.”
Althea’s eyes bulged. “You saw me? Why did you never say anything?”
“Me? Why didyounever say anything?” Beth laughed, arching a brow. “I glimpsed you hurrying away, is all. If you recall, I was rather busy at the time. Regardless, ’tis quite all right. I don’t mind. The more, the merrier, and all that. And I know why you sent me away. If I had stuck to the stable hands, you might not have felt the need to find the school, but I am very grateful for my time there.”
“Oh.” Althea sagged against her chairback then straightened again. “Beth, there were two stable hands watching before I arrived. You say you don’t care, but I still can’t comprehend that.”
Beth snorted. “Before Evan, you thought sex was for procreation, not pleasure. I see you’re not trotting that tired argument out now.”
Althea’s cheeks warmed.
Beth continued. “Look at Aphrodite. She had many lovers, and she lounges around naked in most of her depictions. I’d wager her motto was the more the merrier, too.”
I wonder what Robert would think of that attitude.
“It just feels wrong to watch others in an act specifically referred to as intimacy,” Althea insisted.
“What if their definition of that is inviting anyone interested to participate, bringing people together in a different way?”
“I cannot fathom it.”
“Well, then, let me ask this. If Evan had neglected to lock the door, and your employee had entered just before he took you over, would you have cared? Would you have even noticed?”
Althea lowered her gaze to her hands in her lap, silent.
“Is he as well-endowed as they claim?” Beth teased her cousin, relinquishing the debate and telling herself to stop worrying about what Robert would think when she was unlikely to spend more time with him.
Althea glanced up, asking, “Who are they, and—never mind. Beth, please. Now is not the time for idle gossip. What do I do, cousin?”
“Right, then. Sorry. You have nothing to lose by taking his advice, which he’s already offered. However, he’s come to you twice now.” Beth raised a brow. “Cheltie never chases. He doesn’t need to. You shall likely need to go to him.”
Althea shook her head. “But now he is insisting on sexual favors in return.”
Beth grinned. “’Tisn’t the worst idea in the world, from the look of you. And they say he is a very generous lover.”
