Tears stung her eyes, but Felicity ignored them and fought to control her emotions. It was one thing to have Tristan explain the particulars to her, but it was another to hear it from a woman who did it professionally. She’d tried touching herself alone in bed last night but even though it did feel nice, she didn’t find that rapture he’d talked about.
“I was attacked by my fiancé,” Felicity said.
“I gathered something like that.”
“It hurt. Like I was being stabbed, though I’ve never been stabbed before either.”
“Because you were, little dove. But when youwantto be with a man, it isn’t like that at all. When he knows how to use his tool, it’s a grand time and your body will drip with desire. I mean that literally, dear. We make our own lubrication, and that is what makes the slide of a cock inside you feel like heaven. You’ll want to beg him to fill the emptiness inside you—emptiness being the channel between your legs.”
“The vagina,” Felicity stated, her cheeks flaming from Lucia’s bold talk. Why had she never thought to ask the ladies for help before? Oh yes—embarrassment.
“I know, but that word doesn’t excite me, and sex should always be exciting. I can hardly believe I get paid to have men pleasure me—and they do. I settle for nothing less. Sometimes there is a bit of education involved, but my students learn quick.”
Felicity blinked in shock. “You teach them?”
“Aye. Most men perform as if a woman only exists to lay there quietly. I pity their wives, honestly. But after a night with me, I send them home with new tricks. I like to think their wives should send me flowers or something.”
Felicity giggled awkwardly. “What if they are not good learners?”Or monsters like Chadwick.
“Then I ring for assistance and tell them to take their soggy cocks back to the sheep farm.”
Felicity gasped and covered her mouth.
Lucia laughed. “I knew that would shock you.”
Felicity smiled, feeling a bit better about her fears. “Here.” She handed the pot to Lucia. “Apply it every morning and night while you visit with your family. Apply more frequently if it starts to itch.”
“Thanks, dove. Don’t marry Sir Elliot or Mr. Wickstone. Sir Elliot recites Shakespeare when he finishes, and Mr. Wickstone smells like cheese. All the time. I make him bathe and douse him in my perfume, but it hardly helps. I only tolerate him because he eats me like he’s starving.”
Felicity blushed. She didn’t understand most of that. “Thank you for your insight.”
Lucia winked. “You should go around and ask the girls who you should marry.”
Felicity left Lucia’s room and considered her advice. Most of the women who had worked last night would be sleeping. But Felicity wasn’t sure she could handle more advice this morning anyway. She already had enough to think about, and tonight she would return to the gaming floor and pursue a husband. Before, the concept had been intimidating, but now she couldn’t muster enthusiasm either. What was she going to do if she couldn’t find a suitable man? Maybe she should have the upstairs ladies choose for her.
As she reached the ladies gaming floor on her way back to her room, Milly appeared.
“There you are. Mrs. Dove-Lyon is looking for you.”
“Oh? Is she in her parlor?”
“Yes, with Mr. Chase.”
Felicity’s stomach sank. She knew. She must somehow know that they’d spent time in her room doing wicked things and now she was in trouble. Would she throw her out? Felicity squeezed her fists in panic as she kept her head down and made her way to the parlor. She knocked once on the door, and it opened. Tristan was there, looking calm and rather handsome in a blue coat instead of black. His eyes were brighter.
He gave her a crooked smile. “Are you going to stand there or come in?”
Felicity shook her head at him. Didn’t he know they were in trouble? Flustered, Felicity took a chair across from where Mrs. Dove Lyon sat on the settee, directly in the center like it was her throne.
“Good morning, Mrs. Dove-Lyon.”
“Miss Brandon, I heard you were tending to Lucia. Is her ear healing well?”
“Yes, but it will take time to heal fully, and then there is her hair...”
“Hm, yes. Vanity, thy name is Lucia.”
Tristan took the other chair. Neither of them seemed particularly unsettled, so Felicity tried to calm down. This had to be something else and not about their tryst last night.
