“Milady, I will no’ speak to ye of my times with Robert...”
“Nay, I do not expect you to break any of the confidences you hold from times you... saw him before we were married. But, Robena, I will not share him with you now that we are. No matter the state of our marriage, I cannot allow that.”
She was bluffing of course and in spite of the fact that she thought that Robena knew it too, the woman nodded in agreement. No woman could keep a husband from sleeping where he would and spreading his seed where he wished. In spite of that, Anice could issue this ultimatum to Robena and hope the woman would do her best to abide by it.
Anice walked to the chair next to Robena’s. Sitting in it, she looked at the whore. “I want to... I wish to fulfill my... Robert wants...” Oh, damn, she thought, this was simply not something a lady spoke of to another woman.
“Ye have no’ slept with Robbie yet? Is that the problem?”
“Aye,” she whispered, now unable to meet Robena’s gaze.
“And ye wish to?”
The heat stole into her cheeks. “Aye.”
“Can ye answer my questions so that I might help ye in this?”
Anice glanced up and found a look of concern on the woman’s face. She dared to hope that this might work after all.
“I will answer what I can.”
“Haes he kissed ye?” She nodded but Robena shook her head. “As a man kisses his lover? No’ simply on the cheek, but in yer mouth?”
Thoughts of his tongue in her mouth and the waves of heat those feelings created filled her mind. “Aye.”
“Haes he touched ye? On yer breasts and there?” Robena pointed to the junction of her thighs. She could almost feel his fingers approaching that place again, and as his fingers had done, even the memories caused the wetness to seep there.
“Aye,” she said a bit breathlessly.
Robena smiled at her; obviously the signs of her arousal were not missed by someone who made a living at creating thatcondition in her patrons.
“When did the memories come upon ye? When he tried to enter ye?”
She did understand! Anice wanted to cry in relief as she knew then that Robena had gone through the same thing.
“Nay, he did not put himself inside me. It was a simple thing, a touch of his teeth on my neck.”
She saw the shiver move through Robena and knew they shared another shameful experience. But if Robena could resume her activities, mayhap Anice could learn to take Robert into her body.... She did not need or expect to like it; she really only need tolerate it... for him.
“Forgive me, Robena, for reminding you. I...”
“Nay, milady. ’Tis fine. Let me tell ye how I managed to hold the bad memories at bay. Of course, I was already more experienced in this than ye are. I kenned that it did no’ have to be this way.”
Anice nodded. Robena had been a whore for some years before Sandy attacked her, not a virgin bride, completely inexperienced and untouched.
“I was able to choose who I would tup after that and I chose men who I kenned would be gentle and even fun. Then, when I would feel the fear gaining a hold of me, I would make sure to keep my eyes open and watch them. And if the fear came, I would think about the good feelings they kindled in me.”
“You watched them? While they...?”
“Aye, milady. Keep yer eyes open so ye ken who it is. Another question for ye, if ye dinna mind?” Anice nodded even as she thought over this approach Robena suggested. She had become confused in her terror and could not tell who was with her. Visions of Sandy’s face had merged with Robert’s until she did not know. Keeping her gaze on his face might help.
“Does he make ye wet... there?” Anice followed Robena’s eyes and nodded again, unable to admit that even now she was.
“Then if ye feel the fear beginning, just concentrate on how he makes ye feel there. Think only about his hands and his mouth on ye. Keep watching him.”
Anice sat back and reached for the cup of ale on the table.Her face felt overheated and she could feel the sweat dripping down her back. She pulled out a linen square from her sleeve and mopped her brow.
Robena laughed at her actions. “If just talking about doing this with Robbie gets ye that way, ye will be fine.”
