It was somewhat irregular (although not unheard of) for lords to let their wives associate with the mistresses of other men, but she understood that these were not women who had abided by all the rules before their marriages—and so were less inclined to do so afterwards.
Beatrice had seen so little of what was called “good” society that it unnerved her to imagine herself at its epicenter.
She sunk deeper in the warm water.Luckily, she had an excursion planned for them ahead of dinner that filled her with much more excitement.
Three hours later, she and Leith pulled up outside a squat building down a St.James’s alley.
“Damn it, Preston,” said Leith beside her.“He knows that we are going to John’s.What is he doing here?”
“I asked him to make an extra stop.”
He leveled her with his amber gaze.
“Wait—is this—” he looked out the window “—you want to gohere?How do you even know abouthere?”
“An old lover.”She shrugged.“He was a patron.He was fond of certain…things.”
“Were you?”he said, alarmed.“Fond of these things?”
“Fond enough.”
“And what were these activities?”Leith looked distinctly vexed.
She frowned.She had not planned to necessarily have this excursion center around her previous activities.
“It’s no matter.We can discuss it, if you are really interested.But I am much more excited about going into the shop withyou.Have you been here before?”
He shook his head.“But I have heard of it, of course.It’s my belief—” he made a face “—that Trem and Henrietta are quite enthusiastic patrons of this particular emporium.”He cringed.“Monty and Olivia, too, although perhaps not to the same extent.”
She laughed.His squeamishness was really quite amusing.“Well, let’s explore it for ourselves.”
He had that same grim set about his mouth that she had seen at Vauxhall.But she knew that, just as he had then, he would go through with it.And that, once inside, he might actually enjoy it.
“Very well.”
Within minutes, he was leading her through the unmarked door and into a spare shop that looked completely innocuous.
Beatrice had been told what she needed to say, so they approached the shopkeeper, a tidy-looking man with gray hair.
“We would like to view the specialty products.”
“Assuredly, sir, madam.”He nodded, gesturing to an attendant that Beatrice had not noticed.
This attendant led them down a hallway to a doorway.He opened the door, gesturing for them to enter.
“Ring when you have made your selections.”
She nodded and the man was gone.
She turned and studied the room.
“My,” she said, “I had not exactly expected such a display.”
The room was gotten up very neatly, but it nevertheless displayed a rather overwhelming array of products.Across shelves and hooks many items were visible and she did not understand the purpose of half.
“Christ,” Leith said.
He was looking around the room with clear dismay.
