“Well, if I’m being honest, no. Not at first. But then, Georgie was very persistent.”
“But if you didn’t love him, why go through with all of it?”
Aunt Belle stared across the room; her stare glazed over as if she was remembering some long-ago memory.
“Well, it was a number of things, really. Georgie wasn’t the only person infatuated with me. I had made quite a success of myself on the stage, which had brought me to the notice of the highest members of society. I had several offers from several very prominent peers. I even entertained a few of them, but Georgie was different from the rest.”
“Because he was royalty?”
“Oh, no. Because he was a dreamer,” she said languorously. “He always had these supercilious ideas about life and love. To hear him explain it was really annoying, but somewhat exciting. I could get swept away in his daydreams and, I often did.”
“But didn’t you find it, difficult, to… well. To… you know…” Faith tried as her cheeks warmed. “Go through withit, when you didn’t love him?”
“You mean lay with him? Not at all,” Aunt Belle said, only to quickly amended her words. “I mean to say, while being with someone in that way is certainly better when you’re in love, there is a certainje ne sais quoito being with someone with whom you share a level of animosity.”
“Animosity?”
Belle’s eyebrows wiggled.
“Oh yes.”
Faith frowned.
“Did you have animosity toward the king?”
Belle sighed and leaned back slightly.
“Yes and no, I suppose. He was certainly sure of himself when we first met and I found his arrogance trying. He thought he was terribly clever and when I cut him once or twice, he became prickly.”
“How so?”
“Oh, would that I could remember exactly, but even if I could, I wouldn’t tell you,” she said with a wink. “However, Georgie would not be deterred. He was determined and in a bout of madness, I may have challenged him.”
“In what way?”
Even at seventy-six, Belle’s wrinkled cheeks turned crimson.
“It’s really not for innocent ladies to hear, my dear.”
Her gaze drifted to the opposite wall where a painting Faith had completed for Belle last Christmas hung. It was a portrait of Belle’s sister, Alice, painted from one of the sketches Faith had done of her the winter prior to her passing. Belle had adored it and, much to Faith’s surprise, had hung it up on the wall in the office.
Faith was sure Belle was worried that Alice would have found their entire conversation inappropriate. But she had to distract her.
“Please,” Faith asked, leaning forward, pulling her aunt’s attention back to her. “I won’t tell anyone.”
“I doubt very much you would even be able to bring yourself to repeat it,” Belle said, giving her a thoughtful look. She seemed to debate whether or not to continue, but then she smirked. “But what harm could it do? As long as you don’t think to do something as reckless.”
“I wouldn’t,” Faith said quickly. Too quickly, apparently, for Belle hesitated. “I promise. Besides, who would I even consider challenging?”
Though Belle didn’t say it, and Faith tried to keep her face neutral, they both knew exactly who she would confront. Butthen one of Belle’s brows lifted, and a flash of satisfaction shone in her eyes. Only for a moment, but Faith found herself wondering what Belle had to be so pleased about.
“Very well,” she said, sitting up straight. “I told Georgie after the ninth or tenth time of him coming to my dressing room that there wasn’t any place in my heart for him and that he should move on. He countered, saying that we might share a single kiss, so as to prove him wrong. In defiance, I offered him an entire evening to prove that there was nothing between us.”
Faith’s intake of breath was soft, and though she knew her aunt had done many wicked things in her life, she hadn’t ever heard word for word about the deeds she had done. Belle continued.
“Being nothing more than a man wanting, he accepted, of course, and we decided on the night. I will not tell you any details, for even I’m not so brazen, but I will tell you that after our evening together, both of us were changed.”
“For the better?”
