Page 40 of Viking in Love

The other women at the table were dumbstruck. “Surely women do not do that willingly.”

“Well, they do when it is a man they love and want to please,” Vana, obviously not one of the dumbstruck, told her, not even blushing. “Like Rafn.”

I do not believe I am hearing this. Well, she should not be so surprised. Long before the hated Earl Oswald, Vana and Rafn had been in love, but she had been so young. Apparently not so young for some things!

Amicia slid down onto the bench across from Breanne. “Listen, I am going to tell you ladies somethin’ few ladies know. There is one sure thing that drives men wild.”

Oh, my gods and goddesses! Do I want to drive Caedmon wild?

“A woman’s pleasure in the bedplay,” she said with a sharp nod of her head, as if she had just imparted some great wisdom.

“Huh?” Breanne spoke for all of them.

“When a woman gains pleasure in the bedding, ’tis a man’s greatest pleasure. And when he knows that she enjoys his touch…when she will allow him to do any wicked thing he wants…when she initiates certain practices…well, that woman can get anything from a man. Jewels, marriage, or…several sennights of extended hospitality.”

Amicia was obviously more aware of their dilemma than they had realized.

Although Breanne was a virgin, she was not unaware that some women enjoyed sex. With the right man. Like Tyra with Adam. Like Vana with Rafn.

She wanted to ask what practices Amicia alluded to, but could not find the words without appearing ignorant.

Not so their outspoken Ingrith. “What practices?”

And Drifa. “What things might a man want to do, other than the usual?”

“Wicked things?” one of the maids inquired with decided interest, then giggled.

Another of the maids asked, “Does a woman have ta be made a certain way ta enjoy all that gruntin’ an’ pokin’?”

A thought came to Breanne of a sudden. “Does the master lie with all of you here at Larkspur?”

Amicia shook her head. “Nay. None that I know of. Methinks he has a mistress in Higby, or he did at one time. A widow, who is barren. The master has no wish for more bairns about the place.”

“A little late for that!” Breanne snapped.

“All these children came from somewhere,” Drifa added.

“Kin ya believe what the men did with apples when they came back from the wars with the master last sennight?” one of the maids said, an impish grin on her face.

“Dumb as dung some men are,” Amicia proclaimed, then proceeded to tell a most outlandish tale about apples and female nether parts and preventing conception.

Breanne was shocked.

“I do not understand.” Ingrith frowned with concentration. “How did they get those apple halves out afterward? What if they got stuck?”

“Oh, ’twas easy,” one of the maids said. “A piece of yarn was threaded through the apple and hung outside the body.”

“Like a tail?” Vana was clearly horrified, then amused.

They all burst out laughing at the image of all those apples…and tails.

“Actually,” Drifa said, “in the Eastern lands the harem women…those who do not want to ruin their figures…have a method.” She went on to speak of certain matters Breanne had never heard voiced aloud.

“Where did you hear such nonsense?” Ingrith wanted to know.

“From Rashid.”

“Rashid told me as well,” Vana admitted. “That is why I did not get pregnant with Oswald. I could not bear the thought of his child growing in me.”